A review by kpem
An Offer From a Gentleman by Julia Quinn

emotional tense medium-paced
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

0.25

I hate Benedict Bridgerton.  I have really been enjoying the Bridgerton novels, but could not get over how absolutely awful Benedict was. I wasn't rooting for the main characters to get together at the end because it was such an unhealthy relationship.  I don't know how to explain my problems with this book without sharing some spoiler-y examples. (CW: rape, toxic relationship) 
First of all, he has been obsessed with a girl he met at a party for years, but doesn't recognize her when he sees her without a masquerade mask on later.  This is sort of silly but I can get past that in the context of a pleasure read romance novel.  Benedict gets to know Sophie as a maid after saving her from almost being gang raped.  I'm not a fan of rape being used as a casual plot device, but moving on.  After he's helped her escape from this traumatic event, he falls in love with her and decides he MUST have her as his mistress.  She clearly says no and tries to physically get away from him, which he won't allow.  He won't accept her answer and tells her she must work at his mother's house where he will presumably continue harassing and trying to coerce her into a relationship she doesn't feel comfortable with.  When she says no to this he threatens to falsely report to police that she stole from him and she ends up doing what he wants to avoid this fate.  At his mother's house, she actually really enjoys her new job and the company of the other Bridgerton women.  The time spent with the women in the novel is actually really lovely and fun to read.  Tragically, though, this first good opportunity in Sophie's life is haunted by Benedict who predictably harasses her while she works in his family home.  When he finally gets her to sleep with him, he tells her to say no before he starts because in a few minutes it will be "too late" to tell him she changed her mind.  I feel like all of Benedict's dangerous behavior is even more repulsive because it comes after he "saved" her from being raped when they "met".  Sophie just moved from one terrifying, dangerous scenario to another.  The book is chock full of serious consent issues and gross power dynamics which go completely unexamined.  There are absolutely no consequences for Benedict's toxic behavior. He is rewarded with everything he wanted and more at the end of the novel.


It is an easy read.  In some ways it reads like the other Bridgerton novels.  If you're interested in reading the series, however, I would say feel free to skip this one.  Hopefully the Netflix series goes in a different direction with this character than the books did.
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