regency

Ah, those Bridgerton brothers . . . They do make a girl's heart go pitty-pat, and Sophie Beckett's heart is no different. Escaping to the masquerade ball of the season, she experiences a brief moment of freedom and happiness, two things that are sadly lacking in her life as servant to her horrible stepmother. She is also lucky enough to spend some time in the arms of Benedict Bridgerton, a man as gorgeous and sexy as his brothers. But all good things must come to an end, and when midnight hits, Sophie disappears, although she'll never forget her magical night with Benedict.

And he won't forget her, either. Captivated by the mysterious beauty, he sets out to find her, never dreaming that she was so close by, or in such a dreadful situation. True love triumphs in the end, but it is the journey there that is so enjoyable.

As with all her books, Julia Quinn has created characters that are both interesting and amusing. The stories are light-hearted and filled with love, passion, and above all else, romance. One can only hope there will be a story for each member of the astonishingly large Brigderton family, for they are sure to all be as wonderful as the first three.

The Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn is one of my most favorite books to read over and over again; this time, the second Bridgerton brother Benedict met his match in Sophie Beckett, the illegitimate daughter of the Earl of Penwood. This is a charming retelling of the Cinderella story but the focus here is more on the Prince Charming --Benedict. Benedict met Sophie in his mother's annual masked ball but he did not know it was Sophie because of her mask. He was immediately smitten and intrigued; while Sophie did the "run at midnight" but without the glass slipper. Benedict never forgot the lady in silver as what he started calling Sophie in his mind. He searched for her in vain. Then one night, he met a woman who aroused the same feeling as the lady in silver, the woman was Sophie Beckett whom Benedict rescued from a lecherous employer.

Benedict fell in love with Sophie, and yet he kept thinking of the lady he met in the masked ball. Sophie cannot bring herself to tell Benedict that she was the lady he met in the masked ball. This might be a true and tried story but leave it to Ms. Julia Quinn to throw in some twists that might not leave you at the edge of your seat but will make you satisfied at the ending.

I wasn't thrilled about the whole cinderella thing and the heroine was a bit naive. I loved the hero because he was so much different than your usual brooding male. I really like that he owned up to his feelings right away and it didn't have to be forced out of him until the end of the book. He was actually a good guy with real feelings and a heart.