Books vs Netflix series: What’s different?
Netflix has released three adaptations of Bridgerton so far. The first two instalments fall in liaison with the chronology of Bridgerton books. However, the third season straight jumps to book number four, Romancing Mister Bridgerton. Instead, Quinn’s third book, An Offer From A Gentlemen, follows Benedict Bridgerton’s romance. We’ve already seen glimpses of it in the first part of season 3, with the entry of a new love interest, Lady Tilley Arnold. It’s likely that we’ll get to see his love tale in the fourth season.
Here’s the series–book order so far.
- The Duke & I: Bridgerton season 1
- The Viscount Who Loved Me: Bridgerton season 2
- Romancing Mister Bridgerton: Bridgerton season 3
Talking about whether the series will follow the timeline of Bridgerton books, the show’s executive producer Shonda Rhimes told Entertainment Tonight in 2022, “We’re not necessarily going in order.” However, she confirmed that the audience will witness each of the siblings and their romance stories in depth.
Executive producer Chris Van Dusen also told the outlet why the writers might not follow the chronology of the Bridgerton books. Dusen stated that it mostly depends on the ‘story, and it always comes down to character’. “We do a lot of work in these first two seasons to set up characters in these future seasons,” the producer added. They said it’s important to flesh out the siblings’ characters and set them up for success.
For those of you who’ve read the Bridgerton books, you’ll know that the second season itself was a slight departure from the second book by shedding light on Eloise’s romance with the print shop assistant Theo and the quest to unravel Lady Whistledown for good.
Lastly, the Netflix series gives much more equity to outside characters like the Queen and Featherington family, unlike the book. While in the series these characters enjoy meatier parts, in the book, not so much.
With that, let’s explore Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton books universe. We’ve listed the books in chronological order and where to buy them. Keep reading.
Your guide to reading Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton books in order
Jump To / Table of Contents
- ‘The Duke and I’
- ‘The Viscount Who Loved Me’
- ‘An Offer from a Gentleman’
- ‘Romancing Mister Bridgerton’
- ‘To Sir Phillip, With Love’
- ‘When He Was Wicked’
- ‘It’s In His Kiss’
- ‘On the Way to the Wedding’
‘The Duke and I’
Year of publishing: 2000
Synopsis: You all have witnessed the book come to life via Phoebe Dynevor and Regé-Jean Page’s hot, hot romance in the first season. The Duke and I introduced you to the eldest of the Bridgerton clan, Daphne, as she debuts in the society. Crossing paths with Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings, the duo enters a sham relationship to suit their needs.
While Daphne aims to arouse the jealousy of other suitors and make her the top catch, Simon just wants to avoid the gaze of other marriage seekers. As fate would have it, this fake romance blossoms into actual love, setting the stage for explosive drama.
Bridgerton fans, do we even need to justify the brilliance of this book? The sexual tension, the building curiosity of ‘will they or won’t they’, the steamy scenes, and the ultimate culmination of it all amid the gossipy, cut-throat world of London’s elite, make the Duke and I a must-read for all suckers of romance.
Our favourite quote from the book: “Love can sometimes be found in the most unexpected places”.
(Image credit: Amazon)
‘The Viscount Who Loved Me’
Year of publishing: 2000
Synopsis: The subject of book two is Anthony Bridgerton, the family’s patriarch and a womanizer who’s any family’s nightmare when it comes to marrying their daughter. On a hunt for a wife, Anthony, the hot pick of the season, ultimately finds his match in Edwina Sheffield.
The problem? Edwina’s elder sister Kate, disapproves of this union thinking the Bridgerton senior is downright awful for his sister (thanks to all the nasty gossip Lady Whistledown churns). Or is it? A forbidden kiss between Anthony and Kate (yes, Kate!), ignites feelings of love between the two – derailing well-laid marriage plans between Anthony and Edwina.
Jonathan Bailey and Simone Ashley grace the Netflix adaptation of this book, making everyone swoon over their electric chemistry.
‘An Offer from a Gentleman’
Year of publishing: 2001
Synopsis: With its Bridgerton meets Cinderella premise, An Offer from a Gentleman is a fan-favourite Julia Quinn novel chronicling the life of Benedict Bridgerton. The fairytale starts at his mother’s masquerade ball when a mysterious Sophia Beckett captures the fancy of the Bridgerton sibling. Sophie, a servant girl with a wicked stepmother, has sneaked into this ball and poses as a member of the ton. But the charade ends sooner than later.
Just as the clock strikes midnight, Sophie vanishes into thin air, only to resurface as the Bridgerton family’s maid years later. The lovelorn Benedict finds himself drawn to Sophie while also ardently searching for the mystery girl at the ball who stole his heart. Still completely in the dark that she’s the woman he’s been searching for years, Benedict asks Sophie to be his mistress.
In this twisted tale of love, will Benedict get his fairytale ending?
Our favourite quote from the book: “It suddenly made sense. Only twice in his life had he felt this inexplicable, almost mystical attraction to a woman. He’d thought it remarkable, to have found two, when in his heart he’d always believed there was only one perfect woman out there for him.”
‘Romancing Mister Bridgerton’
Year of publishing: 2002
Synopsis: Penelope Featherington has long desired his friend and neighbour Colin Bridgerton, who treats her no more than a pal. However, when Colin returns to London after years of gallivanting around Europe, he’s unexpectedly drawn to Penelope. She’s haunting his dreams, piquing an animalistic desire he has never felt for anyone before.
However, this budding romance also has its own roadblocks, thanks to Penelope’s alter ego (if you know, you know). When Colin discovers that Penelope has some dark secrets of her own, he must decide: Is she his biggest threat or the fulfilment of a happy ending?
Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton feature as leads in Bridgerton season 3, based on this book.
Our favourite quote from the book: “He looked at her, and somehow he didn’t see the woman he’d seen so many times before. She was different. She glowed. She was a siren, a goddess, and he wondered how on earth no one had ever noticed this before.”
‘To Sir Phillip, With Love’
Year of publishing: 2003
Synopsis: Eloise Bridgerton is unlike other women her age, a high-minded, well-read woman who wants so much more from life than just marriage. However, London’s Regency Era (sexist to say the least) dubbed her a spinster at the age of 28, but Eloise still didn’t mind that. For now, she’s happy writing letters to Sir Phillip, a distant relative who lost his wife Marina Thompson. Philip, a rough-around-the-edges brute, is so unlike the London gentleman Eloise has encountered.
As fate would have it, their pen-pal relationship turns romantic and Sir Philip throws in an unexpected proposal which (surprisingly) Eloise entertains and travels to meet him. So unlike the person she had envisioned, will Eloise give this imperfect man a chance to be her perfect match?
Our favourite quote from the book: “Eloise just stared at him. As long as she lived, she’d never understand men. She had four brothers, and quite frankly should have understood them better than most women, and maybe it had taken all of her twenty-eight years to come to this realization, but men were, quite simply, freaks.”
‘When He Was Wicked’
Year of publishing: 2004
Synopsis: Francesca Bridgerton has made London’s infamous playboy, Earl Michael Stirling, fall head over heels in love with her. However, he must fight his feelings as she’s set to marry his cousin, Earl of Kilmartin, in two days. With equations so twisted, he finally settles as Francesca’s friend. But wait, it’s always supposed to end happily right?
Two years into the marriage, Francesca is widowed. Brought together by mutual grief, Francesca and Michael continue to cherish their friendship… until one passionate night changes everything. Will this long-due romance become a love fully realised?
Unlike the book, the series introduces us to Francesca in the third season as she’s shown to be the diamond of the season. In the season’s first instalment, we also see the budding romance between her and the Earl of Kilmartin. We wonder what the series has in store for this couple.
Our favourite quote from the book: “Why? It’s because I love you, damn me to hell. Because I’ve always loved you. Because I loved you when you were with John, and I loved you when I was in India, and God only knows I don’t deserve you, but I love you, anyway.”
‘It’s In His Kiss’
Year of publishing: 2005
Synopsis: The youngest of them all, Hyacinth Bridgerton shines through in this book with her fiendishly smart and devilishly outspoken demeanour. She encounters Gareth St. Clair, Lady Danbury’s nephew at a musical and gets embroiled in the latter’s quest to unravel his family’s diary that’s the key to his financial freedom. He requests Hyacinth to translate the diary which is written in Italian, and being proficient in the language, the Bridgerton girl happily agrees. A single, perfect kiss between them sets the stage for the heart-melting romance that follows.
Our favourite quote from the book: “I cannot imagine living my life without you. I want to see your face in the morning, and then at night, and a hundred times in between. I want to grow old with you, I want to laugh with you, and I want to sigh to my friends about how managing you are, all the while secretly knowing I am the luckiest man in town.”
‘On the Way to the Wedding’
Year of publishing: 2006
Synopsis: If you were waiting for a classic love triangle to ensue in the Bridgerton saga, the final book offers just that. On the Way to the Wedding follows the hopeless romantic Gregory Bridgerton, who’s smitten by Hermione Watson. However, Hermione’s heart is fixated on someone else. Enters Hermione’s best friend Lucinda, who decides to help Gregory win over the woman he worships.
But things don’t go as planned and Lucinda finds herself falling in love with Gregory. What makes things more complicated? Lucinda is already engaged to someone else. When Gregory also comes to realise his love for Lucinda, she may have already walked down the aisle. To sort this mess, the Bridgerton siblings and their spouses come together to their younger one’s rescue.
On the way to Lucinda’s wedding, will Gregory make things right?
Our favourite quote from the book: “He tugged her closer and pulled the candlestick from her slackening fingers. “Be with me, Lucy Abernathy. Be my love, be my wife”.”
