The Bridgerton Book Series

The first installment in Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton saga, The Duke and I tells the story of Daphne and Simon, the Duke of Hastings.

You’ll recognize this story rather quickly as the plot of the Netflix show’s first season. The show hit the big plot points from the book. However, there were definitely more details to be found in the novel rather than the show.

This book also lays a lot of the foundation for the Bridgerton family, illustrating this pseudo-Regency era world for the reader ahead of the eight-book series.

The Duke and I is available from Amazon and Bookshop.org.

Book two of the Bridgerton saga, Julia Quinn’s The Viscount Who Loved Me tells the story of the eldest Bridgerton son, Anthony. Fans of the show will recognize this story as the plot for season two. That being said, I was surprised at how different the book was from the series. Both have their strengths and weaknesses, but I found the novel a bit more compelling than the show (and I did enjoy the show!).

Quinn has a talent for social world building in this series. The cast of characters is large, but not unwieldy. It’s fun to see how favorites from book one/season one appear here and there in the Anthony/Kate storyline.

The Viscount Who Loved Me is available from Amazon and Bookshop.org.

Book three of the Bridgerton book series, An Offer from a Gentleman by Julia Quinn tells the Cinderella story romance of the second eldest Bridgerton son, Benedict, and Sophie Beckett.

Sophie is the illegitimate daughter of an earl. She is mistreated by her step mother and relegated to the role of a servant in her own home. Suddenly, though, she meets Benedict Bridgerton at a masquerade ball, which she assumes will be the one night of luxury in her life. Fate has other plans, though, and the pair are brought together in the most unusual of circumstances. All in all, a fun read, especially for any major fans of Benedict from the show.

An Offer from a Gentleman is available from Amazon and Bookshop.org.

Book four of the Bridgerton book series, Romancing Mister Bridgerton tells Penelope and Colin’s love story. This novel is set some ten-or-so years after book three (or the Netflix show), so the reader gets an interesting glimpse into the Bridgertons’ various futures throughout the book.

In this novel, Lady Whistledown’s identity is at the center of controversy. Like with the Netflix series, this novel sees the Ton actively seeking out the identity of the renowned gossip writer, and the drama is held central to Penelope and Colin’s budding relationship.

Romancing Mister Bridgerton is available from Amazon and Bookshop.org.

Book five of eight in the Bridgerton book series, To Sir Phillip, With Love follows the story of Eloise Bridgerton, the fifth eldest child in the Bridgerton family.

For lovers of the Netflix series, you may find this Eloise to be rather…different…from her on screen portrayal. It was a bit disappointing for me, I have to say, because I really enjoy Eloise in the show. In the novel, Eloise lacks much of the boisterous intellectualism that the show’s character has. But, if you go into it knowing that they’re vastly different, you might not mind so much.

In all, it’s cute, entertaining enough, and full of Julia Quinn’s trademark regency romance. Not my favorite of the Bridgerton books, but certainly won’t stop me from reading the remaining volumes!

To Sir Phillip, With Love by Julia Quinn is available from Amazon and Bookshop.org.

In this sixth installment, Julia Quinn tells the story of Francesca, a younger sibling in the Bridgerton clan. Francesca’s romantic entanglements are mentioned in passing in the earlier novels in the series, so the reader will know the outcome of the story before you begin this book, but you don’t know how the characters reach that point.

Featuring a renowned London rake as a love interest, When He Was Wicked harkens back to Daphne’s story with Simon. Here, though, Francesca is promised to another when their paths cross. Secrets must be kept.

When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn is available from Amazon and Bookshop.org.

Centering on Hyacinth Bridgerton, It’s in His Kiss covers the story of the youngest Bridgerton daughter.

Hyacinth’s love interest, Gareth St. Clair, is a potentially wealthy young man of the Ton, with a wasteful father and poor family relationships. Hyacinth, on the other hand, is certainly wealthy, with loud family members and loud opinions. Together, they work on translating a diary left to Gareth that holds his family’s secrets, and romance ensues.

It’s in His Kiss by Julia Quinn is available from Amazon and Bookshop.org.

For fans of the Netflix series, Gregory is the youngest and least-known of the Bridgertons. He appears in a handful of scenes throughout Julia Quinn’s series, but he doesn’t really become a full character until this point.

Featuring a complex love triangle amongst the Ton’s most-eligible, On the Way to the Wedding illustrates Gregory’s quick coming-of-age love story.

On the Way to the Wedding by Julia Quinn is available from Amazon and Bookshop.org.