I first became acquainted with the Bridgerton family shortly after Christmas when Netflix released the original show entitled Bridgerton. I am a sucker for period dramas and Bridgerton met the mark for that criteria. I will admit that I binge-watched the series and was sad when it was over. It is a bit racey at times and I did a lot of fast-forwarding through the intimate scenes. They usually make me feel too uncomfortable to watch. I really enjoyed the storyline and felt drawn to the characters. I was excited to find out that the show was based off a series by author Julia Quinn. I am not one to watch the movie prior to reading the book, but I did not know that there were books until I saw the show. This revelation led me to explore the lives of each of the eight Bridgerton siblings.
I was able to get my hands on the first book Bridgerton [TV Tie-in] (Bridgertons Book 1) without any issues. The other seven books presented some problems. Lots of people must have had the same idea that I did, buy all of the books and read them before season two is released. Of course, I checked the library loan program prior to buying any of the books and every single book was already checked out. There were scores of people ahead of me in line. I did not want to wait months to satisfy my Bridgerton craving.
I waited months for the next books in the series to arrive, only to have my order canceled because the seller could not supply enough books to keep up with the demands of all of the people who wanted to get their hands on the books. Finally, the remainder of the Bridgerton series arrived at my door. Thousands more books are now in print and the books are easier to obtain.
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This book review will include all eight of the Bridgerton books. There will be a brief summary of the main points of each book, without going into too much detail. I will try very hard not to give away any spoilers. At the end of my review, I will discuss which Bridgerton lady I most resonated with, which Bridgerton brother I would have chosen, which hero I would have chosen, and which heroine I most resonated with. If you have read the books, please feel free to share your picks as well. I’d love to hear them!
These books do get very racey, just like the show. You cannot simply fast-forward the book, but you can skip over the really graphic stuff. I did have to skip over some of it. The books certainly made me blush at times. They are romance novels, so I don’t think some of the things mentioned could be avoided. I really did enjoy the stories. Who doesn’t enjoy a good love story? Maybe I’m a hopeless romantic.
First, let me briefly introduce the Bridgerton family. Edmund and Violet married and had eight children. Edmund and Violet were very much in love and Edmund was a father that was adored by his children. We learn early in the series (this is not a spoiler, as it is common knowledge) that Edmund passed away at a young age. Edmund and Violet’s children were famously named in alphabetical order: Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory, and Hyacinth. Violet was pregnant with Hyacinth when Edmund died, so Hyacinth never got to meet her father. When Edmund passed away, the eldest son, Anthony, became viscount Bridgerton and assumed the role of father to his younger siblings.
The eight siblings are all incredibly close. They are well-liked in society, influential, powerful, and a family that you do not mess with. Each of the sons are highly sought after by society mamas who want nothing more than for their own daughters to marry a Bridgerton. Each of the children is described as looking similar to their other siblings with deep chestnut colored hair. Their eyes are often described as being different colors. The siblings are intelligent, hilarious, and constantly involved in sibling rivalry games.
The first book of the series Bridgerton [TV Tie-in] (Bridgertons Book 1) “The Duke and I” is Daphne’s story. If I had not watched the Netflix series prior to reading the first book, I would have assumed that Julia Quinn would naturally start the series with the eldest son, Anthony. Daphne is the eldest daughter of Violet and Edmund Bridgerton. While Daphne is beautiful, she is not considered to be a prime candidate for marriage. We are told that this is because she is a friend to everyone and not looked at in a romantic way. Daphne gets along with everyone and has a great sense of humor. She meets Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings, and they devise a plan to pretend to be in love to get society off of their backs about finding suitable spouses. We learn secrets about Simon and are presented with why he will never marry. Daphne, of course, is not aware of why Simon never wants to marry. The two start to fall in love without the other one knowing of the other’s feelings.
Julia Quinn writes each story in a way that makes the reader want to keep reading until the end. She adds secrets and plots that need to be resolved. Readers are left feeling frustrated (in a good way) and desperate to know how the story will end. I spent many nights staying up way past my bedtime to finish each of these stories. Quinn dose an excellent job with keeping readers invested in the story. Readers know key details that the leading characters don’t know about each other. These details leave the reader wanting more.
Quinn also invented a brilliant character, Lady Whistledown, who knows all of society’s deepest and juiciest secrets. Quinn uses Whistledown to share important information with readers prior to each chapter. Readers will simply fall in love with Lady Whistledown and want to know who she is. Quinn does not reveal who Lady Whistledown is until book four, so if you do not want a spoiler prior to reading book four do not watch the Netflix series until after you’ve read the books! Netflix reveals who Lady Whistledown is at the end of season one. You’ve been warned!
One other quick note that I need to mention, Julia Quinn has written 2nd epilogues for each of her stories. Several of the 2nd epilogues contain spoilers for future books. I found this out the hard way. I read the first two books’ 2nd epilogues at the end of the books and then decided to wait to read the remainder of the 2nd epilogues until I finished the entire series. The 2nd epilogues are also included as a collection in Julia Quinn’s The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After.
The Viscount Who Loved Me: Bridgerton (Bridgertons Book 2) is Anthony’s story. Anthony is commonly known as a rake. A rake was someone who was involved with many women, particularly opera singers. Anthony feels an immense responsibility to provide and care for his family. He knows that he needs to marry but does not believe that he will ever find love. He also believes that he will die at a young age just like his father did. He believes that he will not live longer than his father did. In “The Viscount Who Loved Me,” readers learn how the Bridgerton siblings’ father died. I will not give away the how, but I will say that the way that Edmund died leaves Anthony terrified for his own life.
Anthony meets Edwina (the current season’s most sought after lady). He decides that he will marry her, but that he will never love her. He does not want to fall in love because he believes he will die soon. Kate is Edwina’s stepsister. She is determined to make sure that Edwina is married to the perfect man. She does not want Edwina to marry Anthony because of his rakish reputation. Read the book to find out how Anthony and Kate fall in love.
Offer From a Gentleman, An (Bridgertons Book 3) is Benedict’s story. This story felt very Cinderella-esque to me. At first this bothered me, but then I got into the story and really enjoyed it. Benedict meets Sophie at a masquerade ball held by his mother Violet. He falls in love with Sophie but does not know her identity. Sophie later becomes a maid and Benedict saves her from being abused by her employer and his friends. He takes her to his cottage where he falls ill and she cares for him. She later goes on to become a maid in his mother’s home. Read the book to find out the rest of Benedict and Sophie’s story. This one was one of my favorites because I kept wanting to know how it would end.
Romancing Mister Bridgerton (Bridgertons Book 4) is Colin’s story. In book four we find out who Lady Whistledown is! I am not going to say who Colin falls in love with because I was upset that I found this out prior to reading book four (don’t read the 2nd epilogues until you’ve read all of the books, trust me!) This story is all about an underdog coming out of her shell and realizing how grand she really is. It is a splendid tale that makes you feel good about who you are and how your own individuality is spectacular.
Colin is the third Bridgerton brother. He spends most of his time away from London traveling all over the world. He is a secretly talented writer. He is witty and sharp. He loves to poke fun at his siblings. He is a hero that readers can really get behind. When he realizes who he is in love with, it is a wonderful moment.
To Sir Phillip, With Love: Bridgerton (Bridgertons Book 5) is Eloise’s story. This book was probably my least favorite. I still liked it, just not as much as the others. Honestly, I was a bit disappointed with how Eloise falls in love. It seemed very out of character for her. I guess everyone can’t have the picture-perfect romance, though. I think I was the most disappointed with this story because of who Eloise is as a character. She is very clever, outspoken, determined, and does not conform to society’s rules and expectations.
We find out that Eloise loves to write letters. She has been corresponding with a Mr. Phillip Crane, who just lost his wife (Eloise’s distant cousin). He makes her an offer of marriage and she decides to see first-hand (and completely on her own) if she and him will suit. She leaves unexpectedly and travels to Gloucestershire to meet Mr. Crane. When she arrives she finds out that Mr. Crane has twins (Oliver and Amanda) who are out of control. Mr. Crane wants to find a wife to be a mother to his children first and foremost. He does not anticipate that he will fall in love.
Possible trigger warning! I need to mention that book five can get a rather dark. There is talk of depression and suicide. The former Lady Crane commits suicide by drowning. I want to make this known to readers in case this is not something that you want to read.
When He Was Wicked (Bridgertons Book 6) is Francesca’s story. We learn in a previous book that Francesca was married but become a widow. We do not find out how this happened until book six. Francesca is very much in love with her husband John Stirling. Michael Stirling, John’s closest friend and cousin meets Francesca at John and Francesca’s wedding and falls in love with her. He knows he can never be with Francesca, but he becomes her and John’s closest friend. Francesca loves to listen to stories of how Michael has been wicked.
Michael has a reputation even worse than Anthony’s prior reputation. He has seduced many women. All of the women he has seduced are to fill a void that he cannot fill without Francesca. John unexpectedly dies and Francesca is made a widow. Michael becomes the earl of Kilmartin, against his wishes, but leaves to go to India. It feels like he is running from his troubles.
Francesca and Michael fall in love, but several things have to be resolved before they can reach their happy ending. Read the book to find out how Michael and Francesca come together. I really enjoyed this story.
It’s in His Kiss (Bridgertons Book 7) is Hyacinth’s story. I thought book seven would be Gregory’s story, since he is the seventh Bridgerton child. I loved Hyacinth’s story. I felt like Hyacinth and I are very similar. This surprised me because Hyacinth is the youngest child, and I am the oldest child. Hyacinth is smart, never gives up, loves challenges, and is stubborn to the core. Her character resonated with me so much.
Gareth St. Clair is our hero in this story. He is loathed by his father. He is an outcast in his family. He misbehaves and does not act properly. His grandma, the wonderful (in my opinion) Lady Danbury, wishes to see Gareth married, and married to Hyacinth. Lady Danbury loves Hyacinth and thinks that Gareth and Hyacinth will suit wonderfully. This story shows us that grandmothers really do know best. The story is filled with humor, puzzles, heartbreak, hidden jewels, and love. It does not disappoint.
The final book, On the Way to the Wedding (Bridgertons Book 8) is Gregory’s story. The book starts out with Gregory desperately running to stop a wedding and professing his love to the bride to be in front of all of the elite members of the ton. Gregory states that he believes that love exists, he just doesn’t necessarily think it will happen to him. He is forever changed when he sets his eyes on the back of one woman’s neck. He falls instantly in love with her. Her name is Miss Hermoine Watson (shout out to Harry Potter fans with this name!) and she is already in love with someone else. Not to mention, the rest of the tons’ most eligible bachelors are in love with her. Gregory soon finds out that to win Hermoine’s love, he will need help from her best friend, Miss Lucinda Abernathy. He also learns that love at first sight is not all that it is cracked up to be. Whose wedding is he trying to stop and who is the woman that he falls in love with? Will it be the gorgeous and highly desirable Miss Hermoine Watson, or will it be the seemingly common unnoticed Miss Lucinda Abernathy?
This is a basic summary of all eight of the books in the Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn. I was hooked from book one. Julia does an excellent job of keeping the reader entertained, wanting more, and shocked.
It is near impossible to pick my favorite book from the series, but the book that seemed to keep me the most on my toes and longing for a plot resolution was the third book “An Offer From a Gentleman.” When it comes to the Bridgerton ladies, I feel like I am the most like Hyacinth. She is strong-willed, determined, stubborn, and clever. I do feel like I also gravitate towards Eloise with her outspoken and never quiet personality. For the Bridgerton men, I am torn. My gut tells me that I would pick Anthony because he is a leader, strong, and also his relationship with Kate is very fun. They play tricks on each other a lot, which I think makes a relationship entertaining. I also really like Colin. He is a dreamer and a traveler. Sorry Benedict, but you just don’t seem to be my cup of tea.
For the other heroines, I think that I am the most like Kate. We learn more about her character in later books and I feel like my personality is similar to her personality. She is a woman who takes charge, but she is also kind. I also like that she is a competitor at heart. For the heroes, I have a hard time choosing between Gareth St. Clair and Michael Stirling. I like the way that these characters act. I am not a big fan of Sir Phillip Crane, but I do like that he his a botanist, since I am really into plants of all kinds. Simon Basset is, of course, a catch, but he isn’t in my top two. I’d say I’d place him 3rd after Gareth and Michael.
Check out Julia Quinn’s website to see a Bridgerton family tree and check out all of the other books that she has written. I read that there is a prequel series as well as a spin-off series. She has written 42 loves stories. Check them all out here: https://juliaquinn.com/
Click here to purchase the entire Bridgerton series: Bridgerton Book Series 1-8
alexandria hoeft 