Bridgerton is a series of eight Regency romance novels written by Julia Quinn. The books were released between 2000 and 2006. They tell the story of the eight Bridgerton siblings, a noble family who move through London’s high society while searching for love, adventure, and happiness.

These books were adapted by Shondaland into a television series called Bridgerton. The series first aired on Netflix in 2020.

Background

Set between 1813 and 1827, each book focuses on one of the eight children of the late Viscount Bridgerton and his wife, Violet: Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory, and Hyacinth. The Bridgerton family is part of British nobility and is known for being respected, very loving, and closely connected. They are admired by high society.

— Lady Whistledown's Society Papers, The Duke and I

Publishing history

• The Duke and I (2000) – Daphne's Story
• The Viscount Who Loved Me (2000) – Anthony's Story
• An Offer from a Gentleman (2001) – Benedict's Story
• Romancing Mister Bridgerton (2002) – Colin's Story
• To Sir Phillip, With Love (2003) – Eloise's Story
• When He Was Wicked (2004) – Francesca's Story
• It's In His Kiss (2005) – Hyacinth's Story
• On the Way to the Wedding (2006) – Gregory's Story

Reception

The book The Duke and I was criticized for including a scene where Simon and Daphne have sex without consent, which is considered a serious crime called marital rape. Critics noted that the story did not address the challenges faced by men who are victims of rape, particularly because Simon was deeply affected by the event.

The book The Viscount Who Loved Me was ranked as the best in the Bridgerton series by many readers. It is praised for its romantic story where two people start as enemies and later fall in love. The book includes lively conversations between the main characters, strong chemistry between them, and detailed development of both characters individually and as a couple.

On the Way to the Wedding won the RITA Award, a prestigious honor given by the Romance Writers of America, in 2007. In 2002, To Sir Phillip, With Love was listed as one of the top six best mass-market original novels of the year by Publishers Weekly.

When the books were first published, they were well received by readers. Sales of the books increased significantly after the Netflix series Bridgerton began its first season in December 2020 and again when its second season started in March 2022. Several books in the series, including The Duke and I and The Viscount Who Loved Me, have appeared on The New York Times bestseller list, with some reaching the number one spot for multiple weeks.

Spin-offs

The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After was published in 2013. It is sometimes listed as the ninth book in the Bridgerton series. This book includes second endings for each of the eight main Bridgerton novels, along with a short story about Violet Bridgerton.

The Rokesby series, also known as The Bridgerton Prequels, follows the Rokesby family. These books are set before the main Bridgerton series and feature younger versions of some characters from the original stories.

• Because of Miss Bridgerton (2016)
• The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband (2017)
• The Other Miss Bridgerton (2018)
• First Comes Scandal (2020)

The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown and Lady Whistledown Strikes Back are two anthology novels written by Julia Quinn and three other authors. These books include stories about Lady Whistledown, a character first introduced in the Bridgerton series.

Queen Charlotte is a novel co-written by Julia Quinn and Shonda Rhimes. It is set in the same universe as the Bridgerton series.

Adaptation

The book series was adapted by Shondaland for Netflix into a television series called Bridgerton. The show first aired on Netflix in 2020. Each season focuses on a different Bridgerton sibling and their search for a spouse. The series is based on the books, with each season following the story of one character.