Best Bridgerton Books: Ranking and Reading Order

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The Netflix show Bridgerton became incredibly popular, but it was based on the exciting and romantic books by Julia Quinn, who is currently a well-known writer of historical romances.

Julia Quinn, often called JQ, created a series of books about the Bridgerton family, which includes eight siblings. Therefore, there are eight novels, each focusing on a different sibling. Additionally, there is a collection of short stories that give us a glimpse into the Bridgertons’ future joys, and due to the success of the Netflix series, a prequel about Queen Charlotte was released. 

Choosing the best book from the Bridgerton series is a matter of personal preference, as everyone has their own favorite stories, characters, and styles of writing.

Bridgerton Books Reviews

Viscount Who Loved Me – My Favorite

“The Viscount Who Loved Me” is a book about Anthony Bridgerton, the oldest brother in the Bridgerton family. He hass been enjoying his single life, but decides it is time to get married. The story is set in London a long time ago, and it is all about how Anthony meets Kate Sheffield.

Kate is the sister of the girl Anthony wants to marry, but he ends up falling for Kate instead. It is a romantic story that shows how Anthony changes his mind about staying single and finds love when he least expects it.

Romancing Mister Bridgerton

“Romancing Mister Bridgerton” is a sweet love story about Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton. Penelope has had a crush on Colin since she was 16 years old. Now, as an adult, she is considered a spinster, which means she is not married and people think she is too old to get married. However, she is okay with that and is happy just being friends with Colin.

Colin is part of the Bridgerton family and has been traveling around the world. When he comes back to London, he starts to see Penelope differently. They have always been friends, but now he notices her in a new way.

In London during the early 1800s, everyone is curious about who Lady Whistledown is. She writes a gossip paper that tells secrets about people. At a fancy party, someone says they will give a lot of money to whoever finds out who Lady Whistledown is. Colin and Penelope work together to find out the truth.

An Offer From a Gentleman

“An Offer From a Gentleman” is a charming story about Sophie Beckett and Benedict Bridgerton. Sophie, though the daughter of an earl, is treated like a servant by her mean stepmother. One night, she sneaks into a fancy masquerade ball and dances with Benedict, who is a very handsome man from the Bridgerton family. They have a magical time, but when the clock strikes midnight, Sophie has to leave, and she does not tell Benedict her name.

Benedict cannot stop thinking about the amazing woman in silver he met that night. He wants to find her and marry her, but all he has is a memory of her. Meanwhile, Sophie knows who Benedict is but cannot tell him because she is just a servant and he is a rich gentleman.

The story is about whether Sophie will tell Benedict the truth and if they can have a happy ending together.

When He Was Wicked – The Spiciest Bridgerton Books

“When He Was Wicked” is a book about Francesca Bridgerton, who is the sixth child in her family. It’s a very exciting and romantic story. Francesca meets Michael Stirling, who falls in love with her the moment he sees her. However, there is a big problem: Francesca is about to marry Michael’s cousin.

Michael tries to forget about his feelings for Francesca by doing other things, but he cannot. After some time, Francesca’s husband passes away, and she is free to marry again. However, she only sees Michael as a good friend. One night, they end up in each other’s arms, and they cannot ignore their feelings anymore.

It is in His Kiss

“It’s in His Kiss” is a book about Hyacinth Bridgerton, the youngest of the Bridgerton siblings. At 22, she is considered almost too old to marry in her society. She is smart and has turned down many marriage proposals because she has not found the right person yet.

Then, there is Gareth St. Clair, who is in a tough situation because his father does not like him and wants to ruin his chances of inheriting anything valuable. Gareth has an old diary from his grandmother that might have secrets about his past and possibly lead to a treasure. However, it is written in Italian, and he does not understand it.

Hyacinth, who can read Italian, agrees to help Gareth with the diary. As they spend time together, they start to like each other a lot. Gareth has never been in love before, and he is surprised that he is falling for Hyacinth, who is known for being very strong-willed.

However, Gareth has a secret: he is not really his father’s son, and he was kicked out of his home when he was young. His father threatens to tell everyone this secret, which could ruin his chances with Hyacinth.

To Sir Philip, With Love

“To Sir Philip, With Love” is a touching story about Eloise Bridgerton and Sir Philip Crane. Eloise is 28 years old and has said no to six marriage proposals. She is curious about Sir Philip after they start writing letters to each other. So, she decides to visit him and see if they could be a good match.

Sir Philip never wanted to be a baronet, but he became one after his brother died. He is lonely and has two children who are wild. Eloise comes to visit and gets along well with the children, and she starts to understand Philip better.

Philip likes Eloise but he is not sure how to show love because he had a tough past. His father was mean, and his first wife was very sad, which made him close off his feelings. However, Eloise helps him open up.

The Duke and I – My First Bridgerton Books

“The Duke and I” is the first book in the Bridgerton series, and it is a romantic story set in the early 1800s. It is about Daphne Bridgerton, who is looking for a husband, and Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings, who does not want to marry.

They pretend to be in a relationship to help each other out, but they start to have real feelings for one another. The book has drama, love, and a bit of comedy as Daphne and Simon figure out their true feelings.

On The Way to The Wedding

“On the Way to the Wedding” is a book about Gregory Bridgerton, the youngest brother in the Bridgerton family. He thinks he is in love with a girl named Hermione Watson, but then he meets her friend, Lady Lucinda “Lucy” Abernathy. While trying to win Hermione’s heart, he becomes friends with Lucy and starts to have feelings for her. 

Lucy is almost married to someone else, but Gregory realizes he loves her and tries to stop the wedding. It is a story about finding true love and the unexpected turns it can take.

The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After

“The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After” is a collection of stories that give us a peek into the lives of the Bridgerton family after the events of the original books. It includes “second epilogues” for each of the Bridgerton siblings and a special story about Violet Bridgerton, their mother.

In these stories, we get to see what happens next in their lives, like if Simon reads his father’s letters, or if Francesca and Michael have children. There is also a bit about Violet’s early life and her time with her husband, Edmund. It is a fun way to see more about the Bridgertons’ world.

Queen Charlotte

“Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story” is a special series that tells the story of young Queen Charlotte’s rise to power and her marriage to King George of England. It is a prequel to the Bridgerton series on Netflix and has two main parts. One part starts in 1817, after the death of Princess Charlotte, which makes the Queen want her children to marry quickly to have another heir.

The other part begins in 1761, showing how Charlotte met and married King George and how they dealt with his mental illness. The show has been praised, especially for the acting, and it even won an award for its makeup and hairstyle. It is a historical drama that gives us a look at what life was like for royalty in the past.

Some QUestions

What is the order of the Bridgerton books? The books should be read in this order:

  • “The Duke and I” (Book 1)
  •  “The Viscount Who Loved Me” (Book 2)
  •  “An Offer From a Gentleman” (Book 3)
  •  “Romancing Mr. Bridgerton” (Book 4)
  •  “To Sir Phillip, With Love” (Book 5)
  •  “When He Was Wicked” (Book 6)
  •  “It’s In His Kiss” (Book 7)
  •  “On The Way to the Wedding” (Book 8) There are also other books related to the Bridgerton world.

Why does Hyacinth’s story come before Gregory’s? 

The author decided to tell Hyacinth’s story before Gregory’s, even though he is older. It is just how the stories were planned out.

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