Bridgerton (novel series)

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Bridgerton
First edition covers of the Bridgerton novel series.jpg
First edition covers of the first eight novels of the Bridgerton series
Author Julia Quinn
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Genre Fiction, Romance, Historical fiction
Publisher Avon
Published
  • 2000–2006
Media typePrint
No. of books8 (with 9 short stories, and 3 companions)

Bridgerton is a series of eight Regency romance novels written by Julia Quinn. [1] [2] [3] Released from 2000 to 2006, it follows the eight siblings of the noble Bridgerton family as they navigate London high society in search of love, adventure and happiness. [4]

Contents

The novels have been adapted by Shondaland into a television series titled Bridgerton which premiered in 2020 on Netflix. [5]

Background

Set between 1813 and 1827, each novel features one of the eight children of the late Viscount Bridgerton and his widow Violet: Anthony, who is the current Viscount Bridgerton, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory, and Hyacinth. The Bridgerton family are part of British nobility and are a well respected, immensely loving, and tight-knit clan favored among high society.

"The Bridgertons are by far the most prolific family in the upper echelons of society. Such industriousness on the part of the viscountess and the late viscount is commendable, although one can find only banality in their choice of names of their children. Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory, and Hyacinth – orderliness is, of course, beneficial in all things, but one would think that intelligent parents would be able to keep their children straight without needing to alphabetize their names."

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

Publishing history

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

Characters

Bridgerton family tree

Edmund,
Viscount Bridgerton †
(1764–1803)		Violet (née Ledger),
Viscountess
Bridgerton
(b. 1766)
Anthony,
Viscount Bridgerton
(b. 1784)		Benedict Bridgerton
(b. 1786)		Colin Bridgerton
(b. 1791)		Daphne Bridgerton
(b. 1792)		Eloise Bridgerton
(b. 1796)		Francesca Bridgerton
(b. 1797)		Gregory Bridgerton
(b. 1801)		Hyacinth Bridgerton
(b. 1803)


Appearances [6]

Bridgerton sibling / love interestActor in Netflix's Bridgerton Bridgertonseries
  = Own story  = Appearance
The Duke and I The Viscount Who Loved Me An Offer from a Gentleman Romancing Mister Bridgerton To Sir Phillip, With LoveWhen He Was WickedIt's In His Kiss On the Way to the Wedding
Anthony Jonathan Bailey
Katherine "Kate" Sheffield Simone Ashley
Benedict Luke Thompson
Sophia "Sophie" Beckett Yerin Ha
Colin Luke Newton
Penelope Featherington Nicola Coughlan
Daphne Phoebe Dynevor
Simon Basset Regé-Jean Page
Eloise Claudia Jessie
Sir Phillip Crane Chris Fulton
Francesca Ruby Stokes / Hannah Dodd
Michael Sterling Masali Baduza
Gregory Will Tilston
Lucinda "Lucy" Abernathy-
Hyacinth Florence Hunt
Gareth St Clair-

Reception

Critical response

People ranked The Viscount Who Loved Me , a perennial fan favorite, as the best book of the Bridgerton series for its enemies-to-lovers trope "full of banter and chemistry" with character development for the central couple, "both as a pair and on their own." [7]

The Duke and I was criticized for the inclusion of non-consensual sex between Simon and Daphne which amounted to marital rape. [8] [9] Critics pointed out that it failed to acknowledge the difficulties of male victims of rape, especially since Simon was traumatized after the event. [10] [11]

On the Way to the Wedding won the Romance Writers of America RITA Award in 2007. [12] In 2002, To Sir Phillip, With Love was named one of the six best mass market original novels of the year by Publishers Weekly . [13]

Sales

Well-received when they were first published, the novels received a surge on book sales when the Netflix series Bridgerton premiered its first season in December 2020, and again, for its second season in March 2022. Several titles in the series have been on The New York Times bestseller list, including at several weeks #1 with The Duke and I and The Viscount Who Loved Me . [14] [15]

Other associated books

The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After

The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After was published in 2013, and is sometimes numbered as the 9th book in the series. It consists of "2nd Epilogues" for each of the 8 novels in the main Bridgerton series, together with a short story about Violet Bridgerton herself.

Rokesby series

The Rokesby series, also called The Bridgerton Prequels, focus on the Rokesby family and are set before the Bridgerton series, featuring younger versions of some of the same characters.

  1. Because of Miss Bridgerton (2016)
  2. The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband (2017)
  3. The Other Miss Bridgerton (2018)
  4. First Comes Scandal (2020)

Collaborations

The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown and Lady Whistledown Strikes Back are two anthology novels by Julia Quinn and 3 other authors, featuring the character of Lady Whistledown who was introduced in the Bridgerton series.

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

Adaptations

The book series has been adapted by Shondaland, for Netflix, into a television series titled Bridgerton which premiered on the platform in 2020. [16] It follows the format of the novels, with each season focusing on a different Bridgerton sibling, and their quest for marriage. [17] [18]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viscount</span> Aristocratic title in various European countries

A viscount or viscountess is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. The status and any domain held by a viscount is a viscountcy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julia Quinn</span> American historical romance author

Julie Pottinger, better known by her pen name, Julia Quinn, is an American author of historical romance fiction. Her novels have been translated into 41 languages and have appeared on The New York Times Bestseller List 19 times. She has been inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. Her Bridgerton series of novels has been adapted for Netflix by Shondaland under the title Bridgerton.

Suzanne Enoch is an American author of best-selling contemporary and historical Regency romance novels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shelley Conn</span> English actress

Shelley Deborah Conn is a British actress. She portrayed Lady Mary Sharma in the second season of Bridgerton, Isabella in the film Love Sarah, Dr Elizabeth Shannon in the Spielberg series Terra Nova, Beelzebub in the second season of Neil Gaiman's Good Omens, and Indira Shetty in the first season of The Boys spin-off series Gen V .

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonathan Bailey</span> English actor (born 1988)

Jonathan Stuart Bailey is an English actor known for his dramatic, comedic, and musical roles on stage and screen. His accolades include a Laurence Olivier Award and a Critics' Choice Television Award, as well as a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phoebe Dynevor</span> English actress (born 1995)

Phoebe Harriet Dynevor is an English actress. On television, she is best known for her role as Daphne, the fourth Bridgerton child, in the Netflix period drama Bridgerton (2020–2022). Her films include The Colour Room (2021), Bank of Dave (2023), and Fair Play (2023). She earned a BAFTA Rising Star Award nomination in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eloise (given name)</span> Name list

Eloise is a female given name, the English version of the French name Éloïse or Héloïse. It is of uncertain meaning but may be derived from the Old German name Helewidis, which meant "healthy" and "wide". The name has increased in usage and ranked among the 100 most popular names for newborn girls in the United States in 2022. A Portuguese form of the name is Heloísa, which is currently among the most popular names for girls in Brazil. Heloisa is used in the Czech, German, and Slovak languages. The Italian version of the name is Eloisa and the Spanish version of the name is Eloísa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Claudia Jessie</span> English actress and singer (born 1989/1990)

Claudia Jessie Peyton, known professionally as Claudia Jessie, is an English actress. She is known for her roles in the third series of the BBC One police procedural WPC 56 (2015) and as Eloise, the fifth Bridgerton child, in the Netflix period drama Bridgerton (2020–present). She also appeared in series 4 of Line of Duty (2017), the Dave sitcom Porters (2017–2019) and the ITV miniseries Vanity Fair (2018).

<i>On the Way to the Wedding</i> 2006 historical romance novel by Julia Quinn

On the Way to the Wedding is a 2006 historical romance written by Julia Quinn, published by Avon. It is the eighth and final novel of Quinn's Bridgerton series set in Regency England and tells the story of Gregory, the youngest male Bridgerton sibling.

<i>Bridgerton</i> American television series

Bridgerton is an American historical romance television series created by Chris Van Dusen for Netflix. Based on the book series by Julia Quinn, it is Shondaland's first scripted show for Netflix. The series is set during the early 1800s in an alternative London Regency era, in which George III established racial equality and granted many people of African descent aristocratic titles due to the African heritage of his wife, Queen Charlotte. The viewer is taken to observe the highly competitive social season; where young marriageable nobility and gentry are introduced into society.

<i>The Duke and I</i> 2000 historical romance novel by Julia Quinn

The Duke and I is a 2000 historical romance novel written by Julia Quinn, first published by Avon. It is the first novel of Quinn's series of Regency romances about the Bridgerton siblings and tells the story of Daphne, the fourth child and eldest daughter of the family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simone Ashley</span> English actress (born 1995)

Simone Ashwini Pillai, known professionally as Simone Ashley, is a British actress. She is known for her roles in the Netflix period drama Bridgerton (2022–present) and comedy-drama Sex Education (2019–2021).

Jessica Shirley Madsen is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Clarice in the horror film Leatherface (2017) and Cressida Cowper in the Netflix period drama Bridgerton (2020–).

<i>The Viscount Who Loved Me</i> 2000 historical romance novel by Julia Quinn

The Viscount Who Loved Me is a 2000 historical romance novel written by Julia Quinn, first published by Avon. It is the second novel of Quinn's Bridgerton series set in Regency England and tells the story of Anthony, Viscount Bridgerton, the eldest Bridgerton sibling. It is a #1 New York Times Best Seller.

<i>Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story</i> 2023 Netflix limited series

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is an American historical fiction television limited series created by Shonda Rhimes for Netflix. The series is a prequel spin-off of the Netflix series Bridgerton. The story is loosely based on an alternate history take on the rise of Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz to prominence and power in the late 18th century. The series premiered on May 4, 2023, and consists of 6 episodes that are roughly an hour in runtime each.

Will Tilston is an English actor. He is known for his roles in the biographical film Goodbye Christopher Robin (2017) and as Gregory, the seventh Bridgerton child, the Netflix period drama Bridgerton (2020–).

Florence Hunt is an English actress. She is known for her role as Hyacinth, the eighth Bridgerton child, in the Netflix period drama Bridgerton (2020–). She was named a 2024 Screen International Star of Tomorrow.

Romancing Mister Bridgerton is a 2002 historical romance novel written by Julia Quinn and published by Avon. It is the fourth novel of Quinn's series of Regency romances about the Bridgerton siblings and tells the story of Colin, the third eldest child of the family.

The music for the historical fiction-romance streaming television series Bridgerton, on the novel series of the same name by Julia Quinn, features an orchestral and classical score composed and produced by Kris Bowers and orchestral covers of contemporary popular music, performed by Vitamin String Quartet, Dunno and Bowers himself. Both the soundtrack and covers were released in the course of the series' premiere, with the first season's album being distributed by Lakeshore Records and the second season, by Capitol Records. The music received critical acclaim.

References

  1. ↑ Westenfeld, Adrienne (March 25, 2022). "The Men Who Read and Watch 'Bridgerton' Are Onto Something". Esquire. Archived from the original on May 18, 2022. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  2. ↑ Crompton, Sarah. "Meet Julia Quinn, the woman behind Bridgerton". The Times . ISSN   0140-0460. Archived from the original on May 18, 2022. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  3. ↑ Gillette, Sam (November 10, 2021). "Lady Whistledown Is Back! A New Bridgerton Book Revisits Simon, Daphne, Anthony and More". people.com. Archived from the original on May 18, 2022. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Read the 'Bridgerton' books to discover all siblings' happily-ever-afters". today.com. March 24, 2022. Archived from the original on May 18, 2022. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Watch Bridgerton | Netflix Official Site". www.netflix.com. Archived from the original on December 25, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  6. ↑ Davenport, JoJo. "Julia Quinn Characters". Julia Quinn. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  7. ↑ Wurzburger, Andrea (March 30, 2022). "All Eight of Julia Quinn's Bridgerton Novels, Ranked". people.com. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Bridgerton's Controversial Sex Scene Needs a Trigger Warning". Oprah Daily. December 29, 2020. Archived from the original on April 1, 2022. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
  9. ↑ Romano, Aja (December 26, 2020). "Bridgerton has a rape scene, but it's not treated like one". Vox. Archived from the original on April 1, 2022. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
  10. ↑ "How 'Bridgerton' Failed Male Rape Survivors". YourTango. January 13, 2021. Archived from the original on April 1, 2022. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
  11. ↑ Adebanjo, Luwa (February 25, 2021). "The Problem With Bridgerton And *that* Scene". Cinemania. Archived from the original on April 1, 2022. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
  12. ↑ RITA Awards, Romance Writers of America, archived from the original on July 14, 2015, retrieved February 13, 2015
  13. ↑ Parkerton, Michelle (January 29, 2021). "Are We Experiencing a Bridgerton Book Shortage?". Parade: Entertainment, Recipes, Health, Life, Holidays. Archived from the original on May 20, 2022. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  14. ↑ Milliot, Jim. "Netflix's Hit Series 'Bridgerton' Drives Book Sales". PublishersWeekly.com. Archived from the original on April 24, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Mass Market Books - Best Sellers - Books - Feb. 28, 2021 - The New York Times". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on November 20, 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
  16. ↑ "The Bridgerton Series - Julia Quinn | Author of Historical Romance Novels". juliaquinn.com. Archived from the original on May 16, 2022. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
  17. ↑ Pewsey, Guy (December 28, 2020). "Meet Phoebe Dynevor, Breakout Star of Bridgerton". Grazia. Archived from the original on December 29, 2020. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  18. ↑ Baldwin, Kristen (March 20, 2022). "'Bridgerton' season 2 review: No Duke? No problem!". EW.com. Archived from the original on April 13, 2022. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
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