Warning! SPOILERS about the Bridgerton book series ahead.
Netflix’s Bridgerton famously adapts the book series of the same name by Julia Quinn – here are the eight books, ranked worst to best. Following the Bridgerton family from 1813 to 1827, Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton book series tells the story of the Bridgerton siblings looking for love like Violet and Edmund’s relationship taught them to instead of just marrying to take their place in society. Each Bridgerton book follows a different sibling and their intended, detailing their individual growth as characters and their often tumultuous love story. Bridgerton’s first book was released in 2000, with the last being published in 2005.
The main action in the Bridgerton books is recounted chronologically, with the first The Duke and I detailing the romance that brought to the first Bridgerton sibling getting married, Daphne, until the last, On the Way to the Wedding, retells Gregory’s story, the last Bridgerton to get married in 1827. Although two anthologies, one graphic novel, Julia Quinn and Shonda Rhimes’ collaboration Queen Charlotte and the second epilogues collection The Bridgertons also take place in the Bridgerton world, they won’t be included in the ranking, not being part of the original book series, which solely focused on the Bridgerton siblings.
Recounted in the fifth Bridgerton book, Eloise’s story partially overlaps with Colin and Penelope’s as she decides to run away to Gloucestershire from the ball when Colin announces Penelope as Lady Whistledown, missing his iconic revelation. The main reason why To Sir Phillip, With Love deserves the last position has to do with the reasons bringing the two protagonists together, which don’t include well-formed feelings. Indeed, Eloise only ran away to see if a possible relationship with Phillip had any potential after a year-long epistolary exchange, motivated by how she would have remained a spinster alone as Penelope married Colin.
Similarly, Phillip’s inability to connect with his twins Oliver and Amanda after his wife’s death prompted his search for a wife, taking Eloise’s surprise arrival at his door as the perfect opportunity, wanting Eloise first as a mother for the twins. While they eventually manage to connect and feelings develop, there isn’t a palpable character development for Eloise and Phillip, with the two going on with their lives as they did before, only together, except for Phillip’s better handle on his grief after losing his wife.
Like Bridgerton season 1 with Daphne and Simon’s story, The Duke and I introduces readers to the Bridgertons and the ton, with the book perfectly setting up the dynamics among the tight-knit family. Daphne and Simon’s fake courtship leading to real feelings, almost a scandal and a hurried wedding make for an entertaining read, but the most growing together the couple does is at the end of the book when they decide to be open with each other. Even Simon’s realization that he actually wanted children only happens at the very end, with him welcoming their firstborn in the epilogue.
While Simon’s changes are substantial and lead him to overcome his problems with his late father, Daphne only faces the problems of marriage, for which Violet had left her unprepared, leading Daphne to have to deal with them but not necessarily changing her wishes or views. Coupled with their union being forced after Anthony discovered them and their reconciliation only happening toward The Duke and I’s end, there isn’t a consistent exploration of their changing feelings throughout the story, making the story lack a similar character development for both protagonists and a steadily-developed romance.
Anthony and Kate’s story follows a path similar to Daphne and Simon’s in The Viscount Who Loved Me, with their rushed wedding happening after Violet, Portia and another mama found them in a compromising position after Anthony became scared for Kate’s well-being because of a bee. Like Simon, Anthony also had to overcome a problem relating to his father, specifically his death, convinced as he was that he couldn’t have outlived Edmund, not feeling worthy of it and afraid to put his future wife through the pain Violet felt when Edmund died.
However, unlike Daphne and Simon, Anthony and Kate perfectly embodied the enemies-to-lovers trope, giving them many miles to cover before they could meet halfway and get the other’s point of view. In addition, Kate’s story still involved her in getting to feel part of the Sheffield family even if she was her father’s daughter from his previous marriage, making her character development more noticeable than others’ despite most of her and Anthony finally coming to terms with their feelings also happening toward their book’s end.
When He Was Wicked is the only book where a Bridgerton sibling remarries, and the fact that the love story on which the book mostly focuses is the one leading to Francesca’s second marriage sets it apart from all the other Bridgerton romances. While the other books saw the Bridgerton protagonists as debutantes or rakes who never had any knowledge of love and marriage, Francesca had already found someone she loved in John Stirling. His sudden and unexpected death simultaneously convinced Francesca that she couldn’t be as lucky as to find love twice, but also gave her a widow’s freedom.
Francesca coming to terms with needing to follow the ton’s rules if she wanted to find another husband who could give her a child already guaranteed she would have to accept how much her life would have to change. However, Michael’s strong feelings for her from when his cousin John and Francesca met and married were the reason he went to India, eventually leading him to get malaria, because he couldn’t pursue his cousin’s widow. Their rollercoaster of romance thus guarantees both a relationship steadily growing throughout the story and a great deal of character development for the two.
Colin and Penelope’s Bridgerton story in Romancing Mr. Bridgerton unites action-packed events with their steadily blossoming love story, despite Colin fully realizing his feelings only halfway through the book. With Romancing Mr. Bridgerton including both Cressida’s blackmail of Penelope and Colin’s reveal of Penelope as Lady Whistledown, the book has multiple threats hanging over its protagonists’ heads, making it a more entertaining read than various other Bridgerton novels. Although Penelope was always aware of her feelings for Colin, Colin’s feelings take some time to develop, with his marriage proposal stemming from a mix of lust and friendship.
Colin finally realizing his feelings for Penelope because of how much he craves her opinion on his writing also permanently connects their romance to finding his purpose, dreaming of being published only as a result of Penelope’s appreciation of his writing. With Penelope going on a parallel journey affirming her confidence in wanting her life’s work – Lady Whistledown’s papers – not being attributed to her mortal enemy, both protagonists simultaneously have personal journeys and a tumultuous love story, making Romancing Mr. Bridgerton one of the most eventful Bridgerton novels.
Another unusual setup for Bridgerton stories is the beginning of Gregory’s, the last Bridgerton to find love in the last book in the series, On The Way to the Wedding. Coming after seven successful love matches, Gregory is sure he will find love, and he believes to have found it after falling for the debutante everyone fawns over, Hermione Watson. However, in a bid to win her heart, he often finds himself in the company of her best friend Lucy Abernathy, eventually falling in love with her and realizing the difference between true love and a mere infatuation.
On the Way to the Wedding includes two headstrong protagonists, one sure enough of his love for both of them and the other determined to pursue previously arranged matches, no matter her growing feelings for Gregory. An accusation of treason looming over Lucinda’s past, some characters getting shot and others being tied to water closets turn On the Way to the Wedding into one of the most action-packed Bridgerton novels, which nevertheless doesn’t skim over romance, as Gregory and Lucy have the chance to discover their feelings on the annual Bridgerton get-together at the Viscount and Viscountess’ countryside house.
Another hard-fought romance, Benedict and Sophie’s love story in An Offer from a Gentleman also sets them apart from other Bridgerton couples, with their story including gentle moments between the two that give them the chance to get to know each other and fall for one another and shocking developments calling for a trip to jail. Sophie being the illegitimate child of a ton member made her sure she could have never married into the ton, transforming her into a hardworking worker part of the staff at ton members’ houses.
The multiple difficult situations Sophie and Benedict find themselves in let An Offer from a Gentleman stand out, making their romance truly overcome impossible hurdles, even with the help of a dedicated Violet Bridgerton ready to confront another ton member bent on seeing Sophie hanged for theft. With Sophie also encouraging Benedict’s passion for painting, they truly bring the best out of each other, making An Offer from a Gentleman a story from which Benedict and Sophie come out better characters both as individuals and for their tumultuous love story bordering scandal, bringing them to live away from the ton.
The second-to-last Bridgerton book to be published, It’s In His Kiss is the first to include Lady Danbury as a central character, with her meddlesomeness contributing to making Hyacinth and Gareth St. Clair’s story come out on top. It’s In His Kiss not only includes personal developments, leading Hyacinth to realize what she wants from her life and Gareth to break free of his evil father’s hold over him, but it also introduces a proper mystery that could solve the St. Clair family’s financial problems were Gareth’s grandmother’s hidden jewels to be found.
Hyacinth ending up as the Bridgerton sibling showing the most agency and Gareth overcoming his family problems and finding a new family with the Bridgertons all contribute to making their story one of the most interesting to read because of how well-matched and each other’s equal Hyacinth and Gareth truly are. Coupled with their story including night-time excursions culminating in breaking and entering and a mystery treasure to find with the help of a diary needing a translation, It’s In His Kiss becomes the most difficult Bridgerton book to set down and the most complete one.