In a fictional Regency-era London, the Bridgerton and the Featherington families depend entirely on the marriages of their many children. Violet Bridgerton has eight children, and with the debut of her daughter Daphne, everything could change. Her meeting with Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings and friend of her brother Anthony, could shuffle the cards of English society and unleash a whirlwind of gossip, thanks to the pen of the mysterious and popular Lady Whistledown, a sort of witty Gossip Girl.
Lord and Lady Featherington have three daughters: Penelope Featherington, Prudence Featherington, and Philippa Featherington. The youngest daughter, Penelope, develops a crush on one of the Bridgertons.
The series consisting of eight audiobooks plus an epilogue sees each volume dedicated to one of the Bridgerton siblings: Anthony Bridgerton, Benedict Bridgerton, Colin Bridgerton, Daphne Bridgerton, Eloise Bridgerton, Francesca Bridgerton, Gregory Bridgerton, and Hyacinth Bridgerton. Besides the Bridgerton and Featherington clans, listeners get introduced to many more characters, from fan-favourite Sophie Beckett and best friends Lucy Abernathy and Hermione Watson to eligible bachelors Gareth St. Clair and Michael Stirling.
The Bridgertons begins with The Duke and I, which focuses on Daphne. In The Viscount Who Loved Me, the attention is on Anthony Bridgerton, the eldest of the brothers. Anthony has decided that after years of libertinism, the time has come to settle down. Edwina, the youngest of the Sheffield sisters, seems to be the perfect candidate, but behind her constant bickering with her older sister, Kate could be hiding her great passion. In each volume and one brother and sister after another, Julia Quinn pulls listeners into the world of the Bridgertons and the inseparable Featherington family. And between the gossip, duels, and masquerade balls in this Regency romance, the listener can't help but wonder how Lady Whistledown always knows everything. Who is the person behind the most talked about pseudonym in London?
Bridgertons has won over the hearts of millions, and Julia Quinn has likened the series to “a Cinderella story.” Shonda Rhimes has adapted the series of romance novels into the hugely popular Bridgerton Netflix series, which debuted in 2020. Bridgerton season one of the historical romance show is dedicated to the story of Daphne Bridgerton, starring Phoebe Dynevor and Regé-Jean Page. The immediate international success meant the return of the series the following year, with the second season dedicated to Anthony Bridgerton’s story, based on The Viscount Who Loved Me. Shonda Rhimes also wrote a spin-off series for Netflix called Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.
Julia Quinn also wrote The Rokesby series, a prequel to the Bridgertons series. It is dedicated to the Rokesby family in the late 1700s, in which the aristocratic family are friends and neighbours of the Bridgertons. The author also released a four-volume spin-off of the Bridgertons series titled the Smythe-Smith Quartet.
In what order should you listen to the Bridgertons series?
Although a different character inspires each volume of the historical romance series, it’s best to enjoy the saga chronologically to avoid missing out on key plot developments.
How many books are in the Bridgertons series?
The Bridgerton series consists of nine books, one for each of Violet Bridgerton's children, plus an epilogue. Along with Suzanne Enoch, Karen Hawkins and Mia Ryan, Julia Quinn has published two anthologies of short stories written from the perspective of Lady Whistledown, The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown and Lady Whistledown Strikes Back.
The Bridgertons series – books in chronological order
1 The Duke and I (2000)
2 The Viscount Who Loved Me (2000)
3 An Offer from a Gentleman (2001)
4 Romancing Mister Bridgerton (2002)
5 To Sir Phillip, With Love (2003)
6 When He Was Wicked (2004)
7 It’s in His Kiss (2005)
8 On the Way to the Wedding (2006)
9 The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After (2013)
The Lady Whistledown Short Stories Anthologies
The Rokesby series, about the ancestors of the Bridgerton family
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)
The Smythe-Smith Quartet, a spin-off inspired by the secondary characters of The Viscount Who Loved Me
1 Just Like Heaven (2011)
2 A Night Like This (2012)
3 The Sum of All Kisses (2013)
4 The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy (2015)
About Julia Quinn
Julia Quinn, born Julia Pottinger in 1970, is a romance novel writer from New York. In addition to her bestselling Bridgerton series, she has written Two Dukes of Wyndham, the Agents of the Crown, The Lyndon Sisters, The Lady Most, the Bevelstoke series and the Splendid trilogy. Her novels have been published around the world in more than 29 languages.
