Many of us sat down today and started streaming Bridgerton on Netflix. The TV show is such a big deal it’s been (positively) reviewed in both the Washington Post and the New York Times. I particularly love the WaPo review–it nailed why so many of us are likely to adore the show. Critic Hank Stuever wrote:
This is the prevailing thought when one watches Netflix’s enjoyably rambunctious (if a tad overblown) period drama “Bridgerton,” the first big offering to come out of the streaming giant’s significant deal with Shonda Rhimes….
The show’s first season (and we hope, not last) is based on the first of the series, The Duke and I, a book that none of the AAR reviewers would choose as her favorite. Here are the books we love the most.
Caz: The Viscount Who Loved Me holds a very special place in my heart because it was one of the first historical romances I ever read. I have a soft spot for that type of story – where the hero falls for someone he’s not supposed to fall for – the writing is deft and witty, the characters are engaging and the chemistry between Anthony and Kate is delicious.
For some reason, I read the books out of order and didn’t actually read some of them until they came out in audio format a few years back. And it was then that I discovered another favourite – To Sir Phillip With Love. It seems to be one of the most underrated books in the set, perhaps because it’s not as lively and frothy as some of the others. But I like that it tackles some darker themes and presents us with a deeply flawed hero – Phillip is not always likeable, but the author does a great job of shedding light on his character and making you want to root for him even when you want to smack some sense into him! It’s a captivating and compelling love story.
I can never pick just one!!
But those choices are from maybe 15 years apart – interesting that I went for the angstier one more recently.
Blythe: It’s been a long time since I have read the Bridgerton books – I couldn’t believe, when I looked, that the first ones were twenty years old. My youngest son, who is about to graduate from college, was a baby! What I remember from the time is that Julia Quinn really took a series concept and ran with it, and she did it well. I remember Romancing Mr. Bridgerton as my favorite, mostly because of the build up that preceded it regarding the revelation of Lady Whistledown’s identity. But also because I liked Colin. I have a huge soft spot for heroes who are viewed as somewhat feckless or shallow, a soft spot that absolutely extends to my personal life and romance. Colin is such a hero. Perhaps it is time for a grand re-read.
Evelyn: Hard to pick but I’ll say The Viscount Who Loved Me because of the pall mall scene. And I love how Anthony tries so hard to be the man of the family but that he is really still so vulnerable after his dad’s death so many years ago. Kate is the perfect partner for him – helping him be the lead his family needs but not letting him get a big head about it.
Jessica: To Sir Phillip, With Love
Lisa: The Viscount Who Loved Me. Anthony’s gradual opening to Kate’s love – and his realization that love will triumph over death – delighted me. I love MANY of Quinn’s heroines, but Kate, bar none, is my favorite.
Dabney: Whew. Not an easy question and, yes, I know I posed it. At first I thought Romancing Mr. Bridgerton because I love Penelope and I love the Lady Whistledown reveal. But, I have found, over the years, that I’ve reread The Viscount Who Loved Me far more frequently and I adore the banter in that book. At the end of the day, however, I’m a sucker for the best love story and that, for me, is that of Michael and Francesca. (I also adore all the Colin scenes in the book.) When I Was Wicked is the sexiest of all the books but it’s also the saddest and offers the most hard won HEA.
Shannon: I love When He Was Wicked for its complex storyline and deeply nuanced characters. It’s one of those haunting stories that remains with you long after you finish the book.
Which is your favorite? Why? And, if you had to pick a scene in the series you think is priceless, which would you pick? (Pall-mall, yes we know!)
If you’ve watched the show, what did you think?
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I loved the series despite the fact that Julia Quinn is not my favorite historical romance writer. I particularly loved Adjoa Andoh’s Lady Danbury with her forthright demeanor and great sense of humor. I also found myself enjoying the family dynamics of the Bridgertons and all the scenes in which they gather together and tease one another. Having actors of color cast in many roles was refreshing as well. I liked the way that the series doesn’t sugarcoat just how few choices women had in this period, even though there are many places where I happily suspended my disbelief to enjoy what I was watching.
I was disappointed in the sex scenes, however. One of the great advances of romance novels is their insistence that good sex for women involves clitoral stimulation, so I was less than happy when so many scenes involved a man and women ripping off their clothes and doing the whole phallic number without a lot of prelude. I wish we could have more scenes like The Big Easy where the male lover takes his time and there is some sexy foreplay that makes it clear that a woman can and should climax without being dependent on penetration for that to happen.
If this series is as successful as it seems it will be, I would love to see family series like Lisa Kleypas’s The Hathaways come to the screen, or even better Meredith Duran’s interconnected romance novels.
My favorites are The Duke and I and To Sir Phillip With Love. I’d like to reread them all but I need to wait until I’ve watched all of Bridgerton, Season 1 at least!
Binged watched “Bridgerton” yesterday, and absolutely loved it! I have never read any of the books (Regencies are not my go-to historical. For that it’s medievals) but now I’m itching to pick up “The Viscount Who Loved Me” and all of the rest just to see how things work out. I sure do hope that Netflix/Shondaland are planning to have multiple seasons of the show because I loved seeing that world come to life, with the slightly contemporary twist thrown in. Lots of fun!
TVWLM is a great book! Enjoy!
May I just request one thing… Could we have an exclusive thread dedicated to the Netflix Bridgerton series. Because: I need to rave, I need to rant; I need to curse, I need to squee; I want to applaud and boo at the same time; AND, most of all, I need all your thoughts on this amazing hot mess!!!
LOL, yes to all this.
What I forgot to say: In a slightly spoiler-ish kind of way ♀️
Let me think about how to do that. We don’t have a thread page–comments are on a blog post.
OK! Here you go. Let’s start chatting about this here:
https://allaboutromance.com/bridgerton-on-netflix-love-it-loathe-it-heres-a-place-to-discuss-it/
I have moved the comments there!
I also haven’t read any of the series in years! I liked When He Was Wicked the best because the story was the most complex and emotional plus it was the sexiest of the series. My second would be Romancing Mr. Bridgerton. Penelope was one of my favorite heroines and I thought the conflict that this was her life’s work and a woman of that time might wish more fulfillment than just marriage was an interesting one. My third would be The Viscount Who Loved Me because it is one of the funniest of the series.
I switch up all three depending on what I’m looking for. And I agree with your assessment!
When He Was Wicked, and for me it’s not even close. If I had to chose a second place, it would be The Viscount Who Loved Me.
I’ve only read The Duke and I, The Viscount Who Loved Me, and To Sir Phillip, With Love. Of those The Viscount Who Loved Me is my favorite, closely followed by To Sir Phillip, With Love. I have Offer From a Gentleman and Romancing Mr. Bridgerton waiting in the wings and I’m very curious about When He Was Wicked. I’ll probably read that one instead of listening to it because I deal with angst better in print.