For everyone who isn’t familiar of the title, it is actually the title of the novel by Julia Quinn in which the Season 2 of Bridgerton was based on. The first one was The Duke and I (Season 1). The Netflix Original series is produced by Shonda Rimes, the producer who made our beloved Grey’s Anatomy possible, and yes this is by far the cutest series focusing on royalties in the year (1813-1827) that we all have wondered about. It’s the era of the romantics as I call it.

Since this is another book adaptation, we all know that I go crazy on books and yes, I have read the whole series which consists of 8 romance novels, so the question is, are we gonna expect 8 seasons for Bridgerton? Well, I shall not keep you from reading my review and getting in the zone.

For those who have not yet set eyes on the series, please refrain from scrolling my article as this might ruin the excitement of your viewing…ah, yes, as always, it will be your own risk to read spoilers…go ahead then…

The Plot

The TV Series just continued where it was left off, everyone was having a break for the season until the Queen names her new diamond. There’s a new comer in town and they are the Sharmas, Kate Sharma and Edwina Sharma with their mother. They are the guest of Lady Danbury for this season. Kate, as the eldest sister, she wants to seek a man for her sister, Edwina, to marry and this man must pass Kate’s standards of a gentleman; Kate is looking for someone with a position and can take care of her sister just as much as she was to her. With the Viscount, Anthony Bridgerton, being responsible for their household, he is also in search of a future viscountess, the lady who will take over of the household and be the second mother of their house.

The plot seems straightforward, Kate finding husband for her sister, but she single-handedly choose off Anthony as one of the candidate after she heard him talk to his friends about wanting a wife only for his name not to be tarnished and love is not on the counts at all. Anthony then realizes, after all the ladies he tried to consider, Edwina was the only one who checks all the boxes in his list. But during the courtship, his mortal enemy was Kate, Edwina’s sister. In the process of trying to push Anthony away from Edwina, Kate had longed to discover that she has a hidden desire towards the viscount and little did she know, the viscount himself has the same amount of desire too.

Now, the challenge is to stay away from each other, however, the more they do, the obvious it becomes to everyone the heat their feelings for each other.

The Comparison

There’s just too many things to compare because the book was way lengthy than the TV series but I can say that they gave it a little justice if you think about it. These are the ones that are too obvious not to notice:

1. In the book, Kate and Edwina are Sheffield not Sharma. They are not woman of color but they are blondes. They made them from South Asian decent which made it more diverse and I think it suits the show well. In the book, they are originally form the countryside of London but in the series, they moved to London from India. Lady Danbury hosted them for the season which was not mentioned in the books, they actually rented their own place and they are not friends with the lady.
2. Kate’s age is older in the TV series compare to the book. 21 years old is considered as old maid in the book. Imagine, you being a 29-year-old single in that era. ha! 😅
3. The Bee sting scene, which leads to the introduction of Anthony’s fear of bees because his father was stung by a bee which caused his father’s death. In the series, Anthony saw the bee sting Kate and that led to his panic attack, which Kate managed to reassure him she was fine by putting Anthony’s hand in her bosom to feel her heart while in the book, this part is the main point of the plot. In Julia Quinn’s written words, Anthony sucked the venom out of the sting to make sure Kate is safe, however, while doing that, their mothers including Lady Featherington spotted them which led to the marriage to save Kate’s reputation. Then and there they got married.
4. Which leads me to the next point that in the book, Edwina and Anthony never even had the chance to plan a marriage but in the series, it is then while in the middle of the ceremony, had Edwina noticed the heated eye-to-eye contact of the two, leading to her realizing that they both have feelings for each other and that’s how the turn of events had gone in the series. Edwina, left Anthony in the altar but in the book, Kate got married to Anthony immediately which led her to lead the Bridgerton household after they got married.
5. Since they didn’t follow the book entirely, this led to the series going forward to Anthony and Edwina’s engagement and break-up which led to Kate’s intense feelings towards Anthony to grow fonder which she regrets because the marriage is the only way get Edwina’s grandparents to agree of the inheritance they promised once she marry a man with a high position in the society but this plot was never written in the books, thus, justifying the plot twist in the series, I think it is only fair to add something like this.
6. Kate got injured in the series because of horse riding during a heavy thunderstorm but in the books, the carriage she is riding crashed and that’s the time Anthony confessed his love to Kate because in the books, Anthony telling Kate that he loves her is the end of the plot, that’s their endgame but in the show, after the horse fall, Anthony didn’t visit Kate until they told him she has woken up. But still never told her that he loves her.
7. In the show, they slept together outside only for Anthony to have woken up alone, while raining. He then proceeds to look for Kate and ask for her hand in marriage but still, Kate thinks he is just doing this to save her reputation. Anthony still didn’t propose his love to her. They had only done it during the end of the ball when they both stand in the garden.
8. As for Edwina, after knowing that she is actually single, in the show, the Queen had offered her a chance to meet her nephew who is a prince but in the book, Edwina met another man, Mr. Bagwell he is an archeologist and she met him after Anthony and Kate’s instant marriage.
9. There are also people who are in the show but weren’t actually mentioned in the book or vice versa, just like The Duke of Hastings, in the scene pall mall scene where Eloise and Benedict joins the fun show, in the book, the Duke was there but not in the show, I think it is fair considering they didn’t reprise the role for this season.
10. Lord Jack Featherington and Theo Sharpe, for all I remembered were actually not part of the book. They are the additions they made to make the tv series plot stronger. That includes Madame Delacroix, she is also not in the book. To top that, I cannot even remember having the Queen linger in any of the books of Julia Quinn. Maybe they added these characters to create their own plot for the show and to make it more realistic. I guess it worked somehow.
11. Yes, I guess you are wondering why Maria Rosso(Sienna in the series) was not there, coz she was in the second book and Maria was actually Anthony’s apple of the eye. They rekindled their friendship on the second book but I guess they eliminated her in the show because Edwina and Kate’s sister rivalry and all the other conflicts are established enough to create a great plot.

The Verdict

I guess, so far those are the main points that I have noticed. I have read the books long way before I even started comparing movie adaptations and novels. I was in university when I was first introduced with the series. The last book I have laid my eyes on was the The Bridgerton: Happily Ever After, that sums up total of 9 books.

I know, I always say this but I always loved books better than the adaptation but I understand why they had to change stuff in the Netflix series because some of the scenes can actually make or break the show if they follow the book. I love how they incorporated so many stuff in the book as not to confused readers and non-readers. Honestly, there’s not much of a change, if you haven’t read the books and will read just now, you will not know the difference that much and I think reading the books after watching the series is way better.

I love the dresses, yes I know, the dresses are the ones I actually enjoyed in the show. I love how Penelope always wear yellow and like, all of them are just so beautifully dressed. I have imagined how they dressed before and that’s what I had perfectly imagined them to be. Of course, in reliance to my knowledge when it comes to English novels.

All in all, I need not to say anything aside from praise coz I really love the series, although this season’s if you compare it to the book, it is kinda boring. I think it could’ve been enhanced more if they actually followed the book’s plot coz in all the books of Julia Quinn, The Viscount Who Loved Me is the best. I could really say that coz I love the plot itself very much. It’s my top pick for the whole series.

I will definitely give this a 89% wonderroanne rating because I definitely loved it but still some bittersweet feelings coz I’m a little bias with the book.

If you haven’t read the books, here’s the list in order so you will enjoy reading.

1. The Duke and I
2. The Viscount Who Loved Me
3. An Offer From A Gentleman
4. Romancing Mr. Bridgerton
5. To Sir Philip, With Love
6. When He Was Wicked
7. It’s In His Kiss
8. On The Way to the Wedding
9. The Bridgerton: Happily Ever After

There are also prequel and sequels for Lady Whistledown:

1. Prequel: Because of Miss Bridgerton
2. The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown
3. Lady Whistledown Strikes Back

So far, those are the list of books by Julia Quinn that you will enjoy.

**Update from Lady Whistledown