Are the Bridgerton books worth reading?

Since making its grand debut in December, Bridgerton has become one of the most-watched Netflix original series reaching 82 million households.

After all, what’s not to love about this indulgent, romantic period drama? If you instantly fell in love with the characters, you may be wondering if the book series is worth diving into while you wait for season two.

All in all, the Bridgerton, the Netflix show, is a pretty accurate adaptation of Julia Quinn’s novel, The Duke and I, and doesn’t stray too far from the original source material.

There are some notable differences from book to screen to consider before reading.

Does Bridgerton follow the books?

1. Missing Characters

For example, you’ll notice a few characters missing or merely in the background. While Queen Charlotte was a real person who ruled around the time of Bridgerton, she never appears once in the book series.

Sadly, along in her absence is Prince Friedrich, the dressmaker Genevieve Delacroix, and Antony’s love interest, Sienna. Although if you’re a fan of Sienna, there is a similar character by a different name in book 2, but her role is quite small and doesn’t play a primary role in Antony’s love life.

However, we do get Marina, but you won’t see her until you’re five books in and even then she’s only mentioned in the prologue as a tragic tale. If any of these characters were favorites then you, unfortunately, won’t get to learn more about their fate off-screen.

2. Scene Changes

Another notable difference has to do with that controversial scene between Daphne and Simon. The original version is much more uncomfortable considering Simon is both intoxicated and asleep when the event occurs. If this was already a difficult scene for you, then you may want to skip chapter 18 in The Duke and I.

3. Diversity

The final huge difference between book and screen is the diversity. Race is never mentioned in the book series. However, Simon was more than likely meant to be white. I personally liked seeing an interracial couple set in this time period so I was a bit saddened by the character descriptions.

Final Thoughts

I will say that if your favorite characters and storylines are missing or the diversity was the biggest factor in your love for the series, then the books might be somewhat disappointing.

The Bridgerton novels are worth reading if you enjoy period romance set in Regency England. Also, if you felt really connected to the characters you might want to read ahead or just dive deeper into the world. Each book focuses on a different sibling in the Bridgerton family so if you want to see how each one finds their true love, then definitely give the series a go!