Best Bridgerton Books: Ranking and Reading Order

Bridgerton on Netflix took the world by storm, but before it hit our screens came the raunchy and swoony Bridgerton books by Julia Quinn, who is probably the most popular historical romance author right now (I might be biased!).

Julia Quinn – or JQ – wrote the Bridgerton series about the eight siblings of the Bridgerton family, so we have eight books for each sibling. We also got one short story collection about the Bridgertons’ happily-ever-afters and thanks to the popularity of the Netflix show, we also got a Bridgerton prequel, Queen Charlotte. The best Bridgerton book, however, depends on personal tastes and pet peeves, so my ranking will depend on how much I loved the story, the characters, and the writing.

Best Bridgerton Books Ranked

JQ’s steamy scenes are guaranteed to take your breath away, so keep an eye out for my spice meter! Your smut preferences might vary, but the meter will give you some idea of the level of smut in each book.

• 🌶️– sexual language and a little on-page action
• 🌶️🌶️– a lot of sexual language and some on-page action, may be occurring couple times
• 🌶️🌶️🌶️– some explicit action and dirty talk, occurring frequently
• 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ – a lot of explicit action and dirty talk, occurring frequently
• 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ – super graphic and explicit, occurring very frequently

Without further ado, let’s head off to Regency England in the 1800’s and meet the Bridgertons!

Bridgerton Books Reviews

1. Viscount Who Loved Me – My Favorite!

The second book of the Bridgerton series became my favorite the moment I read it, and has remained at the top over so many years now for three reasons: the enemies-to-lovers trope, the banter, and the pining. 

Trust me when I tell you that Julia Quinn cooked up a spicy, ridiculously cute, and laughter-inducing book with all the feels, because Viscount Who Loved Me is such a delicious treat for us enemies-to-lovers stans. 

The book starts off with our Viscount Anthony declaring he’s ready to marry which comes as a surprise to his family – but he’s quick to clarify that he’s marrying for obligation and not love (🙄). He soon gets down to the business of finding a bride, going for the most eligible woman of the season. 

The hitch in his plan is the fact that Kate, our FMC, hates how Anthony has set sights on her sister. Kate wants a love match for her sister and Anthony, by his own words, is definitely not that. As if his sketchy motives weren’t bad enough, there’s also his reputation of being a ‘rake’ (the regency equivalent of a womanizer😉) that Kate finds appalling.

The thing is though, the more they argue and observe each other, they both start to fall for the other, albeit reluctantly. The angst is top notch when Anthony wakes up from an erotic dream about Kate when he doesn’t even like her IRL. And my favorite moment of Kate falling for Anthony is the library scene where all her guards are down and she just starts to trust him with her whole heart. I was all tears, folks. 

So the competitive, no-nonsense, and arrogant duo fall for each other over dog chases, games of Pall Mall, and stolen glances across ballrooms. I have to mention the Netflix series at this point too, because the whole drama with Edwina notwithstanding, the creators did an awesome job bringing the angst and the banter between Anthony and Kate to life. I still love the book though, because it left out any unnecessary drama and the drama it did have was solely between the stubborn-as-hell MCs who spent half the book pining for and not kissing each other. 

So if you want a swoony, angsty enemies-to-lovers historical style, this is the book you should start with. JQ, with her witty liners and laugh-out-loud scenes, does not disappoint one bit.

• Best for – Fans of Bridgerton series on Netflix and fans of historical romance
• Not for – Readers sensitive to PTSD

2. Romancing Mister Bridgerton

Friends-to-lovers will always be the way to my heart because the confusion/ the soft feelings/ the giddiness that comes with realizing you’re falling for your closest friend is nothing short of incredible. Julia Quinn took all these feels to the stage in the fourth book of the Bridgerton series, Romancing Mister Bridgerton, and I was a goner. 

We’ve seen both Colin and Penelope interacting with each other in the first three books, but after Colin’s public declaration in Benedict’s book that “I will never marry Penelope,” caused by an ill-timed conversation with his brothers and definitely overheard by Penelope, things between them are now slightly awkward. 

One book later, chance – and curiosity – leads Penelope to read a travel journal of Colin and she’s amazed; the man can write so well! He doesn’t take kindly to having his most private writing out in the open, but some back and forth later, Colin comes to a startling realization – he wants to talk to Penelope more, see her again, and hear her innermost thoughts as she listens to his. After a kiss that took both of them by surprise, Colin knows he wants her more than as a friend. 

She harbors a secret though, and the fans of the Netflix series know what it is (on that note, let me just say I don’t like that it was revealed in the first season). The secret causes a dramatic chase in a carriage, an even more dramatic proposal, and a blackmailer for Penelope, which Colin deals with swiftly – we love a charming MMC who turns commanding and assertive for his lady. 

So the Polin ship is sailing, and I can’t wait for season 3 of the show to come out because the smut is delicious in the book. And if the previous two book adaptations are an indication, S3 is gonna be SPICY. I’m definitely excited for that one mirror scene that got me red in the face while reading the book, or the carriage scene where Colin and Penelope get handsy🔥. JQ writes her spice the way she writes everything – with immersive wordplay and all-consuming feelings – so you’re definitely in for a smut-licious treat with Romancing Mister Bridgerton. 

Pick it up for the friends-to-lovers, swoonworthy dialogue, and lots of spice to burn your way through a weekend!

• Best for – Fans of Bridgerton Netflix show and fans of historical romance
• Not for – Readers who like fast-paced quick burns

3. An Offer From a Gentleman

When I realized the story of the most adorable Bridgerton brother is a Cinderella retelling, I canceled all plans and settled in for an enchanting ride – and JQ didn’t disappoint. 

I’ve always loved Benedict when he made an appearance in the other books; he’s funny, whimsical, and has an artist’s soul. So even though I don’t like the insta-love trope of Cinderella retellings much, it fit Benedict’s personality so naturally that I actually forgot I was reading an insta-love story. 

While Benedict is looking for the masked beauty he met at their ball, the lady in question, Sophie, suffers so much abuse at her stepmother’s hand until one day, she is forced to leave the house. Sophie’s illegitimate birth does her no favors so she’s reduced to working as a servant until she no longer can. That’s because, unfortunately, her beauty and lower station often make her a victim to the young masters of the households she’s working for. 

It’s during one of these occasions, when some men are trying to harass her, that Benedict happens to see it and help her out. He offers her shelter without recognizing who she is, and Sophie is devastated to recognize the man she’s been dreaming of for so long. 

What follows is an oblivious Benedict falling for Sophie, all the while pining for the masked lady. JQ really spoiled us because we get chapters upon chapters of Benedict and Sophie falling for each other again with a lot of pining and sexual tension. He wants her so much he asks her to be his mistress (it wasn’t a good move, Benedict) which our leading lady refuses. I loved how she didn’t compromise on her conscience even though she wanted to be with him as much as he did. 

This Cinderella story set in the Bridgerton universe hits all the right beats, giving us the introspective Benedict’s love story in such an emotionally-rich, captivating way. Pick this book for a fairy-tale love story you’d want to read again and again!

• Best for – Fans of Cinderella retellings and historical romance
• Not for –  Readers sensitive to sexual assault and bullying

4. When He Was Wicked – The Spiciest Bridgerton Book

Many fans tout this book as the spiciest Bridgerton book and I’m here to tell you that the allegations are, in fact, true. It took me by surprise because the quiet, withdrawn Francesca I’ve seen in other books is on scorching fire and Michael is THE hottest, sexiest leading man in the Bridgerton universe, period. 

As much as I love the Bridgerton habit of poking their noses into siblings’ businesses, I loved that it didn’t happen much in this book – Francesca and Michael’s story mostly took place far away in their earldom in Kilmartin, Scotland. I think I feel that way because the sixth Bridgerton sibling is as reserved as they come and also because both she and Michael had incredible grief to wade through as their relationship grew, and that’s better done without prying eyes. 

When Michael comes to Kilmartin looking for Francesca, he is furious at her for not replying to his letters, for wanting to marry, for any reason under the sun – because the poor man has been in unrequited love for ages that it’s pouring out as rage. The fury quickly turns into burning passion and Francesca is startled to discover that Michael is as devious and sexy as he always portrayed himself to be. Michael decides to ‘seduce’ Francesca into marrying him instead of telling her he loves her, and that’s where I lost it. Come on, Michael, just try being honest about your feelings for once!?

So we have this hunk of a man weak-kneed and yearning for the love of his life while Francesca, obviously attracted to him but guilt-ridden out of respect for John, tries to resist him. It all goes up in smoke, though – the smut between the pair is enough to set fire to the entirety of Scotland. I especially liked the parts where Francesca takes reins… Definitely an original take on historical romances. 

That said, I still don’t like how the seduction seemed rather forced. Don’t get me wrong, I love the smut, but it really could have kicked off better. 

My reservations don’t affect the impact of the book though – When He Was Wicked was an emotional roller-coaster from the first page to the epilogue, and I may have shed a few tears in between savoring the spice. Pick this book up for a wild ride because Francesca and Michael are the duo most likely to tug at your heartstrings and set you on fire at the same time.

• Best for – Fans of spicy romance and historical romance
• Not for – Fans who are looking for lighthearted romance 

5. It’s in His Kiss

It’s in His Kiss is this far down the ranking only because I can’t make all of them #1 or #2 – Hyacinth’s story is one of my faves because it’s got some treasure hunting, midnight gallivanting, and lots of spice (yes, Gareth!🔥) packed into the book.

First off, I have to admit that I did feel a bit weird reading Hyacinth’s love story because she’s the youngest Bridgerton and the most I’ve seen her is chucking peas at her siblings across the dinner table. But finding out she grew up and into her frenetic energy and outspokenness (making her a menace to nearly everyone) was truly a delight for me. 

I loved her hot-tempered relationship with Lady Danbury, whose grandson Gareth needs Hyacinth’s (more or less underdeveloped) Italian language skills. Gareth, surprisingly, is highly amused by the fiendish woman who can possibly help him claim his inheritance – or leave him with no penny to his name.

They start translating the diary together, bickering non-stop and discovering some family secrets along the way. The secrets clue them in on the location of a long-lost treasure and Hyacinth is too stubborn to be left behind on the quest. Some breaking in and burglary that’s not befitting a well-bred lady follows, leaving Gareth exasperated yet utterly in love with Hyacinth. 

As love takes the stage, Gareth’s charm becomes seductive and Hyacinth’s passion makes up for her inexperience, treating us readers with a lot of pulse-racing smut. We also find out that the only time Hycinth says “Yes, Gareth” is when they are tangled in the sheets 🥵.

I loved It’s in His Kiss because it was so different from the other stories. They were all great in their own right of course, but this one appealed to me because it was adventurous, eventful, cheerful, and devoid of society-fueled drama found in other Bridgerton books. So have a go at Hyacinth’s story when you need a steamy, banterful, heist-like love story and you won’t be disappointed in the least.

• Best for – Fans of lighthearted romances and historical romance
• Not for – Readers looking for angsty slow burns

6. To Sir Philip, With Love

The blurb of the book was enough for me to pick up this book immediately after I finished Romancing Mister Bridgerton, because the premise was so… Eloise. 

When the story starts, Eloise has been exchanging letters with Sir Philip Crane, the widowed husband of one of her cousins. Though they know little of each other, they have a connection, but it stills comes as a surprise to her when he proposes. Then she surprises herself even more by crossing the country to his place, where she surprises him.

Quiet and awkward, Philip doesn’t know how to grapple with the vision of a woman (who doesn’t stop talking for two seconds) in front of him any more than he knows how to handle his rowdy twins.

The kids were one of the biggest highlights of the book for me, because they were smart, devious, and pranked the hell out of Eloise. She turned out to be the worthy rival they never had with her expertise at anticipating chaos and instigating chaos herself because she comes from a family of pranksters. So she wins their hearts and in doing so, Philip’s (he was already a goner when he saw her but the man took his sweet time to admit his feelings).

Their love story takes time to develop because not only is Eloise hellbent on winning the kids over, she’s determined to bring their withdrawn father back to them. Not to mention the slight (I mean huge) commotion her brothers make when they barge into the house and almost beat Philip to a pulp. 

When love does happen to both of them, Philip’s tenderness and sincerity shines through, complementing Eloise’s fiercely protective and passionate nature. And then we get to see those roles reversed when in the bedroom. Also, word to the wise: get you a man who’s a botanist by profession because he’d literally grow roses for you. 

One thing I couldn’t get behind though, was how Eloise quickly went from ‘I’ll be a spinster forever’ to ‘I want to marry a man I barely know’ and took the plunge to run away from home. Not that there’s anything wrong with it, I just wanted that decision arc to be fleshed out more. 

But how she grew to love the Crane twins and Philip was so wholesome, and the way Philip returned her feelings with a fervor he never knew he had was even more so. This book is that ideal slow burn full of mischief and never-ending conversation, so pick this up for a heartwarming read!

• Best for – Fans of beauty and the beast trope and historical romances
• Not for – Readers looking for a quick burn

7. The Duke and I – My First Bridgerton Book

This was the first Bridgerton book I read a decade ago, making me fall in love with the band of rowdy, adorable Bridgerton siblings. Over time, I’ve realized after a few reads that there are some questionable elements in it, so that’s how The Duke and I made it to #7 of my ranking. 

Our MCs meet at a ball, and once they get to know who’s who, they become fast friends. Their mutually-benefitting fake courtship kicks off much to Anthony’s chagrin who’s furious at both his friend and his sister. Simon and Daphne have fun though – their banter is on point and the attraction between them grows by the second. 

Simon’s control finally snaps and he kisses Daphne, only to have Anthony charging at them and demanding Simon to marry Daphne. After an anxious refusal, some gun waving, and a horse ride to the park later, the duo are to be married – each thinking the other is making a sacrifice. 

They are, but they also are too-in-their-own-heads (and dumb) to realize why they made each of their compromises. It takes a lot of smut and even more tension for the pair to admit their love for one another, even after baring their heart and soul to the other. 

The last part of the book was such an emotional ride for me, even after some questionable actions by both our MCs. And as for the Netflix show, I didn’t feel like they captured the culmination of Daphne and Simon’s relationship that well – they did such an awesome job in the first few episodes and the leads had amazing chemistry, only for that to sizzle out. 

Overall, I do wish some parts of the book were better handled too, but that doesn’t take away the charm of fake-dating and the angst of denial in love – so I still love Daphne and Simon’s story for its sweetness. 

Pick this book up for an emotion-packed ride from the beginning to the end. I only ask you to check the content warnings before you jump in, and you should be golden.

• Best for – Fans of fake dating trope and the Netflix show ‘Bridgerton’
• Not for – Readers sensitive to sexual assault, abandonment, and child abuse

8. On The Way to The Wedding

On The Way to The Wedding focuses on the love story of the youngest Bridgerton, Gregory. He was so young in the other books that I felt like I was learning about a completely new character, but it was charming in its own right. 

Gregory is possibly the most romantic Bridgerton boy and a strong believer in true love – which is not surprising considering all his siblings found love. He’s convinced that everything will fall into place once he finally meets the girl of his dreams – and then reality pops his bubble.

We watch him struggle as he falls in ‘love’ with a Hermione Watson (not to be mistaken with Granger), who happens to be in love with another man. The story is actually about Gregory falling in love with Lucy when he teams up with her to win Hermione over. Unfortunately, Lucy is betrothed to someone else, so to put it simply, Gregory’s love life is a tangled mess.

The friends-to-lovers trope between him and Lucy was so sweet, but we don’t get to see a lot of it. Most of what I read was internal dialogue, so nothing actually happens for the tension to build. The book flickers back and forth between them longing for each other and then realizing that they can’t do anything about their feelings. 

Gregory is a very sweet character, but he’s a hopeless romantic to the point where it’s actually a bit frustrating. It’s not at all like the slow burn we got with Penelope and Collin, or the steamy tension between Daphne and Simon. 

The whole star-crossed lovers trope and suspense might have worked a lot better had the buildup been stronger, plus he’s in love with Hermione through most of the book anyway, so the switch to Lucy doesn’t hold very well. It’s also not very spicy (compared to JQ’s usual standard) but I’m alright with that since it is one of the baby Bridgertons. 

What I did enjoy about the book was the appearance of the Bridgerton clan –  some tears were shed, friends. It felt like the perfect way to bring the series to an end, so regardless of its quick pace and the hopelessly romantic MCs, it’s definitely a must-read if you want to complete the series.

• Best for – Fans of friends-to-lovers
• Not for – Readers who are looking for a lot of smut and angst

9. The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After

Happily Ever After is a collection of epilogues to the Bridgerton books – plus a special story about Violet! You can read each story separately of course, but reading them together after you’re done with the series is a great way to see what the Bridgerton siblings are up to, without any spoilers in between (trust me, there are a few).

Most of the stories follow married life as a theme, and while some were interesting, like the epilogue for The Duke and I that follows Daphne and Simon 21 years later (let’s just say parenthood does not put damper on the burn 🔥), the rest were a bit underwhelming. For one, the epilogue to the Viscount Who Loved Me doesn’t have the tension of pall-mall disputes and enemies to lovers banter anymore – making Anthony and Kate seem regular. I did NOT like that for them.

The theme did suit the epilogue for When He Was Wicked. Francesca’s story really broke my heart in the novel so it was great to see her heal from the pain and have a healthy marriage.

The siblings’ epilogues left a bit to desire, but I absolutely loved Violet in Bloom. It is everything I ever wanted to know about her and Edmund Bridgerton. While his death has been brought up before, I think this story really paints a picture of how it affected Violet. This short but incredibly powerful story captured how her world was ripped away from her so suddenly, and how she coped with it alone with seven children and a baby on the way. It really made me feel for her, and I think the story ties in well with the depth of her mourning that Anthony brings up in Season 2 of the show. 

I won’t say all the epilogues have that kind of emotional impact, but do they give us a peek into the Bridgerton siblings’ happily-ever-afters – which, all things considered, is the blissful closure all of us fans deserve. I will say though that they might not end the way you expect, so if you’d rather leave that up to your imagination, that’s fine too. Whatever you choose to do – just please read Violet in Bloom.

• Best for – Fans of Violet Bridgerton, fans of happily ever after epilogues, fans of the Lady Whistledown mystery arc
• Not for – Readers who are looking for the banter between Anthony and Kate

10. Queen Charlotte

Unlike the rest of the Bridgerton books listed here, Queen Charlotte actually came out after the show. In fact, Queen Charlotte isn’t in the other books at all – so it makes sense that Quinn would want to partner with Shonda Rhimes, the creator of the Netflix series, to give Charlotte the spotlight she deserves. 

Funnily enough, I’ve heard that Rhimes referred to Charlotte as the “Beyonce of regency times,” and she’s right. Not only is Charlotte’s character intimidating, commanding, and confident, but she’s also cynical, sarcastic, and witty – she’s Queen C. What I really loved about this book was that it let me dig deeper into the complexities of her character. While the older Queen Charlotte that we know has a hard shell, the book dives into the vulnerabilities that made her who she is. 

I always appreciate a good enemies-to-lovers trope, so I was more than happy to read the book when it came out even though I had already seen the show. While the two are the same for the most part, there are a few small differences. 

For one, I got to read characters’ thoughts in a way I had never seen them – like those of Lady Danburry and even Brimsley, but especially King George. Somehow these little details made his descent into madness more heartbreaking than it already was. 

Apart from that, the romance was intense and steamy, and really made me feel the weight of what Charlotte was losing. She was all alone, married, and made Queen out of duty and then bound by secrecy to a man she did not really know, and once she had finally fallen in love with him, she had to watch him slip away. It gives that particular scene in season 2 of the main series (the one where King George makes an unexpected appearance) more weight. 

Now this book is definitely a bit of a diversion from the Bridgertons themselves, but if you’re a fan of the series and want to know Queen Charlotte better – then this is the perfect book. Sure, she comes off as controlling and manipulative, but suddenly, I’m rewatching Bridgerton with a soft spot for the Queen.

• Best for – Fans of Queen Charlotte, enemies to lovers, duty and desire, royal romances
• Not for – Readers who are uncomfortable with depictions of illness/losing your loved one to illness

And that’s my list of the best Bridgerton books! The Bridgerton universe is vast because the main series follows eight siblings while the spin-off tells us the stories of some endearing secondary characters with potential to expand more (JQ, I’m waiting for Violet’s story!). Pick up a Bridgerton book if you want to experience the searing romance of the regency era made better with adorable antics of a close-knit family and gorgeous writing by Julia Quinn.

Bridgerton Books in Reading Order

I’ve ranked the best Bridgerton books according to my preference, but you are best served if you go with the reading order which is the same as the order of publication.

1. The Duke and I – Daphne’s story (January, 2000)
2. Viscount Who Loved Me – Anthony’s story (December, 2000)
3. An Offer From a Gentleman – Benedict’s story (July, 2001)
4. Romancing Mister Bridgerton – Colin’s story (July, 2002)
5. To Sir Philip, With Love – Eloise’s story (July, 2003)
6. When He Was Wicked – Francesca’s story (June, 2004)
7. It’s in His Kiss – Hyacinth’s story (June, 2005)
8. On The Way to The Wedding – Gregory’s story (June, 2006)

What to read next

If you don’t want to leave the Bridgerton universe yet, you should check out the story collections, The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown and Lady Whistledown Strikes Back. JQ also gave us a prequel series that features the Bridgerton family a couple generations ago, called the Rokesby series, starting with Because of Miss Bridgerton about a certain feisty Bridgerton lady called Poppy. 

You can also indulge in some more swoony historical romances with the Smythe-Smith series by Julia Quinn. You would have met a few characters from the Smythe-Smith family while reading Bridgerton, so settle in with the first book, Just Like Heaven to find out more. 

If you’re in the mood for spice, you can check out our list of best smut books. These are not  historical romances; you don’t have a lot of ‘don’t be alone with him if you don’t have a chaperone,’ so they definitely can fulfill your smutty cravings😉.

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