AS OF late, the genre of regency romance has had its time in the limelight with the steady popularity of Shondaland’s “Bridgerton” adaptation into the small screen. The book series authored by writer Julia Quinn, follows the aristocratic Bridgerton family with eight books accounting each siblings’ respective love stories.
These love stories are modeled after certain tropes — a literary device that utilizes recurring motifs/conventions in storytelling. Here is a certified Bridgerton fan’s ranking of the books acc. to their literary tropes:
1. An Offer from a Gentleman (Forbidden Romance)
Who isn’t a sucker for a love story that is forbidden? The third installment of the eight-part series follows the Bohemian second son, Benedict Bridgerton, as he falls in love with someone below his status–a maid named Sophie Beckett.
“An Offer from a Gentleman” teaches the readers that love that defies all odds and conventions is a love worth risking everything for. Benedict and Sophie’s love story is legendary and is referred to as such in the series, with the rest of the younger Bridgerton siblings looking up to their “star-crossed” lover’s tragedy as a basis for passionate and true love.
2. The Viscount Who Loved Me (Enemies to Lovers)
Love and hate are opposing spectrums. For Anthony, the titular Viscount, and Kate Sheffield, this rang true in their ‘will-they, won’t-they’ dynamic both in the books and the show. Before they had fallen in love, Anthony and Kate did toe the line of being completely vexed by each other.
Anthony had set sights on Kate’s younger sister, Edwina, intent on marrying her for duty more than love. Kate knew of his debauched lifestyle, which in turn convinced her to do all that she could to prevent the match from coming to fruition in order to protect her sister. In a twist of fate, they end up together. Kate and Anthony’s chemistry, both in the book and in the show, is electric at best.
3. To Sir Philip, With Love (Pen pals / Long-distance relationship)
The fifth installment of the Bridgerton saga follows none other than fan favorite Eloise Bridgerton. Eloise is headstrong, strong in her own worldly convictions and is adamant to avoid the marriage mart in London high society. The fifth book follows her months-long correspondence with Sir Philip Crane, her late cousin Marina’s husband.
For book purists, Eloise is known to be flighty when it comes to romance but with her conversations with Philip, she considers the prospect of it. Philip and Eloise share intellectual debates over pen, deepening their connection without meeting. Eloise soon escapes a family event to go to Philip, in a bout of spontaneity. We get to learn that Eloise doesn’t simply abhor the prospect of marriage for the sake of it as much as she abhors the thought of domesticity subjugating her as a woman. With Philip, Eloise learned that loving the right person doesn’t take away a part of you at all.
4. The Duke and I (Fake Dating)
The Duke and I is the first installment in the Bridgerton series, following the story of the third Bridgerton child, Daphne Bridgerton crossing paths with her brother Anthony’s best friend, Simon, who is an eligible bachelor, albeit an emotionally unavailable one. They reach an understanding that by “fake dating,” they both mutually benefit from the arrangement: Daphne gains more suitors by appearing “unavailable,” while Simon wards off ladies of the town who want to marry him. By pretending, they eventually fall for each other.
5. When He Was Wicked (Second Chance Romance)
Often refered to as the most “mature” entry in the series, the sixth book follows Francesca Bridgerton. This story utilizes the “Right Person, Wrong Time” trope with a bittersweet twist. Michael Stirling, the charming cousin of Francesca’s late husband, John, has been in love with her since the moment they met. However, his loyalty to his cousin kept his feelings buried. Years after John’s passing, Francesca and Michael find their way back to one another. The trope here explores the complexity of guilt and the evolution of love after loss.
6. Romancing Mr. Bridgerton (Friends to Lovers)
The fourth book of the Bridgerton series focuses on the story of Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton. For years, Penelope has harbored a secret and unrequited crush on her best friend’s older brother, content to remain the “wallflower.” The beauty of the “Friends to Lovers” trope here is the slow burn and the eventual shattering of glass. As Colin begins to see Penelope not just as a friend, but as a witty, independent woman with her own secrets (including her identity as Lady Whistledown), the shift in their dynamic is profound.
7. It’s In His Kiss (Grumpy/ Sunshine)
The final Bridgerton daughter, Hyacinth, finds her match in the cynical Gareth St. Clair as they team up to translate a mysterious family diary. Their “Grumpy vs. Sunshine” dynamic flourishes through this shared mission, proving that a little bit of sleuthing is the perfect catalyst for an unexpected romance.
8. On the Way to the Wedding (last-minute realization)
Gregory Bridgerton, the family’s ultimate romantic, finds himself in a race against time when he realizes his true love, Lady Lucinda Abernathy, is already headed to the altar with another man. It is a high-stakes conclusion to the series that leans into the “last-minute realization” trope, proving that even the most idealistic hearts must occasionally fight through a bit of chaos for their happy ending.
Ultimately, the enduring appeal of the Bridgerton series lies in Julia Quinn’s ability to breathe fresh life into these classic literary tropes. In a genre as overlooked as romance, Quinn is able to craft intricate worlds in Regency England that still resonate well with modern-day romantics.