Bridgerton Books in Order: Best Reading Order & Prequels

By T.L. BransonRomance

If you want the Bridgerton books in order, I’d start with the main Julia Quinn novels in publication order. That gives you each Bridgerton sibling’s romance the way readers first met them.

If you want the full Bridgerton world, there are also Rokesby prequels, Lady Whistledown anthologies, companion books, a graphic novel, and Queen Charlotte. I’ll break all of that down below so you can keep it simple.

Jump to:

How to Read Bridgerton Books in Order

For most first-time readers, I’d read the main Bridgerton books first. Then I’d move into the second epilogues, prequels, and extras after that.

The Rokesby books take place earlier, but I don’t think you need to start there. The main series is where the Bridgerton family really clicks.

  1. The Duke and I
  2. The Viscount Who Loved Me
  3. An Offer from a Gentleman
  4. Romancing Mister Bridgerton
  5. To Sir Phillip, With Love
  6. When He Was Wicked
  7. It’s in His Kiss
  8. On the Way to the Wedding
  9. The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After
  10. Because of Miss Bridgerton
  11. The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband
  12. The Other Miss Bridgerton
  13. First Comes Scandal

After that, read the companion books and extras if you want more time in the world. They’re fun, but they’re not required before you read the main romances.

Bridgerton Books and Who They’re About

If you’re coming from the Netflix series, this is the section I’d check first. The main novels each follow one Bridgerton sibling and their love story.

  1. The Duke and I – Daphne Bridgerton and Simon Basset
  2. The Viscount Who Loved Me – Anthony Bridgerton and Kate Sheffield
  3. An Offer from a Gentleman – Benedict Bridgerton and Sophie Beckett
  4. Romancing Mister Bridgerton – Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington
  5. To Sir Phillip, With Love – Eloise Bridgerton and Phillip Crane
  6. When He Was Wicked – Francesca Bridgerton and Michael Stirling
  7. It’s in His Kiss – Hyacinth Bridgerton and Gareth St. Clair
  8. On the Way to the Wedding – Gregory Bridgerton and Lucy Abernathy

Those are the core books. If you only want the main sibling romances, read those eight and you’ll have the full central series.

Bridgerton Main Series in Publication Order

Publication order is the simplest way to read the main Bridgerton books. The family grows naturally from book to book, and the recurring side characters make more sense as they appear.

  1. The Duke and I (2000)
  2. The Viscount Who Loved Me (2000)
  3. An Offer from a Gentleman (2001)
  4. Romancing Mister Bridgerton (2002)
  5. To Sir Phillip, With Love (2003)
  6. When He Was Wicked (2004)
  7. It’s in His Kiss (2005)
  8. On the Way to the Wedding (2006)

Bridgerton Prequel Books in Order

The Rokesby books are the Bridgerton prequels. They follow an earlier generation connected to the Bridgerton family, and they work best once you already know you enjoy this world.

  1. Because of Miss Bridgerton (2016)
  2. The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband (2017)
  3. The Other Miss Bridgerton (2018)
  4. First Comes Scandal (2020)

You can read these before the main books if you want timeline order, but I’d save them until after the main Bridgerton novels on a first read.

Bridgerton Books in Chronological Order

If you want the full Bridgerton-world timeline, start with Queen Charlotte, then read the Rokesby prequels, then move into the main Bridgerton books.

I think this order works best for rereads. For a first read, the main series in publication order is still simpler.

  1. Queen Charlotte (with Shonda Rhimes)
  2. Because of Miss Bridgerton
  3. The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband
  4. The Other Miss Bridgerton
  5. First Comes Scandal
  6. The Duke and I
  7. The Viscount Who Loved Me
  8. An Offer from a Gentleman
  9. Romancing Mister Bridgerton
  10. When He Was Wicked
  11. To Sir Phillip, With Love
  12. It’s in His Kiss
  13. On the Way to the Wedding
  14. The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After

The Lady Whistledown anthologies and other companion books don’t need to sit in one exact timeline slot. I’d read them after you’ve spent time with the main series.

Bridgerton Companion Books, Spin-Offs, and Extras

These books are part of the wider Bridgerton world, but they’re extras rather than required reading. I’d use this section once you’ve read the main books and want more.

  1. The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After (2013) – Second epilogues and Violet in Bloom
  2. The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown (2003) – Anthology with Julia Quinn’s novella Thirty-Six Valentines
  3. Lady Whistledown Strikes Back (2004) – Anthology with Julia Quinn’s novella The First Kiss
  4. The Wit and Wisdom of Bridgerton (2021) – Quote collection and companion book
  5. Miss Butterworth and the Mad Baron (2022) – Graphic novel with Violet Charles
  6. Queen Charlotte (2023) – Bridgerton-world novel with Shonda Rhimes

Bridgerton Books vs Netflix Seasons

The Netflix adaptation does not follow Julia Quinn’s book order exactly. That’s useful to know before you jump from the show into the books.

That means the show skips ahead in the book sequence after season 2. If you want Julia Quinn’s original progression, read the main novels in publication order instead of trying to match the show season by season.

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story connects closely to the Netflix world. The novel Queen Charlotte, written by Julia Quinn and Shonda Rhimes, is best treated as a related Bridgerton-world extra rather than one of the main sibling romances.

Bridgerton Books FAQ

How many Bridgerton books are there?

There are eight main Bridgerton novels, one for each Bridgerton sibling. The wider Bridgerton world also includes the Rokesby prequels, second epilogues, Lady Whistledown anthologies, companion books, Miss Butterworth and the Mad Baron, and Queen Charlotte.

Do you have to read the Bridgerton books in order?

No, each book has its own romance. But I still recommend reading them in order because the family relationships, side characters, and future couples build across the series.

Should I read the Bridgerton prequels first?

I wouldn’t start with the prequels on a first read. They take place earlier, but the main Bridgerton books are the better entry point. Read the Rokesby books later if you want more of the family world.

Are the Bridgerton books spicy?

Yes, the books have steam, but they’re still traditional historical romance. Expect romantic tension, banter, and some on-page intimacy, but the tone is not relentlessly explicit from start to finish.

Are the Bridgerton books different from the Netflix series?

Yes. The show changes the order of some romances and makes its own choices with characters, pacing, and side stories. If you’ve only watched the show, the books will still feel different.

Is Queen Charlotte part of the Bridgerton book series?

Queen Charlotte is part of the Bridgerton world, but it is not one of the main Bridgerton sibling novels. I’d read it as an extra after you already know the series.

Looking for more books in order?

If you want more romance authors and reading-order guides like this one, start with my Romance Books in Order index.

One thought on “Bridgerton Books in Order: Best Reading Order & Prequels”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *