5 Romancing Mister Bridgerton Book Arcs That Just Won't Work In Season 3

Dearest gentle reader, in the grand promises of marvelous Nicola Coughlan, Bridgerton Season 3 was whispered to hold fast to its literary roots within Julia Quinn's beloved Romancing Mister Bridgerton. Yet, as the new tale rapidly approaches, it is clear the deviation from the written word is already afoot.

Bridgerton Season 3 will follow the events of the spinoff Queen Charlotte, preserving the delicate thread of continuity that binds the Bridgerton saga. This drastically changes the timeline of Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton’s story, placing it eight years prior to the novel's events.

Moreover, the Netflix adaptation introduced some new narratives in the previous seasons that are bound to tweak the book plot. Considering this, here lie five novel storylines primed for transformation in the page-to-screen adaptation.

The Spinster Dilemma

In Quinn's Bridgerverse, Penelope is 28 and facing spinsterhood. On the one hand, this status brings her sorrow; on the other, it means a kind of independence. Freed from husband-hunting, she delves into her clandestine role as Lady Whistledown.

Contrarily, in the show, the script is set to flip. Pen is just 20 years old (in her third year on the marriage market, which is hard to call a spinster, no matter what the heroine says), and her search for a suitable suitor takes center stage, altering the narrative dynamic.

The First Kiss

The change in status (from spinster to eligible bachelorette) will certainly shake up the book's pivotal moment - the first kiss between the Season 3 leads. In the novel, Penelope, feeling it may be her final chance, boldly requests a kiss from Colin. Yet, in the show, such audacity might dent her matrimonial prospects. So the creators will have to come up with another, more organic excuse for the first lip-to-lip contact.

The Best Friend Presence

Eloise Bridgerton's presence will also have to change in the adaptation. In the book, Pen's friend takes a backseat as her own love story unfolds almost simultaneously. But in the show, she will undoubtedly play a central role. Especially after the Lady Whistledown scandal in the Season 2 finale.

The Proposal Mess

All Quinn’s readers will agree that the book's carriage scene is a must-keep. However, Colin's subsequent proposal poses a challenge. After the steamy experience, Colin, noble as he is, has to ask for Pen's hand in marriage. But then things can’t go the book route.

In the novel, Penelope accepts. But in the show, considering Colin's past entanglement with Marina, Coughlan’s character can’t just trap him in another marriage without 100% certainty it will be a loving union.

The Unmasking of Lady Whistledown

The whole ending of Romancing Mister Bridgerton, where Colin publicly announces that his wife is the elusive gossip writer, won't work in Season 3. There's no way Penelope's secret can slip by as smoothly on screen as it did in the book. The queen is all riled up (especially after the spinoff) and won't let it slide.

So it's likely that the big reveal won't happen in the show at all, and the ton (except for a few important people) will remain in the dark about who's terrorizing them. After all, our gossip girl still has tales to tell, and her quill shouldn't rest just yet.