YA Buddy Readers' Corner ♥ discussion

In the ballrooms and drawing rooms of Regency London, rules abound. From their earliest days, children of aristocrats learn how to address an earl and curtsey before a prince—while other dictates of the ton are unspoken yet universally understood. A proper duke should be imperious and aloof. A young, marriageable lady should be amiable…but not too amiable.

Daphne Bridgerton has always failed at the latter. The fourth of eight siblings in her close-knit family, she has formed friendships with the most eligible young men in London. Everyone likes Daphne for her kindness and wit. But no one truly desires her. She is simply too deuced honest for that, too unwilling to play the romantic games that captivate gentlemen.

Amiability is not a characteristic shared by Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings. Recently returned to England from abroad, he intends to shun both marriage and society—just as his callous father shunned Simon throughout his painful childhood. Yet an encounter with his best friend’s sister offers another option. If Daphne agrees to a fake courtship, Simon can deter the mamas who parade their daughters before him. Daphne, meanwhile, will see her prospects and her reputation soar.

The plan works like a charm—at first. But amid the glittering, gossipy, cut-throat world of London’s elite, there is only one certainty: love ignores every rule...

I hold my hand up...got sucked into the hype surrounding this on Netflix and actually found it great fun (on the whole). Amused by the lack of historical accuracy, but some great minor characters and little asides that had me howling. Yes, a very dubious scene, that sits uncomfortably with me. Knowing there's a season 2, this BR seemed a good opportunity to compare the series with the book.

That's exactly why I picked it up tbh lol

26% - Since my brain won't allow me to ignore the Netflix adaptation (which is exactly why I don't like to watch adaptations before reading) I guess I'm going to do a side by side comparison????
(view spoiler)[so the biggest difference between the book and Shonda's adaptation is the lack of melanin. But I can look past that...I guess. The second is the additional detail in the initial meeting of Daphne and Simon. I liked this interaction infinitely better. He didn't come off quite as snobby. The fact that the producers stuck so closely to the base material when casting the Bridgerton boys was also a nice addition. So far, not much has happened but it's been enjoyable at least. (hide spoiler)]

Only read the opening chapters and I think I’m going to have to read with an eye on the adaptation. Simon has blue eyes...afraid not now I’ve seen it he won’t...and I can’t shake Julie Andrew’s voice out of my head when Lady Whistledown features. First impressions of Anthony are more favourable in this.

33% - up to ch8. The ruse is set up more quickly here, and the focus is much more on Daphne and Simon than the world they inhabit.

Up to ch15 and Daphne and Simon are married. Their exchange in the inn is actually painful when you realise young women were kept so clueless...but what an end to the chapter! Doesn’t justify what’s coming, but my heart is a little gooey there at the promise he makes her.

Finished. Quite different to the adaptation in some ways, but I was most surprised by the focus in the latter pages. Everything between Daphne and Simon is resolved a lot more quickly, and paints her in a more favourable light than many readers seem to want to regard her in. Big jump in time to try and round things off a little, and yet I missed some of the characters who feature little here.

Dee Dee wrote: "26% - Since my brain won't allow me to ignore the Netflix adaptation (which is exactly why I don't like to watch adaptations before reading) I guess I'm going to do a side by side comparison????
[s..."

(view spoiler)[ Yes, the casting was certainly done with an eye on target audience/casting rather than source material. That aside, I did feel both Daphne and Simon come out of it all better in the book. (hide spoiler)]

Karen wrote: "Only read the opening chapters and I think I’m going to have to read with an eye on the adaptation. Simon has blue eyes...afraid not now I’ve seen it he won’t...and I can’t shake Julie Andrew’s voi..."
I agree. I found him so irritating initially (in the tv show). I also like that the reason (view spoiler)[Daphne hasn't gotten an offer isn't solely because of his interference. It was also not apparent in the tv show that this wasn't her first season! Very interesting (hide spoiler)]

Karen wrote: "33% - up to ch8. The ruse is set up more quickly here, and the focus is much more on Daphne and Simon than the world they inhabit."

Yes, and they went more in-depth with the whole thing. You got to see their relationship develop

Karen wrote: "Finished. Quite different to the adaptation in some ways, but I was most surprised by the focus in the latter pages. Everything between Daphne and Simon is resolved a lot more quickly, and paints h..."

This! I missed the interactions with her siblings so much in this book. I wanted the drama with Penny's secret crush and Eloise's snark. And I agree (view spoiler)[it did feel rushed to get to the end. I liked that her brothers were ready to fight Simon when she turned up in London alone. The epilogue was adorable tho (hide spoiler)]

My book hasn’t arrived yet! I’m sorry I missed it!