‘The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After’ by Julia Quinn

STORY: Once upon a time, a historical romance author created a family . . .

But not just any family. Eight brothers and sisters, assorted in-laws, sons and daughters, nieces and nephews (not to mention an overweight corgi) plus an irrepressible matriarch who’s a match for any of them . . . These are the Bridgertons: less a family than a force of nature. Through eight bestselling novels, readers laughed, cried, and fell in love. But they wanted more.

And so the readers asked the author . . .

What happens next? Does Simon ever read his father’s letters? Do Francesca and Michael become parents? Who would win in a Pall Mall grudge match?

Does “The End” really have to be the end?

Now, with The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After, Julia Quinn delivers eight sexy, funny, and heartwarming “2nd Epilogues” plus a bonus story about none other than the wise and witty matriarch Violet Bridgerton herself. So get to know the Bridgertons all over again—because Happily Ever After is a whole lot of fun.

REVIEW: Julia Quinn originally began the first of 8 books in the Bridgerton Family Series in 2000 and finished them in 2006.  (The list is below.)

Like many other readers, I was hooked from the first one to the last.  Each book centered on the life of a different member of the Bridgerton family in their quest to find love and their own happy ever after.  

Evidently, many readers who truly loved these characters asked Julia Quinn to sum up what happened to them later in life, so she has written a second epilogue to bring closure, if you will, to the entire family saga.  Thus, “The Bridgertons:  Happily Ever After” was written.  

Each section is devoted to one of the books in the series, from the first to the last.  In addition, in response to a request by so many readers for more information about the character  Violet, she has included a novella about her.  

As warned by Ms. Quinn, you must have read each novel for it to make sense to you.  That is where I am somewhat at odds with how I feel in general about this summation.  Ideally, a reader will have read these 8 novels, one after the other, and then read the HEA wrap-up.  Perhaps it’s because I don’t have a photographic memory, but reading the books over a period of 6 years has meant that I’ve tended to forget a lot about each plot.  Therefore, while the wrap-up novel is a good idea for readers who remember every novel perfectly, for me it wasn’t much of a help.

Having said that, I must say that Julia Quinn has once again written a typically interesting book; spiked with her signature humor, this concludes the series very well for the average reader. 

Book 1: The Duke and I 

Book 2: The Viscount Who Loved Me
Book 3: An Offer From A Gentleman
Book 4: Romancing Mr. Bridgerton 
Book 5: To Sir Phillip, With Love
Book 6: When He Was Wicked 
Book 7: It’s In His Kiss
Book 8: On The Way to the Wedding

I look forward to more novels from Ms. Quinn and while many readers prefer series novels, I have to say that I like the stand alone ones and hope she gets back into that arena again.

Reviewed by: Connie Fischer

Book provided by the publisher through Edelweis.