Summary
After watchingBridgertonseason 3, there’s one perfect complementary book to read, but it doesn’t have a bit of romance – at least, not for another person. This season diverges somewhat from previous seasons. For starters, it’s the firstBridgertonseasonto be dropped in two parts, with the season split into episodes of four and four.Bridgertonseason 3’s storyalso differs from previous seasonsin that it follows not one, but two different romances.WhilePenelope and Colin’s blossoming romanceis the main focus, Francesca and John Stirling also see their own romance unfold.
A few commonBridgertonelements didn’t change in season 3, however. Queen Charlotte is still intimately involved in the ton’s season, searching to name the new diamond of the ton. The ton is still as gossipy and catty as ever, trapped in cycles of aristocratic rules and the politics of upward social climbers. And, as always, there are a few potential suitors in the form of newcharacters inBridgertonseason 3who come to town and act as red herrings until the real romance is consummated. One of those suitors, and another new side character,represent a theme that runs throughoutBridgertonseason 3’s story.
Bridgerton Season 3 Covered Themes Of Scientific Discovery & Nature
Two New Characters Were A Naturalist And A Balloonist, Respectively
Bridgertonseason 3, part 1hada strong undercurrent of scientific discovery and exploration, invention, and an appreciation for the natural world.In particular, episode 3, “Forces of Nature,” really ran with this theme with the focus on Lord Debling, a naturalist and explorer and an early adopter of the vegan lifestyle. He creates quite a stir when he announces he’s setting out for the North Pole with his team to explore the frozen north. The episode’s central scene also revolved around a runaway hot air balloon, pioneered by nobleman and enthusiastic inventor Lord Hawkins (Deepak Verma).
Lord Hawkins' passion for invention and Lord Debling’s passion for conservation are treated as something of a joke inBridgerton–as always, anyone with any spark of individuality or an interest in something new and unvetted is met with derision by the ton.Still, those with the same imagination and sense of wonder or desire for progress are interested in their causes. As Lady Tilley Arnold (Hannah New) admonishes the dubious onlookers to Hawkins' demonstration, “This man’s ingenuity will drive forth practical progress. I came here to listen to someone who thinks differently, not to hear the familiar chorus of what cannot be done.”
Richard Holmes' The Age Of Wonder Is The Perfect Companion Book
There’s No Romance, But It Shares Similar Themes With This Bridgerton Season
Considering this spirit of scientific inquiry inBridgertonseason 3, one book that came out in 2008 is the perfect companion read for after the show:Richard Holmes’The Age of Wonder.The book is a non-fiction biographical one, telling the story of some of the notable explorers and scientists of the Romantic Era (of which Bridgerton’s Regency Era is a part) and their discoveries, weaving a historical narrative that is as interesting as any fiction book.
Those looking for romance inThe Age of Wonderwon’t find it – at least not between two humans. Instead, it’s a romance between humankind and the natural world, between humans and exploration and invention. Even without romantic love and spicy scenes,The Age of WonderfitsBridgerton’s thematic vibes this season.Even some of the characters might have been lifted from history, not fictionalized accounts of real people, but certainly inspired by them. The book marries science and discovery with the arts thatBridgerton favors, particularly poetry, a fitting marriage for the Romantic Era.
Bridgerton: How Much £5,000 Is Worth Today & How Wealthy Colin & Penelope Are
Queen Charlotte offers £5,000 for the identity of Lady Whistledown in Bridgerton season 3, an obscene amount of money both then and today.
The Romantic & Regency Eras Were Times Of Scientific Breakthroughs & Exploration
The Romantic Era Of Bridgerton Pushed Boundaries And Eschewed Societal Norms
Similar to this season ofBridgerton, the Romantic and Regency Eras were times of great innovation. There was a reckoning happening in the arts, with Romanticism infusing literature, art, and especially poetry. The young Romantic poets of the era – Keats, Byron, and Shelley – in particular, rebelled against the era of Enlightenment and found their inspiration in the natural world and all its wonders. Their desire to escape into nature was a backlash to the rapidly increasing pace of industrialism. Yet itwas also a rebellion against the strict social constraints of the aristocracy and stifling normsthat are also explored inBridgerton.
The young Romantic poets of the era – Keats, Byron, and Shelley – in particular, rebelled against the era of Enlightenment and found their inspiration in the natural world and all its wonders.
Simultaneously, there was a scientific revolution happening as breakthroughs from the Industrial Revolution allowed those with a curious mind to hone the method of scientific inquiry used today. It had begun in the mid- to late-1700s, just asAge of Wonder does, following nobleman and explorer Joseph Banks, who traveled to Tahiti on HMSEndeavour. Other explorers and naturalists mentioned in the book, such as John Herschel, the Arctic explorer William Parry, and Charles Darwin,may well be real-world analogs ofBridgerton’s Lord Debling.Meanwhile, Lord Hawkins finds his real-world contemporary in the figure of James Sadler, the pioneering English balloonist.
What makesBridgertonsuch a compelling show isn’t just the romance and the erotic scenes, but also the detail and care that goes into building the world around the characters. Each season, the story ofBridgertonis steeped in the historical context of the era, with real historical figures like Queen Charlotte playing significant roles. While the political and historical realities of the time are kept to the fringes in favor of frivolous flirting and matchmaking, they still help color each season ofBridgerton. This season, it’s an age of wonder for the characters, both in scientific exploration and also in love.
Richard Holmes’The Age of Wonderis available wherever books are sold.
Bridgerton
Bridgerton, released on August 14, 2025, is set in Regency-era England and follows the lives of the influential Bridgerton family. The series explores themes of wealth, lust, and betrayal, portraying societal dynamics through a blend of romance and intrigue.
