The Bridgerton siblings’ stories change greatly from each Bridgerton book to the other, but some things happen in every Julia Quinn Bridgerton book. Some similarities between the books are glaring, while others aren’t as highlighted as in Netflix’s Bridgerton, such as each story inevitably starting with the beginning of a new social season, which the TV show makes obvious by having a presentation of the debutantes to the queen in every season’s episode 1. Indeed, without the social season to reunite the ton, Lady Whistledown wouldn’t have the means to write about them, at least for the first four books.

With the Bridgerton novels falling under the romance genre umbrella, it can also be expected that the stories will end well, especially when involving the main couple, which will have to reach their happily ever after by the end. However, each Bridgerton book also contains more peculiar recurring traits that are present in every novel. Whether those are behaviors enacted by the Bridgerton siblings, a specific type of social function, how the happily ever after will be reached or even something a male character will inevitably think or say, here are eight of the things happening in every Bridgerton book.

The Bridgertons Host A Ball

The Receptions Are Necessary Parts of the Bridgertons’ Social Calendars

Whether hosted by Daphne and Simon or Kate and Anthony, at least one Bridgerton hosts a ball per season, and plenty of society-shattering events happen at those. It is at a ball hosted by Daphne at Hastings House that Colin reveals Penelope as Lady Whistledown to free her from Cressida’s blackmail in Romancing Mr. Bridgerton, and from the same ball Eloise runs away toward Gloucestershire to visit Sir Phillip, to decide whether there was a romantic relationship to pursue or not in To Sir Phillip, With Love.

While less consequential than unmasking Lady Whistledown or running away from home, receptions including balls also influenced Anthony and Gregory’s lives. Ton’s functions at Aubrey Hall are what eventually pull Anthony and Kate together, with the two being discovered right after the bee incident and forced to marry. Less dramatic but nonetheless momentous, Gregory decides to pursue Hermione Watson at Aubrey Hall, but in trying to win her heart, he gets to know Lucinda Abernathy and falls for her, proving the Bridgerton receptions are often pivotal for the Bridgerton protagonists.

A Male Character “Doesn’t Presume To Understand Females”

They Refuse To Understand Their Female Counterpart, No Matter How Reasonable They Could Be

Being said as often by the male Bridgerton siblings as the female Bridgertons’ love interests, and sometimes even by other members of the ton, the Bridgerton novels all include different variations of the platitude. From Daphne being perceived as “not like regular females” but normal, to Colin’s realizations that “the female mind was a strange and incomprehensible organ,” every Bridgerton book utilized a variation of the same feeling, and that came up especially when male protagonists could not understand their intended’s motives, attributing to them irrationality instead of trying to see their point.

On some occasions, it was even evident why a character would think that way, such as in An Offer from a Gentleman when Sophie didn’t regret having sex with Benedict but refused to become his mistress and risk having his children, especially considering how he knew she had been an illegitimate daughter and didn’t wish that on anyone. Nonetheless, the belief was shared by all male protagonists, with a variation of the sentiment being expressed, to themselves or others, no matter how puzzling their own motives for their actions had been.

Each Bridgerton Central Couple Does Not Communicate Their Feelings Clearly

Their Biggest & Most Common Impediment Is Lack Of Communication

Despite having known love from their parents’ marriage and hoping for love matches, all Bridgerton siblings and their love interests have difficulty communicating their feelings. This is especially evident in The Viscount Who Loved Me, which was three-quarters in before Anthony finally admits his feelings for Kate, despite having been married for some time. Similarly, The Duke and I only lets Simon tell Daphne he loved her in the last chapter before the epilogue after the two had almost become married in name only and Simon had already run off to the country, leaving Daphne alone in London.

Misunderstandings upped the ante in all Bridgerton books, especially considering that, as romance novels, the happily ever after is guaranteed as certain. Still, every Bridgerton and their intended learn of their feelings for the other sometime around the middle of the book, but never tell those until the last possible moment. That is the case even when they couldn’t get out of the relationship, being already married, and despite their impediments not being external, they still create ulterior problems for each other by refusing to admit they had fallen for one another.

Love Triumphs Despite The Ton’s Rules

The Ton’s Customs Often Have To Be Overcome To Obtain Happiness

While Edmund and Violet Bridgerton’s marriage had been a love match, the ton’s standards were different, with most members pursuing a suitable match that elevated them in society, rather than choosing based on love. Despite the Bridgertons’ different upbringing inspiring them to look for something different, they still faced various impediments because of the ton. The impediments varied from accusations of treason that effectively forced Lucinda to get married to the person his uncle had chosen despite Gregory crashing the wedding, to Sophie’s situation as an illegitimate child forcing Benedict and her to live away from the ton after marrying.

The ton even impacted Anthony and Kate, as the two married only because they were found alone in a garden by Violet, Portia, and other guests at Aubrey Hall. While they were clearly interested in one another despite their enmity, the beginning of their marriage was forced by the ton’s rules. Whether they face unshared sentiment, grief, social ruin, or even angry relatives ready to oppose them, the ton’s rules are eventually bent so that the central couple can be together.

A Bridgerton Acts Recklessly

The Bridgertons’ Recklessness Is Part Of Each & Any Bridgerton Book

Another thing to happen in every Bridgerton book is for the Bridgerton protagonist to act recklessly, whether in pursuit of love or to solve problems created by rash decisions. While Daphne galloped in the middle of a duel to stop Anthony and Simon from killing each other in The Duke and I and Benedict ran with Violet to the prison to save Sophie from Araminta’s allegations in An Offer from a Gentleman, they still put themselves in danger without forming a sensible plan.

Similarly, and for less significant reasons, Hyacinth broke and entered St. Clair’s house with Gareth twice to look for his grandmother’s treasure in It’s In His Kiss. Eloise ran away from London only to see if she could pursue a relationship with Sir Phillip, doing so without even letting him know she was coming, pursuing a reckless path with no reason. All Bridgerton siblings thus displayed a tendency to act first and think later, finding themselves in dangerous situations sometimes, and making their recklessness a key trait of everyone in the family.

A Musicale Happens (Generally The Smythe-Smith One)

Musicales Are Popular Receptions Like Balls Among The Ton

The events in The Viscount Who Loved Me and On the Way to the Wedding had part of the action happening in the countryside at Aubrey Hall, making the only musicales that happened those organized in the Bridgertons’ mansion. However, that wasn’t the case for six of the other Bridgerton books, with the Smythe-Smith musicale becoming synonymous with terrible entertainment in the book series, with the guests taking part as a kindness or ton-imposed duty rather than for a wish to be there.

Because of the subpar entertainment, the Bridgerton siblings and their acquaintances could be seen bonding over having to survive the event and politely clap despite the repeatedly poor performances. Hyacinth and Gareth St. Clair first connected by discussing the Smythe-Smith musicale in It’s In His Kiss, and Colin and Penelope found comfort in each other at the annual Smythe-Smith musicale in Romancing Mr. Bridgerton, making the all but entertaining affair a staple among the functions of each social season for the ton.

The Main Couple Wouldn’t Be Formed Without The Bridgertons Influencing It

The Bridgertons Are A Meddlesome Type Of Family In The Books

No matter the occurrences befalling them, the Bridgertons and who they will marry in the books all need the rest of the Bridgertons influencing their choice and supporting them so that they can reach their happily ever after. Indeed, whether it was in the form of Violet advising Anthony and Benedict in the matters of love, convincing them to pursue those who would eventually become their wives, or Colin suggesting Michael Stirling twice to marry Francesca in When He Was Wicked, the Bridgertons could never avoid meddling in their children or siblings’ lives.

This was the case even when a Bridgerton intervention could have steered the protagonist from their recklessness, as in Gregory’s case, when his family tried to stop him from visiting Lucinda’s husband’s house during the wedding reception after he crashed the church ceremony, but failed. Indeed, no matter the gravity of the situation a Bridgerton was in, their mother or their siblings always offered a hand, nudging them toward who they believed was the right choice as a partner, being right about it most of the time.

The Love Interest Of The Bridgerton Protagonist Has A Sad Past

Unhappiness Or Tragedy Touched All Of The Bridgertons’ Love Interests

While the Bridgertons’ past was often described as blissful because of how close their family had always been, that wasn’t the case for their love interests. Starting from Penelope, who was always taken for granted by all in her family except her little sister Felicity, to Gareth St. Clair and Sophie Beckett being illegitimate children, unloved by their adoptive parents, all those the Bridgertons married had a somewhat sad past. Kate’s beloved father had died, just like Lucinda’s, however, her situation even included him being accused of treason, making it all the more delicate.

Simon being unloved and ignored by his father because of his struggles made his story tragic, but not as much as Sir Phillip and Michael Stirling’s, whose brother and cousin viewed as a brother died, making grief their long-standing companion, especially because Phillip had also lost his wife, while Michael felt guilty for having feelings for Francesca, who had been married to his cousin. This makes all the pairings between the Bridgertons and their intended touched by sadness, even if in the end the Bridgerton book brings them their happily ever after.