Bridgerton fans were thrilled when the new first-look snaps were revealed over the weekend for season four, which showed Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton as Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton respectively. The upcoming instalment will be based on their romance, but what actually happens? Here’s what we know, according to the books…
In the fourth book in the Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn, Penelope takes centre stage. While dealing with the possibility of her identity as Lady Whistledown being discovered, Penelope is devastated when her longstanding crush Colin Bridgerton doesn’t return her feelings after overhearing him claim that he will never court her.
Giving up on finding love, Penelope begins to accept her status as a spinster, enjoying the perks that come with the situation, including her mother giving up on making her wear shades that don’t suit her and being able to eat the delicious food available at the balls.
The book reads: "Penelope’s mother refused to allow Penelope to choose her own clothing, and when she wasn't in the requisite white that most young ladies wore (and which of course didn't flatter her complexion one bit), she was forced to wear yellow and red and orange, all of which made her look perfectly wretched."
However, since her mother had given up on trying to find her a husband, Penelope is able to choose gowns that suit her and grows in confidence as a result, particularly when she starts getting closer to Colin.
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She discovers how much Colin struggles with being the third son, and that he is a passionate writer and secret wants to do it as a career - and as the pair grow closer, Colin discovers more about Penelope’s secret identity.
The novel’s synopsis reads: "Colin Bridgerton is tired of being thought nothing but an empty-headed charmer, tired of everyone's preoccupation with the notorious gossip columnist Lady Whistledown, who can't seem to publish an edition without mentioning him in the first paragraph.
"But when Colin returns to London from a trip abroad he discovers nothing in his life is quite the same - especially Penelope Featherington! The girl haunting his dreams. But when he discovers that Penelope has secrets of her own, this elusive bachelor must decide...is she his biggest threat - or his promise of a happy ending?"
The plot appears to differ slightly from the TV show, as in the novel, Penelope immediately confronts Colin after overhearing his comments about marriage and decidedly forgives him, while in the show it looks like he will have to try harder to make amends by helping her find a husband
The Netflix summary reads: "Eager to win back her friendship, Colin offers to mentor Penelope in the ways of confidence to help her find a husband this season. But when his lessons start working a little too well, Colin must grapple with whether his feelings for Penelope are truly just friendly." We can’t wait to see how the show interprets the novel!
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