Exclusive: 'Bridgerton' Author Julia Quinn Says It's 'Special' Watching the Hit Netflix Series: 'It's Fun Seeing Your Characters Grow Up'

It's been almost two years since Season 2 of Bridgerton appeared on the small screen, but Season 3 is just around the corner as it drops in May. Julia Quinn, who wrote the Bridgerton books, which were later adapted for Netflix by Shonda Rhimes, said the upcoming episodes will be worth the wait.

"I think it's even more special now that we know the characters — both Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington have been established over two seasons, and there's something really fun about seeing your characters grow up. I haven't seen all of Season 3, but I've seen quite a bit. I think everyone will really like it," the author, who attended International Delight’s Bridgerton-inspired “Coffee & Courting” Event at Nine Orchard in NYC on Thursday, February 22, exclusively told Morning Honey.

Since there are eight books, Quinn admitted each one means a lot to her. "They're all really special to me in different ways. It might be a certain scene in the book, it might be something about the character, it might be something that happened in my life when I was writing that specific book. Each one I've written is very special to me," she explains.

However, Quinn confessed she has a soft spot for Violet Bridgerton, played by Ruth Gemmell. "The thing about Violet that is very interesting to me is that she started as a one dimensional character. At the time, I didn't know I was going to write eight books, but she's really the only character who appears in all of them," she said. "By the end of the series, she's this fully rounded and wonderful character who I love."

When Bridgerton first debuted on Netflix in December 2020, the series immediately became a fan-favorite — something Quinn didn't necessarily expect. Now, there are several spin-offs, including Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. "It's bonkers! I don't have another word for it," she quipped. "It's absolute bonkers, but in the best way possible. It's amazing."

When writing the series, she had no idea they would become beloved by many. "Books like Bridgerton have not historically been seen as source material for Hollywood, so it never occurred to me," she said. "When it did happen, it was unbelievable. I never dreamed it would be like this. It's crazy and wonderful, and sometimes I find myself starting blankly out the window going, 'Oh my gosh. This is my life now.'"

Additionally, Quinn gets to work with Rhimes, the brains behind Scandal, Grey's Anatomy and How to Get Away with Murder. "She's unbelievable," she gushed. "A lot of people ask me, 'How did it feel to give up creative control?' I was like, 'It's not hard because it's Shonda Rhimes. I'm not going to tell her how to make television.' I am a consultant, but it's the easiest consulting job you can imagine. They hand me the scripts, and I am like, 'This is fabulous!' They really are."

Following the launch of its limited-edition Bridgerton-inspired creamers and iced coffee, International Delight teamed up with Shondaland’s hit series Bridgerton to give NYC singles the opportunity to meet their most-desirable match at its “Coffee & Courting” dating event on February 22, ahead of the Season 3 release of Bridgerton — something Quinn was happy to attend.

"It's super fun for me because I'm a coffee drinker — to the point where people joke about it. My readers know I drink a lot of coffee and just to see the Bridgerton name on an International Delight product blows my mind. It's so exciting and fun to do," she shared. "I don't think I can fully express how surreal it is. It's been amazing. I usually have a cup of coffee and go into a coffee shop or sit at home with it and start writing — that's the truth!"