Ranking the Bridgerton Books by Sexiness, Because We Know You Want to Know

Nothing against Eloise, who is, individually, a delightful character, but unfortunately, To Sir Phillip, With Love is probably the least steamy of them all. It is a Bridgerton book, so there are still some sexy scenes between Eloise and Sir Phillip, her reserved, widower, penpal-turned-fiancé. The chemistry just doesn’t quite click as well as some of the others. But if you love a good grumpy/sunshine pairing, this is definitely for you!

Despite what the Netflix adaptation might have you thinking, The Duke & I is actually one of the least sexy books in the Bridgerton series! As the first book in the series, the writing hasn’t settled in yet, despite the fact that Simon is, as always, swoon-worthy. There are definitely some heated scenes, but we can’t overlook the fact that the consent issues seen in the TV show are actually toned down from their book counterpart – and that’s not sexy at all.

Eventually, little Gregory grows up and becomes the hero of On the Way to the Wedding, the final Bridgerton book. It’s plenty romantic, as he chases down one woman only to start to fall in love with someone else. In the end, however, this book works more as a madcap, screwball rom-com than it does as a steamy, sexy story.

On the plus side, Romancing Mr. Bridgerton is the culmination of a storyline that percolates through the first three Bridgerton books before getting resolved in this fourth one. That means there’s plenty of pent-up tension and a good bit of steam to be released! The focus, however, is less on the sexiness of it all and more on the warmth of a much-awaited friends-to-lovers storyline. (The carriage scene, however? Worth it!)

An Offer From a Gentleman has the reputation of being the “Cinderella” book, but we guarantee this isn’t a tame fairy tale. This book features forbidden love, mistaken identities, one of the leads asking his love interest to be his mistress, and a couple of very steamy scenes. Despite its sweet, classic premise, it’s full of sexy longing and all the things you expect from a romance novel. We would expect no less from the raffish Benedict!

Hyacinth grows up and gets her own (very steamy) story with It’s in His Kiss, which brings a spark of adventure to the other kind of spark between her and Gareth St. Clair. Hyacinth is opinionated and smart and (gasp!) wears pants sometimes, all of which endear her and then some to Gareth as she tries to help him decode some old Italian diaries. Two smart, witty, headstrong characters are bound to build up some top-notch tension, making for a sexy, satisfying read.

The Viscount Who Loved Me leans heavily on that sexiest of romance tropes: enemies to lovers. Anthony’s story begins with him setting his sights on one of the jewels of the Season, in hopes of a pragmatic (and very unromantic) marriage. Along the way, he butts heads with her sister Kate, who is more than a match for his attitude. Anthony is, of course, a “rake” – and we all know what that means when it comes to those steamy scenes!

Watching the Netflix series, you might be surprised to find out that Francesca, the Bridgerton we barely even see, winds up having one of the best (and sexiest) stories of them all! A big part of that is down to her love interest. With apologies to the Bridgerton boys, Michael Stirling is absolutely the best male lead in the whole series. There’s plenty of “I love you, but I can’t have you” angst, plus sexy scenes between two characters who aren’t embarrassed or shy about the electricity between them. Trust us: When He Was Wicked is worth the wait.