Inside Bridgerton by Shonda Rhimes & Betsy Beers

Book Review Jan 09, 2023

My review

4/5 stars

I've not made a secret of the fact that I've become semi-obsessed with Bridgerton since watching the series on Netflix over Christmas 2020, so when my other half and the kids bought me this book for Christmas this year, I was excited to get stuck in.

This is a companion guide to the two existing TV series, and covers production of both in a decent degree of detail. The content includes more information on how they cast the show, how the costume department come up with those gorgeous dresses, where they filmed certain scenes, how they filmed certain scenes, what happens in the writers room and more. The breadth of topics covered is quite impressive in a relatively short book and I have come away from it feeling like I understand the production of the show a lot better.

They got all of the big guns of the cast and crew to input into this book via interviews and quotes. This really helped with how I connected to the content, as I was reading it from people who are clearly very passionate about what they do and how they do it. Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers, in particular, are shown to have a fantastic chemistry, and its evident that their success derives, in large part, from that.

I especially enjoyed the images used throughout the book. The look behind the scenes was interesting, but what particularly stood out was how the photos had been shot, they almost looked like a part of the production itself, with that soft, period drama feel to them, even though they were depicting modern-day events. They also gave a real sense of just how close-knit the production appears to have become, as they were all happy, collaborative images.

This is a nice, straightforward, insightful read for anyone who is a fan of the Netflix series.

Book blurb

Inside Bridgerton is the intimate behind-the-scenes story of the hit Shondaland series on Netflix, from Shondaland executive producers Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers.

Full-colour and beautifully designed, Inside Bridgerton is the official book about the show, and includes never before seen photographs, first-hand accounts on casting, insight into the decisions behind the costumes and sets, directors' accounts on shooting your favourite scenes, and more from the creative minds that launched a cultural phenomenon.

Shondaland executive producers Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers offer exclusive insights, and introduce you to the series writers, producers, directors, cast, crew and talented creatives who brought Julia Quinn's beloved novels to the screen.