Major spoilers ahead for Bridgerton Season 3 . Bridgerton Season 3 is the first installment in the Regency series to be split into two parts, which you might be hard-pressed to spot when there's no "Next Episode" button appearing after the Episode 4 scene .
The second half will air on June 13th, which gives you plenty of time to read Penelope and Colin's Bridgerton book , Romancing Mr. Bridgerton. (ICYMI, their book is the fourth in Julia Quinn's romance series, and the order was reversed on the show.)
The play already differs from the novel in several major ways. But if you want a rough idea of what to expect (and why people are so obsessed with and bothered by mirrors), here's the bookend and plot summary of Penelope and Colin Bridgerton 's story.
#Polin Flashback
The romantic Mr. Bridgerton begins with Penelope meeting Colin for the first time, at which point she also falls in love with him. (A relatable queen!) Just before her 16th birthday, she was on a walk when Colin was riding a horse and her hat flew into his face. He fell but wasn't bothered or upset, and his kind reaction made Penelope a lifelong fan.
Over the years they became friends, but Penelope was hurt when she overheard Colin saying he would never marry her. They eventually mend their relationship, but just like in the play, Penelope feels the pain of being viewed as an "old maid." Her mom even floated the idea of Colin marrying Penelope's sister, Felicity, who doesn't appear in Netflix's Bridgerton.
Colin's surprising discovery
At Violet Bridgerton's birthday ball, Lady Danbury offers one thousand pounds to anyone who can reveal Lady Whistledown's identity. Penelope boldly accuses Lady Danbury herself, who is delighted by the young scribe's bravery. "Wouldn't it be nice to discover that we're not quite who we thought we were?" she told Penelope, which helped her become more confident.
Colin began to notice this, and one day Penelope even asked him to kiss her. But when Penelope thanks him for his gesture, he feels embarrassed because it's just a pity. He left in a huff.
Later, he goes to Penelope's house to apologize, but notices her getting into a carriage heading into town. He follows her into a church and discovers that she is Lady Whistledown. She had previously retired the column, but claimed in Cressida that Penelope did not want her to take credit as a mystery writer.
Live happily ever after?
On the way home, Colin and Penelope hook up for the first time in the carriage. Once they arrived at her home, they were engaged.
However, it turns out that Lady Whistledown is the third person they are about to marry. Colin realizes that not only is he protective of Penelope, but he's jealous of her career. Although he prevented her Cressida column from being published when they met at church, Penelope eventually published it - and he wasn't happy.
But after a heated conversation, they slept together at Colin's house. Colin said he wanted to do it in front of a mirror. But this fantasy doesn't actually come true in the books because they've gone too far at this point.
They had a small "magical" wedding, and Penelope encouraged Colin to publish his travelogue. Their newlywed bliss is interrupted, however, when Cressida pieces together that she is Lady Whistledown based on phrases Penelope uses in person and on paper.
Despite her attempts to blackmail Penelope, Colin ultimately decides that he and Penelope should reveal the truth on their own terms at the ball at Daphne's house. It works! Everyone applauded Penelope and no one was upset - except perhaps Cressida, who lost a lot of money.
It is revealed at the end that Colin has published a book , An Englishman in Italy, and will publish a series of similar books based on the countries he visited. Penelope also missed writing, so she decided to write a semi-autobiographical novel called "The Wallflower."
