Bridgerton Book 2 Scenes that MUST Be in Season 2

#10 First Dance

From the very start, there are obvious fireworks between Anthony Bridgerton and Kate Sheffield, and I'm sure we'll see the same translated to screen. This first dance sets the perfect tone, as they are haphazardly thrown together. Immediately, they find themselves antagonizing the other, even though, and in many ways because, Anthony is courting her sister. Neither of them pull any punches, and it puts them in a strangely intimate place from the very beginning. Both Kate and Anthony are brutally honest with one another, and find themselves in stark opposition. Kate does not trust this rake at all, and Anthony is certainly not going to back down from what he wants. Both of them get stuck harder into their opinions because the other threatens it, showing just how similar and stubborn they both are. Kate steps on his feet, on accident and on purpose, and it shows how Kate breaks the mold of the ideal young lady. They also make each other laugh, even when they don't want to. It is a battle of wit's and bravado, with a refreshing directness that marks them as perfect sparring partners from here on out. It is the perfect set up for these enemies to lovers, the passion they feel immediately lighting them both up in ways no one else ever has. In a series that so heavily features dancing and balls, there really is no other way for these two to begin. I am incredibly excited to watch this play out on screen with all the beauty of the show and the talent of the actors.

#9 Under the Desk

This scene in the book has all the makings of a truly iconic moment when translated to screen. It is an awkward, absurd, misunderstanding with sexual underpinnings, making it a delight in any medium. Kate, sneaking away from the party, happens into Anthony's study. When the Viscount himself takes a pretty opera singer back for some...extracurriculars... with the intention of blotting from his mind a maddening brunette, all hell effectively breaks lose. Kate hides under his desk, praying she won't be discovered. But of course, she is, and Anthony is forced to put off his liason for the night. Moreover, they are rather intimately entangled with Kate squatting under his desk, and grabbing hold of his leg with some body part of her own (fingers or teeth Anthony isn't sure). It is the definition of a hot mess. All the frantic and passionate energy they've been feeling toward each other is rapidly coming to a head. Anthony doesn't want to want her, but he simply can't help himself. Kate can't stand him, yet she is intrigued and lured in by him. With all the pent up energy between them, and such strong personalities, it is no shock that sparks certainly fly. I am truly excited to watch this play out on screen as Kate makes Anthony's life hell simply because he doesn't want to want her, and yet does with every fiber of his being. Delicious, hilarious, and intimate, this scene is a glory from start to finish.

#8 Father Flashback

I liked Anthony Bridgerton a lot in the first book. But here, in the prologue of his own book, I fell in love with him. Seeing Anthony's backstory, how he was thrust into the role of Viscount Bridgerton at the tender age of eighteen, when the man he looked up to in everything was struck down in his prime, put everything into a new perspective. It is beautiful to watch the way the Bridgertons care for each other, to watch their family dynamics, the love and rivalry of any close family. Edmund Bridgerton is clearly an amazing father, one who is deeply invested in his children and in love with his wife. He is everything to his family, and his death, so sudden and jarring, is a really powerful change for all of them. Moreover, the tragedy of this backstory for Anthony, of a young man who lost his guiding force and is desperately trying to fill the place of the man he admires most in the world, puts everything in perspective. Anthony's deep-seated fear and insecurity, a darkness that he tries to overcome, gives him depth and complexity as a character. The moment I knew I was going to love this book, always love this character, is when we learn that Anthony believes he will never outlive his father as he could never surpass him, not even in age. Anthony's journey is a beautiful one, and it all starts with this. I dearly hope to see these scenes play out, and it sounds like we will as Edmund Bridgerton has been cast. It provides a unique and tragic setting on which the next season can be built.

#7 The Great Corgi Chase

It seems all but confirmed that we will have the wee Corgi called Newton in the second season, which is a true delight. The little troublemaker makes for a thoroughly delightful and messy scene between Anthony and Kate. After they have a delightful scene wherein Anthony is truly intoxicated by Kate in the sunlight. This leads to Newton jerking out of Kate's hands and taking off through the park. I can imagine Anthony doing a lot of things (and that's a fun pastime, let me tell you 😘) but chasing a dog all the way into the water is not one of them. That's what makes this scene so utterly delightful, that it forces Anthony to take himself less seriously. A bit of humiliation is good for him. His antagonism toward Kate is just the misguided passion and not having somewhere productive to set it. Yet. Anthony is certainly not at his best here, and his fury often sends others into terror. But of course, not Kate. Instead, she finds it rather fascinating to watch the Viscount pushed to the limit. They are well matched at their best, and especially at their worst. It shows how compatible they are, yet how much work is still to come for them to really understand each other. And, of course, this scene is utterly hilarious. I can't wait for it to be played out onscreen with so much mania and humor, and good character development as well.

#6 Hero at Heart

One of the most pivotal scenes in the book, it is revealed later that this is in fact the moment that Kate falls in love with the Viscount. In the middle of a party, the abhorrent Cressida decides to prey on Penelope for some petty grievance. It's a classic scene of the mean girl and the sweet one, and the hero coming to save the good and kind one, and snub the bad. It's done uniquely here, though, as Anthony is not trying to impress anyone. He certainly isn't interested in Penelope, and he still is still conflicted at best about Kate. But he sees Cressida being petty and awful to Penelope, who is a bit picked on anyway, and swoops directly in. He throws social convention and niceties to the wind and escorts Penelope to dinner, though by tradition he should have escorted Cressida. Under all of Anthony's prickliness and bravado, there is a kind and gentle soul. He is a good man who has some growing to do, and that's why we love him. Kate sees that too and is dumbstruck by it. She almost grudgingly calls him a hero, and it certainly is a big leap forward in her heart softening toward Anthony Bridgerton. Watching this be dramatized would be absolutely wonderful, especially as we know Penelope's nom de plume, and that she is quite aware of all the feelings swirling around her.

#5 Pall Mall

After reading this, I took up the game, so if that's any indication of how much I love this scene...It really is wall-to-wall delight. Anthony and Kate are hurtling toward each other all the while convincing themselves that the fire they feel is hatred and not passion. Anthony is still absurdly convinced he'll marry her sister even though Kate consumes his thoughts. And when they are put up against each other in direct competition, it is quite the delightful mess. It is a delightful grouping of people where we get to see different personalities play off each other. The Bridgertons play pall mall with hilarious intensity, and Kate's possession of the black "mallet of death" shows just how serious this game is. And yet, rather than worry about winning, they are only concerned with beating each other. Their competitiveness makes them all the more wrapped up in each other, and any chance they have to screw the other person (all the puns intended 😉) they certainly do it. This leads to Anthony being forced to wade into the lake to get his ball, and a conversation between the two of them, alone, that gets then yet another step closer. It is a scene that would be delightful to watch staged, and the sheer entertainment value is high. Moreover, it develops the characters and the relationships well. It really is one of the best scenes in the book, and when we hopefully get to see it, will likely make an amazing one in the show as well.

#4 The Carriage Accident

Anthony and Kate's relationship goes on a wild ride through the course of this book, and culminates beautifully in this moment. They have discovered a kinship over mutual fears of death connected to their parents. They've found they enjoy being around each other, caring for one another, making love to each other. It is a recipe for happiness, but Kate's insecurity and Anthony's fear hold them back from being all they could be. The one thing Anthony didn't want was to love his wife, as it was going to make him fearful, make him sad, at the time he wouldn't get with her. But he can't help it, and when Kate is in a carriage accident, the priorities he has change completely. He rescues the woman he loves and at last tells her the truth. And, in true Kate Bridgerton form, she answers with a bit or sarcasm about her broken leg. But Anthony is able to swoop in as the hero and rescue his love, to face his own fears and give of himself, to become vulnerable when he has been fleeing from that his entire adult life. In many ways, Anthony falling in love is how he's able to truly grow up, to reach emotional maturity and be able to lead his family as his father did, though in his own way. And he certainly has Kate to thank for that. This is a dramatic and maybe a bit cliché scene, yet it comes off so earnest from Anthony that it is one I am eagerly awaiting in the next season. There is a rawness to the emotions, the love, between these two that I can't wait to watch unfold.

#3 Almost-Wet Dream

When I read this for the first time, I believe my exact words were "Oh. My. God." Anthony Bridgerton can try to control his life all he wants, to keep love out of his life, but his body plainly has other ideas. One of the best things about Anthony is his vitality, how he is so deeply human for all his flaws and all his virtues. He is flesh and blood, and is feeling that acutely as he falls asleep agitated, and wakes up even more so. This speaks to something so deep in humanity, that feelings and passion is layered and often confusing. What he thinks is hate bubbles into desire, and it unnerves him deeply. The sheer power of the dream knocks him back -- there is something about Kate, the challenge, the thrill, that is new and different. And when he realizes it's her, realizes that the woman who has been maddening him as the one standing in the way of the woman he wants has become the woman he wants, it is enough to jar him awake. Anthony doesn't want to want her, but the heart, the body, is too strong. Kate has worked her way under his skin and into the depths of him, haunting him, until it's all he can do to keep ahold of himself. I can't wait to see this translated to screen, a haze of desire and frustration, of lust and anger, of passion and power, between the likes of Jonathan Bailey and Simone Ashley. Simmering will be the lowliest adjective.

#2 Thunderstorm

One of the most genuine and human moments of the book, this is such a turning point for the pair. Anthony is a mess of thoughts and feelings as he thinks about Edwina and his future, and far too much about Kate. But when he discovers her, terrified and alone, all he can do is be there for her. It tears him apart to see her in pain, to watch her struggle and fight inner demons he doesn't know, yet understands. He holds her, cares for her in a deeply intimate way that draws them ever closer. For her part, Kate is paralyzed by her terror, feeling the overwhelming fear of her memory, her anxiety. It is only Anthony who helps her through the storm, the surprising comfort of his presence, his strength, his kindness, that keep her together. This is the moment when it goes beyond passion, beyond enjoyment and heat, and even beyond respect, but truly to love. They are there for each other in ways no one can be, and, though they never expected it, it becomes everything. Anthony and Kate are able to open up to each other, to be vulnerable, and to come out of it with deeper, genuine care for one another. It is a beautiful moment and a pivotal one for these two. And seeing it play out with Jonathan and Simone as our main characters is irresistible. There is something so perfect about this, that two people who are so strong, who butt heads and struggle against each other, fall in love because of their vulnerability, their tenderness, the things they don't show to the rest of the world. It is what makes this moment so meaningful and so perfect.

#1 The First Time

This scene wrecked me in all the best ways. After everything Kate and Anthony have been through, the desire, the vulnerability, finally they are on the precipice. But Kate flinches. It is such a human moment, that this woman who is basically fearless falters as she stands before the man she loves, who swears he will never love her. She's terrified, not of him but of her own vulnerability. Falling in love is daunting; it takes bravery and honesty and openness that puts one in a strangely powerless position. And Anthony, seeing Kate's fear, even though he doesn't understand it, does not dismiss it. He responds with vulnerability of his own, that even though he is forcing himself not to love her, he has to admit that he wants her with everything he has, everything he is. And when they finally do come together, it is glorious. What makes this scene stand deliciously apart is that they are so in character throughout. Though Kate worries, she is still the same spunky woman Anthony has fallen for, sparring with him even as he takes her to bed. Her repeated question of "Are we done yet?" is absolutely delightful, both when she asks it in earnest and, even more so, when she poses it at the end. She has learned the power of her own sexuality, and Anthony, not to he outdone, answers with a "for now." It is clear that these two were meant for each other, in body and spirit, and the way they come together the first time makes that perfect. I cannot wait to see this play out on the show. With such beautiful, talented, passionate actors, this scene is guaranteed to light up the screen.