How 'Bridgerton' Season 3 changes the book, starting with the 7-year time gap

In both Season Three of "Bridgerton" and the fourth novel of Julia Quinn's book series, Penelope Featherington "romances" a certain Mr. Bridgerton.

The love story between Colin and Penelope takes center stage in the third season of Netflix's hit Regency drama, but like Season Two, there are some notable differences between the page and the screen.

For one, "Bridgerton" Season Three goes out of order of the book series for the first time by skipping over book three, Benedict's story, "An Offer From A Gentleman," and going straight to fan-favorite couple, Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin (Luke Newton).

The show also introduces several new characters to the Ton, including a suitor for Penelope, a love interest for Benedict and fast-forwards to give a preview of Francesca's romantic tale, the subject of book six.

Showrunner Jess Brownell says the writing team aimed to be "very faithful" to the "Bridgerton" book that inspired the season.

"We talked a lot about, what are the key moments from the books that we definitely want to see? What is the emotional journey that we need to capture?" Brownell tells TODAY.com.

But the character development in "Romancing Mister Bridgerton" is largely "internal," Brownell says.

"There's a lot of internal dialogue monologuing going on in terms of being inside Colin's head and then being inside Penelope's head. And so we had to find ways to externalize that part of the story," Brownell says.

Author Quinn says she didn't advocate for certain scenes but for certain "aspects" of the story.

"You want to make sure that that friends-to-lovers vibe comes through," she tells TODAY.com.

(Die-hard fans of the "Bridgerton" book series shouldn't fear: that carriage scene makes it into the final cut.)

"I'm very aware that books and film are very different media and what works very well in one, might not work well in the other," she says. "When I see changes, sometimes it takes me a moment, and then I look at the bigger picture and I'm like, 'I see why we do that.'

"I've said it before, I'm not going to tell Shonda Rhimes how to make television," she adds.

Here are all the differences between Quinn's book "Romancing Mister Bridgerton" and Season Three of "Bridgerton."

There’s no 7-year time jump in the show

Season Three picks up shortly after where Season Two left off: Kate (Simone Ashley) and Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) are newly married, and Penelope is reeling from Colin's public boast that he'd never court her.

In the opening scenes of the new season, Colin has returned from traveling, and Kate and Anthony are back from their honeymoon, likely putting the time difference between Seasons Two and Three at just a few months.

But in the book, Penelope overhears Colin say he's never marry her seven years before Chapter One of "Romancing Mister Bridgerton." The prologue establishes that Penelope has resigned herself to a life of spinsterhood and to "unrequited love" for her best friend Eloise's brother.

The books picks up with Penelope age 28 and Colin, 33.

A ‘dating lessons’ trope

In "Romancing Mister Bridgerton," Colin returns from a trip to Cyprus and rekindles his friendship with Penelope. She discovers his love of writing, as he starts to realize his attraction for the girl who's always been literally next door.

The chemistry buildup is gradual, but culminates after he follows her one day and unmasks her as Lady Whistledown. His worry that she could have been in danger leads to a confession of love and a sexy scene in a horse-drawn carriage.

The show adds a plot device to their friendship: courting lessons.

Instead of resigning herself to spinsterhood, Penelope is actively looking for a husband in order to get out of the Featherington household. As she struggles to match her new look with a new outlook on courting, Colin comes to the rescue and offers to help teach her "charm."

Brownell says the "charm school" trope was a way to turn Penelope and Colin's friendship in the book into a plot device.

"It was a way to throw Penelope and Colin together, and to give them a set piece in which to have some of these discussions that they have in the book," she says.

"As you get to the back half of the season, you'll find that there are a lot of plot elements that are reminiscent of the book," Brownell adds. (Part two of "Bridgerton" Season Three hits Netflix June 13.)

In order to test the effectiveness of Colin's lessons, Penelope also gets a second love interest, one not found in Quinn's book...

New characters

Lord Debling

As Penelope looks for a husband, one of the primary contenders for her hand is Lord Debling, played by Sam Phillips.

Debling is a rich eligible man on the Ton who's seeking marriage for similarly practical reasons as Penelope.

Debling is a vegetarian conservationist with a special interest in science and nature that spurs him to travel for much of the year.

He's "thoughtful" and "kind," Phillips tells TODAY.com. "He's interested in like-minded people, people that like nature and people that are true to themselves and who they really are."

Debling and Penelope strike up an amiable courtship in part one of Season Three — but her charm tutor Colin quickly takes notice, sparking feelings other than pride in his pupil.

Tilley Arnold

Another new character to the Ton is Tilley Arnold, who is introduced as an educated, independent woman. Benedict immediately takes a liking to her.

Actor Hannah New says Tilley is best described as a "bad-ass widow.”

“She’s the most wonderful, independent, sex-positive woman that lives her life for herself and also is about finding the other person’s authentic being and connecting with that," she adds.

Tilley is not inspired by a character from the "Bridgerton" books and was an "invention" for Season Three of the show, Brownell says.

Lord Marcus Anderson

Lord Marcus Anderson enters the Ton with a familial connection to one of its centerpieces — Lady Danbury.

The charming, suave Marcus, played by Daniel Francis, turns out Lady Danbury's estranged brother.

Marcus returns to the Ton in Season Three after living in the countryside.

"I lost my wife, and I've had my grieving process, and now it's time to re-emerge and come back into society," Francis says of his character.

He strikes up a seeming connection with Lady Violet Bridgerton.

John Stirling

Also new to Season Three is Victor Alli, playing John Stirling. While John is not featured in "Romancing Mister Bridgerton," he does play an important role in one of Quinn's books.

In book six, "When He Was Wicked," readers learn that John Stirling marries Francesca Bridgerton, played by Hannah Dodd in Season Three.

He's shy and reserved, just like her, and they begin a courtship in part one of Season Three rooted in a unique love language of music and companionable silence.

“We’re so similar in a way, and I quite like that,” Alli says of his character's relationship with Francesca. “We share such an interesting bond where we don’t have to say too much but we can still connect.”

This article was originally published on TODAY.com