Violet’s Season 3 Romance Deviates From The Bridgerton Books

Spoilers ahead for Bridgerton Season 3. No one in the Bridgerton family is a bigger romantic than its matriarch, Violet (Ruth Gemmell). She seems to like nothing better than helping her adult children find their happily-ever-afters. But what about her and her garden? In Season 3, a new romance shows signs of blooming.

Violet’s New Romance

The Bridgerton siblings all have a high bar for when it comes to their ideal relationship, and that’s because their parents, Edmund and Violet, were a love match. When they lost Edmund, Violet focused on raising the children, and that was enough for her for a long time. However, her wants and needs began to emerge again, as she admitted to Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh) during a memorable scene in Queen Charlotte about her “garden.”

Enter Lord Marcus Anderson (Daniel Francis), Lady Danbury’s younger brother. His arrival in Season 3 both flusters and intrigues Violet, especially because he’s just as taken with her. The two share some adorable moments as they get to know one another, but they move at a slow pace. It takes until Episode 7 for Marcus to ask Violet if they “could explore something together,” and then only once they’ve addressed their affairs that “need ordering” do they share a dance at the Dankforth-Finch ball in the season finale.

Another Happy Ending?

Based on where Season 3 leaves off, it’s hard to say where her relationship with Marcus is going. Gemmell previously described it in production notes as “more a flirtation than a love story.”

“I would say she’s had her great love, really — but it’s still very nice,” she added of the new relationship. “Daniel [Francis] is lovely, and it’s nice for Violet, having watched her children fall in love and get married, to have a romance of her own. Watching her children marry and fall in love has made her realize that there is something missing from her life.”

Season 3 left the possibility for more between them, potentially even marriage, if their relationship continues to progress. The ton loves to gossip, so Violet would probably have to marry a long-term love. It still remains to be seen if Marcus will ultimately fit that role.

Does Violet Remarry In The Books?

When it comes to Violet’s romantic future, don’t bother look to the books for clues. For author Julia Quinn, Edmund is indeed Violet’s great love; she has never written another suitor for the dowager viscountess.

“I used to think it was because she was so devoted to Edmund, but after exploring the issue of second loves in When He Was Wicked, I realized that really wasn’t the reason,” she wrote on her website. “I’ve thought about it a while, and in all honesty, I don’t think I could come up with anyone good enough for her.”

For now, Violet’s garden is in bloom, and fans will have to wait for Bridgerton Season 4 to see where her new flirtation goes.