While many Bridgerton fans loved when Francesca Bridgerton met her husband John's cousin Michaela Stirling and instantly seemed to fall in love, others aren't too happy about the change from the book.
In an episode of the recently released third season of the hit Netflix show, Francesca (Hannah Dodd) got married to John Stirling, Earl of Kilmartin (Victor Alli). When she goes to spend time with his family, she meets his cousin Michaela (Masali Baduza), and the two have an instant and romantic connection and it is heavily implied that they will get together.
In the Bridgerton books, specifically in When He Was Wicked, Francesca also met her husband's cousin and fell in love, but it was with Michael Stirling, a man.
Some fans are furious at the change and do not believe that a queer romance belongs on a period show (even though the same show has diverse casting and uses modern music).
"You're allowing them to completely butcher your work," one viewer wrote. "In what universe would Francesca be allowed to marry a woman in the 1800s? I'm all for gay people but completely changing the gender of Michael to be 'edgy' and 'cool' makes no sense in the dated period in which these stories take place."
"You broke my heart," another said. "I will cry for a beautiful story that will no longer be told."
Now, the books' author has defended the change.
Bridgerton author Jess Quinn wrote on her Instagram that she is "deeply committed to the Bridgerton world becoming more diverse and inclusive," but that changing the gender of a main character required her to do some extra thinking.
"I trust Shondaland’s vision for Bridgerton, but I wanted to be sure that we could remain true to the spirit of the book and of the characters," she continued. "Jess and I talked for a long time about it. More than once. I made it clear that it was extremely important to me that Francesca’s abiding love for John be shown on screen."
"I'm confident now that when Francesca has her Bridgerton season, it will be the most emotional and heart-wrenching story of the show, just like When He Was Wicked has always been the true tear-jerker of the Bridgerton book series," she said.
"Thank you to readers and fans for your feedback," Quinn added. “I am grateful for your understanding and touched by your deep commitment to the characters of the Bridgerton world. I ask that you grant me and the Shondaland team some faith as we move forward. I think we are going to end up with two stories, one on page and one on screen, and they will both be beautiful and moving."
Back when the finale of season 3 first dropped on Netflix, Variety asked Quinn about whether or not Bridgerton's diversity and inclusion will open up for queer characters.
"When we started talking about queer representation on the show, we started with a discussion that this is a show about happily-ever-afters, and that we're not interested in queer trauma – that we really want to see queer joy," she said. "And if we're going to tell a queer story, we would like to find a way for there to be a happily ever after."