The world of Bridgerton has moved mountains, not only with the Netflix show, but also the original collection of novels. The show produced by Shonda Rhimes was heavily inspired by the book series written by author Julia Quinn. With the first book published in 2000, there are eight books total — with each book following one of the eight Bridgerton siblings. Following the 2020 release of the Netflix show, the sales of Quinn’s books experienced a spike in sales, with all eight books hitting the New York Times Bestsellers list in April 2021.
And it’s not just these books in particular that have seen a rise in popularity. Bridgerton has sparked a newfound love of historical romance, specifically Regency romance, in a whole new generation of readers. Regency era romance novels are books that are set in the U.K. between the years 1811 to 1820. The term “Regency” came from King George III’s son, Prince George IV, who served as the prince *regent* alongside his mother, Queen Charlotte.
What makes this era the perfect setting for pop culture consumption is overall culture of London at the time. The Regency era was a time of peak nobility with extravagant social scenes, noble titles, and a very rigid set of dating rules — thus, making it an intriguing time period for riveting romance novels.
Although Bridgerton has been the talk of the ton, there is an entire subgenre of Regency romance novels that give that Bridgerton feel. So, esteemed members of the ton, if you’ve read all the books in the Bridgerton series and are looking for more like them, look no further.
- Aphrodite and the Duke by J.J. McAvoy ($17)
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Amazon Starting off strong with one of my faves: Aphrodite and the Duke by J.J. McAvoy. In the novel, we have my girl, Aphrodite Du Bell — she is what Queen Charlotte might call the “diamond” of the ton. But her perfection did not stop the love of her life, Evander Eagleman, from marrying someone else. Four years later, Aphrodite returns home to assist her sister in finding a suitor. But when she comes face to face with now-widower, Evander, can they rekindle the love they once had?
- The True Queen by Zen Cho ($22)
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Amazon This next book has a fantasy element for those who love the power of magic. In The True Queen by Zen Cho, sisters Sakti and Muna are cursed. With Sakti’s entire existence beginning to fade away, Muna has to use magic and the rules of high society to save herself and her sister. This fantasy romance combines the high stakes of magic with the riveting romance themes we all know and love.
- Ravishing the Heiress by Sherry Thomas ($9)
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Amazon I feel like I’m the only person in the world who loves arranged marriage tropes, so if you like this trope as well, let’s start a support group. In Ravishing the Heiress, Millicent and Earl marry as part of a deal: She gets to be a countess, and he gets to benefit from her family’s wealth in order to save his family from bankruptcy. The only problem? Millicent falls in love with Earl. Does he love her back? Or is it all just a sham?
- Desperately Seeking a Duchess by Christi Caldwell ($9)
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Amazon Cailin Audley? She’s not like other girls. In Desperately Seeking a Duchess, Cailin wants absolutely nothing to do with the ton… that is, until Courtland Balfour. Courtland, the duke of St. James, is actively seeking out a duchess to save the fate of his family. With persistence and desperation, Courtland is determined to convince Cailin to love him.
- Lady Charlotte Always Gets Her Man by Violet Marsh ($12)
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Amazon Who doesn’t love a murder mystery with a little bit of romance? When Charlotte Lovett’s fiancé mysteriously dies, it sparks curiosity as to who the man she was engaged to truly was. So what does she do? Charlotte teams up with his brother, Dr. Matthew Talbot, to uncover the truth about the man she almost married.
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen ($6)
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Amzon Moving on to a classic, if you’ve never read Pride and Prejudice, then you’re missing out. Honestly, this book walked so Bridgerton could run. The book follows the iconic Elizabeth Bennet as she navigates the social climate of the time. She meets Fitzwilliam Darcy, a very rich man who has a preconceived notion about Elizabeth and her family. Overall, the book is must-read as it critiques the social structures of England at the time (which, full disclosure, takes place a tad earlier than the Regency era, but it’s a classic, so I’m letting it slide).
- Love is Blind by Lynsay Sands ($8)
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Amazon In this novel by Lynsay Sands, we follow Lady Clarissa Crambay, who has a rather unfortunate past. Nonetheless, she wants to get married, but not as much as her step-mother wants her to get married. Clarissa’s step-mother has even gone to the lengths of forbidding her to wear her glasses, thus making finding a suitor a big blur.
- The Portrait of a Duchess by Scarlett Peckham ($8)
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Amazon Let’s talk about a scandal: Painter Corneila Ludgate married in secret to a duke and hasn’t seen him in 20 years. In order to stay true to her principles, there’s no way she can rekindle her love with the Duke, right? Not only is this novel a second-chance romance, it also touches on the gender-fueled sexual disparities that are even common today.
- A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall ($16)
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Amazon I’m a sucker for a romance novel with a “childhood friends” backstory. In A Lady for a Duke, Viola Carroll and Justin de Vere were separated as children after the war. But when their families reconnect years later, Viola can hardly recognize the friend she once had, since he is overwhelmed with grief. As their friendship re-blossoms, new desires and new feelings arise.
- Lord of the Masquerade by Erica Ridley ($15)
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Amazon Romance, scandals, and secrets? I’m sold. Lord of the Masquerade is a rags-to-riches story that follows Unity Thorne, who is barely getting by working at a theater. Her dream is to be big one day, and that starts with her masquerade-themed assembly rooms. But when she challenges the Duke of Lambley on the dance floor, will she have her happily ever after?
- Verity and the Forbidden Suitor by J.J. McAvoy ($17)
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Amazon This next book is a standalone sequel to Aphrodite and the Duke. It follows Verity Eagleman, sister of Evander Eagleman, who enters the ton by staying with her sister-in-law, Aphrodite’s, family. During her stay, however, she crosses paths with Dr. Theodore Darrington, who is the estranged son of the marquess. Because of his family situation, Theodore is strictly forbidden to marry a noble figure. But can he keep who he truly loves hidden?
- A Wicked Kind of Husband by Mia Vincy ($13)
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Amazon Marriage of convenience with polar opposites? Sign me up immediately. A Wicked Kind of Husband by Mia Vincy follows Cassandra DeWitt as she embarks on an arranged marriage strictly in order to get her inheritance. Her husband, Joshua DeWitt, turns out to be the most insufferable person on Earth. But when the pair has to join together to battle a hostile lawsuit, they have to decide if they want to end their arrangement, or let the marriage become real.
- Tall, Duke, and Dangerous by Megan Frampton ($7)
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Amazon What would happen if the bad-boy duke finally settles down? In this book, Nash, the Duke of Malvern, has always broken away from the rigid English rules. But one rule he can’t get around? Marriage. When Nash meets the independent Ana Maria to teach her self-defense lessons, the pair connects more than on a physical level.
- Primrose and the Dreadful Duke by Emily Larkin ($12)
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Amazon This last book combines magic, murder, and romance. It follows Primrose Garland, who has a crush on her brother’s best friend, Oliver Dasenby. But when Oliver inherits the title of duke, he also obtains someone who wants him dead — yikes. In order to save his inheritance and his life, Primrose seeks out to catch the killer.
