Obsessed with Bridgerton? Read these 7 books

Anyone else get stuck into Bridgerton over the Christmas holidays? Yeah, me too.

The Shonda Rhimes-helmed Netflix adaptation of Julia Quinn’s romance series was quite the hit, and it’s not at all hard to see why. Bridgerton is a glorious confection of scandalous drama — think Emma meets Gossip Girl — and sumptuous Regency costume design, lead by a gorgeous cast of actors including Phoebe Dynevor and Regé-Jean Page. (Not to mention that it’s narrated by the one and only Julie Andrews.)

With the spotlight on romance novels like never before, I thought I’d do a round-up of books for fans of the Bridgerton Netflix series, with help from Booktopia’s resident romance reader and campaign manager extraordinaire, Sam Joice. If you’re a person to whom the phrase ‘I want to be the Bridgerton spoon’ means something, then read on …

The Duke and I

by Julia Quinn

Where to start with Bridgerton read-alikes? The Bridgerton series, of course, starting with The Duke and I!

In the ballrooms and drawing rooms of Regency London, rules abound. A proper duke should be imperious and aloof. A young, marriageable lady should be amiable … but not too amiable. Daphne Bridgerton has always failed at the latter. And amiability is not a characteristic shared by Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings. Yet an encounter with his best friend’s sister offers another option …

Buy it here in paperback and eBook

The Duchess War

by Courtney Milan

Miss Minerva Lane is a quiet, bespectacled wallflower, and she wants to keep it that way. After all, the last time she was the centre of attention, it ended badly – so badly that she changed her name to escape her scandalous past. Wallflowers may not be the prettiest of blooms, but at least they don’t get trampled. So when a handsome duke comes to town, the last thing she wants is his attention. But that is precisely what she gets.

Buy it here in paperback and eBook

Secrets of a Summer Night

by Lisa Kleypas

Four young ladies enter London society with one common goal: they must use their feminine wit and wiles to find a husband. So a daring husband-hunting scheme is born. Annabelle Peyton decides to use her beauty and wit to tempt a suitable nobleman into making an offer of marriage. But Annabelle’s most intriguing–and persistent–admirer, wealthy, powerful Simon Hunt, has made it clear that while he will introduce her to irresistible pleasure he will not offer marriage. Annabelle is determined to resist his unthinkable proposition … but it is impossible in the face of such skilful seduction.

Buy it here in paperback and eBook

Cold-Hearted Rake

by Lisa Kleypas

Devon Ravenel, London’s most wickedly charming rake, has just inherited an earldom. But his powerful new rank in society comes with unwanted responsibilities … and more than a few surprises. His estate is saddled with debt, and the late earl’s three innocent sisters are still occupying the house, along with Kathleen, Lady Trenear, a beautiful young widow whose sharp wit and determination are a match for Devon’s own …

Buy it here in paperback and eBook

Virgin River

by Robyn Carr

Wanted: Midwife/nurse practitioner in Virgin River, population six hundred. Make a difference against a backdrop of towering California redwoods and crystal clear rivers. Rent-free cabin included.

When the recently widowed Melinda Monroe sees this ad, she quickly decides that the remote mountain town of Virgin River might be the perfect place to escape her heartache, and to reenergize the nursing career she loves. But her high hopes are dashed within an hour of arriving. Realizing she’s made a huge mistake, Mel decides to leave town the following morning. But a tiny baby abandoned on a front porch changes her plans … and former marine Jack Sheridan cements them into place.

Buy it here in paperback and eBook

Earl’s Well That Ends Well

by Jane Ashford

Arthur Shelton, Earl of Macklin, has learned to live with being a widower. Yet when he returns home after traveling, the place seems empty. Enter Teresa Alvarez de Granada, a charming ‘widow’ who has purchased a cottage in the neighbourhood during Arthur’s absence. Arthur is entranced. Here is his chance. He proposes.

But Teresa refuses. And because she cares for him, trusts him, and hates hurting him, she confides that she has a secret. Just as Arthur learns his own heart, a threat from Teresa’s past arises. All is lost, until Arthur steps up to win his bride.

Buy it here in paperback and eBook

The Duchess Deal

by Tessa Dare

Since his return from war, the Duke of Ashbury’s to-do list has been short and anything but sweet: brooding, glowering, menacing London ne’er-do-wells by night. Now there’s a new item on the list. He needs an heir—which means he needs a wife. When Emma Gladstone, a vicar’s daughter turned seamstress, appears in his library wearing a wedding gown, he decides on the spot that she’ll do.

His terms are simple:

• They will be husband and wife by night only.
• No lights, no kissing.
• No questions about his battle scars.
• Last, and most importantly … Once she’s pregnant with his heir, they need never share a bed again.

But Emma is no pushover. She has a few rules of her own …

Buy it here in paperback and eBook

—Bridgerton is streaming on Netflix Australia now.

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About the Contributor

Olivia Fricot

Olivia Fricot (she/her) is Booktopia's Senior Content Producer and editor of the Booktopian blog. She has too many plants and not enough bookshelves, and you can usually find her reading, baking, or talking to said plants. She is pro-Oxford comma.

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