15 Historical Romance Books Like Bridgerton to Read Next
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If you love Bridgerton for the glittering ballrooms, scandalous gossip, complicated courtships, meddling families, charming rakes, and irresistible romances, there are plenty more historical romances waiting for you.
The best historical romance books like Bridgerton capture some of that same addictive combination of romance, humor, society, and scandal. Some take you straight into the London marriage mart, while others deliver fake engagements, marriages of convenience, family drama, witty banter, and heroes and heroines determined to break all the rules.
Whether you discovered historical romance through Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton books or the Netflix series, these 15 romances are wonderful places to continue your journey through the genre.
Looking for your next read after Bridgerton? These 15 historical romance books deliver plenty of romance, wit, scandal, society, and unforgettable courtships:
- The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare
- A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting by Sophie Irwin
- The Perfect Rake by Anne Gracie
- The Duke Heist by Erica Ridley
- To Have and to Hoax by Martha Waters
- Never Fall for Your Fiancée by Virginia Heath
- The Rake by Suzanne Enoch
- The Duke Goes Down by Sophie Jordan
- A Duke in Shining Armor by Loretta Chase
- Yours Truly, The Duke by Amelia Grey
- A Gamble at Sunset by Vanessa Riley
- Lady Derring Takes a Lover by Julie Anne Long
- The Sherbrooke Bride by Catherine Coulter
- Love Only Once by Johanna Lindsey
- Mr. Malcolm’s List by Suzanne Allain
What Makes Bridgerton So Irresistible?
Bridgerton offers more than beautiful gowns, grand estates, and eligible dukes. Much of the fun comes from watching romance unfold in a world where courtship is practically a competitive sport, and everyone seems to have an opinion about who should marry whom.
There are meddling families, fiercely loyal siblings and friends, society gossip, scandalous reputations, disastrous misunderstandings, and plenty of romantic tension along the way. Add witty banter, memorable characters, and the ever-present pressure of the marriage mart, and it’s easy to understand why Bridgerton has introduced so many readers and viewers to the pleasures of historical romance.
If the Regency setting is part of the appeal, explore our favorite Regency romance series for even more ballrooms, courtships, scandals, and unforgettable couples.
The books below don’t attempt to recreate Bridgerton. Instead, each captures something that makes its world so much fun – whether that’s the glittering social scene, the humor, the family dynamics, the scandal, or, of course, the romance.
15 Historical Romance Books Like Bridgerton
Ready to return to a world of ballrooms, matchmaking, scandal, and romance? These 15 historical romances offer plenty for Bridgerton fans to love, whether your favorite part is the marriage mart, the witty banter, the family drama, or the rogues who inevitably meet their match.
For Marriage Mart, Matchmaking & Society
2022
Kitty Talbot has just twelve weeks to find a wealthy husband and save her family from financial ruin. Determined to conquer the London Season despite her lack of fortune or connections, she sets her sights on a suitable match - until the suspicious Lord Radcliffe sees straight through her plans and decides to stand in her way.
Why Bridgerton Fans Will Love It
If the London marriage mart is one of your favorite parts of Bridgerton, this is an especially good next read. Fortune hunting, society maneuvering, witty exchanges, and the pressure to make an advantageous match put Regency courtship front and center.
2009
Jeremy Malcolm has spent years avoiding fortune hunters while searching for a wife who meets every requirement on his carefully crafted list. When Selina Dalton arrives in London, she discovers her friend has recruited her for a scheme to give the exacting bachelor a taste of his own medicine - but Selina soon finds herself genuinely attracted to the man she is supposed to deceive.
Why Bridgerton Fans Will Love It
Matchmaking, meddling friends, eligible bachelors, and the complicated rules of high society drive this clever Regency romance. It’s a particularly fun choice for readers who enjoy the lighter, more playful side of the marriage mart.
2024
After wallflower Georgina Wilcox impulsively kisses composer Lord Mark Sebastian and the encounter is witnessed by the ton’s leading gossips, the pair must protect their reputations. Under the guise of private music lessons, Georgina and Mark embark on a carefully staged courtship - only to discover that the attraction behind their scandalous first kiss may be very real.
Why Bridgerton Fans Will Love It
A wallflower heroine, three sisters, society gossip, scandal, and a courtship played out under the watchful eyes of the ton make this feel right at home on a Bridgerton reading list. The musical storyline adds something fresh to the familiar Regency social world.
2023
Fredericka Hale needs a husband to strengthen her fight for custody of her late sister’s three children, while the Duke of Wyatthaven must marry quickly to secure an inheritance. Their convenient arrangement is supposed to leave them leading separate lives - but when Fredericka and the children arrive at the duke’s London home, keeping their marriage at a comfortable distance becomes increasingly difficult.
Why Bridgerton Fans Will Love It
This one combines an eligible duke with a marriage of convenience and plenty of Regency society complications. It’s a good pick for readers who enjoy watching a practical arrangement become considerably more romantic than either participant intended.
For Wit, Banter & Romantic Chaos
2017
Emma Gladstone needs a marriage of convenience, while the scarred Duke of Ashbury needs an heir—but neither expects their practical arrangement to blossom into love. Filled with sharp wit, irresistible chemistry, and heartfelt emotion, this beloved romance is the perfect introduction to Tessa Dare's enchanting world.
Why Bridgerton Fans Will Love It
Tessa Dare brings plenty of humor, sparkling banter, and steam to this marriage-of-convenience romance. If you love Bridgerton’s combination of an intimidating aristocratic hero and a heroine who refuses to be intimidated by him, this is a wonderful next read.
2021
Hugh Standish, Earl of Fareham, has invented a fake fiancée to discourage his matchmaking mother. When she unexpectedly announces a visit, he persuades struggling artist Minerva Merriwell to play the part. With Minerva’s sisters joining the charade, Hugh’s carefully constructed story quickly spirals into comic chaos - and his pretend engagement begins to feel surprisingly real.
Why Bridgerton Fans Will Love It
A fake engagement, matchmaking interference, three sisters, and an increasingly complicated web of lies make this Regency rom-com delightfully chaotic. It’s a great choice for readers who love Bridgerton at its funniest.
2020
Lady Violet Grey and Lord James Audley married for love, but after a disastrous argument, they’ve spent four years barely speaking. When a misunderstanding over James’s supposed riding accident reignites old resentments, Violet decides to teach her estranged husband a lesson - setting off an increasingly elaborate battle of tricks, schemes, and flirtation that may rekindle more than their rivalry.
Why Bridgerton Fans Will Love It
This playful battle between an estranged aristocratic husband and wife delivers schemes, flirtation, misunderstandings, and plenty of wit. The surrounding circle of friends adds the lively social energy that makes Bridgerton so much fun.
2021
Chloe Wynchester and her adopted siblings are determined to recover a painting that once belonged to their unconventional family. But Chloe’s carefully planned heist goes spectacularly awry when she accidentally kidnaps Lawrence Gosling, the Duke of Faircliffe - a man who needs a highborn bride to restore his family’s reputation, not a romance with a woman like Chloe.
Why Bridgerton Fans Will Love It
The wonderfully unconventional Wynchester siblings bring the big-family energy, while an accidental kidnapping and an extremely proper duke supply the romantic chaos. It’s a fun choice if the close-knit family dynamics are one of your favorite parts of Bridgerton.
For Scandal, Rakes & Rogues
2002
After being seduced and abandoned by a notorious rake, Lady Georgiana Halley is determined to turn the tables on Tristan Carroway, Viscount Dare. Her plan is simple: make him fall for her and then walk away. But as Georgiana sets her scheme in motion, revenge becomes considerably more complicated when old attraction turns into something neither of them expected.
Why Bridgerton Fans Will Love It
Revenge, reputation, and a notorious rake collide in a romance rooted in the rules and expectations of Regency society. Readers who enjoy watching a confident rogue discover that he may finally have met his match should feel right at home.
2021
Peregrine Butler loses his title and inheritance when a family secret reveals he is not the legitimate heir to his father’s dukedom. With his future suddenly uncertain, Perry sets out to marry a wealthy heiress - only to find his plans repeatedly thwarted by Imogen Bates, the vicar’s spirited daughter, who is determined to protect the local ladies from his considerable charm.
Why Bridgerton Fans Will Love It
A fallen duke, damaging gossip, and a heroine determined to thwart his plans put reputation at the center of this Regency romance. It’s especially appealing if you enjoy the way a single scandal can send an entire society buzzing.
2017
When bespectacled Lady Olympia Hightower flees her own wedding, the notorious Duke of Ripley sets out to return her to the altar. Their unexpected journey quickly becomes an adventure filled with mishaps, witty exchanges, and an irresistible romance that neither saw coming.
Why Bridgerton Fans Will Love It
A runaway bride and a charmingly imperfect duke turn what should have been a respectable society wedding into a thoroughly entertaining Regency adventure. Loretta Chase delivers sharp banter, romantic tension, and plenty of trouble along the way in this first book of the Difficult Dukes series.
2019
Newly widowed Delilah Swanpoole discovers that her late husband left behind little besides debt, secrets, and a derelict London building. Determined to create an independent future, she transforms her unexpected inheritance into a boarding house - where Captain Tristan Hardy soon arrives while pursuing a notorious smuggler, bringing danger and an attraction neither of them intended.
Why Bridgerton Fans Will Love It
Scandal, secrets, an unconventional new beginning, and an irresistible naval hero give this Regency romance a slightly different flavor. Its colorful cast and evolving social circle make it especially appealing to readers who enjoy Bridgerton’s ensemble feel.
For Family Drama & Unforgettable Characters
2005
Prudence Merridew concocts a false engagement as part of a daring plan to help herself and her four sisters escape their controlling grandfather. But when she mistakenly delivers her story to notorious rake Gideon, Lord Carradice, instead of his ducal cousin, Gideon is instantly intrigued—and more than willing to play along with her deception.
Why Bridgerton Fans Will Love It
Five devoted sisters, a fake engagement, an incorrigible rake, and plenty of family complications make this an easy recommendation for Bridgerton readers. The combination of sibling loyalty and romantic mischief is particularly irresistible.
1992
Douglas Sherbrooke, Earl of Northcliffe, needs a wife and an heir, and beautiful Melissande Chambers seems the obvious choice. Instead, circumstances leave him married to her younger sister Alexandra, who has secretly loved him for years. Determined at first to undo the marriage, Douglas begins to wonder whether his unexpected bride may have been the right woman all along.
Why Bridgerton Fans Will Love It
An earl who needs an heir, two very different sisters, and a marriage that goes spectacularly off plan provide plenty of aristocratic drama. It also opens the door to the sprawling Sherbrooke family, making it a natural choice for readers who enjoy interconnected family romances.
1985
Regina Ashton is accidentally abducted by notorious rake Nicholas Eden, an encounter that threatens her reputation and leaves the strong-willed young woman determined that he will marry her. Nicholas has no intention of settling down, but Regina proves difficult to resist as their battle of wills turns into an unexpectedly passionate courtship.
Why Bridgerton Fans Will Love It
This classic Regency romance introduces the large, unforgettable Malory family alongside a notorious rake and a heroine who refuses to be pushed around. If the Bridgerton siblings and their involvement in one another’s romantic lives are part of the appeal, this is a fun place to begin.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I read if I love Bridgerton?
If you love Bridgerton, look for historical romances featuring Regency society, the London marriage mart, witty banter, family dynamics, scandal, and plenty of romantic tension. The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare and A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting by Sophie Irwin are especially good places to start.
What historical romance books are most similar to Bridgerton?
Books set among Regency England’s aristocracy tend to offer the closest experience, particularly those featuring the London Season, matchmaking, society gossip, and interconnected families and friends. Mr. Malcolm’s List by Suzanne Allain, The Perfect Rake by Anne Gracie, and Never Fall for Your Fiancée by Virginia Heath all capture different parts of that Bridgerton appeal.
Are there historical romance books like Bridgerton with lots of humor?
Absolutely. The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare, To Have and to Hoax by Martha Waters, and Never Fall for Your Fiancée by Virginia Heath all combine Regency romance with witty banter, comic situations, and characters whose carefully made plans rarely unfold as expected.
What should I read if I love the Bridgerton family dynamics?
Try The Duke Heist by Erica Ridley, The Perfect Rake by Anne Gracie, or Love Only Once by Johanna Lindsey. Each introduces a larger family or group of siblings whose relationships extend beyond the central romance, giving readers more characters and connections to become invested in.
Do I need to read these historical romances in series order?
No. Every book recommended here can be read without reading an earlier book first. Several begin longer series, so if you discover a family or group of characters you love, you can continue reading their stories in order.
Before You Close the Book
Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton may have introduced a whole new audience to the delights of historical romance. If you’re still fairly new to the genre, our favorite historical romance books for beginners offer even more great places to start.
Whether you’re in the mood for the marriage-mart maneuvering of A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting, the romantic comedy of The Duchess Deal, or the sprawling family dynamics of Love Only Once, there are plenty of wonderful romances waiting beyond Grosvenor Square.
Choose the part of Bridgerton you love most, pick your next book, and prepare to return to a world where one dance can start a romance, one piece of gossip can cause a scandal, and finding the right match is rarely as simple as society would like it to be.
Enjoying House of Wallflowers? Unlock the free Wallflowers Library for printable reading orders, exclusive author guides, and a growing collection of historical romance resources. New printables and reader tools are added regularly, so there’s always something new to discover.
