Books like Bridgerton to read next
Loved the balls, the banter and the slow-burn scandal of Bridgerton? Here's where to get your next fix — witty historical romance full of dukes, wallflowers and swoon. Spoiler-free.
Updated for 2026 · 10 books · Sorted by entry point
The list
Start with the novels behind the show, then the read-alikes fans swear by.
The Duke and I (Bridgerton #1)
Julia Quinn
The novel that started it all: Daphne and Simon's fake courtship. If you only watched the show, the books are wittier and go further — eight siblings, eight love stories.
+ Add to my libraryThe Duchess Deal
Tessa Dare
A scarred duke needs an heir; a jilted seamstress needs security. Sharp, funny and swoony — Dare is the reigning queen of playful Regency banter.
+ Add to my libraryDevil in Winter
Lisa Kleypas
A shy, stammering wallflower proposes to London's most dangerous rake to escape her father. The fan-favourite of Kleypas's Wallflowers — many readers' single favourite historical romance.
+ Add to my libraryBringing Down the Duke
Evie Dunmore
A brilliant Oxford suffragette versus the cold duke she's meant to lobby. Feminist, sparkling and slow-burn — Bridgerton with sharper politics.
+ Add to my libraryThe Rogue Not Taken
Sarah MacLean
A scandal-ruined lady and a rogue thrown together on a chaotic journey north. Big personalities, bigger banter, that enemies-to-lovers charge.
+ Add to my librarySlightly Dangerous
Mary Balogh
The aloof Duke of Bewcastle meets a bright, unpretentious widow who refuses to be intimidated. A beloved classic and a masterclass in the icy-hero thaw.
+ Add to my libraryA Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting
Sophie Irwin
A practical heroine sets out to marry money and meets the one man who sees through her. A modern-feeling, laugh-out-loud debut for readers who like their Regency brisk.
+ Add to my libraryAn Extraordinary Union
Alyssa Cole
A formerly enslaved spy with an eidetic memory and a Scottish detective, undercover in the Confederacy. Historical romance with real stakes, beyond the ballroom.
+ Add to my libraryTo Have and to Hoax
Martha Waters
An estranged society couple wage an escalating prank war instead of admitting they're still in love. Farcical, fast and very funny — here for the banter above all.
+ Add to my libraryA Duke, the Lady, and a Baby
Vanessa Riley
A widow schemes to reclaim her child, enlisting the duke who is her late husband's cousin. A diverse Regency world and a warm, clever romance.
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Should I read the Bridgerton books or watch the show first?
They diverge a fair amount; the novels are wittier and more internal, each focused on one sibling. Start with The Duke and I (season 1), or jump to Romancing Mister Bridgerton, many fans' favourite.
Which of these are the spiciest?
Kleypas (Devil in Winter) and Tessa Dare bring real heat; Balogh and Sophie Irwin are lower-spice slow burns; Alyssa Cole and Vanessa Riley land in the middle.
I want something beyond dukes and ballrooms.
An Extraordinary Union (Civil War spy romance) and Vanessa Riley's diverse Regency broaden the world while keeping the swoon.
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