6 Historical Romances to Read After Watching the Bridgerton TV Series

Named a Best Romance of April by Goodreads, Popsugar, Bustle, and more!

“A laugh out loud Regency romp—if you loved the Bridgertons, you’ll adore To Have and to Hoax!” —Lauren Willig, New York Times bestselling author

In this fresh and hilarious historical rom-com, an estranged husband and wife in Regency England feign accidents and illness in an attempt to gain attention—and maybe just win each other back in the process.

Five years ago, Lady Violet Grey and Lord James Audley met, fell in love, and got married. Four years ago, they had a fight to end all fights, and have barely spoken since.

Their once-passionate love match has been reduced to one of cold, detached politeness. But when Violet receives a letter that James has been thrown from his horse and rendered unconscious at their country estate, she races to be by his side—only to discover him alive and well at a tavern, and completely unaware of her concern. She’s outraged. He’s confused. And the distance between them has never been more apparent.

Wanting to teach her estranged husband a lesson, Violet decides to feign an illness of her own. James quickly sees through it, but he decides to play along in an ever-escalating game of manipulation, featuring actors masquerading as doctors, threats of Swiss sanitariums, faux mistresses—and a lot of flirtation between a husband and wife who might not hate each other as much as they thought. Will the two be able to overcome four years of hurt or will they continue to deny the spark between them?

With charm, wit, and heart in spades, To Have and to Hoax is a fresh and eminently entertaining romantic comedy—perfect for fans of Jasmine Guillory and Julia Quinn.

To understand why Shondaland felt compelled to adapt an eight-book series about a gaggle of aristocratic siblings looking for love in Regency England, start at the beginning with The Duke and I. Daphne Bridgerton, secure in her place as the fourth of eight children in a big family, is not averse to the idea of marriage, but she’s none too interested in her pool of potential beaus either. So when an opportunity arises to help her brother’s best friend—Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings—avoid speculation about when he’ll settle down by faking a courtship with him, she jumps at it. Why not? It’ll be mutually beneficial. The only thing they don’t count on is developing real feelings for each other…

From Rita Award winner and New York Times bestselling author Liz Carlyle comes a spellbinding novel in which the ton’s most charming ne’er-do-well meets his match in a most unexpected fashion and discovers the true meaning of desire...

Frederica d'Avillez is sure she will never marry. She's had a disastrous London season, and now her longtime beau has thrown her over for a more eligible miss. But if Freddie can't have a husband, she's hell-bent on experiencing at least one night of unforgettable passion. Where better than in the arms of the dashing rogue Bentley "Hell-Bent" Rutledge? So what if he's a rake, scoundrel, and all-round devil?

Scandal trails in Bentley's wake and fair maidens usually steer well clear of him -- and vice versa. But when the opportunity presents itself, Bentley can't resist Freddie's exotic beauty. When their wild, reckless passion has dire consequences, Bentley is forced to choose between honor and freedom. And Freddie soon realizes that Bentley's devil-may-care façade is just that -- for she has unwittingly unleashed his dark secrets...and secret desires.

A fitting follow-up to a Bridgertons binge, the Wallflower books follow four young debutantes who make a pact to support each other through the interminable season, an annual period of social events carefully orchestrated to pair up genteel young women with noble would-be husbands. In Secrets of a Summer Night, Annabelle relies on her newfound friends for sage advice as she tries (and fails) to resist falling for the wrong man. Simon Hunt may be handsome and rich enough to bail her family out of their dire financial straits, but there’s no way she can marry a businessman. Society would never approve. Will she let that stop her? (Spoiler alert: Nope.)

From the New York Times bestselling author of the sizzling Sinful Suitors series, this first book in the sexy, sparkling School for Heiresses series follows unconventional heiresses who are so much more than just matches for society’s most irresistible rogues.

Lady Amelia Plume has many admirers—it’s too bad they’re all fortune hunters and fops who can’t provide the exotic adventures she seeks. But the ballrooms of Mayfair have become much more appealing since the arrival of Major Lucas Winter, an American with a dark past and a dangerous air. Lucas is brash, arrogant—and scandalously tempting. Every thrilling kiss sparks hotter desire, yet Amelia suspects that Lucas has a hidden motive in wooing her. And she intends to discover it, by any means necessary.

Louisa Cantwell will do anything to support her younger sisters–even accept the proposal of a mysterious, too-perfect man she does not trust. But while she envisions a marriage of convenience, it quickly becomes clear that there will be nothing convenient about her relationship with her new husband, Felix Rivendale, the Marquess of Wrenworth. Beneath the veneer of The Ideal Gentleman is the real Felix, who has used his public persona to hide deep emotional scars for years. What happens when they realize they’re actually perfect for each other?