Eighteen of us gathered on Saturday, January 23rd, for a lively and insightful discussion about the Netflix series Bridgerton that touched on Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series (8 novels, starting with The Duke and I, on which the Netflix series is based) and the romance genre in general.
Many thanks to Christie Kennard for leading this session.
A few articles informed our conversation, including:
- Claire Fallon, “Bridgerton Isn’t Bad Austen”
- Sarah Mesle, “Emily Dickinson’s Hair”
- Matt Wolf, “Bridgerton’s Approach to Race and Casting Has Precedence Onstage“
Participants generated their own list of recommendations for those looking for more Regency (and Regency-adjacent) romance:
- Amanda Quick
- Carola Dunn
- Lauren Willig
- Lisa Kleypas (set in 1870s, so not Regency, per se)
- Courtney Milan
- Eloisa James
- Diana Norman, Vizard Mask (set in 1660s)
- Helen Dunmore, Birdcage Walk
- Sally Beaumont, The Visitors (set in 1922)
- We also noted that Stacey Abrams, under the pen name Selena Montgomery, has written a number of contemporary romance novels; click here for a list.
We’re hoping to add some more Bridgerton-specific programming to our calendar. Stay tuned…!