Almost one month after the hit period drama Bridgerton was released on Netflix, sales of the same-titled book series by Julia Quinn have exploded, with the first book securing the number one spot on The New York Times’ bestsellers list. Other novels in the historical romance series aren’t far behind.
Source: Sales of Bridgerton Novels Have Exploded Since Netflix Premiere | PEOPLE.com
Congratulations, Julia Quinn!
If you are feeling bereft at having finished the Netflix series, curl up with some steamy slushy books instead
Source: Swoon! 10 romantic books you’ll love if you blitzed Bridgerton | Evening Standard
The continuing conversation that the Netflix series is going to give a resurgence to the historical romance genre and hopefully give it more credit than it has received in the past.
Bridgerton quickly became more than just an adaptation; it was also a challenge to destigmatize a genre that doesn’t wholly deserve the condemnation it’s received.
Now this article gets it right about what historical romance is all about. Great article and worth the read!
“By building a love story between the primary couple, one that is guaranteed to end ‘happily ever after’ or ‘happy for now,’ a romance novel not only provides escapism and the heart-pounding rush of vicarious passion, but a space in which to explore how romantic relationships can and should be, and how women can find fulfillment and happiness. And that means these stories have little to do with how the marriage market of Regency high society actually functioned; they’re about what readers — predominantly women — want to see in their lives today.”
Source: ‘Bridgerton’ Isn’t Bad Austen — It’s An Entirely Different Genre | HuffPost
This article on IndieWire is a bit harsh, calling Bridgerton’s storyline as “perpetrating harmful myths” (I’m not too keen on the word choice). So let’s back-up the carriage here, folks. He’s not just talking about the series, but he’s criticizing the premise of Julia Quinn’s historical romance novel, and undoubtedly thousands of other books by other authors.
Apparently, due to the so-called lack of “practical sex education in this country,” the information expressed in this series paints a “dismal” portrait. It gives the idea that sex is “wildly passionate” and everlasting love is the norm (those darn romance books with HEA). I doubt readers believe that the Duke & I is a sex education manual.
The writer of this article definitely doesn’t understand the historical romance genre, or why readers enjoy reading the fantasy of wild sexual encounters and happily ever after. Readers already know the reality of sex and love and turn to books and period dramas such as Bridgerton to escape for a few hours. I sincerely doubt that Bridgerton is being used as sex education by women who never had organisms, or youth experiencing their first sexual encounter. The writer also points out only 64 percent of women have organisms during intercourse and criticizes Daphne’s experience of fantasying about her first with Simon. Tsk. Tsk.
I guess I’m as guilty as any other author that I perpetuate (a better choice of words) myths of sexual pleasure and happy ever after scenarios. What is to be done with us? I know — keep writing and keep reading.
It’s unfortunate, however, that Daphne’s sexual awakening arrives entirely at the hands of Simon, a man. It may be progressive for the Regency era, but it’s condescending and coddling to today’s women and girls.
Source: ‘Bridgerton’ Isn’t As Sex Positive As It Thinks | IndieWire
Romance is one of the most lucrative fiction genres, a billion-dollar industry featuring stories full of banter, courtship, and smoldering chemistry. So how did an entire subgenre of literature spring up around a few thousand rich people who lived during the 1810s?
Source: Why Are So Many Romances Set in the Regency Period? | JSTOR Daily
Fans of historical romance are versed in the Regency language. It never occurred to me that since Bridgerton seen by the general public on Netflix would need definitions. This article defines terms such as promenade, facer, Ton, courses, with child, sire an heir, swoon, snuff, modiste, countenance, rake, duke, viscount, a diamond of the first water, and the dark walk. I hate to think the public doesn’t know the meaning of some of these words, but nonetheless, one must educate the masses.
Two romance novelists break down the show’s historical terms. There was just one problem. Watching the drama, which is set in 1813 London, occasionally felt like translating a foreign language. From talk of the “ton” to notorious “rakes,” I was often confused by the characters’ Regency speak. But apparently if I read romance novels, I might not have mistaken a rake for a gardening tool instead of a man.
Source: Bridgerton Glossary – A Guide to Words Like Rake, Ton, Promenade
Pinsent Tailoring reviews Bridgerton’s costumes! Gotta love this guy. He dresses Regency every day as a lifestyle. So many goofs! Enjoy! Learn about what it means to be a “loose woman” by not wearing a hat. Some of the costuming is a “disaster.”
A show based on popular bodice-rippers gives an industry often dismissed as tawdry a much-needed embrace. The success of “Bridgerton” couldn’t have come at a better time for the romance industry, which has been struggling to retain its power in the publishing world. Recent years have marked a steady decline in print and ebook sales of romance novels, which went from more than 98 million units sold in 2012 to 41 million in 2020, according to NPD BookScan, whose figures do not reflect sales of self-published titles.
Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, has written her first novel for adults, to be released by the leading romantic fiction publisher Mills & Boon. Her novel Heart for a Compass is a fictional historical saga inspired by her great-great-aunt.
Source: Duchess of York: From Budgie the Helicopter to Mills & Boon
Author Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series of novels is as delightful as the hit Netflix show adapted from it. Luckily, many viewers getting into the world of Bridgerton means quite a few new readers will head to their libraries or local bookstores to check out the books that inspired the show.
Source: 10 Books Like ‘Bridgerton’ To Read When You Need More Romance
What’s so great about Regency romances anyway?
Source: Blame Jane: Romance Novels 2019–2020
Another interesting article – Blame Jane! “The lack of realistic options for writing interesting heroines is where the Regency loses a lot of authors. The choice can feel stuck between anachronism—planting a modern sensibility into an historic setting—and gender politics that leave modern readers cold.”
The article linked below makes the point, “The Duke and I, was first published in 2000 – twenty years ago, well before woke culture, the #MeToo movement, and our growing understanding of consent and healthy gender dynamics.” We are back again to the conundrum that historical romance needs to stay pure to the times in which women lived, or we need to tweak the past so that it doesn’t offend those in the present.
Recently I read a review for the Earl’s Well that Ends Well, a new release by Catherine Heloise, on another book website. I won’t go into the review itself but would like to focus upon a comment left by a reader. Perhaps it brings up a singular thought or one that is currently running through the historical romance genre as readers deal with the past versus the present. Can readers find enjoyment in love stories that deal with toxic relationships and time periods that were oppressive to women? On the other hand, are more progressive readers going to demand that authors write novels in tune with today’s social expectations?
It’s an interesting argument that I think is going to split the genre going forward. There will be readers who want historical norms with romance, and others who want a modern romance version set in a historical setting. I think there can definitely be a blend of strong heroines in books going forward as discussed in a previous post, “Changing Heroines in Historical Romance.” All you have to do nowadays is read book reviews and focus on the five and one-star comments. The split of opinions on the subject is growing.
Talk to me! Do you mind reading about “toxic” relationships? Of course, characters should have flaws and the healing of couples can bring two together into healthy relationships. Do the oppressive eras that women dealt with rub you the wrong way, or are you able to handle it if the female character has a bit of spunk?
The problem with Bridgerton is not in how it portrays society but in how it portrays the relationship between Daphne and Simon. Beneath the veneer of romance, it’s a mutually manipulative and toxic relationship and one that shouldn’t be emulated. Unfortunately, it’s this sort of relationship that Bridgerton chooses to center, and in doing so, the show fails its modern audience.
Source: Bridgerton’s Toxic Romance Fails Its Audience | Screen Rant
A history lesson on the gossip columns. Great read.
“Newspapers were plentiful during the Regency Era, with most of the stories published centering on politics, crime, fashion, infidelity, or royal doings,” says Geri Walton, author of Marie Antoinette’s Confidante and regular writer on 18th and 19th-century Europe.
Source: True Story of Lady Whistledown’s Scandal Sheets in ‘Bridgerton’
The article makes this comment:
“For one, Goodreads needs a women’s fiction category because some books that were nominated for the best romance this year (and years previous) don’t really fit into the romance genre.”
I rest my case about the category problem. Should we be surprised? Amazon owns Goodreads, so once again readers are faced with the wrong categorization of books. When it comes to Goodreads Choice Awards, that presents problems too. I admit that when authors enter books into other contests they have the option to enter the same book into one or more categories (for an extra price). It’s not just Goodreads and/or Amazon creating the confusion. It does, however, push those books that are true to the genre into a competition that is unnecessary.
In recent years, the platform has seemingly chosen to reward books with a lot of hype instead of judging solely by quality.
Source: The Goodreads Choice Awards Needs To Stop Being a Popularity Contest
“Quinn hopes the Netflix series might draw more attention to the genre.” We can hope!
Julia Quinn, the Seattle-based author of dozens of bestselling historical romance novels (whose real name is Julie Pottinger), is on the phone, remembering the moment she learned that her series of books about the Bridgerton family in Regency London was headed to the screen.
Source: Seattle author’s ‘Bridgerton’ novels debut as Netflix series | Arts & Entertainment | lmtribune.com
The show’s producers claim, “The point was to take that Regency period as a foundation, and not betray it in any way, but we didn’t want to make it a history lesson.”
I find it interesting that some readers will allow authors to take liberties in their stories when they don’t one-hundred percent reflect the norms of the historical eras in which their book is set. A few minor falsehoods are forgiven, and it’s the love story that captures the reader’s attention instead.
Other readers are purists at heart and want both — a historical romance that rings true to the era. I’ve read my fair share of reviewers who complain, using comments such as “the speech was too modern,” “badly written Regency novel, using contemporary slang,” “doesn’t seem Regency to me,” “a woman would never be left alone with a man,” “they would have never acted that way,” “not historical – check your facts,” “you address a duke as Your Grace,” etc. They find these mistakes distracting to the overall central love story.
How much of the series is fact, and how much is simply fiction? Read the fact-checks on just how accurate Bridgerton Netflix Series is below. It’s a history lesson. Of course, that raises a question. Does Julia Quinn write historically accurate novels, or does she allow a bit of freedom in her storytelling?
The point was to take that Regency period as a foundation, and not betray it in any way, but we didn’t want to make it a history lesson.’ So, how much of the series is fact, and how much is simply fiction? Here FEMAIL fact-checks just how accurate Bridgerton really is…
Source: How much of Netflix’s Regency romp Bridgerton is historically accurate? | Daily Mail Online
I read an interesting complaint the other day in a group on Facebook for historical fiction lovers. They complained that far too many historical romance books were invading the bestseller list, making it difficult for them to find books. Naturally, I jumped on the bandwagon to explain how publishers and authors choose categories and keywords when uploading a book for sale. I don’t know that it helped any, because the complaints kept coming.
Frankly, I will admit when I look at the bestselling list for historical romance, I get confused. There are plenty of category crossovers as well, causing readers to sift through the top one hundred. As a result, I occasionally read nasty reviews when a reader who expected a certain genre gets a miss-match instead.
What is the difference between the two genres? Historical romance is a sub-genre of romance and is set in a time period set before 1950 (per Romance Writers of America. It used to be World War 2, but time marches on). I’m going to borrow from the Romance Writers of America website the romance definition. “Romance novels should have a central love story, where the main plot revolves around individuals falling in love and struggling to make it work. It should have an emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending.”
The definition of historical fiction, which is a sub-genre of literature, is set in the past and “characterized chiefly by an imaginative reconstruction of historical events and personages,” according to the dictionary. Of course, those personages can experience romance too, but it’s not the central story. The Historical Novel Society has a rather lengthy article on what defines the genre.
As a writer myself, I can say that I have fallen into the trap of cross categorization. Some historical fiction novels may have romantic elements, so does that make them historical romance or historical fiction? If it doesn’t follow the rule for a happy ending, reviewers will definitely balk and complain it was not historical romance. If your lover gets beheaded at the end, it’s definitely historical fiction.
There are a few good examples of crossing genre lines taking a look at today’s bestseller lists. What the Wind Knows is a good example that is currently in the top selling-categories of historical Irish fiction, cultural heritage fiction, and twentieth-century historical romance. It’s a time-travel trope, heavily laden with historical fiction, with some romance. Diana Gabaldon has repeatedly stated that Outlander is not a historical romance when it clearly stays in the top one hundred best sellers of that category. It currently holds a spot on the bestseller list for historical fiction too. Of course, both books have romantic elements, but they are more clearly historical fiction time-travel, with romantic elements. I like to write family sagas, but they also have romantic elements. They are not historical romance as defined, and make it difficult to choose the right category.
Checking the current list of best sellers in historical fiction on Amazon, Julia Quinn owns quite a few top spots in that genre, when clearly she writes historical romance. There are a few other obvious historical romance books by known authors on the list. Undoubtedly, that is a result of the historical fiction category being chosen by the publisher or author during the book release.
Is there a solution? Not really. As long as Amazon gives publishers and independent authors the ability to choose two categories, the problem will persist. Otherwise, you will continue to find crossover in both lists, including a few sagas, paranormal, and non-historical romance related books.
Of course, if you’re looking for a true historical romance, you can always stick to the titles with a duke, earl, marquess, or other English-titled aristocrats who look like a rogue on the cover. The history between the pages may not be exactly correct (which brings up another subject altogether), but the romance is hot and steamy with a happily-ever-after ending.
Good luck with your searches!
So my recommendation to you: If you have read the books, try NOT to compare them. You can’t. They are completely different, except for the names of the characters and a vague sense that you are in a historical England. If you want to see the books brought to life on the screen, simply trade in your paperback for a Kindle.
Source: Bridgerton on Netflix Has Very Little in Common with the Books – Paste
Rakish dukes abound. If you’ve found that your appetite has been whet and more of the same is what you crave, look no further.
Source: The Best Romance Novels to Read After Watching ‘Bridgerton’
Here are some of Vulture’s recommendations. Follow the article to read more or take your pick from below.
I’m afraid this there is going to be another duke resurgence in the genre. As you probably know, I’m a bit tired of the character. Nevertheless, enjoy your rakish men!
