30+ Bridgerton Readalikes to Steam Up All Your Nights

by Julia Quinn (The Bevelstokes#1)

For Miranda, it all starts with a childhood crush on her best friend’s eldest brother Turner when he’s kind to her. Miranda is eminently more sensible than her friend Olivia, EXCEPT when it comes to Turner. Turner, after a miserable marriage, is an emotional wrecking ball especially when it comes to Miranda. A complicated love story that involves library makeout sessions, society balls, a house party, a convenient, fully furnished hunting lodge in a rainstorm and several trips to Scotland. It would all be much less complicated if they just talked to each other(!)—but where’s the fun in that? Like the Bridgerton series, it showcases bickering siblings and sparkling dialogue.

by Diana Quincy (Clandestine Affairs #1)

series by Courtney Milan

Journey with us to the 1860s, where Courtney Milan’s steamy The Brothers Sinister series takes place. Engaging, full of very delightful love scenes, Milan’s books are some of the best I’ve read, and she presents a very multicultural United Kingdom. Start with The Duchess War, and if you’re craving more, immediately request The Heiress Effect, The Countess Conspiracy, and The Suffragette Scandal. Oh, and don’t worry—none of the brothers are truly sinister, they’re just left-handed.  —Kate Fais

by Vanessa Riley (Rogues and Remarkable Women #1)

A groundbreaking, new series featuring West Indian heiresses fighting for their rights and place in society. After questioning her husband’s mysterious suicide, Patience Jordan gets sent to Bedlam and loses everything including her son, who is sent to live with a guardian—wounded military hero The Duke of Repington. Patience gets herself hired on as her son’s nanny and romance ensues. Formidable, fierce heroine? Check! Repressed, rogue hero who’s really just a bowl of mush? Check! Super adorable baby? Check and check! 

by Eloisa James (The Wildes of Lindlow Castle #1)

Lord Alaric Wilde, the son of the Duke of Lindlow, is the most celebrated, notorious man in England. Famous for his dangerous adventures, rakish good looks and the plenty of love affairs attached to him. When he returns home, he finds mobs of amorous women following him around and erroneous stories about him filling up the broadsheets. When he escapes to the family castle he finds the very private, very bookish and very witty Miss Willa Ffynche, the only woman immune to his celebrity and charm. The book is pure delight full of bawdy humor and swoon worthy as Alaric tries to capture the attention of the reluctant Willa. James has many, many series under her belt including Fairy Tales, Desperate Duchesses and Essex Sisters. Try When Beauty Tamed the Beast, A Duke of Her Own and Pleasure for Pleasure.

by Evie Dunmore (A League of Extraordinary Women #2)

Let’s travel to 1870s England, where Lady Lucie and her band of Oxford suffragettes are about to purchase their own publishing company when her old nemesis, Lord Tristan Ballentine, appears and threatens all their plans. Between Lucie’s fierce determination and Tristan’s irresistible words and smouldering looks a battle of wills ensues and a scandalous bargain is struck—a publishing house for one night in her bed. One of my favorites of 2020, Lucie and Tristan are so perfectly matched and the romance is A+++++. You should also read the first book in the series, Bringing Down the Duke.

by Jennifer Ashley (Mackenzies & McBrides #1)

This book broke ground when it debuted in 2011 by featuring an autistic hero. Ian Mackenzie was thought to be “mad” by his parents and was locked up in an asylum when he was only a child. When they die and his eldest brother inherits the title, the first thing he does is retrieve Ian and have him come live with the family. Now Ian is just seen as “eccentric” and slightly mad with all his obsessions and compulsions—most women in society avoid him but not Beth. Beth, new to high society, finds Ian to be kind and sweet and his single touch makes her shiver with anticipation. This is one of the most romantic couples in the genre —swoon —and it has an incredibly hot scene in a carriage to look forward to! If you love family sagas, the Mackenzies argue and fight and protect each other fiercely through 12 more books! Enjoy!

by Martha Waters

Are you looking for: Witty banter? Engaging romantic comedy that’ll have you cheering on the characters? Screwball comedy? Check check check. Martha Waters is an author to WATCH. Her newest book, To Love and to Loathe is due to publish in April, and I gobbled up the advance reader copy. This title, and her debut, To Have and To Hoax, is quite decidedly set during the Regency period, and if you’re anything like me, you’ll be texting the friend who recommended the title to you just yelling about how much you love it. —Kate Fais

by Kerrigan Byrne (Devil You Know #2)

Thanks to a complicated backstory, Cecilia Teague now lives a double life as an educated, proper lady while also running the most notorious, London gaming establishment. This puts her in the direct sights of the handsome and imposing Scot, Lord Chief Justice of the High Court, Cassius Gerard Ramsay, who is set on investigating the owner of said gambling den. What are the odds this kind hearted, fiercely independent female breaks through this grumpy Scot’s defenses and turns his ruthless, ambitious heart to mush? I’d take those odds.

by Ella Quinn (The Lords of London #1)

Lady Adeline Wivenly had no intention of complicating her first London season or going anywhere near one of society’s most infamous rakes, Lord Frederick Littleton (aka Fritz). However, when she overhears a plot to trick him into marriage, well, not even a rogue deserves that kind of deception. Incorrigible flirt Lord Fritz has spent enough time around the wrong women to know when he’s met the right one—if only Adeline would agree! A delightful, quick charmer of a read.

series by Lauren Willig

Set during the Napoleonic Wars, this series starts with The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, as two English cousins, Amy and Jane, arrive in Paris in 1803 to take in Parisian society such as it is, with one of them having aspirations to join the British spy network of the Purple Genetian. Instead of British spies though they meet the very handsome and very grumpy Lord Richard Selwyck. With the Scarlet Pimpernel as a jumping off point, Willig has created a series of twelve wildly romantic, fun spy adventures for her heroes and heroines (all with lovingly ridiculous flower spy names) that take them from England to France, Ireland to India and finally to Spain and Portugal. There’s even a hilarious and sweet Christmas installment The Mischief of the Mistletoe. In between all the spy stories, is a contemporary rom-com featuring a modern descendant of one of the spies and the American PhD student researching the Carnation spy network. FYI: the series should definitely be read in order!

by Darcie Wilde (Regency Makeover #1)

Who doesn’t love a great makeover montage? This fast-paced novel had me gasping for breath because I was alternating between laughing and swooning. Several young ladies, all wallflowers, make a pact to find true love—and do they find it, sometimes, behind a curtain!   —Kate Fais

by Cecilia Grant (The Blackshear Family #1)

Newly widowed and desperately trying to protect the estate and servants, the nearby village and her husband’s legacy from the machinations of her malevolent brother-in-law, young Martha Russell comes up with a scandalous and daring plan. If she can prove she is carrying her late husband’s heir then all will be saved. She contracts with the local rake and London exile, Theo Mirkwood, for a month of super secret illicit encounters—for a fee. However, Theo has his own idea of how things should go and soon their bargain of convenience escalates to a battle of wills in the bedroom and beyond. A bit more intense than the usual Regency fare, the Blackshear family series is a great escapist romance full of sexy encounters. You will soon be reaching for the other books in the series: A Gentleman Undone and A Woman Entangled. It’s also worth looking for the Christmas-set prequel novella featuring the eldest brother, A Christmas Gone Perfectly Wrong. 

by Eva Leigh (Union of Rakes series #2)

On social media, the author described the Duke as looking like actor Theo James (Sanditon) and being an alpha everywhere but the bedroom where he’s a submissive. I was like “SOLD!”. The Duke is brought to his knees by a smart, determined farm girl masquerading as a Lady to attract business investors. Add in hot bedroom action and we have a winner ladies and gentlemen! It’s a Cinderella scheme with a fun, sexy twist. Also, read #1 My Fake Rake —one of my faves of 2019!

by Sophie Jordan (Rogue Files #4)

Lady Clara tells one lie to get out of an impulsive engagement and suddenly her reputation is in ruins. She flees to Scotland prepared to live the rest of her life as a disgraced spinster but then, of course, she claps eyes on the handsome and powerful Laird Hunt MacLarin and changes her mind—I mean who wouldn’t? Except the handsome Scottish Laird has a curse on his family—which could certainly threaten their future happiness. A romance full smouldering attraction, great humor and an angsty curse! Once you finish you’ll want to immediately put holds on the other series' books: While the Duke Was Sleeping, The Scandal of it All, The Duke Buys a Bride and The Duke’s Stolen Bride.

by Loretta Chase (Difficult Dukes #2)

See if this sounds familiar...Cassandra Pomfret is opinionated, blunt and way too honest for most of society including her exasperated father who, hoping marriage will mend her ways, declares, his younger daughter cannot marry until Cassandra does. Enter the angel-faced rogue, the Duke of Ashmont, who seems to go blithely through life leaving only mayhem and destruction in his wake. Together they just might be each other’s perfect match—if they don’t kill each other first. If you guessed Taming of the Shrew you win! This charming adaptation comes with fun, likeable characters, oodles of sexual tension and a large dose of snark. Also read, The Duke in Shining Armor.

by Bethany Bennett (Misfits of Mayfair #1)

Lady Charlotte Wentworth spent her first season the traditional way, being sweet and biddable and all it got her was mockery, derision and on the brink of ruin. So the second time, she’s taking charge of her future. When an unwanted suitor tries to manipulate her into an engagement she decides to create a fake engagement to someone else. Enter the very broody, very Scottish, Ethan,  Lord Amesbury—not exactly a friend—who owes Charlotte a BIG favor. What you may not know about me is that fake romance is probably my favorite romantic trope of all time. It’s always a winner! This has great romantic leads, plenty of humor and a fun collection of misfit characters surrounding them—a real gem.

by Christina Britton (Isle of Synne #1)

After being left at the altar for the third time—yes,  jilted THREE times—Lenora Hartley thinks she might be cursed. She heads out of town to get away from her matchmaking papa and all the mean girl gossip and lands on the isolated and picturesque Isle of Synne, off Britain’s northwest coast. Peter Ashford, returns from America, the presumptive heir to a ducal title but with only thing on his mind—revenge against the current Duke who he thinks helped cause his mother’s death. It’s opposites attract as these two angst-ridden souls start their march towards their HEA. A steamy, emotional roller coaster peppered with Norse mythology and gorgeous scenery.

by Lorraine Heath (Sins for All Seasons, #5)

Fancy Trewlove’s mother's last wish is for her to move up in the world with a noble marriage. She has the education, the perfect manners and her own bookshop—if only some gentleman could overlook her scandalous lineage. For the widowed and reclusive Matthew Sommersby, Earl of Rosemont, the bookshop is his only refuge from the hordes of marriage minded women. There, he can just be plain Matthew with no expectations. Fancy finds herself drawn to the handsome commoner. Oh so many secrets and familial expectations get in the way! The latest in the Trewlove family series. You might want to backtrack to #1, Beyond Scandal and Desire.

by Vivienne Lorret (Mating Habits of Scoundrels #2)

Jane Pickerington only went to the brothel for research for her academic study of scoundrels. She certainly never meant to start a brawl or even rescue the handsome, muscled rake Raven. But, a girl does what she must. When it turns out the stranger also turns out to be a long lost Earl she takes him under her wing to teach him all the proper social niceties. The sexual tension just builds and builds. Raven has a way making the logical and academic Jane lose her train of thought. Romance and mystery combine to make this a page turning read. First in the series is Lord Holt Takes a Bride.

by Amanda Quick

The widowed, autocratic, grumpy Viscount of Ravenwood is in need of a wife and after his miserable first marriage he’s looking for a bride that is more malleable and who will obey his every dictate. Twenty-three year old Sophy is not that bride. She has a mind and plans of her own and a whole shelf full of feminist texts such as Mary Wollstonecraft’s A Vindication of the Rights of Women. Little does the Viscount realize that his ordered world is about to be completely upended. Throw in some blackmail, dueling and a mystery and you have one my all time favorites that I reread every year. Amanda Quick (aka Jayne Ann Krentz) is a romance legend and this romance of opposites is one of her best.

series by Catherine Coulter

Catherine Coulter is pretty popular with her FBI thrillers, but did you know that she also is an excellent Regency romance novelist? Coulter was actually my introduction to romance, and turned me from the teenager who blushed crimson red when shelving romance novels (I worked in a library) to the adult who will now yell about romance novels to anyone she meets (sorry, not sorry). The Sherbrooke Brides series is perfect if you want to fall in love with a family, and see all the siblings marry off and have their own happily ever afters. * Plus: cat racing. CAT RACING. I still don’t know if it was a real sporting event during the Regency period, but I like to live in a world where that was a possibility.* Starts with The Sherbrooke Bride set in the Regency period and ends in 1831 with The Prince of Ravenscar. —Kate Fais