Love Bridgerton? Here's what to read next

Netflix's new show Bridgerton has captivated the country with its prim and proper social escapades and not-so-proper, very steamy love scenes. It's Jane Austen meets Gossip Girl.

Now, the New York Public Library is hopping on the Bridgerton fever and providing book recommendations for those who crave more period romance. Right now, there are a lot of holds on the Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn, but luckily the library has a list of over 30 book titles that its librarians say are Bridgerton-esque—set in the Regency and Victorian eras but also in Gilded Age New York.

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"We have more sexy, brooding dukes then you will know what to do with (or will you...?), plus a lot of rakes and rogues too—all of whom will ultimately fulfill your every need first, listen to you and validate you (while shirtless!)," Mulberry Street Library Supervising Librarian Anne Rouyer and Young Adult Librarian Kate Fais wrote on NYPL's blog.

Here are 10 of them:

1. "Her Night with the Duke by Diana Quincy" by Courtney Milan
2. "The Duke, the Lady and a Baby" by Vanessa Riley
3. "The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie" by Jennifer Ashley
4. "To Have and to Hoax" by Martha Waters
5. "All Scot and Bothered" by Kerrigan Byrne
6. "The Most Eligible Lord in London" by Ella Quinn
7. "The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever" by Julia Quinn
8. "Wilde in Love" by Eloisa James
9. "A Rogue of One’s Own" by Evie Dunmore
10. "The Bride Behind the Curtain" by Darcie Wilde

You can find the rest here.

Rouyer and Fais say there are some things to keep in mind about the historical romance genre—the genre is officially defined as having a romantic relationship at the center of the plot and a happy/optimistic HEA (happily ever after) at the end. It's not historical fiction. It also reflects the society of the time it is written, so while the romance, character types and tropes are timeless, the plot lines and dialogue are not. Not every romance story will work for everyone.

"Kate and I have gathered our favorites, full of our favorite romantic tropes and archetypes but that doesn’t mean they will be to everyone’s taste nor will the love scene descriptions and heat levels be.... (ahem)," Rouyer wrote. "If a romance isn’t fun for you (because reading romance should be fun!)—move on. There are plenty to choose from on this list."

Most of these titles are available as e-books through SimplyE, but there are also e-audio books (can you imagine listening on your commute?) and hard copies that you can check-out from the NYPL's grab-and-go library locations.

We wish you very happy reading.

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