There’s nothing like a new season of Bridgerton to remind us of the sheer joy of a racy romantic tale. The popular Netflix TV series is based on the popular Bridgerton book series by prolific author Julia Quinn, and is worth a read if you haven’t already.
But what do you do when you’ve devoured all eight of Bridgerton’s novels (plus all the prequels, sequels, and spinoffs)? you whip up the next batch of all-new reads, so swoon-worthy of course! Some are contemporary rom-coms, some are “historical,” and the spice level ranges from Honey Barbecue (cute and sweet!) to Carolina Reaper (very, very steamy). for reference, bridgerton is a solid peri-peri on this heat scale, just above the middle.
You are reading: Are the bridgerton books spicy
Whatever your taste, we guarantee you’ll get carried away (and maybe a little nervous) with this spicy batch of books. we think whistledown would approve.
the viscount who loved me by julia quinn
spice score: scotch bonnet, 9 chiles out of 10
If you didn’t eat the entire bridgerton book series right away after the first season aired last year, you’ve got a treat in store! If you’ve just finished (and are feeling frisky) season two, jump right into (bed with?) The Viscount Who Loved Me, Season Two. tells the story of viscount anthony bridgerton’s search for a wife, proceeding with military precision until, so inconveniently, he finds himself in a compromising position with the feisty older sister of his fiancée (charithra chandran explained to us all here). It all unfolds, in our humble opinion, in Bridgerton’s best and definitely sexiest of books. (Author Julia Quinn, by the way, is also releasing a graphic novel, Miss Butterworth and the Mad Baron, this May.)
the lady tempts an heir by harper st. George
See Also: Collecting, Identifying, and Valuing First Edition Dr. Seuss Books
spice score: peri-peri, 7 chiles out of 10
the third on harper st. George’s “Golden Age Heirs” series (which has the kind of heat the similarly named HBO show could do with, honestly), this book picks up on the story of the heir apparent to the Crenshaw steel fortune. It centers on his (classic!) fake engagement to Lady Helena March, a resourceful widow with a secret that means she’s sworn never to marry again, even if her “fiancé” is the most devilishly handsome man ever. known. sign of a night of passion on the living room floor, and an unbearable choice…
hook, line and sinker by tessa bailey
spice score: carolina reaper, 11 chiles out of 10
He had us at King Crab Fisherman. A sequel to the equally racy It Happened One Summer, follows Hannah, the creative younger sister of the influential protagonist of the first installment, in the small seaside town she has just moved to. her new best friend is fox, a flirt so notorious that hannah could never take him seriously as a romantic consideration, especially since he’s so excited to help her win back her love for her work. Little does she know, Fox is nursing her own crush on her, though he’s not quite sure what to make of these ~feelings~. With that setup, any good sailor could tell you that rough waters await, but who doesn’t love a bumpy ride? (sorry!)
sari not saree by sonya singh
See Also: Aldous Huxley – Book Series In Order
spice score: lemon pepper, 3 chiles out of 10
manny dogra has built a business on breakups, running a thriving startup that helps people create text messages or emails that say “it’s not you, it’s me.” However, there is one clear break that she cannot leave behind: her complete lack of connection to the South Asian roots that her parents deliberately severed when they moved to the United States. That’s why she lets a client (a cute and aggressive Sammy Patel) convince her to pretend to be her date to a lavish Indian wedding, in exchange for immersing herself in the culture she longs to know more about. . catch feelings, as long as she is not on the itinerary, it is inevitable…
departure on April 5
marry and meddle by martha waters
spice score: scotch bonnet, 9 chiles out of 10
As charming as they are gripping, Martha Waters’ Regency Romances are an automatic “add to cart” around here. This latest installment introduces two characters you may recognize from the first books: the scandalous aristocrat Julian Belfy and Lady Emily, who has been forced to entertain an obnoxious toad in order to pay off her father’s gambling debts. the pair come together in one of the genre’s biggest stunts, the marriage of convenience that ends (conveniently!) between two people with off-the-chart chemistry. I love that for them, and for us!
departure on April 5
weather girl by rachel lynn solomon
spice score: fresh jalapeños, 8 chiles out of 10
If the parent trap was set on a local TV station, and the twins were a weatherman and a sports reporter trying to reconcile their feuding bosses who were once a couple, you’d get this delightful read. he somehow manages to tenderly deal with mental health challenges while slowly building up enough sexual tension to fuel a mid-July thunderstorm. oh, and even though it’s full of mischief galore, they send gifts and pretend they’re from the ex; the usual: no one tries to pull off a dodgy British accent (sorry, lilo).
out now.
india holton league of gentile witches
See Also: Collecting, Identifying, and Valuing First Edition Dr. Seuss Books
spice score: peri-peri, 7 chiles out of 10
there’s a bit of world building you have to get into here, for example it’s set in victorian london where the pirate “ships” are actually flying houses, and the witches must hide their magic behind a veneer of bourgeois respectability. once you get on board, this is one sexy fantasy (in both senses of the word). Hello, rakish Irish pirate who accidentally kidnaps Charlotte, a prominent witch, while both are searching for a long-lost amulet that will bestow untold blessings on its owner…
clever sheldon feels great for taj mccoy
spice score: lemon and pepper, 3 chiles out of 10
ah, the old “sexy contractor” trope. This big-hearted book turns that on its head in the best possible (but still very swooning) way, when Sheldon discovers that the renovations he’s doing on his house are the least significant part of the total life overhaul he’s undergoing. has embarked since a brutal breakup. It’s very much a story of enemies to lovers, so awkward when the stranger you insult shows up the next day to demonstrate your cooking, but it’s also a reminder that the most epic love story can be the one with you. same. alexa, play “greatest love of all” by whitney houston.
tessa hadley free love
spice score: chili jam, 4 peppers out of 10
For a gripping read that the literary establishment takes a little more seriously (a conversation for another day), pick up this zadie smith-approved novel about a suburban housewife who fears she’s no longer attractive and embarks on a an affair with a twentysomething. that he fancies himself a counterculture rebel, despite having wealthy parents and a private school education. the prose is polished to perfection, and the sensuality on point. Plus, the book, set in 1960s London, has some of the best clothing descriptions you’ll ever read.
something fabulous by alexis hall
spice score: honey barbecue, 1 chili out of 10
a regency romp with a refreshing twist! Meet Valentine Layton, the Duke of Malvern, and Bonaventure Tarleton, two guys cleverly (and raunchily) together. What begins as a mission to rescue Bonny’s twin Arabella (and Valentine’s arranged marriage friend) turns into an opportunity for the two men, polar opposites in every way, to spend quality time together. and realize that there could be more to their antagonistic dynamic than they’ve ever dared to admit.
See Also: LGBTQ Books & Links — Unmarried Equality