Shona Rhimes, the mastermind behind Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, and How to Get Away with Murder has recently signed a multi-year deal with Netflix for her to set up eight original series– including one based on Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton Series.
The Bridgerton series is about eight siblings in 19th century England: Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory, and Hyacinth.
They love each other fiercely, even though they bicker like all siblings do. Each book features a different sibling as they find love.
The novels all have a steamy romance with a dash of humor and everything that comes along with having siblings. Julia Quinn shows Regency England through a feminist light, featuring smart and strong heroines and stable, healthy relationships.
There are quite a few romance novelists out there proving that fun and sexy need not be mutually exclusive from smart, nuanced, and empowering — and of those, it’s safe to say that Julia Quinn reigns supreme.– Gina Mei, Shondaland
The Bridgertons’ popularity shows how much romance readers love Quinn’s nuanced and empowering romance novels. Originally supposed to be a trilogy, Quinn expanded the series into eight novels because of their popularity. Still, readers weren’t satisfied, wanting to know more about what happened to the characters after the series ended, inspiring Quinn to write second epilogues for the main characters to update readers on their lives.
As a huge fan of smart romances with healthy relationships, I’m really excited about The Bridgertons being chosen for a Netflix show, especially when there are very few shows based on traditional romances. Quinn also donates a portion of royalties from The Duke and I, the first in the series, to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, making it a “Read for a Better World” book.
Shonda Rhimes has put Scandal writer Chris Van Duesen in charge of adapting the books for Netflix. This is one of eight Shondaland Netflix originals coming soon.
Want to read the books ahead of time? Buy The Duke and I at your local bookstore today.
Disclaimer: This is an affiliate link, meaning I get a small commission if you buy the book, but at no extra cost to you. I donate half of my affiliate revenue to Trees for the Future, which you can read about here.
Update July 14th, 2019: Julie Andrews has been casted to voice Lady Whistledown.
Netflix has announced that Bridgerton will use color-blind casting.
Sources:
https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/a22518910/julia-quinn-bridgerton-netflix-series/
https://www.shondaland.com/inspire/books/a12259463/romance-novels-julia-quinn-interview/
http://juliaquinn.com/series/bridgertons/