From New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn comes the first novel in the beloved Regency-set world of her charming, powerful Bridgerton family, now a series created by Shonda Rhimes for Netflix.
In the ballrooms and drawing rooms of Regency London, rules abound. From their earliest days, children of aristocrats learn how to address an earl and curtsey before a prince—while other dictates of the ton are unspoken yet universally understood. A proper duke should be imperious and aloof. A young, marriageable lady should be amiable—but not too amiable.
Daphne Bridgerton has always failed at the latter. The fourth of eight siblings in her close-knit family, she has formed friendships with the most eligible young men in London. Everyone likes Daphne for her kindness and wit. But no one truly desires her. She is simply too deuced honest for that, too unwilling to play the romantic games that captivate gentlemen.
Amiability is not a characteristic shared by Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings. Recently returned to England from abroad, he intends to shun both marriage and society—just as his callous father shunned Simon throughout his painful childhood. Yet an encounter with his best friend’s sister offers another option. If Daphne agrees to a fake courtship, Simon can deter the mamas who parade their daughters before him. Daphne, meanwhile, will see her prospects and her reputation soar.
The plan works like a charm—at first. But amid the glittering, gossipy, cut-throat world of London’s elite, there is only one certainty: love ignores every rule.
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“Narrator Rosalyn Landor tells the first Bridgerton story with heaps of heart… She gives Daphne a sweet, melty voice that overcomes Simon’s desire for independence. Simon’s voice is distinctly masculine—firm yet yearning. Landor reproduces the remnants of his childhood stammer with sensitivity…Their opposing, fervent feelings rise with delicious tension throughout her narration. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.”
— AudioFile
“Smart, funny.”
— Time“If you’ve never read romance novels, start here.”
— Washington Post“Rich with author Julia Quinn’s trademark humor and engaging dialogue….[and] an insightful exploration of the impact of childhood trauma and the healing power of love.”
— Amazon.comJulia Quinn is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of several series of historical romance and mystery novels, which are perennial bestsellers. Her popular Bridgerton series is the basis for a Netflix series. There are ten million copies of her books in print in the United States alone, and they have been translated into forty-three languages. She is a graduate of Harvard and Radcliffe College.
Rosalyn Landor is an English-born television, theater, and multiple-award-winning audiobook narrator. Her television credits include Love in a Cold Climate, Rumpole of the Bailey, Sherlock Holmes, and Star Trek: The Next Generation. She has won numerous Audie awards and AudioFile magazine Earphones awards.