‘Bridgerton’ resonates amid romance boom, expert explains
Romance fans, rejoice.
“Bridgerton” season four, the hit Netflix series based on Julia Quinn’s best-selling novels, premieres Thursday, Jan. 29.
One of Netflix’s most-streamed shows of all time, the Regency-era drama follows siblings navigating love and marriage in London’s high society. Despite its old world setting and formality, Virginia Tech expert Netta Baker says its emotional language is unmistakably contemporary, making for a “comforting and electric” watch.
Baker, advanced instructor in the Department of English, said the series is part of a broader resurgence of romance across books, television, and online communities. She explores the series’ popularity and how social media communities like BookTok are breathing new life into the genre.
How closely does the Netflix series follow Julia Quinn’s “Bridgerton” books?
Netflix’s "Bridgerton" follows the emotional spine of Julia Quinn’s books more than their literal events. The show understands what the novels feel like – romantic, witty, trope-forward – but it regularly departs from the page in structure, tone, and world-building to suit modern television and Shondaland’s — Shonda Rhimes’s popular TV production company — storytelling priorities. Essentially, Julia Quinn writes romantic comfort reads, and Shondaland adapts them into emotional spectacle with modern resonance.
Can adaptations capture the magic that readers experience?
Yes, but not in the same way and not always. Adaptations succeed when they understand that "the magic" of reading is often emotional, not literal. A TV series or film can’t replicate the individual experiences of reading a novel, but they can recreate the feeling that made readers fall in love.
Why does “Bridgerton” continue to resonate with audiences?
It hits a rare sweet spot where fantasy, emotion, and modern longing intersect, and it does so in a way that feels indulgent rather than escapist. At its core, “Bridgerton” unapologetically centers romantic fulfillment – not as subplot, but as the point. In a media landscape that often sidelines romance or treats it cynically, "Bridgerton" insists that love is transformative, desire is meaningful, and emotional intimacy matters. That affirmation is deeply satisfying, especially for audiences — largely women — who are used to seeing their tastes minimized.
How has BookTok and other social media platforms helped sustain interest in both the show and the book series?
Netflix has long gaps between seasons, and Julia Quinn’s books were written years ago. In a pre-social media era, interest would naturally fade. But BookTok prevents that by recycling emotional moments — first kisses, confessions, betrayals. It reframes those through trends and in doing so, it introduces the story to new readers and viewers out of order.
BookTok, Bookstagram, and other social media platforms normalize loving romance loudly and without shame. They’ve also centered female and queer desire, and they’ve treated emotional investment as a strength, not frivolity. That cultural shift directly benefits “Bridgerton,” which wears its romantic heart on its sleeve. BookTok sustains "Bridgerton" by turning romance into shareable emotion, participatory culture, and ongoing conversation.
About Baker
Netta Baker is an advanced instructor of English at Virginia Tech. Her research passions include political and religious rhetoric, and popular romance. She has worked as both an LSAT writing tutor and an erotic romance ghostwriter. She teaches courses in first-year writing and rhetoric as well as popular romance with a focus on “romantasy” and the BookTok/Bookstagram phenomenon. Read more about her here.
Schedule an interview
To schedule an interview, contact Jenny Boone in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences at jennykb@vt.edu, 540-314-7207, or contact Margaret Ashburn in the media relations office at mkashburn@vt.edu, 540-529-0814.
