8 Books To Read If You Like ‘Bridgerton’... And Magic

As a lifelong reader of historical romance novels, it has been very fun to watch the entire world discover Bridgerton and the joys of bonnets, ridiculously strict and frankly kinda arbitrary manners, heavy breathing in petticoats, and all the fun shenanigans you can get up to in carriages. There is just something so satisfying about watching what happens when passion meets strict social rules! One minute you’re doing a circuit of the ballroom, the next you’re getting caught in the garden with your dress around your waist and you’re now engaged.

But there’s another layer of possibility here! And that’s adding magic. Two great tastes that go great together, if you ask me.

Call it the lasting influence of the excellent Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. Or maybe it’s just the simple truth that so many of us historical romance fans are total nerds, and we also love wizards. But there’s a whole sub-subgenre of books with that historical romance vibe, plus sorcerers and/or werewolves and/or dealings with the fae. So if you’re looking for something that exists in the middle ground between ACOTAR and Bridgerton, look no further. And if I missed anything... email me, please, I’m always looking for recommendations.

Half A Soul, by Olivia Atwater

I could go on for, conservatively, 5,000 words about how much I love this book, which has a hint of Howl’s Moving Castle, a dash of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, and a fair amount of Jane Austen. Our protagonist, Dora, was cursed by a faerie as a child and ever since, she’s lived with half a soul, hence the title, which means that she experiences emotions… differently than other people. (People around her assume she doesn’t have them; it’s more that she just processes them differently.) She gets dragged to London for her beloved cousin’s society debut, where Dora meets Elias Wilder, Lord Sorcier of Britain, who is very grumpy and very handsome.

Shades Of Milk And Honey, by Mary Robinette Kowal

This lovely book imagines the world of Pride & Prejudice if a smidge of magical ability was necessary to be a well-rounded young lady, alongside embroidery and painting and just-good-enough piano. In this one, we follow Jane, an “old maid” (at the ripe age of 28), as she stumbles into romance. It’s sweet and it’s gentle and it’s maybe just what you need.

A Marvelous Light, by Freya Marske

Ok, this one is set in the Edwardian era, not the Regency era. But it has many of the pleasures of a Regency — country house parties, terrible families that you’re kinda stuck with due to the way inheritance laws work, and characters absolutely seething with feelings behind a polite public face. It follows Robin Blyth (goodhearted, bit of a crew himbo but he has great taste in fabrics and wallpaper), who accidentally learns all about Britain’s magical subculture when he’s given an obscure government job. He teams up with Edwin Courcey, who’s from an old magical family that doesn’t treat him very well, who does not want to be stuck with Robin... until of course, he changes his mind. Chaos and romance ensue. Even better, it’s part of a trilogy, so there’s more after you’re done.

Witchmark, by C.L. Polk

Ok, now I’m really cheating, because this one isn’t even set in the Edwardian era — it’s set in a magical world, but it’s based on Great Britain in the wake of World War I. But I dare you to stop me! (Seriously, though, just trust me; there’s a whole Regency vibe that exports nicely to other time periods and fantastical lands.) The story follows Miles Singer, a doctor with magical ability in a world where that’s downright dangerous as he attempts to solve a murder. Yes, there’s a handsome man mixed up in there. And it’s worth mentioning that if you want to keep it a bit more Bridgerton, Polk also has a properly Regency-set book, The Midnight Bargain.

Mortal Follies, by Alexis Hall

Alexis Hall, author of the very popular and beloved Boyfriend Material, also writes delightful Regencies (I love Bonny from Something Fabulous SO MUCH). But he also also writes magical Regencies. Mortal Follies follows Miss Maelys Mitchelmore as she attempts to rid herself of a curse, with the help of the somewhat Bryonic Lady Georgiana Landrake. (Who is maybe a witch.) And at the risk of sounding totally shameless... how could you resist that cover? Read it now before the sequel, Confounding Oaths, comes out in August.

Soulless by Gail Carriger

Every time I read the description of this book, I laugh: “Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.” Not Italian and dead! The first installment in Carriger’s Parasol Protectorate series, Soulless is set in a Steampunk alternate Victorian universe. I first read it years ago and periodically reread it when I really need a good laugh. Alexia is a delight, her love interest is a sexy and exasperated werewolf, and the cast of surrounding characters is excellent. What’s not to love? Plus, it’s on Kindle Unlimited (iykyk).

Sorcerer to the Crown, by Zen Cho

Once again we find ourselves watching a royal sorcerer — in this case, one Zacharias Wythe — attempting to unravel mysterious magical problems in the company of Prunella Gentlewoman, herself a talented magician. Besides the adventure, this one also digs into questions of race, gender, and institutional power.

Sorcery and Cecelia, Or, The Enchanted Chocolate Pot, by Patricia C. Wrede and Cornelia Stevermer

Have I read this one? No. But it’s by my kid’s new favorite author, Patricia C. Wrede, written in conjunction with her friend Cornelia Stevermer. It’s about a pair of cousins, named Kate and Cecelia, and it sounds like it has many of the same beats that make the Enchanted Forest Chronicles so beloved: “At the initiation of a powerful magician into the Royal College of Wizards, Kate finds herself alone with a mysterious witch who offers her a sip from a chocolate pot. When Kate refuses the drink, the chocolate burns through her dress and the witch disappears. It seems that strange forces are convening to destroy a beloved wizard, and only Kate and Cecelia can stop the plot.” I’m so there.