Julia Quinn on Her 'Bridgerton' Books and the Smash Netflix Series

The Book Review

The New York Times

Books, Arts

4.0 • 3.9K Ratings

🗓️ 13 February 2026

⏱️ 43 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Julia Quinn published "The Duke and I," the first book in the 'Bridgerton' series, in 2000. Seven books and a quarter century later, its adaptation remains one of the biggest series ever to air on Netflix. Quinn spoke to host Gilbert Cruz about the show, her books and how the romance genre has changed over several decades.

Transcript

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0:00.0	I'm Gilbert Cruz, editor of the New York Times book review, and this is the book review podcast.
0:11.8	Bridgerton, one of the biggest hits in Netflix history, is back for another season, based on the series of hit romance novel set in early 1800s England
0:21.3	and revolving around the love lives of the titular family,
0:25.4	part one of the show's fourth season debuted a few weeks ago.
0:28.4	The final four episodes are going to debut on the streaming platform at the end of February.
0:33.7	Joining me on this week's episode is Julia Quinn,
0:37.2	the person who started this all, author of the books from which the show is adapted
0:41.5	her bridgerton series kicked off in the year 2000 with the duke and i julia welcome to the book review
0:48.6	podcast thank you for having me this is a dream come true i I feel the same way. Thanks for being here.
0:58.7	Our conversation, this conversation is going to publish over Valentine's Day weekend.
1:05.0	Okay. So it actually feels incredibly appropriate to be speaking with you. How do you feel about this holiday as someone whose job it is to write about romance? I think it's a nice holiday, but I do remember very distinctly the first Valentine's Day
1:17.3	I had where I was part of a couple and thinking just like, finally!
1:24.9	And so I get it what it's like for everyone else. So it is kind of a
1:31.1	cruel holiday because we're not all part of couples. And so I really love that we now have
1:36.4	this Galentine's Day thing too. I don't know what there is for the guys, but there's nothing.
1:41.0	I'm sorry. My husband, I think, is more romantic than I am in terms of really good gestures and gifts and stuff. So Valentine's Day has been very, very good to me.
1:50.3	You know, you're putting all your romantic flourishes in your work. And so he's like, don't worry, honey, I got it. Yes, yes.
1:58.1	We're talking because, as I said, there's a new season of Bridgeton, this TV phenomenon.
2:04.6	It's a big thing for everyone who watches the show, but I also have to imagine it's a big thing for you.
2:10.0	And I'm curious what it's like for you when a new season drops.
2:14.3	They basically come out every two years.
2:16.5	And I'm wondering, do you have to, like, gear up every time, like, okay, new season drops. They've basically come out every two years. And I'm wondering, do you have to like gear up every time like, okay, new season's coming. And now as the author of these books,
	...

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