The show was also a great blessing for romance lovers.
But what it will change, and who will benefit, is a story yet to be written.
Uncertain times made everyone a romantic
“Love, sex and relationships are universally compelling themes,” says Dare.
It is also profitable. An Avon spokesman, the printmaker who publishes the ‘Bridgerton’ novels, told CNN that sales of the original eight ‘Bridgerton’ books’ have increased exponentially since the show’s premiere. ‘
It is no surprise that such ultra-romantic, ultra-sensual things are at the top of bestseller lists and break streaming records. In reality, it’s just business as usual.
“The past year has been so difficult for everyone. Together we have needed a great deal of joy,” says Dare. “If the world can agree on nothing else, at least 63 million households can celebrate the Duke of Hastings’ perfectly curved eyebrow.”
“Bridgerton” Can Call New Romance Readers
Despite being a thriving and evolving genre, outsiders often view romance novels with contempt. Every time a series like “Bridgerton” gets a cultural foothold, some of the stigma falls away. The effect could be a win-win, attracting more readers to the romance, and encouraging longtime fans, who may have hidden their passion, to share more about the genre they love.
Exactly why novelists and readers persist with these assumptions is a thorny question.
“Sexism,” Tessa Dare says simply. “Society believes that everything produced by women for women is inferior, and there has always been an assumption that romance is frivolous, poorly written and that it is not very attractive to men. Bridgerton’s success proves that all the assumptions are untrue. “
That kind of value can’t be marked with a dollar sign, and when social media comes on fire with people joking and sharing their bad romance opinions, it’s not just a boost. It reveals the true impact of the genre and invites others to glow in the soft glow.
New eyes on romance put inclusivity in the spotlight
While ‘Bridgerton’, the TV series, offers an inclusive experience for its fans, this level of representation does not convey as it does now in the romantic world. Although there are sparks of new interest in the industry, writers are hopeful that the success of the program will encourage readers to explore a wider range of romantic stories.
“We welcome new readers via ‘Bridgerton’ with open arms,” says Suliekha Snyder. “But the sticking point with the ‘rising tide lifts all boats’ philosophy is that sometimes it only lifts certain boats.”
“Will these new people just move to a white romance from the Regency era? Or will the opening of a Julia Quinn book and the realization that the Duke is actually white make them look for more diverse and inclusive books, and thus the net enlarges? “
When Snyder, who is a South Asian, was writing novels, she noticed many books in the genre fetishized and other South Asian people. This led her to write stories with characters from the South Asian heritage.
Snyder warns against viewing this level of “diversity” in publication as a kind of option, or a way to fill a special bookshelf in the store. This, she points out, is simply reality.
“Diversity and inclusivity is not just an educational tool. It’s our lives. It’s how we love,” she says. “And that’s part of the struggle we’ve had over the last few decades. Just to remind people of that. [authors of color] exists and is real and that our books have just as much mass appeal as a white author. ‘
Speaking of mass appeal, ‘Bridgerton’, the TV show also raised tantalizing questions about the popularity of inclusive media.
“I don’t think about whether the show helps promote the diversity conversation in romance,” says author Alyssa Cole. “But whether it was the other way around”
In short, it is a common assumption that stories like these are not sold.
But, according to Cole, the truth outlined by Bridgerton’s success, and the future it can provoke, is more promising.
“At this point, we’ve seen several romantic adaptations with black characters and color characters added – would these shows have been so successful without a diverse cast?” she asked. “And if diversity is an integral part of the success of a processing, why not adapt more books of color authors?”
In romance, everyone deserves a happy ending
If there is really going to be a “Bridgerton effect” in the romance industry, it is clear that it needs to be one that boosts writers and readers of all backgrounds. After all, the unifying theme of romance – whether you’re werewolves, cyberex, Scots in chills or women in residence – is that everyone deserves a happy ending.
“I think this is where the importance of inclusion is, to have this space to navigate safely through our identity, while knowing that it will be happy,” Snyder says. “Strange readers, color readers … when we are reflected on the pages, we see how happy we are always normalized. And that’s radical. It should not be. It should be everyday. But unfortunately we are not there yet. . ‘
These are the things you need to remember the next time someone dismisses romance as frivolous. Yes, there is sex. Yes, there is fun and escape. And those things guarantee no excuse.
But romance means more to people than that.
“It’s very feminist. In many romances the woman saves herself. It’s so pro-consent – it’s our fantasy that we want to be treated with respect,” says Roni Loren.
Cole says another big attraction is trust. “Characters are often guarded because of trauma in the past. Part of their story is to trust someone and that it is not a mistake,” she says.
“One of the biggest fantasies is that you can show yourself – yourself, including the bad things – to a partner or friend, and trust that they will still love you. In a romance, that trust is always rewarded at the end. “
When readers open a romantic novel, they trust that something of themselves will be reflected on those pages, no matter who they are, who they love or how they live.
And if a very sexy, very profitable Netflix show can pave the way for telling more of these stories, then bring love.