The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

The Duke and I, published in 2000, is the iconic Regency romance novel that launched Julia Quinn's internationally bestselling Bridgerton series. Serving as the primary inspiration for the massive Netflix television adaptation, this book introduced the world to the sprawling, fiercely loyal, and loving Bridgerton family.

It is a definitive blueprint for the beloved "fake dating" trope, blending witty Regency drawing-room banter with deep emotional stakes.

Set during the glittering London Social Season of 1813, the story follows Daphne Bridgerton, the eldest daughter of the late Viscount Bridgerton. Daphne is warm, highly intelligent, and universally liked—but she has a major problem on the marriage mart. Because she is so easy to talk to, all the eligible bachelors treat her like a comfortable friend rather than a desirable romantic prospect. Desperate to find a love match like her parents had, she is facing a dismal season of dull, undesirable suitors.

Enter Simon Basset, the newly returned Duke of Hastings. Simon is a devastatingly handsome, wealthy, and deeply cynical rake who has sworn off marriage and children entirely. His vow is driven by an intense hatred for his abusive late father, who rejected Simon as a child due to a severe childhood stutter. Simon wants nothing more than to be left alone by London’s aggressive, matchmaking mothers.