Unsurprisingly, some of the best romantic period dramas have made their way to the screen by way of books. And while we love all the TV series on this list, books add a certain element the screen can never touch. If you find yourself hankering for a little more depth and detail once you've finished binging these period dramas, you'd be well advised to check out the books they're based on. So, without further ado, here are 8 romantic period dramas to watch and/or read!
Netflix's new Regency-era romance series was the show to watch when it premiered last Christmas. With a viewership of 82 million households, it has become the most-watched series on Netflix. Based on the bestselling novels by Julia Quinn, Bridgerton follows Daphne Bridgerton who brokers a deal with Simon Bassett, the Duke of Hastings, to pretend to be engaged during the courting season. Believing his influence will help Daphne find her a respectable man to marry, she soon finds herself falling for the man who doesn’t intend to make their fake arrangement a reality.
When people think of romantic period dramas, it’s hard not to think of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. It is a classic work that has been adapted many times, but the 1995 BBC miniseries is still considered one of the best. That famous scene of Mr. Darcy (aka Colin Firth) emerging, drenched from a lake is still talked about today and made Firth a household name. With only six episodes, this is a perfect way to fill a day as you watch Elizabeth Bennett try to charm the surly Darcy through idyllic British stately homes and gardens.
Already watched Pride and Prejudice but still looking to get your Jane Austen fix? Sanditon is another period drama based on Austen's work (namely her final and unfinished novel). Set during the Regency era, it tells the story of the spirited and unconventional Charlotte Heywood and her spiky relationship with the humorous and charming Sidney Parker. When a chance accident transports her from her rural hometown of Willingden to the would-be coastal resort of the eponymous title, it exposes Charlotte to the intrigues and dalliances of a seaside town on the make, and the characters whose fortunes depend on its commercial success.
Outlander is about as romantic and steamy as one show can get. Based on Diana Gabaldon’s sci-fi historical romance novel of the same name, it follows Claire Randall, an English nurse from 1946, who mysteriously time-travels to Scotland circa 1743. There she finds adventure, war and romance with the dashing Highland warrior Jamie Fraser. Only problem? Claire is already a married woman. As for her devoted husband? Still firmly planted in 1946. Thus, she is torn between the world and man she’s growing to love and the magic and duty that pulls her back toward her old life.
Much like Outlander, Poldark is a steamy love story with a historical bent. The television show is based on a 12-book series written by Winston Graham. The series follows British Army officer Ross Poldark, who comes back to his small seaside town of Cornwall after fighting on the losing side of the Revolutionary War only to find his life and affairs in ruins. But when he hires a scullery maid, Demelza, he discovers an unexpected connection and a second chance at love.
Based on the book by Elizabeth Gaskell, this gritty four-part series depicts the life of a young woman named Margaret Hale, who’s forced to leave behind a peaceful middle-class upbringing in southern England when her clergyman father abandons the Church of England. After they move to a northern industrial town, she struggles to adjust to her surroundings — and isn’t aided by the fact that she may be falling in love with local cotton-mill owner John Thornton, who seems to hate everything she and her family stand for. Watch for the legendary kiss (dubbed "The Kiss" by fans), considered one of TV's most swoon-worthy scenes.
Like the show, the novel Victoria by Daisy Goodwin chronicles the early life of England's long-reigning Queen, who ascended the throne at just 18 years old. Honing in Queen Victoria's personal and political life, both the novel and the series depict the monarch as a surprisingly lively and passionate young woman. Between Victoria's complicated relationship with Prime Minister Lord Melbourne, and her storied romance with Prince Albert, Goodwin proves Victoria was so much more than a dowdy old Queen in black.
Doctor Thorne is a three-part series adaptation of Anthony Trollope's classic 1858 novel of the same name (scripted by Downton creator Julian Fellowes) that showcases the dynamics between the homely Doctor Thorne and wealthy Gresham families. As the resident town doctor, Thorne lives peacefully with his niece, Mary, but tension begins to quickly unravel when it’s revealed the Greshams have lost almost their entire fortune. While the Greshams’ son wants to marry his lifelong friend Mary despite her lack of funds, his mother will have none of it, and instead tries to arrange a union between him and an American heiress.