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I wasn’t sure how I would feel about reading The Duke and I by Julia Quinn AFTER watching the show, but season one of Bridgerton was surprisingly true to the spirit of the book. There was plot stuff that obviously got cut for time, and the show has a more ensemble focus than the book, but otherwise it was a pretty faithful adaptation (most people know at this point that the same can’t be said for book two/season two). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ There’s a lot to like about this book: there’s a great dynamic between Simon, who has no family, and Daphne’s big, boisterous one. Lady Danbury was, of course, fabulous. There are some swoony moments (He bought her mother flowers 😍) and the initial conflict revolves around the brother’s best friend trope. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Simon has a stutter, which is more at the forefront of his story in the book than in the show — I wish they hadn’t minimized that element of his character. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Justice for Simon! Daphne doesn’t deserve him. I feel like there was a lot of conversation about the scene where Daphne assaults Simon when the first season of the show came out and I don’t have anything to add, really. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I’m pretty conflicted: I enjoyed the book up until that point (like 80% of the way in) but for that reason I wouldn’t recommend it — there are just so many other amazing historical romances out there that I would recommend to someone looking to get into the genre! But I also recognize that the popularity of the show (and books) has brought readers to the genre that might not otherwise have been there. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ CW: ableism, sexual assault, sexual content ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ID: A mass market paperback copy of The Duke and I sits on a white shelf. There’s a triangle of hardwood floor in the background. via Instagram https://instagr.am/p/ChCqy5sr-xt/