The Real Bridgerton

by Catherine Curzon

As millions of viewers across the globe thrill to the assembly room exploits of the Bridgerton family and wait with bated breath for Lady Whistledown’s latest despatch from Almack’s, scandal has never been so delicious. In a world where appearances were everything and gossip was currency, everyone had their price.

From a divorce case that hinged on a public demonstration of masturbation to the irresistible exploits of the New Female Coterie, via the Prince Regent’s dropped drawers and Lady Hamilton’s diaphanous unmentionables, The Real Bridgerton pulls back the sheets on the eighteenth century’s most outrageous scandals. Within these pages Lord Byron meets his match, the richest commoner in England falls for a swindler with a heart of stone, and forbidden love between half-siblings leaves a wife and her children reeling.

Behind the headlines and the breathless whispers in Regency ballrooms were real people living real lives in a tumultuous, unforgiving era. The fall from the very pinnacle of society to the gutter could be as quick as it was brutal. If you thought that Bridgerton was as shocking as the Georgians got, it’s time to think again.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Historical

224 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 30, 2023

About the author

Catherine Curzon writes books about old Hollywood and even older royals. She writes WW2 sagas for Orion as Ellie Curzon.

Catherine’s work has been featured on the official website of BBC History Magazine, and in publications such as The Daily Telegraph, All About History, Who Do You Think You Are?, and Jane Austen’s Regency World. Further afield, she has appeared in the pages of publications including The Washington Post, Town & Country, Elle Australia, Der Bund, La Vanguardia and Metrópole.

She has spoken at venues including Kenwood House, Wellington College, the Royal Pavilion, the National Maritime Museum and Dr Johnson’s House. Her first play, Being Mr Wickham, premiered to sell-out audiences in 2019. It was streamed worldwide in 2021, followed by a nationwide tour of the UK.

Catherine holds a Master’s degree in Film and when not dodging the furies of the guillotine, can be found by following the distant sound of Dino. She lives in Yorkshire atop a ludicrously steep hill with a rakish gent, a relaxed cat, and an excitable dog.

Reviews

[Christy fictional_traits · Rating 4 out of 5]

'This is a romp through more than a century of scandal, told through twenty-five tales that all have one thing in common: though they might sometimes seem stranger than fiction, they are entirely true.'

Hot off the heels of the popular Netflix series, 'Bridgerton', Catherine Curzon delivers us a compendium of scintillating and salacious vignettes of Georgian scandal. Running the gamut of adultery, polyamory, marrying out of rank, and divorce, there are scandalous examples. Some tales end happily ever after, some of the scorned seek revenge and some, mostly women, end up shunned. To help the reader fully digest and comprehend her work, Curzon includes a timeline of pertinent events, a glossary of terms as well pictures, and class definitions.

You might think Georgians to be as closed off and uptight as their corsets, however, the saying, 'the devil makes work for idle hands', never seems more apt for these outrageous escapades. And, not one character ever seemed particularly remorseful for the indignation they caused. When Lady Caroline was obstructed from joining the famed Almack's, due to her questionable behaviour, she simply created a counter group, The New Female Coterie, which held their meetings in a brothel and welcomed, 'a host of scandalous and fallen gentlewoman.'

'The Real Bridgerton' is a short, sub-200-page, easy-to-read taste of Georgian gossip. It's a great read for anyone interested in that era, whether it be historical fiction or nonfiction. Simply eye-popping behaviour.

[Pooja Peravali · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book guides us through a century of aristocratic scandals, covering both stories that are well-known today and others that have faded from public memory, discussing adultery, murder, and even incest.

I read an awful lot of historical romance, and many Regency romances use the plot device of social ruin being carried around town by scandal sheets. Having read this book though, I am rather astonished that these fictional scandals managed to shock anyone at all, considering what the aristocracy was really getting up too!

The author recounts about twenty-five stories, with a few additional vignettes here and there, about a plethora of rich people behaving badly. Some figures discussed, such as Caroline Lamb and Emma Hamilton, are well-known to me, but Curzon added enough new details that I still found myself interested. The majority of the stories I had never heard of, which shocked me considering how strange and sensational some of them were.

The author recounts each story with enough detail to get a clear picture of the rather tangled social connections of everyone involved and explanations of what made these scandals so beyond the pale during the time period. However, I did wish we got a better understanding of how they were viewed by society at large, particularly in those cases which made their way to the public stage via the legal system - we get some catty remarks by other aristocrats and the occasional quote from a newspaper, but not much about consequences for those beyond the central figures.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Mariama Thorlu-Bangura · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun, scandalous romp through le bon ton! Curzon uses her witty style to regale you with all the bad behavior of upper crust society. It's like reading a book long version of Lady Whistledown's gossip column. Extremely entertaining!

[Kelly Hodgkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you think the tv series Bridgerton is scandalous, you underestimate the upper classes of the eighteenth century. Catherine Curzon has taken the most outrageous happenings and placed them in a collection, each verified by historical evidence, it is a well-written account of the era.

However, I found the repetitive nature of the scandals wearying. It gives little away to say the vast majority involve a powerful (through wealth or status) man having sex with one (or multiple) other than his wife mostly because he wants to (it’s rarely an affair of love). The damage done through his behaviour is borne, predominantly, by the females (mistress and wife alike) involved. He usually gets off with little more than rapped knuckles and a fine. The more I read the more frustrating it became, the women were constantly taken advantage of, consistently treated like property, consistently overlooked by the courts, and undervalued or abused by their peers.

The few exceptions stand out for creating a way around the system which required they sell themselves to build up the social currency to be financially secure. It is a stark reminder of how far women’s rights had to come, and how far we still have to go.

Those who were homosexual couldn’t identify as such and bore far more outrage and punishment for genuinely loving their partners than their philandering heterosexual counterparts. In the back cover copy, the book refers to it as a “tumultuous, unforgiving era” and this can’t be denied. Ostraciousing, public humiliation, and shaming were everyday tools, reputation once lost was nearly impossible to restore. One can’t help but feel sad for the women who endured this culture, they had so few choices in their lives and so little protection from those who wielded control.

Enjoy feels like the wrong word for this book, it was interesting and easy to read because it’s carefully crafted by the author. It sheds a different light on a time in history more often associated with prim and proper than salacious scandal. If history interests you…or tv series like Bridgerton (though this had none of the light, fluffy humour), this one is for you. It’s a four out of five.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from Pen & Sword through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in these reviews are completely my own.

[Holka z Moravy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nic, co bych musela číst znovu, ale je to super vhled do období, ve kterém bychom po zhlédnutí seriálu Bridgertonovi chtěly všechny žít. Už nechcu, děkuju. 😃 Ještě by mě rodiče v 15 letech provdali za nějakého 40letého obšourníka, tfuj. 😅 Hodně jsem se ztrácela ve jménech a osobách, ale většina příběhů mi přišla zajímavá. Případně smutná, nebo děsivá.

[Naomi's Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is full of juicy gossip, jaw dropping scandals, and newspaper worthy events in the Georgian era! I was on the edge of my seat with each new story and characters (or reoccurring characters!) that were on the page. History is something I love to read but it can be dry or difficult to grasp. This is definitely not that. The shocking stories of the past were engaging, surprising and reflective of the culture they lived in. It was a hard world for women in horrible marriages and the children who saw how their mothers suffered. This all came through with juicy stories and interesting characters that showed us the reality of the aristocracy. This is a definite read!

I received an arc via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliantly well written, this book will tell you some of the scandals of the Georgian Court both humorous and poignant.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the Georgian period or Court history in general

[Lori Sinsel Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this look at the real people and era that inspired the hit show Bridgerton. The author has put together a compilation of real scandals from regency era Britain and some of them make the show seem staid and placed in compare! What these people got up to back then! I am not giving any spoilers so you will just have to read this book yourselves if you want to know. You won't be sorry once you do.
This contains several short stories and anecdotes about the scandals of the time, info gotten from scandal sheets, newspapers, court transcripts and more. Some you may have already known, but there are many you won't, all are interesting and most made me ask, what in the world were they really thinking when they did that? Some I just don't get what drove them to act the way they did? Boredom? I have no idea, but it is quite a riot reading about the aristocratic behaviors of what was deemed "polite society" which as it turns out wasn't so polite at all!
I recommend this book and give 5 stars! It is non-fiction but reads as easily as fiction, you can breeze through in one sitting or break it up and read a scandal here and there. Thank you to Pen & Sword Publishing and to Net Galley for the free ARC, I am leaving my honest review in return.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Real Bridgerton is a juicy, interesting read! The regency period was a wild, wild time and I was entertained throughout this whole read! I would say you could not make this stuff up but I do read a lot of regency fiction, but this is amazing that these were real-life people creating all this chaos in a time that you think is refined and dignified at all times.
The Real Bridgerton is well-researched, well-written and very enjoyable. I plan on getting it on audiobook when it's available in the US, it would be great read as an audiobook if you're too busy or don't enjoy reading historical non-fiction. I hope someone makes a documentary as well, there's a lot of material to work with!
Very interesting book that I'd recommend to history lovers or historical fiction fans that want to hear about the real-life counterparts of their fictional characters.

[Carol Keogh (Goodfellow) · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a fan of Bridgerton and historical romance then this is for you. A well researched and well written book, Catherine Curzon definitely knows her Georgian era. This is a fun book to read, full of gossipy tidbits and scandalous behaviour from the upper classes. Curzon paints a broad picture of both rich and poor and the Society in which they lived.
The rules of this Society were stringent in terms of how women were expected to behave and touches on the relative invisibility of that gender. Overall a very entertaining read and my thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review The Real Bridgerton. Top marks

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book about the real lives of those who lived in the Regency era. Although the Bridgerton series is loosely based on the actual facts during this time period, this book is the facts. From scandelous tales and bedroom whispers this book has all and more than you would expect. Actual people living lives that were caught up in everyday drama based on facts. This author did a wonderful job of documenting what some of us would beleive that is could be far fetch but actually all true.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are of my own.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy!

A delightful romp through all the aristocratic scandals of the Georgian era. It actually goes a long way to explain the conservatism of the Victorians, showing how reactionary it was to the previous era's seemingly unending scandals. Dukes, duchess, earls, countess, lords and ladies - for all their nose in the air attitude we see here just how often they got down and dirty - both in the sheets and in the courts.

[Candace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be full of fun facts and gossip. Being a fan of Bridgerton, I wanted to know what the season was like in reality and this book did not disappoint. I had no idea that Lady Whistledown was based on a real gossip column that was released to the ton. A very fun, gossipy read for any fan of Bridgerton.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 3.5 of 5

We like to think that the scandalous behavior we see in the Netflix series, Bridgerton, is the folly of a writer's imagination (specifically that of Julia Quinn, author of the book series). But fiction so often can't hold a candle to the truth.

Author Catherine Curzon does a deep dive in Britain's lascivious history and shares a number titillating tidbits that sometimes make Bridgerton seem quite tame by comparison.

Nobility in the Georgian era appeared to have a strong libido - for anyone other than their partners. There were lots of rumors and lots of suspicions of adulterous behavior, but Curzon does a fine job with backing up much of this book with historical documentation. This comes primarily from newspaper accounts and legal trials ... husbands and wives would go to court to 'prove' infidelity (which was often the testimony of maids and servants as to seeing or hearing someone visiting rooms late at night) and the more prominent the persons the more the newspapers would report on the proceedings. Today's U.S. politicians buying time with porn stars or luring interns into bed isn't anything new.

This is a quick, well-written, well-researched read and I suspect only touches the surface (certainly the more prominent figures) of the illicit pastime for Britain's noteworthy. And, just as there is Lady Whistledown in Bridgerton, there was a Mrs. Crackenthorpe, who published The Female Tatler, for less than a year between 1709 and 1710 and the thrice weekly, The Tatler, published by Isaac Bickerstaff, Esq. which reported on society news and gossip.

Each of the subjects reported on here was sufficiently interesting and could probably worthy of having their own book, but I did appreciate the brevity, keeping it interesting and moving on. Even so, they began to sound the same. 'He' (insert royal title and name) has affairs with women (who probably like his power or status. His wife begins to have affairs and he gets upset.

One that does stand out as being a bit different was Anne Lister (b. 1791) who is considered to be the first modern lesbian and was in the first lesbian marriage (1834) in Britain.

Looking for a good book? Fans of Bridgerton or any kind of sexual 'scandal' should find The Real Bridgerton, by Catherine Curzon, a quick, entertaining read.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

[Nicole Caratas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me an ebook version of this read! I'm rounding up to 4, but I'd give it more of a 3.75.

As a Bridgerton lover, I was so excited to read this. I love scandal and the Regency Era is such a fun time. The Real Bridgerton is an enjoyable read, filled with familiar and new figures. Some of the things that happened in these stories were so surprising to hear happening at that time. There's heartbreaking stories of society screwing over women, and heartwarming anecdotes of lovers being together against all odds. There's also a lot of weird, a lot of wild.

This book is very binge-able. Quick stories and even smaller anecdotes dotted throughout them. It's a short read and a good middle ground for someone who prefers fiction over non-fic.

At times, I felt the stories needed more context and more fleshing out. I didn't always know the figures it was discussing, but the way some bits were written assumed that I would know. Same with some laws and references to things from the time: they needed a bit more explanation.

I also felt like it didn't do enough to reframe the scandals. It was fun to read them as they were, but I wanted some comment on the way society functioned/failed. We got it at times, but other times the language fell into the sensationalising that was common in the gossip pamphlets. I thought it was going to be more about de-mystifying some of these stories, but it was mostly just a retelling of the scandals as they were received back in the day.

However, it was a very fun read. It's easy to dip in and out of with the short stories. If you're looking for a non-fic that feels like a regency romance novel, definitely check this out!

[Clarissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Real Bridgerton by Catherine Curzon provides readers with vignettes into some of the real-life scandals that ran through the gossip mill during the Georgian period in United Kingdom. In Curzon's words, "This is a romp through more than a century of scandal told through twenty-five tales that all have one thing in common: though they might sometimes seem stranger than fiction, they are entirely true." While the book does not sport a strong central argument, the author does a great job at highlighting the difference between how men and women were treated during scandals. For those who are not familiar with the Georgian period, Curzon includes a timeline, glossary, short introduction to social classes, and a cast of characters. While I appreciate these resources, I wish there was a little more information about the time period with an introduction to some of the themes the author talked about - gender, sexuality, corruption, etc. This was an easy, and quick read that feels more like a gossip column that a history of a particular time period.

* I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley for the purpose of reviewing.

[Elgyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Přišlo mi to jako parazitování na knižní sérii a seriálu.
Je to bulvár čtvrté cenové, který se tváří, že odkrývá hlubiny historie.
Jde o to, že to tady dělal každý s každým a většina z nich měla tuctové jméno. Vzdala jsem snahu je od sebe nějak rozlišit.

Na s. 25-30 je stručná charakteristika postav. Takže je tam jméno a že je to dcera XY, manželka toho a milenka támhletoho. Je to naprosto zbytečná část, protože v příbězích se to potom stejně opakuje. A nejsou tam uvedení všichni.

s. 105 byly mladé irské dámy
s. 106 přestože mezi nimi byl šestnáctiletý věkový rozdíl.
Mladá je zjevně relativní pojem. Jedna 23 a druhá 39. To mi v 19. století jako zářivé mládí nepřijde.

Bylo by dobré ujednotit, jestli bude číslo poznámky před/za tečkou.

s. 13 Robinosová [Robinsonová]
s. 39 Talbod [Talbot]
s. 62 „... posedlost.“ Povzdychla si
s. 73 milostní [milostný]
s. 94 Hakckman [Hackman]


[české vydání, Skuteční Bridgertonovi]

[Anne Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining and fast-paced, this is a short collection of scandals across the Georgian era. Told in vignettes of generally only a few pages, these scandals cover everyone from the Prince of Wales to Anne Lister, and a good chunk of the aristocracy in between. You can be forgiven for wondering how anyone got anything accomplished for all the bed hopping going on- although occasionally the 'scandals' of the time are the occasional strong willed woman wealthy enough to live life on her own terms.

Readers who know anything about history of this era will already know some of these stories, but there are plenty in here that will be unfamiliar to the general reader, keeping things interesting along the way.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

[Shameem · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never watched Bridgerton, but I absolutely love history books, so I had no hesitation requesting this from NetGalley. And I'm so grateful to them and Pen Sword Books for the opportunity to read it in exchange for honest feedback.

I am extremely impressed by the depth of Curzon's research and her ability to tell the stories of the members of European high society in such a compelling and riveting manner. While this book certainly focuses on the salacious drama of the times, it goes much deeper than that. Curzon consistently offers meaningful and insightful commentary on the impact of patriarchal society, unfair gender norms, and discusses the intersection of sexuality, gender, and socioeconomic status in historical context.

[Emm H · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this text, especially as someone who had some annoyance with the show for going so far beyond what the historical Regency period in England was like (though the show is still fun). This text balanced information and historical knowledge with communicating it in a way accessible to many readers, not only those already familiar with the period. There were a few places I'd have liked more detail, but that may just have ben a personal preference. Overall, I'll suggest this book to interested students and colleagues who enjoy the regency/regency history/regency romance, Jane Austen/etc!

[Vintagebooklvr · Rating 4 out of 5]

The tidbits in this book would rival any of Lady Whistledown's despatches. However, these are real events that take place during the times covered in the Bridgerton books. And it remains that real life can be stranger--and more scandalous--than fiction.

It is very easy to read and flows along like any gossip magazine. Dry history this is not and it is not bogged down by in depth analysis. For that is not what this is trying to be. Entertaining and informative as well.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

[Beth Yurs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book!
Nice little book that gives an overview of some of the fascinating scandals of upper British society from the 18th and 19th centuries. I liked the overview of each story and how Curzon weaved the web of how all these people are interconnected to one another. It was a very fast read and because the vignettes are shorter, it was easy to read them in smaller sections over the course of a few days.

[Emilie Poživilová · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dočteno! O téhle knížce toho moc co napsat nemá
myslím ze pro někoho kdo ma rad Bridgertonovi tak je to taková realita.
Upřímně bych nechtěla být žena v 18/19 století, to čím se musely potýkát je velmi smutné:(
Vyloženě v knížce nebyl jeden, ni možná jeden byl, který by mi byl vyloženě sympaticky😓
Ale ano myslím ze to bylo fajn četlo se to rychle a bylo hodně zajímavé cist o homosexuálech té doby🤔
6,5/10

[Helen Jaidy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Real Bridgerton by Catherine Curzon takes a look at the real life scandals and intrigues of Georgian Britain. The title is pretty apt as a lot of the stories in this book would make Bridgerton seem like a chaste regency romance. It is pretty extraordinary what people got up to: incest and masturbation admitted as evidence in court are just a couple of the incidents that come to mind.

The mix of single paragraph incidents and longer stories give it a coffee table feel and I liked dipping in and out of it., very much like sticking my hand into the biscuit jar and pulling out a sordid bit of gossip.

What I found most interesting was the source material; the book is filled with quotations from scandal sheets, court transcripts, newspapers and memoirs from the time. Its such a fascinating way to see these stories and shows that gossip and scandal are not modern concepts at all.

At the heart of this gossip and intrigue are real people with real issues and problems, not dissimilar to the struggles that people have today and they are not lost here. You are left thinking about people like Caroline Lamb and Anne Lister: people attempting to live life on their own terms with any failure ridiculed in the penny sheets.

This ARC was supplied by netgalley and all thoughts are entirely my own.

[Natalie L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! This selection of juicy Georgian stories are well chosen and definitely worth re-reading. Lady Whistledown has nothing on this lot.

[Juanita E]

Obviously I downloaded something different. No stories just drawings and paintings? I deleted after I found no stories.??

[Cérka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Taková jednohubka po jejímž dočtení se mi skandální životní příběhy britské smetánky 19. století vykouří z hlavy :) Kdo by to byl řekl do prudérního 19. století :)

[Clare K H · Rating 2 out of 5]

Clearly well research, but oddly lacking heft.

[Madeline Elsinga]

DNF

I love the Georgian era and Bridgerton so I was really excited for this book! Curzon writes brief chapters on the various scandals happening at this time, with sources from gossip papers, court transcripts, and memoirs from the time period.

Interesting to learn how gossip was spread during the Georgian era and get a glimpse into the history. The chapters are short which can be nice to read during spare moments. However this also meant so many names that I honestly couldn’t keep track of who was who, and had trouble keeping details straight.

It feels more like a compilation of scandals/gossip without diving into the actual history of the time or social concepts of marriage, sexuality, gender roles, etc. I would’ve enjoyed it more if the info on each scandal was slightly more detailed instead of the highlights, and provided with more historical context. I often found my eyes glazing over and going through the motions of reading without retaining the information because it could be so confusing trying to keep track of everyone mentioned.

This wasn't for me but maybe others will enjoy it, the idea is there but the execution fell flat. I personally think it would’ve been more well done if the author focused on 5-10 “cases” rather than 20+ therefore providing more detail and making it less confusing with how many people are seemingly involved in each scandal.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

In The Real Bridgerton, Catherine Curzon explores the many scandals and wild characters from the eighteenth century. Across the English nobility, Curzon provides an enjoyable, raunchy, and outrageous perspective of the incidents and social scandals that her historical figures would have wanted swept under the rug. Providing a new and accessible perspective to the eighteenth century and Regency period a la Bridgerton, Curzon launches her reader immediately into the thick of the period, exploring a host of scandals (major and minor), divorces, dramas, and everything in between. Covering a wide swath of history in short, accessible vignette chapters, Curzon’s prose is to the point yet full of detail, and she immaculately translates the real drama of it all into prose for the reader. Her book serves as an excellent entry point for new history readers and fans who want the action of history without the long build up and biography. The narratives are fascinating and engaging, and Curzon deftly handles multiple short narratives over the course of the book. Overall, Curzon creates an engaging book composed of a variety of short narratives, all of which attract the reader’s attention and draw them into the eighteenth century.

Thanks to NetGalley, Pen & Sword, and Pen & Sword History for the advance copy.