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At Boston Book Festival, Julia Quinn teases ‘Bridgerton’ Season 4
The bestselling author of Bridgerton opened the Boston Book Festival with insights on the Netflix adaptation, representation in romance, and what’s next for the series.
Acclaimed romance author Julia Quinn, creator of the “Bridgerton” series, which has captivated readers and Netflix audiences worldwide opened the Boston Book Festival on Thursday with a lively keynote discussion.
Joined by Andrea Martucci, host of the “Shelf Love” podcast, Quinn reflected on her career, her collaboration with Shonda Rhimes, and what fans can expect in the upcoming “Bridgerton” Season 4 releasing Jan. 29 (Part 1) and Feb. 26, 2026 (Part 2) on Netlix.
Quinn’s path to Regency romance began with gothic novels
Quinn said her signature writing style that blends wit and historical detail emerged from reading authors like Judith McNaught, Julie Garwood, and Victoria Holt in the late ’80s and early ’90s.
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“It seemed to me that the ones that had the witty dialog, which is what I really enjoyed, tended to be set during the Regency period. So that’s how I kind of fell into it, and that’s why I chose to write that period,” she said.
Simon’s stutter was inspired by a real person
Quinn revealed the Duke of Hastings stutter was inspired by her husband’s classmate.
“He was at medical school and he had great academic success, a very supportive family,” she said. “And it made me think: what would it be like in Regency times if you had a stutter?”
This led Quinn to develop a character whose emotional struggles were compounded by a lack of understanding and acceptance for his disability.
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“This is the only time where I think I’ve written a character that was really inspired by a specific person,” she added.
Queen Charlotte tied the seasons together
While Queen Charlotte was not was not a main character in Quinn’s novels, the author praised her as a central role in the Netflix adaptation.
“I go back and forth between wishing I had done it and being glad I didn’t do it,” Quinn said. “Queen Charlotte is just such a great connector for the seasons, and such a great way of turning all the seasons into this great, cohesive series.”
Shonda Rhimes’ inclusive vision
Quinn said she wholeheartedly supported Shonda Rhimes’ decision to create a more diverse “Bridgerton.”
“When I knew that Shonda was going to be adapting my books, I knew it was going to become more diverse and inclusive. I just didn’t know how she was going to do it,” she said.
Rhimes and her team explored the possibility that Queen Charlotte may have been biracial, crafting an alternate history that reimagined Regency England as a more diverse society.
“I thought it was absolutely brilliant,” Quinn said. What it did was create this world where more people can see themselves in the story.”
Defending libraries and opposing book bans
As an ambassador for the nonprofit EveryLibrary, Quinn has championed public libraries and raisde awareness about book censorship.
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“If there are books you don’t want your child to read, that is your prerogative,” Quinn remarked. “But you don’t get to decide what my kid’s reading.”
She also emphasized the need for representation in literature. “Those books need to be there both for the gay adolescent who is feeling very alone and needs a book as a mirror…[and] for straight adolescents, for the book to be a window and for them to learn empathy,” she said.
The personal backstory of ‘When He Was Wicked‘
When asked by an audience member about the more serious tone in the sixth book in the Bridgerton series, Quinn spoke candidly about her own struggles with pregnancy loss.
“If you go to my social media, go back about a year, you will see a post where I share a picture of myself in a hospital cab, talking about the abortion that saved my life in 2003. I also had three failed pregnancies between having my two children, and that was really what kind of fed that [book,]” she said.
No Lady Danbury prequel
Despite fans’ pleas, Quinn said Lady Danbury prequel isn’t in the works.
“People were asking for her story long before the show,” she said. “But I already have it on paper that her husband is an idiot—there’s not a lot I can do with that.”
More disability representation coming in Season 4
In response to a question from Boston’s disability commissioner, Kristen McCosh, Quinn revealed that “Bridgerton” Season 4 will feature a character with a limb difference.
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“This character has more of a role than any of the other characters that we’ve seen with a disability,” she said. “And so I’m very happy with that.”
The future of historical romance
When asked about declining in historical romance sales, Quinn hinted that she has at something new in the works.
“I’m actually planning to do something about it,” she teased. “All I can say is follow me on social media…it will be going public probably in December or January.”
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