Bridgerton Boss Weighs In On Similarities To Heated Rivalry: 'I'm Here For More Cottage Romances!'

"Bridgerton" is joining "Heated Rivalry" at the cottage. 

In Season 4, Part 1 of Netflix's Julia Quinn adaptation, Benedict and Sophie spend a quiet few days at "My Cottage," Benedict's sprawling estate. There, they flirt, speak some French, and fly a kite together like a couple of giddy schoolchildren. It all leads up to one of the couple's formative, flirtatious moments by the pond: Sophie catches a glimpse of a naked Benedict swimming, leading to their first kiss. (Read full recap.)

But we've been to My Cottage before... sort of. HBO Max recently released a different book adaptation, "Heated Rivalry," where a similar estate took center stage. In the Season 1 finale of the hockey romance based on Rachel Reid's "Game Changer" series, Ilya and Shane — two closeted athletes in a secret relationship together — spent some romantic time alone together at Shane's cottage. 

Like in "Bridgerton," the "Heated Rivalry" pair made the most of their getaway, from frolicking in the lake to grilling delicious dinners for two, and the cottage transformed into a magical place where they privately explored what their life could look like as a couple. 

Given the similarities between the two storylines, we have questions: Why are cottages suddenly so important to falling in love? Why are ultra-huge homes being categorized as "cottages"? What came first, the "Heated Rivalry" cottage chicken, or the "Bridgerton" cottage egg? Below, TVLine speaks to "Bridgerton" showunner Jess Brownell to get some answers.

"My Cottage comes from ['An Offer From a Gentleman'] which was published a very long time ago," "Bridgerton" showrunner Jess Brownell explains. "I know 'Heated Rivalry' is also based on a book, so maybe Quinn and [Reid] at some point... maybe there was a cottage romance retreat!"

(For what it's worth, Quinn's "An Offer From a Gentleman" came out in 2001, while Reid's "Heated Rivalry" was released in 2019.)

"I think cottages are romantic — I get it!" Brownell adds. "I'm here for more cottage romances. I don't think there's enough."

But what exactly constitutes a cottage getaway? Per Merriam Webster, a cottage is "a usually small frame one-family house," but in both "Bridgerton" and "Heated Rivalry" the so-called cottages are more akin to mansions.

For Brownell, those kinds of details are unimportant when romance is in the mix. For her, a cottage is defined more by its ephemeral feeling — its sensibility — than by its structure or geographical place.

"It's more about the getaway — we all love a mini getaway," she says. "There's nothing more romantic than leaving the city and being somewhere slightly isolated together."

What's your reaction to the cottage's meteoric rise in popular culture?! Hit the comments with your thoughts on the similar romantic settings explored in "Bridgerton" and "Heated Rivlary"!