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Quick answer: If you loved Jilly Cooper's Rivals, read Riders and Polo, then Scruples, Hollywood Wives, Lace and A Woman of Substance. All are glossy, gossipy novels full of ambition, scandal and sex.
Jilly Cooper's 1988 novel, part of the Rutshire Chronicles, follows rival television franchises in the English countryside, with affairs, rivalries and the rakish Rupert Campbell-Black. It is sprawling, bawdy and very funny. The books below offer similar sagas of wealth, ambition and indulgence.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riders | Jilly Cooper | Adult | the Rutshire start |
| Polo | Jilly Cooper | Adult | polo and scandal |
| Scruples | Judith Krantz | Adult | fashion and ambition |
| Hollywood Wives | Jackie Collins | Adult | glitzy drama |
| Lace | Shirley Conran | Adult | glamorous saga |
| A Woman of Substance | Barbara Taylor Bradford | Adult | rise of a tycoon |
| Hold the Dream | Barbara Taylor Bradford | Adult | the sequel |
| Forever Amber | Kathleen Winsor | Adult | Restoration romp |
| Circle of Friends | Maeve Binchy | Adult | Irish friendships |
| The Shell Seekers | Rosamunde Pilcher | Adult | cozy family sagas |
| Bridget Jones's Diary | Helen Fielding | Adult | readers who want the original |
| Confessions of a Shopaholic | Sophie Kinsella | Adult | comic chick lit |
| Rumour Has It | Jill Mansell | Adult | village romance |
| Practically Perfect | Katie Fforde | Adult | more Fforde |
| The Cafe by the Sea | Jenny Colgan | Adult | seaside escape |
1. Riders by Jilly Cooper
Rupert Campbell-Black and rivals compete in show jumping. Bawdy and addictive.
Best for: the Rutshire start.
2. Polo by Jilly Cooper
Rivals and lovers collide on the polo field. Fast and funny.
Best for: polo and scandal.
3. Scruples by Judith Krantz
A shy woman builds a Beverly Hills boutique. Fun and lavish.
Best for: fashion and ambition.
4. Hollywood Wives by Jackie Collins
Wives and mistresses scheme in Hollywood. Racy and fast.
Best for: glitzy drama.
5. Lace by Shirley Conran
Four school friends reunite to find a mysterious mother. Racy and glossy.
Best for: glamorous saga.
6. A Woman of Substance by Barbara Taylor Bradford
Emma Harte rises from servant girl to business tycoon. A long and satisfying saga.
Best for: rise of a tycoon.
7. Hold the Dream by Barbara Taylor Bradford
Emma Harte's granddaughter takes over the family empire. A natural next book.
Best for: the sequel.
8. Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor
A country girl rises through Restoration London. Racy, fast and once banned.
Best for: Restoration romp.
9. Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy
Two friends grow up in an Irish village and then in Dublin. Warm and old-fashioned.
Best for: Irish friendships.
10. The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher
An older woman reflects on her family and a beloved painting. Warm, gentle and full of English countryside.
Best for: cozy family sagas.
11. Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding
Bridget records her love life, weight and work. The classic of the genre.
Best for: readers who want the original.
12. Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
A journalist with a spending habit tries to hide her debts. Light and fast.
Best for: comic chick lit.
13. Rumour Has It by Jill Mansell
A woman returns to her small town and finds love and gossip. Warm and lively.
Best for: village romance.
14. Practically Perfect by Katie Fforde
A young woman takes a job she doesn't expect and finds friendship and romance. A good start for new readers.
Best for: more Fforde.
15. The Cafe by the Sea by Jenny Colgan
A woman returns to a Scottish island and rebuilds her life. Cosy and heartfelt.
Best for: seaside escape.
How to Choose
For more Cooper begin with Riders and Polo. For glamorous sagas choose Scruples, Hollywood Wives or Lace. For long family sagas pick A Woman of Substance or Hold the Dream. For British charm read Katie Fforde, Jill Mansell or Jenny Colgan. Rivals is bawdy and funny, so these picks suit readers who want comfort with a wink. Cooper's Rutshire books were adapted for television as Rivals in 2024, which brought the series to a new audience, though the original novels are more outrageous.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Rivals about?
Rival television companies and their colourful owners clash in the Cotswolds.
Who wrote it?
Jilly Cooper.
When was it published?
1988.
Is it part of a series?
Yes, the Rutshire Chronicles.
Is it explicit?
Yes, with sex scenes and bawdy humour.
Is there a TV series?
Yes, a 2024 adaptation.
Do I need to read the earlier books?
Not necessarily, but Riders introduces the cast.
What should I read next?
Try Riders or Polo.
Which book here is best for glitzy drama?
Try Hollywood Wives by Jackie Collins, which suits readers looking for glitzy drama.
Which book here is best for the sequel?
Try Hold the Dream by Barbara Taylor Bradford, which suits readers looking for the sequel.
Which book here is best for cozy family sagas?
Try The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher, which suits readers looking for cozy family sagas.
Which book here is best for village romance?
Try Rumour Has It by Jill Mansell, which suits readers looking for village romance.
Which book here is best for polo and scandal?
Try Polo by Jilly Cooper, which suits readers looking for polo and scandal.
Which book here is best for glamorous saga?
Try Lace by Shirley Conran, which suits readers looking for glamorous saga.
Which book here is best for Restoration romp?
Try Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor, which suits readers looking for Restoration romp.