Dating like Bridgerton: ‘Storybooking’ trend proves chaotic romance is out and yearning is in

If you’ve ever watched a smouldering slow burn unfold on screen and thought “why can’t my love life look like that?”, you’re not alone. Women-first dating app Bumble has coined a new dating trend called storybooking, and it’s basically about dating like you’re in a period drama.

Think longing glances, meaningful gestures and the kind of emotional intensity usually reserved for corsets and candlelight. Yes, people are trying to channel fictional romance into their real-life relationship, just with Wi-Fi and WhatsApp.

Netflix

So, what actually is storybooking?

In modern dating terms, storybooking means intentionally leaning into classic romantic tropes: Slow burns, yearning, grand gestures and clear devotion, rather than playing it cool or detached. It’s less “seen at 11:42” and more “I crossed London in the rain because I missed you”.

According to Bumble research, half of women say love stories in film or TV influence their dating preferences, from who they choose to date to the standards they expect in relationships. Basically, if the bar has been raised by fictional men, real ones are going to feel it.

“Bumble’s new trend, Storybooking, shows that singles are consciously choosing romance on their own terms and [are] clear on their boundaries,” Bumble sexologist Chantelle Otten told Vice.

Because everyone’s tired of chaotic dating

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Let’s be real, dating in 2026 is exhausting. Between ghosting, breadcrumbing and the emotional unavailability Olympics, people are increasingly over the low-effort era.

Bumble’s data suggests nonchalance is officially out, and emotional availability is back in. Women are saying they want intention, effort and romance again, not situationships that require spreadsheets to decode.

Pop culture is fuelling the fantasy

We’re currently swimming in high-drama romance anyway. A new Wuthering Heights film starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi has just released, and we’re also deep into the latest Bridgerton era. When fictional men are declaring undying devotion on screen, it’s not shocking people want the same energy IRL.

If Heathcliff can deliver operatic obsession and Benedict Bridgerton can pine for seasons on end, surely someone can plan a thoughtful date and text back on time.

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Featured image credit: Netflix, Warner Bros