Beat logo

Books to Match Your Taylor Swift Era: Taylor Swift (2006)

If you're a debut girlie at heart, check out these adorable books

By Kristen BarenthalerPublished 8 months ago 6 min read

I Believe in a Thing Called Love by Maurene Goo

A disaster in romance, high school senior Desi Lee decides to tackle her flirting failures by watching Korean television dramas, where the hapless heroine always seems to end up in the arms of her true love by episode ten. It's a simple formula, and Desi is a quick study. She goes after moody artist Luca Drakos-- utilizing boat rescues, love triangles, and staged car crashes.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

Lara Jean writes love letters to all the boys she has loved and then hides them in a hatbox until one day those letters are accidentally sent.

We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han

The summer after her first year of college, Isobel "Belly" Conklin is faced with a choice between Jeremiah and Conrad Fisher, brothers she has always loved, when Jeremiah proposes marriage and Conrad confesses that he still loves her.

Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean

After learning that her father is the Crown Prince of Japan, Izumi travels to Tokyo, where she discovers that Japanese imperial life--complete with designer clothes, court intrigue, paparazzi scandals, and a forbidden romance with her handsome but stoic bodyguard--is a tough fit for the outspoken and irreverent eighteen-year-old from northern California.

Heartbreakers and Fakers by Cameron Lund

When popular high school senior-to-be Penny Harris kisses her best friend's boyfriend at a summer party hosted by Penny's boyfriend, she spends the summer trying to set things right.

Analee, in Real Life by Janelle Milanes

Anxious, awkward Analee Echevarria only feels confident playing her favorite online game, but with a potential real-world romance and her father's remarriage looming, she begins to rediscover herself.

With a best friend who hates her and a dad who's marrying a yogi she can't stand, Analee Echevarria spends most of her time avoiding reality and role-playing as Kiri, the night elf hunter at the center of her favorite online game. Kiri's bravery, strength, and inner warrior are everything real-life Analee is not. When high school heartthrob Seb Matias asks Analee to pose as his girlfriend in an attempt to make his ex jealous, Analee agrees. But as Seb tries to coax Analee out of her comfort zone, will Analee figure out real life-- or lose herself in the process?

Fake It till You Break It by Jenn P. Nguyen

Mia and Jake have known each other their whole lives. They've endured summer vacations, Sunday brunches, even dentist visits together. Their mothers, who are best friends, are convinced that Mia and Jake would be the perfect couple, even though they can't stand to be in the same room together. After Mia's mom turns away yet another cute boy, Mia and Jake decide they've have had enough. Together, they hatch a plan to get their moms off their backs. Permanently. All they have to do is pretend to date and then stage the worst breakup of all time -- and then they'll be free. The only problem is, maybe Jake and Mia don't hate each other as much as they once thought...

The Kissing Booth by Beth Reekles

When Elle decides to run a kissing booth for the school's Spring Carnival, she locks lips with Noah and her life is turned upside down. Her head says to keep away, but her heart wants to draw closer--this romance seems far from fairy tale and headed for heartbreak.

Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison

Presents the humorous journal of a year in the life of a fourteen-year-old British girl who tries to reduce the size of her nose, stop her mad cat from terrorizing the neighborhood animals, and win the love of handsome hunk Robbie.

The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

Natasha: I'm a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I'm definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won't be my story. Daniel: I've always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents' high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store--for both of us. The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?

Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

First Son Alex Claremont-Diaz, with his sister and the Veep's genius granddaughter, are the White House Trio, a beautiful millennial marketing strategy for his mother, President Ellen Claremont. Then photos of a confrontation with his longtime nemesis Prince Henry at a royal wedding leak to the tabloids. The plan for damage control: stage a fake friendship between the First Son and the Prince. Alex soon discovers that beneath Henry's Prince Charming veneer, there's a soft-hearted eccentric with a dry sense of humor and more than one ghost haunting him. As President Claremont kicks off her reelection bid, Alex finds himself hurtling into a relationship with Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations.

You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle

Naomi Westfield has an Instagram-perfect life, including the perfect fiance. Nicholas Rose holds doors open for her, remembers her restaurant orders, and comes from the kind of upstanding society family every bride dreams of being a part of. They never fight, complain, or disagree. They're preparing for their lavish wedding that's three months away. And they are miserably and utterly sick of each other. Tired of contorting herself to fit the ridiculous standards demanded by Nicholas's family, Naomi wants out of the relationship. But there's a catch: Whoever calls off the engagement will have to foot the enormous bill for the wedding. When Naomi finds out that Nicholas, too, has been feigning contentment, the two of them go head-to-head in a battle of wills to see who can annoy the other into surrendering through pranks, sabotage, and all-out emotional warfare. But now that they have nothing to lose, they're finally being themselves. They're having so much fun getting on each other's nerves that it starts to feel like something else entirely. As Naomi discovers hidden feelings for Nicholas buried under three years of simmering resentment, she wonders if he feels the same way. Suddenly, the countdown to the wedding that may or may not come to pass feels more like a race to mutual destruction--and Naomi doesn't want to be left alone at the finish line.

How to Love Your Neighbor by Sophie Sullivan

A frothy, effervescent romantic comedy from the author of Ten Rules for Faking It, Sophie Sullivan delivers another read that will have you delighted from start to finish. Interior Design School? Check. Cute little house to fix up? Also check. Sexy, grumpy neighbor who is going to get in the way of all your plans? Check. Unfortunately. Grace Travis definitely has it all figured out. In between finishing interior design school and working a million odd jobs, she'll get her degree. She'll have her dream job. And most importantly, she'll have a place to belong, something her cold, manipulative mother could never make for her. When an opportunity to fix up-and live in-an adorable little house on the beach comes along, Grace is all in. Until her biggest roadblock moves in next door. Noah Jansen knows how to make a deal. A real estate developer with a knack for betting and winning big, he's not one to let a good opportunity slip away. So when a beachside house with great bones is ripe for a remodel and flip, Noah doesn't hesitate. Except in order to spruce it up properly (is it even a beach house if it doesn't have a pool?), he'll need to take over the house next door. The house with the willful and combative and way-too-intriguing woman living in it. With the rules for being neighborly going out the window, Grace and Noah are in an all-out feud. But sometimes, your nemesis can turn out to be the person who shows you that home is always where the heart is.

Taylor Swift (2006)

1. Tim McGraw

2. Picture To Burn

3. Teardrops On My Guitar

4. A Place In This World

5. Cold As You

6. The Outside

7. Tied Together With A Smile

8. Stay Beautiful

9. Should’ve Said No

10. Mary’s Song (Oh My My My)

11. Our Song

Deluxe Edition

12. I’m Only Me When I’m With You (2008, Deluxe)

13. Invisible (2008, Deluxe)

14. A Perfectly Good Heart (2008, Deluxe)

15. Teardrops on My Guitar Pop Version (2008)

16. Taylor Swift’s first phone call with Tim McGraw (Deluxe)

17. I Heart ? (Best Buy Digital Download)

listliterature

About the Creator

Kristen Barenthaler

Curious adventurer. Crazed reader. Librarian. Archery instructor. True crime addict.

Instagram: @kristenbarenthaler

Facebook: @kbarenthaler

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments (1)

Sign in to comment
  • Daniel Miller8 months ago

    These stories sound like a fun mix of romance and drama. I like how Desi in "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" tries to learn flirting from Korean dramas. It's a unique approach. And the whole thing with Lara Jean's love letters in "To All the Boys I've Loved Before" sounds interesting too. Made me wonder, which of these stories do you think has the most relatable characters? And how do you think they'll handle their love dilemmas?

Find us on social media

Miscellaneous links

  • Explore
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Support

© 2026 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.