The Tortured Poets Department Romance Book Recommendation (16) / Taylor Swift Songs as Books pt.3
The Tortured Poets Department Romance Book Recommendation (16)
It was so unfair and kind of funny to make a romance book rec based on Taylor’s most raw and heartbreaking album. But hey everything is fair in love and poetry, right? This album is without any doubt based and inspired by certain books as there are so many literary references in the lyrics.
Checkout the “The Tortured Poets Department – reference guide” here. I’m also making recs solely based on that but since it’s not all the sunshine sweet huffy fluffy books I had to make one based on romance to sooth our tortured hearts after listening to the tortured poets department.
*Credits : I don’t own all the pictures used in this post or on my edits, so I always mention the source and credits as all the rights go to respective owners. But I only claim the editing so please contact me if you have any problem. Thank you.
(All the pictures used in this post are from Taylor Swift and Goodreads.)
And here are some romance book recs based on “The Tortured Poets Department”
Find more related content here :
- Eras Tour Book Recs : Book Recs Based On Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour (44 books)
- Speak Now TV as Books : Speak Now TV Book Recommendation
- Taylor Swift Book Recs – Taylor Swift Favorite Books (2023)
- Album Review – The Tortured Poets Department by Taylor Swift (16 Songs)
- Literary and Pop Culture References in ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ by Taylor Swift (16songs/40+references)
1. “Fortnight” (featuring Post Malone) – Deception Trilogy by Rina Kent
After connecting so many taylor swift’s songs as books it still surprises me how sometimes I find books that match the whole lyrics of the song. Especially my favorite books. Like the deception trilogy.
When homeless, Winter Cavanaugh is forced to pretend to be the wife of Russian mafia Adrian Volkov with the threat of going to jail for murder and even worse losing her life.
She agrees and as time passes sees the real Adrian despite his ruthless behavior and all the rumors that he had always denied and realizes he’s good at what he does and even comes for her like a savior. It’s a book trilogy as the story progresses in the next two books she puts herself through hell and discovers the ugly truths.
Find the reading order here.
2. “The Tortured Poets Department”- Terms and Conditions by Lauren Asher
There are so many good books that go with this song. Since the song is a lot of academia, poetry vibes I’d choose divine rivals. But this song feels like a different version of illicit affairs and that’s why I picked this song to pair up with this song.
“To those two lines from Taylor Swift’s Illicit Affairs about a secret language—Thanks for existing. You helped inspire Declan and Iris’s non-translatable word game.” – from terms and conditions acknowledgements. And it feels like only they are the only ones who can decode each other from their secret language.
3. “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys” – Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
A book about a pink haired girl and a prince who breaks hearts? Definitely screams Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince. The Ballad of Never After is the sequel to Once Upon a Broken Heart, a spin-off of the popular Caraval trilogy by Stephanie Garber. Which follows Evangeline Fox and The Prince of Hearts jack. Evangeline Fox always believed in true love, until her true love betrayed her and decided to marry another.
In order to stop the wedding Evangeline made a deal with Jack offering anything he wants. And Jack took the moment and decided he needed only three kisses. But as time passes it becomes more than what was promised. And slowly Evangeline also becomes his favorite toy to break and the queen of sand castles he destroys.
4. “Down Bad” – Kulti by Mariana Zapata
As a soccer player Sal Casillas has been in love and obsessed with her idol Reiner Kulti since she was seven and the main inspiration of choosing soccer. From a teenage fangirl covering her bedroom with her celebrity crushes posters to getting inspired to be a better soccer player to crying when she found he got married to actually becoming a professional soccer player, Sal grew up.
But years later when Sal lost her chance to be in the National Team she finds out her childhood crush is going to be her coach. And as soon as she meets him all the teenage fangirl feeling rushes back stronger than ever but she realizes how different he is than she thought of him her entire life.
5. “So Long, London” – Magnolia Parks by Jessa Hastings
Gossip girl but make it british? The Magnolia parks series follows Magnolia Parks and her friend group who grew up together since they were kids. And almost everyone is getting their book. The first is about Magnolia Parks and BJ Ballentine who have been in love since they were kids and everyone thinks they are the perfect couple they portray.
But in reality it’s more messier and toxic as something happens between them which makes them constantly hurt each other but they keep getting back together and make it more messier and into a tragedy. If you like gossip girl and mostly Chuck and Blair you are going to love these series.
6. “But Daddy I Love Him” – Powerless by Elsie Silver
When your life is a mess, everything is wrong and going downhill, you have no idea what to do with yourself so you run off your wedding without saying a vow because they said speak now. Well that’s kind of the theme of powerless where a runaway bride Slone takes a road trip with her childhood friend Jasper to escape reality for a while which takes them on a whole different journey.
As they both realize they have been in love since they were younger but no one will approve. Especially Sloan’s dad.
What if I tell you there is exactly a scene in this book?
I don’t really like age gap books but this one was an exception because it’s my favorite author.
7. “Fresh Out the Slammer” – Archer’s Voice by Mia Sheridan
Leaving everything behind after the traumatic night of her life for a fresh start Bree Prescott moves into the sleepy, lakeside town of Pelion, Maine. Bree begins her healing journey and settling in the stranger small town she meets Archer Hale who’s tangled up in his own trauma.
As they get to know each other they become friends while struggling with their past trauma and eventually find their peace by healing together.
8. “Florida!!!” (ft. Florence and the Machine) – Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover
Kenna Rowan returns to her hometown after 5 years being imprisoned for a tragedy that cost her life and losing more than life. Hoping to meet the daughter she kept on dreaming and had the strength to keep going the last 5 years.
But as soon as she arrives she discovers it’s a lot messier and harder than she thought. And all her hard work and hopes for a better life might be in ruins.
9. “Guilty as Sin?” – Where the Crawdad Sings by Delia Owens
I didn’t have to search for any other book to match with this track as the song is inspired and based on a romance book. Set in the late 60s, the book is a coming of age story about Kya Clark. Everyone in her family left her one by one.
So she raises herself to girlhood and later when she meets a boy named Tate who taught her everything and become lovers giving her hope for a better life but he leaves her for college shattering the dreams just like everyone in her life.
10. “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?” – A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
No one thinks a 17 year old pip can actually find the killer. A good girl’s guide to murder follows a teenager Pippa Fitz-Amobi, who has started investigating a closed case for her school project that involves a girl named Andie Bell who was murdered by her boyfriend Sal Singh 5 years ago, at least that’s what the town, little Kilton and their people believe.
But she has known Sal since she was young and how nice he was with everyone and refused to believe he could kill Andie. So she’s determined to prove his innocence and solve the mystery herself because “The dead can’t defend themselves, but I can.” with the help of Sal’s brother Ravi Singh.
As they begin their investigation they realize how dark and twisted the case is with multiple suspects, while someone from little Kilton is constantly sending threat notes.
A book to TV adaptation is in the works and will be out this year in July 2024. Checkout the guide here for more details –“The Ultimate Guide to A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder TV Series 1 : Everything You Need to Know”
11.”I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)” – Addicted to You by Krista & Becca Ritchie
Maybe they can fix each other. When two childhood best friends start fake dating so they can hide their secrets from their families. Addicted to you is the first book in the “Addicted To You/Calloway Sister” series. Addicted to you (1-5) is about Lily and Loren who are addicts.
In order to continue their life with addiction they move in together for college and start fake dating. But as time passes things get worse and harder but they realize they need each other more than their addictions and they fight for themselves and fix each other.
Rest of the books in the series are about Lily and Lo’s journey to recovery and more of their life in the present and past along with the Callaway sister series. (Search up for trigger warning)*
12. “Loml” – Normal People by Sally Rooney
Normal People follows two teenagers Connell and Marianne navigating their life as they come from different backgrounds from the same small town in rural Ireland. Despite all the differences they grow close to each other and form a complex friendship and relationship. But as time passes they fall apart as they become the right person at the wrong time taking the memories with them.
13. “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” – The Breakup Tour by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka
The Breakup Tour is about a rising-star musician Riley Wynn, who is famous for her ability to write the most gut wrenching, emotional and heartbreaking songs just like Ms. Taylor Allison Swift. As she rose to fame with her power of songwriting overnight and goes on tour but she’s caught up in a situation where her ex husband spreads rumors that her hit song is written about him.
But to prove him wrong she reconnects with the real muse of the song, Max Harcourt who she met in college and asks his permission and later convinces to join her on tour. After a lot of overthinking he decides to join her and use his piano skills. While performing their song together on the tour they give each other a second chance after a decade.
14. “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” – It’s Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han
“The summer I turned pretty it’s not summer without you” is the 2nd book and series in the summer I turned pretty trilogy by Jenny Han. It begins right after the first one. This part contains spoilers so skip if you don’t want any.
Belly is heartbroken as everything is falling apart with Susannah’s health and her relationship with Conrad. As Conrad asks for space she cries herself to sleep and decides she doesn’t even want him back. But wondering about everything, how everything is ending with all the things she loves. Her people, the summer house. Will she miss it all and especially everything she had Conrad at the summer house.
15. “The Alchemy” – Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
The first book that came to my mind is Twilight and I don’t need anything either. Twilight is the first book in the The Twilight Saga Series by Stephenie Meyer. It follows Bella Swan who moves to the small town of Forks, Washington, to live with her father. As she begins her new life she meets a mysterious boy, Edward Cullen who is actually a 103 year old vampire trapped inside a 17 years old body.
He tries to maintain their distance but since it happens once every few lifetimes they grow close and choose the danger and struggles together of the supernatural world.
The series has 5 books with additional stories set in this world.
16. “Clara Bow” – Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
I’ve not read any book with clara bow themed or any main characters as clara bow. But I definitely have stevie nicks and taylor swift. Which is Daisy Jones & The Six
Daisy Jones & The Six follows a 1970s rock band and their life. And the lead member Daisy Jones is a singer-songwriter with a troubled past who rose to fame with her members in the 70s described just like Stevie nicks in’ 75 in Clara Bow and how crowd goes wild
at her fingertips .The book follows Daisy and her band as they navigate their life together and share all the experience through the interview.
Will make a part 2 on “The Tortured Poets Department – The Anthology” as romance book recs and a “The Tortured Poets Department as book recs” which has all the books that actually matches the vibes of the songs soon. For updates follow my socials and goodreads.
