If you have been on social media recently, you know the internet has been abuzz about the new Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift friendship/relationship. So many people have claimed that it sounds like something out of a rom-com or a romance novel. As an avid reader, I love the idea of the pop star and sports star trope, and here are some of my favorite novels that feature a pop star, a sports star, or just some very T-Swift-coded characters. Some of these also feature great representation in them as well!
- Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilsner
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This book just came out last month and it is a sapphic sports romance about two women’s soccer team players. The story is super fun and cute, and there is also great neurodivergent representation, with an ADHD-coded main character, and the other one struggling with anxiety.
- If Only You by Chloe Liese
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This is the 5th book in a six-part interconnected standalone series called The Bergman Brothers. While all the books are great for representation, and quite a few of them are also sports romances, this one, which focuses on Ziggy, the youngest sister, is particularly great. Ziggy struggles with autism and is trying to figure out how to come out of her shell as she gains more recognition as an NWSL player. She strikes up an unlikely friendship with one of her brother’s hockey teammates, and their friends-to-lovers arc is such a cute story.
- When in Rome by Sarah Adams
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Sarah Adams is one of my favorite indie authors who broke into mainstream publishing with her novel The Cheat Sheet. While that is a fun football rom-com story, I think When In Rome is underrated and so fun. It follows a pop star from Nashville (sound familiar?) craving some calm in her life. She travels to small-town Rome, Kentucky, where she finds peace in the town’s simple and slower lifestyle. The main character, Amelia, is so Taylor-coded, so I think it would be a really fun read.Â
- Better Than The Movies by Lynn Painter
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This is a fun YA contemporary novel that centers on Liz and Wes, who have been neighbors their whole lives and strike up a friendship to help each other find a relationship before their prom. Liz is still coping with the death of her mother from a few years ago, and she connects with Wes over the things they remember about her. The story is heartwarming, and it feels like something out of the Fearless Album.
- The Summer Of Broken Rules by K.L. Walther
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This is another YA novel inspired by Taylor’s discography. The song lyric references, the aesthetic, and the story are all so fun. The story centers on Meredith, who recently broke up with her long-term boyfriend before her cousin’s wedding. In a game of Assassin held in honor of her recently passed sister, she becomes an ally with a groomsman and uncovers secrets about her sister throughout the journey. It strikes a great balance between being fun and serious.
All of these stories are so wonderful and I hope you enjoy them if you pick them up. All of these books were really cute and fun. Happy reading!!!