ARC Review: 13 Little Love Stories: An Anthology Inspired by Taylor Swift Songs by Various Authors

 

From bestselling YA authors comes thirteen dazzling contemporary romances inspired by the songs of Taylor Swift!

If you could live inside one Taylor Swift song for a day, which would you pick? In this shimmering anthology, thirteen best-selling and acclaimed authors do just that, reimagining some of Taylor’s most iconic songs as love stories. 

Whether you’re in an era of fairy lights and folktales or diss tracks and dance floors, here’s a playlist that features all the The soaring high note of first love. The minor key of heartbreak. And the steady rhythm of true friendship and self-discovery.

As clever and unforgettable as the songs that inspired them, these stories are sure to play on repeat in your head and your heart. 

Stories
Elise Bryant
Jennifer Dugan
J. Elle
Jessica Goodman
Sloan Harlow
Crystal Maldonado
Krystal Marquis
Katharine McGee
Julie Murphy
Lynn Painter
Laura Sebastian
Sara Shepard
Jesse Q. Sutanto

Title: 13 Little Love Stories: An Anthology Inspired by Taylor Swift Songs

Authors:

Elise Bryant
Jennifer Dugan
J. Elle
Jessica Goodman
Sloan Harlow
Crystal Maldonado
Krystal Marquis
Katharine McGee
Julie Murphy
Lynn Painter
Laura Sebastian
Sara Shepard
Jesse Q. Sutanto

Publisher:

Expected Publication Date: June 30, 2026

Reviews:

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own. I'm going to review each story separately. Some of these authors I've read, some were new to me. I love having short stories that introduce me to new authors. 

The Grand Gesture by Elis Bryant 

"Fifteen"

This story was cute. I loved the idea of the FMC getting lost in a boy and then coming back to understand friendships are so very important. Harriet learns and grows. I didn't like Oliver for her or how she was with him. But I loved how she was in her friendship with Gaile. High school friendships are so important. And Harriet's mom had an excellent point: your relationships change as you change.

Everything Unspoken by J. Elle

"Love Story"

How can you not like a "Romeo and Juliet" story. I really love the song that inspired this one. The Vales and the Marlos (Montagues and the Capulettes) are like any other love story torn apart by family drama. This story goes just as you would suspect, minus the death. It was cute. I loved the little paranormal twist Elle included.

This One's Just for Us by Jesse Q. Sutanto

"Ours"

This was so cute. I really liked the bonding between Ting and Eric. They had their differences but also so much in common. The touch on bullying was important: both for the racism and ableist aspects. I'm glad neither character let it get to them. While I was hoping for the ending that happened, I was expecting it might not and then it did! This story made me a little teary!

It Happened One Wednesday by Lynn Painter

"Begin Again"

I really like Lynn Painter. This was a nice little story from her. I will continue to read whatever she writes because her stories always just make me happy. She makes her stories so sweet and always has be giddy. I loved that she chose to go with an older couple who had history. That was fun.

Group Project by Krystal Marquis

"Style"

This one was cute but a bit too shot for me. I liked the chemistry between the characters. I'm not sure about the ending, though. It's very open ended but I didn't truly understand the last line.

Brake For It by Jessica Goodman

"Getaway Car"

This was a little bit Thelma and Louise, I guess. I definitely thought it was going to go a different way. I did not see the little twist coming. 

Five Summers by Sloan Harlow

"Cruel Summer"

This one was a very "When Harry Met Sally" type of story. I enjoyed watching the summers go by. I liked that she chose herself. I didn't love that she so easily fell back into him after what he did but love is love and makes you do stupid stuff.

The Cardigan in Question by Julie Murphy

"Cardigan"

I'm not a huge sapphic fan but this short story was nice. I liked the fact that the differences didn't matter. I enjoyed the two personalities of the characters. And it was nice to see the one change and grow and move on from a tragedy.

Once Upon a Grad Night by Crystal Maldonado

"Willow"

This one was really sweet. Nerdy girl gets her Cinderella story. A girl with no friends, focused totally on academics who has always done what her mother wants takes a chance to get outside her box on graduation night and ends up having first time experiences that change her way of thinking. 

We're Here Now by Katharine McGee

"Hits Different"

How very When Harry Met Sally was this story. Very cute. A matter of imperfect timing before realizing what you needed/wanted was right in front of you all along. I would have liked to see a bit more interaction with Carley and Nate in the story to feel that energy. But it was cute, nonetheless.

Fool's Gold by Laura Sebastian

"Bejeweled"

I wasn't expecting a little fantasy to enter into these stories! I enjoyed this one. Not much romance to it but friendship for sure. A found family type of vibe. I would have liked more background about the magic but I do understand that's hard to do with such a short story.

Ali Gets a Clue by Jennifer Dugan

"The Black Dog"

I'm not usually much for sapphic books but I liked this one. Ali finding herself and allowing herself to open up and be vulnerable. It was nice to watch her small growth in this story.

Creative Differences by Sara Shepard

"The Tortured Poets"

This story was sweet. Another nerd who finds something new by stepping outside her box. There's only a bit of romance to this one. It's mostly a little mysterious stuff. There was a big plot hole, though, and I was annoyed by that.

Authors:

Elise Bryant is the NAACP Image Award-nominated author of Happily Ever Afters, One True Loves, Reggie and Delilah’s Year of Falling, It’s Elementary, and The Game Is Afoot. For many years, Elise had the joy of working as a special education teacher, and now she spends her days reading, writing, and eating dessert. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Long Beach, California. You can visit her online at www.elisebryant.com. 

Jennifer Dugan is a writer, geek, and romantic who writes the kinds of stories she wishes she had growing up. In addition to being a young adult novelist, she is also the writer/creator of two indie comics. She lives in New York with her family, dogs, and an evil cat that is no doubt planning to take over the world.

J. ELLE is the New York Times bestselling author of young adult and middle-grade fantasy fiction and a 2022 NAACP Image Award Nominee for Outstanding Literary Work for Youth and Teens. Her work has been translated into three languages. The former educator credits her nomadic lifestyle and humble inner-city beginnings as inspiration for her novels. When she’s not writing, Elle can be found on the hunt for new desserts sans Chocolat, looking for literally any excuse to get dressed up, and road-tripping her way across the country with her two dogs in tow.

Follow me on BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/j-elle

Jessica Goodman is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of young adult thrillers They Wish They Were Us, They’ll Never Catch Us, The Counselors, The Legacies, and The Meadowbrook Murders from Penguin Young Readers. Her debut adult novel Wisteria Falls will be published in 2027 from Putnam. Jessica’s books have been translated into 15 languages. She is co-developing They’ll Never Catch Us for television at Netflix.

She is the former op-ed editor at Cosmopolitan magazine, where she won a National Magazine Award in personal service. She has also held editorial positions at Entertainment Weekly and HuffPost, and her work has been published in outlets like The Cut, Elle, Glamour, and Marie Claire.

Sloan Harlow was interested in writing from a very young age. "Everything We Never Said," is her debut novel. She lives in Georgia with her black cat, Pabu, trying to eat as much Ube ice cream as possible.

https://www.instagram.com/sloanharlow...

Crystal Maldonado is a young adult author who writes inclusive stories about fat, brown girls. She is the author of The Fall of Whit Rivera, which People Magazine called a “pumpkin-spice-latte-flavored treat”; Fat Chance, Charlie Vega, which was a New England Book Award winner, a Cosmopolitan Best New Book, and a Kirkus Best YA Fiction of 2021; and No Filter and Other Lies, which was named a POPSUGAR and Seventeen Best New YA.

By day, Crystal works in higher ed marketing, and by night, she’s a writer whose work has been published in Latina, BuzzFeed, and the Hartford Courant. She has a degree in English and journalism from the University of Connecticut and lives in western Massachusetts with her husband, daughter, and dog. Follow her everywhere @crystalwrote. 

Krystal Marquis happily spends most of her time in libraries and used bookstores. She studied biology at Boston College and University of Connecticut and now works as an environmental, health, and safety manager for an online retailer. A lifelong reader, Krystal began researching and writing on a dare to complete the NaNoWriMo Challenge, resulting in the first partial draft of The Davenports. When not writing or planning trips to the Book Barn to discover her next favorite romance, Krystal enjoys hiking, expanding her shoe collection, and plotting ways to create her own Jurassic Park.

Katharine McGee is the New York Times bestselling author of American Royals and The Thousandth Floor trilogy. She studied English and French literature at Princeton University and has an MBA from Stanford. She lives in her hometown of Houston, TX with her husband.

Julie Murphy lives in North Texas with her husband who loves her and her cats who tolerate her. After several wonderful years in the library world, Julie now writes full-time.

When she’s not writing or reliving her reference desk glory days, she can be found watching made-for-TV movies, hunting for the perfect slice of cheese pizza, and planning her next great travel adventure.

She is also the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the young adult novels Dumplin’ (now a film on Netflix), Puddin’, Pumpkin, Ramona Blue, and Side Effects May Vary. Her middle grade novels include Dear Sweat Pea and a forthcoming 2023 title. She is also Disney's If The Shoe Fits, a modern day romcom retelling of Cinderella. Her writing partner is Sierra Simone and their romance debut is A Merry Little Meet Cute.

Julie has been featured in places liek Good Morning America, The New York Times, and Teen Vogue. Dumplin' was also named one of the best young adult books of all time by Time Magazine.

Lynn Painter is the author of Better Than The Movies. She writes romantic comedies for tweens, teens, and adults, and when she isn't reading or writing, odds are good she’s guzzling energy drinks and watching rom-coms. 

Laura Sebastian grew up in South Florida and attended Savannah College of Art and Design. She now lives and writes in London, England, with her two dogs, Neville and Circe. Laura is the author of the New York Times bestselling Ash Princess series: Ash Princess, Lady Smoke, and Ember Queen, as well as the Castles in Their Bones series: Castles in Their Bones, Stardust in Their Veins, and Poison In Their Hearts; Half Sick of Shadows, her first novel for adults; and Into the Glades, for middle-grade readers.

Sara Shepard graduated from NYU and has an MFA from Brooklyn College. She has lived in New York City, Brooklyn, Tucson, Arizona, Philadelphia, and now lives in Pittsburgh, PA. Sara's Pretty Little Liars novels were inspired by her upbringing in Philadelphia's Main Line.

Jesse Q Sutanto grew up shuttling back and forth between Jakarta and Singapore and sees both cities as her homes. She has a Masters degree from Oxford University, though she has yet to figure out a way of saying that without sounding obnoxious. She is currently living back in Jakarta on the same street as her parents and about seven hundred meddlesome aunties. When she's not tearing out her hair over her latest WIP, she spends her time baking and playing FPS games. Oh, and also being a mom to her two kids.