13 Little Love Stories: An anthology inspired by Taylor Swift songs

by Elise Bryant, Jennifer Dugan, J. Elle

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

Genres: Romance, Anthologies, Young Adult, Short Stories, Contemporary, Young Adult Romance, Fiction

336 pages, Paperback

First published June 30, 2026

About the author

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.

Reviews

[𝜗𝜚 𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙖 (semi hiatus to lock in)]

LYNN PAINTER IS IN THIS. I REPEAT LYNN. PAINTER. IS IN THIS

[ଘRory (Back!Dental School got me good)]

💖 pre-release vibes💌:

Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play♪.
And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate♪
But the writers gonna write, write, write, write, write...༄
And the readers gonna read, read, read, read, read...༄
Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake♫ ♪
I shake it off,I shake it off ♪ .

[Annabella⁷ (henry li’s version)]

WAKE UP LADIES🗣️ I LOVE THE SOUND OF THIS💌🪩🏹🥂💖

[sophia_thesecond (#hitchmetowitry!)† · Rating 3 out of 5]

started on 5/26 finished on 6/1

this was interesting. there were a few stories that I really really liked, but the rest were just okay. I love the idea of each story being connected to a taylor swift song, but I feel like most of them didn't really portray the songs. for a few I felt like they could be continued and be made into a full book, or just longer short story. most ended kind of abruptly. overall, this was alright a few (especially lynn painters) were pretty good, but most were just mediocre.

my ranking of the stories:

it happened on wednesday- lynn painter
five summers- sloan harlow
once upon a grad night- crystal maldonado
group project- krystal marquis
this one's just for us- jesse q sutanto
we're here now- katherine mcgee
brake for it- jessica goodman
the cardigan in question- julie murphy
creative differences- sara shepard
the grand gesture- elise bryant
ali gets a clue- jennifer dugan
fool's gold- laura sebastian
everything unspoken- j. elle

[zoya ᯓ★]

wait stop, the premise for this book is actually fire?? and why are all the authors my fav YA authors???
I cannot WAIT for this !!

[angelpompom]

If Lynn Painter writes it, I read it. Simple math.

[Haley]

I received an advanced digital copy from Penguin Teen Canada in exchange for an honest review.

DNF @ 28%/94 pages.

I read the first 3.5 short stories and didn’t feel any interest to continue. I feel like I might be TOO big of a Taylor Swift fan because the comparisons to the songs references were too small for me. Additionally, of the three stories I read completely I would individually rate around 1-2 stars each. Writing short stories is a skill, but I found all of the stories so far suffered heavily in the pacing department and tried to fit too much in.

[Emilia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute anthology! I love that there was such a diverse group of authors contributing. I enjoyed reading the creative ways each story interpreted Taylor’s songs, which lend themselves so well to storytelling. I also liked that the stories progressed in order through her discography. Due to the amount of stories and length of book, each author didn’t get a ton of page space, which left a lot of the stories feeling rushed or lacking depth. The most successful of these stories didn’t try to do too much with the word count, but tracked a love story through one event or day. I’ve never really reviewed an anthology, but here is my ranking of the stories from most favorite to least favorite!

Once Upon a Grad Night - Crystal Maldonado
It Happened One Wednesday - Lynn Painter
Group Project - Krystal Marquis
The Grand Gesture - Elise Bryant
The Cardigan in Question - Julie Murphy
Creative Differences - Sara Shepard
This One’s Just for Us - Jesse Q. Sutanto
Ali Gets a Clue - Jennifer Dugan
Five Summers - Sloan Harlow
Brake For It - Jessica Goodman
We’re Here Now - Katharine McGee
Fool’s Gold - Laura Sebastian
Everything Unspoken - J. Elle

Thank you Netgalley, Putnam, and all of the authors for the chance to read and review 13 Little Love Stories ahead of its publication, in exchange for an honest review!

[cyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review. This book had a super cute idea and i loved some of the author’s contributions. When reading short story book where each story has different authors it’s to be expected that some are better than others. I think some of the stories were super strong and interesting while others dragged on. I understand why they book hadb13 different stories for the Tayloe Swift reference but I do wish they cut some of the stories to allow the other ones to be expanded on. Each story was super short so the good ones were super underdeveloped. I did love the idea of each story being inspired by a Taylor Swift song. Overall this was cute but I wouldn’t pick this up if you aren’t a huge Taylor Swift fan.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short story collections are hard to rate so we’ll go with 4 stars. I loved some, enjoyed others. They were all quick, cute reads.

Favorites:
- The Grand Gesture, Elise Bryant
- It Happened One Wednesday, Lynn Painter
- Five Summers, Sloan Harlow
- Once Upon a Grad Night, Crystal Maldonado
- Ali Gets a Clue, Jennifer Dugan

Thanks to Goodreads Giveaways and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the print ARC.

[Esther]

Do not waste your time on this. I love Lynn Painter’s, but every other story was just…honestly quite bad.

[Taylor]

Honestly, this is exactly what it sounds like it is

[Stefani · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was very cute, a collection of YA short stories inspired by your favorite Taylor Songs written by your favorite YA authors.

I found I liked these more when I was reading them one at a time, like one a day or one between two days. I sat down to finish the rest of them all at once and most of them were just too similar to really stick. There were a few that took a fantasy route and those stood out, but the regular romances all started to blend together. Some felt unfinished, simply stopping and not feeling like the story really ended. Others I felt like too the songs too literally, and I think they could have challenged themselves to do more than just tackle the title of the songs, YA readers are smart and I’m sure would have enjoyed a short story with Easter eggs of the song rather than being so obvious.

A few didn’t even really feel like love stories.

Overall, a really cute idea, I’d recommend reading one a day instead of trying to tackle this whole thing at once. Savor it little by little instead.

Thank you @netgalley and @putnambooks for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

[liz ౨ৎ · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a Swiftie who doubles as a romance reader, I thought this book would be perfect for me. It was not…

The writing? Painfully juvenile (even for a YA book). The T.S. references? Extremely underwhelming. The book itself? Not what I was hoping.

This just fell incredibly flat for me, and I disliked a majority of the stories. The only one that stuck out to me as enjoyable was the one written by Lynn Painter.

Yeah, this is a no from me.

[Rebecca Love · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ as an average of all 13 stories ratings

A bit of a mixed bag here. I will say this collection helped me realise that I prefer my short stories in books like this to have a connecting thread (an invisible string if you will) between them. That being said i think for the most part the essences of the songs were captured well and some would make great longer stories. I also appreciated that not all of the stories focus on romantic love.

The grand gesture - elise Bryant (fifteen)
2⭐️

Very sweet story about not giving up who you are and your friends for a romance. I appreciate it not being about romantic love at its core but it was a bit dull.

Everything unspoken - j. Elle (love story)
4 ⭐️

Romeo and Juliette with a little magic thrown in. I enjoyed this one but i wish we got a little beyond the ending. What happens after that, i want to know.

This one's just for us - Jesse q. Sutanto (ours)
5⭐️

This one is really cute, I actually teared up a bit. Its hard for me to read short stories because they often feel unfinished to me but this one didn't.

It happened one Wednesday - Lynn painter (begin again)
5⭐️

Lynn never fails, this captured begin again perfectly. I love the focus on how where you are doesn't matter if it's with the right person.

Group project - krystal marquis (style)
2 ⭐️

I sadly was not a fan of this one. Something about it didn't click with me. We learn very little about the characters and even with how short it is they didn't seem to work as a couple (but maybe that was the point?)

Brake for it - jessica goodman (getaway car)
3.5⭐️

Okay I was not jiving with this one, until the end. Love that for them and a great way to capture getaway car.

Five summers - sloan Harlow (cruel summer)
2 ⭐️

Sadly i wasn't a fan of this one. The whole clearly liking your bestie while being in a relationship with someone else thing has never worked for me.

The cardigan in question Julie Murphy (cardigan)
3.5 ⭐️

This one was really cute. I wasn't sure on it at first but I like the way the author approached the story of the cardigan and what it means.

Once upon a grad night- crystal maldonado (willow)
4 ⭐️

Aww this one was really sweet. Very simple but I like the way it felt like a story that was both complete and yet just beginning

We're here now - Katherine McGee (hits different)
3 ⭐️

This one felt a little rushed to me, the endgame winds up feeling like it is a rebound and the connection between the main characters isn't the best

Fools gold - Laura Sebastian (bejeweled)
5⭐️

Loved this one, good for you tourmaline. I would very much like to read an extended version of this.

Ali gets a clue - Jennifer Dugan (the black dog)
4⭐️

I liked this one. Especially the little nod to another song with Ali in love being the playlist name. I do wish we got to see her interact with the end game a bit more though

Creative differences - sara shepard (TTPD)
3 ⭐️

A 27 second breakup phone call- the lore is strong with this one. I like the message of this story but the ending was a little anticlimactic

[Rach · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet collection of stories about love, heartbreak, and friendship, all tied to a different Taylor Swift song. Like most short story collections, some of these worked better for me than others, whether it matched my interpretation of the song well or had characters I instantly liked or existed as the perfect little story nugget. If you’re a fan of Taylor Swift, you’ll enjoy reading this collection, listening to the inspiration songs, and thinking about how they relate to one another.

Here are a few of my favorite stories:

It Happened One Wednesday (Begin Again) by Lynn Painter
This one is so funny and cute, I was giggling and kicking my feet (metaphorically). I love second chance romance and dual POV and cuties who are so into each other they can’t help but stare at one another in delight. Sadie and Jess are adorable and I’m so glad Jess banished that ex from Sadie’s mind. It’s pretty clear he was always the one for her. Sigh. Also, it’s not surprising to me I loved this one after loving Lynn Painter’s The Do-Over last year

The Cardigan in Question (Cardigan) by Julie Murphy
Cardigan is one of my favorite Taylor songs and I love the way Julie Murphy (already a favorite author) spun the song and turned it inside out to tell a new version. This one was so sad but also hopeful, dealing with grief, loss, and fear. Despite the sadness, there’s also so much love and joy to find, of you’re willing to seize it. And I always did wish Betty and August would get together.

This One’s Just for Us (Ours) by Jesse Q. Sutanto
I’ve read almost everything Jesse Q Sutanto has ever written so it’s no surprise that I loved this sweet, thoughtful story about two kids who don’t fit in trying to survive in a racist, bigoted town, and finding community and friendship with each other. I get why Ting’s dad moved them away from there, and why she hadn’t told Eric about her feelings and risked “ruining their friendship” but Taylor’ would tell you it’s worth it. The ending of this was perfect.

Once Upon a Grad Night (Willow) by Crystal Maldonado
Willow is my absolute favorite Taylor song and I’m so glad it had such a good story inspired by it, about letting go of your carefully arranged life, being spontaneous, and seizing the moment you desperately want. Pretty much the only thing I didn’t like was how short it was - it definitely needed to be longer because it had so much potential for character growth. I need to know how long Luca has liked Deja and if he came to grad night only to see her. I want to watch they fall In love.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for an early copy of this book for review purposes.

[K. Schroeder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this was adorable.

13 authors choose 13 Taylor Swift song to give us 13 short stories about love.

Some were truly great and some were a little weird. Many of them had fun twists at the end.

The Grand Gesture - 4/5 - Had me worried for a second but that ending was a win.
Everything Unspoken - 3/5 - A little more melodramatic then my tastes but fun.
This One's Just For Us - 5/5 - This was the first one where the payoff was exceptional. Usually you need a whole book to get that lighthearted feeling at the end.
It Happened One Wednesday - 5/5 - Lynn Painter got me kicking my feet in happiness again. So unexpected in its sweetness.
Group Project - 2/5 - Not bad but it felt unfinished.
Brake For It - 4/5 - Hilarious, I was anxious, I was annoyed and boy did I have egg on my face at the end.
Five Summers - 3/5 - I'm sorry I need more of Will groveling to let me forgive him. His redemption was not earned.
The Cardigan in Question - 3/5 - This was cute but so awkward.
One Upon a Grad Night - 3/5 - I feel like there is a good way and a bad way to do a Manic Pixie Dream Boy. This was somehow both.
We're Here Now - 4/5 - With so little story there was so much payoff.
Fool's Gold - 1/5 - This just did not fit here. It's not a love story, and there is suddenly magic?
Ali Gets A Clue - 4/5 - Yes, give me that yearning and feelings expressed in playlists!
Creative Differences - 4/5 - This is not how I would have ended the book but it was a cute story.

I think The Grand Gesture was a great way to start the collection but I would have ended with Ali Gets a Clue. I think it would have rounded out better because it uses music to tell a love story. Overall, we got a lot of diverse stories and I think they did a great job of linking the story to the song. As a Taylor Swift fan but not quite a swifty I think this collection will be a win with most of her fans.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

13 Little Love Stories takes the cute concept of giving each author a Taylor Swift song (one from each album/era) and asking them to write a short story inspired by said song with the focus on love - be it romantic, familial or platonic.

Besides the Taylor Swift influence, this collection is not for me so I have taken that into account with my rating and reflected more on if I think it nailed the concept it was trying to achieve or not. I think it was a reasonable effort but apart from a few standouts (Lynn Painter's witty writing elevated her story above most; Jesse Q. Sutanto's story was very sweet; Julie Murphy's story was the most on point with its Taylor inspiration centering the story around the elusive cardigan) the rest either felt quite samey-samey - two stories in a row featured characters who were photographer's for the school paper/year book. Quite a few of the short stories also felt very surface level with how Taylor's highlighted song was used, which was disappointing.

My one final quibble is the intended audience for this collection doesn't sit quite right: it's supposed to be 12 years and up but a few of the stories deal with quite heavy matters, as well as characters who are out of high school and dealing with grown up relationships and situations. I think it should be 14+ at the earliest.

2.5 stars rounded down.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

[cara ☾ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I requested this because I am such a big Lynn Painter fan and must read everything of hers. I was hesitant since I don’t normally love short stories as much since they are all typically fast burn and very rushed. However, I figured this would be a good way to try to expand my horizons and try some new authors as well.

My favorite of the stories were “This One’s Just For Us”, “It Happened One Wednesday”, and “The Cardigan in Question”. The rest were good, but didn’t stick out to me as much. I enjoyed how some of the stories weren’t just focused on romantic relationships but friendships as well, that was so refreshing to read. The friends to lovers ones were my favorites as well, can never go wrong with that. I did have fun and these are super cute if you want a sweet, lighthearted read.

Thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Yvonne W · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, I love books that are collection of short stories by different authors! It's refreshing to see different styles of writing all in one book. And when the shared topic is Taylor Swift songs?! Count me in! If you love love and Taylor Swift, then I hope you will give this book a chance and check it out!

13 Little Love Stories is a collection of love stories, each story based on a Taylor Swift song and each written by a different author. I found the best way to enjoy this book was to play and listen to the Taylor Swift song first then dive into the story. It's so interesting to me how each author interprets the song and tries to bring the gist of the song to life in the story. Some do a better job at that than others but nevertheless I still enjoyed each story. My favorites are the ones by Lynn Painter and Jesse Q. Sutanto. Both stories I would definitely read a whole book of, if it were ever expanded!

Thank you so much to Penguin Young Readers Group, GP Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, and NetGalley for a chance to read this advance copy! Highly recommend to all my Swifties!

[Athena 💗 · Rating 3 out of 5]

As always, Lynn Painter never misses. Her story was the star of the show in this collection of Taylor Swift inspired love stories. Admittedly, I am not a Swifty so I’m sure I didn’t appreciate the inspiration that went into each song/story but I’m sure that will be a highlight for others.

Some of the stories I enjoyed more than others but overall I’m glad I got a chance to read 13 Little Love Stories.

[Victoria Godi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this early edition through Goodreads giveaway. I feel like my 14 year old self would have been so giddy reading this book. It’s a collection of short love/friendship stories, each having their own Taylor Swift song attached to it as a theme of the story. It was really cute. Some stories did feel a bit repetitive but they were still good.

[Page-Turner]

𐙚⋆.˚ Pre-read 𝜗𝜚⋆₊˚
Lynn Painter AND Taylor Swift??!?!
Talk about worlds collide.
Don't wake me up, I'm living the dreammm 🩷🩷🩷

[donutqueenie · Rating 3 out of 5]

OVERALL- ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I love Taylor Swift’s music!! There’s a lot of variety here. Some characters are in high school and some are in college. Some stories have good plot and development despite few pages and some are just poorly written. Some are in third person POV and some are dual first person POV. Most stories were very cute. I thought the song choices were a little odd and was surprised when some of Taylor’s most popular songs weren’t included (like All Too Well, You Belong With Me, Shake It Off, and Blank Space). This book is marketed to children 12 and up and had content I would definitely not deem appropriate for a child. My favorites are Creative Differences, Once Upon a Grad Night, and Group Project.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
Release date 6/30/26.



1- The Grand Gesture by Elise Bryant
🎵“Fifteen”

Harriet is a freshman at a new high school and finds her first love and a new BFF.

4⭐️ I love the Football Team is a BAND!! So cute. It captured the first half of the song “Fifteen” and that pain of first love so well! The tone is whimsy. The layout of the story was a bit weird with the flashbacks and “artifacts.” This is a story about friendship.
—

2- Everything Unspoken by J. Elle
🎵 “Love Story”

RJ and Jules come from warring families in a small town but they just want to be together. (TW: parent hitting child)

2⭐️ I liked the magical realism but it was so oddly intense for no reason that it was unintentionally funny. The tone is dark and I cringed more than once. I don’t think this one matches the song very well except throwing pebbles.
—

3- This One’s Just For Us by Jesse Q. Sutanto
🎵”Ours”

Ting and Eric are seniors in high school and both bullied for different reasons but find solace in each other.

3⭐️ I liked the representation but I didn’t the cursing because it was distracting from the story. I think this one matched the song well but the tone of the writing feels dry. Very cute ending.
—

4- It Happened One Wednesday by Lynn Painter
🎵“Begin Again”

Sadie is waiting for a blind date and runs into an old friend. (TW: alcohol, cigars)

3⭐️The tone is sweet. It’s dual POV and very cute. It fit the song very well (based on reading all of Lynn Painter’s other books, this wasn’t surprising!)
—

5- Group Project by Krystal Marquis
🎵“Style”

Ryan gets paired with her ex boyfriend Lando for a group project.

4⭐️ The tone is cute and the story is about second chances. I think it fit the song well.
—

6- Brake For it by Jessica Goodman
🎵“Getaway Car”

Willa finds out her crush and best friend Cameron is newly single during their senior year of high school. (TW: mar!juana)

2⭐️ I didn’t like the vibe of this one. I don’t think it matched the song well.

——

7
Five Summers by Sloan Harlow
🎵”Cruel Summer”

Will and Alexandra are ex-friends with benefits that reunite unexpectedly.

3⭐️I liked the structure of this story with the flashbacks. The ending was super cute. The tone is serious.
—

8- The Cardigan in Question by Julie Murphy
🎵“Cardigan”

Betty loses a sweater and must agree to date the girl that found it in order to get it back.

1⭐️ DNF Not for me. I did like the vascular (port wine) birthmark representation. I do think it fit the song well with all the names Betty, August, Peter, and Wendy.
—

9- Once Upon a Grad Night by Crystal Maldonado
🎵“Willow”

The overachieving premed student Deja ditches the event she planned for the senior class when a cute friend Luca invites her to a concert.

4⭐️ I liked this one. It was very cute and well written. It fits the song.
—

10- We’re Here Now by Katherine McGhee
🎵“Hits Different”

Carly navigates a secret relationship with a coworker. (TW: alcohol, infidelity)

3⭐️ Cute story but it doesn’t go with the song well because it’s reversed. In the song the breakup hits different because it wasn’t easy to move on from. Carly moves on very fast in this story. But I do love a good friends to lovers, “it was always you” moment.

—
11- Fool’s Gold by Laura Sebastian
🎵“Bejeweled”

1⭐️ DNF Not for me. I didn’t like the content or writing in this one.

—
12- Ali Gets a Clue by Jennifer Dugan
🎵 “The Black Dog”

1⭐️ DNF Not for me. I didn’t like the content or writing in this one.

—
13- Creative Differences by Sara Shepard
🎵 “The Tortured Poets Department”

Violet is in detention and get a mysterious message that leads her to meeting a mysterious person.

4⭐️This one was so fun to read! Very well written and goes well with the song. The tone is truly for the swifties and very tongue in cheek. I loved it.

[Em · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
13 Little Love Stories was a sweet collection of short stories that I ultimately had an okay time reading. As a pretty big Taylor Swift song that knew all of these songs, I was very excited to see them come to life. I loved how some of the authors interpreted the books, and it was nice to just read something short and easy. I got through it very quickly, unlike some other books.
One of the issues I found in this book was that the stories were not consistent at all. Of course, it was written by 13 different authors, so their writing styles aren’t going to be the same, but some were a lot longer than others, and the degree of similarity with the songs the stories were based off of them were huge. The varying lengths aren’t too much of a problem when I think about it now. I just had a few stories I really liked that seemed very cut short, while some stories (a particular one) I disliked a lot, and I was just wondering when it was going to end. Writing down all of their page numbers now, the longest story was 28 pages, written by Elise Bryant, who I also believe is the one hosting this collaboration, and the shortest was 20 pages. It may not seem like a huge difference, but when 10 pages are ⅓ of a story, it is a lot of difference in my opinion. Whether the length of the stories is decided by the authors themselves or the publishing company/Elise Bryant, I really wish some could’ve been expanded on more. Next, the amount of references towards Taylor Swift were close to barely anything in most of the stories, and when an author really tried to follow the song, I just had to hate the story because of how cheesy it was, and it made me kind of sad. Like it’s fine to deviate from the song but if you didn’t tell me which song was which for half of them I wouldn’t have known. Some of the stories were great while others were absolutely horrendous. For a book called 13 Little Love Stories, some weren’t even love stories, which I don’t mind, but for branding purposes that’s pretty bad.

Here’s a compilation of all the short stories, their names, what song they were based on, the author, and the page number, ordered from most liked to least liked according to me. For the page count, this might change because I read the advanced reader's copy, so keep that in mind. My full reviews of each one will be below.

It Happened One Wednesday - Begin Again - Lynn Painter - 25 pages
I think this was my favorite story out of all of them, but This One’s Just For Us is a close runner up. It was a perfect mix of Begin Again and Lynn Painter’s romcom style, it felt like being wrapped in a fuzzy blanket of a new love. The humor is great and so is the fact that they met each other in high school and its kind of a reunion!

This One’s Just For Us - Ours - Jesse Q. Sutanto - 21 pages
I really liked this story and how Sutanto interpreted Ours, I absolutely ate it up, she totally deserved to have more pages in this book. One part of it felt very rushed, and I wonder if it’s because of a possible page limit? Anyways, super sweet and great.

The Cardigan In Question - Cardigan - Julie Murphy - 25 pages
Really liked this story, I liked how the author interpreted the song well enough to include themes from it but change it ever so slightly to show their creativity, which some people did not do (cough cough J. Elle).

We’re Here Now - Hits Different - Katharine McGee - 25 pages
Loved this story honestly, from the tech bros to the friends to lovers, again even though I really enjoyed it and have nothing I would change, I don’t think it relates to Hits Different because she and her lover had never broken up and instead it was a relationship beforehand that the main character had broken up with, yet she never cared about him that much. So why Hits Different? And that song is not happy, this story was very happy, which isn’t a bad thing, the storyline is just entirely different.

Creative Differences - The Tortured Poets Department - Sara Shepard - 23 pages
So a pretty fun and kind of “get over him” story. I do like how the characters show their little quirks and the slight plot twist but it doesn’t go very in depth, nothing really happens, but it was nice!

Brake For It - Getaway Car - Jessica Goodman - 23 pages
This was a really fun story! I liked the break from romance after romance, and played into the actual song very well. 9/10 actually going back to this it is a compilation of love stories so I guess it didn’t follow the theme given very well?

Fool’s Gold - Bejeweled - Laura Sebastian - 20 pages
The worldbuilding was great, but again this wasn’t a love story. There was a lot that I think could’ve been elaborated on, it’s very surface level.

Once Upon A Grad Night - Willow - Crystal Maldonado - 20 pages
This was a sweet story, it didn’t stir anything in me, but I think if Maldonado had more pages to fully flesh out both of the characters it would’ve been better. I see no correlation between this story and the song Willow though, aside from her following him around but that’s not enough for me. Their love is almost instantaneous, it’s only the first day in the story while Willow’s lyrics make it seem like a more long and deep term relationship.

Ali Gets a Clue - The Black Dog - Jennifer Dugan - 23 pages
Only thing related to The Black Dog was the fact that the coffee shop was called that. What happens has nothing to do with what happens in the Black Dog, which is kind of disappointing because the story itself isn’t terrible, and I really wish that Dugan used the song more when creating her story.

Group Project - Style - Krystal Marquis - 20 pages
Sweet, but got absolutely nothing from it. They just argue and make up. I wish there was more to it, honestly.

Five Summers - Cruel Summer - Sloan Harlow - 27 pages
This did not have to be as long as it was. The whole story is just miscommunication after miscommunication which was a bit frustrating, but it wasn’t bad. The Summer idea was repeated a lot in the story but other than that there was nothing that was similar to the actual song.

The Grand Gesture - 15 - Elise Bryant - 28 pages
Nice idea, this just felt very self insert for the main character, I wish it was another short story that started this book off. I feel like Bryant really wanted to make that quirky high school teenager who’s obsessed with Twilight and romance movies. She also turns her nose up at the art deco, lit fic and band player kind of stereotype, if you understand what I mean. Like the people who watch the Dead Poet’s Society and write poems and music in their free time and think they’re better than those who read smut or something. I kind of understood where she was coming from, I’ve met people with that sort of complex, but honestly I think some of those people were really cool and it kind of icked me out to hear her talk to her friend about how much she loves Edward Cullen because like girl you are not better than those people. It’s giving pick me, and gave me bad vibes. Again it just felt like she was a character written right out of a Wattpad fanfic of “One Direction Kidnapped Me” and yeah if you can get that vibe. In no way did it have to be this long, but I guess it’s because Bryant is hosting the collab.

Everything Unspoken - Love Story - J. Elle - 25 pages
Elle tries to play into the fantasy genre for this but everything is just so cheesy like two families own different shops in this town yet their rivalry is bad enough to get someone hanged? It wasn’t realistic at all, it was like she owns a meat shop and he owns a cupcake shop but their families hate each other the same way Romeo and Juliet did? This was the one story I think the author tried a bit too hard to have it relate to the original story. She tried to make the rivalry sound really bad but the reason for it made no sense. If she really wanted them to hate each other she could’ve made it into something in modern high society or they’re academic rivals or something. She wants the best of both worlds yet she gets absolutely nothing out of it. And then she has to include this random thing about reading minds? It just made everything chaotic, and not in a good way. It made me cringe the whole time I was reading. It was so bad. I mean, at least it didn’t have any spelling mistakes or grammatical errors, but that’s its only saving grace. If I was rating this separately it would be a 2 stars. This was also the story I wish was shortened or completely removed or rewritten because some of my favorite stories are 20 pages while this one gets 25. Like what?

This book had a lot of highs and lows, so read if you’re fine with that, but honestly I wouldn’t recommend unless you’re a big Taylor Swift fan. It’s not bad, it just could’ve been a lot better, and I was a bit disappointed.

[astra]

was not expecting that list of authors

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

3.5/5 stars rounded to 4.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delightful collection of short stories! Of course given the nature of it, I loved some more than others, but it was all in all really enjoyable. And I say this as someone who is mostly unfamiliar with most of Taylor Swift's recent songs.

1. The Grand Gesture by Elise Bryant - 5/5
This was such a surprise! I wasn't sure where the story was going but when I realized what it was trying to tell it made me smile so much. I love the main relationship in this and how Harrite figured out what matters most!

2. Everything Unspoken by J. Elle - 3.5/5
This one was quite intense. I found the mind reading and romeo and juliet concepts really interesting. But the pacing for this concept was way too quick and I feel this didn't fit a short story format.

3. This One's Just for Us by Jesse Q. Sutanto - 4/5
A really cute story! Ting and Eric found each other at the exact right time when they needed someone and their connection was so authentic and sweet. The messages were adorable and so was the ending.

4. It Happened One Wednesday by Lynn Painter - 5/5
Swoon! I love Lynn Painter's banter in dialogue. The reunion between Sadie and Jess was so full of sparks and chemistry and it's no wonder they didn't want to end their time together yet. I also loved the group of older men and the cards, how fun!

5. Group Project by Krystal Marquis - 3/5
I loved the angst of this, the conflict of going in different directions and disagreeing about life is compelling, but I also didn't feel that attatched, I don't know why, maybe it's because there wasn't enough time to see these characters interact before caring about their relationship. Plus the ending gave no certain closure.

6. Brake for it by Jessica Goodman - 3/5
I don't really know what to think of this one. I loved the ending because I didn't see it coming, and it was quite a twist. But at the same time, maybe it was too misleading for the reader? Not sure how to put it, but yeah it was fine.

7. Five Summers by Sloan Harlow - 5/5
Oh, I thought this one was so good! And I say this as best friends isn't my usual favourite trope. But the format of showing each summer and then the present was so good, I loved it. And it had some amazing yearning in it. The ending was also super sweet. Love love!!!

8. The Cardigan in Question by Julie Murphy - 4.5/5
Another surprise of a story! Even though the pace was fast I thought it was lovely. At first I wasn't sure about August considering she was a bit forward at first, but it was clear that's what Betty needed. The grief was portrayed well, and I loved Betty and August's talk in the tree. And the ending was sweet with how nervous August was!

9. Once Upon A Grad Night by Crystal Maldonado - 5/5
Oh I loved this one too! There's no better night than grad night to do things you've never done before. The chemistry and atmosphere in this book was so good and I loved the vulnerability and the cupcakes. The dance was so picturesque and romantic. Can I also say the fortune tree is a beautiful concept.

10. We're Here Now by Katherine McGee - 2/5
This one.. felt a bit strange to me. The story felt kind of distant and unemotional, and the way the couple got together in the end felt anticlimactic, especially since she'd just broke up to it felt too sudden.

11. Fool's Gold by Laura Sebastian - 3/5
The powers and the settings with the jewels were super cool. I found myself pretty confused with the plot, though the revenge and friendships the MC made were really great.

12. Ali Gets a Clue by Jennifer Dugan - 5/5
So cute! I loved this one! The yearning and hiding of feelings of both of them was such an epitome of pining. I loved the MC's introspection, it was really funny and made me laugh. And the playlist used as a sort of confession? That was PERFECT. The ending was so emotional and just perfection!

13. Creative Differences by Sara Shepard - 4/5
This one was really fun. I loved the dynamic between the two as she stumbled into his room by accident and they started talking. The chemistry was sweet, and I loved how she wrote that essay about her ex. Not the best idea but still amazing! Max the poet is definitely swoony and I love how the story didn't rush anything and left it be for the future!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy!

[Ashley N. · Rating 4 out of 5]

13 Little Love Stories is a fun anthology of 13 romantic short stories by popular YA authors, each story inspired by a Taylor Swift song. Of course there are 13 stories, right? Disclaimer - I am not a big TS fan. I am not overly familiar with most of the inspiration songs - I googled the lyrics prior to reading each story, and then listened to the song once done. I will say that I think each author pretty much nailed it, with the song inspiring the story. Long review ahead, with my brief thoughts on each story.

Elise Bryant - The Grand Gesture
Playlist: Fifteen
High school setting, a story of feeling like you don't fit in, and how friendship helps. Then, how first love can change a friendship, and ultimately how the friendship holds true when a guy comes and goes. 3⭐️

J. Elle - Everything Unspoken
Playlist: Love Story
Indeterminate fantasy setting, a Romeo and Juliet retelling with a fantasy/supernatural vibe. It felt different and magical. Excellent use of the iconic "Say yes" line from the song (I know this song!), used perfectly at the end. 4⭐️

Jesse Q. Sutanto - This One’s Just For Us
Playlist: Ours
High school setting, with a charming, sweet, optimistic vibe. Timely too - subtly takes on topics of immigrant prejudice, autism, racism, and ableism. Not a good look for Iowa. I loved how the female character valued the things in the male character that made him different. Nice use of "Ours" at the end. 4.5-5⭐️

Lynn Painter - It Happened One Wednesday
Playlist: Begin Again
Late college setting, more of a new adult setup. A second chance encounter, that reflects back to a ninth grade study hall (so really, some high school feel too). The one that got away vibes. The song inspiration really shines in this one. "You should come". 4.5-5⭐️

Krystal Marquis - Group Project
Playlist: Style
High school setting with an on/off relationship between two seniors. I didn't get into this one, it felt incomplete for me, even considering the short story format. It matches up well with the song however. 3⭐️

Jessica Goodman - Brake For It
Playlist: Getaway Car
High school setting, seniors about to graduate. Seemed like it was going to be a love triangle, but then not quite. It surprised me. Did not turn out as I expected. Love the message of girls sticking together. 4⭐️

Sloan Harlow - Five Summers
Playlist: Cruel Summer
College setting, with snippets from past four summers covering college years, then more in the present day, where the relationship implodes. Culminates at graduation, with a maybe second chance. I didn't like the ending on this one, he should have figured it out sooner. 3⭐️

Julie Murphy - The Cardigan In Question
Playlist: Cardigan
College setting, a f/f pairing, which was refreshing after all the m/f prior. Excellent use of the cardigan in driving the story. 3.5⭐️

Crystal Maldonado - Once Upon a Grad Night
Playlist: Willow
High school setting, at a senior party on graduation night. Heavy emphasis on family responsibilities. Nice metaphor with the willow, in that it's ok to bend without breaking. 3⭐️

Katharine McGee - We're Here Now
Playlist: Hits Different
College setting, seniors in college. Friendship that could be more, but we are too scared to make that happen so we fool ourselves with a bad relationship choice that turns out badly. Promise at the end. 3⭐️

Laura Sebastian - Fool's Gold
Playlist: Bejeweled
Indeterminate fantasy setting. I found this story very intriguing and different. All the characters have jewel/gemstone names, with subtle influence on their character. Hard relationship lesson, with a satisfying revenge. 4.5-5⭐️

Jennifer Dugan - Ali Gets a Clue
Playlist: The Black Dog
High school setting, f/f. Pining over best friend, convinces herself she likes a flaky boy for 3 years, then realizes what a waste. Better late than never. 3.5⭐️

Sara Shepard - Creative Differences
Playlist: The Tortured Poets Department
High school setting with post breakup blues. My vibe for this was the best way to get over someone is to find someone new. 3⭐️

If you enjoy YA/NA romance and Taylor Swift, definitely pick this one up.

ARC received from Penguins' Young Readers Group/G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

[Elizabeth Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the thirteen stories in this anthology to be quite a mixed bag. There were some I thought were excellent, a few I thought were kind of a mixed bag or forgettable and a few I downright didn't enjoy. Overall I would recommend it if you're a Taylor Swift fan though because most of them do a pretty decent job at catching the essence of each of the songs they're inspired by.

The following is each of the stories and a little bit of what I thought about each one so this doesn't get to be too long.

1. The Grand Gesture - Elise Bryant
I found this one to be super fun, it was probably one of the most directly and closely inspired by a song, Fifteen. Definitely one of the highlights.

2. Everything Unspoken - J. Elle
I felt that this one was trying to do too much within a limited number of pages. I don't think being able to hear each other's thoughts and such was needed. Could've just been a bitter rivalry for getting her brother arrested.

3. This One's Just For Us ~ Jesse Q. Sutanto
This one was really sweet. I liked seeing people from different walks of life that were both bullied coming together and experiencing a deep affection for each other. Cute!

4. It Happened One Wednesday ~ Lynn Painter
I liked this one so much. Loved their banter. Loved that he remembered things about her. Loved that it was a reconnection. Loved his uncle and their fancy uno. So much fun. I think this may have actually been my favorite story in the entire collection.

5. Group Project ~ Krystal Marquis
This one was fine.. It's a much more loose adaptation of the song. It was more like the song happened after the story. It wasn't all that exciting but it wasn't exactly bad either. Sorta middle of the road.

6. Brake For It - Jessica Goodman
I actually didn't think I'd like this one at first but it took a fun female friendship twist and I loved it. Heck yeah. Show the man who's boss and that he can't lie to ruin your reputation. This one ended up being a highlight.

7. Five Summers - Sloan Harlow
This one didn't really work for me. He showed disinterest basically the entire time except for the end and it was almost exhausting to read at points. She deserved better. Definitely not my fave.

8. The Cardigan in Question - Julie Murphy
This one was sorta unexpected. I didn't know what direction it was going to take at first, I wouldn't say I was totally in love with it but I didn't hate it either. It was fairly solid. I liked the connections it made to the song Cardigan.

9. Once Upon A Grad Night - Crystal Maldonado
Thoroughly enjoyed this one. I thought it was super sweet and cute. It didn't feel that connected to the song other than he wrecked her plans I guess. Don't have a lot to say about it.

10. We're Here Now - Katherine McGee
This one I didn't really like at all. It felt poorly paced, it felt like he was just a rebound and I didn't buy their relationship dynamic at all. It sorta followed the song but that's about the only compliment I'm willing to give it. I also found it boring.

11. Fool's Gold - Laura Sebastian
This one was honestly weird. Like it wasn't really a romance. They were stealing gemstones from rich people and her ex was the guy who taught her to steal them. I kinda liked the magical powers and stuff in this one when I didn't in the Love Story inspired one because it felt more natural. But this one was almost odd?

12. Ali Gets A Clue - Jennifer Dugan
I found this one to be pretty cute overall, but it wasn't super memorable. It got the point of the song across but compared to some of the other stories it just wasn't as exciting or interesting.

13. Creative Differences - Sara Shepard
I actually really liked this one a lot and I found it to be a fantastic way to end the anthology. I won't give too much away but I feel like it almost had a small magical element to it? even if it wasn't directly addressed /as/ magic and it made for a fun and intriguing reading experience. I also kept picturing the Fortnight music video so that was fun.

Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group, GP Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for the ARC to honestly review.