Anyone else on a Harry Styles high right now? Because I definitely am! Ever since I went to his Orlando show, I’ve been listening to his album, Fine Line, on repeat every day for serotonin. It’s one of my favorite albums EVER! Each song is so unique and has its own special meaning. So, what better way to pair his music with than with books? I love reading just as much as I love listening to his music, so there isn’t a more perfect pairing! I thought it would be an amazing idea to match a book for each of the first six songs from the album, whether it’s based on the lyrics or the overall vibe I get from the song.
- “Golden”
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The album opens with “Golden,” which is a joyful song about being vulnerable when falling in love and having the other person be scared to get into a new relationship due to a previous heartbreak. For this song, the book The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas is a perfect pairing. This story follows an enemies-to-lovers trope between Catalina and Aaron. They both work together and Catalina swears that he is the bane of her existence. Catalina must see her family for her sister’s wedding and they are expecting her to bring the imaginary boyfriend she’s been talking about since her last relationship didn’t end on good terms. Aaron shocks her by offering to play the role of fake boyfriend and the story then follows the slow burn of their intense chemistry. When their walls come down, Catalina has her doubts and Aaron is determined to make her trust and believe in him.
- “Watermelon Sugar”
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I think we all know the clear NSFW meaning behind “Watermelon Sugar” that even Harry himself has confirmed, lol. But overall this is a very lively song that gives me the vibe of being in a fun and exciting relationship. Based on this I chose the book To Love Jason Thorne by Ella Maise. This book is a very sweet-light-hearted, brother’s-childhood-friend type of romance that follows writer, Olive, and movie star, Jason. After a heartbreaking past, they are reunited years later when one of Olive’s books gets turned into a movie with none other than Jason as the lead. This book is perfect if you want a playful and funny read.
- “Adore you”
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“Adore You” is about letting the other person know that you love them and not pressuring them to love you back right away. For this, I chose Black Swan Affair by K.L. Kreig. This story revolves around Maverick who is marrying her childhood best friend, Kael. The only problem is that she isn’t in love with Kael. Instead, she’s in love with his older brother Killian. Killian betrays her in the worst way by marrying her sister, and in turn, Maverick decides to marry Kael. It’s no secret that Kael has been deeply in love with her all along and shows that through all of his heartfelt actions, despite knowing that Maverick loves Killian. I know it sounds really messy, but it’s such a good story!
- “Lights Up”
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“Lights Up” gives me the feeling of being free. It’s a very uplifting song about self-discovery and not letting anything get in the way of your happiness. The book Kulti by Mariana Zapata fits this perfectly. Sal is a professional soccer player on a women’s team based in Houston. Her life comes to a halt when the now-retired German legend soccer player, Kulti, takes on the role of being the team’s new assistant coach. Sal worshipped him throughout her childhood until she realized that he wasn’t what she thought he was. In traditional Mariana Zapata fashion, the story follows a very slow-burn between the two, but we experience their growth from enemies to best friends to lovers. Sal and Kulti face many challenges when it comes to their newfound friendship due to their status and positions on the team, but they don’t let anything or anyone ruin that.
- “Cherry”
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With the song having such a sad tone, it is clear that “Cherry” is about heartbreak and missing an ex. There is still a big desire to get back with the person despite them already moving on. Katherine Allred’s The Sweet Gum Tree is a heart-wrenching story of a second chance romance between childhood lovers, Alix and Nick. They are deeply in love with each other until Nick disappears suddenly without explanation, which leaves Alix incredibly heartbroken. The story then transitions from their childhood to their adulthood when Nick returns to town years later. They both believe the other person has moved on when it’s evident that their intense love for each other still lingers.
- “Falling”
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“Falling” is my favorite song from the album, which is surprising considering how sorrowful the song truly is. It’s about being at your lowest point in life and becoming someone that you don’t want to be. I recently read the book Addicted To You by Krista and Becca Ritchie and it ironically became of my favorite books of all time and relates to the lyrics to this song entirely, which is why this is my most special pairing. This book is part of a series and it follows Lily and Loren, who have been best friends since childhood. They both struggle with their own addictions and have been fake dating for three years in order to indulge and hide their addictions from their families. Their long-lived attraction for each other eventually leads them to become a real couple, but they find that they aren’t really good for each other and that continuing to feed into each other’s addictions only tears them further apart.
I hope you were able to get some recommendations from this list because I can definitely say that I loved each of these books! The pairing with Harry’s songs only makes it better. I will be doing part two of this with the second half of the album. Be on the lookout for that! Happy reading!