I spend a lot of time listening to One Direction and reading books. They’re the “Story of my Life” if you will. So obviously, I find the combination of the two to be just “Perfect.” So, if you’re like me, I’ve created a list of books that remind me of One Direction songs that you should definitely check out!
“If I Could Fly” and “Half a Heart” and A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole
There’s literally a scene in this book where the couple is dancing to “If I Could Fly” by One Direction, so of course, I had to recommend this book. The lyrics of the song also perfectly relate to the story. The main characters, Poppy and Rune, are childhood friends-to-lovers who are forced to separate when Rune moves to a different country. This coincides perfectly with the lyrics from the beginning of the song, “If I could fly / I’d be comin’ right back home to you” and of course, “I’m missing half of me / When we’re apart.” Another song that I chose for this book is “Half a Heart,” because Poppy and Rune literally say that the other is half of their heart/soul throughout the book, so obviously, I had to include it. I feel like these two songs perfectly coincide with this book, so if “If I Could Fly” and “Half a Heart” are your favourite One Directions songs, you should definitely pick yourself up a copy of A Thousand Boy Kisses!
“More Than This” and Confess by Colleen Hoover
This song is about seeing the person you love with someone else, which coincidentally, also happens in this book. The lyrics, “When he opens his arms and holds you close tonight / It just won’t feel right / ‘Cause I can love you more than this” go perfectly with this book. “More Than This” feels like it’s coming from one of the main characters Owen’s perspective, watching Auburn with someone else. This book obviously has some heartbreaking moments, like all other Colleen Hoover books, which matches perfectly with “More Than This.”
“Strong” and Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley
Words in Deep Blue is about two childhood best friends, Rachel and Henry. They go on a journey of being best friends to strangers to friends again to lovers. Their relationship has ups and downs and they’re both dealing with challenges in their personal lives, but they’re both able to make the other feel strong. One lyric that reminds me of Rachel and Henry is: “Pages between us / Written with no end / So many words we’re not saying / Don’t wanna wait till it’s gone / You make me strong.” These lyrics perfectly summarize the relationship between Rachel and Henry, so if you love “Strong,” you should give Words in Deep Blue a read!
“Fool’s Gold” and November 9 by Colleen Hoover
The protagonist, Fallon, doesn’t have the best relationship with her father. While out for lunch, they get into an argument and that’s when Ben is introduced, as he’s quick to jump in and defend her. The pair has an instant connection, but because Fallon is moving across the country the next day, they know a relationship wouldn’t work. but they still want to meet up again, so they decide to meet the next year on November 9th. They continue this for many years to follow. I chose “Fool’s Gold” for one specific lyric: “And yeah, I let you use me from the day that we first met / But I’m not done yet / falling for you.” This lyric perfectly coincides with a quote from the book, “I’m not finished falling in love with you yet.” I love both this song and this book so much, so I fully recommend this book to you.
“Change My Mind” and The Deal by Elle Kennedy
This song reminds me of a confused friends-to-lovers trope, which accurately describes the relationship between Hannah and Garrett in The Deal. Some lyrics in the song that remind me of Hannah and Garrett are: “Are we friends or are we more / As I’m walking towards the door / I’m not sure.” The whole song is basically just being confused on where you stand in a relationship if you’re friends or more than that, which is how Garrett and Hannah felt throughout The Deal. Hannah is also a One Direction fan so that’s an added plus.
“18” and Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern
Where Rainbows End is the book that the movie Love, Rosie is based on. So, if you don’t feel like reading the book (although you 100% should), you could also watch the movie that reminds me of “18.” This book has the childhood friends-to-lovers and right person, wrong time tropes. This is exactly what the song “18” portrays to me. The specific lyrics from the song that reminds me of Where Rainbows End are: “I have loved you since we were 18 / Long before we both thought the same thing.” I feel like these lyrics (and the song as a whole) perfectly describe the relationship between Rosie and Alex.
“Spaces” and “Infinity” and All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover
This book is so sad but so good, and that’s how I feel about both of these songs. The song “Spaces” is about growing apart from someone which is one of the storylines in this book. The specific lyrics that remind me of this book are: “Who’s gonna be the first one to start the fight? / Who’s gonna be the first one to fall asleep at night?” and “Oh spaces between us / Keep getting deeper / It’s harder to reach you / Even though I try.” These lyrics perfectly describe the relationship between the main characters of the book as they grow distant from each other. The song “Infinity” also goes perfectly with this book. The lyrics, “And now I’m one step closer to being / Two steps far from you” reminds me of how one of the protagonists, Graham, feels throughout the book. Both these songs fit perfectly with All Your Perfects, and you should definitely read it.
“They Don’t Know About Us” and Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
This book follows the first son of the United States, Alex, and a British prince, Henry, as they go on a journey from enemies to friends to lovers. When the pair eventually get together, they keep their relationship a secret because they’re not sure how the world would react to them being together. “They Don’t Know About Us” is similar in the sense that people don’t know or understand the couple’s relationship. Some of the lyrics from this song that remind me of Red, White and Royal Blue are: “’Cause this love is only getting stronger / So I don’t wanna wait any longer / I just wanna tell the world that you’re mine,” and “They don’t know about the things we do / They don’t know about the I love you’s / But I bet you if they only knew / They would just be jealous of us.” I feel like overall, this song is a perfect fit for this book and you should definitely give it a read if you haven’t already!
If you’re a One Direction fan and book lover like me, you should definitely give these books a read! All of these books are available on Amazon, Indigo and may be found at your local bookstore or library! Also, just a little reminder to always check for trigger warnings before you read any book to make sure it’s the right fit for you!