Love Stories (The Taylors Version #1)

Gr 7 Up–Four Midwest friends, all of them named Taylor (but known by different nicknames), all of them big-time Swifties, start high school and juggle new romances. There’s Taylor, who has her heart set on being student-council president, catches the eye of hunky senior Hunter, who soon turns controlling. Tay Tay loves singing and cheer but needs to improve her biology grade in order to make the honor roll; then she meets fellow musician Reece. Soccer-loving TS has high hopes of going pro but gets sidetracked by Gemma, while budding writer Teffy is content to hang in the wings, reading and pining for her crush, Liam, who just sees her as a good friend. In a premise reminiscent of Ann Brashares’s The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, the four friends share a hat from the Eras tour that Taylor Swift actually gifted to them. Swifties will adore Eulberg’s incorporation of Taylor Swift’s song lyrics in the novel, which also reflects the singer-songwriter’s style and positive attitude. The book is labeled YA because it is set in high school, and one friend has to decide whether to let her boyfriend drive after he’s been drinking. Not all relationship conflicts are resolved by the end of the book; there are some loose ends, as this is the first installment in a series. Eulberg includes an LGBTQIA+ romance and valuable messages about friendships and relationships.