Book Suggestions Based on Sabrina Carpenter’s 'Short n’ Sweet' Album

Sabrina Carpenter attends The Drop: Sabrina Carpenter at GRAMMY Museum L.A. Live on August 02, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. — Sabrina Carpenter and the album cover for 'Short n' Sweet'. Photo:
Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images; Amazon

Is Sabrina Carpenter’s new album that sweet? We definitely think so.

The pop star, 25, released her highly anticipated album Short n’ Sweet on Aug. 23. — and it’s one the singer herself is especially proud of.

“i feel extremely lucky that each time i write a new record i learn a little bit more about myself, and can create from that place,” Carpenter wrote on Instagram on Aug. 23. “the making of short n’ sweet was one of the most special, honest, up and down, stupid and fun experiences of my life.”

“I thought if something was funny enough to make me laugh then maybe it belonged in a song. happy or sad!” the singer added of the record, which includes the chart-topping hits “Espresso” and “Please Please Please.”

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If you already can’t stop putting Short n’ Sweet, and its playful, emotional songs, on repeat, PEOPLE has you covered. Here’s a curated selection of books that might pair well with the tracks on Carpenter’s new album. From vibes to lyrical similarities, there are no “Slim Pickins” of good reads.

01 of 12

"Taste" and 'The Ex Vows' by Jessica Joyce

Exes Georgia and Eli were long estranged, but when they must reunite to save their friend’s wedding, they're unwillingly thrown back in each other’s orbit. This second chance romance brings to mind the exes at the center of Short n’ Sweet’s album opener.

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02 of 12

"Please Please Please" and ‘Red, White & Royal Blue’ by Casey McQuiston

When Alex Claremont-Diaz, the son of the first female U.S. president, and Wales’s Prince Henry begin a secret romance, they must figure out how to navigate their relationship while in the public eye. Between their famous families’ respective opinions and their own tendency to cause a commotion (iconic cake scene, anyone?), the line “I beg you, don’t embarrass me,” rings true in this enemies-to-lovers romance.

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03 of 12

"Good Graces" and ‘A Certain Hunger’ by Chelsea G. Summers

'A certain hunger' by Chelsea Summers — 'A Certain Hunger' by Chelsea G. Summers.
Amazon

The discussion of power in this song echoes aspects of Summers’s literary novel, which centers on Dorothy, a food critic with a hidden appetite for destruction: satirical, dark and a must-read.

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04 of 12

‘Sharpest Tool’ and ‘Conversations with Friends’ by Sally Rooney

In Sally Rooney’s debut novel, two friends become infatuated, and intertwined, with a married couple, which leads everyone to question their ties to one another. The lyrics “Guess I’ll waste another year on wonderin’ if, if that was casual,” feel like they was meant for this gem about messy relationships.

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05 of 12

‘Coincidence’ and ‘One True Loves’ by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Emma’s husband Jesse goes missing on their first wedding anniversary, seemingly to never be heard from again. Years later, Emma turns to an old friend, Sam, and begins to fall for him — just as Jesse is found alive. Both this song and novel reference the reemergence of old romances and tricky relationship dynamics.

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06 of 12

‘Bed Chem’ and ‘A Love Song for Ricki Wilde’ by Tia Williams

Tia Williams’s latest romance centers the developing relationship between the daughter of a powerful Georgia dynasty and a mysterious stranger. As in Carpenter's steamy fling, the "chem" in this book is undeniable.

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07 of 12

‘Espresso’ and ‘Good Material’ by Dolly Alderton

This novel about a stand-up comic who can’t stop ruminating on his recent breakup really puts the lyrics “now he’s thinkin' 'bout me every night” into play. The failed relationship between protagonists Andy and Jen, however, is explored from both sides, and is a book as addictive as this song.

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08 of 12

‘Dumb & Poetic’ and ‘Notes on Heartbreak’ by Annie Lord

Lord’s book, which explores her own experience with heartache and which is described as a “love story in reverse,” is a great companion for this song about the trials of heartbreak. While not necessarily a self-help book, it’s sure to provide some solace for rough romantic periods.

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09 of 12

‘Slim Pickins’ and ‘Just for the Summer’ by Abby Jimenez

This song about how rough dating can be matches perfectly with Abby Jimenez’s romance novel. Justin and Emma are both in a dating rut, and in an attempt to break out of it, they agree to date each other and break up, in hopes it will cancel out their supposed curse. A satisfying slow burn.

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10 of 12

‘Juno’ and ‘Vladimir’ by Julia May Jones

In the wake of a scandal involving her husband, an English professor falls for a new (and married) instructor at the college where she teaches. This novel is smart, moody and a deep dive into the rush of infatuation.

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11 of 12

‘Lie To Girls’ and ‘I Didn’t Know I Needed This’ by Eli Rallo

Eli Rallo, who has been dubbed Gen Z’s Carrie Bradshaw, breaks down modern dating and all of its complexities in this book (which also feels like receiving advice from a good friend). It's definitely needed after listening to this gut-wrenching track.

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12 of 12

‘Don’t Smile’ and ‘Greta and Valdin’ by Rebecca K Reilly

New Zealand siblings Greta and Valdin are at the center of this novel, which follows them through a tumultuous period of new crushes, reunited with exes and family tension. The lyrics “you think it’s happy hour, for me it’s not” can apply to multiple characters and storylines in this heartfelt and witty read.

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