Crawling Out From Under My Rock
to talk about the same thing everyone else is
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.
This is not a gossip blog. This is a I-don't-know-what-to-call-it but I-will-pour-myself-into-it blog that skews towards contemplative personal essays.
But TODAY! TODAY, as a result of not having anyone in my vicinity to whom I can gush over this wattpad sports romance pop star crossover insanity with who is not already trying to duct tape my mouth shut, I will REVEAL to you my less literari interests and passions.
Sports. Pop Music. Deliciously steamy and often heartwarming romance novels. And to ring in Libra Season, it's ALL ROLLED TOGETHER! IN ONE!
In case you don't already know more than you ever wanted to about Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, and him shooting his shot at the Eras tour with a friendship bracelet, here's your super quick recap:
Taylor Swift is one of the most famous people in the world, and is a prolific songwriter/artist/musician/magician/witch. Truly, she is singular in many things, and yet manages to connect to and with scores of people and a vast variety of human experience. Travis Kelce is a 2-time Super Bowl winning NFL tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs (petition to change the name, please) who has a voice like smooth molasses, some very nice glutes (points if you've seen the I'm Just Here for Travis Kelce's Butt shirt, extra if you own it), a relatable and very human origin story, and is one of the best tight ends possibly of all time.
There were some fun goofy rumors over the summer as he revealed on his podcast that he wanted to give her a bracelet with his phone number on it (pilfered straight from a sports romance playbook) at her show in Kansas City, and on Sunday, they broke the Internet with her appearing, as you know, at the Chiefs- Bears game in his box with his mom. And now TMZ leaked (thanks, Momma Kris) some pictures of them looking cozier than coze at the afterparty. Also, big thank you to Tik Tok for this side by side comparison:
Literally, this is a novel.
If, like me, this makes you smile, squeal, and giddily kick your feet up, let me introduce you to what I believe, personally, to be the written word equivalent of your favorite, comforting meal: excellent sports romance.
SO, if like me, you want to dive into the world of pop stars having meet cutes with insanely talented yet somehow sensitive and down to earth, then this list is for you. OR, if you just want to take a break from life, as is absolutely necessary, and read something endearing, silly, and not trying to be the next Fitzgerald novel, this list is also for you.
(I in no way think romance, or sports romance, is below any other type of literature on the invisible totem of reading material. I have many thoughts, and heated opinions, about the way we are socialized to and do perceive and partake in media geared towards traditionally female audiences, that prioritize emotional growth and have generally happy endings. But that will definitely be another post. Or many.)
Without further ado, the list no one asked for but that has been being built in my brain since YEARS before Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce gave us a real life slice of a sports romance trope.
Books to Read if You, Too, Are Shipping Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift Against Your Will
(in no particular order)
ACTUAL FOOTBALL ONES:
The Washington Wolves series by Karla Sorenson but particularly The Bombshell Effect, The Marriage Effect, and the spinoff series about the Ward sisters.
The Bombshell Effect is about a grumpy single dad quarterback falling for the new owner of the franchise, who is, of course, a worldy socialite bombshell (T Swift coded). The Marriage Effect, as you may guess, is a marriage of convenience slow burn, with some found family/nontraditional family aspects. Logan Ward, the hero, gives major Jason Kelce vibes (despite being a defensemen and not a center). The heroine of the Marriage Effect is a former supermodel, and one of my favorite heroines in sports romance both for her fearlessness as well as a realistic representation of what it's like to grow into womanhood in the public eye. The spinoff about the family is just heartwarming, easy reading, with some steamy moments thrown in.
The Game On Series by Kristen Callahan but especially The Friend Zone.
This might be the closest one to accurately representing a Travis Kelce like character; the hero is a confident, sexy, slightly infuriating yet charismatic tight end. However, the heroine is a character more like betty or an earlier, Fearless-era Swift caricature: she's the daughter of a hugely successful sports agent, and a bit shy and awkward. Their love story is one I return to over and over when I just want to read something that will remind me of how good and wonderful the world can be, and that often our perfect matches are people vastly different from us.
The rest of the series is really good too; the third book's main hero is an offensive lineman whose physical description also mirrors Jason Kelce a bit, but my personal favorite reference to the NFL in that particular book is that he is a Tebow type (if you know, you know).
Falling Series by Maya Hughes
This one might be the closest I can get to an actual pop star/football player romance. However, it starts when they are in highschool, so the stardom doesn't come until the later books. The heroine is a musician, and the hero a traumatized but talented football player. This series is HEARTWRENCHING sometimes a bit too angsty but still solidly good.
The Wall of Winnipeg And Me by Mariana Zapata
This one might be more Jason Kelce coded (big, scary teddy bear NFL center) and is arguably painfully slowburny, but it has some great moments, and side characters. It's also a bit meta because the heroine is an illustrator who works with many erotic authors, so that's a fun little tidbit.
In my humble opinion, hockey romance novels tempt to be the best sports romances. And a lot of the heroes have more Travis Kelce energy; much more so than some of the football stories or tropes. May I suggest Axel by Samantha Whiskey (closest I can find to the dusty ex-boyfriend theory, which I wholeheartedly throw myself behind) or Consider Me by Becka Mack (Playing For Keeps #1), in which the hero is a reformed ladies’man who desperately loves his family and jubiously sings Disney karaeoke (something our Mr. Kelce is well known for being proficient in) to begin dipping your toes into the vast ocean that is toe curling, chuckle inducing, AMAZING sports romance reads.
Happy trails, and happy reading! I will endeavor to be back soon with some more reflections on September that I have been laboriously crafting, but in the meantime, give sports romance a chance. It may just rock your world. ;)