Sabrina Carpenter’s latest album, Man’s Best Friend, is a collection of songs filled with heartbreak, flirtatious fun, and the complexities of toxic relationships. Here is my list of each new song and its literary pairing that matches its vibe perfectly, and whether you’re looking for tears, heartache, or laughter, these 12 books are sure to become your new best friend.
1. Manchild – Tell Me Lies by Carola Lovering
Sabrina Carpenter’s hit single Manchild is a sharp and stinging anthem about an immature man who can turn up the charm but lacks accountability and smarts, leaving the women around them to pick up after their emotions. This song aligns perfectly with Tell Me Lies as it follows freshman college student Lucy Albright, who spends her first year of college wrapped up in a toxic and all-consuming relationship with “manchild” Stephen Demarco. Stephan constantly gaslights and uses Lucy to his own advantage while keeping her wanting more despite his toxic behavior. It’s a novel that ties in themes of obsession and denial while telling the story of a young girl falling for someone who will never be the man she truly needs.
“Won’t you let an innocent woman be?”
From “Manchild” by Sabrina Carpenter
2. Tears – Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez
“Tears” is an anthem celebrating men whose love language is acts of service and is one of my favorite songs on the album. It perfectly mirrors the actions of Jacob Maddox, the colleague and love interest of Dr. Briana Ortiz, who is struggling with the heartbreak of her ex-boyfriend and her family struggles, specifically with her brother. As Jacob starts sending unexpected letters and other quiet acts of kindness to Briana in order to get her attention, what began as an annoyance quickly turns into a slow burn romance that’s built on honesty, trust, and selflessness, especially when Jacob offers Briana’s brother a gift that will change his life forever.
“I get wet at the thought of you/Being a responsible guy/Treating me like you’re supposed to do.”
From “Tears” by Sabrina Carpenter
3. My Man on Willpower – Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
Louisa Clark’s boyfriend, Patrick, is exactly the type of man that Sabrina Carpenter is describing in her song My Man on Willpower. He’s both self-absorbed and obsessed with his fitness and career goals, and emotionally neglects Louisa. He’s the complete opposite of Will Traynor, the once-abled body man who was left paralyzed after a tragic accident, for whom Louisa is now the caregiver. Louisa quickly discovers a new sense of purpose and identity through Will, while Patrick is more focused on meeting his protein goals and beating his past marathon times. This makes Me Before You the perfect match for My Man on Willpower, which pokes fun at the men who choose to put their own self-improvement and discipline above the emotions and well-being of their girlfriends.
“My man on his willpower is something I don’t understand/He fell in love with self-restraint, and now it’s getting out of hand.”
From My Man on Willpower by Sabrina Carpenter
4. Sugar Talking – It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
Sugar Talking is a song that calls out the men who mask their manipulation and control using their charm and sweet words that are often filled with empty promises, and Ryle Kincaid is the exact definition of that type of man. When Lily Bloom runs into the charming neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid on the roof of an apartment complex, she’s left feeling like she’s met the man who will finally make her forget about her childhood sweetheart, Atlas. But Ryle soon reveals a darker and more toxic side to him that leaves Lily questioning everything she’s built her life upon, and she spends her time reminiscing on her childhood with Atlas to prove to herself that a healthy love is waiting for her out there. It Ends With Us and Sugar Talking both highlight how a man’s charm and smooth talking can only go so far and that mistaking the two can lead to something much more sinister than you ever expected.
“You filled my whole apartment with flowers that die/The first to open up your wallet/But the last one to flag, a heart only breaks so many time”
From Sugar Talking by Sabrina Carpenter
5. We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night – Normal People by Sally Rooney
We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night is a song all about the complicated and toxic push and pull of a love where breaking up feels like the obvious choice, but is somehow never the solution. Normal People follows teenagers, Connell and Marianne, who are in two completely different worlds yet can’t seem to stay away from the chemistry they share. As they navigate high school, college, and their own struggles and relationships in the real world, they keep coming back to each other despite their best interests. It’s a book all about a relationship that seems so right but refuses to work itself out.
“All the ‘I love you’s’ and ‘I’m sorry’s’ were said/We had our sex and then we made amends, that’s right.”
From We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night by Sabrina Carpenter
6. Nobody’s Son – Funny Story by Emily Henry
Nobody’s Son is a song about a woman who has given up on love because of the last heartbreak that left her hopeless. Funny Story follows Daphne, who finds herself heartbroken and hopeless after her fiancé leaves her for his childhood best friend. Daphne finds herself in a new town, determined to start her new, fresh, and independent life as a librarian, that is, until she runs into Miles, the ex of her ex-fiancé’s new partner. But their fake relationship quickly turns into a slow burn romance that shows Daphne that maybe not all love is bad and that maybe reclaiming love after the ultimate betrayal is the best revenge.
“Probably should have guessed he’s like the rest, so fine and so deceiving/There’s nobody’s son, not anyone left for me to believe in.”
From Nobody’s Son by Sabrina Carpenter
7. Never Getting Laid – You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle
Never Getting Laid is a song that is both playful and all about the sexual frustration that comes with the messy side of love. You Deserve Each Other follows Naomi and her fiancé Nicholas, who are both completely checked out of their relationship, but if they break off their engagement, one of them has to pay the nonrefundable wedding deposit. So, in order to convince each other to call it off, they begin setting off petty pranks, which quickly spiral into unexpected tension and sparks that they forgot were there. “Never Getting Laid” and You Deserve Each Other both showcase the addictive push and pull between two people who can’t quite give each other up despite what they both believe.
“When just the other night/You said you need me, what gives?/How did it come to this?/Boy, I know where you live.”
From Never Getting Laid by Sabrina Carpenter
8. When Did You Get Hot? – The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
When Did You Get Hot? is a fun and flirty song all about seeing someone in a whole new and hotter light and realizing that maybe the spark was there all along. The Summer I Turned Pretty is all about Belly and the Fisher brothers, Conrad and Jeremiah, who spend their summer navigating first loves, heartbreak, and the bittersweet feelings of growing up and seeing each other in new lights. But when one summer changes everything, Belly realizes that the boy she’s always seen as a best friend might just mean something more to her after all.
“When did you get hot? All of a sudden/I could look you up and down all day”
From When Did You Get Hot? by Sabrina Carpenter
9. Go Go Juice – Say You Swear by Meagan Brandy
Go Go Juice is a fun and vibrant song about a girl chasing the thrill of a connection, no matter who it’s with. Say Your Swear follows Ariana, a girl whose world feels like it’s falling apart when her longtime crush starts to date someone else. But when she goes to college, she meets college quarterback, Noah Riley, and their connection turns into a whirlwind romance filled with late nights, emotional talks, and the rush of a new love that heals the heartbreak inside. Say You Swear is a perfect match for Go Go Juice as they both capture the intoxicating feel of desire and love when you need it most.
“I miss you and I think about you every minute/If you’re still disinterested in me, well, fuck.”
From Go Go Juice by Sabrina Carpenter
10. Don’t Worry I’ll Make You Worry – Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Don’t Worry I’ll Make You Worry is a song all about a woman finding thrill in keeping a man perpetually on edge and making him chase something that was never promised. Gone Girl is a psychological thriller that follows the missing person case of Nick Dunne’s wife, Amy, where manipulation, deceit, and control blur the lines between love and inhumanity. It’s a mystery that taunts you right up until the last page, and even when you’re finished, it remains a story that feels almost impossible to escape.
“You think that I’m gonna fuck with your head/Well, you’re absolutely right.”
From Don’t Worry I’ll Make You Worry by Sabrina Carpenter
11. House Tour – Final Offer by Lauren Asher
House Tour is Sabrina’s ultimate metaphorical song and is my number one favorite on the album. Final Offer is the steamy and heartwarming story of childhood best friends Callahan and Lana reuniting when Callahan discovers Lana living in the lake house he believes is owed to him. But what starts as a fight over the house quickly turns into a fight over each other’s hearts as they are forced to confront the past that once separated them and tried to leave behind. Despite Carpenter’s house being a metaphor for her body, both the book and the song use it as a foundation for seduction, passion, and reclaiming one’s physical and emotional space.
“My house was especially built for you/Some say it’s a place where your dreams come true/My house could be your house too.”
From House Tour by Sabrina Carpenter
12. Goodbye – Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Daisy Jones and the Six is the ultimate goodbye letter to not only the members of the band but to the fans themselves. Goodbye is a song about having to let go of someone, even when you know you still love them, and both the song and Daisy Jones and the Six represent that through an aching mix of desire and chemistry that lingers long after the final page. Billy and Daisy’s relationship was anything but normal; they were known by fans for their crazy chemistry, self-destruction, and life-ruining choices that defined the legacy of the band forever. But passion can force people apart just as much as it brings them together, and through one final interview with a person they both hold close, we hear their heartbreaking goodbye straight from the band themselves.
“Did you forget that it was you who said goodbye/So you don’t get to be the one who cries.”
From Goodbye by Sabrina Carpenter
From playful tension to heartbreaking slow burns, Sabrina Carpenter’s latest album, Man’s Best Friend, pairs perfectly with these 12 book picks that are sure to capture every shade of love and desire. Whether you’re looking for steam, humor, or passion, these books are sure to keep the vibe of the album alive long after the last song plays.
Looking for more Sabrina Carpenter book recommendations? Check out our article, 8 Books to Binge Read Before Sabrina Carpenter’s New Album!
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