Looking Forward: Paperback B&W Edition

by Maya Henry, Thomas Warming (illustrator)

INSPIRED BY TRUE EVENTS

Growing up in an exclusive Tennessee neighborhood, Mallory Hunt never fit in. Chubby and brunette in a sea of blond future debutantes, she takes solace in her tight-knit family and best friend Luna. Together, the girls bond over their favorite band, 5Forward, imagining exciting, glamorous futures.

Years later, Mal is suddenly thrust into the world of high fashion modeling. She transforms herself from small town outcast to model, meeting people she’s only seen in magazines …including Oliver Smith, the handsome former member of 5Forward!

From Dubai to Paris, London to Coachella, Mallory finds herself desperately in love with the former boy-bander despite fame, attention, and personal demons that threaten them both. As their fantasy love affair goes from private intimacy to public meltdown, Mallory learns the pain and heartache when your love goes from girlhood fantasy to real life drama.

-----
Texas born and raised, Maya Henry has worked as a philanthropist and activist for female empowerment. As a young girl, Maya took solace in journaling and creating stories, sparking a love for writing. Being an author is what inspired her to enroll in a writing program. She is currently studying Creative Writing at New York University.

Genres: Romance, Memoir

435 pages, Paperback

First published May 14, 2024

About the author

Texas born and raised, Maya Henry has worked as a philanthropist and activist for female empowerment. As a young girl, Maya took solace in journaling and creating stories, sparking a love for writing. Being an author is what inspired her to enroll in a writing program. She is currently studying Creative Writing at New York University.

Reviews

[Vic · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's so poorly written that I felt like I was losing brain cells trying to read a paragraph. Any fanfic on AO3 is better than this one. I wouldn't recommend it to my worst enemy.

[snekz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Will never even read this. The internet provided enough information about it's contents.

Maya if you're reading this, this is not the way to go about in an abusive relationship. You should have gone to court and settled it like adults instead of teasing the public about your personal life to sell a book.

Going to interviews and saying that some of it is true and some of it is not? Saying he didn't abuse you in one and then saying that it's based off of your experience?

Make up your mind and settle the situation like an adult.


ps. You knew he was a struggling addict, did you really have to showcase the situation like that? Expose his vulnerable moments like that?

If you wanted to put the story out you shouldn't have mentioned that it was in some way inspired by real life, when the whole world knows who you were in a relationship with.

This man was also a father and I hope you know that some day his son will have access to this book.

No child deserves to know a lost parent in this way, because these will be the first things he'll look for as soon as he has access to the internet.

[Victoria · Rating 1 out of 5]

Book is really poorly written.
But she very cleaver how she portrayed the characters to sell the book.
People need to remember this is Fiction but based on facts.
Yes she says some are lead by life experiences but it’s still a story or Fiction.
People are thinking it’s about a certain person when she says in a podcast it’s not what people is thinking.
She also states it’s a combination of her exs. She also says that Liam didn’t abuse her.
She knew what she was doing to create a story.

Some things are sad what has been mentioned but it’s all been twisted with made up fiction.
No one knows what is truth and what isn’t.

To this reason it’s not a good read.

[Paola Quintana · Rating 1 out of 5]

A fictional book should not be marketed at the expense of someone else’s mental health

[Reader]

This book caused a death, all because a clout chaser and narcissist wanted attention. She dramatized her “abuse” and even said most of it was fictional! FICTIONAL. Who does that? He was already struggling and she knew the internet would turn on him, and it did, and he took his life. I hope she never sleeps well at night. Anytime she ever writes another book, I will dedicate my life to leaving bad reviews. She is DONE. OVER

[Kate · Rating 1 out of 5]

Update 10/28/2024: I wanted to update my review after Liam's passing. I still give this book a 1 star. Maya has come out and said that most of the events that happened in the book are true - the little details are what make it fiction. She also said the book is about Liam and no one else, when those were not her claims before. Knowing that now, I find the intention behind this book to be harmful and only reiterates my feelings of weariness. Just doesn't sit right with me. I hope Maya heals and moves on.

I gave this book 1 star for the content. The beginning was a little slow paced, but once Mallory and Oliver Smith got together, it was very fast paced. Now onto Oliver Smith. I read in a few reviews that Maya talked about how this story isn't completely about Liam Payne, but it seemed to be the opposite. The front cover alone made it seem so obviously all about Liam that it's hard to believe that it's not. The band name (5Forward), Oliver's family background and struggle with addiction, and small little details only one direction fans would pick up (like song lyrics throughout the book) all reference to Liam Payne. This isn't the problem tho. Like girl, speak your truth and tell your story! The problem for me is the topic of addiction.

Liam seems like a very private person and only just started opening up about the negative aspects of being in the band and how that contributed to his addiction. I'm not exactly sure if he has said whether he just struggled with alcohol or it was also drugs, but Liam's character (Oliver Smith) struggles with both in this book. What I didn't like was that it seemed like Maya was exploiting Liam's addiction. I had no issues with the book until the turning point - the ax scene. In this scene, Oliver Smith is really high and losing his mind a bit. He eventually ends up chasing Mallory with an ax, but before that he goes to the balcony in his house and talks about wanting to kill himself. After the events of this scene, Mallory overhears Oliver's psychiatrist say that the drugs create drug-induced psychosis and Oliver may have a personality disorder and/or bipolar disorder. Writing about the suicide attempt and possible mental health diagnoses just seems a little inappropriate and rude to me.

Maya very clearly states on the book that it is INSPIRED BY true events, but it's hard not to blur the lines between fact and fiction when it is so clearly about one person and uses real life details so often. It made it almost feel like everything in the book is true. Maya described the 5forward bandmates exactly like the 1D boys (personality wise). Maya based Oliver's family and trauma based on Liam's real life. Maya also write how Oliver became an alcoholic from being in the band, which exactly aligns to what Liam said in an interview about it. It's just....why write your story as fictional when the book almost hints that most things, if not everything is real.

In the end, Mallory is thinking about her relationship with Oliver. In one paragraph she says that Oliver is not the man she fell in love with anymore and that she doesn't like who he is, etc etc, even though a few pages later she says he's the best person and everything she wants when he's sober. In another paragraph, Mallory is thinking like "oh what if he sobers up and finds someone else and she gets the amazing part of him and they're happy" (which is Liam's current situation). Then, Mallory is talking about how Oliver did a podcast where he basically said he was single and they broke up, and Mallory was annoyed that the comments felt sorry for Oliver and how it wasn't fair cause no one felt sorry for her. IDK these parts of the book just made me believe that Maya didn't just write this to tell her experience, but also as a petty way to get back at Liam.

Now I do love Liam and I'm not denying that the things Oliver did in this book were fucked up. Maya has a right to tell her story and what she went through, I just think the way she went about it was strange. I feel for both of them. I just think there was a better way to write a fictional story without making it so blatantly about one person and exposing details about his addiction (especially now when he seems to be sober). or better yet...just write a mf memoir or something.

[Komal · Rating 4 out of 5]

omfg. this hurt to read. i hope this book helped maya to escape or gave her some closure because wtaf. since this is heavily inspired by real events- i really hope she’s in a much better place now because nobody deserves to go through all that she went through.

‼️SPOILER AHEAD‼️

"Don't even bother telling anyone anything. No one will believe you anyways. Plus I can do whatever I want because the fans always take our side, no matter what we do!”
this is actually. i feel embarrassed that i used to be one of the fans that always defended the artist no matter what they did even if i was just a child, i still absolutely hate it.

all my love to maya. this being her first book- it was pretty well written.

[inkspillreads · Rating 1 out of 5]

What in the Wattpad is this?
This was so poorly written and I think the only “based on true events”part is the authors name because how she spoke of everything seemed so unbelievable in general… all of this seemed like an attention grab (since she said she never needed the money lol) and not an actual stand for women’s rights. I’m wondering why this happened now after she allowed 2 years to go by of him supposedly harassing her. This entire book played out as someone who was angry and wanted to take someone down…. The tone was so gross from start to finish
Also a cease and desist isn’t a proper legal action when it comes to something like this but she’d know this if she actually went to court (or took legal advice from her attorney father??)

All of this was so wrong on so many levels and is a disgrace for those that have real stories and don’t just want attention….

[Lara · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have read the book, but there are multiple problems I have encountered. I am a 29 year old Police Inspector/Detective in Belgium and have worked at the Police Department of A for 9 years, since I was 20 years old. In my 9 years I have had a lot of experience in my field. I worked as a Police Inspector for 4 years and then went on to study at the Police Academy to become a Police Detective. I majored and specialized in homicide and drug related crimes. I have now been working as a Police Detective for 4 years. My younger sister grew up listening to 1D since she was a teen, but I never was a hardcore directioner. Not for any specific reason. Just never had that feeling to be a die hard fan of anyone. But I did love their music and their appeal. So I did grow up seeing Liam's face everywhere on magazines and on my screens. My sister told me that his ex-fiancé was going to write a tell all book about their relationship. She is a real hardcore fan of 1D. A true directioner. She read the book and she didn't believe anything that was said. My initial thought was that it might perhaps be because of her support for Liam or 1D. I then told her to never judge a book by its cover because we never see the whole truth from the outside. So I told her to be critical, like I am. I have always taught her to think and reflect for herself. It's what I learned at the Police Academy. She followed my advice and read the book again for a second time and came back to me, saying she knew there was no truth to the stories the author wrote in this book. I don't like to tell my sister something twice, so when I do, I always make sure to do my own research first. I borrowed her book and read it all in 1 day. It's an easy read for the writing style is very basic, almost childlike. Compared to the big cases and police reports I get to read, this was as easy as pie. Very wattpad-fan-fiction like. As soon as I was only a couple of pages far I read something that didn't make sense. I took my marker (as I always do when I read police reports and during investigations) and I started marking this with different colors (color-coding). Before I knew I had marked most things and the book started to look like a disco ball. Every subject/claim had its own color. Then I wrote it down and started investigating. I noticed none of it made sense logically, but even less so factually. I work at the Police and I have access to people's ID profiles. I can see what people have been up to, what charges have ever been made against them and look at their criminal record. I did some professional research and contacted a couple of people I know in the UK and the US and I sent them my notes. They took notes and sent them back to me with proof. Many of the claims she made are factually not true. I can't say more about it for I am confined by law. I cannot mention what I have read and found, but I can put it this way:
- Inconsistencies with verifiable facts: Throughout the book, there are multiple claims that, upon careful review, contradict publicly available information. While I cannot reveal specific details, my research has confirmed that key aspects of the narrative are factually inaccurate. Any diligent investigator would notice significant discrepancies between these claims and established facts.
- Lack of corroboration for major allegations: Serious accusations are made within the book without any supporting evidence. Typically, in any credible investigative report, corroborating evidence—whether in the form of witness testimony, documentation, or other verifiable records—is essential. The book fails to provide any such evidence to support the allegations, casting doubt on the author’s credibility.
- Logical gaps in the timeline: Upon analyzing the timeline presented in the book, I found that the chronology of events is inconsistent. There are several instances where the author describes occurrences that, from a logical standpoint, could not have happened simultaneously or in the sequence suggested. These logical inconsistencies undermine the reliability of the narrative.
Intentional Omission of Critical Evidence: A glaring issue with the book is its selective presentation of facts. In my professional experience, any investigation or narrative that omits crucial evidence, especially when it would challenge the author's claims, raises immediate red flags. The author carefully avoids addressing or acknowledging information that could contradict her version of events. This tactic is commonly used when attempting to manipulate the truth for personal gain or to paint a one-sided picture. By deliberately leaving out significant details, the book not only misleads readers but also undermines its own credibility. A truthful account would not shy away from presenting all the facts, even those that don't support the desired narrative.
- Exaggeration and emotional manipulation: The tone of the book often veers into emotional hyperbole, which is common in attempts to manipulate the reader’s perception. In cases of factual reporting or credible accusations, objectivity is key. The overt emotional appeal suggests an attempt to sway the reader rather than present an honest, factual account.
- Absence of objective, unbiased witnesses: The book primarily relies on the author's subjective experiences, with the only witnesses cited being her family members and close friends—individuals who may have a personal bias or vested interest in supporting her narrative. Witnesses who stand to gain from being aligned with the author, whether emotionally or financially, cannot be considered objective or reliable sources. In any credible investigation, unbiased third-party witnesses are essential to corroborate claims. The lack of such independent testimony significantly weakens the legitimacy of the accusations presented in the book.
- Personal bias and agenda: There are indications throughout the book that the author may have a personal vendetta or bias against the subject of the narrative. When assessing any claim, it is crucial to account for potential motives or biases, especially in cases involving high-profile individuals. This suggests that the author may not have been impartial in telling the story.
- Misrepresentation of legal and criminal proceedings: There are references to legal actions or criminal proceedings in the book that, upon investigation, either never took place or were misrepresented. These inaccuracies not only reflect poorly on the book’s credibility but also risk criminalizing an individual without legal grounds. I have seen proof, but for logical reasons I cannot share it.
- Sensationalism without substance: Many of the claims made appear to be exaggerated for the sake of creating drama, without the necessary factual basis to support such sensationalism. This tactic is commonly used in media to attract attention, but it often comes at the cost of truth.
n summary, after thoroughly analyzing the book, it is clear that the narrative is riddled with factual inaccuracies, logical inconsistencies, and unsubstantiated claims. The absence of unbiased witnesses, the selective omission of key details, and the author's clear emotional manipulation all contribute to a lack of credibility. Furthermore, the sensationalism throughout the book, combined with exaggerated allegations, suggests that the primary intent was to attract attention rather than present an honest account. As a professional with years of investigative experience, I approach such narratives with critical scrutiny, ensuring that claims are supported by verifiable evidence. In this case, the book fails to meet even the most basic standards of truth and accuracy. It is important for readers to remain critical and not be swayed by emotional appeals or dramatic retellings that lack factual integrity. Based on the evidence I have reviewed, the book is more of a work of fiction than a legitimate account of events. As someone who values truth and integrity, I found this book to be deeply troubling. It’s clear that the author’s intent was to shape a narrative based more on personal bias than factual accuracy. While it may be tempting to get caught up in the sensational stories and emotional appeals, I urge readers to approach this book with caution. It's easy to be misled by dramatic claims, but it's critical to question the authenticity and motives behind such allegations. Don’t take everything at face value—dig deeper, think critically, and remember that not all stories told in this way hold the truth they claim. After finishing the book and reflecting on its contents, I handed it back to my sister and told her she was right. Her instincts were spot on—there’s very little truth to what’s written, and it's clear the author had a different agenda. I'm glad she trusted her judgment, and I hope other readers will do the same: question the story, analyze the facts, and don’t be swayed by a false narrative.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

goodreads is a no judgement zone so everyone please shut up i have been waiting for a one direction tell all since 2012 so OBVIOUSLY i was going to read this. why is no one talking about this book!!!

i could not put this down. just incredible and upsetting and juicy and sad and fascinating. team maya henry for life i wish her all of the good things in this world. i am beyond happy that liam payne has the career he fucking deserves (read: a flop) but can i also just say after reading this, he also deserves the gallows.

please lord continue to give me more one direction tell alls!

[Saba Kazi · Rating 1 out of 5]

*Mentions note about all characters being fictional and any similarities to real people is purely coincidental.
*Proceeds to rant on shitty podcasts about the story being real and purely about Liam Payne
** Sends a cease and desist letter (Obviously can't release something as serious as a restraining order from court because it's all fake) ordering Liam to stay away from him and not contact him
** Proceeds to rant on TikTok, asking about why he's silent.
**Posts on ig 1/2 days before his death to show that she didn't have anything to do with his death.
Okay Maya we see right through you

[E · Rating 1 out of 5]

Tasteless. Not digestible.

[Roslyn Reid · Rating 1 out of 5]

What utter trash.

[Glenna Ong · Rating 1 out of 5]

trashy and poorly written. a waste of money n it is so unbelievable. bratty and spoiled main character with rich father

[Katie Colbert · Rating 1 out of 5]

0/5

[Amy Louise · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolute load of shit

[rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those unaware, this book chronicles the relationship between Maya Henry and Liam Payne under the pretense of being "inspired by true events." Maya has since confirmed that this is about their tumultuous relationship.

As a dedicated directioner since 2010 when the band formed, I had this book on preorder since its announcement. Yet I have found myself hesitant to destroy this carefully curated image of Liam in my head that was so formative to my childhood.

But, as life unexpectedly takes when we least expect it, Liam passed away on Wednesday, and Maya's book was one of the first things to come to my mind. Both in an attempt to better understand Liam as a real person leading up to his death, but also to validate Maya Henry as this book has been relentlessly (and wrongfully) review-bombed since his passing, this book has not left my hands (or my heart) since Wednesday night.

I expect this to be a long and sorrow-filled review of what I read while grappling with the death of someone I formed a parasocial relationship with. What I found within this book was earth-shattering and particularly devastating reading from the perspective of a life lost due to addiction.

When "Mallory" meets "Oliver," they get swept into an adventure-filled relationship, where the worst of their worries is some relentless paparazzi and the vague-yet-looming deadline of Oliver's debut album. His first since splitting with the world-famous band, Five Forward. To fail means an end to his life-long dream as a singer. Yet, as life presents unexpected challenges and Oliver feels increasing pressure from his debut, he turns to his old vices: drugs and alcohol.

There were multiple passages and an oddly prophetic scene where "Oliver" is ready to hurl himself from a balcony to end his life while under the impression of drugs. Throughout it all, Mallory is by his side, all whilst becoming traumatized by Oliver's behaviors and actions. By the end of their relationship, it became evident that Mallory's decision came down to self-preservation versus selflessness.

And I, nor should anyone else, fault an abuse survivor for choosing to save themselves over someone else.

I genuinely wish people could read this book before tarnishing Liam's legacy and/or tearing apart Maya Henry. This book exemplifies that the death of Liam Payne is the fault of no one but the entertainment industry exploiting children as a source of spectacle, rather than viewing them as real people.

Setting aside meaningless grammatical errors or mentions of "repetitiveness", Maya Henry deserves nothing but the highest accolades for speaking out on abuse, especially when from the hands of someone battling serious addiction.

Let it be clear that addiction is a monster that keeps on taking and taking. I've known countless people/friends who have watched addiction wash away a person as they listen to threats of suicide/death while high. But, more importantly, there is nothing a friend or family member can do to actually stop the addiction. Because, at the end of the day (no pun intended), it comes down to the person suffering the addiction to want help.

And, from everything I read and even going so far as to examine "Mallory" and "Oliver" as fictional characters, Mallory did everything within her power to get him help before he took her own sanity away. And Oliver so desperately wanted/needed the help to end his addictions. But, bottom line, he didn't think he deserved it.

He saw drugs and alcohol as a form of "punishment" rather than a vice. For as long as "Oliver" had been in Five Forward, he was the guy who was too serious, the least favorite, and the most made fun of. I think what most people forget in this situation is that "Oliver" is as much an abuse survivor (of the industry) as he is an abuser. The importance is breaking the cycle, which he so desperately tried, but ultimately failed, to do.

Both Maya/Liam deserve only to be regarded with deepest sympathy instead of hatred and vitriol. Maya, for going through this horrifying situation and being brave enough to provide a platform for abuse survivors through this book; Liam, for attempting to battle his demons, even though he inexcusably unleashed them upon Maya.

They both deserved so, so much better than the cards this world dealt them.

Yet I think Maya put this long, mournful review into better words than I ever could with the following passages:

From the time he was chosen for 5F, Oliver's life was not his own...

Then he got older, and things changed. He had obligations he had to fulfill, contracts he'd signed. Touring was exhausting, and the guys started growing apart. They were growing up, really, and all feeling trapped in different ways... All of them, to a certain degree, felt trapped in the image of themselves invented by fans... The images had truth to them, sure, but by then they were older. Kids that age tried new things and reinvented themselves, but the 5F guys were destined to stay the same for eternity, like one of those insects trapped in amber.

In the case of Oliver, [he was] trapped in hotel rooms. That's when he discovered the mini-fridges, and all the bottles inside. How they numbed him, passed the time... Soon after, he tried drugs and realized they worked even better.

There was no one to pull him back or question his growing addiction. The people who worked for him knew... [While] they liked Oliver, they weren't his friends; they worked for him. [And, when the band ended], he leaned into the best comfort he knew-- those little bottles in the minibar. Only now the bottles were big, and he could have as many as he wanted. And the drugs were even easier to find.

5F was over, but [Oliver] was still a member, even then. That's how everyone saw him, and they wanted to hang around and party. They'd give compliments, bags of coke, anything he wanted. 'We're Friends,' they'd say. To this day, he can't remember any of their names.

And addicts can get better, right? They can beat their demons. It isn't easy, but who's to say Liam can't be one of them?

[Sannah Sajawal · Rating 1 out of 5]

DO NOT READ THIS PIECE OF TRASH

[Book snake · Rating 1 out of 5]

The worst book I have ever read , and the worst thing I will ever read. This is crime to humanity.To whoever gave it more then 1 star you are lying because there is no way you’ll liked this trash of a book.Maya please for the sake of the human population stop writing books because you are horrible at it .Please pray so I can forget about what I have read .

[Felicity ☁️ · Rating 1 out of 5]

poorly written & it seems like she wanted to write an "after" famous like todd’s, her own "fanfic", bc she was a fan and had a relationship with him. first says it’s fiction and then says it’s reality, just like she changed her mind about saying they had ended on good therms or throwing shade, her life and “fame” literally revolves around Liam lol..

[Argepl · Rating 1 out of 5]

You quiet him down so he wasn’t able to say anything nor defend himself.

[kalee langsdale · Rating 1 out of 5]

girl be so fucking for real. you knew what you were doing.

[S F · Rating 1 out of 5]

In Looking Forwards, Maya Henry attempts to cast a harsh light on Liam Payne, releasing the book at a time that feels conspicuously opportunistic, given his recent passing. While clearly intended to capture attention, the book lacks both credibility and substance, leaning heavily on unsubstantiated claims and apparent bias. Rather than offering thoughtful reflection, it instead comes across as an ill-conceived and poorly executed endeavour that feels both exploitative and deeply distasteful.

[Sharnilarni · Rating 1 out of 5]

Poorly written.

[Inur · Rating 1 out of 5]

I would give this zero stars if i could 33

[Davide · Rating 1 out of 5]

terribly written. should have never been published. go to court

[Reader · Rating 1 out of 5]

I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS BOOK AT ALL!

[Zante · Rating 1 out of 5]

-5/5


Bullshit, all of it.

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

maya henry you didn’t deserve this and nobody does

[Sara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible book. Don’t waste your money on this crap. Even the cover sucks 😭 it’s a 2012 fanfic written by a sour ex fan.