Pay it Forward

by M. Novak, Virtual Voice (Narrator)

Abby is on her way to Mexico for her gap year. On the outside, she seems stunningly beautiful, loving parents and a place at a decent university to look forward to.
What could possibly go wrong?
But when Abby joins her friend Emma in Mexico City, jealousies arise and it becomes obvious that her looks are putting her in danger, or is it all in her mind?
Are her cynicism and paranoia warranted?
This thrilling Young Adult novel about a girl on a downward spiral, will leave you wondering if the traumatic conclusion is, in fact, inevitable.

Audible Audio

Published August 13, 2025

About the author

London-based writer of dark mysteries with an over-sensitive edge.

Reviews

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW. Okay this would literally be my overthinking coming true in an instant.. which is TERRIFYING. A great story that had me hooked from page one, could not put down and definitely recommend!

[Tyler Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Are you looking for your next read that will keep you guessing? This book is for you.

From the moment I started reading this novel I was immediately sucked in, the author did an amazing job of getting you to connect to the main character which will have you biting your nails as you read and unable to look away. The build up is phenomenal and I found myself tensing at the shoulders many times only to realise it's literally a book and no one is out to get me.

Without revealing to much because I think this book is best read by going in blind like I did, the plot is filled with twists and turns and as someone who usually can predict a books ending by at least the first 30% I was unable to accurately guess what was going to happen by the end. Novak will have you feeling like you're watching a thriller, trying to guess what going to happen next before you even turn the page.

I will definitely be reading more by this author after this book.

[Hannah Boyland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Abby is beautiful, and she knows it. But being beautiful is not the gift that it may seem..
I couldn’t put this book down!! This is a fast-paced gothic novel. I love a scary story, but my favourite thing about this one is how you could see it happening in real life! There were so many twists that I just didn’t expect.

[Naturalbri (Bri Wignall) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to read this book from the moment I read the blurb. It has a certain intrigue to it, really opening the doors to a read that might throw lots of twists at you.
I have to say, I was not disappointed. This book is excellent. It starts by giving you characters that are well portrayed, each with distinct personalities, their quirks (especially the main character) and unique characteristics. Novak have lots of detail to really bring each of them to life and allow you to connect with them, either by liking or hating them.
You are thrown into a story that is unique in its telling and really keeps you on the edge of your seat. You are interested in what is about to happen and I loved the loop we were thrown for with the main character and how they handled their friend situation.
Overall, I was really taken by this book. I enjoyed Novak’s writing style and ability to weave a story for us and honestly look forward to reading more from them soon.

[Allegra Maberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book draws you in from the very start, and leaves you re-thinking the whole book once you've finished, which are my favourite type of books! You can feel the suspense from the first page which leaves you wanting to keep reading. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters, especially Abby the main character whose character arc is so gripping, and loved that no character was left two-dimensional, you could really understand them and their actions. It was impossible to put down right to the very end and I really recommend!

[Beff · Rating 3 out of 5]

The descriptions and storytelling was very well done and I enjoyed all of this.

I struggled so much to start with and was surprised that the Mexico storyline didn’t last as long as I thought it would.

The second half of the book was unexpected and the ending even more unexpected. I was actually shocked.

Overall enjoyed this despite it not being my normal read.

[Laura Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, once I sat down to it I read it in 2 days! It's fast paced and keeps you wondering what's going to happen next.
The story follows the MC who was abducted in Mexico. On release she goes back to her normal life but you can see her mental health deteriorate as you follow her down a spiral of life choices and paranoia

[Maria LaLeva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book: well written, interesting subject, keeps the attention...The book is about all these decisive moments that can change our lives in seconds, about obsessions, insecurities, lack of communication ,etc. I thing we can learn from this (true or imaginary) story.

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful!

Pay It Forward is a powerful book that explores social issues in a meaningful way, while also being an engaging and compelling read with an unpredictable ending. I highly recommend this book!

[Andelka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark and twisted, loved it!

[reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book, gripped me from the beginning. Great storytelling.

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! what a ride this book is! Fast paced and intriguing. A dark and mysterious coming of age story. Very enjoyable and easy to read

[Nikki reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic my written gripping thriller. I couldn’t put this book down, the twists keep you turning the pages. The world building and details and incredible. And that ending 😱😱 fantastic!!!

[L's of Kauai · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow - there are a LOT of books with this title.

I just didn't get into this book much. More for young adults I think.

[Marie Alker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, very quick easy read. Would love to read more books from this author

[Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tense and gripping, would absolutely recommend!

[Derry Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice read

[Flora · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tense, mysterious, and gripping read. Pay it Forward confronts one’s worst nightmare: that a single choice can determine the rest of your life.

[Katherine Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It plunges us into Abby’s world as she sets off on her gap year in Mexico—though it doesn’t go as expected. The Travel description element was excellent.


On the surface, Abby has enviable beauty, but as she navigates the complexities of friendship and jealousy in Mexico City, the story takes a gripping turn. The author skilfully explores the darker side of appearances, unravelling Abby's internal struggles with paranoia and cynicism. She’s a beautiful girl, and when she tells us this early on in the book, my hackles rose—but then she goes on to show the downside of physical beauty, and how people only look at you surface-deep—and we decide that we do like this character after all.

The narrative keeps readers questioning the line between danger and imagined threats. Abby has her friends, she has her enemies—but which are which? We know she shouldn’t go for that day out—we just know it. And it doesn’t end in Mexico—she starts the new semester, and trouble follows her in. As the story hurtles towards a traumatic conclusion, it leaves readers with the inevitability of Abby's downward spiral.


I loved the travel element of the book and the thrill of going with Abby as she set up her life in a new country. Good characters and strong storytelling. Excellent.

[GREENKINDLEX · Rating 3 out of 5]

Woah, a lot happens in this story.

I didn't personally find it thrilling, but it does have you sitting on the edge of your seat waiting to find out what happens next. The author does a great job at captivating the reader and building suspense. The suspense is so good that once I really got into it (Chapter 10), I didn't want to put the book down.
However, I do think the suspense is so great, that the ending is then slightly anti climactic. I expected a few loose ends to be tied up, but I still have so many questions.

The chapters are short, which is something I love in a book, and overall, it is a good, easy read, and I enjoyed it.

Please don't take the 3 stars to mean it's just an okay book. I'm very fussy with my reading as I'm a thriller kind of gal. I chose to rate it 3 stars because it wasn't as thrilling as books I love but I would still say this is worth a read.

[Caitlin G · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn’t stop reading this book and finished it within about 2 days. I loved the story and the way it was written, however some parts were slightly confusing and felt a bit unnecessary. The ending was not what I expected at all but in an anticlimactic and confusing way, I think I would have liked to have seen justice for the ‘crime’ Emma and Enrique committed.