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Dear Maya: A novel
After his life was shattered in a single accident that took his sister's life, Noah Davidson returns home ten years later carrying secrets he can no longer escape.
At Ana’s grave, he meets Maya strange, beautiful, and haunted in a way he can’t look away from. She sets the rules during the day—no past, no feelings, nothing of significance—but by night, Noah breaks them in letters he’ll never give her, confessing everything he can’t say out loud.
The closer they grow, the more Noah realizes Maya is hiding something…and so is he. Some truths are too heavy to speak, yet impossible to outrun.
At Ana’s grave, he meets Maya strange, beautiful, and haunted in a way he can’t look away from. She sets the rules during the day—no past, no feelings, nothing of significance—but by night, Noah breaks them in letters he’ll never give her, confessing everything he can’t say out loud.
The closer they grow, the more Noah realizes Maya is hiding something…and so is he. Some truths are too heavy to speak, yet impossible to outrun.
- GenresRomance
520 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 18, 2025
89 people are currently reading
476 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
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October 12, 2025I just discovered that this book is now out, and I’m really not ready to be heartbroken again. Dear Ana was everything to me, and just thinking about it makes me so sad.
And now? Knowing that I can read their story from Noah’s point of view? Yeah, it already hurts like a fucking lot.
— Dear Ana
And now? Knowing that I can read their story from Noah’s point of view? Yeah, it already hurts like a fucking lot.
— Dear Ana
October 18, 2025
I cried 10 times total...
January 11, 2026
4.75⭐️
September 26, 2025
I read Dear Ana early last year and have been waiting for Noah’s story! I was thrilled when I saw it came out and hopped right on it. While of course Dear Ana crushed me, it’s been a book that I loved and has stuck with me. I was never shocked by the ending, and honestly understood why it ended the way it ended. “Forever, your Noah” will always stick with me. Noah has always been one of my favorite mmcs. But, I also can’t lie and say I don’t also love the ending of Dear Maya. Of course everyone wants to see their favorite characters have a happy ending, even if that’s not the way life always works out, and it makes me happy to know that Maya can have the future she deserves. I like the idea that perhaps the Maya that died in Dear Ana was only her past, and now she gets to move forward into a new and happy life on her farm with Noah. There’s something about these books that while they’re deeply personal, they are also universally relatable. IIE has a special way with words when conveying both love and hurt. I loved the way the story was added onto from this perspective. When I first started and saw it was the same timeline as Dear Ana I was worried about reading the same story over again, but not once did I think that again. I loved reading about Noah’s feelings and thoughts and the additions to the plot. The two stories weave together so well.
To IIE: Thank you for sharing your story in the way that you found safety in doing so. Thank you for sharing your words and I hope you can find your Dear Maya happy ending soon <3
To IIE: Thank you for sharing your story in the way that you found safety in doing so. Thank you for sharing your words and I hope you can find your Dear Maya happy ending soon <3
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 27, 2025
I love this book with every part of my soul
October 20, 2025
So having read Dear Ana first I was really anxious about finishing this book and reliving that heartbreak again but also kind of excited to see it in Noah’s pov so imagine my surprise when we got an alternate reality. When I read the authors note, the decision she made started to make a little more sense to me. Anyone who reads this before Dear Ana is in for a rude awakening HAHAHA. It would make sense for Noah’s pov to be more positive tbh and I’m glad we have this option of seeing Maya and Noah in a happy ending. I loved both books, and I love their love for each other like truly I can’t put it in to words (I guess like the same way Noah practiced ways to express himself when he proposed but he still couldn’t figure out what to say and he decided it didn’t matter because it all had the same meaning. He just loved her.)
To the author, I hope you find your noodle boyfriend in real life
To the author, I hope you find your noodle boyfriend in real life
December 14, 2025
This book was such a hard but worth it read. I love Maya deeply seeing her work through her trauma was amazing. Noah is the sweetest boy I will ever meet. They will be in my heart forever. I saw this on TikTok and it immediately caught my interest because of how cute the two of the them are and how realistic the book is when it comes to real life problems.
October 29, 2025
I am absolutely sobbing. Reading in Noah’s POV was just.. gosh. I don’t even know what to say. This was beautiful, sad, heartbreaking and so realistic. I loved it so much. These two will forever have my heart
And to the author: Thank you for sharing your words with us and I hope you find your happy ending. Because you deserve it
And to the author: Thank you for sharing your words with us and I hope you find your happy ending. Because you deserve it
January 13, 2026
She looked like she had been buried alive and just clawed her way out. But her eyes were what caught me. Not because of their shape or color—but because of their silence. There was something muted in them, like life had once lived there but had long since packed up and left.
She was beautiful. Was beautiful the right word? Was there even a word to describe the
absolutely ethereal girl standing before me?
She looked away, retreating behind her coffee. I didn’t press. There were walls she’d built long before I met her, and I’d learned to admire their architecture without trying to tear them down.
But more than any of that, the feeling in my chest when I’m with you is unlike anything I have ever felt. That feeling alone convinces me you were real.
“Nothing’s going on.” I sighed. Her lies weren’t even trying anymore.
I gave her a small smile. “Thank you for giving me the moments that you did. I’m not going to pressure you, but if you ever find yourself willing to try to make another choice...choose me. Try with me. I’ll be your stranger, or your acquaintance, or your friend...I’ll be your anything, Maya. I’ll wait, no matter how much you don’t want me to.” I paused, feeling like I was saying goodbye. “And if this isn’t something you end up wanting...I hope you can heal from the things that are silently tearing you apart. I hope you can find happiness.”
“Insanity with you is the only sane thing I’ve ever wanted.”
,,That was the thing about Maya, she didn’t need big declarations or grand gestures. She just needed someone to notice the little things, and I noticed all of them.”
,,Something was admiring in the way she slept, something that made me feel like I was intruding just by breathing in the same room.”
,,I don’t think, anymore. I know.
I’m in love with you.”
“Okay. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“And I’ll answer. Even though I hate talking on the phone.”
“I know,” I whispered, smiling again. “But thanks for doing it anyway.”
We didn’t hang up right away. We just stayed like that, on opposite ends of a distance that suddenly didn’t feel so far, breathing in each other’s silence, holding on to the tether. Home, I thought, wasn’t always a place. Sometimes, it was just someone choosing to stay on the line.
3,617 kilometers. That’s all that separates us on a map. Such a small number, really—barely a whisper on the scale of the world—yet it feels infinite. It feels as though you’re anchored on Earth while I’ve drifted to Neptune...or some nameless, uncharted planet even farther away. Sometimes you feel like that to me, Maya. Like a celestial body no one has touched, no one has claimed, an undiscovered planet that slips just beyond reach every time I draw nearer. Still, I’ll keep moving toward you, however far you drift, because you are my favorite orbit, my favorite star. The universe in which we exist together will always be my most cherished one.
I’m still in love with you. I haven’t yet decided how, or when, or if I’ll tell you. But I did learn how to say it in Arabic.
Ahibek, Maya.
In the Arabic language, my favorite word is Habibti. It means my love or my darling. Both belong to you. Always have.
Maya was a walking secret, taught only to be perceived but never heard until she simply forgot how to speak. She was a mystery written in invisible ink, seen only in the right light. I had finally stumbled upon that light, and it was blinding.
I couldn’t stop thinking about her, about how she kept this all to herself, about how she still smiled at the world, still offered kindness, even when it never once protected her.
She was beautiful. Was beautiful the right word? Was there even a word to describe the
absolutely ethereal girl standing before me?
She looked away, retreating behind her coffee. I didn’t press. There were walls she’d built long before I met her, and I’d learned to admire their architecture without trying to tear them down.
But more than any of that, the feeling in my chest when I’m with you is unlike anything I have ever felt. That feeling alone convinces me you were real.
“Nothing’s going on.” I sighed. Her lies weren’t even trying anymore.
I gave her a small smile. “Thank you for giving me the moments that you did. I’m not going to pressure you, but if you ever find yourself willing to try to make another choice...choose me. Try with me. I’ll be your stranger, or your acquaintance, or your friend...I’ll be your anything, Maya. I’ll wait, no matter how much you don’t want me to.” I paused, feeling like I was saying goodbye. “And if this isn’t something you end up wanting...I hope you can heal from the things that are silently tearing you apart. I hope you can find happiness.”
“Insanity with you is the only sane thing I’ve ever wanted.”
,,That was the thing about Maya, she didn’t need big declarations or grand gestures. She just needed someone to notice the little things, and I noticed all of them.”
,,Something was admiring in the way she slept, something that made me feel like I was intruding just by breathing in the same room.”
,,I don’t think, anymore. I know.
I’m in love with you.”
“Okay. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“And I’ll answer. Even though I hate talking on the phone.”
“I know,” I whispered, smiling again. “But thanks for doing it anyway.”
We didn’t hang up right away. We just stayed like that, on opposite ends of a distance that suddenly didn’t feel so far, breathing in each other’s silence, holding on to the tether. Home, I thought, wasn’t always a place. Sometimes, it was just someone choosing to stay on the line.
3,617 kilometers. That’s all that separates us on a map. Such a small number, really—barely a whisper on the scale of the world—yet it feels infinite. It feels as though you’re anchored on Earth while I’ve drifted to Neptune...or some nameless, uncharted planet even farther away. Sometimes you feel like that to me, Maya. Like a celestial body no one has touched, no one has claimed, an undiscovered planet that slips just beyond reach every time I draw nearer. Still, I’ll keep moving toward you, however far you drift, because you are my favorite orbit, my favorite star. The universe in which we exist together will always be my most cherished one.
I’m still in love with you. I haven’t yet decided how, or when, or if I’ll tell you. But I did learn how to say it in Arabic.
Ahibek, Maya.
In the Arabic language, my favorite word is Habibti. It means my love or my darling. Both belong to you. Always have.
Maya was a walking secret, taught only to be perceived but never heard until she simply forgot how to speak. She was a mystery written in invisible ink, seen only in the right light. I had finally stumbled upon that light, and it was blinding.
I couldn’t stop thinking about her, about how she kept this all to herself, about how she still smiled at the world, still offered kindness, even when it never once protected her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2025
I recently finished Dear Ana, the 1st book in the duet, written from Maya's pov and found it a beautiful, heartbreaking read. And we were promised the story from Noah's pov, which was recently released.
I've read seperate books from duel viewpoints before and sometimes they are really worth reading and othertimes can seem like a cheap rehash, not offering anything new or insightful. I found Dear Maya very much worth the effort. It adds a lot of details and scenes missing from book 1. I loved learning more about Noah, his personality, his suffering, his past, his family. I particularly loved reading his letters to Dear Maya where he poured out all his feelings.
Noah has experienced unimaginable trauma, abuse and neglect, he's still battling with the guilt arising from his past, from the accident that killed Ana and injured Maya. Noah is a character burdened with so much pain yet he tries to do his best every day, looks for the good in life and how he loves and cares for Maya, in spite of his ongoing issues, is nothing short of inspirational. We can only dream of finding a love so pure and healing. Maya and Noah are such lovable characters and the perfect couple. So glad to read Noah's story and his journey towards healing and forgiveness.
SPOILER ALERT ****
Many readers, myself included, hated the ending of Dear Ana and were mystified as to why it ended that way. It was heartbreaking and so bloody sad. Everyone was rooting for their HEA and didnt get it. The author explained that Maya is heavily based on her own experiences and she felt it was wrong to give her a HEA due to the fact her own healing was so incomplete so she killed her off thinking her unworthy of happiness or love. Sadly Noah is fictious 😭😭😭 but I guess perfection is only make believe.
I was dreading the ending in this one because I didnt want to see Noah's despair, that man has suffered enough for 100 lifetimes but in Dear Maya we are given an alternate reality ending and in which Maya and Noah get their HEA. For those who swore, cried, threw their Kindle across the room or raged against the universe after reading Dear Ana, this one is for you.
I've read seperate books from duel viewpoints before and sometimes they are really worth reading and othertimes can seem like a cheap rehash, not offering anything new or insightful. I found Dear Maya very much worth the effort. It adds a lot of details and scenes missing from book 1. I loved learning more about Noah, his personality, his suffering, his past, his family. I particularly loved reading his letters to Dear Maya where he poured out all his feelings.
Noah has experienced unimaginable trauma, abuse and neglect, he's still battling with the guilt arising from his past, from the accident that killed Ana and injured Maya. Noah is a character burdened with so much pain yet he tries to do his best every day, looks for the good in life and how he loves and cares for Maya, in spite of his ongoing issues, is nothing short of inspirational. We can only dream of finding a love so pure and healing. Maya and Noah are such lovable characters and the perfect couple. So glad to read Noah's story and his journey towards healing and forgiveness.
SPOILER ALERT ****
Many readers, myself included, hated the ending of Dear Ana and were mystified as to why it ended that way. It was heartbreaking and so bloody sad. Everyone was rooting for their HEA and didnt get it. The author explained that Maya is heavily based on her own experiences and she felt it was wrong to give her a HEA due to the fact her own healing was so incomplete so she killed her off thinking her unworthy of happiness or love. Sadly Noah is fictious 😭😭😭 but I guess perfection is only make believe.
I was dreading the ending in this one because I didnt want to see Noah's despair, that man has suffered enough for 100 lifetimes but in Dear Maya we are given an alternate reality ending and in which Maya and Noah get their HEA. For those who swore, cried, threw their Kindle across the room or raged against the universe after reading Dear Ana, this one is for you.
November 25, 2025
I was prepared to fight for my life in the last twenty pages because I expected the worst. I expected pain and death and cruelty when the lives of both main characters were finally completed with the love they'd found within each other. But, to my surprise, it never came. The open ending was a choice that split me worse than the definite quiet goodbye that I saw in Dear Ana. It was this fear of the end that caused me to complete this story in so much more time than I actually needed, and it was my fear that left me disappointed because I know that even in the end, a shoe is bound to drop... or is it?
I understood the author's explanation that because she saw herself in her character, she decided to eliminate her. I would do the same because I am also not as healed as I wish I were, as my character could be. I understood when she changed her ending this time around because no one deserves what Maya went through, and `even at our most broken point we all deserve the peace she finally found (and for more than one page I might add), so while I thought I wasn't as in love with this book as I was with the first one, I know now that I just needed to see things from a more healed perspective.
It really is the books that make you sit with your thoughts that are the best for the mind. And my mind is spiraling.
I understood the author's explanation that because she saw herself in her character, she decided to eliminate her. I would do the same because I am also not as healed as I wish I were, as my character could be. I understood when she changed her ending this time around because no one deserves what Maya went through, and `even at our most broken point we all deserve the peace she finally found (and for more than one page I might add), so while I thought I wasn't as in love with this book as I was with the first one, I know now that I just needed to see things from a more healed perspective.
It really is the books that make you sit with your thoughts that are the best for the mind. And my mind is spiraling.
January 15, 2026
I read Dear Ana a year ago and yesterday finished Dear Maya. It was everything I wanted and even more. I genuinely didn't expect Maya to die in Dear Ana butttt I loved the happy ending in this one. After two books I feel so connected to the characters and I can't wait for more books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews