The Android

by Robert D. Sears

He was good at getting what he wanted. He just didn't know what he wanted.

Daniel Cole has spent forty-two years building a career, a reputation, a marriage that looked right from the outside. Now, at forty-two, he's in the final months of a divorce that surprised no one and still managed to undo him, living in an apartment he hasn't bothered to make his own, running on the one engine he desire.

When a colleague suggests an unconventional solution — a companionship arrangement, discreet and premium, with a woman unlike anyone he has encountered — Daniel expects distraction. What he gets is something he has no category for.
Her name is Mara. She is present, attentive, and entirely unmoved by any version of Daniel he tries to show her. She does not flatter, compete, perform, or retaliate. She asks simple questions and waits, with a patience that feels almost inhuman, for the honest answer. She is — and Daniel will not understand this until it is too late to be defended against — a mirror he cannot break.

The Android is a novella about the difference between what we call love and what love actually is. About the hunger we dress up as feeling and the defenses we mistake for identity. About what remains when the performance, finally, runs out of audience.

It is a story that peels like an onion. Its outer layer is desire. Its core is something that has no adequate name — though the word love comes close, provided you understand it as something you extend rather than something you receive.
Some books explain the lesson. This one gives you the experience of learning it.

158 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 7, 2026

About the author

Robert D. Sears (Lt Col, CAP, USAF Aux.) has lived a life of service, leadership, and curiosity, as a Civil Air Patrol commander, financial planner, flight instructor, and now author.
He began with CAP in the 1960s as a squadron commander in Peekskill, NY, returning in 2013 after a forty-year break; today he advises Inland Empire Group 3, California Wing. His career included decades as a Certified Financial Planner, founder of The Financial Planning Suite, Inc., and a certified flight instructor (1971–1996) who later trained CAP cadets.
In his 80s, and adapting to the lasting effects of cancer treatment, Robert turned from speaking to writing. Under the pen name Dino James, he publishes memoir, political analysis, and spiritual works through his own imprint, Dino James Books, and teaches weekly on ACIM Gather (bit.ly/ACIMGather), Tuesdays at 4pm Pacific.
With his wife Cherie, he raises and releases Monarch butterflies and writes about pollinator conservation, with a book on Hummingbirds of North America due in 2026.
Mentor, planner, pilot, teacher, author: Robert's life has one throughline, serve, teach, communicate.

Reviews

[Adams Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book hit me in a quiet, unexpected way. It’s not loud or dramatic, but it lingers in your mind long after you’ve finished. The way Daniel meets Mara and slowly begins to question everything he thought he knew about love is so human, even though part of the story involves an android. It made me think about my own relationships and how much of “love” is just habit and comfort.

I’d recommend this to anyone who likes introspective, character-driven stories. It’s short, but it doesn’t feel rushed. Every sentence seems to carry weight. If you’ve ever wondered what love really is beyond the surface, this book will sit with you in the best way.

[Eliana Readerhub · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novella is one of those rare books that feels like a conversation with yourself. Daniel’s journey from confusion to clarity about love is something I think many of us go through but rarely see written so honestly. The android, Mara, isn’t a gimmick, she’s a mirror that forces Daniel (and the reader) to confront uncomfortable truths.

I loved how the author doesn’t give easy answers. The ending left me thoughtful, not sad, just… aware. If you like books that make you pause and reflect, this is a must-read. It’s short enough to finish in one sitting but deep enough to stay with you for days.

[Dorothy Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up expecting something sci-fi, but what I got was a deeply emotional meditation on loneliness and connection. Daniel’s divorce and empty apartment set the tone perfectly. You feel his isolation even before Mara arrives. The book doesn’t judge him; it just lets you watch him unravel and rebuild.

The writing is clean and precise, almost like the apartment Daniel lives in neutral, but full of unspoken meaning. I’d recommend this to readers who enjoy slow-burn, thoughtful novels. It’s not about big plot twists; it’s about the quiet moments that change a person.

[Marcus Readwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure what to expect from a book called The Android, but this turned out to be one of the most human stories I’ve read in a while. Daniel’s emotional numbness after his divorce felt so real. The way he interacts with Mara is awkward at first, then gradually becomes something tender and strange.

What I appreciated most is how the book treats love as a question, not an answer. It doesn’t try to define it; it just explores it from different angles. I’d recommend this to anyone who’s ever felt lost in their own relationships. It’s gentle, honest, and beautifully written.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is quiet, but it’s powerful. Daniel’s life feels so sterile at the beginning, his apartment, his divorce, his routine. But when Mara enters, everything shifts in subtle ways. The conversations between them are simple, yet they carry so much weight. You can feel Daniel’s walls slowly coming down.

I think this would resonate with anyone who’s been through a breakup or a period of emotional detachment. It’s not a romance in the traditional sense, but it’s definitely about love, just not the kind we’re used to seeing. Highly recommend for fans of literary fiction.

[Samantha World · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this in one sitting and immediately wanted to reread it. The prose is so controlled, almost like Daniel himself, restrained, but with emotions bubbling underneath. The way the story unfolds feels natural, like watching someone wake up from a long sleep.

What struck me most is how the book challenges the idea of what love should look like. It’s not about grand gestures or perfect compatibility; it’s about presence and honesty. I’d recommend this to readers who enjoy character studies and philosophical themes wrapped in a simple narrative.

[Sophie Marsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is deceptively simple. On the surface, it’s about a man and an android, but underneath, it’s about what it means to be seen and to see others clearly. Daniel’s relationship with Mara forces him to confront his own patterns of avoidance and self-protection.

I loved how the story doesn’t rely on drama or conflict. The tension comes from Daniel’s internal struggle, which feels incredibly relatable. If you like books that explore the human condition without being preachy, this one is for you. It’s short, but it leaves a lasting impression.