What did Maya Henry say about Liam Payne in her book called Looking Forward?

Maya Henry, the ex-fiancée of former One Direction member Liam Payne, released a novel earlier this year titled “Looking Forward” that appears to draw inspiration from their relationship. While Henry maintains that the book is fiction, she acknowledges that it is “inspired by true events”.

“Obviously the book is fiction,” Henry told PEOPLE, but it’s “definitely inspired by true events... [The main character] Mallory is very similar to me, and that’s why it was very easy for me to write her character and put the emotion in there. I’m just grateful that I have this opportunity and platform to really help be a voice for women.”

The novel follows the story of said Mallory, an aspiring model who falls in love with Oliver, a former boy band member. This premise bears striking similarities to Henry’s own relationship with Payne, as they began dating in 2019 when Henry was 18 and Payne was 26.

Parallels to real life

Henry’s book touches on several sensitive topics, including:

In the novel, Oliver’s character transforms from a clean-cut pop star to an unpredictable addict with a volatile temper. This portrayal has led many readers to draw comparisons between Oliver and Payne, especially given the similarities in their backgrounds as boy band members who later pursued solo careers.

Who is Maya Henry?

Maya Henry gained significant public attention when her father hosted a lavish $6 million quinceañera celebration for her, which featured performances by notable artists like Pitbull and Nick Jonas. This extravagant event catapulted her into the spotlight and helped her build a substantial social media following, particularly on Instagram, where she has over 670,000 followers.

Her and Payne began dating in 2019 and got engaged in 2020 but had an on-and-off relationship that ended in 2022.