Dear Aaron by Mariana Zapata

The Pen Pal: Ruby Santos signs up for a support-our-troops pen pal program to step out of her shell. She gets paired with Aaron Hall, a soldier deployed overseas.

The Connection: Ruby is quirky, slightly insecure, and fiercely loyal; Aaron is initially reserved and focused on his duty. Over months of digital correspondence, they share everything from everyday mundane details to their deepest anxieties. They build an unbreakable foundation of friendship long before ever laying eyes on each other.

The Shift: When Aaron's deployment ends, their online friendship faces the ultimate test as it transitions into the real world. True to Mariana Zapata's signature style, their romantic chemistry is a highly realistic, incredibly patient slow burn.