Dear Manny

Dear Martin #3

by Nic Stone

From the New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin comes the thrilling final installment of the series, set in college. Jared (white, Justyce's roommate, woke) is running for Junior class president. With his antiracism platform, he's a shoo-in. But he's up against the new girl, Dylan (Black). Will Jared have to choose between his head and his heart?

Jared Peter Christensen is running for junior class president at his university. 

Based on early polls, Jared’s pretty sure he’s got a good shot at beating the right-wing business major he’s running against. After all, his platform built on increased equity and inclusion on campus makes him the popular choice. 

A new candidate enters the Dylan, transfer student from a HBCU and the most beautiful girl Jared has ever seen. She calls him out for his Woke White Boy mentality. 

Jared starts writing letters to his deceased best friend Manny to make sense of his confusion.

What’s a white boy to do when love and privilege collide?

From the New York Times bestselling author Nic Stone comes the exciting third chapter that examines white privilege, love, and our political climate. Stone reinterprets the constitution for today's teens.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Audiobook, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Social Justice, Social Issues

224 pages, Hardcover

First published March 4, 2025

About the author

Nic Stone was born and raised in a suburb of Atlanta, GA, and the only thing she loves more than an adventure is a good story about one. After graduating from Spelman College, she worked extensively in teen mentoring and lived in Israel for a few years before returning to the US to write full-time. Growing up with a wide range of cultures, religions, and backgrounds, Stone strives to bring these diverse voices and stories to her work.

Stone lives in Atlanta with her husband and two sons. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram at @getnicced or on her website nicstone.info.

Reviews

[Maren’s Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

College student Jared is running for class president on a platform of antiracism, as a white, male student with socioeconomic privilege. But when Dylan, a Black student, enters the mix, Jared becomes completely taken with her. The same cannot be said for her, who finds his “woke white boy” mentality disingenuous.

If Nic Stone writes it, I will read it. I wish I could shout from the rooftops about how phenomenally good this series is. Focusing on what it means to be a young person growing up in a world where systemic racism is still so pervasive, each book in this series illustrates the trials and tribulations of Black teenagers coming of age in America.

Told in part through epistolary format, I love how Stone shows us the inner workings of each of the main characters’ thinking through the letters they write, in this case, Jared and his letters to his deceased friend Manny, who was shot and killed for playing music too loud by an off-duty police officer. It’s through these very personal letters that Jared is able to process the struggles of youth, including young love, college life, internal and external racism, and his own guilt over what happened to his friend.

🎧 This entire series is exceptional on audio. “Dear Manny” helmed by James Fouhey, is equally terrific. I highly recommend doing an immersive read, reading with both your eyes and your ears for the best experience.

Read if you like:
▪️stories that make you think
▪️college setting
▪️discussions on race
▪️a diverse cast of characters
▪️timely reads
▪️epistolary format

Thank you Underlined and PRH Audio for the gifted copies.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with the other books in this series, "Dear Manny" tackles modern conversations about privilege and who is afforded access to it, but this time from the perspective a young, white man. If you've read "Dear Martin", you'll maybe remember Jared, who is the protagonist of this new title. Now a sophomore in college with Justyce, his roommate, Jared finds himself again exploring his own privileges and perspectives about marginalized communities. While has certainly grown from his character in book one, he clearly has more growing to do to "sit with these uncomfortable truths".

I appreciated Stone's portrayal of Jared as flawed, but human. His character was complex and growing, with more growth to do even at the end. In her author's note, she worries about this decision: "Would readers hate me for not hating Jared? For caring about him, even? For loving him and holding space for him to be a person, too?" This is the message that the book communicates to me: we have to hold space for each and every one of us to be people, to hold space, especially in such divisive times as these.

Perhaps because I found that message to be so powerful throughout, I struggled with the characters who were most clearly portrayed as the villains of the story. John's character specifically felt a little underdeveloped and lacked a way for me to view him any other way than as a racist stereotype rather than a person. I won't defend him in anyway, please don't get me wrong there! But his character (as well as his father and Hunter) felt more allegorical than anything to me, which didn't make the book as immersive as it could have been. With its short length, overall I felt there could have been a little more development of the characters or the events of the story.

I'm glad Stone took the risk to write this, as I believe there are some important lessons for many readers in here. There may even be some readers who feel "seen" in new ways from this writer and be more willing to engage in more complex discourse.

[Amanda Toney-Velázquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nic Stone’s Dear Manny is a compelling, introspective novel that invites readers to grapple with uncomfortable truths about privilege, power, and personal growth. Through the lens of a privileged white college student, the book chronicles a journey of self-awareness and accountability that feels both urgent and deeply relevant.

As the protagonist navigates running for junior class president, he’s forced to confront the unearned privileges that have shaped his life—his wealth, status, and ability to escape consequences that others, particularly students with more melanin, must constantly navigate. These realizations form the crux of his internal conflict: how can he reconcile the harm he’s unknowingly perpetuated and become a better version of himself?

Stone’s writing is unflinchingly honest, posing difficult questions that challenge readers to see the humanity in a character they might have initially dismissed or even despised. The novel doesn’t shy away from the complexities of privilege or the emotional labor that comes with self-reflection. Instead, it invites readers to sit with the discomfort and consider how societal systems of power affect us all—while offering a glimmer of hope for meaningful change.

At its core, Dear Manny is about empathy and transformation. It forces us to ask: Can we truly see and honor the humanity in someone who represents everything we’ve been taught to resent? By crafting a protagonist who is flawed yet striving, Nic Stone compels readers to reflect on their own biases and assumptions. The result is a story that is as challenging as it is necessary—a testament to the power of literature to foster understanding and growth.

Dear Manny is an unforgettable exploration of identity, accountability, and the shared humanity that connects us all. It’s a must-read for anyone willing to engage with the complexities of privilege and the potential for personal redemption.

[Silvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.

Dear Manny is a great YA novel. It talks about tough truths in our lives through the eyes of a white privileged male. Great book will definitely recommend to my coworkers/middle school teachers!

[Gary Anderson]

Nic Stone’s Dear Martin trilogy concludes with Dear Manny which sees Jared Christensen, arguably the most unlikable character in the first book, as a college student who has changed his racist ways and is now aware of his privilege as he seeks to be an ally to the Black community on his campus. I admire Nic Stone’s skill in voicing this young white male narrator with a problematic past.

While Dear Martin and Dear Justyce include dramatic settings and intense action, Dear Manny is more political as it focuses on a student government election pitting Jared against a comtemptuous opponent who sounds a lot like the old Jared, and a Black female classmate who has complicated feelings for Jared. The earlier books can be read in any order, but Dear Manny depends on the other two for Jared’s background, as well as the context for Jared’s letters to Manny, the young Black man killed by an off-duty police officer in Dear Martin.

With Dear Manny, Nic Stone maintains her place as one of the most important young adult authors of our time.

Thanks to Libro.fm for early access to this title.

[Emily Short · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this and sped through it. It challenged me in many ways and made me think about a lot of things - things I’ll be thinking about even now that I’m done. I’ve enjoyed all the books in this series!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this new adult/college story that follows one of Nic Stones most unlikeable white, privileged male characters from past books in the series. In this book, Jared Peter Christensen finds himself running for Junior Class President against Dylan, a Black transfer student he finds himself falling for. The book explores lots of topical issues from racism, police brutality, diversity and more. Well written with a thoughtful note from the author included at the end.

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

The final book in this YA series:
“Because the only person I gotta spend my life with is me.”
🗳️
Jared has decided to run against his nemesis for Junior Class President, but when he realizes a third candidate enters the mix, he’s thrown for a loop. When it turns out Dylan M. Coleman is female, Black and stunningly gorgeous, Jared is instantly smitten. Through a class assignment in Constitutional Law, he gets to know Dylan better, but as the election continues he realizes she has secrets, just like he does. Jared, our anti-hero, makes many mistakes in his journey to escape his past and make better decisions for his future, but his privilege and feelings for Dylan are getting in the way.
🏫
There are no words for how much I loved this novel! This entire series is a gift to the young adult readers’ community. I love that this was set later, when our main characters are now in college. Jared has had some time to change (still has lots of work to do), but I found myself rooting for him and seeing the kind of human he could be. I want every white teen to read this story, ESPECIALLY now, because we need to do better. White people: we have to do better. This amazing, life-changing book releases March 4.

CW: sexual assault, physical assault, racism, sexism, classism, arrest, death (recounted), grief, loss, alcohol, public intoxication, cheating, DUI, microaggressions

[Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't really know how to feel about this one, Really. It was good. The message was good, intentions were good.
It just kind of felt rushed to me, and the fact that the author isn't going to write anymore in this series makes me sad.She probably has a good reason though.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic end to the Dear Martin trilogy.

In this third and final installment, the main character of Jared Christensen is writing letters to his best friend Manny who died in the book Dear Martin. Jared was an insufferable and racist tool in Dear Martin but now that he’s in college (at Yale, though that is not ever explicitly stated in this book, there are clues for the reader to know this) and has experienced the death of his best friend as the result of racial profiling, Jared is trying to be a better human. Sometimes he gets it right, but many times he still gets it very wrong.

Nic Stone is an absolute gift to humanity and to the young people for whom she writes. Giving someone like Jared Christensen the grace we as readers feel he likely doesn’t deserve is how we learn to navigate a world where our digital silos have trained us to see people as either all good or all bad. Jared’s story reminds us that we all contain multitudes… especially as many of us (speaking for myself as a white person) are working to unlearn the racism (both overt and covert, systematic and individual) we have been taught in our homes and by society at large.

I’m grateful that Nic Stone and many of the POC characters gave Jared the grace he didn’t deserve, but I hope that white readers don’t assume that everyone will react this way and they use this book as an opportunity to see that there is always work to do. Jared didn’t have an epiphany after his friend died and then just automatically become a benevolent anti-racist hero. He was still messing up even to the last pages. Like we all do in real life.

[Tracy Shouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love Nic Stone's books! She does not shy away from tough topics that need to be discussed in today's society. In this 3rd installment of the Dear Martin trilogy Stone tackles the challenge of taking on Jared's story as he begins his sophomore year of college. As many know from the first two books Jared is not a well-liked character, and I was a bit leery of how Stone would approach this story. Needless to say, she did a beautiful job in illustrating that even the most flawed characters can grow from their experiences. Jared realizes that his white privilege has insulated him from having to face what injustice feel like. I love how Stone places Jared in between two extreme characters and pushes him to think about his mistakes and if he can live with them and like who he is. Lastly, Justyce warms my heart and is such an essential friend in Jared's life. My wish is that everyone finds their own Justyce to lean on in times of need.

[Sarah Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nic Stone, I really wish you did not have to write this book; however, given the current state of this country, I thank you for writing it. This book follows Dear Martin and Dear Justyce and holds up. It takes an incredible author to write stories and characters the way Nic Stone does. Jared and Dylan feel so real and, unfortunately, so do Jared’s family, racist classmates, and fraternity brothers. Thank you to Libro.fm for the Educator ALC!

[Sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 3rd book in Nic Stone’s series and it is a gut punch. In taking the viewpoint of Jared (a white male running for Junior class president and former best friend of Manny), we are exposed to the privilege and altered rules that many of us take for granted. I also love that Stone thought it would be a good idea to write in the perspective of a white male since her two books (written in the viewpoint of black males) were so heavily banned. I did not expect such a visceral reaction to a YA novel but certain parts hurt my chest.

[Ayanna Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is almost a political commentary, written from a literary perspective and inspired by true events. Nic Stone is a genius, and this is a powerful take on our world, with characters who have the power to change the trajectory of our world. Long live Dr. King, Jr. and all that he represents.

[Sigrid Boggan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure how this was going to turn out but Nic Stone has done it again and made another raw story that touches on so many important topics. Weaving real stories with a touch of fiction. Highly recommend this entire series

[Denise Lauron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up because I enjoyed the first book in the series.

This was a great story, told by a different point of view than the other books in the series. My only complaint is that a reader couldn't really pick it up the story without having at least a vague knowledge of the other books.

I recommend this book.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed all three books in this series. Quick reads but deep themes about race, equity, and society.

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need to re-read Dear Martin. I was overly harsh on my initial assessment of it back in 2020. I will also say that I have matured / mellowed as a reader. And Nic Stone has matured as a writer. I know that the afterword says this is the last one but if a Dear Jared were ever to come into being with Dylan as the main character, I would absolutely love to read it.

[Sherie Carnegie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still grappling with how I feel about this book and Jared Christensen. He is the epitomy of white privilege and I am upset at how the story ended- I feel like he still hasn't learned his lesson and was rewarded and got away with something. The amount of backstabbing and secret criminal records from these college students is appalling! Lol. I'm genuinely interested if this 3rd installment will be banned as well, or if it will get a pass because the main character is white. Can't wait for more YA/adult books from Ms Stone. Thank you for the early Netgalley copy of this book.

[Rachel Keleher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a lot to say about this book. I had no idea that there was a third book in the Dear universe. Dear Manny is from the perspective of Jared Peter Christensen, the friend of Manny (Emanuel Rivers), and the character we all have a hard time liking. I wouldn’t call him a villain in the previous novels, but I know that I was frustrated with him throughout both books. This third book really shows us what a dynamic character Jared is - if you look at his growth from book one to book three, you’ll really be impressed.

I have a few quotes I really feel the need to share from this book:
“...I’ve come to realize three universal truths:
Being a person is hard.
Being a person in relationship with other people is harder.
Being a person in a multicultural world where you have to be in relationship with lots of people, many of whom look, think, feel, and believe differently than you do, is the hardest thing of all.”

“We will not let the opinions of people who don’t recognize the inherent value in ALL human beings impact our view of ourself or hold sway over how we move through the world.
In layman’s terms: We’re no longer going to let people we don’t even like impact how we feel about ourself and our decisions” (186).

“I also think this imagining of what is not the self is the test of our capacity for true empathy as well as an opportunity to dig down to the core of a shared humanity” (196).

[Isabelle Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

#IndigoEmplpyee - all views are my own
4.5 stars

I first read DEAR MARTIN in 2020, DEAR JUSTYCE, in 2021, and when Nic Stone announced she was publishing DEAR MANNY, I couldn't wait. "When they ban your stories about Black kids... So you send the same message through a white boy," is what Nic Stone posted on her Instagram. So many times, I was angry while reading this book. Livid. Annoyed. It resonates with what's happening in the world now and what has been happening for centuries. White supremacy. The endless complaints about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (also, if you're against DEI, say the full thing. Say you're against diversity, equity, and inclusion, you bigot). Everything is rooted in white supremacy. Everything. What Nic Stone did with these books is beyond. Her writing makes me comfortable. Her texts should be required reading, not banned.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect since this story is told from the perspective of one of the series' white antagonists. Jared's foundation has been somewhat laid out in Dear Martin & Dear Justyce, which helped keep focus to the complexity in his personal growth in Dear Manny. The author didn't make him out to be the hero or the beloved character, which I appreciated. We follow a thought process of a highly privileged individual as he slowly comes to terms with the injustices around him.

The craziest part about this book is knowing it was released in March, meaning revisions had already been finalized months earlier. But with specific topics covered, even around DEI, you'd swear this book was written about and for our specific political climate today.

[Christine Sokomba · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good short novel focused on race, this time from the perspective of a white boy. I enjoyed the political elements and constitutional law focus - very timely and I learned quite a bit. I felt like the characters were believable and realistic. I felt like some of the privilege discussion was good, necessary but somehow too obvious or in-your-face. Again, good to dive into, but maybe not realistic? Either way, the book did a great job of discussing race and privilege and some other really difficult topics. I didn't realize her other books - Dear Martin and Dear Justyce are banned across the country. All I can say about that is
READ BANNED BOOKS!

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s pretty much guaranteed that I will like anything Nic Stone writes. When I saw that this book was coming out, I immediately preordered the audiobook because I loved Dear Martin and Dear Justyce. However, I did not love Dear Manny. Don’t get me wrong, this book had me hooked and it is very well written. I enjoyed it very much, but I just couldn’t get behind the main character Jared. He has been the antagonist throughout the series and now he gets a starring role in this book. I like this idea and it does show that he is trying to change and be better, but I feel like he did a lot of bad things in this book and still ends up rewarded with a happy ending at the end. I think it would have been better if he ended up not getting the happy ending and having to work through his choices a little more. Again, I liked the book, but I didn’t love it like I did with Dear Martin and Dear Justyce.

[Melanie Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great ending to the Dear Martin trilogy. I especially loved the author’s note at the end explaining how challenging it was to write this story from a white persons point of view- while also sharing how her other books have gotten banned in other places with black main characters. I just wish the story was a bit longer. There was a lot of build up and it ends on a big event, leaving me wanting more.

[Amanda Renslow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the ALC program from Libro.fm, I got to listen to this third book in Stone's Dear Martin arc. I appreciated Stone challenging herself by writing a white, male character and enjoyed her author's note at the end talking about that choice.

Jared's struggles when confronting his own privilege and ingrained racism are relatable and work to challenge readers of any age or race. This is an important book, and I enjoyed it.

[Ellie Schaben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to LibroFM and Crown Books for Young Readers for the ALC!

I like a redemption arc and a character that feels so human and flawed and can make mistakes but also learn from them. Also I probably resonate with some thought processes Jared has so that helps. Idk these topics were relevant when written, but my god they are so relevant now

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Jared is the main character in this 3rd installment in the Dear Martin series. Jared was not a well liked character in the other two books. I really liked Jared's growth (he still has a lot of work to do, though). He was learning to set himself apart from the white privileged world he grew up in.
My takeaway is that we white people need to do better.
As always, a tremendously well written book by Nic Stone!

[Bethany Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book FLEW BY. I felt like I never stopped turning the pages. Jared’s story was so interesting. Dear Martin and Dear Justyce were two pretty formative YA books for me as an adult. And Dear Manny had my heart squeezing, my anger flaring, and my disgust flowing. This is an incredible book.

[Fatimah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was able to grab this book & listen to it as an audiobook. The way this book highlighted the white privilege truly a thing is what won me over. It’s really sick that some people try to argue you down that it’s not a thing. WOW the ending & the authors note at the end is chefs kiss!!!!!