You Deserve Good Things by Meka Evette

At sixteen, Shaniya Stiles endures a tragedy that changes everything. In an instant, the sweet, vibrant girl from New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward becomes silent—her voice stolen by trauma and fear. Her best friend Jacory James, the boy she’s secretly loved for years, tries desperately to reach her, but Shaniya can’t let herself get close—not when loss feels like a guarantee.
When her parents uproot the family to Houston in search of a fresh start, Shaniya and Jacory are torn apart, their bond severed by distance and time.
Four years later, their paths cross again—older, different, but still tethered by something unspoken. Jacory is no longer a boy; he’s a man determined not to let her slip away again. And Shaniya, still carrying the weight of her past, must find the courage to face what broke her… and decide if she’s ready to embrace love again.

Told through the eyes of Shaniya, Jacory, her family, and the friends who walk beside them, You Deserve Good Things is a heartfelt love story about trauma, rediscovery, and learning that even in silence, you are worthy of something beautiful.