A truly beautiful story about love - and loss.

This is one of the most beautiful love stories I have come across in a very long time. The author writes so sensitively about human desire and frailty, with a deep compassion and understanding that permeates her descriptions of each character and the choices they make.

I loved the twists and turns and the ending did not disappoint.

Beautifully read. Thoroughly recommended.

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A tale of two countries

A beautiful reading of an interesting text. Loved the long arc of family history. Felt the epilogue was unnecessary and repetitive

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Wonderful book!

I absolutely loved this book. The description of middle eastern life and the characters swept me away to Iran. Beautifully written. I sobbed through the last few chapters. Rarely have I been so moved by a book. Fabulous choice of reader too.

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4 people found this helpful

Really enjoyed this book

I’ve listened to this twice now and really enjoyed it, great story and insight into those times

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A love from which we never recover

I had a day to do a spring clean and listened to this in one sitting, The title is a bit twee but the whole story book made for a wonderful experience, being wrapped in the lives of Roya and Bahman

The narration by Mozhan Marno, lifts to another level, she has perfect far eastern accents and makes you feel like its just you that she is unravelling the story to.

The Author Marjan Kamali's account of Tehran and the political change affecting everyone was palpable. The descriptions of the foods were luscious and made me salivate. She wrote simply and poetically about lives starting in Tehran and moving to America, of the characters love, loss, grief, mental health and betrayal.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book, and it made my cleaning day fly by.

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Nice love story

Well written and performed. realised love stories are not my thing, but was nice to hear about Persian culture and recipes. Not sure what I was expecting, nice but not a 'must listen' kind of book, personally.

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Really loved this!

A beautifully written story about forbidden love. Will stay with me for a long time.

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So beautiful

a lovely story of a place I am so familiar with, of people I have known and love. now I just want to get on a plane and go back to Tehran. now to read her other book.

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2 people found this helpful

Beautifully written and wonderfully narrated

If you are looking for a beautiful story that is exquisitely painted in words that will culminate in a sensory journey, then this is the perfect book!

Usually, I keep books on my wishlist for weeks before buying them. This is of course after reading reviewsafter a very prolonged and serious deliberation session!
And usually, I am disappointed with my choice.

It was different with this book as the beautiful cover and the narrator's voice drew me immediately. But perhaps it was also my own love of stationery shops and books that played a part too.

The author seduced me into falling in love with a city I've never visited and gave me a yearning to find just such a stationery shop. Even as I write this now, I can hear the jingle of the bell above Mr Fakri's shop and I wonder whether I will be reminded of that bookshop every time I hear a doorbell jingle.

Kamali not only paints vivid pictures with her language but she tells a beautiful story that keeps you listening, wanting to know just a little more.
You share in Roya's love, hopes, dreams and loss and you become part of her new journey as a mother and eventually an old woman.

I felt the hopes of young love, I cried and when the story ended I understood yet again how important it is to follow our hearts and the destiny that is written on our foreheads. But the story also gives hope too.
Because even if our lives turn out differently, there is still happiness that we can have from our children and the legacies that we leave.


I am eternally grateful to the author for providing this escape into another world when our own worlds are very much restricted by during this pandemic.


This book will certainly also appeal to lovers of Khaled Hosseini.

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1 person found this helpful

heartbreaking

I listened this book in 2 days because I couldn't turn it off. it's utterly heart wrenching.
it's a beautifully written book; I felt like I was with the characters in every scene. it also taught me a lot about the history of Iran and how the conflict the developed.
I can't recommend this book enough! just have a box of tissues ready.

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1 person found this helpful