Only This Beautiful Moment was beyond brilliant. The diverse storylines were out of this world. I loved seeing the world through each of these characters eyes. And then having all of them come together? Absolutely brilliant. I loved every single page. This author is easily one of my favorites to date!

Abdi Nazemian is one of those authors that I know will blow me away every time I pick up something he writes. I fell in love with his writing when I picked up [book:Like a Love Story|40190305] in high school, and I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say it changed my life. The intricacy with which he is able to weave stories across generations is astonishing and is one of my favorite things about his books. This book in particular is a feat in its time span alone. Following three generations of men in an Iranian-American family, Only This Beautiful Moment explores what it means to feel out of place even amongst the people you love the most.
When I started reading this, I was immediately struck by the voices of the characters and how distinct they are. Moud is full of heart, unashamed of his sexuality but yearning for connection with the father he barely knows. Saeed is angry and proud and dreaming of a better future. Bobby is gentle and genuine and more than a little tragic. To pick a favorite would be impossible. Each of them is unique, but each of their stories is so intertwined with the others that to try and separate them to pick a "best" would be a detriment to the whole book. The impact is in the way that their differences and similarities converge to paint a picture of sadness and hope against a shifting global atmosphere.
And beyond the three main characters, the side characters are also vibrant and full of life. I'll admit that I was a bit nervous when we met Vicente, Bobby's Mexican love interest in the 1920s. I was scared that he and his family would be reduced to caricatures of Hispanic-ness in America because they lacked page space to be developed. I should never have worried. Yes, they experience racism, but the lovingness that Nazemian shows them and their culture is constant and it is clear how proud they are to be from Mexico, even when it brings them hardships. Other stand-out side characters are Margaret, Zip Lamb (one of my favorite characters in the book, I would read a whole book about him, although it would probably make me bawl lol), Ava, and Shane. In particular, Shane stands out to me because as flawed as he is there is a part of him that is working to change. That understands that he is prejudiced and is, by the end of the book, working to unlearn what he thinks he knows about the rest of the world. He is an interesting character, even if he drove me a little crazy, and the book wouldn't be as good as it is without him.
Truly, I think this is a book that teens need, especially now. There is so much hate being sent out to Middle Eastern people, and this book is a celebration of culture while acknowledging that things need to change. It is joyous even when it is tragic. It celebrates queer people across generations -- those who had to hide, those who aren't here anymore, and those who are able to live freely in the world we are creating. And I think stories like this one will always, always be necessary. Cheers, Abdi Nazemian. To art, to love, and to queer teens. <3

I love everything by Abdi Nazemian, and I was so excited that I got an ARC for this book. I love every character in this story. It is told in parts, and about 3 young men as they come to terms with their individualistic selves, coming of age, falling in love, intergenerational trauma and growing up. As a child of immigrants, I felt extremely close to Moud, and his struggles with his family. His need to please his parents is something I know too much of. And I found that the author did a beautiful job describing this experience. I highly recommend it.

I don’t know that I know how to talk about this book except that GOSH it’s amazing and good and powerful and I am so glad it exists and I can’t wait for more people to have the chance to read it!

At its core, Only This Beautiful Moment is a story of family and community, of fighting for your beliefs and also learning who you are and want to be. Told across three generations, Moud, Saeed, and Bobby are each discovering their history and how that has shaped them, even the way things they learn later impact them unwittingly. They are each struggling with their place in the world, politically and socially, and finding the people who love and support them and help them on their way.

I really don’t know how to talk about this book, except that it gave me a lot of feelings and a lot of thoughts. There is always this call for more (or only) happy queer stories, but I think this is a prime example of why we don’t necessarily need *happy* stories but *hopeful* stories are vital. There is so much pain that each of them experiences, and so much trauma in the ways they have to hide themselves for their safety, but that doesn’t erase the communities they find and build that allow them to resist and thrive - not merely survive. I also loved the ways, specifically, it shows the cyclical experiences of queerness and how even as people in power try to make and keep us invisible, we still exist. Seeing the contrast yet similarities of Moud and Bobby’s experiences, 80 years apart, hit a particular spot in my heart. And this also explores the intersectionality of identities and how cultural identity impacts experiences of other identities. This was especially explored with Moud and his (white American) boyfriend and the ways Shane thought he knew all and best, and would get upset when Moud described his experiences in America as performing for social media while in Iran he was living in the moment because any documentation was dangerous.

This book needs to be read. I am so full of emotions and I’m finding it difficult to be wholly coherent beyond this is a book that feels vital and I cannot wait for others to have the opportunity to read it and fall in love with this complex family!

[cannonball review will post May 7, 2023]

3.5/5

only this beautiful moment left me with rather mixed feelings but i'm glad it allowed me a glimpse into queer iranian culture.

first, what i loved: the concept of three generations of iranian boys in the same family, two of whom are gay, struggling to overcome years of silence, secrets, and intergenerational trauma to finally come together. all three first-person POVs set in different timelines felt quite distinct, which is always a feat to accomplish. i liked how the author was able to tackle various themes, from revolutionary protests in iran to queer history in america, without overwhelming the story. what i really appreciated seeing was the complicated relationship people can have with their culture, particularly queer people from violently homophobic countries. i also loved the emphasis on adult mentors/role models supporting young queer people.

however, what didn't work for me: reading the POV of a homophobic guy (who eventually grows up to learn better but still). it was just deeply uncomfortable reading about a gay man trying so hard to make his straight, homophobic son see him as a human being from the POV of the homophobic son. i know it's reality, of course queer people have to deal with homophobic family members and put in the emotional labour to change their minds, but i think this point could have been conveyed without subjecting me to a character's up close and personal homophobic thoughts. plus, it felt like the narrative kind of absolved this character a bit too easily - i wanted the inevitable family confrontation to have more emotional heft, more cathartic anger, than it ended up having. also, the writing style came off as rather dry and stunted, lacking in some much needed flair and description.

overall though, i do think this is an important book for young queer people that showcases both the hardships and the joys of being queer, and i'm happy it exists for iranian queer people to see themselves in.

A beautiful story of three generation of men in their family and the trials that they went through. I think that each of the characters were well rounded and interesting and every chapter had me wanting to stay with that character rather than moving on to the next. Overall my main critique is that I wish we had gotten to spend more time in each of the stories, to develop things a touch more but overall a wonderful and heartwarming novel.

Only This Beautiful Moment is an emotionally impactful queer YA story about 3 generations of boys in an Iranian family. In 2019 the openly gay Moud is traveling to Iran for the first time and is concerned about hiding his sexuality for his own safety and what his family will think of him. In 1978 Moud’s father Saeed is dealing with a potential romance with a mystery girl and protesting in the streets of Tehran. And finally, in 1939 in Los Angeles Moud’s grandfather Bobby is dealing with hiding his sexuality and having a stage mother who wants him to become a Hollywood star.

The story masterfully switches between being set in these 3 different time periods and POVs. Sometimes in a book with multiple timelines one will not be as interesting as the others. However, that did not happen here. I felt like Moud, Saeed, and Bobby and their individual stories were all compelling enough to carry their own full novel. But the way that their stories intertwined made the book as a whole even stronger. Getting all of their stories shows the ways that intergenerational trauma impacts a family. The book also shows the importance of queer history, queer role models, and finding love and community even when it’s frowned upon by society.

This truly is a beautiful book. I feel like it could be appreciated by people who don’t typically read YA or historical fiction. The stories of the boys in this family over time create such a moving narrative. Definitely check this one out if it sounds interesting to you.

I was lucky enough to be given a chance to read this ARC provided to me by NetGalley for my own true opinion of the book. All opinions are my own.

I believe this is such an important story with such a beautiful, but bittersweet ending. It is the story of a family's love, but also healing generational problems and trauma, learning to accept one another, and fight for what is right for the people you love and for the country that you love and hold dear to you.

Mahmoud, or 'Moud' as he likes to be called, is out and proud and has a boyfriend named Shane. His father really doesn't understand his sexuality and isn't outwardly supportive of his son's choices or who he is. But when Moud is given the opportunity to go to Iran to visit his dying grandfather, the story and history of his family begins to unravel before his eyes.

The flashbacks really set this book up for success for me, allowing you to see in the past of different generations and why each character is the way they are. You learn why Moud's father isn't very supportive, or doesn't show his support to his son, even though he does love him. You learn why Moud's Baba is so accepting and so loving and will not be told what to do with his own home, even though he could make a fortune by selling his house to build a sky rise. The flashbacks were both heartbreaking and enlightening, as well as beautiful because it set up the ending to show how passionate the entire family feels about their home, their country, even though Moud wasn't born there and had never visited before seeing his grandfather, he knew how passionate his father and grandfather were about the change in their own country.

I would recommend this to anyone, but especially queer readers who maybe have had previous falling outs with their families. Families are all different, queer or otherwise, and I think this book could be very help to anyone and I really really enjoyed this!

This book was amazing. I cried, not just because I’m an emotional person, but because this story is about loss, love, and growth.

This is my first book by this author, but now I NEED to go back and read every other book. I can’t tell you how much this book means to me and how deeply I connected with this story and how I want to hug every character.

5 stars

This is a fantastic piece of YA historical fiction with a hefty dose of the modern day included.

There are three time periods, each led by a member of three generations in the same family: Moud (2019), Saeed (1978), and Bobby (1939). As each of these men reveals elements of his past to better understand his present, readers are presented with a rich tapestry of family, culture, queer identity, and all forms of love.

Often, in multi-perspective YA, I find that one character really stands out and the others can - at times - blend a bit. That does not happen here. Each of these characters is so nicely developed, and they are all impacted not only by who they are but also *where*. It’s impossible to read this without thinking of the impact of not only the characters’ intersectional identities but also those that readers may share (or have in general).

Along with expertly drawn characters, the depictions of queer identity and experience across cultures and periods are absolute standouts.

I came into this book a confirmed fan of this author, but this is my favorite work of Nazemian’s so far, and it’s truly one of my favorite examples of YA historical fiction (especially with the queer elements) of all time. I can’t wait to recommend this one widely.

Only This Beautiful Moment is, well, a beautiful book about love, trauma, culture, and learning to listen with an open heart.

In 1939, Bobby is making his way in the world of the Hollywood studio system. In 1978, Saeed is a student caught up in the fervor of revolution. In 2019, Moud lives in a world Bobby could only dream of and Saeed doesn't truly embrace. Three generations of an Iranian family each learning about how the world works and, eventually, learning about one another.

I was completely captivated by this book. I read it in two marathon sessions. The stories in the book weave together and present a nuanced look at how these three people see the world and fit together. I know I am going to be thinking about this book for a while.

Highly recommended.

I would love to review this in detail through my tears from how moved i am by it, but HarperCollins needs to negotiate with their workers' union first.

Remember Like a Love Story? About AIDS in 1989? Abdi Azemian is back with Only This Beautiful Moment, another stunning and heartfelt story.

Three boys on the cusp of adulthood in 1939, 1978, and 2019. Their lives inextricably linked. Each with a link to the US and Iran. Each falling in love. Each searching for their roots. Each finding out family secrets. A family marked by tragedy and connected by love.

I felt warmth seep through my body when I started reading Only This Beautiful Moment. Moud, Saeed, and Bobby are fully fleshed-out and lovable characters, and the descriptive writing made me crave to visit Iran somewhere in the future. Abdi shows us his undying love for Iran and the importance of looking at people instead of politics of a country. This story is about being in the moment and, like Abdi says, making it as beautiful as possible. It’s about forming a community where everyone can be who they want to be, even if you have to be invisible like queer Iranians.

I wanted to be with Moud, then with Saeed, but I also wanted to go back to Moud and to be with Bobby, and so on and on and on. And more warmth seeped through my body while connecting the missing dots.

This book feels incredibly personal, and in my opinion, it’s a huge talent when an author can achieve that feeling. The only criticism I have is that the story should have been longer. If the book had twice as many pages, I still would have gulped it down at a furious pace. And I think that this criticism is merely my own wish to be with Moud, Saeed, and Bobby a little longer and to see those gorgeous images of Iran constantly flashing through my mind.

Please put this book on your TBR, preorder it, and read it. It’s worth it, I promise!

Moving, emotional, and beautiful from start to finish. This was my first Abdi Nazemian read, and I absolutely loved it. I can’t wait to dig into his other works.

Only This Beautiful Moment follows the story of a family through three generations, alternating chapters between the timelines. We get to see Moud, his father Sameen, and his grandfather Babak each experiencing their formative teenage years in their own timelines. The stories build upon each other and intertwine fantastically. Everyone experiences love and loss, grief and acceptance, revolution and political strife, and the big changes that come with growing up.

I loved the emphasis on learning about our history through talking to our family members. Relationships are so hard, and the relationships we have with our parents are incredibly complex and difficult. Nazemian does a wonderful job of showing complex relationships between parents and children, and even grandparents and children, and showing how these relationships can change over time. With Babak’s and Sameen’s stories, we really got to see them grow, change, and become different versions of themselves, and it was really cool to see them in the other characters’ chapters.

I also really enjoyed that the characters are Iranian and that part of the story takes placed in Tehran. I knew nothing about Iran until very recently, when one of my close family members married someone who was born in Iran. They told me so many stories about Iran, showed me how to make Iranian food, and at the wedding they showed me how to snap/clap the beshkan. The culture is so rich, and seeing all of this reflected in the book was beautiful.

Only This Beautiful Moment is an immersive and beautifully layered story of three young men finding their way through queerness and cultural expectations. This is the third book I have read by Abdi Nazemian, and I have loved each of them tremendously. This may even be my favorite. It is perfectly written, with deep character development and beautiful descriptions, and a pace that keeps you in the story every step of the way.

In this book, we learn about Moud an out teenage boy in LA in 2019, Saeed in 1978 living in Tehran, and Bobby in 1939 who is in love with his tennis partner while under contract with MGM. Each young man is struggling to find their place in the world and with relationships with their family. It is unclear at the beginning how the stories are related, and I love how Nazemian gradually brought the timelines together and showed the interconnectedness of our humanity.

I lost count of how many poignant statements I highlighted in this book, including many quotes from Persian poets. It is really one of the most beautiful family dramas I have read in any age category. This is YA, but don't let that deter you. This story of intergenerational trauma and sincere healing is heartfelt and just right- respectful of cultural differences and the universal truth that we are all worthy of love and deserve to love in any way we choose. I will be singing about this book for a long time to come and I'm begging you to put it on your TBR and read it as soon as you can! Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Children's Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

5/5 stars! This story was special and I highly recommend for everyone to read it. This story highlights the generational trauma we carry throughout our lives and what breaking away from that and trying to heal looks like. There is beauty to the way Iranian culture was described in this story, and as someone not from that background, I feel like I learned so much. The struggles that the characters bear regarding their sexuality was handled with sensitivity and rawness. Just a wonderful read.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Beautiful, impactful, nostalgic, heartbreaking, and heartwarming. Abdi Nazemian has gifted us the story of three generations of the Jafarzadeh Family and the importance of acceptance and forgiveness.

Every character in the story feel genuine and very well thought out. Moud, Saeed, and Bobby, the three protagonist, have such depth that you sympathize with them even at moments when you disagree with their actions. The mention of the various Iranian dishes, music, and poetry made the story even more delightful.

So this book just confirms that the author is an auto-buy author for me. Each book has been incredible. This an extremely powerful book and one I feel queer and straight people should read. One thing I didn’t expect, but enjoyed about this book, is it gave a look into why some parents/adults are against homosexuality and it’s not always just because “it’s wrong”. Would definitely recommend and read again.

everytime i read a book about generational trauma I'm like yea this is the content i like, most definitely.
But anyway, i recieved a netgalley arc of this, AND can we talk about it? I need to talk about it because this shattered my heart to pieces, writing this and I'm sobbing fat ugly tears on my bed. it's just? This is about love and loss and growth and everything in between.
Reading about Bobby, Saeed, Moud it just? It hurt. Obviously I'm not iranian but if i had a dollar for every book with set in iran i read this year I'd have 2 dollars which isn't much but I STILL CALL IT AN EXPERIENCE. Getting to experience the culture even if second chance, it's an honor. I am once again talking about how i cried during every page post the 60% mark. thank you for this book. I want to cherish this experience forever. If it weren't already clear i recommend this book to everyone who comes across it<3.

What a gorgeous novel full of loveable characters and a storyline that I couldn't put down. This one is a must read!