What a beautifully written novel. This is the story of Roya and Bahman, two young teenagers who fall in love in 1953 Tehran. Their love blossoms while they visit the stationary shop owned by Mr. Fakhri. On the day of their wedding, they are to meet in the town square, but Bahman doesn't show up. Violence has erupted around the square as Roya waits for Bahman. It takes 60 years but Roya finally sees Bahman again and learns what happened that fateful day and why they didn't spend their lives together. There were alot of circumstances that fought against their love in the past. It was a joy to read this book. The character development and description of the times, places and culture of Tehran made this a book not to miss.
Thank you netgalley for allowing me to read this advanced readers copy for my honest, unbiased opinion.

This is a beautifully written bittersweet love story. From the blurb, you already know that they get separated. That's not the big spoiler of the story here. The real love story is how the characters cope with the fallout, get on with their lives, and react when given a chance to reunite. I also appreciated how Kamali featured a flashback chapter that gives you insight on why at least two of the supporting characters turned out to be the way they are in present time (or at least 1953 when the book starts).

The Stationery Shop is more than a love story. It opened my eyes to the social situation of Iran in the 1950's. Each character seemed believable. It is lovingly written with a balance of tenderness and sharpness. This would be a very good book club option as it has so many aspects that can be discussed.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for honest feedback.

The Stationery Shop...from the moment Roya opened the door, I have been picturing this place in my mind. The author painted such vivid pictures of each time period, of each character and event. I felt like I could smell the food cooking, taste the melon, feel the cold of the ice...Marjan Kamali, you are unbelievably talented. I feel haunted by Roya, Bahman and the rest. Thank you.

This is a love story and a story about loss. It’s also a coming of age saga. The backdrop to the story is the political climate in Iran starting in 1953. It touches on the exile of the Shah in 1979 and the story ends in 2013. Roya and Bahman are seventeen and fall in love amidst the political turmoil and chaos that eventually leads to the 1953 coup that ousts prime minister Mohammad Mossadegh. The young lovers are separated and their lives take unexpected (and not so unexpected) paths.

This turned out to be a really beautiful story. I just love, love, LOVED the Persian culture, it made the story that much more interesting. The food ... oh man, it all sounded so YUMMY ... it made me wish there was a Persian restaurant nearby.

The politics were very well done. I went into this book knowing very little about Iran’s political history and it was all very easy to understand. It was laid out very well, nothing overly complex or confusing about it.

Iran’s struggle for democracy made the perfect backdrop to the Roya/Bahman relationship. Two young people from two different classes, their relationship nurtured and encouraged by a stationer whose first love was thwarted by class disparity and parental/social expectations.

It did take a little bit to get into this story. The first part was rather flowery and saccharine but this was very specific to Roya and Bahman’s relationship. The political backdrop more than made up for this. Plus, once time passed and Roya reminisced about her first love, I have to admit that it all actually worked. So stick with it because it is absolutely worth it!

I highly recommend this novel. ARC was provided by NetGalley and Simon & Schuster. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

This is a love story between two individuals that met in a stationery shop during the political upheaval of 1950s .Tehran. This novel moved me emotionally as these young people encountered some resistance from some family members and due to some interference, the couple's romance was broken. Their encounter 60 years later left me in tears for their loss and their ongoing memories of their love throughout the years and forgiveness after learning the true story behind their breakup. Beautifully written story about love, food, family, and forgiveness.

This is a beautiful love across times book. The Stationery Shop is such a fun eclectic atmosphere for the romance to develop. It sounds like a place I would love to visit. I found this one hard to put down because I wanted to know what had happened and how after all these years she could go to see him. I know she needed to find answers and I think that was what kept me hooked also.
I think this book is really going to take off and be one talked about through 2019 and beyond.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.

After reading the final words on the last page, my first thought was "liquid gold" (words used in this story). This book is not only wonderfully written, but is one that captivates you from the beginning and keeps you turning the pages to follow the tragic love story of Bahman and Roya. Be prepared to weep as you read some of these pages, the heartbreak of not only young love lost, but a love that was so great and pure that it transcended both of their lifetimes. The interwoven story of Ali and Badri brings an added depth to the story, along with understanding of the actions of both of these characters. I cannot say enough about this captivating story, except read it...it will both enchant you and break your heart, and be a story that stays with you after you read that last page. (Even though I was given a copy of this book for my honest review, I would have gladly purchased it!)

Bahman and Roya were destined to meet. It just took a gentle push from a stationary store owner.
The store was wonderful, full of paper, pens, ink and books, lots of books. Roya could lose herself in those shelves all day if she could. The day she met Bahman, she knew that he was a special boy. She was enthralled with him immediately. She felt her destiny with him was meant to be. He felt the same way. When tragedy strikes Iran the couple decide to marry immediately. They are to meet at an appointed place and time. Unfortunately, this is not to be. The star crossed couple are lost to each other. Years later the truth surfaces. Is it too late. Will Roya ever know why the love of her life left her?
Beautiful, entertaining, heartwarming!

The Stationery Shop is a most beautiful Iove story encompassing two continents and 6 decades. It begins in Iran and ends up in America. The author gives you a beautiful appreciation for the culture of the main characters and family life at the time. The writing is absolutely beautifu; I could not put it down.. It is one of the best books I have ever read. I couldn’t wait to see what happened and I hated to see it end! It is always interesting to see how the author will tie up the loose ends and bring everything together and Marjan Kamali does a fantastic job. For fans of The Kite Runner and The Notebook, this is a must read. You will not be disappointed.

It has been a long time since I loved a book this much. I was first drawn to it by the title, because I love the idea of a stationery store and all its wonderful treasures. Fountain pens, inks, beautiful papers; these are my favorite sorts of things. I'm picky about my books, and not a fan of romances, so I was hoping this wouldn't turn out to be one. I was not disappointed. There is a romantic theme, of course. But this story was so much more than that. It is a love story, yes, but also one of trauma, time, family, social class, resilience, history, mental health, grief, growing up, and more. I enjoyed the descriptions of the food immensely and wanted to try everything the author mentioned. I found The Stationery Shop to be a beautiful story with rich description. I appreciated the way the author tied up the loose ends of the book in a way that was realistic and not so neat as to be trite. I look forward to reading more from Marjan Kamali.

The Stationary Shop is an enjoyable journey through the love story of Roya and Bahman. They meet as teenagers in a shop where they both feel a special connection. The book follows the development of their relationship from their first encounter to the moment when they are about to run off and get married. Family, history and unknown forces intervene and drastically change the trajectory of their future together. Sixty years later thet meet again and secrets are uncovered that reveal why life led them on separate paths. Enjoyed the story but felt the characters could have been developed better. Frustrated I had to wait until the very end to find out why their lives took the turn it did.

It is the historic year of 1953 in Tehran, Iran. In the aisles of a stationery shop, while browsing through the poetry of the Persian legend Rumi, Bahman, a politically inclined boy; and Roya, a lover of poetry meet. Soon enough, they are hit by an indefatigable tsunami, first love. A whirlwind romance follows. They get engaged regardless and are soon to be married until one day Bahman suddenly disappears and Roya is worried that he might have been detained. He writes to her and asks her to meet him at a square in the city center. On 19th August 1953, as the streets of Tehran are engulfed in the turmoil of a coup, Roya waits for Bahman, but he does not show up. Heartbroken, Roya moves to the United States and marries the kind hearted Walter. Years later, fate brings Roya and Bahman face to face once again. While Roya demands answers, Bahman has questions of his own.

I had read Kamali’s together tea before, and while that was a sweet little story, with The Stationery Shop Kamali establishes her prowess as a writer. Emotions flow out very well through her pen. The readers can feel the pain of Roya’s heartbreak and the aloofness that creeps into her after that. Her set up of a Persian household is so vivid, that you could almost smell the saffron in the air. I liked the way the characters develop and the innate strength they possess. Roya faces all the adversities that life throws at her with an uncharacteristic stoicism and Walter is always the unwavering pillar of support for her. Even the effervescent Zari, adds color to the story in her own light hearted way. The reason for Roya and Bahman’s separation also enfolds at its own leisurely pace, keeping the reader’s interest in the story till the last page.

The past is something we cannot escape. The millennials are obsessed with the phrase “get over it”. Bu can we actually? Our present is shaped by it and hence our future will also be; it’s like a cascade effect. Through the sieve of our memory, we have to strain out the bits that give us happiness and cherish them; but also nurture those that gave pain for where we are now wouldn’t have been if not for those moments. The past lives on in our memories; the future comes alive in our hopes.

A vibrant, poignant and tantalizing look at a time and place and culture which will enthrall the reader, peopled with richly nuanced characters.

I have a dear friend who was born in Iran in the 1950s and escaped because of the revolution, so this setting was interesting. Marjan Kamali did a fine job of portraying the everyday life of a family in that context. The parents were loving and supportive, and the relationship between the sisters was realistic, with the push/pull any sibling will recognize. We are transported to Iran of seventy years ago with rich descriptions of the foods, flavors, scents, and cultural touchstones of that location and era. Tension rises with the growing political turmoil, and we wonder how this will affect our characters.

Roya, a girl in her late teens, experiences attraction and first love with a boy, Bahman, whom she meets at the stationery shop. It's clear from the beginning that what they have is a once-in-a-lifetime love. This is a coming-of-age story, but Roya and Bahman have to grapple with the challenges from his mother who is opposed to their union. Set against the backdrop of the turmoil in 1950s Iran, the stakes are even higher. Ultimately, their relationship is sabotaged. Roya and her sister emigrate to the U.S., finish college, marry, and get old. Roya and Bahman go on with separate lives, only to meet again, as the blurb says, more than sixty years later.

When Roya first emigrates, she enrolls in an American university. There, she is chosen by Walter, a white-bread-boring, but safe, boyfriend. She accepts his offer of marriage not because of love or even much attraction, but out of fear. She wanted safety, having been traumatized in Iran. This is fine. It's a good starting point, and a few years in, there's an extreme trauma which wounds her again. Then she's nearly eighty and in a magical coincidence, stumbles upon the link to Bahman, who is now living in the U.S.

This is where I was dissatisfied with the story. I wanted to know more about what went on with Roya in her lifetime to develop her character, her thinking, her world view, that would bring us to a satisfactory maturation. I'm not saying we needed to see her entire life develop, but I didn't get a sense of what shaped her, such that she came to the conclusions at the end that resolved everything.

Also, the structure could be confusing. We jump from one era to another, one character to another, then there's a chapter where letters appear and we don't know if they were actually mailed, or served as a journal, or were imaginary. Almost a full chapter was devoted to an overly lucid dream sequence. There were editing errors (certain colloquialisms such as "wack job" feel out of place for the time, more typical of post-2000 America than, I would imagine, 1950's Iran. Passive verbs and word repetitions are commonplace in this story.)

Finally, at the end of the book, I discovered the story is as much that of Mr. Fakhri's and Mrs. Azlan's (Bahman's mother) as Roya's. This wasn't compelling to me. I never cared so much about them as I did Roya and Bahman. So, again, confusing.

In summary, this book was a lovely depiction of first love in an interesting setting, but with some structural and editing flaws that kept it from being a total winner.

Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

The Stationery Shop is not your typical love story, starring eyed lovers don't sail off into the sunset. The shop is owned by Mr. Fakhri a scholar himself opened this shop so he might help the young with knowledge and risk is located in Tehran, the capital of Iran, a country always under distress. People go about their business some not so concerned about government problems. Most worried about their families and where their future will lead them. But through lives tribulation young minds, intelligent minds cross paths in their beloved Stationery Shop and in that first glance fall in love. Roya in her last year of high school in her favorite shop meets Bahman a young Iranian boy. Although their parents have different plans for them they fall in love and can't wait to be married. Many deterrents will occur, many unwanted question never answered. The two lovers march on facing the devils that cross their paths. Love will conquer all or will it.
Marjan Kamali creates a familiarity with the Iranian traditions with Roya's and Bahman's culture. She took me to through the streets of Tehran and into Royas Maman's kitchen where I could smell the khoresh with all the spices cooking. I learned about the Persian Nowruz the celebration of spring and the new year. This is a story about love that never is forgotten, a story that will stay with me maybe until the next Norwruz. Looking forward for the audio book so I can revisit and hear all of these wonderful characters the Marjan made dear to my heart. 4 Stars

This book wrecked me. Up at midnight, bawling into my e-reader as I finished this book. Kamali knows how to ratchet up the emotions. She also knows how to write a beautiful book, full of incredible prose, believable characters and an intricately woven plot that will have you gasping as it unfolds. When I read books like these ahead of their publication (thanks NetGalley and Gallery!), it is both a gift and a curse--I want everyone to read it NOW but they will have to wait. But oh, that wait will be totally, completely worth it. The story of star-crossed lovers Roya and Bahmin will sit with you for years to come.

This being the first book I've read from author Marjan Kamali, I really enjoyed how well-written this book is and how the plot just continues to build up, and the characters just comes alive at every scene. I love how this book showed how the Iranian culture is very rich in symbolism and tradition and how this book clearly portrays the patriotism that burns in every young man's heart only to grow disillusioned with age. War, of any kind, is never an easy subject. It tears apart everything in it's path and negatively affects the lives of everyone around it but despite the turmoil, grief and pain, love wins in the end. The heart of this story is about Mr. Ali Fakhri's and Mrs. Badri Aslan's past that affects Roya's & Bahman's future together. Despite how everything else turned out okay, this book has that dark cloud of sadness hovering over each page. The pain of not knowing why and yet continuing to pine for the one person, your first true love, the one who broke your heart is just heart-breaking and utterly sad.

If you are one who enjoys reading about other people's cultures, social classes, history and believe that first love never dies, then this book is for you.

LONG ....BUT NO MAJOR SPOILERS....

There is much to like about “The Stationary Shop”, where we are taken back to the year, 1953 when Mossadegh was the Prime Minister in Iran, during political devastating-havoc.
Many people in Iran loved Mossadegh. They believed he was their democratic leader who had the courage to stand up to foreign powers wanting their oil. Mossadegh was ‘hope’ for the many people in Iran who believed in him. They felt he was the right man to achieve democracy.

The anti-Mossadegh folks were angry - they thought Mossadegh was a communist and many not only wanted to replace him - plotting against him for General Zahedi as post-coop Prime Minister replacement - they wanted Mossadegh dead.
Demonstrations got ugly and frightening. Protesters were shouting “Marg Bar Tudeh”....death to Mossadegh. History had never been more frightening- dangerous and ugly. The protesters managed to enter Mossadegh’s house... but he managed to escape through a window to a neighbors.
The coup d’Etat conspirators looted the prime misters house - burned some of the contents -completely destroying his house. The coop had succeeded. The world would be changed the world forever.

The political history written by Marjan Kamali, is clear, accurate, uncomplicated, straightforward, and easily accessible.....making this a great book choice for anyone who is unfamiliar with the political history & culture of Iran. This novel would make a a great pick for American High School and college students.
The history was written simple to understand - yet frustrating for many in Iran to understand why American government had a hand in the coup.

I spent several months in Tehran in 1974....I cherish my memories ....with some crazy stories and great times!

Back to this story.....
During the summer of 1953, a couple fell in love. Roya and Bahman were 17 years old. Both bright educated students. They were engaged to be married.
But for reasons - (much for the reader to ponder), they never married each other.
Bahman literary vanished from Roya’s life on the very same day that they had planned to meet at Sephah Square at Cafe Ghandi.....the same cafe where Roya first tasted coffee during the New Year holiday: ‘Nowruz’.
Bahman ordered them both a steaming Italian espresso with cream.
Passing on Roya’s normal drink - tea - to try coffee - wasn’t the only change for Roya during the most memorable summer of her life. Everything was changing fast and faster since falling in love with Bahman. Her thinking opened politically in ways they never had until she fell in love with an activist.
She planned to secretly marry Bahman at the office of Marriage and Divorce...a few weeks before their real wedding. But on August 19th, 1953....when demonstrations - and violence in the streets were was at an all time high....during the overthrow of Mossadegh....the day hundreds were killed...
Roya was alone waiting for her fiancé. August 19, 1953, they were going to marry - meeting at their favorite cafe, but Bahman never showed up.

Roya and Bahman first met in a Stationary/ Book store Shop, run by Mr. Fakhri.
Mr. Fakhri used to refer to Bahman as “the boy who would change the world”. Symbolically....the title of this book will be clear in many more ways than one, once the reader is finished reading it all.

Four and a half years after the coop...four and a half years since Roya and Bahman were to marry....
Bahman was working at a petroleum company....married to another women....with a baby on the way. I found it shocking and sad to learn about Bahman’s job.

The suspense of why - how come - and what happened- that broke up Roya and Bahman, will keep you guessing to the end.

Time kept moving on....
Roya and her sister Zari came to California- both having received an international scholarship at Mills College in Oakland....( a small private college not far from UC Berkeley)....
Our own daughter went Mills College.......and UC Berkeley.

I kept thinking about how political demonstrations changes people ....
I thought about the protesters against the Vietnam war when I was attending UC Berkeley.

Time keeps moving on.....
Bahman - and Roya - both senior Citizens - looked back on their summer - of love - during political chaos. ...August 19, 1953 is a day neither had forgotten -

Time ‘still’ keeps moving on....
Sixy years later....
Bahman wondered what his generation learned. He had worked hard to do all the right things to bring about political change… Democracy…
but in one day, in one afternoon, foreign powers and corrupt Iranians destroyed all his dreams. What had he learned? What regret did he have?

Getting older....
Roya married Walter. Her sister Zari married Jack. Both sisters married Americans...had children .....jobs ....( we get lots of juicy stories about living in America as an Iranian).....
From the SF Bay Area ...to New England....it seemed no matter how many years went by - births...events... happiness and tragedies... when Roya was alone in her thoughts....Bahman was who she reflected on.

I felt incredibly sad for people who worked hard for good changes in the world, but then saw themselves as failures, or worse....dead.
I felt even sadder ....when I learned the why’s and ‘what happened?”
It’s amazing to think about how one WORD can be ‘life-changing’.

Iran was a complex nation in 1953 - still is. History repeats itself...
Politically charged....
In 1979 Iran had its Islamic Revolution- no longer ruled by the Shah - but religious clerics.

This was also a wonderful story exposing the many complex relationships - the challenges facing cultural traditions vs. progressive changes - love and loss.
Young-adult-coming of age - falling in love and all the influential complexities including parents - in-laws - siblings - friends - aging (memories, ailments, regrets, sorrows, perspective)
Besides Iranian political history being brought to life, which historical fiction readers will appreciate...fans of romance novels might enjoy this book as well. Universal themes include family, and friends.....with ‘love’ being at the heart of everything that really matters.

If you enjoy Persian food.... there are many wonderful dishes being served. Yum!

Besides being a very engaging enjoyable book.....this story is timely - given the political relations between the United States and Iran today.

Kudos to author Marjan Kamali! Terrific heartfelt storytelling - written with intimacy and compassion.....
This book - a lovely tribute - offers an understanding of life for Iranians and Iranian-Americans.

Thank you Marjan Kamali. I plan to read more by this lovely author.
Thank You Netgalley and Gallery Threshold

Love story that will make you cry several times. it is also a history lesson and it gave me insight to another culture. It made me think about a lot of things including the US's role in international politics and how it impacts individual people as well as future generations.