I did enjoy this story of Shirin and Kian. They were friends at school, both from Iran and were bullied. After a horrible incident they were torn apart and did not see each other for 10 years. While living in London working as an editor Shirin unexpectedly runs into Kian at a housewarming and all the old feelings surface. It is a time in her life when she really needs someone on her side and who she can trust but there are always things left unsaid between Shirin and Kian and really Shirin and pretty much everyone. I liked Kian but had a hard time figuring her out but this was an important story to tell. It brought up how even though there was bullying in high school it does continue on in life.

I found the writing to be fine, at times it didn't flow but I did feel the setting of London, being a single 25-year-old and the days of having flatmates. Overall I enjoyed it and would rate it a 3.5, rounded up to 4.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Things Left Unsaid by Sara Jafari was a beautifully earnest read. Shirin and Kian’s story is a classic case of right person, wrong time, layered with complex emotions and difficult choices. The miscommunication trope was especially prominent, something that’s not usually my favorite, but it was handled in a way that felt grounded in reality and true to the theme of personal growth.

What stood out most to me was the author’s commitment to portraying Shirin’s journey with honesty and nuance. The last 100 pages in particular did a fantastic job highlighting her transformation as she begins to step outside of her comfort zone. Jaffi’s exploration of lived experience, especially how those experiences shape identity, relationships, and resilience, was incredibly powerful. As a person of color, I felt deeply seen in Shirin’s struggles and reflections. We absolutely need more stories like this on our shelves.

Shirin and Kian were once best friends, but they never figured out how to navigate the emotional events that pulled them apart when they were young. A decade later, Shirin has what is supposed to be her dream job, but the racism and discrimination she faces at work weigh her down. Kian is dealing with guilt over the past while trying to pave a way forward. They reunite at a time when they both need a friend they can trust, but the same obstacles they faced when they were young surface again.

This is a quiet, earnest book about second-chances, inner strength, and findings one’s voice. Though I loved reading about the relationship between Shirin and Kian, their evolving relationship felt secondary to Shirin’s personal growth and how she comes to find her own voice.
There were a few things that pulled me from the story a little. The weight the author puts on certain events felt misjudged, and the pay-off for suspense felt at times like a let-down. For example, we don’t know what the cataclysmic “event” was that pulled Shirin and Kian apart until late in the novel, but the suspense builds throughout the story as we wait for the climactic moment where we learn what happened. Ultimately the event didn’t feel like it merited that kind of suspense, and I was left wondering why the author chose this narrative structure. What was kept from the readers and what was revealed and the timing of both felt prescriptive. I wanted more focus on these characters and their emotional depth and less on plot devices.

But I enjoyed these flawed characters, and I would recommend this book to people navigating the complexities of their early-20s. I’m excited to see what this author does next. Huge thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

. . . ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭑
This is was, in a word, excellent. And I feel like no matter the number of words that I use in writing a review will truly capture just how excellent it is.

The tagline that had me hitting the ‘request’ button from NetGalley was “𝘢 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘺-𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦” - how could I not? But when I tell you this book gripped me, I mean: I was so fearful that it would expire before I finished reading it that I left the app open for 24h and only responded to texts via my notification screen. Family members were concerned when they couldn’t reach me. It’s *that* good.

And at the end of the day, if you were to ask me what it was about, my answer would be insufficient in response. It’s a coming-of-age tale that manages to capture just how much of the process of growing into yourself also involves losing some parts that no long fit - whether that is in friendships, career choices, outlooks or viewpoints, the growing pains can be hard-fought and difficult. The idea of who you are, what you want, or what matters to you, is an ever-changing and life-long journey.

It also has a strong lived-experience narrative on racism - systemically, individually, socially, and professionally. From overt racism to micro-aggressions ( of which there is nothing “micro” about ), the gaslighting, the silencing, and the self-congratulatory diversity and inclusiveness “initiatives”, this book does an excellent job of describing how each and all of these are felt, internalized, rejected, processed, and carried.

The romantic storyline within these pages feels incredibly personal and raw. That inherent knowingness or comfort that you can share with a person and still have an intense fear of vulnerability within it can be difficult to describe, but this author executes flawlessly.

In summary, I know I’m not doing this book justice, so just heed my advice, and read it immediately.

~👩🏻‍🦰

Things Left Unsaid by Sara Jafari is a heartfelt, beautifully written story that explores the quiet weight of identity, friendship, and everything we leave unspoken. It follows Shirin and Kian, two British-Iranian friends who reconnect in their twenties after years apart, slowly unraveling the past that pulled them away from each other.
The dual timeline adds so much depth, and Jafari does an incredible job capturing how cultural expectations, mental health, and unresolved feelings shape who we become. The writing is intimate and thoughtful, with characters that feel real and emotionally layered.

If you love reflective, character-driven stories about second chances, identity, and the power of honesty, this one really delivers.

This was actually a really good book from start to finish! Would highly recommend this as one of your next reads

This contemporary novel was a slow build for me with quiet characters that took me a while to warm up to.

There is a lot in this novel to appreciate, but I feel I was just not the right reader to appreciate it.

Beautifully writing, but ultimately just not for me.

All of us live with things left undone and important conversations never done, making Sara Jafari's THINGS LEFT UNSAID. While the story of two best friends reconnecting years after their coming apart was set in London, it felt like a story that could take place anywhere, when Shirin feels like she is suffocating in her publishing job and her soul friend Kian is that single, distant shining light. The story delves into depression, grieving one's past and current struggles for relationships and solid footing, and is beautifully written, definitely a thoughtful and thought-provoking story I could relate to. I received a copy of this book and these thoughts are my own, unbiased opinions.

I love a book set in the publishing world, and this one had added depth as the main character brought an Iranian woman POV to overlay on that world. I appreciated the UK POV on ethnicity and aggressions in the workplace vs. the American POV I typically see. I also liked the relationship of the two main characters and the writing. Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

I really liked this book. It was a great mix of romance and mystery, as well as commentary on race and the immigrant experience, and interesting insight about the publishing world. It was well-done and I'd definitely read more from this author.
4.5 stars.

Thank you Netgalley and smp for the free e-arc. My opinions are being left voluntarily. This unfortunately wasn't for me. I was not invested in the characters or the story and e ded up dnfing it at 11% I wanted to love it.

Suggest skipping it.

Dnf @11%

Suggest skipping

This is my kind of "romance". There is a love story that I care deeply about, AND there are other (quiet) things at play that made Things Left Unsaid a standout read of the year.

This ended up being a DNF for me, I read to 55% and then skimmed the rest to see what happened (nothing much).

I waffled with reading this one but in the end I do love books where characters work in publishing and sapphic relationships/intense female friendships, which is what I thought this was from the blurb. Unfortunately, Kian is a man, the blurb just excludes pronouns for him, so as soon as I realized that I was already annoyed, but pushed past it because I did enjoy the writing. However, by the time I got to 55% I was tired of all the allusions to something horrible that happened in the past and started to wonder if that reveal would even be worth it. I skimmed ahead to see, and it was not.

This wasn't a bad book exactly, just not for me.

If you're a woman in her late 20s/early 30s, have ever dealt with racism, have ever gone through thinking you'd achieved your dream life yet it doesn't feel like you're loving it, or if you ever dealt with friendships that just felt *off*, you should read this book. I personally think that regardless of any of that, you should read this book. But you need to have a small idea of what you're getting into.

Things Left Unsaid stays mainly in the story's present, with some flashbacks to the main character's high school time. Shirin works in publishing and is trying to be on her way to a promotion in her company. She feels like she should be happy with where she is, working the jobs she always wanted, but something is off. Her friendships feel off, her family feels off, and she doesn't super enjoy her living situation either. At a friend's event one day, she runs into a former classmate with whom the friendship ended poorly (who had also been the only other Iranian kid at her high school) and it brings up a LOT of feelings. This book follows the aftermath of all of this and how Shirin reacts.

I LOVE quarter-aged coming-of-age stories. Shirin is so relatable, and even the parts that weren't specifically relatable to me (like dealing with racism) were so emotional and resonated with me. Shirin is flawed and going through life, just like the rest of us. This book is character-driven, and so well done. I appreciated Shirin's growth, as well as some of the other characters' growth too.

In conclusion, Loved!! Highly recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-ARC.

Things Left Unsaid by Sara Jafari is somehow a reflective and calm book though it covers serious themes. Shirin and Kian met in high school but a traumatic event severed their friendship. As adults life brings them back into the same circles, and while they are magnetically drawn to each other both have walls up due to their pasts.

This book is a slow burn character based story. While we know there was a "big event" in both Kian and Shirin's past because it is referenced, it creates suspense as the reader has to get to know them first. The story is told in the present day with flashbacks to their high school days. In the present day, Shirin is desperately trying to claw her way out of depression through examination of her toxic work environment and problematic friendships. Meanwhile, Kian is dealing with guilt over the past while trying to pursue his artistic dreams.

Things Left Unsaid is real and raw. A quote I highlighted was "it's only through experiencing the specific publishing micro aggressions that one can truly understand them and their capacity to wound." I loved how true this is. How easy it is for other people to brush off problem's because of a lack of empathy, experience, and understanding. Jafari did a great job developing the relationships in this book with both main and side characters. I felt like everything that happened to Shirin could and does happen in real life.

At times the prose got a bit wordy during inconsequential scenes or events, but I'm glad I read this book. The more I think about the story the more I believe it will be an excellent read for a book club.

Beautifully written story that makes you feel all the things that can come with being a 20-something year old feeling lost, hopeless or confused. Shirin and Kian were wonderful, flawed characters who knew each other in childhood and rekindled again later in life. They look back on their shared and personal traumas and discover a lot about themselves as they evolve through the book. I loved the fact that there was a Palestinian character as well

I absolutely love this book, and I learned so much from the Iranian and Muslim culture and also how important it is to not pressure yourself into believing in a religion unless you truly want to seek it for yourself, regardless of whether your parents have taught it to you or not. I could really relate to this book in so many ways, especially during high school and how I wish I would’ve stood up for myself more.

Shirin and Kian were written so beautifully, and if they could be taught in schools, I would absolutely advocate for this. They are two characters are thrown into troubling times and they have to learn to cope and deal with the hand that they are given by society. This book is honestly so important and I’m so happy that I got to read it and I’m so honored to have read this and actually learned something from it.

Making amends with the people who have hurt you or at least standing up for yourself to these people is so important and I’m so happy that this was shown in the book at the very end. Dealing with anxiety and depression myself I could really see how we try to make the most out of every day despite our circumstances.

Huge thank you to NetGalley, Sara Jafari and the wonderful team at St. Martin’s Press for the honor.

I DNFed this story at 20%. The writing had way too much telling and not enough showing. It lacked a true plot and instead focused on Shirin’s complaints in her life. She over explains everything, instead of trusting the reader to put things together.

Things Left Unsaid by Sara Jafari draws the reader in calmly and quietly, reflecting the novel’s central theme of silence.

When Shirin and Kian abruptly reunite after ten years, Shirin is forced to confront a past she had tried to bury by pursuing her biggest dreams. The story moves between their high school friendship—once close until life pulled them apart—and their present-day realities filled with empty relationships and demanding careers. As they meet newer versions of each other, Shirin and Kian are faced with the quiet but pressing question: "What next?"—and the even quieter one: "What if I don't say anything now?"

Jafari’s writing is simple yet powerful, addressing complex topics such as identity and racism with clarity. I appreciated the glimpse into Iranian and British-Iranian experiences and culture. In my current season of life, I deeply resonated with the themes of identity and the tension of staying in spaces where you know you don’t quite belong—but also don’t have to leave. Friendship, culture, race, career, and more are explored in a way that feels thoughtful and clear, never messy or overwhelming.

I would be remiss if I left this unsaid: this is a wonderful book to read.

Shirin, in her mid-20s, is living what she thought was her dream. She's escaped her hometown of Kingston upon Hull, gone to university, and gotten a job in the publishing industry on London. But the dream isn't all it was cracked up to be. The path to promotion out of her low-paid assistant editorship is unclear and as one of just a few people of color in the office she's expected to take on unpaid work on diversity initiatives that don't accomplish much of anything at all, she lives in a falling-apart apartment with roommates she barely knows, and her relationships with her friends are changing. She's in a rut, but a chance meeting at a housewarming party shakes things up when she sees Kian again. They'd been best friends at one point in high school, but an incident happened that estranged them from each other for a decade. They reconnect and begin growing closer again, but the weight of the past lingers. As they negotiate their renewed bond, Kian works towards a future as an artist and Shirin tries to figure out how to deal with the increasingly challenging environment at her job...and she watches Rob Grayson, the bully that harassed both her and Kian for their Persian ancestry as teenagers, become more and more famous as a comedian who makes racist jokes and then decries "cancel culture" when he's criticized. The pressure Shirin feels mounts, and she finds herself with many decisions to make about how she wants to live the rest of her life. This started out very promising. Shirin is a well-constructed character, and the rootlessness she feels in her mid-20s feels achingly familiar. Trying to manage family dynamics, getting established in your professional field (or trying to figure out how to change direction), feeling out of sync with your friends, dealing with roommates...it can be a very heady time, and Sara Jafari renders it thoughtfully and realistically. Shirin and Kian's hesitance to talk to each other about the depression and anxiety they're experiencing, and their relief at having their disclosures met without judgment, is refreshing. These are not incredibly dynamic characters, there is a lot of restraint and withholding and shyness, but for most of the way through the book that worked for me because their inner lives (particularly Shirin's) are developed nicely. There's a delicacy in the early going that was intriguing. In the end, though, it doesn't hold together and for me that was due to two factors: the increasingly unsubtle messaging, and the underwhelming nature of the reveal of the reason for Shirin and Kian's falling-out. To take the latter first, there's a lot of build-up throughout the novel to the enormity of what happened. Which turns out to be a major but not cataclysmic situation in a way that feels anticlimactic and might not have if it had been given less weight. But the larger failing was that Jafari seemed to have less and less faith in her reader as she came to the end of the book to understand the points she'd like to make, and so starts all but underlining what we're supposed to get out of the situations she portrays. I started to feel preached to, not because of any of the plot developments themselves, but because the prose did not trust me to understand the subtext and made it text. The ending also felt rushed and almost perfunctory in a way that made it emotionally unsatisfying. It's kind of a bummer, I enjoyed the first two thirds quite a bit, so I wished I'd felt like it nailed the dismount. There is a lot to like here regardless, but it's too uneven for me to really affirmatively recommend.