Things Left Unsaid, the second novel from Sara Jabari, is the story of Shirin, a young woman of Iranian descent, living in London and working her dream job as an assistant editor at a publishing house. It is set in 2018, with a dual timeline of 10 years earlier. Shirin unexpectedly runs into her best friend from high school, Kian, and this brings back the past she had worked so hard to forget.

The issues that Shirin faces related to racism are thoughtfully presented throughout the novel and run the gamut from micro aggressions to discrimination and abuse. As readers, we are given insight on how she, and many others, deal with that on a daily basis. They are skillfully woven into the novel. I enjoyed how Shirin grew as a person throughout the story as she navigates her way through her late twenties.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

The book covers lots of important and relevant topics, but it started off very slow. Shirin is a young adult, with her first job, trying to escape her parents' messy relationships with her, her painful upbringing and hometown prejudices and experiences, feeling guilt and experiencing mental illnesses. Yes- it's a lot. Struggling with depression and anxiety while trying to balance needy, one sided relationships with your parents, with your friends, coworkers and roommates is all very realistic. On top of this, Shirin is a Iranian, non-practicing Muslim, trying to make it in the publishing world. She has been the victim of bullying because of race in her past, and now she is dealing with it in the work place, but in different forms. She's trying to find her place and inform her oblivious co-workers to what is racism and how their comments are perceived. Fortunately she makes friends with another minority in her work place, and finds her strengths and confidence through speaking out her thoughts when previously she kept quiet. We observe her relationship with Kain, a friend from high school that has shown up in her adult life, grow and change over common previous racial experiences, culture and guilt.

The book drug on and was frustrating to read, but at the same time educational about ignorance of those around you in every day life. The way racism takes place in social media and is blown off in news stories when looked at from the minority's perspective was eye opening and shaming. When Shirin finally got some confidence and started making choices based on what SHE wanted instead of expectations, the book got much better. I appreciated the relationships of her new friends that supported her and taught her to find her own strength. There is a person I know who only wants books with "Character Growth". This book nails that to a T.

There are a lot of similarities to the book Maame, which I enjoyed a lot. This one the end had many redeeming qualities, and you were cheering for the main characters, but it was a long journey to get to that point. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy. This will make a great book club discussion.

This book wasn't a good fit for me. The pacing was slower than I prefer, and I really didn't connect with the main character, Shirin.
I found it irritating how the reveal of the Terrible Thing that happened during school was just draaaagggged out. Knowing that earlier in the book might have provided some insight into understanding why Shirin is the way she is, and perhaps made her a more sympathetic character. Dragging out the reveal of what had happened to Shirin and Kian in school just felt like a desperate attempt to keep the reader engaged in a book where not much was happening. I don't mind a book that's more of a character study than exciting plot if the characters are fascinating and multi-layered, but unfortunately, they were not.

This book was previously published under the title People Change

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for my complimentary Advanced Reader Copy through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This was a great book - very poignant and easy to fall into. If you like these kinds of stories you will definitely like this one but if you are getting fatigued by these kinds of stories (me!) then I would choose this carefully.

A beautifully written coming of age second chance novel that takes a long hard look at racism in the publishing and art world through the eyes of Shirin and Kian. They both tell the story-Shirin their present and Kian, via flashbacks, their past. There was a horrid event when they were teens, the nature of which won't be revealed until deep jn the novel. The reemergence of their bully, now a comedian whose book will be published by the firm where Shirin works, is the catalyst for both of them. No spoilers from me. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. An excellent read,

Things Left Unsaid by Sara Jafari is a captivating and thought-provoking tale that delves into the journey of self-discovery and the enduring impact of love. This mesmerizing story explores the complexities of finding one's place in the world, leaving me spellbound with its electrifying narrative.

This is one of those books that creeps up on you quietly and then completely takes over your thoughts for hours after finishing. I picked it up thinking it would be a sweet story about lost friendship and maybe a little romance, but it ended up being so much more: it's layered, emotional, tender, and unapologetically honest. This is a book that says a lot, even when the characters struggle to say what they truly mean. In some ways, it reminded me a lot of "Normal People" by Sally Rooney.

At the heart of the novel are Shirin and Kian - childhood friends who share an intense bond that fractures after a painful event in secondary school. The author doesn't reveal what happened right away (which I loved), so you're kind of piecing together the past and present like a puzzle. The narrative switches between timelines, giving us glimpses of Shirin and Kian as teenagers - full of possibility and closeness - and as twenty-somethings, carrying the weight of everything that's gone unspoken.

While the novel gives us a look at things from both Kian and Shirin's points of view, it really felt like Shirin owned the story, but that in no way is meant to minimize the importance of Kian's character. Kian is an Iranian man who is now an artist trying to make it in a white-dominated industry. His reemergence into Shirin's life is a shock to her but also a catalyst for growth.

Shirin works at a literary agency that claims to want diversity and inclusivity, but in practice, it's just a bunch of performative nonsense. It's so frustrating to watch as her colleagues dismiss her, patronize her, or throw microaggressions her way while still patting themselves on the back for being "progressive." I think a lot of people - especially women of color - will see themselves in Shirin's experiences.

The emotional tension in this book is very well done. You feel the ache in Shirin's heart when she unexpectedly bumps into Kian at a party, and you immediately understand that this is not just a simple "long-lost friend" situation. There's history here, and it's likely a messy, complicated, unresolved history. The way the story unfolds and the history is presented feels natural and authentic as if you're slowly peeling back layers rather than being hit with a dramatic reveal.

And then there's Rob Grayson. He's a racist comedian who Shirin and Kiran share a complicated past with from school (he was their biggest bully), and the publisher Shirin works for has recently given him a book deal. Rob is one of those characters who represents every unchecked bigot who somehow gets rewarded with a platform, and his reappearance in Shirin's life adds a whole new level of tension. It's not just about past trauma resurfacing - it's about realizing that people like Rob still get to thrive while others are expected to stay quiet and just deal with it.

But for all the pain and heaviness, this book is also incredibly beautiful. It's a story about growth and rediscovery. I absolutely loved the dynamic between Shirin and Kian - both as kids and as adults, and I loved watching Shirin find her strength and her voice. The friendship between the two leads felt real, with all its warmth and, awkwardness and longing. You want them to find their way back to each other, but you also understand why it's not that simple. People change. Life complicates things. And some wounds take longer to heal than others.

If you're someone who enjoys character-driven stories with emotional depth and a strong sense of identity, this is the book for you. It's about friendship and love, yes, but also about what it means to be heard, to be seen, and to take up space in a world that often wants you to shrink yourself. This book was quietly beautiful. And sometimes, it's the quietest stories that leave the loudest impact.

A description of this book said that if you loved Maame (by Jessica George), which I did (you should read it), you'd enjoy this book. That was a VERY accurate description. I may be a white woman in her 40s, but there is something about reading coming of age (in one's 20s) stories centered around Black, Asian, Indigenous, or people of other racial and ethnic identities that really capture my attention and my heart. These are the stories that help build empathy toward others, open our eyes to other's experiences, and hopefully push people out of their comfortable bubbles of privilege.

As the author said in her acknowledgements, this is a book about friendship. It's also about finding courage within ourselves, fighting back against a world that others people constantly, and forging open lines of communication. There were difficult conversations throughout this book. While I'm glad they occurred, it felt like the author was a bit too intent on building up the tension ahead of those conversations. The big event that happened in secondary school between Shirin and Kian wasn't really explained until a long way into the book and in some ways, it was a little anti-climactic. All of the hard conversations ended well (which is certainly not always the case). The book ended in February 2020 and while it was set in the UK, it would have been really interesting to see how the characters managed the pandemic (and associated global politics).

I found the very blatant criticism of the publishing industry to be excellent, but also a bit hollow. St. Martin's Press, this books' publisher, was under fire last year for Islamophobia perpetuated by one of their employees. There was a boycott and it took SMP a very long time to do anything about it. I was disappointed in how they handled the situation and wasn't particularly impressed with the statements they made. It's a little ironic that the publishing industry is under fire in this particular book. Again, things worked out just fine for Shirin, but the publisher in the book wasn't exactly held accountable. Then again, this book is really about Shirin's character growth, so giving the publisher any more page time isn't really the point.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced reader copy.

Pre-Read notes

This one is remarkable right out of the gate. Wonderful irony and farce.

Final Review

“We should be able to separate the author from the writing.” Shirin... is stone-faced, though breaking inside, thinking: No, it’s a fucking memoir, you idiots. p144

Review summary and recommendations

Honestly, I think my reading notes carry this review, so check them out. I really loved this one, and it kind of snuck up on me! Not because I didn't realize from the first page that this was a brilliant book, but because the fmc was completely accessible and I was sort of lulled into this soft familiarity. But the story turns often, sometimes in subtle ways. It's a really good story. Recommended to fans of clever literary fiction, smart meta, and dark humor.

"...This isn’t up for debate. My experiences aren’t up for debate, and never will be.” It is that easy. p271

Reading Notes

Six things I loved:

1. Every so often, to alleviate her guilt, she will go to the shops and restaurants that have been there long before the gentrification began, and she will buy something she might not even want. It never quite clears her conscience though. p4 This is great character development, and this is the first page. Expectations raised.

2. But it is okay for him, she thinks , he has had something to drink, whereas she is sober. And she talks about her race enough at work; she is part of too many initatives trying to address the lack of diversity in publishing—labeled “POC” or “underrepresented,” everything other than Iranian— and she doesn’t want to go into it now, not even with Kian. Especially not with Kian. She also doesn’t want to leave. She wants to stay right here next to him. p19 What a brilliant use of meta.

3. Time slips further away. She is enveloped in various conversations, her glass topped up without prompt, and her face hurts from fake smiling. She is pretending to laugh constantly, so much so that she no longer thinks she can call what she is doing laughing but rather making a strange sound at everything the people around her are saying. p63 Jafari's treatment of emotions is so nuanced and accessible, with its little streak of dark humor.

4. [His mother] ran her fingers through his hair and he moved away from her, muttering, “Stop it.” p115 Jafari is a master of character development. This tiny bit of prose reveals so much about both these characters. The mother still needs her adult child to need her, and he will result to at least rudeness to assert his independence.

5. It was a sad realization. Of course, she would realize she found him attractive just as her close friend asked her to be her wing woman. And it’s not like she stood a chance, anyway, if it was between her and Carmen. Everyone fancied Carmen; few liked Shirin in that way. p138 An excellent depiction of the main character's depression.

6. I really love the fmc Shirin's personal politics.

One quibble:

(This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.)

1. I'm not a fan of the narrator's voice here. It's not that she's depressed. For me these are some of the more accessible moments. She felt so painfully like she wasn’t worth anything, unlike her friends, unlike Phoebe, whom everyone liked and who didn’t have hairy fingers that people laughed at. p134 The voice is preoccupied with a whole collection of subjects, so it affects the plot, which is about writing and publishing. Oh yeah, I usually don't like that either because the meta often gets too heavy-handed and disrupts the flow of the narration.

Rating: 📄📄📄📄.5 /5 unpublished proofs
Recommend? yes!
Finished: Mar 27 '25
Format: accessible digital arc, NetGalley
Read this book if you like:
🪶 literary fiction
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 family drama
👤 character driven stories
🙃 irony and satire

Thank you to the author Sara Jafari, publishers St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an accessible advance digital copy of THINGS LEFT UNSAID. All views are mine.
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this book was too negative and too dei focused for me. I just did not enjoy the story line or characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC.

This book was beautiful, the writing was raw and honest and I was engrossed. The relationships and the in and out, the stability and lack there of, it felt so very real.

This book left a mark on me. Set in the publishing world, I loved the workplace drama and gossip but that it was really so much deeper than that. Shirin was a great protagonist and the mix of past and present timelines added so much complexity and emotion to the story. It allowed the reader to experience Shirin’s traumas and learn how the past can impact the present. It was deep, raw, and written in a way that was easy for the reader to relate to on a human level.

I loved the relationship and history between Shirin and Kian. I particularly liked the way their history unfolded slowly so we got to know them from before, but also as who they are today.

Part coming of age, part romance, part cultural assessment, and so much more - this book had it all. It was well written, the characters were real and fully developed, and the plot had me hooked. I’m reading this for bookclub and it’s the perfect book to discuss.

Thank you to The Book Club Cookbook, St Martins Press, and NetGalley for the copy. Very highly recommend.

I really loved the commentary on friendship, mental health, and discovering your own indenity. The writing was stunning! Characters were complex and honest, great story, I think this book is overall stunning.

I always appreciate and look forward to learning about different cultures when I read books. Sara Jafari is a British-Iranian author, and she infused so many of her lived experiences into these characters.

We get to follow Shirin and Kian in two timelines: then, at school as teenagers and now, as adults ten years later. Despite the change in decade, their treatment as part of a marginalized community unfortunately hasn’t changed all that much. In school, they faced racial slurs, bullying and an overwhelming sense of otherness that led them to find comfort and friendship in one another. As adults, Shirin in particular continues to deal with racism in the workplace and in social settings that has significantly impacted her mental health.

She's feeling lost, unhappy and hopeless until she runs into Kian again at a housewarming party. As events unfolded, I loved seeing Shirin find her spark again and stand up and speak out against the discrimination she faced. She really makes changes in her life to keep the things and people that serve her and let go of the ones that don’t. It was a touching journey to read about.

My only complaint, and this tends to be a trend for me with more character-driven stories, is that I got bored. The lead-up to the “big reveal” about what happened in Kian and Shirin’s past that led them not to speak for ten years was underwhelming to me with how much it was alluded to. I also found the middle to be more repetitive in nature despite Jafari’s lovely, detailed descriptions and writing.

If you read Jaded by Ela Lee, this one has different content but similar themes, particularly when it comes to micro-aggressions and DEI initiatives in the workplace that leave so much to be desired. Overall, I’m very glad I gave this book a read and got a lot out of it! 3.5 stars

This was a powerful story about race, cancel culture, love, and finding the courage to follow your dreams. The story follows Shirin in the publishing industry, and Kian in the art world and their connections in the past and the present. I enjoyed going back and forth between the two timelines to see how what happened between them in the past influenced how they acted in the present. I appreciated how openly the book explored what it is like to be a minority and how that affects how you are perceived and the opportunities you get in this world. It was very well written, and had a beautiful second chance romance storyline. I received an ARC, and this is my honest review.

4.5
Well written and thoughtful, Sara Jafari's novel explores the effects of unresolved trauma in life. The plot looks at damaged relationships, anxiety and depression and tenuous family bonds that affect both of the main characters. The racism both past and present is another recurring theme. Jafari handles difficult subject matter with care and creates a sympathetic young woman in Shirin. I found this engaging and the audiobook is also very well done.

Shirin reconnects with Kian who she hasn’t since they were close friends in school. Painful events tore them apart and left many things unsaid. Now they they have reconnected, can they overcome?

While a quiet novel, there was a lot of history and emotion. It took some time for the past to reveal and show the impact it had on the present. This was an important story as it showed micro aggressions in the workplace and what it feels like to be a minority in the publishing industry. I loved how the future tied to the past and became metaphorically closed a door. The relationship between Shirin and Kian was part of the story but did not overwhelm the plot on his and her personal development.

“Every element of her life is like a domino, and one by one they are falling down around her, leaving nothing upright.”

Things Left Unsaid comes out 4/15.

I really enjoyed this and thought it was an important commentary on racism, especially in the publishing industry. I thought the audiobook was fabulous. Great if you like character-driven and thought-provoking literary fiction picks. The character development was everything! I was cheering for Shirin along the way and loved her as our main character. You also get some peeks into past events from Kian’s perspective (our MMC), which added context and gave the reader a deeper understanding of how complex our main characters’ relationship was/is. This would be great to discuss for a book club! Take care because there is racism, microaggressions, abuse, and death of a loved one in this book.

Sara Jafari's "Things Left Unsaid" is a deeply emotional and thought-provoking exploration of love, loss, and the unspoken thoughts that linger between people. At its heart, the novel tells the story of Shirin and Kian, childhood friends who, after years of separation, find their paths crossing again. Their reunion is not simply a chance for rekindled affection, but a reckoning with the weight of their shared past—a past laden with nostalgia, regret, and the emotional baggage they each carry.

Jafari’s writing excels in capturing the raw, often delicate nuances of their relationship. She paints a portrait of two people navigating the complexity of their past while seeking understanding in the present, and the tension between them is palpable, with every word and glance laden with unspoken emotions. More than just a romance, it’s a meditation on how the people we once were continue to shape who we are, and how the echoes of past connections can challenge us and force us to confront unfinished business in our hearts.

The narrative effortlessly weaves between the past and the present, offering a rich emotional landscape where the characters’ internal struggles mirror the complexity of the world around them. Shirin and Kian are not just engaging figures in a love story, but representations of the ways in which identities are shaped and reshaped by those who come and go in our lives. Jafari has the ability to make readers ponder their own relationships and the healing that might come from finally confronting them.

"Things Left Unsaid" is a compelling and reflective read, perfect for readers who enjoy stories that delve into themes of identity and self-discovery.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the #gifted ARC! Things Left Unsaid by Sara Jafari publishes on April 15, and I cannot recommend it enough.

As an Iranian-American, so much of this novel rang true for me—it felt like stepping back into my family home in Iran, filled with emotions, unspoken words, and cultural nuances that were beautifully captured. Sara Jafari’s storytelling is stunning, weaving a heartfelt, deeply relatable narrative about love, identity, and finding where you truly belong.

Shirin and Kian’s story is one of long-lost friendship, missed chances, and reconnection, and their emotional journey is both tender and gut-wrenching. I loved how Jafari explored the weight of things left unsaid, the complexities of navigating family and career expectations, privilege, racism, and the messy, beautiful nature of relationships.

This one is deep, thought-provoking, and unforgettably heartfelt—a true five-star read.