This was a quiet book but richly layered.

I loved the slow unraveling of what happened in the past to kind of bring to light a lot of what is happening in the present. It’s clever and really nuanced and touches on a great deal of themes mostly micro aggressions and racism in the publishing industry and the ripple effects of this on our two characters.

Jafari has a knack for writing interpersonal relationships and I was drawn completely in.

I’m not wanting to explore this authors back list.

What a privilege to read this book and lovely example of literary fiction situated in very real circumstances, but in a way that also feels so fresh.

This almost takes a coming of age novel and puts it in reverse. Achieving career dreams and finding her way in the world, this book is told across different times and points of view of the two central characters. Sometimes we're watching their experiences as children, another we're watching them meet again in adulthood. The switches in timeline are done so effortlessly that there is an ease of rhythm as you get small puzzle pieces from their lives, filling in small details that show the depth of their relationships and aspirations.

It's also a truly driving critique of large scale publishing and the inherent racial biases designed to flourish in these spaces.

It's beautiful and sad and brave and lovely. If you enjoyed Maame by Jessica George, Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar, the writing of Coco Mellors, I think you're in for a treat with Things Left Unsaid.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I did not enjoy this book at all. It felt whiney and I did not enjoy the narrators. The storyline did not draw me in and I DNF at about 50%. I listened to the audiobook and could not concentrate therefore, I got lost with what was going on. Sometimes character driven stories don't have enough plot to keep me interested. Sometimes books just are not for me. This was one of them.

Things Left Unsaid is a hauntingly melancholic exploration of relationships, mental illness, and the complexities of human emotion. the book dives into introspective, quiet moments that reveal the raw undercurrents of depression and personal turmoil. Both Shirin & Kian are intricately drawn, and their emotional struggles are portrayed with an authenticity that feels both heavy and cathartic.

The author’s exploration of mental illness is nuanced and sensitive, providing a window into the experience. It’s a deeply reflective book, one that allows readers to connect with the inner battles of its characters in a way that feels both intimate and confronting. The complex relationships portrayed in the story are riddled with unspoken words and tensions, making it a powerful meditation on how we communicate (or fail to communicate) with each other.
the relationship between them felt so raw and real and because of that, it seemed so real and i was rooting so hard for them to be together.

I’m sorry to say this is a DNF for me @40%.

I’m SURE I’m in the minority here, so please read others opinions/reviews to get clarity for yourself!

Although the outline sounded intriguing, the story fell flat for me, AND… I really didn’t care for the narrators. Not sure if it was the material, or just their voices, but it felt MONOTONE throughout and I just can’t listen to anymore…

Shirin and Kian were very close about ten years ago…but circumstances pulled them apart and they haven’t seen each other in years. After re-connecting they are kind of drawn to each other and start talking again.

Again, sorry to say that I did not finish it. It was not holding my attention, so I’m moving on.
Since this is not an optimal review, I will only post here and on NetGalley.

Things Left Unsaid by Sara Jafari.

2 ⭐️⭐️ for me!

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudiofor an ARC of the audiobook, in exchange for an honest review.
*** If interested, release date is 4/23/25, so look 👀 for it on shelves then !! ***

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3 Stars
I am reviewing the audiobook.

I was excited to listen to the story and I was excited to listen from reading the story blurb. Unfortunately, the audiobook was very difficult to get through, as I found the narrator almost monotone and boring. The story seemed interesting but I found myself constantly zoning out because of the narration. It felt like I was dragging my feet through mud to get through it as I found myself incredibly bored and I didn't listen to half of the story because of it. I do not feel like my review is an accurate description of the story itself.

Finished Reading

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 resort 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 and audiobook copy of THINGS LEFT UNSAID. All views are mine.
---------------

This novel pulled me in quickly. I really enjoyed the narrators performances. The story follows Shirin who, in her 20s, is living the life she thought she wanted but nothing is going smoothly for her. She runs into Kian, a close friend from school that she hasn't spoken to in 10 years. She is drawn to him, but isn't sure how to handle that, given their shared past. This novel deals with many serious themes and yet it didn't feel dark. While this story is slower than the books I usually read, it didn't feel too slow. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in return for my honest opinions.

this book was too negative and too dei focused for me. I just did not enjoy the story line or characters.

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.

The narrator is excellent. The main character is likeable and I think that her serious manner is intriguing. The story is very well written and it’ shows that the author is very talented. The tone is hard to describe, it’s serious, and feels a little drama without really being drama. Hard to word! I enjoyed this.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy in exchange for review.

A perfect read for fans of Mafi's An Emotion of Great Delight. Shirin Bayat is a tired 26 year old. She feels disconnected from friends, her job, and herself. One day she runs into her former best friend Kian at a party and their relationship slowly rekindles, but neither one wants to acknowledge their painful past. The novel slowly reveals the past through the lens of Kian and Shirin. Will a second chance at love help Kian and Shirin heal?

Audiobook narration is well done.
Honor Gilles' narration brings depth to Shirin's emotional highs and lows. Her voice enhances the rawness of Shirin's experiences, making the listener feel more connected to her struggles and triumphs. Majid Mehdizadeh-Valoujerdy (Kian) soothing and deep tone provides a comforting contrast to Kian’s internal struggles, making his moments of uncertainty feel even more touching.

Well done! This was great. Thought provoking look at life and how we react to injustice and full circle moments.

An old friend comes back into Shirins world and she has to confront the past while dealing with her grown up problems. It has romance but definitely dealt more with life than romance as the focus.
The discourse around racism and sexism was chefs kiss.
Definitely recommend.

Thanks to netgalley and Macmillan audio for an alc

I had to DNF this one. I wanted to like it but the narrator's voice didn't work for me. Will seek out a print edition

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Reading Things Left Unsaid felt like catching your breath after holding it for way too long—a soft, aching exhale that stays with you. If you loved Maame or Honey Girl, this one will slide right into your heart like it always belonged there.

The story follows Shirin Bayat, a 26-year-old living in London and just trying to stay afloat in a world that feels increasingly uncertain. Burned out from her job in publishing (been there), stuck in shallow friendships, and feeling more lost than found—Shirin is just trying. Then one night at a party, she bumps into Kian. Cue: heart flip.

Kian isn’t just a random blast from the past—he was the one, her closest friend from school before a painful rift broke them apart a decade ago. All the old feelings and things left unsaid bubble up fast, and suddenly, Shirin has to face what it really means to reconnect, to trust again, and to maybe—just maybe—love again.

Their chemistry? Electric. The emotional tension? Deliciously unbearable in the best way. But life has a funny way of testing people, and just when you think it’s all going to work out, the book reminds you that healing isn’t linear, and timing is everything.

Sometimes you're just meant to be. When Shirin meets Kian again after so many years, all the old feelings come back instantly. Can the two try again and make things work?

This was a great audiobook. I liked our two main characters though I did struggle to feel much of their connection at times. The writing style was fantastic and I'm pleased to see that the author has other books which I will definitely be on the lookout for now as I'm keen to read more by her.

really enjoyed this book of second chance friendship and potentially love, but also the reality of living in institutions and society that are at best ambivalent to us and at worst hostile and violent to us.

Things Left Unsaid publishes on April 15, and I cannot recommend it enough—especially the audiobook, which adds another layer of depth and emotion to this stunning novel.

As an Iranian-American, so much of this book rang true for me—it felt like stepping back into my family home in Iran, filled with emotions, unspoken words, and beautifully captured cultural nuances. Sara Jafari’s storytelling is breathtaking, 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. The audiobook narration brings their dynamic to life so well, enhancing the tension, nostalgia, and raw emotion between them. I loved how Jafari explored the weight of things left unsaid, the complexities of 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. If you can, I highly recommend listening to the audiobook for an even richer experience!

This book was fantastic and when I read the blurb I knew I would love it. So happy to say I do and this ALC was amazing.

Following Shirin and Kians journey from high school to 10 years later was difficult, very honest, and we had some sweet moments as well.

I was so angry for Shirin in so many instances in this book. From the blatant racism she and Kian deal with not only in HS, but in their careers as well. The publishing industry needs to be called out like it was in this book. I appreciated the authors honesty in micro aggressions, topics of diverse reading in book spaces, how systematic racism plays a massive role in what is published and pushed out.

Their love reminded me in some instances of the love we find in Normal People. The yearning, the things they want to say but don’t know how/aren’t ready to share.

It was beautiful.

Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for this ALC!

Two friends who share a past that has kept them apart for 10 years reconnect through mutual friends in London. Even though much has changed about their lives, what they both experienced still affects them to this day. Of the course of this book, our main character characters learned how to stand up for not only what they believe in, but also themselves.

I appreciate how honest this book is about how hard it is to broach difficult conversations. Our main characters struggled to process, let alone talk through things they experienced as teens and things they were still experiencing as adults.