This was a beautiful story. It was so layered with characters and their emotions and they pulled at my heartstrings. I get really attached to my characters so I really enjoyed the fact that I got every character’s history and learned how they came to be the way they were. Enjoyed the discussion tonight with @girlybookclub .

This was a powerful read. Although the plot was predictable, the atmosphere and descriptions kept it engaging.

Wow, this was SO beautiful and so heartbreaking. I loved it but it was SO hard to read at points due to my own history of losing a baby. A masterfully crafted story. Emotional, hopeful, heartbreaking, beautiful, full of grief, a gorgeous story of humanity.

Hugely enjoyed this story. The story brought me into Tehran, during a turbulent period and I found myself absorbed into the main character's love story.

I loved all of the characters in this book and I loved that the story was told from multiple points of view, so that as a reader, I was able to put all of the puzzles pieces together as to what happened and what caused each character to act the way they did. The story was beautifully written, even as it was heartbreaking.

This is a beautiful love story, fringed with tragedy and political unrest and based on a background of historical fact. The central character is Roya and we follow her life from her teenage years in Iran through to old age in America.

The stationery shop is a central and important feature of the Iranian part of the novel. It is the place where Roya and Bahman fall in love but it is also so much more than that. I liked the references to Persian poetry in this book, it helped to give atmosphere to the stationery shop and added to the cultural depth of the novel. The Persian cookery is also important - I especially liked that this continued throughout the American part of the novel.

There are lots of complex relationships throughout this novel.. Roya's relationship with her parents is traditional and touching and yet her father is forward thinking and ambitious for his daughters. Bahman's mother meanwhile (the potential mother in law) is interfering and difficult and appears to have mental health problems. The back story concerning the older generation comes out slowly throughout the novel. And the novel ends in a really hopeful sense with regard to the younger generation.

Great book, full of emotion and cultural insight. I'm sure it will be a memorable read. Thankyou to NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I learned so much from reading this book. It was a window onto prerevolutionary Iran- the country was rich and vibrant in this book. The main characters were compelling and I found myself really engaging with their story.

I sorry to say I not sure if I like this book it took a long time to read but the writing style just did not grip me into the plot it move a bit slow but the story was good had a lot of depth to the plot a good plot just did not grip me but I must say it ok read just not me

I read this book as part of the Girly Book Club. I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy this book but I actually really enjoyed the book and was glad it was selected as one of the GBC books. It's a romance story based in Iran. The book describes a few difference romances and includes different types of love.

As a reader, I felt it was a great opportunity to learn more about Persian culture and develop and better understanding. I learnt a bit more about the political situation in Iran and about the revolution. There was enough information there to peak my interest to be motivated to learn more. I believe that any time you finish reading a book and it creates a new found curiousity in you then it's a great book as I has filled it purpose to make us less ignorant.

This book follows Roya, from her childhood until her senior years. Roya grows up in Iran, strife with political tension, with a father who wants her to be the next Marie Curie or Helen Keller. She often visits a stationery shop where she meets a young man who is going to change the world. They fall deeply in love, but a series of unfortunate circumstances derails their love story. Roya lives her life with many regrets and "what ifs" and we're along for the ride until her senior years.

I loved that this book had many themes; there was the cultural aspect, the (mostly) realistic love story, the story of a woman making the most of life at a time where women weren't considered equal to men. It was easy to read, and I felt sympathetic for all of Roya's hardships (and there were many!).

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a light but touching read.

Thank you to the publisher of this book for a copy as host of the Oakville Girly Book Club. All opinions expressed are my own.