Beautiful second-chance romance. Took me long enough to write this review, because I'm not sure about my feelings. The story follows Shirin and Kian life from the past until the present. The love between them is not the main focus, we see more of the troubles, and racism in the past and present. Not gonna say much, the writing style was mesmerizing and I loved how the author wrote the struggles in Shirin's life, and how she tries to find her voice in her workplace where diversity is very visible. I love how she accepted her past and the development she went through throughout the whole book. Even though I felt the attraction between Shirin and Kian went a bit quickly, in the beginning, everything was so slow and there was a click when the storyline got some speed. I still love their reconnection after 10 years.

Kian has made my heart ache. It was painful to read about his past - same with Shirin -, the author played fair with their emotions and showed us all the feelings we need to feel in their lives. And again his development was well written. Its truly a story everyone should read once.

I liked this book. I cared about the characters. But I have to be honest and say it was a bit of a plod.
I don't mind a book being light on plot but this was 'helium balloon' light.

The two main characters spent most of their time pretending they weren't really obsessed with each other, a little bit of time getting it on, and then a bit more missing each other. Thrown into the mix were a couple of historic traumas that they carried with them.

There are a ton of day-to-day microagressions that make Shirin realise that she has her job because the publishers need a brown face to represent them on diversity and inclusion committees but they have no intention of actually being more inclusive or giving her credit for her work. I found that entirely believable, and the event near the end that leads her to realise things have to change had me cheering out loud.

Tokenism, racism, bullying and belittling all have their place in this book. I just wish they pace had picked up a bit in the first half as it became much better in the second.

Found it hard to get into this book, seemed very convoluted and didn’t catch my interest so gave up, sorry!

I enjoyed this book it was quite a nice surprise. . I really enjoyed reading the development of Shirin and Kian’s relationship within the story, and how experiences they both had really had a huge knock on effect to their relationship with each other.

When Shirin bumps into Kian at a house party in Brixton, she is taken aback by the feelings that resurface.

They last saw one another ten years ago as sixteen-year-olds at school in Hull. And the weight of everything left unsaid since then still hangs between them.

But now they're back in each other's lives, it's harder to run from the past.

There's nothing worse than losing the person you trust with your deepest secrets.

Can it be different second time around?

An irresistible slice of escapism and a joy to read. Compelling, absorbing and highly entertaining. Fast-moving and fun! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When two friends bump into each other after ten years, the past resurfaces. Can they get over the hurt from the past and move forward. A journey of change and discovery that is sometimes hard to face. My first book by this author but thoroughly enjoyable.

I loved this book! The main character felt very authentic and I loved the switching from past to present. Would definitely recommend.

Sara Jafari writes beautifully and this was a quick read. Unfortunately, I felt it lacked something and although explored themes like racism; bullying; fractured relationships, it still felt like just a boy meets girl story. This might just be me as there have been numerous reviews rating this book very highly.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publishers Random House for this ARC.

This is a gripping story of a young woman, Shirin, who can't come to terms with events towards the end of her school days. She works in London in her dream job in publishing, but she finds herself tense and anxious, her dream isn't working out how she had thought.
She runs into an old schoolfriend and ally Kian at a housewarming party, and over the course of the book Shirin and Kian gradually get closer to talking about what happened when they were at school why they stopped speaking, and how this has affected Shirin ever since.
I read this book right through in a few sessions - it was compelling and easy to read despite the detailed plot and descriptions. Themes of racism, depression and what friendship really means will resonate for many people in their 20s. Well worth reading.

I am not sure I am the correct audience for this novel. However I did feel it was well written and I did read and enjoy it. I just feel a younger person would love this story as the two main characters meet in school and its how their relationship develops over the years. I will recommend this book to people in their 20s

A boy meets girl story about two school friends bumping into one another at a party and reconnecting. It took me a while to get into it and couldn’t really engage much with the characters.

With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and write a review.

A story of our time! Sharing and Kian meet at school and develop a close relationship maybe because they are the only two Iranians in a school in Hull. Something happens to tear their friendship apart but we encounter them as they meet by accident in London 10 years later. The book was publicised as a love story but I think it’s deeper than that. It is also about racism, in schools and in the workplace, it’s about family relationships and friendships. It gives quite an eye opening insight into the publishing industry p, which if representative, didn’t come out with shining colours. I also liked the realistic descriptions of life and work in London. I would definitely read another book by Sara Jafari.

This book was not really for me, unfortunately. I found it very slow and plodding. I didn’t really care about the characters, or the will they- won’t they dilemma. They made some odd choices, which didn’t help. Well enough written but I gave up on it as it became a chore to continue.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this book.

This is the second book I've read from Sara Jafari and safe to say she's quickly become one of my favourite authors. This book follows two people Shirin and Kian who bump into a house party in Brixton after not seeing each other for 10 years since leaving school. Jafari writes about her characters and their relationships with so much depth and honesty. This book explores topics such as race, depression, friendship and navigating life through your 20s plus so much more. I would highly recommend any Sara Jafari book to anyone.

Shirin and Kian were close friends at school – but haven't spoken in the past ten years. In 2018, they meet at a house party in London, where they both live, and as they weave in and out of each other's lives, they're forced to confront their pasts and what happened back then.

I was a bit nervous about reading this book as the plot sounds fairly like my own book. There were some small moments that were uncannily similar – hello 26 year old protagonists who work in publishing – but the more I read, the more different it was and the more I was about to relax into it. A lot of it is centred around the publishing industry and its stagnant attitude towards diversity, and I thought this was done really well. Also really enjoyed: all the Londony bits, the malaise that hung over the writing whenever Shirin had a depressive episode, the depiction of friendship – and the fact that Shirin actually had more than two friends, a rarity in contemporary fiction. Also the outfit descriptions. I love an outfit description in a novel. Didn't love: the sometimes clunky scene transitions, how I felt like I never really got to know Kian. So I didn't love People Change – something about the writing made me feel annoyingly detached from Shirin and her relationship with Kian – but I mostly enjoyed it, and I would definitely read another of Sara Jafari's books.

This book exceeded my expectations in so many ways. I was expecting a light, fluffy second chance romance trope.. But it was not that at all. It was a deep exploration of complex issues such as racial abuse, mental illness, freedom of speech and grief.

Shirin is a 26 year old woman, suffering in silence with depression and anxiety and a sense of hopelessness. When she bumps into Kian, a friend from school who she was close to but hasn't spoken to for ten years, she is reminded of the past trauma she has tried to suppress.

At first I didn't particularly like Shirin. I found her a bit pathetic and overly sensitive. But as this talented writer developed her character I got a deeper insight into why Shirin finds life so difficult and why she prefers to remain invisible. I began to relate to her in so many ways. The feelings of inferiority and frustration at herself and others for belittling her experiences were an insight into her daily life that made me grow to like and empathise with her.

There is also a love story as her and Kian reconnect. But it's not a cheesy love story. It's messy and painful and real.

The real joy comes in seeing Shirin bravely start to show vulnerability and live a more authentic life. Her courage is rewarded in so many ways and this was inspiring and wonderfully uplifting.

A beautiful slow burner, I became so invested in Shirin's story and loved how she became the hero of her own life.

This was one of those books where I didn’t want to put it down and could happily spend hours reading it.

Shirin and Kian are both such strong main characters - this book discusses a lot of things including second chance romance however this seemed secondary to the topics of race, standing up for yourself and learning and developing. Overall fantastic.

This is a difficult review to write in my opinion. It failed, for me, to live up to the blurb. I thought I was going to read a story of love and second chances and although it contained this I felt the real story was the racism that Kian and Shirin received throughout their lives. Basically they met at school and fell in love although they didn't admit to it. What followed is the meeting up 10 years later, reconnecting and the relationship still falling by the wayside! As for the title People Change, I fail to see who changed apart from Hana who didn't change just grew up.

The racism back story was very well written and certainly is a lesson to people who have never been subject to it.

@currentlyreading__
Book 2 of 2023

Thank you so much to the author @sarajafari, @netgalley and the Random House UK Cornerstone for the advanced copy of ‘People Change’ ahead of publication next month on 2nd February. Having loved ‘The Mismatch’ I was thrilled to receive Sara’s new book.

This is a beautiful book and I know I have mentioned just how stunning the cover is on my stories, but I’ll just say again how the cover really encapsulates the tenderness between our two main characters.

One of the embracing pair is Shirin, a woman in her mid 20s with the job in publishing she always dreamed of. Moving to London from Hull, she has a wide circle of friends, the job at which she is desperate to progress, a depressing flat share and links to her disparate family in Hull and in Tehran.

As the title makes clear, change is central to the book. Even though Shirin has changed location and her social circle with her new London friends, something still lingers from her past. A meeting with Kian, her teenage friend, in a Brixton flat, brings her past into her present. Both need to discuss what happened in the past in order to move into the present. And when an old face from their past becomes very much part of Shirin’s present at the publishing house, that’s when action has to be taken.

The book is so thoughtfully written, switching between past and present to gradually unfold events which have had a lasting effect on both Shirin and Kian. As the only Iranians at school, they become kindred spirits but the racist treatment of Shirin is what moves Kian into taking matters into his own hands.

The book showcases discrimination and racism in not only Shirin’s past in Hull, but also her present in London, mental health is at the fore, grief and the feeling of disconnect from parents who are physically distant.

Another beautiful read from Sara Jafari with characters we root for. 👍🏻

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People Change was an interesting read. It explores the relationship between Kian and Shirin who grew up in Hull and meet again in London 10 years after leaving for university. The characterisation is good and the topics of racism are mental wellbeing are covered well.
The story was a little slow going and could have had a bit more pace to keep the reader hooked.
I did though finish the book but had to put down and come back to it many times.