The Stationary Shop

From the award-winning author of Together Tea⁠—a debut novel hailed as "compassionate, funny, and wise" by Jill A. Davis, bestselling author of Girls' Poker Night⁠—comes a powerful love story exploring loss, reconciliation, and the quirks of fate.

Roya, a dreamy, idealistic teenager living amid the political upheaval of 1953 Tehran, finds a literary oasis in kindly Mr. Fakhri's neighborhood stationery shop, stocked with books and pens and bottles of jewel-colored ink. Then Mr. Fakhri, with a keen instinct for a budding romance, introduces her to his other favorite customer⁠—handsome Bahman, who has a burning passion for justice and a love for Rumi's poetry⁠—and Roya loses her heart at once. Their romance blossoms, and the modest little stationery shop remains their favorite place in all of Tehran.

A few short months later, on the eve of their marriage, Roya agrees to meet Bahman at the town square, but suddenly, violence erupts⁠—a result of the coup that forever changes their country's future. In the chaos, Bahman never shows. For weeks, Roya tries desperately to contact him, but her efforts are fruitless. Reluctantly, she moves on⁠—to college in California, to another man, to a life in New England⁠—until a chance encounter nearly sixty years later gives her the opportunity to ask him the questions that have haunted her for more than half a century: Why did you leave? Where did you go? How is it that you were able to forget me?

Beautiful and poignant, The Stationery Shop will have you in its grip from the very first page⁠—and its story of love, loss, and remembrance will never let you go.