The Stationery Shop

The Stationery Shop

From the award-winning author of Together Tea --a debut novel hailed as "compassionate, funny, and wise" by Jill Davis, bestselling author of Girls' Poker Night --comes a powerful love story exploring loss, reconciliation, and the quirks of fate . Roya is a dreamy, idealistic teenager living in 1953 Tehran who, amidst the political upheaval of the time, finds a literary oasis in kindly Mr. Fakhri's neighborhood book and stationery shop. She always feels safe in his dusty store, overflowing with fountain pens, shiny ink bottles, and thick pads of soft writing paper. When Mr. Fakhri, with a keen instinct for a budding romance, introduces Roya to his other favorite customer--handsome Bahman, who has a burning passion for justice and a love for Rumi's poetry--she loses her heart at once. And, as their romance blossoms, 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 d'etat 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. With a sorrowful heart, she resigns herself to never seeing him again. Until, more than sixty years later, an accident of fate leads her back to Bahman and offers her a chance to ask him the questions that have haunted her for more than half a century: Why did he leave? Where did he go? How was he able to forget her? The Stationery Shop is a beautiful and timely exploration of devastating loss, unbreakable family bonds, and the overwhelming power of love. "A powerful, heartbreaking story of star-crossed lovers and Iran's political upheavals." -- "Shelf Awareness" "An affecting novel about first love." -- "Real Simple" "Mozhan Marnò gives an extraordinary narration of this audiobook...Marnò's expressive narration reveals every nuance of Roya's emotional journey, as well as the complexity of loving her husband while mourning Bahman. Marnò slows the story when the moment demands that listeners take a breath to fully experience Roya's feelings. Sensitive portrayals of Roya's family and friends and vivid descriptions of Iranian food and customs, add depth to this moving listen. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award ." -- "AudioFile" "Richly imagined...This book broke my heart again and again." -- "Whitney Scharer, author of The Age of Light" Marjan Kamali is the author of three books, including Together Tea, which was a finalist for the Massachusetts Book Award, an NPR WBUR Good Read pick, and a Target Emerging Author selection. She is the 2022 recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Award. She was born in Turkey to Iranian parents and spent her childhood in Kenya, Germany, Turkey, Iran, and the United States. She holds degrees from the University of California at Berkeley, Columbia University, and New York University. Mozhan Marnò is an Iranian American film and television actress, most notably appearing in Charlie Wilson's War and Bones . Her audiobook narrations have won several AudioFile Earphones Awards.