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This is a beautifully written love story set against the political upheaval of Iran in August 1953, which saw the democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh ousted by a coup designed to keep Iran in the hands of the Shah and its oil under control of the British and Americans.

Roya, a poetry loving teenager in her last year of high school in Tehran loves nothing more than spending time browsing Mr Fakhri's stationery shop where as well as paper and pens he stocks all her favourite Persian poetry as well as translations of International novels. There she meets and falls in love with a handsome young man, Bahman who is a political activist supporting Mosaddegh. For both of them it is their first love and with help from Mr Fakri to continue meeting in his shop they fall head over heels. However, after they become engaged to marry their plans go badly awry for reasons that neither of them fully understand and they end up going their separate ways. Set in 1953 and 2013, Roya looks back at the events of August 1953 that stole away her first love and shaped the rest of her life.

Not only is the novel beautifully written and moving, it's also filled with the sights and sounds of Tehran during its brief period of democracy. The scents of delicately flavoured mouth watering Persian food leap off the pages whenever Roya or her family cook for special events or a dinner to cure homesickness. The book is also filled with wonderful characters from wide-eyed Roya and her fun loving sister Zara to the energetic but tender Bahman, the nostalgic, kind-hearted Mr Fakhri and Bahman's mentally fragile and bitter mother. A book I have no hesitation recommending to those who enjoy a tender love story.

With many thanks to Simon & Schuster AU for a copy of the book to read.