Things Left Unsaid

A Novel

By: Sara Jafari

Length: 10 hrs

Publisher's summary

A dazzling, electrifying, and thought-provoking novel for listeners of Maame and Honey Girl, Things Left Unsaid is a mesmerizing and deeply-felt exploration of discovering your place in the world and the lasting power of love.

When twenty-six year old Shirin Bayat bumps into Kian at a house party in London, she is taken aback by the immediate feelings that resurface. It’s been a decade since they were close friends at school, before painful events pulled them apart, suddenly and seemingly forever. Ever since, Shirin has lived with the aching weight of things left unsaid between them.

Now they're back in each other's lives, at a time when Shirin needs someone she can trust the most. Feeling stuck in a sea of slippery friendships and deeply burned out by her publishing job, Kian is a bright light amongst a sea of gray. There’s nothing worse than losing the person you trust most with your deepest secrets and desires, and Shirin and Kian are determined to hold tightly to each other.

But of course, life often has other plans. Will it be different this time around, or are Shirin and Kian destined to fall apart once more?

"A delicate yet impactful look at depression, disillusioned dreams, second chances at love and the power of bravery. What a book!" - Jessica George

"Intricate and deft...Jafari has written a total stunner." - Amy Jo Burns, author of Mercury

©2025 Sara Jafari (P)2025 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"A careful, beautiful story that reminds us about the importance of time - how it shapes us, changes us and gives us second chances we could only dream of." - Ore Agbaje-Williams, author of The Three of Us

“Blistering and tender. In Things Left Unsaid, Sara Jafari examines the insidious nature of racism—in the workplace, school, our friendships and families—as well as the necessity of using our voices, individually and collectively, to speak up. Things Left Unsaid is also a story about the past’s ability to haunt—and to heal.” - Daphne Palasi Andreades, author of Brown Girls

"Things Left Unsaid explores the rough edges of early adulthood with such clarity, unpacking what it means to both lose and rediscover yourself -- and your relationships -- in that hazy, messy era we call our twenties. Sara Jafari's writing is as deeply perceptive as it is relatable, tackling both heavy themes and lighter topics with nuance and poise. Fans of Sally Rooney will eat up this brilliant novel, no doubt." – Genevieve Wheeler, author of Adelaide