This book was incredibly well-written, heartfelt, emotional, and beautifully fleshed out in all aspects of the story. The plot seamlessly switches between the 3 generations of characters - I’m a big fan of dual/multiple timelines, and this did not disappoint. Each of the 3 characters’ plot lines were solid enough to carry the weight of their own stories, but the way the stories ultimately intertwined brought the whole thing together. I really believe this book can be enjoyed by a wide range of audiences, rather than just those who typically read YA.

Only This Beautiful Moment by Abdi Nazemian is a really emotional look at family and how we come to terms with finding out who we are. The story centers on three generations of men in an Iranian family, with stories jumping back in time and also overlapping in the present.

In 2019, Moud is 17-years-old living with his father, Saeed, in Los Angeles. Moud, although a bit withdrawn due to his father’s own lack of vulnerability, is out as a gay man & has a very loud, opinionated boyfriend (Shane, who happens to be white and not understand Moud’s Iranian culture at all.) We also get chapters from teenage Saeed’s perspective - starting with him in Iran, but ending with him being forced to flee to the United States for political reasons. Lastly, we go even further back in time to Saeed’s father, Bobby, who is raised without knowing about his Iranian heritage in Los Angeles. Each story builds on similar themes of love, family, culture, and identity.

I’ve loved Nazemian’s previous books for their willingness to dive deeply into emotional content, and this book feels especially personal to him (which he notes in the author’s note at the end.) I loved seeing how the men in this family learned to connect with one another, and also seeing how different characters responded to homophobia. While there is a lot of pain, there is also a lot of queer joy in this book - it feels hopeful, even in its most bittersweet moments.

Writing-wise, the dialogue felt a little stilted in a few parts and I kind of wish we only focused on the son and father - having the grandfather’s story was great and important, but I didn’t feel like he needed his own chapters because they often focused more on him trying to make it as an actor at a Hollywood studio. It just felt a little out of place with the rest of the story.

Overall, I enjoyed it a lot and will eagerly await for another novel from Nazemian!

"Only This Beautiful Moment" is a beautiful coming of age story told across three perspectives spanning three generations of men from one Iranian family. Moud, who is openly gay, lives in America with his father, Saeed. When Moud learns that his grandfather is dying, he and his father travel to Iran to visit him before he passes. As Moud learns more about his Iranian roots and family history, he also learns more about himself and what he finds important.

The strongest aspect of this book was Nazemian's development of character, not just how they grow throughout the book, but the reasons why they are who they are at the start. This was one of those books that would be readable just for the characters alone, but the tension-filled plot helped carry it along as well. This story emphasizes the importance of representation -- more stories that normalize culture and identity to span beyond assumed stereotypes. This was the first novel I read by this author, but I'll definitely be looking out for more!

Honestly this book is stunning. I have no notes only feels and all my feels are overwhelming. This book follows three generations in this family and switches POVs and timelines each chapter. You have the modern/current chapter with a gay son, you have the chapter with the son's father, and then you have the chapter with the sons grandfather and all three of these boys/men have lived very different lives and struggle to communicate their experiences with the others. There are some secrets to be discovered and battles to fight and at its heart though it is a story about familial love and what it means to be queer and different time periods and countries and how social media plays a role etc.

This is genuinely one of my favorites of the year and one that I will wholeheartedly recommend with a mention to look at the CWs before starting.

Gay Iranian-American MC, set both in the US and Iran.

If I had a nickel for every time I read an incredible and emotional book about a gay Iranian-American teen with daddy issues going back to Iran to visit his dying grandfather for the first time, I would have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice. Those two books are this one and DARIUS THE GREAT IS NOT OKAY by Adib Khorram. But even with similar premises, the two books explore Iranian culture, American culture, and queer culture in vastly different ways.

I was very skeptical about picking up this ARC. I had read THE CHANDLER LEGACIES also by Abdi Nazemian and found it... very bad. And for the first half of this book, I stayed worried. This book has a very, very slow start. The narrative switches between three POVs happening in different timelines, and all three take their sweet time to build up. Once they all converged, though, this book immediately became a five-star read for me. Nazemian masterfully tells the story of three teens trying to find themselves in an unforgiving environment, each struggling with unique issues that somehow relate to each other. It's an amazing story about generational trauma, specifically generational queer trauma, and I've never read anything quite like it.

Of the three POVs, though, I definitely enjoyed Moud's the least. Set in 2019, Moud's POV centers around how his podcaster white boyfriend, Shane, doesn't understand why Moud's experience with queerness is different (hint hint: it's because Moud isn't white). As a queer POC, Shane's character felt very heavy-handed in certain parts. It felt very much like a fourth-wall break every time he and Moud argued, but at the same time, I don't doubt that people like Shane exist. Still, Moud's POV was the weakest when compared with his father's or his grandfather's. The other two's voices were so strong, and their struggles felt so real, that I almost googled character names because I forgot they weren't real people.

Overall, though, this is an excellent book about the queer immigrant experience, and how trauma passes down if ignored. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an eARC of this book, all opinions are my own.

I am beyond thankful that I received an advanced copy of Only This Beautiful Moment from Harper Collins Children’s Books and NetGalley. I picked it up last night before bed, stayed up way later than I meant to, and then spent the rest of my day off today finishing it. Add this to your TBR immediately. I'll be recommending it to everyone I come in contact with for a long time.

Amazing! I love all that Abdi Nazemian does. He is such a talented writer and makes readers of all background connect with such a unique experience. Excellent story telling, empathetic characters, and all around great narrative. Will recommend!

What an incredible book!

Only This Beautiful Moment follows three generations of boys in an Iranian family, Moud, his dad (Saeed) and his granddad (Bobby). In 2019 we follow Moud, in 1978 Saeed, and in 1939 Bobby. It’s amazing to see them in each of their own stories as young me in their respective youthful years, then seeing each the older generations by the eyes of the younger ones.

All three of them have their own battles and challenges to face, which while being different are so connect to the other’s lives. It’s a true masterpiece!

Moud’s contrast as an out gay boy in 2019 and his grandfather having to hide his sexuality and learn the dark side of his reality in the Hollywood industry of 1939. Saeed uncovering truths about his dad’s past he never considered. It’s all so intertwined and brilliant.

The beautiful and heartfelt writing left me speechless in many occasions, and I can’t recommend this book enough.

I'm honestly at a loss for words to describe how much I loved this book. It is rare for me to have nothing critical to say, but my only complaint is that I couldn't spend even more time with this family. I devoured this book in less than a day, and I never wanted to put it down, not because it was super fast-paced or intense but because I very quickly came to care about the characters. This was a beautifully crafted story with so much to show the world, and I have no doubt it will end up on my year's end 'best of' lists, possibly topping them.

This story was a compelling weave of love, trauma, history, and perseverance that spanned three generations of the same family. It was fascinating to see the three different coming-of-age stories unfold side by side, which slowly led to some powerful realizations about how each one impacted the others. The author did a great job of differentiating the voices of the main characters and making me feel transported to the settings and time periods of their teen years. I quickly came to love each of them and was equally devastated by the myriad of struggles they faced due to heartbreak, homophobia, xenophobia, political persecution, and family tensions. It is safe to say I was moved to tears many times while reading this one. There were just so many emotional moments, especially family moments, that had me drowning in my feelings. Most of all, though, I was moved by the deep well of love and hope that served as the heart of this novel, which was ever-present despite all the difficult things the characters faced.

This was also a book that made me re-think many of my own preconceived notions while also shining a light on some aspects of history I didn't know. The author did a fantastic job of bringing Tehran to life in a way I could've never imagined before reading this story. I don't really ever see or hear much about the day to day life of Iranians, but this book really pulled back the curtain on life in that country and helped me understand the culture better, especially how its political systems have changed over the years and the part the U.S. played in those changes. I also liked seeing how the author drew parallels between Iran and the U.S. and illustrated that people on opposite sides of the world from radically different cultures deal with many of the same issues and struggles on both an individual and societal scale. It also shed light on what life is like for those who hold both Iranian and American identities and why it might be hard for some to reconcile the two. Overall, I learned a lot from this book, and it gave me a lot to think about.

This book also explored the similarities and differences in growing up queer both across time and cultures. It heavily emphasized the importance of having good queer mentors and role models, and I loved getting to see examples of these healthy mentorship relationships play out on the page, especially given the recent wave of anti-LGBT rhetoric about grooming. Adults who provide acceptance don't groom children to become gay. They just give them a safe space to be themselves and learn about their identities, and this story illustrated that beautifully. The story also showed that even in conditions where they must stay hidden for safety, queer people not only exist but also thrive and carve out full and meaningful lives. I think this is important because it shows that queer people have always existed and will continue to exist even if the bigots try to erase them. Given the recent uptick in anti-LGBT legislation across the U.S., this was important, timely, and provided me with a great deal of hope for the future.

Overall, this was a beautiful story. I've barely touched on all the things I learned and felt because of this book. It had so many layers, and I think everyone should read it. Therefore, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.

Abdi Nazemian’s best work to date. Five stars, hands down this is required reading.

Following three generations of men in the same Iranian/Iranian-American family, and spanning nearly one-hundred years, Only This Beautiful Moment is brimming with heart, tenderness, and faith in our collective ability to heal, persevere, and forgive.

Oh my queer heart, be still! I was so engrossed in Abdi's book I looked into Persian poetry!:

Rudaki
Although my heart is full of the sorrow of separation,

Joy mixed with your sorrow increases my unhappiness.

Every night I think of you and say, oh Lord:

Here is separation and there is connection.

I loved how Abdi seamlessly integrated 3 generations stories and perspectives into one book. 2 of them very gay and one homophobe coming to terms with love and generational trauma. If you loved Darius the Great is Not Okay, by Adib K. you'll love this.

A struggling Persian American son travels with his family, i this case just Moud's dad because his mother passed away when he was very young, to see his Baba Bobby before he dies of cancer. Even with the sanctions and homophobic government, Moud found the beauty and love of the hidden queer community and learns more about his family and culture he didn't know...because his dad was closed off almost all his life. Until they travel to Tehran and now everything is changing.

I LOVED LOVED this book, audiobook is a MUST. Being able to have characters that can be a mentor and a person to depend your life on to learn about your sexual identity that is shunned publically was amazingly written. I am so sad its over but so hopeful. Glad I got this opportunity to read this early and hope more people pick this up.

ONLY THIS BEAUTIFUL MOMENT is a moving, heartfelt intergenerational story of an Iranian family - Nazemian carefully and expertly explores the intersectionality of culture and queerness, and highlights the failures of a westernized view of what acceptance means, while also paying homage to the history of queer figures in hollywood and the history of activism in Iran.
I couldn't put this book down, and it is a story I hope everyone reads to gain new perspective, understanding, and love for one another.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. Each POV was so beautifully written and dealt with sexuality in such different ways. Each of their stories were so different from each other but getting to follow three generations of men in a family at turning points in their lives was amazing. Bobby with not knowing where he comes from and dealing with the idea of being gay in America at a time when they were arrested for it. Saeed with his role in protesting and finding his first love and learning the truth of his parents. Moud with being gay and not having the most supportive father and experiencing being gay in Iran. I thought each POV was phenomenal and the way these complex topics were done was great. It left me wanting more, and I wish we got to see one last chapter from both Bobby and Saeed since it felt almost unresolved. I know we kind of got their conclusion through Mouds POV, but I would’ve loved to have gotten it from theirs instead. I do wish though the altering POVs had been broken down into more chapters since they did feel long at points and dragged a little. Overall I did adore this book so much. But I do have to say, I hated Shane and how condescending he was, but that also may have been the point of his character.

I was apprehensive in reading this bc I didn’t really care for Like A Love Story (even though I gave it 3 stars out of guilt lol)! I decided to go for it since there isn’t much Persian representation. This was much different than my previous experience and I’m glad I read this.

It follows 3 perspectives of Mood, Saeed, and Bobby from different generations taking place in both Tehran, Iran and Los Angeles, California. The story was poignant, sweet, and an overall strong coming of age with identity and finding yourself. I felt seen with a lot of the Persian references as well. The only thing I wish is that the chapters were broken up a little differently !

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book!

Another beautiful novel from the author of my fave, Like a Love Story. This one hits hard, telling the story of three generations of Iranian men (the grandpa and the son are both gay). The three storylines hold their own and then interweave so nicely. It’s a tender, entertaining, & very touching book.

I really enjoyed this book. The author did a good job in writing about Iranian History(such as the Green Wave), highlighting the issues Queer Iranians face on a daily basis and the issues many Iranians face on a daily basis. The connections between the 3 generations of Iranian men was extremely well done and tied together very well in the story. Overall, very good book.

I have been a fan of Nazemian’s work for a while so this was already a must read for me. However I will say that it not only exceeded my expectations but left me with such a feeling of joy and hope. This is a book not to be missed.

Wow… this powerful YA novel really packs a punch! In this book, we read of three generations of Iranian-American men, exploring nationality and sexuality. I loved so many aspects of this book — a look into queer life in the US and Iran at different points in history, the international setting, the family drama and multigenerational story, the Old Hollywood setting…

I will say, as a YA book, it did read a bit YA at times, not in the angst of the characters (though there is a little of that), but the writing was a little heavy handed at times, regarding social issues, and the ending was a little cheesy and saccharine. That said, knowing it was a YA book, it didn’t diminish my enjoyment of the book at all.

I’m sorry I haven’t seen this book around anywhere because it was a really powerful read and I’m so glad I picked it up! I highly recommend this new title, out now!

Heartrending, emotional, and utterly brilliant. This is the second historical fiction book I've read from Abdi Nazemian (the first being LIKE A LOVE STORY), and he has a talent for making historical fiction uniquely accessible and intimate.

I got an ARC of this book.

Wow. I love this book so much. From the very first page I was hooked.

There were four stories happening. The stories of each of the men of the family and the story of their family. What hooked me was how different they all saw their family. Moud didn’t feel like he was loved enough by his dad, because his dad was very stoic. Saeed fell in love fast, but had to learn how to love those around him when they weren’t “perfect”. Bobby had to learn to love himself and what that truly meant for his life.

Bobby’s story was heartbreaking and fascinating. He was learning who he was while it was illegal to exist and while being raised by a controlling mother. His story was about stealing small moments for himself so he could experience love. It was about learning how to support others that you didn’t have to support and how to be supported. The fact that Zip became a nurturing figure for Bobby made my heart so full. Then Bobby becoming Baba just melted me. The way his story plays out is so wonderful. It shows a man with the biggest heart imaginable.

Saeed’s story was a bit harder. It was about an idealistic young man learning to accept others for who they were. He falls in love fast and makes up ideas of who people are instead of learning who they truly are. So when he finds out a secret about his parents, he almost loses them entirely. He is the sort of man that credits women with making him a better person. He is able to see his own flaws. He tries. There are so many painful passages to read though. His homophobia is clear, it is loud, it is painful as a queer person to read. It is clear he is not over it at any point. It is clear he is trying. Doesn’t make his voice easier to read.

Moud was an instant understanding. He has to learn who his family is to really know who he is. He is learning how to be Iranian. He is learning to speak for himself, even when that means saying something that someone he loves doesn’t understand. He is learning to see the people around him. He is learning so much. I loved how his queerness was a bridge between generations. I loved how his queerness showed how family and love survives, even in places that doesn’t want it to.

Overall, the story was amazing. I wish it were a bit longer so I could get more. This is a selfish want though. I want to see more of Baba and Moud playing tar together. I want to see so much.