Heavensent & Hellbent

by Sara Jafari

In this riveting contemporary fantasy, 18-year-old Roxy uncovers a life-altering family secret while discovering that the boy haunting her nightmares is not only an angel, but her fated mate.

When Roxy moves from Hull to Denver, she expects her summer to be uneventful. All she has to do is not piss off her dad, continue healing from the loss of her mom, and conquer her sleep paralysis before going to university in the fall. Easy.

But as fate would have it, she bumps into the beautiful boy, Zain, who's been in her recurring nightmare. Each time, they're burning at the stake. In real life, she witnesses him snapping the neck of a man and quickly learns that not only do jinn exist, but angels, too.

Meeting Zain triggers new nightmares, ones that come with a If Roxy and Zain don't ignore the attraction between them, there will be hell to pay. And upon learning that their souls have been entwined for centuries, they must decide whether their connection in this lifetime is worth fighting for, especially against the divine forces that forbid them from being together.

PRAISE FOR SARA JAFARI'S THE MISMATCH:

'Original, thought-provoking and gripping. I was hooked from the beginning' LIBBY PAGE

'Enlightening, poignant and romantic' SOPHIE COUSENS

'I absolutely devoured it . . . ' BETH REEKLES

'Beautiful writing and complex, fascinating characters' HELLY ACTON

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult Fantasy

Kindle Edition

Expected publication August 11, 2026

About the author

Sara Jafari is a British-Iranian author and editor. She is the author of The Mismatch and People Change (Penguin Random House, 2021 and 2023).

People Change will be published as Things Left Unsaid by St. Martin’s Press in Spring 2025.

Longlisted for Spread the Word's Life Writing Prize, her writing has also been published in gal-dem and The Good Journal, among other publications. She is also a contributor of the essay collection "I Will Not Be Erased": Our stories about growing up as people of colour (Walker Books, 2019), and Who’s Loving You (Trapeze, 2021).

Reviews

[My.bookish.diaries]

pre read: 🚨ARC Received🚨
Thank you Penguin Teen Canada for the free copy ❤️
I cannot wait to discover this world ❤️‍🔥
Reading updates soon 🫶🏽

[°✧ sultana ✧° · Rating 3 out of 5]

The best part about this book is the characters' love. It stands through time, it strengthens through age. They can't help but be entwined with one another. Their souls are bound to come back into each other's orbit. It was breathtaking.

The creatures and world were fun too. I liked the rivalry between the angles and jinn, which is the basis of the 'forbidden-ness' of the characters' relationship. I liked how this normal world was woven in with the ‘underworld’. I read this pretty quickly because I found the writing easy to grasp and entertaining. I was curious how Zain and Roxana were going to end up together given the circumstances, but the author handled that really well. I knew they would do anything for each other.

Also the author mentions Sabaa Tahir and Tahereh Mafi which I found cute. The main character is a big reader, and works at a bookstore so I definitely enjoyed that.
Thank you to Atom for this earc.

[Jess Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGallery and Brown Book Group UK for this ARC
And of course Sara Jafari!
This review contains NO spoilers! And all that is said is my honest and non-biased opinion.

I am not going to give spoilers or massive details of what happens in this book. That would be silly and counterproductive!

Release date for this book is 6th August 2026

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overall this YA book was a really good read, the plot idea was great and writing structure was good.
However, I do think the following need more work:

- world building
- character building and personality
- unpredictable twists

I really wanted to feel and see the places in my mind but I really struggled. If you have a really slow beginning, make it informative, descriptive, build the world around you.
I wanted more for the characters, I had no connection with them unfortunately.
All the twists I forsaw well before they were coming.

I do believe this is the first of its kind from Sara Jafari and it was done really well, just needed that extra sprinkle and it would be an amazing book.

Thank you so much again to NetGallery, Brown Book Group UK and Sara Jafari

[Keira · Rating 3 out of 5]

True rating 3.5

This was an ARC for bookclub. I probably wouldn’t have picked it up if I knew the age suggestion was for 12 and above. I wasn’t particularly in the mood for a young read.

I loved the influence of Iranian, British, and American cultures. It was fascinating to read about them. The characters and their quirks are well done.

This is a cross between city of bones and Broken by Kreary Taylor. And someone who has suffered sleep paralysis myself I found the representation a true reflection of how terrifying and helpless it is.

It read a little young for me, even though the characters are 18 and above. I think this could be a 4 if I hadn’t gone into it blind.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gave me such early 2000s dystopian book vibes. It made me very nostalgic for my childhood, but in a good way. This book is like if Shadow Hunters, Hush Hush, and Our Infinite Fates all came together to make this book with a sprinkle of Iranian representation. This book had true love reincarnation, angels, Jinn (demons), evil immortal kings, magic, and so much more. I was super glad that I was lucky enough to receive an early copy of this book because it was amazing.

[RUTH GUCKIEAN · Rating 3 out of 5]

thank you to the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review!

i want to be fair to this book because i think it knows exactly what it is — it's just not for me.

Heavensent & Hellbent follows Roxana, a teen who's recently moved from England to Colorado, dealing with grief and sleep paralysis and the general exhaustion of uprooting your life. then she meets Zain, a boy from her nightmares (literally — they're being burned at the stake together), watches him kill a man, and discovers that jinn and angels are real and she's tangled up in something much bigger than a bad summer. fated mates, reincarnation, heaven vs. hell stakes. the ingredients are there.

here's my issue: i read a lot of angel/demon fiction. like, a lot. and when you've spent time with the darker, more complex iterations of these themes — stories that really dig into the theological horror of divine warfare, the moral rot of celestial hierarchies, the existential weight of damnation and grace — a version that skims the surface is always going to feel thin by comparison. and this one skims. the worldbuilding around jinn, angels, and the cosmological framework has potential but never goes deep enough to feel fully realized. it's more set dressing than architecture.

the romance also didn't work for me, and a lot of that comes down to Roxy. i found her genuinely difficult to spend time with — not in the "flawed protagonist making hard choices" way that i usually love, but in a way where her reactions and decision-making felt inconsistent and, honestly, grating. she's told repeatedly that this relationship could lead to their destruction. she watches Zain kill someone. and the narrative never really grapples with the weight of any of that in a way that feels earned. the "isn't love worth fighting heaven and hell for" question only hits if the love story makes you believe the answer is yes, and i wasn't there.

the writing has a younger tone that i think will work well for readers who are newer to fantasy romance or just starting to explore angel/demon narratives. there's an accessibility to it that's clearly intentional. but as someone who prefers this subgenre at its darkest and most psychologically complex, it read as juvenile in a way that kept me at arm's length for most of the book.what i did appreciate: the cultural specificity of Roxana's background, the grief thread woven through the story, and the sleep paralysis element — that's a genuinely creepy hook that i wish had been leaned into harder.

if you're looking for a lighter entry point into angel/demon romance with fated mates and reincarnation — this could absolutely be your thing. if you already know the landscape and want something with more teeth, this one probably won't scratch the itch.

[Katherine Kelley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book early!

Heavensent and Hellbent follows Roxanna and Zain as they replay their soul-bonded, fated romance and try to escape the tragic fate that their previous lives couldn’t. Roxanna is a typical YA romantasy heroine and Zain is a typical Hero. The only thing that really sets them apart is the fated mate, doomed love that they share. Their past lives are much more interesting than them, which is part of the point. Yet, we get so little of these flashbacks, serving more as deus ex machina moments than something that enriches this story and our characters. Part of that typical heroin-ness is prickling density and ignorance that defies logic, which Roxanna definitely possesses. Honestly, I can’t even say this is a huge flaw in the novel, but I found it increasingly annoying as I neared the end. She’s baffled by others’ very predictable distrust and distaste towards her based on her and Zain’s doomed love stories. She acts confused about concepts that were literally just explained to her a few pages earlier.

Pop culture references are pretty controversial, but I usually don’t mind them if they’re implemented properly. Here, they are particularly grating. There a lot of insanely vague references to very specific moments on TikTok that are basically gibberish out of context, and should have been removed as they add nothing to the plot or the characters. There is also a PAINFUL Chappell Roan reference where a character sings “Casual” at another to chastise their hot and cold attitude. It was so out of place, I had to put the book down

I can’t talk about basically anything in this book without mentioning the twist, so this review contains spoilers. The good news is that this reveal is the most obvious thing on the planet earth that you can probably guess just by reading the title. I'll try to be vague, but be warned.

This feels very much like a duology squished into one book. Book one should end when Roxanna is taken to the underworld, giving space for her relationship with her sister and her discoveries about her mom. The problem is that the slower pacing and relative lack of urgency of the first half doesn’t have enough plot to stand on its own. We’re told that they could be jumped by Jinn at any second as Rox’s dreams continue to taunt but the page time lent to these “mounting threats” makes them feel trivial.

The message about good and evil that this novel projects is unclear. The Jinn aren’t all bad. The Angels aren’t all good. Roxanna and her siblings prove that trickery and violence aren’t inherent to Jinn. Her Mother is hinted to be similarly gifted with empathy and not just wanting to be a part of the cycle of violence in the underworld. The servant who helps Roxanna and previously helped her mother seems to suggest that the duplicitous, blah blah blah other words for evil, ways that Jinn act is because of the oppression of the Jinn King. The angels treat Roxanna in a dehumanizing way, and kill Jinn without hesitation, seeming to parallel hate groups in uncomfortable ways. All the Jinn we see delight in trickery and violence and don’t care about casualties. Zain helps a group of Jinn who want to depose the king and create democracy (this is brought up briefly but then Azar becomes a benevolent queen anyway) but he really only does this because Roxanna is in danger and not because his worldview has changed at all. The book ends happily ever after, but without addressing the conflicting narratives of good and evil vs the moral complexity that both sides share. Of course, Jinn get much more focus. There isn’t enough room in this novel to address whatever the author seems to want to say. It just ends up being a muddled, confusing non-message, which is especially strange for a book aimed at younger audiences. I could get on board if these moral questions were meant to get the reader thinking and linger in their mind without a solid answer, but it doesn’t work out that way. It feels like it wants to have a message and then gives up before actually saying anything at all.

[taras.tome · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group UK, NetGalley and Sara Jafari for the opportunity to review this e-ARC.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book. Roxy has her life uprooted while having to deal with re-occurring obstacles. A strange, but familiar boy named Zain enters her life and suddenly things begin to unravel and she has to face facts head on.

I enjoyed learning about Iranian culture through Roxy and her family. My favourite thing about this book was actually Roxy and her family’s dynamics. Especially with her younger brother, that was so easy to relate to!

I did not enjoy the world-building, as frankly, I needed much more of it. It was minimal, when it had the potential to be soo much more! Places were constantly mentioned but not built upon. I wasn’t able to transport myself. Additionally, I would have really appreciated more in-depth lore in aiding my understanding of the elements relating to the Angels and Jinns. I didn’t really get any glimpse into the Angel society at all. That would have been fantastic if dived into.

Character wise, they too needed built upon a bit more. I enjoyed every characters inclusion in the story, although I felt no real connection to them. Roxy and Zains connection felt very surface level at the beginning-mid sections of the book. I felt they were scared to voice their raw emotions on anything. Through both words and actions. On top of that, with Cleo and Nic, I would have loved for real feminine love and friendship to have been explored more. It felt they were sidelined for most of the story. Each character’s personality needed to be built more. I feel I don’t really know them and they don’t stand out individually.

Plot wise, I liked learning about certain beings and I loved the portrayal of memories and dreams. The dreams especially were so vivid! I looked forward to reading about those moments in the book.

The writing style and chapter structures were really easy to follow and I believe the pacing was a wonderful fit for the YA genre.

Overall, as a debut YA standalone it was good. It just needs a bit more flavour and layering and it would be super.

[E.B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. (some spoilers present)
Oh, grab a drink and settle down because this book was a bumpy ride. The plot itself had sooo much promise, I mean, an angel and a demon having a decades-long love affair that ends in death and reincarnation, I mean, sign me up. However, the FMC was unbearable, and I don’t mean some of the things she did made me mad, no, don’t get it twisted, every time this girl thought I wanted to punch her in the face. I will say she got a bit (not a lot, just a bit) more bearable towards the end.
Oh, Zain, the one consistent thing in this book. He was the perfect love interest, and I would have loved it if the book were dual POV and not just to get away from Roxy and her ever-present thoughts. He really was a well-written character with depth that I feel Roxy was missing.
I think this book proved the point that pop culture in books has got to go. There is no quicker way to suck someone out of a story than by mentioning Stanley Cups and Sabrina Carpenter, especially if they provide absolutely nothing to the plot.
All in all, it was an okay book with a solid plot and forgettable side characters. The main character falls a little flat to me (as previously mentioned); it’s like, at times, she had no personality other than having a dead mom, a thrift issue, and randomly hating America. It’s a quick read and does have a nice romance, so 3 out of 5 stars.

[Carissa Manrique · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading Heavensent and Hellbent. Going into it, I knew it was a young adult series, and it definitely stayed true to that tone. Most of the romantic moments were pretty PG, maybe PG-13 at most, which didn’t bother me. If anything, it kept the focus on the story itself rather than getting too caught up in anything overly intense.
One of my favorite parts was how fast-paced it felt. I never felt like it dragged, and the twists and turns really kept me on my toes. Just when I thought I had something figured out, the story would shift in a way that made me want to keep reading. That constant sense of surprise is what made it so engaging for me.
I also really liked the use of Middle Eastern folklore, especially with the angels and jinn. It gave the story a different feel compared to a lot of other fantasy books I’ve read, and I appreciated that fresh perspective.
If I had one critique, it would be the character development, especially for the main male and female leads. They weren’t bad characters at all, but I found myself wishing I could connect with them a little more deeply. I wanted to understand them on a more personal level and feel more invested in their relationship.
Overall, though, I really enjoyed the series. It was a fun, engaging read that kept me interested the whole time, and I’d definitely recommend it, especially if you like fast, paced stories with a unique fantasy element and a bit of forbidden love.

[Aureliana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly, thanks to Netgalley, atom publishers and Sara Jafari for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.

I’ll be honest. I don’t like this book. I dont like the emphasis on the modern aspect of it. And i especially dont think that Palestine should be brought up. Especially in the modern context. I don’t think that kind of thing should be in a book. I also think this is a bad choice in a marketing point of view. I get that the Sara Jafari is trying to educate the reader about the Iranian world, but I also think that it’s just unnecessary. That being said, the plot of this book was actually surprisingly enjoyable so I think I would recommend this book as i felt that it was a quick read.

HOWEVER I didn’t like the how slow the beginning was. The first few chapters really took a while to build up. It was also SOOO predictable, like there needs to be more twists and turns and things. I always knew that the Penny was a div

The plot follows a girl named Roxana who is plagued by nightmares and meets the boy from his nightmares named Zain as Roxana discovers and navigates a world full of good and bad, angels and Jinn.

The characters didn’t really have any development, and there was a typo on page 399 btw. It said Castile instead of Castiel. I really love the names of the characters and

[Saynab · Rating 4 out of 5]

“And I have always loved you, in the lifetimes before this one and in the next. But especially, and most importantly, in this one"

I went into Heavensent & Hellbent expecting a cool angel vs demon vibe, but what I got was chaos, tension, and characters that absolutely refuse to behave. The whole heaven and hell dynamic isn’t just aesthetic, it feels intense and personal, like every choice actually matters and comes with consequences.

The writing pulled me in immediately. It’s rich without being overwhelming, and the atmosphere is just… heavy in the best way. You can feel the fire, the pull between light and dark, and that constant sense of something about to go very wrong.

And the characters?? I’m obsessed. Flawed, emotional, a little unhinged at times… exactly how I like them. The chemistry is insane, like the kind that makes you pause and reread certain scenes because excuse me?? I needed a moment.

Also can we talk about the tension because it was doing things to me. Not just romantic tension but emotional tension, the kind that builds and builds until you’re just sitting there like please I cannot take this anymore.

This book feels like standing between heaven and hell and not knowing which side you even want to choose anymore.

I’m genuinely not over it and I don’t think I will be anytime soon 😩

[Helmi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5⭐️ thanks netgalley for the arc! this was like a love child of The Mortal Instruments and somehow Twilight. a girl moves to a city she does not want to, feels alone, meets a boy who is different and her family has a secret.

the thing is I love angel x demon books. I also adore Tahreh Mafis This Woven Kingdom with Jinn folkore. so it was obvious I was gonna like this. I also like how this was really just a standalone and surprisingly plotty one. even if it wrapped up in a neat and very fast bow.

I don't particularly enjoy mixing political and pop cultural things from our world in books so some comments threw me off. there were also parts where the text abruptly skipped or cut off and I was confused for a second about what I'm reading. and I didn't feel the greatest connection to the characters because it was short.

but I really enjoyed it, it was fast, had multiple worlds and a real plot (even if some of it was a bit plastered and rushed). entertaining especially the "our world" part in the beginning

[Lumley Little Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first thing to note about this book is that it's extremely character-driven. As someone who normally reaches for books with a lot of world-building, the shift took a moment to adjust to but it was refreshing being able to just concentrate on the characters and their connection rather than being bogged down by a lot of heavy lore.

I also appreciated the opportunity to learn about Persian culture and I even Googled a few words to learn what they were which was fascinating to me.

It was tough reading how controlling and sometimes selfish Rox's dad was, though it was understandable given their past experiences. I think it came from a good place and his moments of selfishness stemmed from his inability to cope with the loss in their lives.

The main story was compelling and the romance between the two MCs was beautiful.

This is definitely a YA book that I would have obsessed over in my teens, no doubt drooling over how beautiful and protective Zain is and how badass Rox is! As an adult, I still thoroughly enjoyed it, even if I did wish there were moments of deeper and richer world-building.

[౨ৎ e L L i e · Rating 3 out of 5]

[3⭐️]

thank you to atom, little brown book group uk & netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review!!

this book was ok, just not my favourite thing i’ve ever read. the writing was very well written, which in turn made this a very quick and smooth read. i did however find the worldbuilding somewhat lacking. i just wanted to feel immersed, but felt like i couldn’t because it wasn’t as descriptive as i’d have liked it to be. roxy as an fmc is definitely complex, mainly in the way she makes you feel as a reader. her decision making felt quite inconsistent at times. also the romance between her and zain felt somewhat surface level to me. at least in the beginning/ first half of the book. i will say, i did definitely enjoy the plot of the book and also learning about all the different beings included within it!

[The Secret Book Dragon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you netgalley for the eArc 🫶🏻


“And I have always loved you, in the lifetimes before this one and in the next. But especially, and most importantly, in this one"



The way this book gripped me!!

Roxy & Zain 😭😭😭

I loved this book, the characters were so well written and it genuinely felt like I was reading from an 18yr olds perspective- I loved the links to real life authors and clothing as well, made it feel even more realistic!

Have I found my new favourite trope?! I think so 😭 No spoilers so you'll have to find out for yourself what happens!

Only reason Ive given it 4stars is because I would if loved for it to be a series cause Im definitely not ready to let go of these characters, would love to see more of Azar!

[Meg Pailing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book! The writing is super easy to get into and kept me hooked the whole time. The plot was interesting with some nice twists, and I liked the mix of mystery and supernatural elements.

The relationship between the main characters was definitely a highlight! It had that intense, slightly “forbidden” vibe that made it really engaging, and I was invested in how everything would turn out. I also really liked the world-building, especially how the normal world blended with things like jinn and angels.

The main character annoyed me a bit at times, but it didn’t take away from the overall story. The ending was satisfying, and I’d definitely recommend it if you like fantasy with romance and a bit of suspense.

[Julia Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heavensent and Hellbent by Sara Jafari was sent to me through Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. This is a YA book that piqued my interest when I read the synopsis. Paranormal? check. Angels and Demons? double check. Our FMC Roxy has just moved from across the pond and lost her mom, so she is dealing with a lot. She also has debilitating night terrors. Ones that cause physical marks to show up. That's totally normal, right? We have a forbidden love trope with Roxy and Jain, who is an angel. Even tho their souls are intertwined, they can't be together. I'm giving this book 3.5 stars, rounded up. I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys paranormal elements such as jinn, angels , demons, and romance!
This book is due to come out Aug. 1, 2026.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF at 22%

This book reminded me of the 2000s type of YA books (think Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick or Fallen by Lauren Kate). It very much felt juvenile and the characters fell flat to me. I had a hard time connecting to the FMC and the MMC just felt very shallow. The big reveal at around 20% was not very well done. It was a lot of telling rather than showing, and the FMC just believed this insane story like it was normal. I tried to push through, but I just couldn't bring myself to. I think this would probably do well in a younger audience, hence the 3 stars, but for me it was just too juvenile.

**Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book!**

[Eda Štrāla · Rating 5 out of 5]

* ARC read *

Well, where do I even start? Less than 3 days is what it took to fly through this book (mind you, I still had to work).
Sweet but definitely not innocent. Special with the culture new to me brining joy but also extremely relatable.
As a fellow book and thrifting obsessed person, sitting in a coffee shop and drinking my sweet (and overpriced) drink of choice, I felt connected in ways that surprised me.
I don’t want to give spoilers but this book should indeed be your next read if you are into fantasy, good world building and romance.

As always - thank you to NetGalley and the author for allowing me to enjoy this before it’s even out on the shelves 🥹❤️‍🔥

[Skylar Keeton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arc Review
Heavensent & Hellbent by Sara Jafari
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you Random House Children's Books | Delacorte Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This was a beautiful book with a love story that transwnds time, and always find each other.
It was amazing to read about and I'm so glad I took a chance to read this book.
#HeavensentHellbent #NetGalley

[Meghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read and pretty fun, but the beginning was very slow and took awhile to get into it. The world building could've been better and the characters needed more depth, but overall, not a bad read. Wish the author wove the twists better into the story like Fletcher Delancey as an example.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[MONIQUE · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heavensent & Hellbent is a story about past lives, fate, desire, and the pressures of oneself and the world around them. This book was a fun read that kept me captivated by the story. But i also found it at times to be a bit sloppy. I think teens and young adults will thoroughly enjoy this book and it's pacing. This original story makes for quite a fun read.

[grace after dark · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot was intriguing and the writing was strong, but the story had a slow start that made it a bit difficult to get into. I also struggled to connect with the characters, which affected my overall enjoyment. Because of that, I didn’t feel as immersed in the story as I usually hope to be when reading fantasy. Still, it was a solid read overall.

Thank you net galley for the ARC!

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun and entertaining standalone YA contemporary fantasy. Some of the twists seem pretty obvious and it did drag a bit at the beginning but overall, a fun read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my EARC!

[Posie R.]

Jan 8, 2026
First NetGalley e-ARC approval of 2026!! 😍😍😍

[Lois Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Complete RTC.

[Kristie Kieffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is quiet but powerful. Sara Jafari dives into identity, faith, desire, and the pressure of expectations with such raw honesty. It’s all about that internal tug-of-war — wanting to belong while also wanting to break free.

The main character is messy and real, and you feel every doubt and conflicted choice alongside her. The writing is thoughtful, restrained, and deeply emotional without ever being overdramatic.

A reflective, character-driven story that lingers long after the last page