Dinner at 10:32

by Mahyar A. Amouzegar

In Dinner At 10:32, Mahyar A. Amouzegar offers a textured examination of the ambiguity of the most intimate human relationships. Near the end of his life, Donte’s granddaughter asks him a simple What are the true origins of his long love affair with his wife? From there, Donte embarks on a reminiscence of their complex love story, along with other romances, friendships, and intrigues that peppered his younger days. As Donte reveals the moments that formed him by sharing stories with his granddaughter, both are led to contemplate memories, truths, secrets, and hope. Mahyar A. Amouzegar is the author of two previous novels, A Dark Sunny Afternoon and Pisgah Road. His short story, Tell Me More, appeared in the Anthology of Short Stories as part of the Reading Corner Series. Mahyar has been in love with literature since he was a child in Tehran, and continued this passion when he moved to San Francisco as a teenager. He has lived and worked on four different continents and currently resides in New Orleans with his wife and two daughters.

253 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 17, 2020

About the author

Mahyar A. Amouzegar is the author of three novels, A Dark Sunny Afternoon,Pisgah Road and Dinner at 10:32. His short story, Tell Me More, appeared in the Anthology of Short Stories as part of the Reading Corner Series. Mahyar has been in love with literature since he was a child in Tehran, and continued this passion when he moved to San Francisco as a teenager. He has lived and worked on four different continents and currently resides in New Orleans with his wife and two daughters.

Reviews

[Maria Leung · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was that one moment by choice or by chance?
Mahyar Amouzegar's third novel is as intriguing as his first two. His main characters are often contemplative and conflicted so you are drawn into trying to decrypt their psyche. This main character, Donte, is cerebral yet clueless. Impenetrable yet vulnerable. Lovable yet loathsome. There were moments when I cringed, moments when I laughed out loud and moments when I cheered.
There are many friends and couples in this story from the past and present so it did take time to remember who is who and how they are connected.
I especially enjoyed scenes describing San Francisco- from the damp wind that cuts to the bone to the pink string that the Italian bakeries in North Beach use to secure the boxes of pastries.
All of Amouzegar's novels do leave situations open for interpretation so it is up to the reader's imagination to determine what really happened.
Excellent for discussions in book clubs or just over a latte and cannoli.

[M.B. Bartkowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though it was hard for me to put my finger on it with specificity, something about Dinner at 10:32 drew me in and made it an easy read from the start. I found the characters intriguing. They were multi-dimensional and well developed, yet what was left unsaid and ambiguous kept me searching for answers and engaged all the way through. In the end, however, it was hard for me to shake the sense of the narrative being little more than a boasting recount of the protagonist's past romantic exploits. All the women in the story love Donte in one way or another, yet it was unclear to me why. While I enjoyed the dynamics of each scene the author crafted, I struggled to find a compelling plot to which they all belonged.

[Abby Stopka · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reminds me of the notebook but written in a different form. I loved the way it was written although a bit slow to get started.