Only This Beautiful Moment

by Abdi Nazemian

From the Stonewall Honor–winning author of Like a Love Story comes a sweeping story of three generations of boys in the same Iranian family. Perfect for fans of Last Night at the Telegraph Club and Darius the Great Is Not Okay.

2019. Moud is an out gay teen living in Los Angeles with his distant father, Saeed. When Moud gets the news that his grandfather in Iran is dying, he accompanies his dad to Tehran, where the revelation of family secrets will force Moud into a new understanding of his history, his culture, and himself.

1978. Saeed is an engineering student with a promising future ahead of him in Tehran. But when his parents discover his involvement in the country’s burgeoning revolution, they send him to safety in America, a country Saeed despises. And even worse—he’s forced to live with the American grandmother he never knew existed.

1939. Bobby, the son of a calculating Hollywood stage mother, lands a coveted MGM studio contract. But the fairy-tale world of glamour he’s thrust into has a dark side.

Set against the backdrop of Tehran and Los Angeles, this tale of intergenerational trauma and love is an ode to the fragile bonds of family, the hidden secrets of history, and all the beautiful moments that make us who we are today.

Genres: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, LGBT, Queer, Fiction, Contemporary, Historical

400 pages, Hardcover

First published May 9, 2023

About the author

Abdi Nazemian is the author of Only This Beautiful Moment - winner of the 2024 Stonewall Award and 2024 Lambda Literary Award - and Like a Love Story, a Stonewall Honor Book and one of Time Magazine’s Best YA Books Of All Time. He is also the author of the young adult novels Desert Echoes, The Chandler Legacies, and The Authentics. His novel The Walk-In Closet won the Lambda Literary Award for LGBT Debut Fiction. His screenwriting credits include the films The Artist’s Wife, The Quiet, and Menendez: Blood Brothers and the television series Ordinary Joe and The Village. He has been an executive producer and associate producer on numerous films, including Call Me by Your Name, Little Woods, and The House of Tomorrow. He lives in Los Angeles with his husband, their two children, and their dog, Disco. Find him online at abdinazemian.com.

Reviews

[Taylor Reid]

Told from the perspectives of Moud, Saeed, and Bobby, this multi-generational story will take you from 2019 Los Angeles to 1978 Tehran to 1939 Hollywood and back again. A complex coming-of-a-story of these three boys who are inextricably linked, not only by family but in ways yet revealed. Abdi never fails to weave a powerful and moving story.

[Marieke (mariekes_mesmerizing_books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remember Like a Love Story? About AIDS in 1989? Abdi Azemian is back with Only This Beautiful Moment, another stunning and heartfelt story.

Three boys on the cusp of adulthood in 1939, 1978, and 2019. Their lives inextricably linked. Each with a link to the US and Iran. Each falling in love. Each searching for their roots. Each finding out family secrets. A family marked by tragedy and connected by love.

I felt warmth seep through my body when I started reading Only This Beautiful Moment. Moud, Saeed, and Bobby are fully fleshed-out and lovable characters, and the descriptive writing made me crave to visit Iran somewhere in the future. Abdi shows us his undying love for Iran and the importance of looking at people instead of politics of a country. This story is about being in the moment and, like Abdi says, making it as beautiful as possible. It’s about forming a community where everyone can be who they want to be, even if you have to be invisible like queer Iranians.

I wanted to be with Moud, then with Saeed, but I also wanted to go back to Moud and to be with Bobby, and so on and on and on. And more warmth seeped through my body while connecting the missing dots.

This book feels incredibly personal, and in my opinion, it’s a huge talent when an author can achieve that feeling. The only criticism I have is that the story should have been longer. If the book had twice as many pages, I still would have gulped it down at a furious pace. And I think that this criticism is merely my own wish to be with Moud, Saeed, and Bobby a little longer and to see those gorgeous images of Iran constantly flashing through my mind.

Please put this book on your TBR, preorder it, and read it. It’s worth it, I promise!

I received an ARC from Harper Collins Children’s Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet and thoughtful young-adult novel about three generations of boys within the same Iranian family. It’s ironic that the Goodreads description says that this book is perfect for fans of Last Night at the Telegraph Club because I found Only This Beautiful Moment far superior. While Last Night at the Telegraph Club plays into stereotypes about Asian families and culture being backwards, this novel does an excellent job of questioning white, western, orientalist views of queerness in the East (in this book’s case Iran specifically). Abdi Nazemian’s writing flows smoothly and he captures poignant family and community dynamics (e.g., learning about your roots, recognizing family member’s flaws, etc.) well. There are sad and dark themes in this book like homophobia and racism though Nazemian keeps the atmosphere of the story from getting too dark. This novel did make me feel grateful for my queer elders of color who’ve come before me and have made things better for me, even if there’s still a ton of work to do.

[Nev · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only This Beautiful Moment is an emotionally impactful queer YA story about 3 generations of boys in an Iranian family. In 2019 the openly gay Moud is traveling to Iran for the first time and is concerned about hiding his sexuality for his own safety and what his family will think of him. In 1978 Moud’s father Saeed is dealing with a potential romance with a mystery girl and protesting in the streets of Tehran. And finally, in 1939 in Los Angeles Moud’s grandfather Bobby is dealing with hiding his sexuality and having a stage mother who wants him to become a Hollywood star.

The story masterfully switches between being set in these 3 different time periods and POVs. Sometimes in a book with multiple timelines one will not be as interesting as the others. However, that did not happen here. I felt like Moud, Saeed, and Bobby and their individual stories were all compelling enough to carry their own full novel. But the way that their stories intertwined made the book as a whole even stronger. Getting all of their stories shows the ways that intergenerational trauma impacts a family. The book also shows the importance of queer history, queer role models, and finding love and community even when it’s frowned upon by society.

This truly is a beautiful book. I feel like it could be appreciated by people who don’t typically read YA or historical fiction. The stories of the boys in this family over time create such a moving narrative. Definitely check this one out if it sounds interesting to you.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Sha · Rating 4 out of 5]

beautiful heartwarming tale of 3 generations

This story broke me and healed me! It’s so beautifully written. It has humor, pain, sadness, love, friendship, family, self discovery, and so much more. The author is a sheer genius and I need to check out more of their work asap.

[Lance · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Weaving together themes of generational trauma, queer and Iranian history, and the complicated dynamics between fathers and sons, Only This Beautiful Moment is a stunning tapestry of a novel that feels at once sweeping and intensely personal to me.

[Tom the Teacher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being gay on the internet is exhausting.

You said it, Moud. You said it.

A Young Adult, multigenerational story set between Tehran and Los Angeles, revolving around three Iranian men - Moud, Saeed and Bobby - with a whole lot of queerness and questions thrown in.

A bit heavy-handed with its messaging in places, this is ultimately a lovely story focused on family and acceptance (both of ourselves and others), with a decent dollop of history. It also brings to the forefront the 'otherness' with which people in the West often view Iran (and other nations), but also reminds us that, as human beings, we share more similarities than differences. Iran is actually very high up on my list of nations to visit, however as a Brit, I'm only allowed there on a guided tour (which costs thousands), so unless that changes - or anyone wants to lend me a few grand - then I shall get my information vicariously through fictional characters (and the copious references to Iranian food).

Speaking of characters, I wish we'd delved a bit deeper into some of the characters - I don't fully get what happened with Bobby, and his (and Margaret's) story seems to end rather abruptly. A shame, as I found Margaret to be quite an intriguing character. I'd have loved a bit more of Siamak too, and a lot less of Shane (so, so irritating). Criticisms of Saeed from other reviewers feel a bit off to me - he's a heterosexual Iranian man in the 1970's, of course he's not immediately going to become a beacon of enlightenment, and to judge the novel based on that is, I feel, completely missing the point. Novels are a mirror to human condition, and some humans are homophobic - creating Saeed's character as anything else at first, would've been a bizarre choice from Abdi Nazemian (plus, through plot and storyline, this is explored further).

3.5 stars for me, rounded up in this case. Young Adult normally isn't my genre, but this was a solid story, and fans of queer YA fiction will no doubt appreciate this abundantly.

[Anniek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nowadays, we tend to see history as very separate from current day. This beautiful multigenerational story, following a gay Iranian teenager, his father, and his grandfather, shows how history and the present are intertwined. I already knew Abdi Nazemian has a beautiful way of writing historical fiction, and this book once again proves that. It was incredible to see all these family secrets slowly unraveling, to see Moud's father and grandfather both in their own youth and in the current day, and to see with how much nuance their stories were told.

[Nora · Rating 5 out of 5]

everytime i read a book about generational trauma I'm like yea this is the content i like, most definitely.
But anyway, i recieved a netgalley arc of this, AND can we talk about it? I need to talk about it because this shattered my heart to pieces, writing this and I'm sobbing fat ugly tears on my bed. it's just? This is about love and loss and growth and everything in between.
Reading about Bobby, Saeed, Moud it just? It hurt. Obviously I'm not iranian but if i had a dollar for every book with set in iran i read this year I'd have 2 dollars which isn't much but I STILL CALL IT AN EXPERIENCE. Getting to experience the culture even if second chance, it's an honor. I am once again talking about how i cried during every page post the 60% mark. thank you for this book. I want to cherish this experience forever. If it weren't already clear i recommend this book to everyone who comes across it<3.

[hiba · Rating 3 out of 5]

only this beautiful moment left me with rather mixed feelings but i'm glad it allowed me a glimpse into queer iranian culture.

first, what i loved: the concept of three generations of iranian boys in the same family, two of whom are gay, struggling to overcome years of silence, secrets, and intergenerational trauma to finally come together. all three first-person POVs set in different timelines felt quite distinct, which is always a feat to accomplish. i liked how the author was able to tackle various themes, from revolutionary protests in iran to queer history in america, without overwhelming the story. what i really appreciated seeing was the complicated relationship people can have with their culture, particularly queer people from violently homophobic countries. i also loved the emphasis on adult mentors/role models supporting young queer people.

however, what didn't work for me: reading the POV of a homophobic guy (who eventually grows up to learn better but still). it was just deeply uncomfortable reading about a gay man trying so hard to make his straight, homophobic son see him as a human being from the POV of the homophobic son. i know it's reality, of course queer people have to deal with homophobic family members and put in the emotional labour to change their minds, but i think this point could have been conveyed without subjecting me to a character's up close and personal homophobic thoughts. plus, it felt like the narrative kind of absolved this character a bit too easily - i wanted the inevitable family confrontation to have more emotional heft, more cathartic anger, than it ended up having. also, the writing style came off as rather dry and stunted, lacking in some much needed flair and description.

overall though, i do think this is an important book for young queer people that showcases both the hardships and the joys of being queer, and i'm happy it exists for iranian queer people to see themselves in.

ARC received from netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Iman (hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a fantasy even too absurd for the movies, where a man can fly or cast spells, but can’t love another man.

This was such a page turner. Once you start, it's impossible to put it down. It’s a story taking past and present altogether between three men, Grandad - Bobby, Dad - Saeed, and Grandson - Moud. All three of them explore the bonds that tie their family together within the context of their queer identities, all with the touch of politics, history, and love.

I think it was well done. Every character’s story flows smoothly. Some of the chapters did feel quite long, but it was told in-depth and with passion. I have felt angry, confused, and sad for all of them. Despite that, this book was written in a lighter note. It’s the perfect balance for when you want something thoughtful and somber, without crying your eyes out :)

”How can I know anything about the past or the future when the light of the beloved shines only now.”

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

"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!

[akacya ❦ · Rating 5 out of 5]

2023 reads: 134/350

this novel follows three different iranian teenagers from the same family, but different times.

moud, in 2019, is traveling to iran for the first time because his grandfather is ill. his mother died when he was four and he’s never felt close to his father, but maybe this trip will change that.

saeed, in 1978, is a student in iran with a promising future. but then, he gets caught up in the riots, and is forced to leave his parents and his country. not too long after getting to the u.s., though, he learns something about his parents that he has trouble wrapping his mind around.

bobby, in 1939, could lose everything if his sexuality is found out. after landing a contract with MGM, even where and with whom he hangs out is strictly monitored. but all he wants is a life where he can be more free.

i LOVE family stories, especially ones spanning generations, so i had to request this as soon as i saw it. (also, i loved nazemian’s like a love story, so i figured this one would be just as great.)

despite the novel being split between the three teens, it never felt like one story was more important than another. they each had their own journeys which we got to see.

i loved how this story ended. it didn’t feel like their stories were done, which is what i loved. i feel like not having every single knot tied made these characters, and this story, feel so much more real, and i know that they’re going to stick with me more because of this.

i highly recommend this book!

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Optimism, family, and hopefulness reign in this 3-generational YA story of being a queer Iranian/American teen. Chapters alternate in a 3-pattern: 2019 (son/Moud is American, age 17); 1978 (dad/Saeed came from Iran, age 17); 1939 (grandfather/Baba/Bobby is Iranian born in USA age 17).

So the story begins and ends in 2019. All three generations unite in Iran as the grandfather's diagnosis points toward not much time to live. Grandfather/Baba/Bobby was closeted, but married to be 'normal'. Dad/Saeed is strong hetero. Son/Moud is openly gay.

This is a great mix of generations. You hear the troubles of being gay in 1939 as Bobby meets queer icons since he is a talented piano player and attends MGM studio events near Hollywood. He is in love with Vicente, a Mexican American.

The Dad/Saeed did not know that his own Dad was gay until Saeed's protest participation had watchers 'explain' things to him.

Son/Moud had zero clue of any of this as this book starts. He just thinks his dad is loving, but tough on him. And his grandfather who he calls on birthdays is a nice guy.

The book is preaching optimism non-stop throughout the pages. The 'problems' are moved through quickly (maybe too quickly). There is a tiny bit of graphic intimacy in the grandfather's story, to help us all realize that every generation experiences these same feelings and moments.

Lots of Iranian poem pieces here. Reference to songs, food, events, government leaders during the different years. We hear how queer can get by with a little help from their friends, even if the government officially is against them.

There are single Dads here, lost girl/boy friends, USA friends, Iranian new friends, celebrities met along the way, wives that divorced, missing fathers, protesting friends who were found years later - really a great deal to keep track of! It helped me that I got hooked on this book and read it in ~a week, so I didn't lose track of who was who.

The YA-optimism-everything-is-going-to-work-out rings clearly from the beginning of this book. I was a little worried it would be too simplistic, but the multi-generations got double-duty:
1)We read about them when each of them is 17
2)We read about them again as they all interact with the current 2019 17-year-old Moud (the son).

Solid 4.5 for me.

[Leni ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I DID NOT KNOW TJR READ THIS BOOK. I JUST KNOW IT'S GONNA BE GOOD

Good book that spans three timelines and touches on inter-generational trauma. The chapters are long, but the author writes them in a way that they don't feel too long. As with the perspective switches, I think the author ties them in quite well and there really wasn't a "boring" POV like with certain multi-person POV books.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

[Sheena · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Eloise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only This Beautiful Moment is a wonderful story about three generations of boys in an Iranian family, focusing on their relationship to their culture & identity as Iranian men, their relationship towards homosexuality, but also their relatioships with each other.
I am amazed how I was drawn to each of the three timelines, they were all unique, each character was deeply interesting and the reflection of American and Iranian society at each of those times was fascinating. As a whole it was intriguing to see how everything came to be.
It is beautiful to see characters come together and respect each other despite their struggles, showing their kindness and resilience.

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[Madison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This will be the awards darling of 2024, I'm calling it now. Stonewall and Printz.

Like most other many-starred/highly-reviewed YA books, it's a lovely, moving story with a premise that is catnip to adults but a hard sell for teens. I hope it does eventually find a young audience, though, because they deserve this story. It had the richness of Last Night at the Telegraph Club, the last historical YA I really loved, with the added immediacy of Moud's present-day POV. I totally cried at the end and found the entire book really engrossing and emotional.

[Louis Muñoz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars. Exceptional book augmented by an equally exceptional trio of narrators, representing the book's three main characters speaking from three different time periods. No spoilers here as to if or how they are connected. What I will say is that each of the three young men are compelling and engaging and unique, no easy feat when juggling multiple MCs in different time periods. Kudos on a great novel.

Many thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

[Tiernan · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[megan sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars maybe. loved bobby’s pov but moud’s wasn’t my favourite. far too many references to instagram, tiktok & podcasts please stop i can’t read another hashtag.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book & highly recommend it. Wonderful writing & characters. I was thinking about it long after finishing the last page.

[Simon Lee (Simon's Bookstagram) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhhhh this book warmed my swinging brick of a heart so much.
2019. Moud is an out gay teen living in Los Angeles with his distant father, Saeed. When Moud gets the news that his grandfather in Iran is dying, he accompanies his dad to Tehran, where the revelation of family secrets will force Moud into a new understanding of his history, his culture, and himself.
1978. Saeed is an engineering student with a promising future ahead of him in Tehran. But when his parents discover his involvement in the country’s burgeoning revolution, they send him to safety in America, a country Saeed despises. And even worse—he’s forced to live with the American grandmother he never knew existed.
1939. Bobby , the son of a calculating Hollywood stage mother, lands a coveted MGM studio contract. But the fairy-tale world of glamour he’s thrust into has a dark side. Set against the backdrop of Tehran and Los Angeles, this tale of intergenerational trauma and love is an ode to the fragile bonds of family, the hidden secrets of history, and all the beautiful moments that make us who we are today.

Told from 3 different men from the same family this is a complex tale of love, loss, acceptance and what it means to be family. I learnt so much reading this about American and Persian history. Each voice was unique and engaging and totally absorbing.
Absolutely loved this from start to finish!
Highly recommended.

[Ramona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only This Beautiful Moment is an incredibly powerful and emotional novel that spans three generations of Iranian boys, each growing up in a different era, 2019, 1978, and 1939. Each perspective is compelling on its own, but the way their stories intertwine creates a masterpiece of storytelling. What a way to tell something about queer and Iranian history and to touch upon themes like generational trauma. The personal growth of the characters is beautifully portrayed, with each one written with remarkable depth and nuance. Truly one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever encountered. If you haven’t read this yet, I can’t recommend it enough!

[Beatriz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Abdi always here breaking my heart, but in the best way, what a beautiful, beautiful book that tells the story of three boys/men in differents eras, all tied together and to Iran, so much love for each other and for their country, but so much heartbreak and sacrifice, just like in life, but life being being more difficult yes when you are gay in a homophobic time or in a homophobic place, but always fighting for freedom, love, and family.

[Gary Anderson]

Moud is a gay teen leaving America to visit his dying grandfather in Iran just before the pandemic. He knows that the tentative freedoms he has in America are more restricted in Iran. Bobby is Moud’s grandfather. He was a gay teen in 1930s Hollywood who fled America after being discovered and persecuted. Saeed is Moud’s father and Bobby’s son. Raised in Iran, Saeed becomes politically active and infatuated with a beautiful girl he meets at a protest in the 1970s until he is forced to leave Iran for America because of his activism. Abdi Nazemian’s Only This Beautiful Moment explores these three generations of Iranian-Americans whose lives are affected by how gay men are perceived and treated in America and Iran across nine decades.

Nazemian successfully navigates one of the most challenging aspects of writing a young adult novel involving international politics from times unfamiliar to contemporary young readers. He provides just enough context to establish the conflict and then concentrates on how his characters are affected. Nazemian avoids delving into nuances of the Iranian revolution but keeps the focus on one theme: freedom. He examines all the ways that freedom is restricted for Moud, Bobby, and Saeed. They are not free to love who they love, or to say what they believe about their societies.

Only This Beautiful Moment is a well-written novel that will speak to young readers who appreciate realistic fiction. It may be especially meaningful to gay teens. Although Only This Beautiful Moment includes scenes with sexual content, none of it is gratuitous, but the scenes are fairly explicit, which may be challenging for some readers depending on their maturity levels. More importantly, Only This Beautiful Moment portrays the significance of finding supportive people while staying strong, persistent, and true to ourselves.

[Sophie Cameron]

A beautifully written and nuanced ode to Iran, family and queer history.

[Esra Usta · Rating 5 out of 5]

jahreshighlight!