Forever, Now by Haleh Shahrzad revolves around Darya whose past relationship ended in heartbreak, but the emotional baggage is carried into her current relationship with David. They initially connect well, but their intimacy and communication issues soon surface. Their relationship slowly implodes during various trips, including to Seattle, Rome, and Hawaii, as Darya grows increasingly frustrated by David’s emotional distance and a lack of sizzle. She tries to work through their issues with conversations and therapy, to no avail. David’s dismissive behavior, his interactions with other women, and his emotional unavailability lead Darya to question the future of their relationship. When Darya becomes pregnant, her doubts only intensify, especially as David goes all-in on their wedding plans. Attempts to reconnect do little and Darya is left to decide whether to stay committed or move on.

Forever, Now by Haleh Shahrzad is classic literary fiction that gives readers a supremely intimate look at the unraveling of a modern relationship. Shahrzad's writing is sympathetic but unapologetically evocative, and the realistic pain of a woman trying to overcome her doubts while reconciling her desires and the glaring flaws of her partner are front and center. I did get frustrated with Darya because there were times when I simply could not understand why she was hanging in there. Toss in an engagement, a destination wedding, and a baby, and the triple threat becomes the relationship prison one builds for oneself. The truth is, Darya is every woman. Outside of literature, she is doing the very thing women in the real world swear they'll never tolerate, and then privately do. The pacing is deliberate, organically building the sense of isolation that Darya experiences. Overall, this is a well-written and thoughtful story that is sure to resonate with lovers of contemporary women's fiction. Recommended.

Forever, Now by Haleh Shahrzad is a commentary on love, marriage, fidelity, and cross-cultural relationships. Darya was Muslim by birth but rejected all religions as she grew into adulthood. With a secular outlook, she had no issues with falling in love with Catholic David. A true romantic, Darya believed fervently that marriage and love were forever. Her new husband David seemed the perfect man for her; sweet, loving, and incredibly romantic, writing her love letters that would bring her to tears. What Darya hadn’t bargained on was David’s malignant narcissism, his total indifference to satisfying his partner’s sexual needs, his addiction to porn, his lies, and his cheating. Despite her lingering doubts, she entered the marriage determined to build a life for herself, her husband, and their future family. Should she walk away from this toxic relationship or should she battle through the doubt, pain, and betrayal in the belief that he can and will change?

Forever, Now was an interesting read. Author Haleh Shahrzad may have called the work fiction but readers will feel it is, as they say in the movies, “based on true events”. For me, the most fascinating part of the story was the focus on David’s malignant narcissism. As a term that has received a great deal of attention over the past decade, especially in the political arena, I looked for the telltale signs of narcissism in David’s behavior and I wasn’t disappointed. When Darya accuses David of never being at fault and always twisting everything to portray himself as the victim, I found myself nodding at the trait I had seen in others. One of an author’s prime tasks is to get readers emotionally involved in the story and this book certainly does that. I wanted to yell at Darya to stop being a doormat to David’s narcissism and to do something to end the relationship. Despite it being over, Darya kept hoping, dreaming of a change that was never going to happen and I found that frustrating. This book will elicit an emotional connection from readers and, for that reason, I recommend it.

While preparing for a party with her second husband, Ryan, and JD, her son from her first marriage, American-Iranian Darya finds a stack of love notes in her storage room that reminds her of her first husband and everything they went through. The reader is taken on this journey as they meet David, experience his and Darya’s early days, and ultimately see it through to its ghastly end. Right from the start, they’ll figure out that David is not a nice person; Darya feels this, too, but she’s determined to hang on to the good and ignore the bad. As the reader watches things deteriorate, they’ll be shocked and disgusted by how awful David truly is. Forever, Now by Haleh Shahrzad is a gripping tale of mental and emotional abuse.

Stories written in the first person, when done correctly, make for excellent reading. With Forever, Now, Haleh Shahrzad nails it. What an excellent book. We’re with Darya all the way and feel the rollercoaster ride of emotions as she does. For a first novel, it’s exceptionally well-written and perfectly edited; there’s a reason it’s won awards. Despite being a work of fiction (possibly based on some real-life experiences), this book could easily be read as a self-help novel for anyone currently in a narcissistic relationship who is trying to find the strength to break free. I believe Forever, Now could help those people take the necessary steps. I hope we read more from this author in the future.

In Haleh Shahrzad's Forever, Now, Darya was a student from Iran when she met David through a mutual friend. From the beginning, David was infatuated with Darya and showered her with affection. He vowed to love Darya and support her. However, David had difficulty with intimacy and preferred consuming online pornography. Darya frequently urged David to be intimate, but these requests typically resulted in arguments. After these arguments, David would write loving notes to Darya, which always managed to win her back. Darya witnessed a side of David that was unfeeling, self-centered, and harsh, and she struggled with the truth as David revealed his real nature. Darya and David's marriage ultimately crumbled when she discovered his deceit and infidelity, leaving her to face the harsh reality of a shattered marriage.

Forever, Now by Haleh Shahrzad is an emotional exploration of Darya's journey to self-discovery, infused with a blend of emotions, including betrayal, motherhood, love, and loss. The depiction of the highs and lows in their relationship felt genuine and captivated me from the beginning. The characters were intricately developed and relatable. I felt strong empathy for Darya as she tried to save her marriage while facing various challenges. The notes and letters from David consistently appear throughout the story, revealing a more affectionate aspect of his character. This was a stark contrast to the way David treated Darya. The story was beautifully crafted, and the vivid writing style pulled me into the settings that David and Darya explored. I effortlessly envisioned Italy, Greece, and Hawaii through their perspectives. Darya's journey of personal growth and resilience left a profound impression on me.

Haleh Shahrzad’s Forever, Now tells the love story of Darya and David after they were introduced by a mutual friend. David appears to be the perfect companion, writing love notes, being attentive, and planning amazing surprises. However, Darya feels there is something wrong, but she cannot quite explain why. More than once, she hands back her engagement ring but is overridden by David who implores her to marry him. Darya, an Iranian immigrant to the United States, has always believed that marriage between two people should bring happiness, love, and stability. When she becomes pregnant, David is thrilled and rushes her into a wedding on a Greek island. But despite her intuition telling her no, she goes through with the ceremony and, after a horrific pregnancy, gives birth to a healthy boy they call JD. As the months pass, their marriage deteriorates, while Darya struggles to hold it together for the sake of her son and in the hope that things will change.

At the beginning of Forever, Now, author Haleh Shahrzad writes that this is a novel and all situations and characters are fictitious. But unless someone has lived with a narcissist and suffered gaslighting and condemnation for the partner’s problems, I doubt that anyone can write so easily and with such authenticity. Every red flag fluttered over and over again, yet such was the power of David’s character that he could persuade Darya to marry him, bear his child, and then treat her with contempt. This book will resonate with anyone who has endured a similar relationship as Darya struggled to make her marriage work and provide a stable and loving home for her son. Any reader will suffer along with Darya, especially as she is exiled from her homeland with no family support, having escaped Iran and making a new life in a new and alien country. I highly recommend this book to any woman who may have even the smallest doubt about an impending marriage. Society needs to learn and understand personality disorders and the fact that nothing will ever change. This book resonated deeply with me.