The empowering, must-read memoir of the end of a marriage and the start of a personal revolution, perfect for readers of Glennon Doyle and Miranda July.

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'A beautifully written eulogy for the loss of a relationship' Joyce Carol Oates, award-winning author of Blonde

'Beautiful [and] devastating ... Strangers reads with all the momentum and colour of water-tight literary fiction' British Vogue

‘More than a memoir of divorce, it is a powerful testament to reclaiming voice, power, and joy.’ Adrienne Brodeur, bestselling author of Wild Game

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How do we go on when a loved one betrays us?

On a chilly day in March of 2020, in the early days of the pandemic, Belle Burden’s husband of twenty years announced, with no prior warning, that he was leaving her.

His decision shocked Belle to her core: she believed he was a happy man, a committed partner, and a devoted father to their three children. She thought he was a man who had settled into the life he had always wanted: a successful career, summers spent at their beloved home on Martha’s Vineyard, lots of tennis.

Overnight, he transformed from her steady companion into a stranger.

As she pieces her life together in the wake of a loss she had never imagined coming, she finds she is much stronger than she ever expected. Belle reflects on her transformation from a shy, quiet girl, nicknamed ‘Belle the Good’ to a powerful, brave, determined woman. A woman who has learned to use her voice to expose the patriarchal structures that have forced women to be discreet and compliant for far too long.

Based on Belle’s popular ‘Modern Love’ essay, Was I Married to a Stranger?, this is the emotional and empowering memoir of self-discovery and what it means to finally be heard.

Praise for Strangers:

‘A beautifully written instant classic. Strangers is gripping and heartbreaking and a must-read for every wife-and husband.’ Graydon Carter, bestselling author of When The Going Was Good

‘Strangers is a woman’s graceful awakening-and one to learn from.’ Isabel Gillies bestselling author of Happens Every Day

‘Incredibly, incredibly well done. I inhaled it’ Zara McDonald, host of 'Shameless'

‘A beautiful memoir: Hard-won, incandescently honest, and ultimately affirming.’ Elise Loehnen, bestselling author of On Our Best Behavior

‘Raises some serious questions about the nature of intimacy and what makes a “perfect” marriage...I devoured Strangers in about two days, greedily absorbing every twist and painful turn ... I loved it.’ Telegraph

‘If you've ever been ghosted, gaslit or dumped by text, this divorce memoir is the book you need to read ... thoughtful, poised and elegantly written’ Good Housekeeping

‘Examines how we view intimacy, how the people closest to us can change without us knowing, and how to move forward in the wake of devastation.’ W Magazine

‘So engaging, so addictive’ Vogue

‘Burden’s sharp, personal writing brings readers deep into her unthinkable circumstances and offers a promise to anyone suffering: you can make it to the other side.’ Town & Country