Strangers

In the beginning of 2020 the Burden family, like most others in New York were isolating. They retreated from the city to their summer home in Martha’s Vineyard. It was cold in March and Belle how no idea how long they would stay. The pandemic was terrifying on its own, she never dreamed her life would be unrecognizable in just a few months time. One day her husband of twenty years, James, told her he was leaving. He was done, and there was no convincing him otherwise. He packed a small bag and left her with their teenage children. Belle, an educated, independent and sophisticated woman was no stranger to divorce, it had after all consumed her childhood. But this was crazy. She loved James and he loved her, she was sure of it. What had changed? While Belle figured out how to move forward and protect her children she also realized she had slowly over the years lost control of her finances and all decision making had become too easy to leave to James. Belle had to learn how to take control. This memoir is a very intimate detailed telling of a relationship that was destroyed. Surrounded by a close knit group of friends and a few family members, Belle puts on foot in front of the other. All the money in the world cannot buy happiness and it certainly cannot buy trust and honesty. Both beautifully written and heartbreaking, I am glad Belle found her long lost writing voice and look forward to reading more of her work. ⭐⭐⭐⭐