Strangers A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden & The Next Thing by Mira Hollis 2 Books Colletion Set

by Belle Burden, Mira Hollis

The individual books included in this listing will be dispatched as per the original UK ISBN and UK edition cover image shown in the image.

A Memoir of Marriage [Hardcover]

The Next Thing [Paperback]













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 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 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.

472 pages, Paperback

Published April 18, 2026

About the author

Belle Burden holds a BA from Harvard College and a law degree from the New York University School of Law. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times. She lives with her children in New York City.

source: Amazon

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strangers was a heartbreaking and deeply thought-provoking read. As an educator, my heart ached for the children throughout the story. As a mother, I grieved for the woman at the center of it and for her children as well. The pain woven through these pages felt incredibly real and, at times, difficult to sit with.

What stayed with me most was the reminder that so many people carry wounds and burdens we would never recognize from the outside. This story challenged me to think more deeply about the hidden hurt people live with every day and how important relationships truly are.

I also appreciated the honesty of the storytelling. There was something powerful about reading someone’s lived experience in her own voice. While the story was heavy, it also reminded me personally that restoration is possible. I’m thankful to serve a mighty God who is still in the business of healing and redeeming broken places.

Overall, I thought the story was very well told. After all, it was her story to tell.

[Selina Bartels · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read of a spouse who's left in the midst of the pandemic. She had no warning signs and needed to continue raising her kids that her husband had no interest in raising. The descriptions of wealth and society from NYC to the Vineyard make this memoir a great read.

[Patti Cain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read. I love you, Belle. I will think of you always. So happy you wrote this!!!