Marry or Burn: Stories

From the author of Seven Loves comes this austere, passionately shaped collection of stories that courageously explores the dynamic nature of modern marriage, the heartbreak that often accompanies its collapse, and the fickle way in which the bonds between us can be broken, erased, and newly defined.

At her daughter's wedding, an alcoholic widow finds a new beginning when she is swept off her feet by the bride's former secret lover. A man finds himself in a position of terribel power when he discovers his ex-wife's boyfriend with another woman. A woman who killed her policeman husband in a rage struggles to reconcile feelings of worthlessness and a longing for affection after two decades in prison. A widower of twenty-three years introduces his wary daughters to his new love, a woman whom he has decided to marry one week after meeting, and who once took an ax to a bear to save her husband.

Valerie Trueblood unites past and present through her characters' complex personalities as she skillfully unravels their tumultuous relationships, giving readers a glimpse into marital circumstances that, though sometimes tragic, will surely ring familiar.

"Utterly exquisite! An achingly beautiful portrayal of a woman's life and loves and losses. I loved every word of this book."---Elizabeth Strout, author of Olive Kitteridge

"Intelligent and beautifully written, Seven Loves is as intricate and perfectly constructed as the movement of a fine Swiss watch."---Ann Patchett, author of Bel Canto and Truth and Beauty

Valerie Trueblood is a cotrustee of the Denise Lovertov Literary Trust and is a contributing editor of the American Poetry Review. Her novel, Seven Loves, was selected for Barnes & Noble's Discover Great New Writers program. She lives in Seattle.