These compelling stories huddle around the twitching candle flame of real life. The simple, unpretentious writing turns an honest eye toward the grit and grace of ordinary people making decisions in the context of their relationships, good and bad and in between. The stories touch on love gone sideways, love rediscovered, and love everlasting. A strong sense of place, a subtle use of language, and a captivating pace (sometimes without action) dominate throughout-as do lead characters who are richly realized despite a brevity of words. Indeed, the work strikes a forbidding balance between sharing and withholding nuggets of insight. Stories like these can twist you unexpectedly, and stay with you a good long while.