Miranda Julys debut short story collection is a masterclass in emotional vulnerability, quirky intimacy, and raw human longing. These stories are populated by lonely people who ache to connectpeople who often live on the margins, yet whose emotional lives feel universally resonant.

In these sixteen beautifully strange and deeply affecting stories, July explores the quiet desperation of everyday lives and the small, surreal ways we try to cope. A woman gives clandestine swim lessons in her kitchen to elderly neighbors. Two girls run away from home in search of freedom, only to be confronted with the real complexities of love and identity. Another character falls in love with a friend’s husband without ever exchanging a word. July writes about desire, isolation, and vulnerability with a voice that is unmistakably her own: funny, heartbreaking, and full of compassion.

The collection is driven not by plot, but by mood and voice. Julys narrators speak directly to usoften in a tone that feels as if theyre sharing a secret theyve never told anyone before. The result is a reading experience that is both personal and immersive, offering moments of discomfort, beauty, humor, and quiet revelation.

Winner of Frank OConnor International Short Story Award.