Brawler by Lauren Groff is a collection of short stories that mostly revolve around women in a state of desperation or at a crossroads in their lives. In one, a woman tries to flee an abusive marriage with her three young children in tow. In another, a woman reaches midlife without ever really pursuing what she wants, and then finds herself in the throes of unrequited love. The longest story in the book is about a young underachiever who falls in love with a woman who has neither the time nor the emotional space for vulnerability. These stories are sad – some of them heartbreaking. But in Groff’s incredibly gifted hands, they are also beautiful. She doesn’t waste a single word. I savored each story here, always waiting for the emotional gut punch that invariably hit me at the end, and then wanting to start each one over as soon as I finished. If you avoid short stories because you fear they will be unsatisfying, fear not – this collection is incredible.