A Vacation on the Island of Ex-Boyfriends

In her insightful debut collection of 14 short stories, Bierlein (coeditor, Men Undressed: Women Writers and the Male Sexual Experience) explores the many dimensions of a woman's heart through the experiences of a diverse and unique cast of ladies%E2%80%94from the cuckquean turned kidnapper holding "An Interrogation at the Prison of Ex-Girlfriends" (i.e. her husband's lovers), to the "Two Girls" who despair after their beaus have returned to their wives, to the mothers of "Luxor" and "Men's Furnishings," struggling to understand the enormous love they feel for their children. While breastfeeding her baby girl in the latter story, Cheryl muses on teaching her daughter to curse, so she can "tell the bad men to fuck off." In the title story, best friends board a boat to Nantucket only to find themselves on "The Island of Ex-Boyfriends," on which they discover and confront the many men of their past. "In three days we have played, cried, ran, fought, laughed, danced, and built fires with them all%E2%80%94every man we've ever wanted. We're exhausted." Beirlein's deft character development, nuanced prose, and honest treatment of the ups and downs of love make this a memorable and engaging collection%E2%80%94a trip readers will want to take again and again. (Mar.)