Like a House on Fire

After 12 years of marriage, Merit doesn’t know who she is anymore beyond being a wife to a loving husband and mother to two sons. She decides to return to work as an architect and meets Jane, a striking older Danish woman. As the two work together, their relationship takes on a new depth, leaving Merit to question the things in her life that she has taken for granted. Does Merit love Jane, and is she willing to risk it all to be her authentic self? The novel stresses the importance of learning to live authentically in a world where one is expected to follow the script of life: education, marriage, career, and kids. Marin Ireland brings the internal struggles of Merit to life as she struggles to balance a desire for more with her sense of obligation to her family. Ireland is also skilled at giving voice to the witty and sophisticated Jane.