"Nine mesmerizing stories saturated in the details of Roman life that showcase Jhumpa Lahiri's extraordinary range and virtuosity"-- "Rome--metropolis and monument, suspended between past and future, multifaceted and metaphysical--is the protagonist, not the setting, of these nine stories: the first short-story collection by the Pulitzer Prize-winning master of the form since her number one New York Times best seller Unaccustomed Earth. In 'The Boundary,'...

"The start of her second year in high school brings someone unexpected into Maria's life-- Shintaro Kurosu, a brash first-year student who does as he pleases. He takes a strong liking to Maria and sticks to her, making Maria and her crush Shin Meguro extremely uncomfortable. Like it or not, Kurosu's presence is about to change Maria in a surprising way" -- from publisher's web site.

Surviving the first major battle in her relationship with Yamato Kurosawa, Mei feels her ties with her firstever boyfriend are deeper than ever. But then a budding model with her eyes on Yamato moves into town, and draws the photogenic Yamato into the world of photo shoots and fashion. Now Mei has to grapple with the painful pangs of jealousy, and a creeping fear that she might be left alone yet again...

What is love, anyway? Ninako Kinoshita's friends tell her it's one thing, but Ninako wonders what this mysterious feeling really is. When she meets Ren Ichinose, the handsome, enigmatic guy that all the girls worship, her life takes and unexpected turn. With just a few words and a smile, he changes her world... Ninako's friend Daiki throws her for a loop when he expresses romantic interest in her. She cares for him, but can she return his feelings?...

"As Maria begins to recall bits and pieces of her tragic past, Yusuke tells her that he'll stay by her side and support her, no matter what. Meanwhile, Maria still hopes to reconcile with Anna, so she enrolls in the same music school that Anna attends. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like Anna wants Maria's help or friendship" -- from publisher's web site.

"Haru's big brother suddenly appears with unclear motives. What is clear is Haru's hatred for his big brother. Haru disappears at the sight of his big brother and Mizutani is left with even more questions about Haru. What are her feelings for him? How can she make him like her? And what is the deal with his big brother?" -- "Mizutani is a self-absorbed overachiever, concerned only with maintaining the highest grades in school. Haru is an impulsive...

It's been one year since Sawako and Kazehaya confessed their love to each other. With their last high school festival approaching, Sawako gives it her all to make it the best one ever. Meanwhile, Kazehaya seems to be overworking himself...

"Sawako Kuronuma is the perfect heroine ... for a horror movie. With striking similarities to a haunting movie character--jet-black hair, sinister smile and silent demeanor--she's mistakenly called Sadako by those around her. But behind her scary facade is a very misunderstood teenager. Too shy to fit in, all she wants to do is make some friends. But when the most popular boy in class befriends her, she's sure to make more than just that--she's about...

"It's hard for the once-loner Mei to believe that she's been going out with Yamato for six whole months! He's taught her a lot about how sweet love can be, but now she's about to learn a new lesson: Love can be war! When a serious rival arises for Yamato's affections (and a roundhouse kick isn't an option), how will Mei handle it? Let the battle begin!" --

"I'm nothing like you ... Shizuku Mitzutani and Haru Yoshida have been going steady ... or so they thought. After a little incident, Shizuku begins to harbor feelings of jealousy, and the vast differences between them suddenly feel impossible to overlook. How could Haru understand the way she feels? At the birthday party for Haru's brother, the two get into a heated argument. After their falling out, Haru falls into old habits and he stops coming...