Belle Burden Gives Insight Into Strangers Movie With Gwyneth Paltrow

In the six years since her then-husband—the pseudonym James in the book is for her ex Henry Davis—abruptly announced during the early days of the COVID-19 lockdown that he wanted a divorce, Burden has been able to turn over the devastating events and find a cathartic point of clarity.

“It was so painful, and I wanted more than anything in life to have an intact family,” she told E!. “I was very much in love with my husband, so it feels really surprising to say this, but I am glad it happened, because I would never be in this place.”

And, Burden shared, “I would never have discovered myself as a writer again. I would never be in charge of my life in the same way—having financial autonomy, just feeling very sure in my personality, having this strength that I really did not know was there. So, I’m grateful for it now.”

Although it may be a cliché, she emphasized that it’s true, “Sometimes everything has to fall apart in order to really create something new.”

Among that something new for Burden is a place at No. 4 on Amazon’s Best Books of the Year so Far list. “It’s really humbling and exciting and wonderful to hear from readers around the world that they see themselves in the book in some way,” she said. “And to be added to this list in the company of other authors on this list is so wonderful. I’m really honored.”