Wonderful short story collection, made me ache repeatedly for connections I already have, which I think is a testament to how well-written every story was. Will stay with me for a long time.

Beautiful collection gem of a book of short stories.Emotional involving a pleasure to read.#NetGalley #bloomsbury

On the surface, Savas's stories feel overly simplified to me, but I think that's what works so well with its sincerity over subdued seriousness. Her characters in Long Distance understand their own proximity to what others around them are thinking based on initial impressions: being a mother, friend, student, etc. While the stories are brief, their influence is captured as noticeably and felt as a passing thunderstorm. Savas is shaping up to be one of my favorite contemporary writers.

oof, I loved this collection so dang much. gorgeous stories exploring interesting themes, surrounding what it means to be a human among humans in the world. lonely, aching, lyrical and so honest. 4.5 rounded down. excited to see more people talking about this one!

Such an impactful collection of stories, each that packed their own punch and brought so much to the overall theme. I will be thinking about this book for a long time.

Distance is both a physical measure of space between two things, but it can also be an emotional state of dislocation, a separation of shared interests or the effects of the passage of time. In Aysegül Savas Long Distance: Stories these themes are explored through 13 short stories from a wide variety of situations and viewpoints, beginning with the titled story about a long distance relationship.

All the stories are centered on relationships, but the issues are different. Becoming a new parent, looking for a new apartment, studying abroad, aging, immigration, grief or failing to find 'the one' through dating apps all featured in their own stories. Savas has constructed the tales well, quickly establishing the narrator and provided lots of small details to make the characters feel drawn from true life. Many of our narrators are flawed, selfish with their time, failing to understand the needs of others or simply in a transitional stage. Many are not quite ready to leave the familiar and comfortable but feel trapped or stifled by their situations.

Perhaps because they were at the end, but the stories that have stayed with me the most are the last two: 'Cry It Out' and 'Twirl.' 'Cry It Out' is about two parents of a newborn in the throws of sleep deprivation trying to establish routines while their friend group falls apart due to differing politics about a war. 'Twirl' focuses on a woman looking to find a boyfriend who has started using dating apps and begins to notice common mannerisms or actions from the various dates and stumbles upon a dating tips website, all while forming a friendship with an older woman who might not have been completely honest about her family life.

A set of stories that speak to the difficulties of maintaining ties in our contemporary world.

Recommended to readers of contemporary fiction, short stories or slice of life fiction.

Luminous and deeply felt, this collection captures the quiet ache of distance and the complexity of human connection. Every story is a gem—subtle, smart, and beautifully rendered.

Long Distance takes the world-building talents of Savas to another level. The idea of living long distance in one way or another is the thread connecting this collection of short stories each exploring a new type of character and relationship. The stories are just the right length to make this a quick read. My only complaint is wanting more out of the stories--solely because Savas expertly weaves stories and worlds with a minimum of words. I'd love to see some of these characters again in a longer format.

I typically have a hard time with short stories and how disconnected they all can feel, but this collection of stories by Aysegul Savas is exactly what I need from a collection of stories. Savas’s lyrical style of writing is evident in all the stories allowing you to easily flow from one perspective to the next. Savas’s writes with such a romantic air, but the characters always feel so real through their emotions and everyday actions. I loved Long Distance, and I’m looking forward to what Savas writes next!

This is a nice, brief collection of short stories mainly focused on expat life in contemporary Europe. Most of the stories are very similar. Many feel very true to life, especially a White Lotus-like one about three female friends (“Marseille”). I didn’t care for one (“Ghosts”) that felt discordant from the others. Several stories perfectly encapsulate the complex emotions of being a mother (“Cry It Out”). Trigger warning: miscarriage.

Thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for an ARC of this book!

This was definitely one of my most anticipated releases of 2025, and I am happy to say it definitely met the hype! If you have not read any Ayşegül Savaş, take this as your sign to pick up some of her previous releases!! (“White on White” has to be an all time favorite book for me!)

“Long Distance” is a short story collection that chronicles snippets of life from a variety of different characters, all at a slightly different point in their life, yet some how feel tied together by Savaş’s prose. Savaş is able to wonderfully render succinct and moving short stories, perfect to dip in and out of!

I did find the first few stories a little slow, but the stories then quickly grew in pacing. The final story “Tw irl” felt so poignant, that I know so many woman will identify with so many feelings it evokes. I will definitely be thinking and revisiting that story later!

Overall, I think so many readers will enjoy and find something special in this collection of stories