Summer's End

England and Ireland are the settings for Ryan's new romance (after Whispers in the Wind). Narrator Daniel, the son of a diplomat, is a teenager when he falls in love with his best friend Kieran's cousin Helen. The distant but hugely charming Kieran treats Helen like a pesty little sister, but he's marked by their families to be her future husband. Dan dreams of Helen over the years, visiting her and Kieran at their remote, beautiful family retreat, Lough Corrlock. She cares for him too, but, as a confused 17-year-old, marries Kieran as expected. The marriage is not a success, and Dan and Helen begin a torrid, years-long affair and eventually decide to marry. But Dan can't bring himself to desert his wife and threaten his career in British courts. Helen finally breaks away, disappearing after Kieran's mysterious drowning. Though Dan never forgets her, he never exerts the energy to search for her, in what is a trademark display of emotional cowardice. When she does turn up, it is to share sadness-and secrets that will surprise no one. Ryan's forte is the depiction of the ploys that even lovers use to destroy each other, and this emphasis on character helps make the tale affecting despite its predictability. (May)