Ask Again Yes, a la Kirkus

The lives and relationships of two childhood friends are changed forever by one tragic incident.

Francis Gleeson and Anne Stanhope, both from Ireland, end up neighbors in a small New York suburb. Anne’s husband, Brian, who works with Francis at the NYPD, knows how unstable his wife’s mental health is but chooses to ignore it. Francis’ wife, Lena, longs for female friendship in a very lonely small town. Connected by work and their children, the Gleesons and Stanhopes build an unsteady and sometimes tumultuous relationship. One fateful night, Francis and Anne's lives clash in a single heartbreaking moment, forcing their families into a reality no one expected or wanted. Brian and Anne have to face their devotion to each other and decide how important it really is to keep their marriage intact. Francis goes from being a provider to being completely dependent on Lena, leading him to search for constant validation. Out of the ashes blossoms a relationship between Francis' daughter, Kate and Anne's son, Peter. Believing they can withstand and be strong despite the decisions of their parents, Peter and Kate begin a life together but they can't shake the effects of their past. Peter is held accountable for the tragic incident by Francis, Kate slowly becomes isolated and dishonest, trying desperately to keep her marriage together. Both feel the need to hide their true feelings and struggles from each other, but Anne’s unending quest for repentance shows Kate and Peter that family will always be there for you, no matter how long it takes. Keane leads the reader on a decades long story about grace and forgiveness, enduring love, alcoholism, and mental health, portraying a very realistic journey of a family struggling to hold it together; sharing the fear that history will ultimately repeat itself.

 

 A heavy and beautifully written insight into human nature.