In Thomas Moran's WATER, CARRY ME, Una Moss floats between a world fraught with political terrorism and that of a wealthy orphan. After both of her parents are killed, Una goes to live with her curmudgeonly grandfather in Cobh, Ireland, though her expansive trust fund allows her to continue classes with her childhood friends. As the gulf between her two lives widens with age, Una stumbles into her first love affair with a mysterious stranger, whose patient attention leads her into a world she could never have imagined.

This novel, the third by Moran, is not only well-written but it transports readers to an Ireland they've read about in papers and heard about through Hollywood's rich accents. The voices of Moran's characters, all so distinct and clear, will follow readers through their days and welcome them back into the fold with each new chapter.

While Una's trust fund enables her to enjoy some luxuries, her life in Cobh creates a stark contrast to the jet-setting lives of her "best girls," three women with whom she attended grade school and now college. Clad in cashmere and tight leather, Fallon, Gaynor, and Collie serve as a lifeline to Una, whose one splurge on lingerie cost her an embarrassing interview with her trust lawyer. Yet Una seems unruffled by the excesses of her friends, whose companionship and emotional generosity she relishes. Camping out on their couch each week, Una spends a few nights away from Cobh and the ever-watchful eyes of her "grandda" and stereotypical Irish nanny. It is during these "nights out" to the bars that Una drops her medical books, sheds her responsibilities, and acts her age.

While clues along the way may prepare thoughtful readers for the story's traumatic end, WATER, CARRY ME will lull you into a false sense of security with Una's adolescent romping with friends and her first foray into love. References to the IRA and Provos, to the random killings and daily disappearances of friends and family are ever present but seem to be overshadowed by the characters and their lives. Yet in the end, WATER, CARRY ME brings all of its many themes full-circle. It is a surprisingly sad novel about spoiled dreams, an unsuspecting lover, and the contortions that true friendship can survive.