A Bend in the Road tells the story of Miles Ryan and Sarah Andrews. It is written in both first and third-person, the primary third-person narrative emphasis is equally split between Miles's and Sarah's stories. The first person narrator remains unknown through the majority of the novel; however, the first person narrator is somehow stated in the story to be the one who was the driver who killed Miles' wife, Missy Ryan. The majority of the story takes place in 1988.
Miles Ryan, a deputy sheriff in the North Carolina town of New Bern, loses his wife Missy in a hit-and-run accident. He wants to bring the driver that killed his wife to justice. Miles meets his son's teacher Sarah Andrews, who moved to his town from Baltimore after a difficult divorce. Drawn together by Jonah's school troubles, the two start to date and eventually fall in love. The most significant date is when they go on the town's Ghost Walk and listen to a ghost story about a couple who lived in war times. The couple were forbidden to see each other, however, they communicated through the use of candles, which signified that they missed and loved each other. The man is killed by an order of the girl's father, sending the girl into depression. The night before, he had sent her a letter, asking her to marry him. Her response would be two candles for yes or one candle for no. She lights two candles and commits suicide over grief of her lost love.
Everything is going perfect between the two. Miles and Jonah meets Sarah's entire family and is somewhat sure of his future with her.
