I received an ARC of We Are the Brennans in exchange for an honest review. The Brennan's are an Irish family of three sons and one daughter, Sunday. Sunday is engaged to Kale when something happens and she flees the family. Five years have gone by and she is now returning to the family. Sunday never really told anyone why she left, including her fiance. Now that she is back, it's hard to keep the secret of why she left. However, other things are going on in the family too. One brother, Denny, is trying to hold things together without losing his business but his secrets could end up destroying the family. In order to survive, all secrets must be revealed. The story is told through each family member's view. The author uses the last lines of the previous chapter to begin the next chapter which was a little different writing style.

hat one family in the neighborhood that everyone is so jealous of because everyone thinks their life is just so perfect.

If you’re into dramas surrounding family and friends then this is the book for you. From multiple viewpoints, it follows an Irish Catholic family from Long Island through their dark secrets, misunderstandings and mistakes. I found it to be a little slow at times, but picked up around 50%. The characters and their POV were all realistic, it pulled you in. The Brennans and their friends are close with an unbreakable bond.

The authors writing was really unique the way she ended and started the chapters! I Loved it!

Thank you Tracey Lange, Celadon Book and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Celadon providing physical and NetGalley ARCs of We Are the Brennans! I love family dramas, so I was really excited to read this book. Sunday Brennan is a member of a large Irish family - she's drawn back into their orbit after a DUI forces her back home. While there, she and her family members are forced to confront multiple dark secrets.

I wish this book had had a family tree at the beginning - it took me a while to figure out who everyone was! But once I got the hang of things, I liked reading about their misadventures and mistakes. We get the perspective of each family member plus close family friend Kale, which helps to flesh out the story.

I'd say this book is more character-driven than plot-driven, although there are some plot twists that keep the book going. If you like family dramas, I'd recommend this one. As this is Tracey Lange's debut, I'm looking forward to seeing what she writes in the future. 3.5 stars rounded to 4.

I really loved this book. I loved all the different POV, and it really made you feel like you were immersed in the family. i've never read anything by Tracey before but i definitely will after reading this story about family and what it means to be there for them.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

Solid story of a large Irish catholic family and their poor decisions. Sunday, the only daughter and estranged from everyone, comes home to heal after a drunk driving accident. The family has to come to grips with the reason Sunday moved away and their current financial issues.

Each chapter is told from different characters points of view. Well written but a bit too much victim blaming.

I love a family saga. The summer is always a good season for one. Any time really is a good season for one. The Brennans are a close Irish family. Sunday moved across the coast a few years back and after a car accident, her brother Denny comes to pick her up and bring her home to New York. Sunday's leaving was a mystery to the family except her brother Jackie. She left her relationship with Kale, who co-owns the pub with her family. She left everything. Now she's back and all the reasons why will come to the forefront. While they struggle with their secrets and opening another pub. the family finds it's way back to being who they are.

This book had this really neat concept. Each chapter was told in a different family member's voice but the character's last line in the chapter became the first line in the next chapter told by that character. I really loved that and had never seen it before.

You will really dive into this family. It is a great read.

Thanks to Celadon Books and Netgalley for an advance copy of this wonderful book.

I was given an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a very well-crafted book about some kinda unlikable people. I mean, I found them more trying than relatable, but I couldn’t put it down- tore through it in one sitting. Probably easier to love as my family is nothing like this.

This book gave me all the Mare of Easttown vibes without as much blood and gut wrenching drama.
This was our July BOTM book club pick, and I was pleasantly surprised at the way this book evolved. What really drove this story was the character development. These characters were beautifully created and I felt like I understood their drives and fears.
The book opens with Sunday Brennan, always the good sister and good daughter, getting into a major DUI car accident. She bruises and breaks her face and has to come back home to NY after living in Cali for five years.
We slowly learn of the Brennan men in her family and the ex-boyfriend almost husband Kale who she left hanging when she ran away from her NY life.
One of the details I absolutely adored in this book was the way the chapters overlapped themselves ever so slightly. The beginning of each chapter picks up from a different character's POV by repeating the last line of dialogue that occurred. It was really creative and a fun way to keep the story moving.

There are so many secrets occurring between the members of this family. And like all secrets, a lot of pain and heartache could have been prevented with a little communication between the siblings! But I did enjoy watching how it all unfolded. I also like the place where the author ended it. I think it left just the right amount of what next, but the pace was great and story moved.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed this book and think it will be a fun one to discuss in bookclub!

“Shame and guilt are like plagues. And we Irish wield them like weapons and wear them like medals.”

I was quickly swept away by the Brennans and their story. Lange’s portrayal of this beautiful yet flawed family masterfully invites you into their fold. I came to adore these people, even when I was occasionally flabbergasted by them. And when the chips were down, I rooted for them hard.

Sunday fled NY, her fiancé, and her big Irish family five years ago with a secret, and she outran that secret every day…until she hit a concrete barrier. Waking up in a hospital room with her big brother looming over her bed, Sunday realizes that she can’t outrun shame and secrets never really stay buried. The story revolves around Sunday’s secret. But it was never hers alone. Each member of the family suffers the ramifications of her decision.

Each Brennan is unique and multifaceted…four distinct entities, yet they fit together perfectly and create an ideal (albeit a tad dysfunctional) team. Lange expertly depicts the complexities of families…showing the ugly underbelly of family dynamics right alongside their beautiful bond.

Lange’s writing drew me in and kept me hanging on. But those chapter transitions…they deserve a spotlight all their own! Lange is teaching a masterclass on how to seamlessly and creatively transition chapters. Changing the POV in the midst of a scene kept me entranced. It could’ve been messy. It could’ve been convoluted. But NO. This worked. And it kept me spellbound. There was a necessity with which I had to follow the new perspective into the new chapter. Utterly brilliant. (I’ll also note that this brilliance destined me to finish the book in one sitting.)

I loved everything about this book. The characters. The story. The lesson. Well, everything except that it had to come to an end.

Thank you Tracey Lange, Celadon Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book.

A good story of a family that has it’s own troubles. Well told and it has a good ending that leaves it open for more Brennan tales.

I was immediately drawn into this family saga. Sunday Brennan returns home to her family after a drunk driving accident in LA. She wasn’t living the life she’d been telling people as her brother discovers when he is called about the accident. But she’s not the only one keeping secrets.
Told from multiple perspectives, I was curious about each one of the family members, along with Denny’s business partner, Sunday’s ex-fiancé. They all just seemed decent human beings making bad decisions.
As an only child, I’ve always been intrigued by large family dynamics. Lange obviously gets them - who gets tasked with carrying the most responsibilities, who gets away with the most. But also, how they’ll rally around each other even when they’re furious.
But it’s more than the characters here, there’s a terrific story as well. I love the whole lost love theme and how there are consequences no matter which way life turns out. I wasn’t surprised by the ending but it didn’t dampen my enjoyment one iota.
I highly recommend this one.
My thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for an advance copy of this book.

We Are The Brennans is a beautifully written story about an Irish family with carefully guarded secrets. Sunday, the only girl in the bunch, suddenly moved from New York to California five years earlier and is now back at home with her father and brothers recuperating after a terrible car accident. Is she back.where she belongs or should she continue pursuing her own life across the country from the family that loves her but doesn't understand the secrets of her past?

The story that unfolds is a realistic family saga that explores fidelity, loyalty and broken promises. Sunday's youngest brother Shane has special needs and their mother was never able to look past his disabilities. Her brother Jaime is currently on probation and trying to stay out of trouble. Her oldest brother Denny is working through the financial burdens that go along with owning two businesses and the possible end of his marriage. To top it all off, Sunday's father is in the beginning stages of dementia. Her former fiance is married and has an adorable son. And now Sunday has to decide if she can let go of the past and start fresh....

Five stars for this heartwarming story about the Irish family-next-door that learns to overcome the obstacles in their way with strength, love and fierce family loyalty.

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This is a truly dysfunctional family story with all the participants harboring many secrets from the past. The daughter, Sunday, leaves the family in New York and suddenly moves to the west coast under the pretext of a job opportunity and finding herself. She returns five years later and all the lies and deceptions start to surface. Each chapter is told from the perspective of one of the family members. Each one of their deceptions have had major consequences on the family. The strict Irish Catholic background also plays an important role. This is a family drama that will be devoured by many. #WeAreTheBrennans #TraceyLange #NetGalley

What a fantastic read! We Are the Brennans is hands down a novel that will be one of my top favorites for 2021! Centering around the Brennan family, an Irish Catholic family that share strong bonds, but also have enormous secrets.

I knew from the description this was a book I had to read, but Tracey Lange exceeded all of my expectations and truly wow’ed me! I love reading novels about large families and Tracey Lange does a wonderful job examining the intricate dynamics between siblings. The storyline was well planned out and I found this 5 star novel impossible to put down. I grew so attached to the entire cast of characters that I spent a loooong time daydreaming about how Tracey could make this novel into a series because I didn’t want to say goodbye to them! We Are the Brennans is a novel you NEED to read, I highly recommend it to everyone!

This book deserves every superlative I can think of. From the first to the last page, I never put it down. This is the story of a tightly knit Irish family, set in a New York suburb. They are a family that has many secrets which are revealed when the adored daughter of the family, SUNDAY, is forced to return home following an auto accident. Her return serves as a catalyst for the story.

Soon, all the siblings and close friends and family must confront all the lies that have been buried. They are complicated, emotional and financial, and their revelation leads leads to a rather shocking ending.
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This should be a choice for book clubs and readers who will compare it to the writing of J. Courtney Sullivan and Mary Beth Keane. No doubt, this will be on all the BEST OF 2021 lists, just a wonderful novel.

Thank you Netgalley for such an extraordinary reading experience.

The author, Tracey Lange, does a very good job with characterization in We Are The Brennans. I feel like I really got to know the people in the book and their many struggles.

However, I can’t see the events that unfolded would have been enough for the main character, Sunday, to pick and move, barely staying in touch with her family and dropping her boyfriend without even trying to sit down and talk to him about what happened. Part of the problem is, Tracey Lange did such a good job describing their relationship and love for each other that it seemed completely unreasonable that Sunday would have run away over something that honestly, didn’t seem to be the major deal that Sunday thought it was. . She also did a great job describing how much Sunday loved her family and how she looked after her brother who has learning challenges. Would this person run off and stay away for 5 years? I don’t think so. Kale’s wife is over-the-top jealous, and I thought her behavior was a bit much.

The blurb I read promised a good many family secrets, and that was certainly a part of the book. Many of the people in the story were deeply flawed humans who kept things they did, or things that happened to themselves; the lack of communication was a major problem.

Overall, the story was good--not great—but good. The ending neatly tied up some loose pieces, and I’m sure romance lovers will appreciate it, but I felt a bit at odds over how quickly one of the characters decided to end a relationship.

Twenty-nine year old Sunday Brennan wakes up in a Los Angeles hospital after having an accident n which she was DUI. She has been living in Los Angeles for five years and has no family in LA; her nearest relative is her brother Denny who flies in from New York. She is feeling ashamed, and Denny decides that Sunday needs to come back home.

There is no doubt there is a lot of drama going on with this dysfunctional family. True one doesn’t have to be Irish to relate.
Not my typical read but I was looking forward to something a little different.
I have no doubt many readers will totally enjoy this!

Want to thank NetGalley and Celedon Books for this early release granted to me for a honest professional review.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for August 3, 2021.

We Are the Brennans
by Tracey Lange
Celadon Books
You Are Auto-Approved
General Fiction (Adult)
Pub Date 03 Aug 2021 | Archive Date Not set

This novel by the debut author, Tracey Lange is a solid read. I enjoyed the Irish Catholic family saga and the lies and secrets contained within. The story told from different POVs was interesting and well done.
This is not my typical genre so it wasn't a great fit for me but I am sure it will go over in the general public.

Thanks to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the ARC. I enjoyed this book!
4star

Absolutely wonderful!!!!!!!

It’s a novel to savor…. ha, if possible, as I found it hard to put down. LOVE LOVED LOVED it!!!!!

I’ll return to a review when I can.
Surprise guests just showed up - will stay the night -
Until I do …. I’ll leave a little excerpt to think about:
“It wasn’t her grief he couldn’t take, it was the fact that he couldn’t grieve with her”.

Terrific family novel!!!! I’ll be back when I can.

RETURNING….to share a little more…..BUT….NO SPOILERS…..
Meet the family….(a few tidbits about each of them)
*Sunday Brennan*….
……twenty nine years old, had always been the voice of reason. There was a maturity and selflessness about her character.
The only female sibling. She had good grades in school, ran cross country, worked on the high school newspaper, wrote stories….and generally things came easy for her.

*Denny Brennan*….
…..oldest son, (who usually could do no wrong), was Sunday’s protector. At times, he could be quite controlling, yet there was no denying that everyone seemed to rely on him. Presently, Denny was in a Financial jam.
Denny was married to Theresa. They had a six year old daughter, Molly.

*Jackie Brennan*…
……[Sunday’s twin], was the executor of Sunday’s secret. …they had a special twin-bond. He was an artist (painted)…Sunday wrote stories. When the two were together talking about books and art…nobody could get in their way.

*Shaun Brennan*….
……was the youngest brother. He has always been the family barometer…..kind, helpful, wanted to please, and very lovable. He had learning developmental challenges and was intellectually slower than normal.

*Kale Collins*….
……was Denny’s business partner. He and Denny were in the middle of opening up their 2nd pub in Mamaroneck. Their first location was a local pub in West Manor (which won best local pub in Westchester for the past two year). Kale grew up with the Brennan family …. Denny was his best friend ….. Sunday was the love of life.

*Maura Brennen* was Mom. Sunday was her prime caretaker when she was sick.

*Micky Brennan* was Dad. For thirty years he worked in construction.
He was a successful businessman—hehad his hands in everything related to construction in his area….contract biding, Union negotiations, inspection approvals, etc. His earnings provided their family a beautiful home, nice clothes, extra cars in the driveway. Micky’s health was fragile. He had recovered from a heart attack and was showing early signs of dementia.

*Vivienne*…..
……she was married to Kale. Physically she was model beautiful. They had a three year old son, Luke.
When Kale married Vivienne, Sunday wasn’t sure if it was because he got sucked in by the superficial, or because he sought out someone so different from her.

Other characters…
…..Auntie Angie, Auntie Clare, Cousin Grail, Paul the bartender, Billy Wash > son of Frank and Lynn Wash (a local nearby family), Sharon Martin, (town gossip), Michael Eaton (a lawyer)……

So….what about “The Brennan’s”?….
They lived in New York. Micky and Maura came from Ireland. They were a tightknit Irish family.
However, family bonds were tested as the fractious characters were fleshed out one by one.
We get a vivid exploration of psychological family warfare…..
It’s intimate….and DAMN GOOD!!!!

There were a couple of times I wanted to cry….
Shame, and secrets were shattering love-relationships……
I found it incredibly sad that when a tragedy happened…asking a loved one for help, at a crucial time…..then getting turned away —
well…..
it has got to be one of the most heartbreaking devastations a person experiences.
And…
not asking for help when needed is also sad as can be.

Tracey Lange, who comes from a large Irish family, wrote a standout - inimitable and prolific contemporary family novel. She captures the essence of love, loss, shame, …both past, present, and everlasting.
Thank you Tracey….I enjoyed this book so very much. I can’t wait to read your next novel.

Thank you Netgalley for the pleasure it was to read this novel…..
…publish date will be in August. A novel not to miss.

Thank you Tracey Lange!!!

A special thanks to Celadon Books (especially after being such a turd expressing how overwhelmed I felt just being ‘asked’ to receive a gifted book), I had said no. It was a day I wanted to toss in the towel and bolt from everything….dealing with my own physical chronic pain..
But, my goodness…I’d sure take a physical copy of this book now. I have already told several of my local friends - they must read it.
Some novels we just want to put in the hands of people we love.
This is that book…..WONDERFUL!!!

We Are the Brennans is a strong debut novel by Tracey Lange that explores family drama and relationships. It follows main character, Sunday Brennan, as she moves back home after abruptly leaving her family, her life, and her fiance five years earlier. What follows is dramatic, heartbreaking, and heartwarming as the family breaks down secrets, lies, and misconceptions and strives to rebuild those relationships that were severed 5 years prior.

I loved this novel! The characters and their relationships were beautifully written. They were flawed and they made flawed choices, but I think that just made them even richer and more endearing. Lange provided great context and backstory for the characters that enables the reader to understand these characters and understand why they have made the decisions they made. The characters are at the heart of this novel and Lange did a great job making them come alive.

The relationships and the emotions behind them were beautiful and well-written. I teared up at points because I could see reflections of my relationship with my family and specifically my brothers in these characters. That presence of unconditional love and support, even during trying times and when one may not be acting as their best self, is a treasure, and Lange did a profoundly emotional job of portraying that. It resonated well and is a big part of what attached me to this book.

Lastly, I loved the author's choice to start a new chapter with the sentence spoken last in the previous chapter. It was a clever choice and made the novel flow seamlessly through multiple character's points-of-views. Speaking of multiple POVs, I think that was also well-crafted, as it took characters who weren't really likeable, and helped give the reader some sympathy and understanding. Overall, really well done. An easy 5 stars for me and likely to be a top read of 2021 for me.