If you like to read a dysfunctional Irish American family, you’ll love this book like I did. It reminded me a bit of Maine by J Courtney Sullivan. We have the Catholic religion, the pub, the visits to the old country, the cups of tea and the messy, complex family dynamic. I listened to the audio and I highly commend the narrator on an amazing job of all the accents, especially the Northern ones. (I was born in Ireland and visit my family there often)

I was surprised to learn that this is a debut novel for Tracey Lange; I found her writing confident, smooth, smart and well-paced. The repetition of a line from the previous chapter was a nice touch. I enjoyed the plot – it became more twisty than I anticipated. The characters were very well developed and vulnerable; that Irish mother was scary real! Only Viv seemed one dimensional and stereotypical to me. They were flawed humans, but all were people I could relate to.

This is a family saga that includes four siblings, their relationships to each other and the outside world. It covers the danger of keeping secrets over the years and the far-reaching consequences, foreseeable and not. Universal questions are considered. Is it possible to go home and reinvent yourself? Is there only one true love? What is sacrificed for true love? How the position in the family can influence one’s relationships with other. This is a family that is envied by others but has lots of imperfections. The Brennans seemed real to me.

My only criticism would be that I found the focal “event” (no spoilers) was revisited too often for this reader. I understand the author was showing us the event from different perspectives, but I think use of first person might have achieved a better understanding of each character. The outside third person meant a retelling without a lot of new detail each time.

This is an entertaining book and I finished it in two days. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author. Thanks, NetGalley and MacMillan audio.

’Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.’
- Leo Tolstoy

The Brennans are a tightly-knit Irish family, living close to the parental family home in West Manor, NY. All except the only daughter, Sunday, who left years before to move to California, pursuing her dreams of becoming a writer, while at the same time leaving the man she loved behind with no explanation. She is forced to return when she wrecks her car, driving drunk, and ends up in the hospital. Denny, her oldest brother, is the one who gets the phone call notifying him of her circumstances, after which she returns - something she never wanted to do. Returning means not only facing her family, but facing Kale, the man she once loved, and still has feelings for.

Kale has married since then, and is also now a father, but is also almost considered family, since he is partners with her brother Denny on the family’s pub. It is impossible to avoid seeing him, and when she does all those old feelings come flooding back.

Each character, save one, in this story has their own secrets and stories, which all eventually come to the surface a little bit at a time. Some more scandalous than others, but only the youngest of her siblings seems to escape from being involved in the drama.

This is a family drama that feels both realistic, while slowly revealing drama upon drama as the story unveils over time. Each character, from the mother and father, the brothers and Sunday, the wives all have their own drama to add to it. In other hands, this could have just been too much, too unbelievable, but the way this was unveiled felt authentically real. It’s rare that I read a book, or as in this case listen to it, and come away thinking that it would make an excellent movie or series, but I could so easily visualize this one being adapted into a movie by someone like Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine.

Narrated by Barrie Kreinik, this is Tracey Lange’s debut novel, although it doesn’t feel like a debut. As she comes from a large Irish Catholic family herself, it is easy to feel the warmth she feels for this family she’s created. The way this story was woven throughout seems so authentic, and you can’t help but root for these characters she’s brought to life, hoping they find happiness.


Pub Date: 03 Aug 2021

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Macmillan Audio / Celadon Books

That 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 narrator did a great job.

This reminded me of We’re All Adults here. I thought this was a great spin on the perfect American family that is anything but perfect. The characters are believable and you learn to care for them. The plot was not fast paced, but I found myself pouring through this book because I actually cared about the characters.

If you’re a fan of family dramas, this may be the book for you. It follows a Irish Catholic family during their ups and downs. I found it to be a little bland at times, but the characters were believable and it had a genuine feel, which I appreciated.

Each chapter alternates character perspectives to provide a different point of view, which I enjoyed. Various relationships are explored, memories are reflected upon, and secrets slowly exposed as the book unfolds.

One thing I love about this genre is having an intimate glimpse into the lives of others. In this story, I enjoyed the complex sibling dynamics, the sentimental moments, and being privy to the mistakes & struggles of these characters - who reminded me that humans are incredibly complicated and resilient.

☘️The audio had a nice flow and the narrator did a great job. This book is on the shorter side, and I’m glad I listened to it. Once I started, I was glued to my ear buds and listened to the story in one day.

This one is 3.5/5 stars rounded up to 4 for me

Thanks to Macmillan Audio & NetGalley for the audio Arc!

We Are The Brennans was the perfect family drama. Sunday Brennan is in a car accident out in LA. Her brother comes to her rescue and brings her back to her Irish family in NY.

Her family owns an Irish pub which is in financial trouble. As we learn more about each family member more secrets are uncovered. All their stories seem to intertwine even if they don’t realize it. The reader is teased with the event of what caused Sunday to leave her family and what went on with Mrs Brennan. There’s secrets behind each Brennan door that keep coming to light. This held my attention so much as if I was getting a front row seat into their lives unfolding.

What family loyalty the Brennan family has. They will stand up for their family members no matter what the cause or if there is any drama between them. It’s almost unheard of these days to know someone will have your back the way they all did. They didn’t even need to know what happened or who was in the wrong- they’d protect their family. I really enjoyed that piece of the story. I loved the Irish aspect as I have family in Ireland. It made me wish I had a bunch of Irish brothers!

The narrator did an excellent job. I loved how strong of an Irish brough Mr. Brennan had. I binged this story because it was such a pleasure to listen to & I had to know all the family secrets. This book had everything you’d want in a family drama!

Torn between 3 and 4 stars.

We are the Brennans chronicals a deeply connected and complex Irish family through their business endeavors, secrets and mistakes that altered their paths to the future. The ending was a tough sell for me. While I enjoy an ending that wraps things up neatly, I didn't necessarily agree or believe in the decision that was made to alleviate one of their biggest problems.

CW: violence, child loss

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy.

“We Are the Brennans” is about an Irish family that loves hard and has that element of family dysfunction as it finest. Sunday Brennan left for sunny LA in pursuit of a writing career. Leaving a man she loved and her family behind, while no one thought she looked back. After reckless choices and terrible accident, Monday hits an all time low returning home to the family and the past she tried to forget.

I fell in love with the characters and their relationships through Lange’s writing. I was pleasantly surprised how the Brennan family’s relationships made me reflect on my own family. Many issues will always arise, but they are present and constant. It was a fun engaging novel and I found the audiobook narrator to be quite pleasant. Also, the Irish dialect was easy to follow and brought that origin element to the audiobook.

Thank you Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and Tracey Lange for this ARC audiobook.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC.
This was a beautiful debut. Stories that center on family are hit or miss for me, and this one was a definite hit. I loved the Brennan siblings. They are all so human and flawed, yet there is so much love in this family, even when it feels like things are falling apart. I liked how the story slowly unfolded and how the layers worked together to bring about the cohesiveness of the plot. Each character's actions deeply affect the other characters, and this played out well.
The story goes back and forth, between past and present, to fully show how Sunday and her siblings deal with shame and secrets. I liked how the author carefully explored shame and how paralyzing it can be. I also enjoyed how first love was explored and the hold it has on those involved.
If you enjoy stories of tight-knit, yet flawed families, I think you'll enjoy this one. The narrator did a fantastic job of bringing these characters to life.

I loved all the minutes I spent with this novel. This is the story of Sunday Brennan who ends up returning to her hometown after a car accident that she causes. She left home five years ago without an explanation and it hurt her brothers and fractured her family. She also left an ex-fiance behind.

This is, at its core, a story of healing. It explores sibling relationships, parent-child relationships, and love, of course. It's about facing your past, it's about how one's pain can spiral out and cause a domino effect of pain throughout a family or a community. It's a perfect example of how shame, when left hidden, can completely destroy a family (and a person.)

After she returns home, Sunday's healing begins. And it slowly heals her family and relationships.

The only part that didn't sit well with me was Vivienne and how two-dimensional her character was. I didn't like how convenient it made things. Life is rarely that convenient.

This is a story of redemption, beautifully told. I loved it.

with gratitude to netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

First, I'd like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an early audible version of this debut novel. It's rare to snag a galley in this form, and for that I am grateful. However, the story as it unfolded was predictable with stock characters and reheated situations. What I did like was the structure -- giving relevance to the title, the family each had their say through a clever segue mechanism that propelled the action smoothly. Thus, the family, which is the centerpiece and form the main character, is individualized, each member brought center stage and given prominence. I do look forward to Lange's future works because I think her talent will develop nicely over time.

This was a high 4 stars for me. This audiobook narrated by Barrie Kreinik was about a family loyal to each other and protective. They got a lot of things wrong and it drew me right in. There could be second chances and healing if they’re brave enough.
I highly recommend this if you love good fiction. The narrator was great and I really enjoyed it.
Thanks Macmillan Audio via Netgalley.

I enjoyed spending some time getting to know this big Irish family from New York

I liked that their story was told from several points of view, which added to the warm and expansive feel of the book. Almost all of the characters in this book are flawed in their own way. They make many bad decisions and stick together to solve their problems.

As much as I liked my time spent with this family, I have to say I didn’t like the way the book ended, I was looking for more resolution.

Narration: Barrie Kreinik did an excellent job voicing the many different characters, including those with an Irish accent.

4.5/5

I loved the Brennans. Such a well written story about how one mistake can change your whole life, especially if you aren’t honest about it with the people who love you unconditionally. 4.5 stars rounding up to 5.