This is a good novel about an ordinary flawed family. I connected to all the characters despite the dysfunction. I think readers will cheer for Tara as she assimilates back into her community at home and re-establishes connections with family, friends and community. Ms. Lange has written another family drama that is a winner. Definitely recommend

I had read and loved We Are the Brennans so I was very excited to have a chance to read Tracey Lange’s next novel, The Connellys of County Down. I felt like I immediately connected with Tara as she was released from prison and returns to her family home to live with her siblings who are each going through their own struggles. I absolutely loved the Connelly family and every moment I spent with them in these pages. I also am a person that really loves when there are connections from one book to another and so the visit to Brennans bar was really fun for me. After reading two wonderful novels by Tracey Lange, I very much look forward to what she writes next.

The Connellys of County Down by Tracy Lange is a beautifully crafted novel that delves into the messy, complicated, and deeply human dynamics of family. Tara Connelly’s journey of rebuilding her life after prison is both poignant and relatable, as she grapples with her past and the fragile relationships she has with her siblings. Lange excels at creating characters who feel raw and authentic, each struggling with their own secrets and personal battles, making their growth throughout the novel all the more compelling. The tension between loyalty, love, and the weight of unspoken truths creates a gripping narrative that keeps you invested until the very last page. With her keen understanding of family complexities, Lange delivers a story that is both heart-wrenching and uplifting, offering a powerful exploration of redemption, forgiveness, and the ties that bind.

The Connelly's of County Down is a powerful, character-driven novel about the bond of families, particularly siblings. I'm typically not an audiobook reader but my commute got longer so I figured it was a good time to try it out again. The narrator was soothing but not dry and she got the characters just right. Tracey Lange weaves a story that readers with siblings will no doubt find something to relate with. As if they were my own sisters/brothers, I found Tara, Eddie and Geraldine charming, annoying, loveable and aggravating in-turn. Another win by Lange!

This is the second book I’ve read by Tracey Lange, the first being We Are The Brennans, and I have to say I enjoyed this one just as much as the first. The author writes about family drama and The Connellys of County Down is about an Irish family living near the New York City area who has a lot of issues. Although they are somewhat troubled, they are not really any different from any of the rest of us. It’s about 3 siblings who lose their mother to Cancer very early on and then a few years later lose their father from abandonment. The oldest sister takes on the responsibility of raising her 2 younger siblings and that is no easy task. They all have their own struggles and issues but because of the life they’ve been dealt, their bond with each other is extreme and beautiful in its own way. I only wish my siblings were close like this! After reading both of this authors books and giving them both a 5 star rating, I can definitely say I’d recommend them to other readers. I’d like to thank Celadon Books for allowing me to be a Celadon Reader and getting to read an early copy and NetGalley for the arc. I enjoyed this very much and look forward to reading What Happened to the McCrays which is due to release in January of 2025. I’m rating this book with a well deserved 5 stars!

This book is perfect for a book club! With its short chapters and bingeable pacing, it’s easy to get lost in the story. It’s very character-driven, diving deep into relationships and dynamics that make you think. The family drama at the heart of it all is both relatable and captivating, making it a great pick for discussions. If you love books that focus on characters and their messy lives, this one’s for you!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Celadon books for a free e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Following an 18 month stay from a drug charge, Tara Connelly is released from jail and forced to rebuild her life from the ground up. With little support available to her, she moves home with her two siblings, Eddie and Geralyn, and her nephew Connor. Struggling with feelings of abandonment, anxiety over reconstructing her life and guilt for what she’s put her siblings through, Tara faces a tough road to recovery. Unbeknownst to her, her siblings have been facing their own severe struggles while she’s been away and she quickly begins to juggle her challenges along with theirs. Added to the mix is Bryan Nolan, the cop responsible for her arrest, who establishes a further complicating presence in her life. As everyone’s secrets are revealed, the Connellys are forced to face their fears head on not only to keep their family together but also to finally free themselves from the surmounting challenges that have been holding them back.

🌿 Despite repeated poor choices, I found myself rooting for every character in this book
🌿 I love family sagas and this one did not disappoint! The characters were well fleshed out and I enjoyed the different family dynamics in the book, even if they were tense or awkward at times.
🌿 Read this if you enjoy emotionally bumpy novels full of family drama, perfectly imperfect characters and a rollercoaster of lows and highs.

Tracey Lange sophomore novel, The Connellys of County Down, focuses on family drama and secrets. Similar to her debut, We Are the Brennans, the main character is a 20 something woman with secrets and the weight of family issues on her shoulders.
Tara Connelly has just been released from prison after serving 18 months for a drug deal which is completely out of character for her. When her family (consisting of her brother and sister) become unable to pick her up from prison, the man who sent her to prison is there to pick her up. As the story progresses, we uncover long held secrets and the impacts of holding them in.

The Connellys of County Down by Tracey Lange. Pub Date: August 1, 2023. Rating: 4 stars. In this novel, the reader is taken on a journey through a family's current state of affairs. The main character, Tara, was just released from prison on a drug charge and at 30 years old is facing trying to rebuild her life as an ex-convict within her family space. She struggles with re-connecting with her family, finding a job and trying to make a better life for herself. Through all of these struggles, there is hope and love that blossoms as she perseveres through her trials and tribulations. This novel was a beautiful, moving journey about forgiveness, family, hope and love. I absolutely adore how this author writes and can't wait to read her next novel. Thanks to #netgalley and #celadonbooks for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

If you love good family dramas, you’ll enjoy this book! It was an engaging plot, likable characters, and I found myself breezing right through it. An enjoyable read!

I really enjoyed this one! I liked this author’s debut but I didn’t think that it was anything super spectacular. I debated on giving this book a chance but I am so glad that I did. This was everything that I wanted from We are the Brennans! I will be eagerly awaiting Tracy Lange’s upcoming books.

The Connellys of County Down is a character driven novel about a complicated family following three adult siblings. There are secrets and stress among them but they still have such strong love for each other. Each POV felt very distinct but sometimes a little flat unfortunately. I also was not a fan of the love story it had a strange power imbalance that I was not into. I do feel like this book was well written and a solid follow up to We Are the Brennans but it wasn’t the best book for me. Anyone who loves a family drama that’s very character driven with sometimes unlikeable characters might enjoy this though.

Tracey Lange so excellently brings family to life on the page! The Brennans captured my heart first, but the Connellys easily found a spot right next to them! I fell in love with Tara almost immediately, and I love how much she cared for her family and especially her nephew. The supporting cast was great and I really liked the added mystery element and I loved the addition of Tara's employers too! There was just the right amount of action for a family drama to make it exciting without overdoing it!

I didn’t finish this read.

I was bored and couldn’t find anything to capture my attention. I didn’t have anything pulling me in to keep going.

There was nothing bad about what I did read , it just wasn’t for me.

This isn't my usual kind of book, but I found I really enjoyed it! I was very captivated, and couldn't wait to find out next. I definitely recommend.

Unexpected in a lovely way. The family dynamics here were intense and very complex and interesting, not just with the Connellys, but also with Brian and his family as well. I had really enjoyed We Are the Brennans from Tracey Lange and this follow-up was great and did not disappoint at all. She has a great way of portraying families and their complex relationships, especially when there are secrets and drama involved. Tara is put in a situation that you can tell from the beginning is completely covered in complex layers that have been put there by the people around her and it was fascinating to watch all of that get peeled back.

I know I had put this one off for a bit and it is really a shame I haven't gotten to this sooner because it was not at all what I was expecting.

Many many thanks to Celadon Books and to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you Celadon for my advanced copy of the audio as well as the e-arc! All opinions are my own.

This story follows the life of three siblings battling their own struggles. Tara just finished an 18 month prison sentence and she tries to navigate the real life outside of prison. Geraldine has taken care of her siblings for as long as she can remember. The weight starts to get heavy and she struggles with an unhealthy obsession. Eddie learns to cope with life after a serious accident, all while being a single father.

This one was a quick, easy read. It is fairly short and didn’t take me any time at all to fly through it. Even though I read it quickly, I feel as if not much happened from beginning to end. It could have went a different direction, especially since a lot of situations were left unresolved.

The relationship aspect was odd to me. It progressed too quickly (although this could be due to the length of the book) and it seemed unrealistic due to their shared past. It was all pretty awkward. There were things that happened in the past that I felt deserved more explanation before hopping into a relationship.

I did enjoy the siblings’ struggles. They each had their own and I feel like all types of readers could relate to each of their struggles, regardless if they have experienced it exactly or not. Not everything is perfect, but you end up making do with what life throws at you, and you find your individual way in how to cope with it.

The narrator did a wonderful job in capturing each character’s unique personality. I look forward to listening to her more.

Tara Connelly is being released from prison, having served 18 months on a drug related charge. She managed to get through her sentence by drawing and creating stories for her nephew and for other inmates' children. She is shocked when Det. Brian Nolan is there at her release, as he helped put her in prison. Brian wants to apologize to her, but he can't do it. He feels a connection to Tara, but knows it is a career danger to be involved with an ex-con. Tara is trying to put her life, and her family, back together. Her brother, Eddie, suffers from a brain injury, and her sister, Geraldine, is a bit neurotic and a hoarder. All of these things lead Tara to make some interesting choices.
This is ultimately a story of love, family, and trust. Tara does everything she can to protect her family, often to her detriment. I liked the relationship between Brian and Tara, and I loved the loyalty Tara had to her family, esp. her nephew, Conor. I enjoyed the parts about her art/drawings, and the partnership with Gordi and Lance, the teens that took a chance on Tara.
Enjoyable read.

Sadly I didn’t really like this one. I didn’t hate it. I’ve tried to read others by this author and it just fell flat.

Thank you to #NetGalley, the author and the publisher.

I read her first book and even though I liked it well enough, I liked this one even better. I liked the characters better and the plot.

I liked Tara, Eddie, especially 10 year old Conor but Geraldine was just so annoying. I really thought she was in her 60s but that didn't fit with their age differences and she was only in her 30s. She acted like an old woman.

I've always been a big reader of dysfunctional families, and this one sort of fits the description. It's not just about families but also the cop who has ties with Tara when he arrested her. It gets more complicated in a personal way too. I like how the ending tied up all the family and the problem.

I have her future book on my to read and hopefully I'll be reading that one too when it comes out in August 2024. I Googled it and this is the plot: “When Kyle McCray gets word his father has suffered a debilitating stroke, he returns to his hometown of Potsdam, New York, even though he doesn't expect a warm reception.”