Tara Connelly has just been released from prison and her sister, Geraldine, never showed to pick her up. Detective Nolan just happens to be at the prison and offers her a ride home. The problem: he is the one who put her behind bars. Out of choices, Tara accepts the ride and returns to the home she shared with her sister Geraldine and her brother Eddie and his son, Conor. As the family acclimates to Tara's return, Tara finds a job, returns to caring for her siblings, but also is determined to find answers to her lingering questions about her family. But Tara is not the only one digging into her family's secrets. So is Nolan's partner, Hank. To add to complications, Tara can't seem to follow the rules set by her Parole officer and finds herself in trouble... again.

I really enjoyed this novel about family, loyalty, the secrets we keep to protect our loved ones. All 3 siblings are scarred by the loss of their parents and are bonded deeply to each other. The lengths they go to take care of each other are flawed but guided by the truest of intentions. The characters are complicated and messy but ultimately want what is best for everyone.

Thank you to Celadon and Netgalley for an early digital review copy of this novel.

Having read and thoroughly loved Tracey Lange’s debut novel, WE ARE THE BRENNANS, I was excited to get my hands on her new novel, THE CONNELLYS OF COUNTY DOWN. Lange has again written a book about a family that has problems, but is united in love for each other. The book opens with Tara, a former art teacher, being released from prison after serving time for transporting drugs. She is returning home to her family consisting of an older sister, Geraldine, who runs the show, her older brother Eddie, who suffered an injury which has lingering brain trauma, and his ten-year-old son, Conor. Their mother passed away, and their dad is estranged from the family. Add to this picture,the cop who arrested Tara just happens to be at the prison and gives her a ride home.

I was a little frustrated with how slowly the story seemed to develop; however, around the thirty-five percent mark, it picked up and I found myself thoroughly engaged. I loved how Conor was called on to interject a joke when someone was out of sorts. I loved how this story came together in the end. I might have shed some tears several times! I do wish there had been an epilogue added—maybe five or ten years in the future. Or, could we see these characters in a sequel. My thanks to Celadon Books, Bookishfirst, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.

The Connellys of County Down by Tracey Lange
Release Date: 8/1/23
Format: ebook
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Let me start by saying We Are the Brennans is one of my all time favorite books and I was so thrilled to receive an arc of Lange’s new novel (thank you @netgalley)!! And can we drool over this gorgeous cover for a second? I love it 😍

This novel is another Irish-American family drama with messy but lovable characters and an up close examination of what familial love really means. I adored Tara, Eddie, & Conor so much and wanted to protect them at all costs!

This book is only 288 pages but it is a slow read. I’m not saying this as a bad thing, it’s just a story you take your time with. For it feeling slower though, I did feel like the ending was a bit rushed and I was just left with so many questions.

Also, some cop behavior in this book really didn’t sit well with me and I didn’t feel like it was properly addressed.

With that being said, I did really love the overarching story of a family working together to overcome trauma & drama. I would recommend it, I just didn’t love it as much as her debut novel!

#Netgalley #newreleasebooks #bookreview

The Connellys of County Down is the newest novel by Tracey Lange. It features a family of Irish descent living and making their lives in America while still feeling tied to their ancestors in Ireland. Tara is newly released from prison and lives at home with her brother and sister. There are a lot of past troubles among the siblings that make the current living situation stressful. Tracey must now find a job but her record makes that difficult. Her sister feels she's responsible for everyone in her family and that has her doing things she never thought she would. Her brother is dealing with a TBI and the effects of that. If you love family dramas, then this is the book for you! Read and enjoy!

I very much enjoyed this book!!
I loved the fairy tale element, but I wish it played a bigger role.
The writing is excellent and it’s full of family and drama and secrets.
The characters are complex and flawed and they came to life in the pages. The way they move around and react to each other made me feel like I was reading about an actual family, not just characters in a book.

Today Tara is getting out of prison. She’s moving back home with her sister and brother. This family has a lot of secrets that come out during the story. I liked Tara but maybe not some of her decisions. It was a good book and moves rather quickly. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

This a story of love, loyalty, and complicated family dynamics. It gave me a little bit of Shameless vibes and I LOVED that show. Tara is incredibly dedicated to her family to a fault and when she gets out of prison, that doesn’t change. She gets into a few complicated situations and you just feel for her so much. I loved how this told a story of someone struggling with mental health issues and someone dealing with a TBI but done so eloquently. I wanted even more, I wasn’t prepared for it to end. An absolute must read and just a really beautiful story.

This was definitely a great family drama. Loved the siblings dynamics and the turmoil of their lives. The story was definitely a bit more dramatic than typical family dramas and could have used an additional 25 pages at the end.

**Many thanks to NetGalley, @CeladonBooks, and Tracey Lange for an ARC of this book!**

"Because he was hoping to save Tara, just like in Mom's fairy tale. But in the fairy tale they had all saved each other."

Tara is finally free: she's done her time in a prison called Taconic, and is aching to get back to the real world outside the walls of confinement. But Tara knows that with a drug charge and prison time on her record forever, finding a new way of life won't be easy. She was formerly an art teacher and has kept her skills sharp by making drawings for the kids of some of her fellow inmates...but with a criminal record, teaching art is out of the question. Will anyone take a chance on her...or will she be forced to take a job befitting of her troubled past?

Aside from her employment woes, going back home means moving back in with her family: high strung accounting whiz Geraldine, who has always kept the family together but may finally be in a BIT over her head, and Eddie, Tara's brother who suffered a traumatic brain injury years ago. Despite his limitations, Eddie still gives his all at his construction job AND tries his hardest be a good father to his adorable son, Connor. While Tara looks at her nephew as though he were her own son, Connor's real mom Andrea is still in the wings of the Connelly's lives also....meaning her drug dealer isn't far behind.

But when the handsome cop who initially arrested Tara offers to drive her home from prison...and keeps showing up on her doorstep...what could he possibly want now? Is he simply trying to get more information about the misdeeds in Tara's past and figure out the secrets that bind the Connellys together? Or is he on a quest to really KNOW Tara ...even better than she knows herself?

Though I had the misfortune to miss out on Lange's debut We Are the Brennans, after reading countless rave reviews, I considered Lange a must-read author and was VERY excited to get the chance to read an early copy of this one...and now I see what the hype was all about! The first couple of chapters in this one felt a bit slow and wordy to me, while Lange was establishing character...but by the end of chapter 3, I was COMPLETELY hooked! There are plenty of thriller-esque just-one-more-chapter endings to Lange's chapters...so consider yourself warned!

The Connelly family is so beautifully penned, and each character and side character not only has RELEVANCE, but feels fresh off the pages of life itself. Lange doesn't waste a word or a moment; you get a very early sense of who these characters are early on, but at the same time, as the story unfolds, these truly feel like friends that you've gotten to know over several YEARS, with all the frustration and joy that comes with TRULY knowing the good, bad, and ugly about someone you love unconditionally. While teeny parts of the plot might have been predictable, there is so much about these characters (particularly Tara) that will surprise you. If you loved Mare in Mare of Easttown (a simply PHENOMENAL show you need to drop everything and watch RIGHT NOW if you haven't already) I promise you will LOVE Tara. So much about this book reminded me of that dysfunctional family and the ebbs and flows of their relationships in the wake of trauma and strife.

Lange also captures some of the feelings of unresolved frustration between children who are abandoned by their parents and subsequently had to grow up too fast: the matriarch of the Connelly clan passed away when the children were young, and their father flat-out abandoned them. Before she passed, though, their mother used to tell the children a magical tale about the Connellys of County Down, where each member of the family has magical powers that could save them....IF they can only dig deep enough to rediscover them. Between these journeys of exploration as a family unit and Tara's own personal journey towards self-love, acceptance, and trust, the narrative is full to bursting with emotional tension, highs and lows, and the reader has no choice but to be swept away with the current..and despite the bumps, it's a lovely and touching journey.

Though the Connelly clan might have started their journey living in the fairy tale world that seemed far beyond their reach, by story's end they come to realize that Hans Christian Anderson might have summed it up best: "Life itself is the most wonderful fairy tale."

4.5 stars

#CeladonReads #TheConnellysofCountyDown

Rich in character, this novel explores the length and limits of family bonds. It is about love, hopes and dreams, and making the right choices even after previously maybe making the wrong ones. This book will pull at your heartstrings.

I really enjoyed Tracey Lange's first book We Are the Brennans so was looking forward to reading her newest book. This is a good family drama. The plot is a little far fetched but still very enjoyable.

3.75 stars

This was a touching story about the things we do and how far we go to protect family and the repercussions that protection has not just on us but on those we are protecting.

I loved the way the author discussed mental health issues and TBI side effects and normalized therapy. I loved the different perspectives, which really allowed us to see those things more clearly. I felt for Tara so much and her story underscored just how flawed our criminal justice system is, as if we needed additional examples when all we need to do is look at the news. I thought the romance was sweet and loved Tara and Brian together.

I was fortunate to receive both an eARC and audio ARC of this title, and I'm happy to report that the audio narration was well done. I might have liked dual narrators, one male and one female for those respective POVs, but Barrie Kreinik did a great job nonetheless narrating both male and female parts.

The tension built nicely throughout the story, keeping me listening or catching back up in the eBook. I loved how everything came together in the end. If you enjoy character studies, family dramas a touch of romance and a HEA, you'll enjoy this book.

I love family drama novels but this one felt a little shallow. The getting out of prison plot was solid but Geraldine was so annoying it was hard to get too invested. I also felt like the romance subplot was underdeveloped

I've read this book in a few hours in one sitting. It is such a quick read. After losing their mom at a young age and being abandoned by their deadbeat father the three siblings learned to take care of another. Main character of the novel, Tara, is loyal and selfless to a fault. She'd do anything for her family. In his brother's own words "I don't think you do the rest of us and favors when you don't let us carry our own burdens"

I liked Tara's relationships with her nephew and her employers. I wasn't crazy about the romantic relationship. I think there was a clear power imbalance.

Tracey Lange does complicated and messy family dramas well. If you liked We Are The Brennans I think you'd like The Connellys of County Down too.

The author made Tara and her date go to Brennan's for dinner. I was grinning from ear to ear when I caught the reference.

The Connellys are a family comprised of a hoarder, a loser, and a felon, to paraphrase Eddie in Chapter 12. Well, and the sweetness that is Conor, Eddie's son, who Tara would do anything to protect. I love her devotion to him and her family and how that overshadows everything she had to go through in prison and after coming home. Take these flawed people and story, and weave throughout the fairytale story told by their long deceased mother about how the three of them had to work together to save the castle in her bedtime story The Connellys of County Down. The story continues to come back to this fairy tale to remind the readers and characters that above else, they are family, for good and bad. This book wasn't perfect. The coincidences were too many, the repercussions were somewhat unrealistic, but this book was a joy to read! But Ms. Lange does family intricacies really really well!

The Connellys of County Down begins with Tara Connelly being released from prison after serving 18 months due to a drug trafficking charge. While incarcerated, she doesn't see much of her 2 siblings Geraldine and Eddie, and neither of them show up to pick her up. After returning home, she soon finds that so much as changed since she left, and not for the better.

Geraldine is the oldest sister and has taken care of her Eddie and Tara since she was a young teen. We quickly learn that she has had too much pressure and responsibility on her shoulders for far too long and it has begun to have devastating impacts on her life.

Eddie suffers from a traumatic brain injury and is doing his best as a single dad. His son Conor brings comedic relief to the novel.

This was such a beautiful story examining the impact that familial relationships can have on our lives and the decisions we make. I loved how each of the Connelly siblings had a role that they played in keeping their dysfunctional family together.

One of my favorite messages from the story was that it's okay to ask for help. I really appreciated that the author included therapy in the story and that it wasn't just mentioned, but was a crucial part.

This one was easily bingeable. I finished about 65% of it in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. It was perfectly executed, and I have zero complaints. I will definitely be reading We Are the Brennans and anything else that Tracey Lange writes.

My review will be posted to my instagram on Wednesday, July 26. https://www.instagram.com/readingwithtrey/

Tracey Lange does family drama so so well!

The Connellys of County Down is a story of three siblings navigating life after the youngest is released from prison.

We follow each sibling and the struggles they are dealing with. Tara needs will no longer be able to teach children due of her conviction and needs to find a new job, the oldest sister, Geraldine is struggling at work, and their brother, Eddie, is still learning how to deal with daily activities after a TBI.

This book is all about dealing with grief, love, hope, and forgiveness.

Tracey does such an amazing job of writing vulnerable and perfectly flawed characters that you cant help but root for!

Read this if you like:
- family drama
- difficult family dynamics
- family secrets
- messy but lovable characters

Tara Connelly just got out of prison on a drug charge. Basically starting over she moves in with her siblings and her nephew. As she starts to pick up the pieces of her life the cop that arrests her keeps showing up. Even though he put her away she can't help but deny her attraction to him. Things aren't ever what they seem though. Her family has their fair share of secrets. And some secrets can rip their family apart.

This was my first book by Tracey Lange and it won't be my last. This book is told in multiple POVs, which I love. You get to see what is going on in the story but all sides. I did call the twist early on, but still was invested in the book. I can't wait to read Tracey Lange's first book!

I really liked most of the characters in this book. The older sister drove me nuts at times but after finishing the book and really thinking about it I felt bad for her. All three siblings have had to carry secrets and trauma around. It's no wonder why their family is a bit messy. I thought the author did a great job at navigating through the family dynamics. I really liked Tara. She was such a strong female character. I connected with the brother too. I have two brain conditions, not as bad as his, but I do have a headache everyday from them. I can understand when they get so bad how debilitating they can be. It was nice for the author to show that families aren't always perfect...families have problems. I think it was great to show how mental illness can impact a person and the people around them. I really liked Brian too.

I listened to the book as I read it. I thought the narrator did a great job. I would have liked to have different narrators for the different POVs though. Thank you to NetGalley, Celadon Books and Macmillan Audio for the copies of this book!

4.5 family dynamic stars

We meet our main character, Tara Connelly, as she is being released from an 18-month prison sentence for a drug charge. At only 30, she’s got a long life in front of her, but it will be difficult with the crime on her record. She’s not able to teach art to young kids anymore, and finding any job proves to be quite difficult. I do love the job she finds, doing illustrations for two young men with a gaming company.

She does have two siblings, but they have their own issues to deal with. Older sister Geraldine is hiding some big secrets and her actions threaten Tara’s future.

Her brother Eddie has issues from an accident years ago where he suffered a brain injury. He’s a single dad and Tara is devoted to her nephew.

Then there’s the cop who arrested her. He keeps popping up in her life and Tara isn’t sure what to make of him. And how could she be attracted to him?

This author does an excellent job of building realistic characters with flaws that you grow to root for. The main characters are very well done, and we even get great side characters that add to the story. She also shows the difficult road for someone coming out of prison and the onerous tasks from parole officers. I had some anxiety for Tara reading this book and I hoped that nothing would happen that would send her back to jail.

I really like this author and this is her second book that I’ve read and enjoyed, she goes on the favorite list! I definitely recommend this one!

💭Thoughts:
This is a beautifully emotional character driven story. I honestly wasn’t expecting to fall in love with these characters like I did. I really felt for Tara and what she went through. The love she had for her nephew was really remarkable. It’s hard for me to put into words exactly why I loved this book without giving things away about the story. It’s more enjoyable to learn the family secrets as they happen.

I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy family dramas filled with lots of love, secrets, and past traumas.