It is important to note that most of the themes explored in this book deal with sensitive subject matters. My review, therefore, touches on these topics as well. Many people might find the book's subject matters & those detailed in my review overwhelming. I would suggest you steer clear of both if this is the case. Please note that from this point forward I will be writing about matters which contain reflections on Hoarding Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury, parental abandonment, the death of a loved one, grief, terminal illness, substance abuse, & others.

North of New York & south of the city, to the west of the centre, & east of the middle vagrants a subtle Irish diaspora intermingling in a fulsome lineage of burdens. Lange has introduced the reader to this part of the State before via the Brennans; a dynamic family unit ripe with secrets & mysteries, both of which might have been resolved with a bit of gumption & a salivated tongue. However, that is not how families are run. That is not to say that all units have their weak point, yet, this would remain an accurate statement. I mean to say that Lange writes about families that are quite similar to the one you might have heard about from a friend, or, maybe they are like your own.

With the boastful delight of a welcomed breached birth, Lange has offered the reader a new family to ponder & possess. The Connelly family is quite unfortunately in utter disrepair. The youngest sibling, Tara, is on the brink of release from a stint in the penitentiary where she served a sentence for being charged with transporting drugs. Here, the reader is immediately required to forgive the New York State legislation that indicates that this is actually classified as a Major Felony—resulting in between eight (8) & twenty (20) years of served time—rather than a crime that might allow Tara the two (2) year sentence she was granted. Indeed, we may note that Tara is a first-time offender which might mean the law would be gentle—2.5 years maximum.

However, Tara is accused of being in an intimate relationship with a known drug lord, she has been charged with battery after physically assaulting her sister-in-law; she has a history of disregarding the legal system, including in school, & others. Perhaps we have come to this hard stance rather quickly. You will forgive my lack of a smooth introduction in this case. I feel inclined to delve into this story & its logistics rather harshly because I feel let down.

When Lange released her debut novel, “We Are The Brennans” (2021), I was lucky enough to be granted an Advanced Reader’s Copy (ARC). At this time, I was still new to the game—I have been a reader all the days of my life; via the narration of a parent & guardian until I was literate all by myself. I appreciate the nuance that exists in reading. Sometimes, we find ourselves in a place in our lives wherein the story clicks & we fill the page with colourful words of praise. While, other times, we are disappointed & morose as a consequence of what we had hoped would be a grand adventure. In the year 2021, I was at a place where audiobooks were greatly appreciated. I had been dealing rather heavily with a health condition—one that tenderly remains with me to this day—& found myself able to immerse my brain in the world of the Brennans.

This time around, without the narration of a dedicated professional or the atmosphere of belief that I was in for a real treat, I found myself wrinkled & confused at the quirky language & superfluous plot of this book. That being said, this book will be appreciated by the same crowd that adored Lange’s first book. I am rather inclined to believe that, in this age of social sharing, many of the more platformed folks will find themselves with their ideal book in hand. The premise of this story will offer them the ease of a conclusion they can find comfort in & a story that presents some of the more unseemly aspects of life without the trauma that decimates the carrier.

To begin at the start, this story is about Tara as she adapts to life outside of prison. Both of her parents are absent from her life. Her mother died from cancer & her father is a deadbeat. Rather than explore the repercussions of this reality Lange presents the orphaned children in a mystic mirrored fashion. The trauma that each of the characters carries is reflected in very specific ways though there is no real exploration as to the root cause. By this I mean, Geraldine suffers from a Hoarding Disorder, Eddie has a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), & Tara remains coffined in a perpetual state of fight or flight—which might be attributed to Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

I have a rather well-rounded experience in a significant portion of the subject matter explored in this book. Therefore, while getting to know each of the characters & their “quirks” I felt encouraged to give more leeway than was perhaps necessary. After all, these are grown adults—the choices they make are their own. On the other hand, the consequences of traumatic events on the brain of a child remain present for the rest of the person’s life. It would be a crude oversimplification to claim that because Geraldine was habituated to being responsible she could clock her own disorder for the repercussion to trauma that it was.

As the story progresses the turbulence of the narrative veers from one thing to another. At first, the antagonist is Roland, the lowly kingpin. The local police have their sights set on him & have been badgering everyone in town in the hopes of being granted some form of intel that would allow them to lock Roland away for life. Then, when it’s apparent that Tara is not romantically involved with Roland, the local Detective jointly responsible for her imprisonment feels that this is the appropriate time to begin an intimate & romantic relationship with her. To the great confusion of many readers, this relationship becomes the focal point of the narrative.

As Tara struggles to regain her place in the family home, tries to find herself employment, & advocates for her libidinous desires; the world of the Connelly family stalls. This book is not very long, clocking in at around 288 pages. However, near the middle point, right after the cast of characters has been presented & tepidly explored; the author seems to lose her way. Nothing of note happens & though one could certainly argue that the tedium of the middle adds to the reality of the subject matter, I do not believe this to be the case.

Rather than encourage the material to spider itself into webs that the reader will need to untangle, the plot remains dull. Tara has sexual encounters with the Detective (whose name I have all but forgotten); Geraldine steals from her place of work instead of admitting that she fell behind; Eddie is doing nothing but going to work & kissing his coworker; & that’s all there is to say about the middle. Because the middle bits of stories are often where the marrow is found, the disappointment that arises due to the sluggish centre of this book is rather unfortunate.

It would not be wrong to feel disgust towards the apparent “romantic” relationship that is blossoming between Tara & the Detective. Why did this need to happen at all? If one can cast aside the absolute poverty of morals that overshadows this story, one is still left with questions. If the intent was for Tara to learn to try & overcome her coping mechanisms as she learns that they do not serve her & in fact cause harm to those around her, why does the story spend so much time with her lallygagging around town with the man who was & is leading the case against her? Tara is never actually granted the ability to work through her own trauma. In the place of self-efforts & coming to terms with the past we witness a romance that is severely misplaced.

This story would have benefitted from the inclusion of realism. One can certainly hope to find a tender version of the more crass reality of the human world. I do not fault readers for seeking out a story that might allow them to escape their reality. However, the apparent aspect that remains lacking throughout the twists & turns of the straight-lane Saskatchewan highway is the truth. One single moment in which Tara came to terms with how difficult it might be to be in Geraldine's shoes; one moment to appreciate that headaches were the cherry coating on a mold-ridden sundae of issues associated with a TBI; time to appreciate that people hurt each other even when they are trying very hard not to.

The depth of the relationships that the characters shared was all but non-existent. Due to this fact, the chapters on end wherein the same situation was repeated—over & over again—felt insulting. In all of this, there is a child that is suffering the silence of adults. It would not have been too much to hope to see consequences be met with actions. The ending of this book all but swept everything under the rug in a Cinderella style-maneuver. Though I can appreciate that Tara wasn’t going to have the heart-to-heart she deserved to have with her father in the few pages they shared, it mattered to see them awkwardly sitting together vying for the first word after years of solitude from each other.

Overall, this was not the book for me. I wanted the story to offer further opportunities to the characters; for them to be seen as tangible, well-rounded, entities in the world. What was given instead was very surface-level. Everyone felt like a caricature of themselves. I return to my original point which is to say that I know other people will love this book. If you find yourself with similar reading tendencies to me you may row your boat onwards to fuller waters.

Ultimately, I found the language crass & cringe-worthy; the obstacles anthills alongside the dunes. The blockade of suspense never reaches its full potential & yet I appreciated the mention of the Brennans & their bar. The story maneuvers itself well in the universe of families in New York State who long for proximity to a home they have never known. Whereas the essence of this story hints at folklore & fairytale stories of old, little of this transpires within the story. Instead, these imaginings remain locked in the childhood mind of the Connelly children & are rather absent from the narrative altogether.

For readers who enjoyed the first book by this author, the Connelly crew will undoubtedly present a new aspect of the realm of fiction they came to enjoy. As for myself, I disembark from the boat that led me here to make way for easy readers who won’t scoff at the corroded fiction they seek to behold.

Thank you to NetGalley, Celadon Books, & Tracey Lange for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

What would you do to help out your family? The family of the Connelly’s have a loft of baggage and secrets! Three siblings Tara, Eddie and Geraldine have a relationship like no other family.
Read this novel to see what they do for themselves and for each other!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

The Connellys of County Down is about a thirty year old art teacher who finds herself in jail for 18 months. The book starts out with Tara getting out of jail and the detective who placed her there thinks she didn’t really commit the crime. The detective is really trying to figure out why she took the blame. As he is trying to get to know her, I should say fall in love, we also start to figure out the whole story. This book is filled with so much romance, family drama, and true friendships. I loved all the contemporary aspects of this book like the fortnite references and Tara creating the illustrations for two teenage gamers. You can truly love these characters and this story but I felt like the story just ended. As a reader I didn’t feel like I got closure for this story or for Tara. For that reason I had to rate it lower. It also made the ending feel very rushed. I could have done without Geraldine as a character but I guess this means the story is more realistic since we have to deal without people we wish we didn’t everyday!

As an audiobook the narrator did an amazing job with voicing different characters. I felt all the emotions the main character was feeling and to me this is everything. This was my first audiobook by this narrator and I am excited to listen to more of her work as she has narrated many of Sally Hepworth’s novels.

Read this if you like:
➜ dysfunctional family drama
➜ nods to Ireland
➜ mental health rep
➜kid jokes

Thanks to Macmillan Audio, Celadon Books, and Netgalley for the gifted audiobook in exchange for my honest review. Pub Date: 8/1/23

This author is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Her books are incredibly moving in. The characters are well developed. I also very much enjoy her writing.

The Connellys of County Down by Tracey Lange
Narrated by Barrie Kreinik

I wasn't sure how much I'd enjoy a book about a women being released from prison. It's so easy for such a character to make excuses for herself and just stay in the same rut as she's been in for years. But in this case Tara Connelly doesn't make excuses. She did what she had to do, she has no regrets on that front, but she is going to be sure to stay far away from trouble from here on out. I can't help liking Tara a lot. She's smart, she's compassionate, she's hurt by slights from her family, but she's going to make it, she has what it takes.

Then she is home again with her older brother and sister and life is hard. She has a roof over her head and food on the table but she needs to contribute to the finances and who wants to hire a someone right out of prison? Her sister is still a watch wound way too tight and her brother ignores the big thing that should be said. But there is no changing Geraldine, she is so mired in her routine that trying to muck with it will bring a mountain of nagging on one's head. Eddie deals with a traumatic brain injury from his teen years and may never get past the grief and pain it causes him. Still, this is family and they will stick together despite the nagging, the prison stint, and the many things that go unsaid.

These are flawed people but I could not help having sympathy for each of them. Geraldine was the hardest to like but the author does a great job of helping me to understand her. She isn't just a screeching, nagging cliché. She has reasons for being the way she is today. It seems each sibling has fallen into their roles and can't deviate from them no matter how much change would do them good. Eddie is going to try to get the feuding sisters to get along and Tara is going to try to fix things no matter the cost to herself.

This is the second big winner for me from Tracey Lange and I can't wait for her next book. The audiobook is narrated by Barrie Kreinik and she does a great job with all the characters. I was afraid how she'd handle a nag like Geraldine but she didn't go overboard with a character that was already too abrasive. Oh, I have to give shout out to the two gaming nerds that give Tara a chance. I love those characters and their mother. They are especially funny while listening to the audiobook. I was able to enjoy both the ebook version of this book and the audiobook version.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, Celadon Books, and Netgalley for this ARC.

Absolutely fantastic plot! Could not put the book down once I began reading it. Cannot wait for it to be released. I will recommend it to everyone I know!

Unfortunately fate has not been kind to the Connelly’s- left on their own after the death of their mother, they survived the only way each of them knew how, with Tara’s release from prison, theirs lives are yet again turned upside down but maybe this time they will all land right side up. Releasing August 2023 The Connelly’s of County Down belong on the top of your summer reading list! Loved this book! Thanks to Celadon Books I was able to download both the audio and the ebook. It was a great listen and a fast-paced read. I loved the characters, the story flowed beautifully and was so heartwarming!

4.5 ⭐️

Tracey Lange follows up her wonderful debut novel, “We Are the Brennans” with a story about three siblings who test the bounds of love and loyalty, when the youngest is released from prison after serving eighteen months on a drug charge.

Because of that conviction, Tara Connelly will never be allowed to teach Art to children again, and she must move home at age 30, to live with Geraldine, the bossy older sister who raised her, and her brother, Eddie, a single Dad who is still struggling with the ongoing effects of a brain injury sustained years ago.

Trying to rebuild your life after serving time is challenging enough, and in Tara’s case whenever she takes two steps forward, she is pushed one step back, by the secrets her family keeps from her, and by one of the two cops who put her in jail, continuing to follow her-convinced she is hiding the information he needs to convict the town’s main drug supplier.

Fortunately, her strong bond with her adorable joke telling nephew, Connor, two unlikely allies in the guys who take a chance on her and give her a job, and the possibility of a new love interest, all help to keep pushing her forward whenever it all seems too overwhelming.

There is even a visit to the Brennan’s bar.

Tracey Lange writes likable, imperfect characters who you want to root for, and captures the intricacies of family dynamics in a way that makes me want to keep turning the pages long after I should be turning out the lights and getting some sleep!

She has definitely now become an auto-request author for me, and I look forward to what’s next!

AVAILABLE SOON! August 1, 2023.

Thank You to Celadon books for the invitation to read an ARC provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

After spending eighteen months in prison, Tara Connelly is finally being released on parole. A drug trafficking conviction had landed Tara in the Taconic medium security facility. It wasn’t Tara’s fault, but she had her reasons for taking the fall.

Tara was to live with her brother and sister, Eddie and Geraldine, when she got released. Tara hoped that her stay with her siblings would be short-lived. But that would not be the case considering her criminal record. And forget about going back to teaching.

The Connellys suffered a lot of setbacks growing up. First they lost their mother to cancer. Their dad wasn’t the best role model, being a car thief. And if that wasn’t enough, their dad was the cause of Eddie’s traumatic brain injury from a motor vehicle accident. Add insult to injury, their dad left the family high and dry. Which then meant, eldest Geraldine was to become the head of household, even though she was still in her teens.

After being away for eighteen months, Tara was expecting some changes in the family dynamic. But to Tara’s surprise, she couldn’t believe how controlling Geraldine had become. And Eddie just became so complacent. It was Tara’s nephew, Conor, that bore the brunt of the psychological changes in his dad and aunt. And all of that had to stop. And soon…

I loved The Connellys of County Down. I certainly enjoyed it much more than Lange’s previous novel, We Are the Brennans. Though some of the plot twists were expected, it didn’t deter me from enjoying the journey. Tara’s steadfastness, and family conviction really shined in this novel. And I loved the Conor jokes dispersed throughout the narrative. It lightened the dark mood when needed. A clever and nice touch to a tough and emotional novel.

The characters in the novel were nicely fleshed out. And I connected with all of them. They were all engaging, even if I didn’t care for some of them.

Overall, The Connellys of County Down was a captivating story about family and the lengths each member would go to save it from collapse. Five stars.

I received a DRC from Celadon Books through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

Tara has just been released from prison and heads home to her brother, Eddie, his son, Conor, and her sister, Geraldine. This is the home they grew up in and life hasn’t been especially fair to this family. Their mother died when they were young and their father abandoned them. Eddie is still dealing with a brain injury, and Geraldine doesn’t seem especially happy that her felon sibling is home. Lots of secrets that might bring these people closer together or break them apart for good.
I don’t want to say too much since many many secrets are revealed. I didn’t love how it ended. No spoilers but things just wrapped up a bit to neatly for my taste. Overall, though, it was a great story about family, assumptions, how cruel the world can be, and also how forgiving and loving. I’ll think about the Connellys for quite a while.

I can not stop thinking about this book!! Even though We are the Brennans was a quick read, it was one of my favorite books of last year and I was excited to see this new book by the author listed on NetGalley. The way that it delves into a complicated family dynamic and really makes you sympathize and root for each character is amazing and I think this book deserves some big hype! I can not wait to see what this author does next!

Wow….I actually enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. Geraldine basically raised her siblings Tara and Eddie. She doesn’t know how to handle her stress and anxiety when she gets in over her head at work. Tara just got out of prison. Eddie has a traumatic brain injury. But these siblings will do anything for each other. Great read!

I loved We Are The Brennans and was so excited to be approved for this new family drama by the same author! This book did not disappoint. Once I got all the characters straight and really jumped in, I couldn't stop reading. The Connelly family was well written and relatable, displaying the many intricacies of family relationships, though there was one character I absolutely could not stand (and I truly don't think they were redeemed!). Tara's nephew was my favorite! There were a couple of predictable twists, but they didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book overall. Definitely recommend, and I can't wait to see what the author does next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

After serving 18 months in prison on a drug conviction, Tara Connelly tries to rebuild her life. She moves back in with her siblings - a brother who's a single dad trying to overcome a brain injury and a sister struggling with an intense need for a sense of control. Just as Tara feels like she might find love again, the cop who arrested her begins to hassle her and the family's secrets threaten to unravel everything she has worked for.

Once I began The Connellys of County Down I could not put it down, staying up way too late to finish it. Lange builds a rich story about complicated sibling dynamics, each sibling damaged in their own way by their dysfunctional upbringing. Yet the unconditional love between them shines strong, bringing you to tears as they struggle to balance their desires with what is best for the family. With its emotional presence and deep themes, The Connellys of County Down would make an excellent book club book selection.

Released from prison after serving 18 months on drug charges, Tara Connelly is going home to live with her siblings, and she must rebuild the life she had left in shambles before being sent away.

Working on a new career and her relationships with her family, Tara finds herself the love interest of someone she was least expecting. As she continues to search for new meaning in her life, her family’s secrets threaten to unravel everything she has worked so hard to keep buried.

This novel is a slow burn. It doesn’t pick up speed until the second half of the book. But unfortunately for me, it was still challenging to get through.

I wasn’t a fan of the characters or the dialogue in this one. It was lacking in emotion and read like a bad Hallmark movie at times. I tried to give the characters numerous chances to redeem themselves, but I ended the book a tad disappointed.

Overall, a quick read. It was short enough to keep me reading through to the end, but not one I would read again.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Connellys of County Down is a family drama that centers around the three Connely siblings, who lost their parents when they were still children.
The author weaves a deep web of tangled character flaws, disappointments and betrayals, yet a fierce sense of loyalty and love. Like most families, The Connellys have their issues, which only come to light in the last quarter of the book.
The book is heavy on character development, with an ending that was very hopeful. The author left us with a positive outcome, which I enjoyed. The storyline had me rooting for them while I was getting transported into the siblings' lives.
Although it was a feel-good, well developed family drama, I thought it was a bit slow to start. It did make up for it towards the end, and I couldn't put it down. I definitely recommend it.
Thank you Celadon Books, NetGalley, and Tracey Lange for my chance to read and review it.

Tara has spent the last 18 months in prison for a drug charge. Upon her release she goes to live with her brother, sister and nephew. One of the cops who put her away keeps coming around and as she tries to get her life back on track, secrets are revealed and a chance at love emerges.

The writing of this book was really good - I could picture what was going on in each scene and understood clearly how the characters were feeling. Tara was a great main character, flawed but relatable. At times I felt there was almost too much going on though, as the author delved into each character’s background and issues. But the nephew was so cute and every scene with him was awesome.

The way everyone’s story was intertwined was interesting and each chapter left me guessing what would come next. If you’re a fan of family dramas and dysfunction, this book is for you!

Geraldine, Eddie and Tara lost their parents when they were teenagers. Geraldine was the oldest and took on the responsibility of raising and protecting her siblings into adulthood. She was a rule maker and was obsessive about following her rules. Eddie was in an accident that affected his health and Tara was a risk taker and problem solver. They had a strong bond and tried to help and protect each other when situations arose, but they had difficulty seeking help from each other to solve problems and this caused additional problems.
This novel is about family and the results of trying to survive when trying to, individually, protect others.

I loved We Are The Brennans and was so excited to be approved for this new family drama by the same author! Tara Connelly is being released from prison after serving her eighteen month sentence for a drug charge. She moves back home with her siblings and nephew as she begins the rebuilding of her life. Finding a job with a prison sentence, satisfying an untrusting parole officer and staying clear of her arresting officers prove more difficult than she expected. And hers seem to be the least of the family's problems.
This was more of a character driven book with a slow burn romance while the dialogue and plot moved the story along quickly. The Connelly’s are a family that love each other unconditionally, although you might not believe it at first. The characters are unique, and sometimes infuriating -yes I mean you Geraldine - it still makes for a quick and enjoyable listen.

First I have to say that I don’t normally read family dramas and the reason I don’t is pretty much what I think about this book after reading it. It is a (very) light book, even with the heavy drama that this family has to endure. So, I regret to say that the lightness lies on the writing. I find two of the three main characters in the novel utterly flat. Tara seems to be perfect in every possible way: she’s generous and sensitive and empathetic, all the time. Nothing seems to change her, not even spending time in jail to cover someone else’s mistakes. Geraldine, her oldest sister, is full of defects: she’s selfish and resentful. These two characters have no shades, they are what you see from beginning to end. Eddie is a more interesting character, he has some lights and shadows, which I really liked. But again, the writing stays in a superficial level, and I couldn’t feel anything for the characters throughout the novel. I’ll just keep away from contemporary fiction in the future. Tracey Lange knows how to write, but her one dimensional style is not my cup of tea.