Tracey Lange is quickly becoming a master of messy family dynamics. In this story, the three adult Connelly siblings are all dealing with their own messes, many stemming from a childhood when oldest sibling Geraldine was essentially raising her younger siblings Eddie and Tara after their mother's death from cancer and their father's abandonment. Now Geraldine is dealing with hoarding, getting overwhelmed at work, and the consequences of never feeling like she could fail. Eddie is dealing with the physical toll of the traumatic brain injury he suffered when he was a child in a car accident with his father. And Tara is fresh out of jail for drug trafficking charges that are a result of her bete noire, trying to solve everyone's problems for them. And keeping a close eye on the siblings is Detective Brian Nolan, who is quickly falling for Tara and suspects there's more to her story than she's telling, and his uncle and partner Hank, who's ready to pull the trigger on Tara to get to drug dealer Roland Shea. This family has way more problems than the average one, but Lange does a great job of showing how in trying to protect each other, they also dig themselves deeper and create more problems - what they really need is to listen to each other and be a family unit that depends on each other. Both enjoyable for seeing the value of family, and for knowing that mine isn't this messed up - even if it isn't perfect! A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Character-driven portrayal of a family and their struggles. Twists, turns, and complicated situations. I read this book in less than 48 hours. Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

The Connellys of County Down
By Tracey Lange

I loved Lange’s debut novel, We Are the Brennans, so when I heard she had a release coming in August I was excited to give it a go.

Another phenomenal family drama by Lange, this follows Tara Connelly and her siblings Eddie and Geraldine. Tara, just released from prison with little money or options has no choice but to return to the family home with her siblings and nephew.

Eddie is a single dad and struggles with the long-term effects of a traumatic brain injury. Geraldine works hard to maintain an image of having it all together but has struggles of her own.

Shifting between each of the siblings POV and that of the officer who put Tara in prison, we discover secrets each of the characters are holding. And I love how at the heart of it, we are reminded how despite the struggles we all encounter, no one can have your back like family.

Another excellent character-driven fiction by Lange. It was official before, but I’ll say it again, I will read anything she puts out. The narration was delivered by Barrie Kerinik, who also narrated We Are the Brennans, and I loved experiencing the audio for both books.

✨BOOK REVIEW✨

The Connellys of Count Down by Tracey Lange

Need a good family drama? This is it!! Also can we have a moment of silence for books under 300 pages?! 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽

From the author of “We Are The Brennan’s” comes another family drama starring Tara who is recently getting out of jail after serving 18 months for a drug trafficking charge. She goes home to live with her brother Eddie and his son Connor and also her sister Geraldine who has her own shady stuff going on 😳

Lange is the queen of writing a dysfunctional family in such a light tone, so it’s enjoyable, intriguing, and easy to digest.

It always centers around one family - here we have the Connellys - a messy, flawed family, trying to navigate life after a rough childhood. Despite all the many things they had going on, I respected the loyalty.

Read if you love:
✨Irish families!
✨dysfunction & chaos
✨a smidge of romance
✨a book under 300 pages with great pacing
✨flawed characters
✨her first “We Are The Brennan’s” (loved that their pub was mentioned within this one!)

My only “complaint” is that the ending felt a tad rushed - I feel like a few things could’ve been flushed out better, and the things that did get “solved” got tied up a little too nicely for my taste. But I did really love it and definitely recommend it!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you @celadonbooks for the ARC! All thoughts are my own. This one is out Aug 1st!!! 🍀

In her sophomore effort, The Connellys of County Down, Tracey Lange again shows her keen ability to write about complicated family dynamics in well-designed story lines with complex and realistic characters.

The Connelly siblings have had a hard life. They've been on their own for a long time and have a fierce loyalty to each other even as each of them has his/her own struggles and demons to conquer. Tara, the youngest, 30 years old, has just returned home from prison after serving 18 months for a drug charge. Edde, a single father to son Conor, and a traumatic brain injury survivor struggles to do his best to provide for his son. Geraldine, the oldest, has raised her brother and sister, and likes things just so, so that she feels some control of her life which, unbeknownst to her siblings is spinning wildly out of control.

This heartwarming and heart wrenching story is about our bonds with family, second chances, loyalty, forgiveness, and owning your own life, mistakes and all. Though I personally like The Brennans better, I will continue to look for each of this author's offerings. I highly recommend this book!

My thanks to Celadon Books for permitting me to read a DRC of this book via NetGalley. It is scheduled for release 8/1/23. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.

I thoroughly enjoyed We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange and her sophomore effort both did not disappoint and indeed surpassed my expectations. The story of the three Connolly siblings is captivating, heart breaking and compelling. This is a narrative driven literary family drama, perfect for fans of Ann Napolitano and Liz Moore. Highly recommend. Thanks NetGalley and Celadon Books for the ARC

I loved this character driven book filled with family drama and secrets! Even though I wanted to shake all of the characters at some point for their decisions, I could understand their motivations and it made it feel like I was reading about real people. I felt invested in the story from the start and by the end I had a hard time putting it down because I had to know how it was all going to come together.

The Connellys of County Down is another excellent family saga by Tracey Lange. Having read, We Are the Brennans, I was excited to read her next novel, and it didn’t disappoint. Drama and relationships combined with an Irish family will entice the reader.

The story begins with Tara’s homecoming from prison. She must assimilate into her family’s life and make up for lost time, especially with her nephew Connor. As Tara tries to make amends, she discovers family secrets and longtime issues, falls in love with an unlikely suitor, and struggles to avoid landing back in prison. Her siblings Geraldine and Eddie have their own problems, and Tara wants to solve them, even at a steep cost.

As usual, Lange develops endearing characters and an intense plot that keeps the reader invested. I thoroughly enjoy Lange’s books and hope there’s a sequel to The Connellys of County Down. I thank NetGalley and Celadon Books for letting me read and review The Connellys of County Down. #NetGalley #The Connellys of County Down #familysaga

I really enjoyed this story. Lange has a great way of describing family dramas with with love and thrill!
I didn't want to put the book down!

When Tara Connelly is released from serving eighteen months in prison she gets a ride home from the last person she ever expected. Brian, one of the cops responsible for putting her behind bars, keeps showing up in unexpected ways while Tara tries to reacclimatize to her free life. But her life outside of prison isn’t the same as when she left especially when it comes to her siblings Geraldine and Eddie. Tara is seemingly thrown back into the crosshairs when Brian’s partner (and Uncle) shows he is willing to do whatever necessary to get revenge.
This book is packed full of family drama and is so emotional. I found myself crying just reading about Tara’s struggles to get a job with her criminal record. This is so much more than an enemies to lovers women’s fiction. The reality of the difficulties after incarceration are really highlighted in this book. But it also highlights the kindness of people and the loyalty of family. Connor is truly a wonderful addition and I love his relationship with his Aunt Tara. He brings lots of humor and levity to some difficult situations. The cover is very pretty and the addition of Irish Fairy Tales is endearing. Definitely a great summer read, just have tissues ready! I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.

The Connellys of County Down sucked me in from the first chapter. Tara Connelly is released from prison and starts the process of putting her life back together. She moves in with her sister, brother, and nephew and immediately begins trying to solve all of her problems and her family's problems....while creating more complications for everyone with her choices. This family drama is about a complicated group of siblings and learning to trust and love again. It's about how far people will go to take care of and protect the ones they love. It's about second and third and fourth chances. It's about how people change and grow and learn. About how families can grow apart and come back together.

So many thanks to NetGalley for early access!

A gripping family drama that felt honest and endearing in its execution and kept me hooked from start to finish!

Tara Connelly has just been released from prison and is hoping to start fresh, but a detective with unclear intentions, a messy home life, and meek prospects are causing her to have doubts on a good future on the outside.

After loving We Are The Brennans, I was hopeful for The Connellys and they did not disappoint. Don't go in expecting an action packed drama, but rather a quiet look on life that can be messy but also filled with love shown in unexpected ways.

What I Enjoyed:
- Chaotic but Honest Sibling Dynamics
- The Main Character, Tara: She's equally chaotic but her intentions were always in the right place and I feel like she felt relatable and realistic in her actions given her circumstances and family history. She's fully fleshed out and I felt like I knew and understood her.
-Flawed but Realistic Side Characters: I despised a few of these side characters, but I understood them and I empathized with them and that speaks volumes to the author's ability to write them.
-The Length/Pacing: This was a quick read and I was able to enjoy it quickly and feel like I got the whole story from start to finish.

What I Struggled With:
- Loose Ends: Ok, but like what happened to the drug dealer!? There were a few plot points that although weren't crucial to the ending, I would've like a bit more clarity on. Roland, The Aunt's Wedding, Hank & Nolan's relationship?? I would've been okay with an epilogue or a couple more chapters if it met that I truly knew how everyone including the side characters ended up.

Thank you Celadon Books and NetGalley for gifting me a few copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Connellys of County Down by Tracey Lange
Genre: contemporary fiction
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: audiobook and ebook

This book had me hooked from the first chapter - the main character is getting released from prison? Wait I’m gonna need all the details!

I loved the characters in this book and the drama that ensues. The Connelly siblings have a complicated family history and an interesting dynamic, which makes for an excellent story. I loved seeing the character development in this book! It would be a perfect pick for a book club.

You’ll like this book if you enjoy:
💙 family drama
💙 character development
💙 interconnected stories
💙 messy but lovable characters
💙 a touch of romance in your contemporary fiction
💙 great audiobooks
💙 complicated sibling relationships

Small note: this book is written in 3rd person. That doesn’t bother me, but I know some people aren’t a fan of that!

I’d definitely recommend this one! It comes out August 1st!

A big thank you to Celadon and NetGalley for my advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review. This book was gifted, but all opinions are my own.

Well, congratulations, Connellys. You are a normal, healthy, screwed-up family.
from The Connellys of County Down

The Connelly siblings had come to a therapist. They shared their story. The brother Eddie was a teenager when he suffered a head injury that has left him with debilitating headaches and blackouts. He is raising his son whose mother is a party girl and addict. The oldest is Geraldine, who at eighteen assumed the role as head of the family after their mother’s death; she is a control freak and hoarder. And the youngest, Tara, is a felon.

Tara wouldn’t tell who put the drugs in the car she was driving, and went to jail for eighteen months. Her arresting officers included a man who has regrets about how it all came down, and becomes unduly involved with Tara’s life.

Now Tara is back home, remaking her life. The siblings love each other, but Geraldine resents Tara’s upsetting influence on her tightly run ship. And at work, she has assumed too much responsibility, unable to delegate. She is making very bad decisions, and it may lead to Tara returning to jail.

Their mother told them a story when they were growing up, a fairy tale of three siblings each with special powers that allowed them to save each other. In reality, Tara had saved Eddie, took care of Eddie’s son Conor, and is prepared to save Geraldine, too. It’s time for her siblings to assume responsibility for themselves.

I so enjoyed this story with its great characters and deep heart.

Thanks to the publisher for a free book.

This book is a pleasure to read. It paints a vivid picture of a loving, yet dysfunctional family. Each character is drawn so well, you can almost imagine being a member of the Connelly family.

Tara is just released from prison after serving an 18-month sentence for drug trafficking. Her brother, Eddie, is a single father who is suffering the sequelae of a traumatic brain injury. The oldest sibling, Geraldine, suffers from anxiety, probably brought on by having to care for her younger siblings when their mother died and their father took off. It will take some truth telling and confrontation of past events to bring this broken family back together.

This book is equal parts surprising, disconcerting and very clever. It is so intricately plotted that you can’t look away. I absolutely loved it.

Thank you, NetGalley and Celadon Books for this 5-star read. This book will hit the shelves on August 1, 2023.

We Are the Brennans was one of my favorite books of the year and I couldn't wait to read this follow up from Tracey Lange. Fingers crossed there are many more books to come. It took me longer to feel like I "knew" these characters compared to Lange's debut, and they felt a little caricature-ish in the beginning. But I felt I came to know the Connolly siblings by the middle and was rooting SO HARD for them to get their happy endings. The book within a book was a bonus.

Tara Connelly is just getting out of prison after serving 18 months on a minor drug charge. She’s 30 years old, has no money, and knows that getting a job won’t be easy with a felony on her record. She moves home with her older sister Geraldine, her brother Eddie, and her nephew Connor. Getting back on her feet is a struggle, and her siblings are going through some problems of their own. Things are about to get really complicated, and they will need to pull together to get through it all.

I loved this family drama about sibling love, family loyalty, and second chances. Tara, Geraldine, and Eddie shared a difficult upbringing and they are closely bonded. All of the characters are complex and flawed in their own way, yet they are so sympathetic and endearing that I just wanted to hug them and tell them things would work out. Even when Tara makes questionable choices, her motivations are so unselfish that I never thought badly of her. The author does such a fantastic job of developing deep, nuanced characters, especially Tara’s older sister Geraldine. The budding romances were woven into the plot perfectly, and the story arc was perfectly paced with very satisfying resolutions for each of the siblings.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for providing me an advance copy of this book.

I devoured this book! Tracey Lange is a master at writing about family dynamics and her newest novel is a perfect example of that! The Connellys of County Down centers around Tara Connelly, and her 2 siblings, who been through thick and thin together. After reading the book’s description, I knew it would be a subject that would hold my attention, I was absolutely glued to my kindle for the entire duration! This book has the perfect balance of a well executed storyline and fantastic character development—the entire novel played out like a movie in my mind! I really enjoyed that she delved so deep into each character- so much so that you feel as if you know them in real life! The Connellys of County Down is a 5 star novel that will definitely be on my 2023 favorites list! I highly recommend this book to everyone!

4.5 stars!
This family drama sucked me in from the first page and kept me hooked the whole time. I loved the relationships between the siblings and especially loved the relationship Tara had with Conor.

Each of the characters were so special and heartwarming. I loved seeing Tara put her life slowly back together and have support as she does it. There were also interesting portrayals of mental health in this book that I enjoyed. I love when an author takes on harder topics like that with their characters.

Some things felt a little repetitive like the fairy tales or the TBI, and at times some of the characters were very unlikable (I’m looking at you Geraldine) but overall this was a super fun and fast paced read!

THE CONNELLYS OF COUNTY DOWN will be included in my top reads of the year, easily. I loved this book so much I couldn’t put it down. It’s the quickest I’ve read a book in a really long time. It look me less than 24 hours!

If you loved WE ARE THE BRENNANS, I bet you’ll also love this book. Between you and me, I really enjoyed The Connelly’s more.

Lange has a talent for writing dysfunctional characters and families, all while having the reader root for them until the very last page. Despite their flaws, you can’t help but relate to the complex and messy lifestyle the Connellys have. No, I don’t relate to them exactly as to why they are so dysfunctional, but I understand them from a familial level.

There are quite a few characters, but not too many you’ll feel overwhelmed. Lange eases readers into relationships, making it very easy to understand where each character stands with one another. The love this family has is undeniable, even if their conversations don’t mirror that. Because of this, it tugged at my heartstrings for the Connelly’s.

THE CONNELLYS OF COUNTY DOWN has a little bit of romance, family trauma, secrets, and much more. I highly recommend picking this one up.

Big thank you to Celadon and Netgalley for the ARC! You can get your copy on August 1.

Content warnings: drug trafficking, death, cancer, mental illness