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 read this both in print and via audio and can vouch for both formats being enjoyable experiences. The audiobook narrator did a great job of doing a smooth narration that was appealing to the ear. No cringey moments at all like there can be in some audiobooks.

Rating: 5/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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After loving We Are The Brennan’s I knew that I needed to get my hands on Lange’s newest and was over the moon excited when I got approved for this one!
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The Connelly’s - Tara, who is just released from prison returning home to live with Geraldine, the bossy oldest sibling and Eddie, a single dad to Connor, who is still struggling with a brain injury from years prior. This story is about their navigation back to a “new normal”, while facing the challenges of their pasts. Each of these characters are unique to themselves, each having their own struggles to overcome. Each character was thought out with such detail that while reading you feel like you know them; you can’t help but root for them. Their character growth throughout the novel is spot on.
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This is an absolutely beautiful ode to the intricacies of family dynamics and how not everything is always “picture perfect”. It’s a great family drama, focusing on loyalty and unconditional love and how far one will go for their family. There is so much to feel, so much to overcome, so much to learn in this one. The story flows flawlessly between characters and each of their dilemmas.
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I loved this story, it gave me all the feels and I know this is one that will be living rent free in my brain for a long while. It’s just so well written that you’ll be hook from the start.
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Barrie Kreinik did a phenomenal job with the narration of this one. There was no issues with the transition from character to character. I really enjoyed how this story was narrated. This audiobook is a yes for me!
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Highly recommending this one to all of my family drama lovers. This one will grip your heart leaving you feeling completely whole once you’ve finished. Tracey Lange is now without a doubt an auto buy author for me. I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next.
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The Connelly’s of County Down releases on august 1st, definitely add it to your must read! Huge thank you to @netgalley, @traceylange and @macmillinaudio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review!

Barrie Kreinik’s narration of this book brought the text to life for me. I look forward to reading or listening to more books by Tracey Lange. Many thanks for the advance audiobook by NetGalley and Macmillan Audio by Celadon books.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this narration of this dysfunctional family struggling to carry on after the death of their mother and the disappearance of their father.

Tara is released from prison at the age of 30 after serving eighteen months for drug trafficking. She returns home to live with her two siblings and nephew. Each sibling is struggling with how to support themselves financially, emotionally and coping with life challenges in general. Secrets start emerging, shame and guilt have to be addressed, as well as, the nervousness of starting new relationships. As dysfunctional as this family is, there is still a profound love of one another.

Great family drama. I could not put it down. I liked that it was simple but full of great content. Tara and both her past and present provided so much emotion. I liked that although all the characters dealt with their own personal baggage, it all added to the story and wasn't too much. The sibling relationship was so interesting and sweet. Even when there were moments when I didn't agree or like what the characters were doing, it made sense with the story. Barrie Kreinik did a great job narrating.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the arc.

Tracey Lange's sophomore novel is packed full of family drama with slow burn character development. Lange is quickly becoming the newest must read author if you love books with family loyalty and great story development!

The Connelly siblings have always had to scrap through life depending on each other for support. When sister Tara goes to prison, the other siblings struggle with their own issues. Newly out of prison, Tara returns home to reside with her siblings but quickly finds out the life she left is not the same life she returns to. Her sister Geraldine, the oldest and mother hen of the siblings, has secrets. Secrets she doesn't want quick witted Tara to discover. Eddie, the teddy bear brother, is trying to raise his ten year old son Conner while dealing with his own traumatic brain injury. Tara struggles to regain her independence outside of prison walls. She remains guarded while trying to discover why one of the cops who helped put her in prison is now suddenly interested in her life. As Tara grapples with life choices and family loyalty, she learns she has to decide. Can the truth really set them all free?

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me an ALC copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

*This is a review of the audiobook of this novel

I really loved this novel. Ms. Lang is a wonderful storyteller with the gift of creating relatable, memorable characters. The narrator, Barrie Kreinik, did a remarkable job with the various POV’s.

Tara Connelly has just been released from prison after serving 18 months for a drug trafficking offense. Since her sister didn’t show up to take her home, she gets a ride from Brian Nolan. He was her arresting officer and she isn’t all that comfortable with him but all goes well. He seems to feel badly for Tara having to serve time away from her family. Does he have any secrets of his own?

Tara returns home to her brother, Eddie who she dearly loves along with his son Connor and her sister Geraldine. In the months that Tara has been gone Geraldine has become even more of a rule enforcer – there also seems to be something else troubling her but Tara can’t get her to share anything.

There is a lot of history with this family, their mother died when they were quite young and their father left them, leaving Geraldine to raise her siblings at the age of about 15.

Things start to get better for Tara, she finds a great job working as a graphic designer using the talents that she has for creating graphic comics. She even finds a love interest in the most unlikely of places!!

She still has some unresolved issues including who was sending her money while she was in prison?? How can she finally rid herself of the drug dealer who wants her to work for him??

Just when things are going great – the family hits another roadblock. One of them has done some illegal “moving around” of money which could land Tara back in jail through no fault of her own.

That’s all of the plot I will share to avoid any spoilers.

I found so many things to do so that I could continue to listen to this audiobook. I loved the characters so much and wanted only the best for them.

The novel touches on themes of family, drug trafficking, forgiveness and mostly LOVE!! Together this family seems to be able to overcome all of the obstacles that life throws at them!!

I can highly recommend this book to everyone!! Great story, wonderful relatable characters with writing that flows seamlessly!!

I received an advanced audiobook copy from the publisher, Celadon and MacMillan audio through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to listen to and review this title.

🔊🎧Audiobook review🎧🔊

I started listening to this audiobook not knowing what I was getting into & I have to say I was quite invested in the Connelly family, kept wanting to get back to their lives any time I took a break- the calming lull in the narrator's voice def helped lure me in!

We meet Tara Connelly as she's being released from prison. We learn a little bit about her time there, but the circumstances that put her there are revealed more slowly, a trail of breadcrumbs throughout the novel. When niether of her siblings shows up to pick her up, she's left to hitch a ride with one of the policemen, Brian, who helped put her in jail in the first place. Brian is very rueful of having locked her away and we watch this pull he feels towards her grow stronger and stronger as the book progresses

Tara is the youngest of 3 in her down-on-ur-luck kinda of family. First there's Geraldine who basically raised her siblings at such a young age after their mom passed and their dad abandoned them. The weight of the world that rested on Geraldines shoulders was quite heavy and we see how greatly it affected her manifest itself in the way she acts and the questionable choices she makes.

Then there's her older brother Eddie, a single dad with full custody of her beloved nephew Connor. Eddie's a hard worker who struggles because of a construction accident that limits his capabilities. As the novel progresses we get to learn in more detail about each of the siblings and their personal circumstances, and see how somehow they both entwine Tara into their own messes.

I thought the audiobook narrator did a great job portraying Tara as the caring, independent, fiercely loyal, and strong willed person that she is, simply through the cadences of her voice alone. It was so nice to follow such an admirable character in Tara, it made it easy to root for her and it encouraged my anticipation for positive things to finally befall this family.

What an enjoyable blip into this family's life with all it's messy complications standing to display such extreme and impressive character growth in all it's members.

Huge thank you to @celadonbooks for this gifted book and audiobook💚

This was a fine story. Too predictable and slow for my liking, but I think people who enjoy character driven novels would really like this one. Narrator was fantastic as she always is!

Tara Connelly is the youngest of the three Connelly children, and she's just gotten out of prison after an 18 month stint for drug trafficking. Adapting back to life in the family home with both of her siblings and a precocious ten year old nephew is anything but easy - especially when Detective Brian Nolan gets involved.

I loved We Are The Brennans, and I loved this work as well. Lange does a great job of dropping you into a family and really letting you see all facets of the family - good, bad, and ugly. No one is perfect in this story - in fact, literally everyone is far from it except for maybe sweet baby Connor. Their imperfect-ness plays out throughout the course of the novel and I was satisfied by the arc of all of the characters, except for one. Brian's uncle, a fellow cop, never faces any consequences for some of his actions with Tara and that really bothered me. Other than that, this was a great listen.

4.5 stars

[author:Tracey Lange|20287990] has done it again. First, she introduced us to the Brennan family. Now, we have the Connellys.

Tara is the youngest of the three Connelly siblings. She has spent the last 18 months in prison, and is heading home to live with her brother, sister, and nephew. The Connellys have had hard lives and they all have issues, but they also love each other and make great sacrifices for each other. This book takes you through all of the complicated relationships, not just among the siblings, but with other people, too.

I was really rooting for Tara the entire time. And Eddie, too. Geraldine, while interesting, is a less sympathetic character. But she is complex. I loved reading about the siblings' present and how the past impacted them.

Not only are the siblings strong characters, the secondary characters are as well.

My only complaint- <spoiler> I wish Brian's uncle had some career consequences and we could have read about them. </spoiler>

Barrie Kreinik narrates. She always does a solid job.

I received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

The Connellys of County Down is lovely and I enjoyed every moment listening to it. Tara just got out of prison for drug smuggling when she returns to her childhood home to live with her type-A sister and brain-injured brother as well as her nephew. Through attempting to get her life back on track, Tara discovers secrets that her family has been keeping and learns a little about herself along the way.

The characters in this story are charming and while the reader does not get a great sense of their perspective, the story is narrated in such a way that their backstory is revealed and the reader does get a sense of their fears, motivations, and passions.

One trope in this story I did not care for (but definitely understand why it is present) is the “miscommunication” trope. When you have so many characters, there is so much unsaid between characters that would resolve so many issues if they were just voiced. Again, I understand why this was used, but in the earlier parts of the novel it was driving me crazy.

This is definitely a family drama novel in the best way possible. This shows real family dynamics; the good, the bad, and the ugly. It shows how just because you are a family doesn’t mean you get along or how even when you are annoyed with family you would still do anything for them.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys character-driven stories or family dramas. Fan of Celeste Ng would probably enjoy this as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for an advanced copy of this audiobook to share my humble thoughts and opinions.

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.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I loved Tracey Lange's 1st book. It's truly one of my favorites! And I was so excited for this one. Who doesn't love a family drama?! But this one fell short for me. I just couldn't get invested in the characters and I feel like that's the whole point of a family drama.

I love a good family drama, and the Connellys did not disappoint.

Thirty year old Tara has just been released from prison after serving eighteen months for drugs. She heads back to live with her sister and brother, as she has nowhere else to go.

Her brother, Eddie, had a horrible accident years ago that leaves him suffering with a brain injury and debilitating migraines. He's a single dad to Conor. Eddie and Conor are happy to have Tara back home. Her sister, Geraldine, isn't as happy to have Tara back. She works as a bookkeeper and has taken to running the house with Tara away.

We soon learn the whole family has secrets that they don't want others to know. And in some situations, one sibling is helping the other with regard to their secrets.

Throw in Brian, a policeman who helped send Tara to prison, but doesn't really believe she was guilty. A little romance starts here, but it is wise?

This was a good family drama and I found myself invested in the family for sure. Great narrator and audio!

Many thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Listened to this one as an audiobook and was not disappointed. I loved Lange's debut We Are the Brennans, and this one was well written and interesting too. This author's strength is definitely writing about family issues and family loyalty.

Tara Connelly is just being released after spending eighteen months in prison for drug trafficking. The police didn't really want to arrest her, they were more interested in the person she was working for, but Tara wouldn't talk. Now she's out and moving back home with her sister Geraldine, her brother Eddie, who suffered from a brain injury a number of years ago, and his son Connor. Tara has to get used to being on the outside again and needs to find something to do with her life. But the secrets that all of the family members hold are threatening to all come into the light, no matter how much they want to keep them hidden.

I could really identify with Tara, and honestly, all of the characters in this book are very relatable. They are flawed, yet love each other intensely and are very protective of one another even at their own peril sometimes. Geraldine made me very angry, although I did gain some understanding as to her issues and what was driving her to do the things she did.

One of Lange's strengths is that she can tell a full story without wasting words, without endless description and repetition. It's a straightforward tale that never gets bogged down. Barrie Kreinik's narration helped as well, because she is a calm narrator who doesn't get overly dramatic with her voicing and that is exactly the type of story this is.

If you're looking for an interesting and engaging family drama, then be sure to check this one out.

The Connellys of County Down by Tracey Lange delves into the complexities of family dynamics, exploring themes such as childhood trauma, mental health, secrets, lies, and even a sprinkle of romance.

The story revolves around three siblings, each burdened with their own hidden past. The narrative kicks off with Tara's release from an 18-month stint in jail for a drug-related offence. From the outset, the Connelly family is portrayed as dysfunctional, with each sibling seemingly fighting for themselves. However, as the plot unfolds, readers are gradually offered insight into the motivations behind their actions, unraveling the mysteries surrounding the family.

The Connellys of County Down is a quick and concise read, packed with a multitude of family problems. While I appreciated the book's premise, I couldn't help but wish for a longer version that deeper investigated the characters' backstories, especially their childhood experiences. The story felt somewhat rushed, lacking the necessary depth to truly immerse the readers.

One aspect that intrigued me was the idea of a fairy tale told by the Connelly’s mother before she died. However, much like the rest of the story, this aspect could have been expanded upon. The fairy tale concept held potential but wasn't fully realized. The only element that truly embodied a fairy tale was the romance between Tara and Brian which was undeniably sweet but lacked the depth to fully resonate with the reader.

In conclusion, The Connellys of County Down offers a glimpse into a complex family dynamic and tackles significant themes. While the book's brevity allows for a quick read, I found myself yearning for a more substantial exploration of the characters and their pasts. Nonetheless, the romance in the story was charming.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys family dramas and is looking for a quick “summer” read.

PS. The narrator Barrie Kreinik was excellent

Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for this #ARC.

We Are The Brennan's was one of my favorite books when it came out and I'm happy to say Connelly's is another winner. (I liked Brennan's a tiny bit better (personal preference with the storyline and chapter transitions), but I rated them the same.)

I really appreciated how in Connelly's, it brought a spotlight on the impacts of returning to society after incarceration and the impacts on family relationships - I haven't read a book with this topic in a white lower-middle class family in quite some time so it was a good change of pace. I thought the author did a fantastic job of writing this story and pointing out (without hitting you over the head with it) that people end up in prison for all different reasons and that there might be something else behind the story than what it might seem like at first.

I read most of the book, but I finished the last 20% up on audio and I thought the narration was very good.

I would definitely recommend both books by Tracey Lange and I can't wait for the next book she writes.

Thank you to Celadon Books for the gifted printed copy as well as Netgalley & Macmillan Audio for the gifted audiobook.

Review Date: 07/24/2023
Publication Date: 08/01/2023

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

The narration for this audiobook was amazing!

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!

I’m not sure what it is, but Tracey Lange has a way of writing about themes and subjects I’m not normally drawn to and making them truly captivating. She did it with We Are the Brennans two years ago, and she’s done it again with her poignant new novel, The Connellys of County Down.

On the surface, her two books have much in common. Both are about Irish-American families living in suburban New York, adult sibling relationships, and righting past mistakes. Both highlight ordinary people in difficult situations and finding a path forward despite it all. While I normally run away from books about lower class families in small towns (it cuts too close to my own childhood), Tracey Lange writes in a way that feels comfortable, familiar, and heartfelt.

The Connellys of County Down focuses on four characters: the three Connelly siblings, plus police officer Brian Nolan. In the months that follow Tara’s release from prison, all four of them will be affected by the past and faced with new hurdles to overcome.

Geraldine, Eddie, and Tara are such different siblings. Their mother died when they were young, and their father left when Tara was only 12. Geraldine, the eldest at 19, was old enough to keep their small family together, working hard to support her younger siblings through school. As adults in their 30s, they still live together and rely on one another. Geraldine still is orderly and likes to be in control. For much of the novel, I found Geraldine hard to like, even if I felt empathy for how she had to take care of her two siblings at such a young age. Eddie was in a car crash at 14, leaving him with a traumatic brain injury that continues to have effects on his daily life; he’s also a single father to 10-year-old Conor. I liked Eddie and felt empathy for him, too, and how his TBI makes work difficult. Conor is a delight, always ready with a joke and a smile. Tara, formerly an art teacher, did 18 months for a drug trafficking charge. She’s opinionated and impulsive, but she’d do anything for her family. Then there’s Brian: the officer who got Tara into prison in the first place… but has regretted it ever since.

More than anything, The Connellys of County Down is about sibling relationships and all the messy parts that make up the whole. We see the kinds of sacrifices each sibling has made for each other, and what kinds of sacrifices they’re willing to continue making. For all their disagreements, they also work hard to lift each other up, whether that’s seeking therapy for a closet hoarder or helping a sister with a record get her life back on track. But can the three Connellys fully trust each other again, after all that’s happened?

Another storyline in this book is the tentative relationship between Tara and Brian. They start off knowing the worst of each other, yet they still find something in each other to continue exploring. Theirs is an unlikely relationship, and it puts Tara into some tricky situations, but it can ultimately be healing for both. A couple of times, the two of them go to the Brennans’ pub, a nice little Easter egg fo those who’ve read the previous novel. When Tara and Brian have an argument at the end of chapter 20, it leaves us on my favorite line in the book: “The most honest words didn’t have to be loud or dramatic to cut deep.”

The Connellys of County Down gets its name from the fairy tale the Connellys’ mother used to tell them. It’s a heart-rending thread throughout the novel: their Irish heritage, the magic of storytelling and family values, and the forgotten superpowers each sibling had as children and hopefully still has in adulthood.

Audiobook
Barrie Kreinik does a marvelous job of bringing the characters to life in the audiobook version of The Connellys of County Down. Like the book itself, her narration is gentle but incisive. Each character feels vivid and unique through her subtle voice acting, making the whole audiobook a joy to listen to from start to finish.

The Connellys of County Down is a tender, raw, and beautiful portrait of an ordinary, complicated family. It strikes me in a way that few books quite achieve, and this a story that will stay with me. Tracey Lange may be my favorite author of contemporary fiction, and I look forward to reading every new book she publishes in the coming years.