Family Life - New York - Drama - Second Chances - Loyalty - Drama - Secrets - Prison - Romance - Siblings - Audiobook - Fantastic Read - Highly Recommend

Thank you to Celadon Books, Macmillan Audio, the author and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest review.

The Connellys of County Down
Tracey Lange
Pub Date: August 1, 2023
Narrator: Barrie Kreinik

I absolutely adored this family drama about love, loyalty and second chances. After serving 18 months in prison, Tara Connelly is finally being released, only to find herself faced with the Brian, cop who put her in prison as her ride home. Tara is returning home to her sister, Geraldine, brother, Eddie, and nephew, Connor. Eddie is facing his own issues from a brain injury he suffered years ago, and Gerald is dealing with both personal and work related problems that no one knows about. On top of everything going on at home, Tara is forced to find a job, which proves to be a difficult task for a felon. And then there’s Brian, who keeps showing up at her door. As time passes, many secrets start to unravel that threaten the family and their tight bond.

This book was perfectly done and I was so impressed with the storyline and how everything was woven together. I listened to the audiobook and I felt like Barrie Kreinik was flawless! She was able to provide so much emotion and I felt like she did such an amazing job distinguishing between each character. I will definitely look for more audiobooks with this narrator, because I really enjoyed listening to her!

Read if you like:
⭐️Contemporary Fiction
⭐️Family Drama
⭐️Character Driven Stories
⭐️Short Chapters
⭐️Second Chances
⭐️Loyalty

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Celadon Books and MacMillan Audio for providing me with an advanced copy of The Connellys of County Down!

I listened to The Connellys of County Down as an audiobook, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

I will say, listening to this, I had that feeling of, “Wow, this is a lot like We Are the Brennans.” When I requested this audiobook from NetGalley, I didn’t realize it was the same author! Author Tracey Lange’s writing style is very distinct.

I honestly really enjoyed this story - a seemingly perfect family but when you pull back the covers, there’s problems on problems. Similar to every family who has their issues.

The Connollys of County Down definitely kept my attention. I think it’s the nosey neighbor in me that wanted to know all of the dirt and gossip. On the other hand, I did feel like it ended a little abruptly.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC.

I really loved this wonderfully written, complex, and heartfelt family drama. It felt a little slow to start, we have to wait a little bit for the action to shake down, which I was anxious to find out about, but I think the purpose of that down time was to flesh out each character and get us truly invested in and rooting for Tara, Eddie, and even the rigid and often unlikeable Geraldine - which paid off. I was completely invested in the siblings and their secrets.

This is a story about family (with a little forbidden romance in the mix). The Connelly family is a complicated one, in which each member has made poor decisions and is flawed in his or her own way, but is doing the best they can with what they've got. The thing that binds them is their unwavering love and loyalty to one another... even if it's messy and dysfunctional. Relatable? Yep!

Sidenote: I 1,000% thought this was going to be a story that took place in Ireland, and I even imagined that the audiobook would be narrated in an Irish Brogue (no such luck, but Barrie Kreinik did a great job!). It actually takes place in the same town (in New York.. not Ireland) as Lange's debut novel, The Brennans, though the books stand alone.

Thank you to Tracy Lange and Celadon books for the advanced copy (and the audiobook! I loved switching off between kindle and audio for this, depending on what I was doing!). I would love to see these characters again in a sequel!

This will be out on August 1st! I hope you add it to your TBR!

Book: The Connelly’s of County Down
Author: Tracey Lang
Publisher: Celedon Books
Stars: 4.5/5

The Connelly’s of County Down is a heartwarming story of family, drama and laughter centering around three siblings. I have to admit that I totally enjoyed a book with a family that is much more dysfunctional than mine.

Tara is the youngest. She is returning home after being “gone” in the penitentiary for 18 months to the family home to start life again. At home is her brother Eddie, his son Conor and older sister Geraldine.
Geraldine had been trying to keep things running at the Connelly house while Tara was gone. Geraldine works full time and boy does she have some crazy issues of her own. There there is Eddie who is lucky to be alive from an accident that occurred when he was a teenager which has left him with lasting health issues and PTSD. Lastly, there is Conor, Eddie’s sweet adorable son who just loves everyone and want to be loved back.

The story starts with Tara on her release day from prison. Her sister, Geraldine is suppose to pick her up but ends up not coming. Tara hitches a ride back home with Brian, the detective who arrested her. To make matters worse for her when she arrives home no one is there to great her and the bedroom now has a padlock on it.

The relationships that intertwine with these siblings as they come back together to learn about one another again is fantastic. They start to understand each other but also realize the all of secrets they are carrying. Eventually, secrets come out, relationships are tested but they do triumph and become a family again.
And what about Brian and Tara should they or shouldn’t they have a relationship.

What I really liked about this story is the Connelly’s area family that will do anything for the ones they love. Redemptions occurs, responsibilities are taken, romance happens and forgiveness is obtained. This book was a pleasant surprise and I enjoyed reading/ listening to it.

A big thank you to Netgalley for my Audio ARC, to Celadon Books and to Tracey Lang for writing this sweet book.

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Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received an advanced copy of the audio book in exchange for an honest review. The narrator did a great job bringing these characters to life. I was engrossed. The book was not too heavy, though it tackled some heavy themes (addiction, hoarding).

“The most honest words didn’t have to be loud or dramatic to cut deep.”

Is it presumptuous of me that I just assumed this would be a five star read because of how much I loved We Are The Brennans? Whatever the answer, I was not wrong.

Tracey Lange’s writing is just so engrossing. She writes family and family dynamics like almost no other author. So much so that sometimes, when I read her books, I feel like I’m peeking inside someone’s house and watching their lives unfold without their knowledge. I LOVED the Connelly family. I loved their rawness and their dysfunction, but also their overwhelming loyalty to each other and underneath that…the love. This is a family riddled with hardships but that always perseveres.

The audiobook was awesome and I am so glad I had it because I just couldn’t put this one down! So I listened when I couldn’t physically read and that just helped me to get even more lost in this family. The narrator did an amazing job of giving each character their own voice and really capturing their essence. I feel like I just watched a movie! I will thoroughly miss this family.

Going forward I will read anything this woman writes, knowing that as the book finishes I will be reading or listening thinking noooo I’m just not ready to say goodbye yet. Now THAT. That is the sign of a great book, and what I hope will happen every time I open a new one but, unfortunately, usually doesn’t.

Thank you SO much to Macmillan Audio, Netgalley, and Celadon Books for the ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It was light-hearted and fun, but also had some serious elements such as hoarding, addiction, etc. I was drawn to it by the cover. I really liked the artwork.

I wish it would have been a little longer so that we could see more resolution with Geraldine's hoarding issues, etc. I'm hoping for a book two. It had me rooting for the inmate and seeing her side of things. Good to shed some light on some of the issues that felons and inmates face during their re-entrance to society. It's heartbreaking to see how people prey on the desperate and vulnerable.

I thought the characters were very well developed and I enjoyed them all.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to listen to this audiobook. I think that the reader did an excellent job as well.

The Connellys of County Down is a riveting combination of family drama and romance that deals with making mistakes, starting over, and judging others. It's also about a family that is worn down from hard times, but still tries to help each other. It's a heartwarming novel.

Issues that some of the characters deal with are control, keeping secrets, prison sentences, and hoarding. The romance is a nice touch that does not overtake the main themes of the book.

The relationships between the siblings are very realistic and show their ups and downs. They are far from a perfect family, and that makes the book better.

The audiobook was narrated by Barrie Kreinik, who expertly conveyed all of the personalities, emotions, trials and fears of the characters. I was riveted by the performance.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from MacMillan Audio. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

The Connellys of County Down pulled me right out of a reading slump and kept me furiously flipping pages until the very last word. I tend to gravitate towards romance and thrillers...pretty much anything with grand romantic gestures or crazy plot twists. But a good book is a good book... and this is a good book! More of a contemporary fiction, there are hints of romance, crime, mystery, and all the family dysfunction you can handle! These characters feel as honest and real as they do dysfunctional. At the end of the day family is family, no matter how many secrets they carry or quirks they have. I love Tracey Lange's writing style and find it similar to Ethan Joella, who I love!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio & Netgalley for an advanced audiobook in exchange for my honest review. I enjoyed the narrator and especially liked the different accents (New York and Irish) and loved how she brought not only Tara, but all of the characters, to life. 4.5 stars

I absolutely loved this story! Once again, Tracey Lange hit it out of the park.

This book explores the depths we'd go to protect our families, the resilience of damaged families after trauma, and the ripple effects of our choices on our lives and our loved one’s lives. There’s also a captivating forbidden romance and thought-provoking questions about morality and ethics that were so well done.

Another aspect of this book I appreciated was how the author addressed the challenges faced by individuals with criminal backgrounds reintegrating into society. It shed light on society's unforgiving nature, even after someone has served their time. The story powerfully conveyed the ongoing punishment people endure long after their release.

Though somewhat predictable, the writing and characters truly tug at your heartstrings. Tara's connection with her nephew and the growth among her siblings are particularly endearing. I’d be remiss not to say how much I loved the love story, too. This is the kind of story that steals your heart and leaves a lasting imprint.

The New York setting also hits home with me and scores points since I’m a New Yorker. 🙃

In short, this was a fantastic read that combines themes of family, romance, morality, and resilience and I adored it!

As for an audiobook review, this was narrated well. Great flow and pacing, and the narrator had a great voice that was clear and easy to follow. I don’t have any complaints! Even with a book with multiple characters this narrator tackled each one well. I’ve heard other audiobooks narrated by this narrator and she always does an excellent job.

Thank you so much NetGalley, Macmillan audio, and Tracey Lange for this ALC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you @celadonbooks @macmillian.audio for a copy of this book.

I devoured this audiobook in a day. This was such a great book that focuses on the sibling of the Connolly's. We met Tara who is recently released from jail and joins up with her sister, brother and nephew. I love how the story unfolded as it relates to Tara's drug charge. This story is messy with issues dealing with mental and physical illness and finding love. The narrator did a great job with the different voices in the story.

Sometimes I think a book’s rating is entirely dependent on how it makes you feel, IF it makes you feel anything particularly strongly. And let me tell YOU, this one made me feel a MESS of emotions. Particularly frustration at their sheer lack of communication. But that’s what made it so good! It moved along specifically because of those frustrations.

Just wish the chapters weren’t so freaking long!

Tara Connelly is being released from her 18 month sentence from Taconic State prison on drug trafficking charges and who is waiting for her but the arresting officer, and he is there to apologize. Tara has two siblings (Geraldine and Eddie), with whom she lives, and neither has really visited during her time in prison and neither has come to pick her up and so she is brought home by Brian, her arresting officer in an awkward drive back to her town of Port Chester.

Tara and her siblings lost their mother to cancer at a young age, and their father ran off before that leaving a very young Geraldine to take care of Tara and Eddie (who had a traumatic brain injury and was in and out of the hospital). Now that Tara is home again they are all together: Tara creating a new life for herself (while falling for Brian), Eddie managing his young son and Geraldine hiding her hoarding and job which she cannot handle.

This is a family story about obstacles, love, forgiveness and redemption and I loved it. Each character was flawed and yet the author made them endearing (even Geraldine the most irritating – the author gave enough background that she still irritated you but you understood why). This would make a great movie. The romance probably shouldn’t have worked for me but it did. I thought the author did a great job with the story and the characters. One issue I had if I have to nit-pick is I thought Tara was a bit too sweet and not entirely believable in all of her actions. I listened to much of it on audio and enjoyed the narrator.

Thank you to NetGalley and to MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to review

This is four and a half stars for me

Tara Connelly is being released from prison, and is returning to her home where she lives with her brother and sister, and nephew. Now her life is turned upside down, and she has to work through how to get back on her feet and contribute to the household she has shared with her siblings since she was young. Her sister has been the matriarch of the family for years, following the death and disappearance of their parents. Despite being a close family there are a lot of issues they need to work through upon Tara's return. For starter's why did neither her brother nor sister come to visit while she was imprisoned?

This is truly a story about family and overcoming obstacles and making sacrifices to help one another. If you are looking for your next "deep" literary fiction, this is not it, but the story was interesting, and unique enough to keep my interest throughout. The audiobook was easy to listen to and the narrator was clear and entertaining. There were multiple times I would stay in my car after arriving at my destination "just to hear what happens". I really enjoyed this audiobook and the story.

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.

For readers who liked We Are the Brennans, this one is even better! Irish family with ties to drug dealers, one sibling has gone to jail, one sibling is healing from an injury, and the last sibling has lost control tired of being the glue that holds the family together. It was a fast-paced listen that got me through a long drive. Highly recommended to those who like gritty lit fic where some characters aren't as likeable. Tight family that stick together through all the struggles, great drama that has a satisfying ending.

I LOVED IT. Lange has a knack of writing a family. Not just characters that feel like you know them, but the idiosyncracies of how they come together as a family. The truly flawed nature of each character made it feel like I knew them on a personal level. Besides the incredible character development, the layers of mystery and romance made it addicting read.

The Connelly siblings have secrets that are unraveling.

The dysfunctional family drama unfolds and I was drawn to how this family loves hard and ultimately are loyal to each other. It’s a character-driven novel that full of dramatics and turmoil. If that’s your cup of tea, 🙋🏽‍♀️ you’ll enjoy this story! The audiobook narration is great, too.

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!