I love Tracey Lange's writing style. She tells a story that pulls you in from the beginning without having to create a 'hook' or a gimmick. Her warm development of characters is what will put her on the map and I will be a loyal reader from here on out! Auto-Read for me! I wish I could be best friends with her characters. I want to jump into the book to help ease their struggles. Relationships that seem problematic can be resolved in a way that you can't understand until the last page. I highly recommend this book! And if you haven't read Lange's first book...well you should! I loved this audiobook and the narrator did a fantastic job!

This is a big-hearted story of family drama and secrets. It mainly revolves around Tara, who was just released from prison and returned home to begin putting her life back together. But her siblings are there, and everyone has to make peace with their pasts. I enjoyed this a lot.

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.

The audiobook is well-produced and Barrie Kreinik, who expertly narrated “We Are the Brennans”, does a superb job of bringing the Connellys to life. She imbues each character with emotion, and her soothing voice kept my rapt attention the entire time. I will definitely be looking for other audiobooks she has narrated!

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

I really wanted to love this, having read the authors previous book. I did download the audiobook, which can sometimes make the story bland. I just thought there wasn’t much to the plot and overall flow of the story. It was just boring, if I put it mildly.

I’m really sorry to not have enjoyed it, but this is just my personal opinion.

Many thanks to publisher and Netgalley for the advanced digital copy.

The Connelys of County Down by Tracey Lange
This book comes out at the start of August and I was lucky enough to read this from NetGalley before its release date. This is the same author that wrote We Are The Brennans and I was so excited to get this in my ear before everyone else.
Here is the starting point: Tara Connely is finally getting out of jail and she is both nervous and excited to be released. She is leaving a great friend that she has made, but is excited to get back to her brother, sister and nephew. But, as she is signing the last papers to be released, she is told that she doesn’t have a ride home from her sister as they had planned and one of the cops, Brian Nolan, that arrested her offered her a ride home. This was NOT the way she planned to make her reentry back into the world.
But, eventually, she makes her way home and gets reacquainted with her sister, Gwen, her brother, Eddie, and her nephew Conner. As she begins to find her place in the world again, she is faced with the reality of being an ex-con - and she has to hold onto the story of why she really ended up in jail. As she begins living with her siblings again, she realizes that she is not the only one that has some major baggage after the life they have lived. Tara begins, though, to find little paths of light. She begins working a job that brings her joy, she starts trying to trust and find love, and she begins to try to rebuild the family that she has missed for 18 months.
Unfortunately, lies and secrets always catch up with us and it brings to light what we all need the most…people we love and trust.
Like We Are The Brennans, this is a tale of siblings trying to find their way and navigate their roles. It is a story of hope and personal growth and it reminds us that even though admitting we need help makes us vulnerable, we are facing a much harder future if we can’t take those steps forward.
Some things I loved most:
Again - Tracey Lange really writes some amazingly developed characters that you love from start to finish. EVERY character that is developed in this book bring emotion from the reader and serves a purpose to the finale of the story.
The place is developed in a way that makes you feel like it is relatable - it feels like the neighborhood you could have grown up in. She doesn’t go over the top with descriptive language throughout - but adds just enough that you feel a part of it.
The resolution to both of her books is extremely satisfying as a reader. In both books, I got exactly what I needed to close the cover and smile. In this case, I listened, but I still felt that internal satisfaction of completing the development of the characters without tying a big bow on the story.
The last thing I loved was the thread that ran through the story of their mother’s fairy tales she used to tell them before she died. She used to tell them stories about the three of them and their superpowers and how they used them to help each other. This plays an important role throughout the entire book.

So, if you like a story that gives you very relatable, developed characters - especially siblings, you will truly enjoy this gem of a book that Tracey Lange is coming out with in August. Get on the list and check this book out. That was The Connellys of County Down by Tracey Lange.

Having completed an eighteen-month prison sentence on a drug-related offense, Tara Connelly returns to the home she shares with her siblings to begin a life as an ex-con. Driven home by one of the cops that put her in there, no less! With her teaching career no longer an option, the opportunities for her a re pretty slim. Her brother, Eddie, is living with the consequences of a traumatic brain injury. His young son, Conner, is the heartbeat of Tara's family. The bond between Tara and Connor is strong. Her sister, Geraldine is the the straight and narrow, responsible church going sibling, When their parents died, it was up to Geraldine to take care of her siblings. Tara's relationship with Geraldine is strained, at best.

After thanking her siblings for sending money to her each month, Tara finds out it did not come from them. If not them, who was it? Tara is determined to find out. One of the cops involved in her case is determined to get the drug dealer she worked for and he has no problem leaning hard on Tara to make her roll over. His partner seems to keep popping up unexpected around Tara. What is his motive?

Just as Tara begins to build a life for herself, the secrets of her siblings threaten her freedom and she is once again looking at the real possibility of returning to jail. Will this be the her continuing cycle? Will there ever be a way out?

Tracey Lange has written another winner with The Connellys of County Down.

My thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the advanced listening copy of this book.

I was sent a copy of this book from a publisher/publicity team/giveaway. My ratings and reviews will be my own personal opinions and are in no way influenced by publishers or authors who may have sent me books to review.

I was a huge fan of We are the Brennans and was so excited for the next release of The Connellys of County Down.

Tracey Lange does a great job with family drama stories. This was great and very engaging. The pace was great and I never found myself bored as the story just keeps moving. There is a little bit of everything as well which I loved. We are getting the family drama, a little love story, and some more serious issues being addressed.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one and cannot wait to see what is next.

Having read, We Are the Brennans, I had to read this author’s next book. I was not disappointed. The characters were likable, and the underlying theme of being willing to do anything for family was evident throughout the book. Tara and Connor may have been my favorite characters but all of the people in the book were flawed and yet very likable. I would definitely recommend this book to those that fancy a good storyline and satisfying ending. Thanks to #Netgalley for this advanced audio book!

This was a DNF for me. The narrator was severely lacking. I think I will purchase the actual book and read it. It’s a bummer when poor narrators ruin what would be an otherwise great book.

This book was so much better than I thought it would be! I had tears in my eyes by the end of the story and wished it was not over. The Connelly family was a bit of a wreck, but they truly loved each other. There was also a bit of romance which made the story even better. However, the best part was the narrator. It’s not very often a female voice can make the man’s voice sound good, but she did a great job.

Tracey Lange has done it again. We Are the Brennans was one of my favorite books of 2021 and now The Connellys of County Down put itself near the top of my list for 2023 so far (I’m at 46 books).

Tara Connelly has just been released from prison after an 18 month sentence for a drug charge and is trying to figure out how she is going to start over. There’s no way she will get her art teaching job back, but according to her parole officer she has to work. She has moved back into her childhood home with her older siblings and is trying to figure out where she fits in. Her sister Geraldine has taken over her room shifting Tara to the attic, and she isn’t adjusting well to Tara wrecking her strict routines. Her brother Eddie is delighted to have her back, especially because she is so good with his son Conner. But he too is dealing with his own issues at work and his lingering side effects of a brain injury. Despite all of their personal issues, the Connelly kids stick together.

Like the fairy tale their deceased mother used to tell them, they work best when they work together. They are going to have to get used to this new normal with Tara back in their lives and try to be honest with each other. The secrets between the siblings causes problems, putting their dysfunction on full display. Tara has to try to stop fixing everything on her own and learn to accept help, even when it comes from an unlikely source.

The Connellys, much like the Brennans, are a flawed and real family. Despite, or maybe because of their flaws, you want to root for them to make it through all the family drama. Their sense of love and loyalty toward each other is honorable, but sometimes can be their downfall. Like Sunday Brennan, I loved the character Tara Connelly. Messy characters make for the most interesting stories!

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and of course the author Tracey Lange for the advanced copy of the audiobook. The Connellys of County Down is out on August 1st. All opinions are my own.

The Connellys of County Down grabbed me from the first page, and I enjoyed the entire story of the messy Connelly family all the way to the end. Each of the three siblings has a lot going on. Tara, the youngest, is being released from prison after serving a sentence of drug trafficking, and now needs to get her life restarted - but the cop who put her in prison keeps showing up unexpectedly. Eddie is raising son Connor while struggling with a traumatic brain injury, and has more secrets and layers than his family realizes. Geraldine was put in charge of her siblings at a young age, and has used rigid rules and routines to manage her life ever since, but now the control she relies on is loosening and things are becoming too much to handle.

I really resonated with this portrayal of a family that loves one another in their own ways. With the story told through multiple POVs, the reader gets to understand where each character is coming from. I loved the thread about their mother (who died) crafting made up fairy tales starting the children, each with their own special powers, and how that followed them through into adulthood. There's so many vivid, unique characters in this book, and the author writes them so you can imagine each one like a real live person. All of the different storylines weave together well and I could have kept reading about this family far beyond the final page.

The audiobook narration is crisp, and different characters are easily distinguishable.

This book would be great for anyone who enjoys;
- family dramas
- emotional relationships
- character growth
- mental health rep
- books by Lisa Genova, Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, Claire Lombardo, and Celeste Ng

Thank you so much to Netgalley for this alc of The Connellys of County Down! I really enjoyed this story - and after enjoying We Are the Brennans, I believe this means I am officially a Tracey Lange fan!
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The Connellys of County Down is another family drama-esque story with hopeful undertones, fleshed out characters, romance, and heartwarming relationships. I love how Lange writes "real" and relatable characters - even though they are all very ordinary, I grew attached to Tara, Brian, and Eddie, and I was cheering for them. Lange does a lot in under 300 pages which makes her books bingeable, but they also resonate after the book is shut.
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I rec this one for:
- Those who love family drama
- Fans of contemporary fiction
- Those who enjoyed We Are the Brennans

Having really liked the author's debut, I was very excited to listen to this one. I wasn't disappointed. I like when a book has the same style and voice that you expect from an author but a fresh plot. This one met those expectations, and I would no doubt recommend it to those who enjoyed We are the Brennnans or any plot driven daily stories.

I really wasn't sure what to expect when I chose to read this but was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. The family dynamics in this are so relatable. The communication issues between the family members made this feel so real and easy to relate to even if you've never dealt with the prison system. I was initially a bit turned off by the romance aspect of this but quickly changed my mind as it developed into something more natural. I really enjoyed the way the story was told and would love to revisit these characters in a following story. I thought this was really well written and had some beautiful life lessons woven into it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved We Are The Brennans and was so excited to be approved for the audiobook, narrated by Barrie Kreinik of this new family drama by the same author! Tara Connolly 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 and the dialogue and plot moved the story along quickly. The Connolly'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.
Narrated by Barrie Kreinik who did a wonderful job bringing this family to life.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for granting me access to this audiobook.

This was a good family drama. that sprinkled a little romance and "suspense in. I enjoyed the family in this book and the side romance of it all. Another good Tracey Lange book based on family and life's ups and downs.

I loved and couldn’t put down We Are thé Brennans but found this story mostly boring. I was initially intrigued but the story quickly started to become lukewarm; there was little plot movement and I didn’t find myself caring about or connecting to any of the characters.

It’s a domestic drama in the sense that the story follows a family for a period of time.

SUMMARY: Tara is leaving prison after doing 15 months inside for a drug charge. She’s moving in with her brother, his son, and their sister.

When she gets there she is surprised to learn three things: 1) her sister has been forcing the nephew to go to Catholic Church 2) the sister has become a hoarder and 3) her brother has gained weight. He also has a TBI, though this was from before.

There is one other mystery… when Tara thanks her siblings for all the money they gave her, she finds out they didn’t give her the money. Now she’s wondering who did and why…

The reader also knows, but Tara doesn’t, that the sister is in deep doodoo at work and trying to cover it up.

There’s plenty of interpersonal conflict… Tara wants to throw out the hoarded items, for example. Lots of tension…

Slow burn without much movement. I gave up around 50% because i didn’t care enough to read anymore but I might finish it if I have nothing else and it’s still available

This heartfelt story takes us on a journey with the Connelly family as they navigate the challenges of protecting their loved ones and starting anew. Tracey Lange weaves a narrative that tugs at the heartstrings, immersing listeners in the intricate dynamics of the Connelly clan.

Barrie Kreinik's narration brings the characters to life with skill and emotion. Her portrayal of the story enhances the listening experience, making it even more enjoyable. Barrie Kreinik ability to capture the nuances of the characters' emotions and deliver their dialogues with authenticity is commendable. I teared up multiple times with her emotions. It was truly an immersive listen for me.

Fans of family drama will enjoy this gem. I highly recommend it.

A very special thanks to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the ALC.

The characters in this family drama made this book shine. I loved the sibling dynamics, and I love how they grew and changed throughout the book. The romances the siblings developed throughout the story also made my heart smile. The audio narration was well done. I can't wait to check out more from this author.