I am so thankful to Macmillan Audio, Celadon Books, Tracey Lange, and NetGalley for not only granting me an advanced audiobook version of this heartwrenching family drama, but also for sending me a physical ARC for me to read along with some friends as apart of this book's tour. The Connellys of County Down is set to hit shelves on August 1, 2023, and I am so excited!

As a big fan of We Are The Brennans, I was eager to get my hands on Tracy Lange’s latest, THE CONNELY’S OF COUNTY DOWN. We meet Tara Connely the day she is released from prison for a drug-related crime. With her life in shambles, Tara is escorted back to the home she shares with her siblings by the officer who helped put her behind bars.

This story captures the complexities of sibling relationships in a nuanced way. Each sibling had deep-rooted flaws stemming from a less than ideal childhood but I still cared for them as they navigated reinventing themselves after past mistakes. I appreciated the representation of mental health and the vital role that therapy can play. As an SLP working with people who have sustained traumatic brain injuries, I thought the way the author portrayed the aftermath of a head injury to be sensitive and accurate.

THE CONNELLYS OF COUNTY DOWN is for readers that are drawn to character-driven family dramas with themes of sacrificial love and familial obligation. I’m thankful that Celadon organized a group of early readers for discussion and I look forward to hearing from Tracey at a book club event next week.

READ THIS IF:
You enjoy reading about messy sibling dynamics
You appreciate the role of therapy and fantastic mental health representation
Character-driven stories with themes of sacrifice and loyalty are your jam

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

RATING: 4/5
PUB DATE: August 1, 2023

I loved the cover, it’s gorgeous! The selection of the audio narrator was perfect.

I went into this one blind. I kind of think it’s best to go into it blind. It has so many layers packed into <300 including great character development. I love authors who aren’t wasteful with words.

The story was so well written, it sort of reminded me of a Colleen Hoover (with less spice) and Taylor Jenkins Reid fusion. This was my 1st Tracey Lange book but I have her other one in my bookshelf and it’ll promptly be moving up higher on my TBR.

The characters were so incredibly well developed with such substance…they had a rawness to them and were so very relatable. I don’t typically get emotional reading but this book just really resonated with me and I think a lot of people will feel the same way when they read this (for so many different reasons).

It’s about love, loss, growth, family, relationships, hope, suffering, surviving and forgiveness.

I really enjoyed how everything played out and seeing each character grow and blossom. I connected with each of the MCs for different reasons.

4.5 stars

I can't resist a novel that centers on sibling dynamics, and this one does that and so much more.

Tara, the m.c., is the youngest of the three titular Connelly siblings, and readers meet her on the day she's being released from prison for drug trafficking. It's clear immediately that while this is a big moment in her move toward a new life, that new life is going to come with complications...like the appearance of the cop who arrested her upon her release and her missing sister, who was supposed to be her ride home. In many ways, everyone's lives get more complicated from here, but they're all on the way to finally facing their demons...or at least considering that as a viable option.

When Tara returns home, readers meet her brother, Eddie, who has a TBI and an extraordinarily charming 10-year-old son, Connor (aka Conman) who tells great jokes, and then Geraldine, the oldest sister. Eddie's troubles are a bit more apparent, while Geraldine's secrets are bubbling up through a tightly constructed facade that she blames Tara for cracking. In addition to these siblings, there are two prominent detectives: the aforementioned one who arrested her and his colleague (added challenges exist in this relationship, too) who truly seems to have it out for her. These characters are really well drawn, and their interactions reflect both interpersonal struggles and deep love for each other, too.

While I did find the central romantic relationship challenging at times, especially in moments where conflicts of various kinds just resolved too easily, I really enjoyed this read overall. I missed Lange's previous big smash, so this is my first exposure to this author, and I am confident I'll be reading more after this great experience. On a related note, the audiobook is wonderfully narrated, and I recommend that option when/where accessible.

The Connellys of County Down is a new book coming from Tracey Lange, who also wrote We Are the Brennans.

“Tara is struggling to restart her life after being released from prison. She served 18 months for a drug trafficking charge but there’s more to it than she told the police. She moves back to her family home with her brother, Eddie, and sister, Geraldine. And Eddie’s son, Conor. Eddie still struggles with issues from a brain injury. Geraldine is having a difficult time with the chaos that Tara has brought to the family and she misses the rules and order she had before. They all have secrets holding them back and events will test the bonds of family.”

Do you have siblings? What are your relationships like? What things happened to all of you that wounded you? Or anchors you? This is a wonderful story about family and secrets from Lange. Until Tara, Eddie and Geraldine can trust each other again, they are stuck. It’s great watching them get unstuck. Geraldine comes across as not very nice and controlling. Her big issue reminds me of my Mom because she had the same problem. When you hear why it makes sense.

As usual, Barrie Kreinik does a phenomenal job with the audio performance. Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC.

Save a spot on your August TBR for this one.

Thank you Macmillan and Netgalley for this great surprise. The audio was wonderful. I adored the main chatacter the most. I was surprised by family relations and was sad and glad about them.
There were really special bonds that not all people are capable of. There was so much suffer, broken people but also many kind of love and joy. I love the books where there is so much meaning beside the story. Getting together ans separate people was really sad but also heartwarming. Is difficult to explain without giving away anay spoiler. It is a wonderful one

Tracey Lange writes some of the best family drama stories. I instantly fell in love with her work after reading We are the Brennans, and her sophomore novel The Connellys of County Down equally delivered.

Tara Connelly is recently released from prison, after serving an eighteen months for a drug charge. She earnestly wants to rebuild her life and mend fences with her two siblings. Her brother, who is a single dad, struggles with the ongoing effects of a sustained traumatic brain injury, and her sister has her own personal demons that slowly come to light. Having a prison record has shattered all hope of returning to the life she has pre-prison, but she finally lands a job that suits her. To make matters more complicated, her begins to develop a romantic connection with an unexpected man. Connelly family secrets begin to bubble to the surface, and now these three siblings must confront their greatest fears if they ever want to heal their relationship.

Read if you like
-Family drama
-Everyone has a secret
-Redemption stories

The audiobook was fantastically done-- it made for an enjoyable listen

I have been waiting for Tracey Lange’s next book ever since I read and loved We Are the Brennans.

Synopsis: Tara Connelly just got out of prison and is ready to rebuild her life at 30 years old. She moves back into her childhood home with her two siblings and nephew, finds a job doing what she loves and is ready to start dating again. However, moving forward becomes tricky when Tara keeps running into reminders of her past. Along with that, secrets her siblings held in begin to unravel, which can threaten her future.

Thoughts: I love stories about dysfunctional families, especially those that follow siblings. This was filled with wonderfully created characters, who were definitely flawed, but had big hearts and good intentions. I love how the story alternated between four POVs (each sibling and then a local detective) and how easy it was to feel their anguish and worries. While I felt the overall tone of the story to be light, Lange really did incorporate heavy issues such as, life after prison, living with a TBI, and hoarding, which brought so much meaning to the story. Also, this story was set in the same area where I grew up, and Lange did such a great job transporting me to this Westchester town. It was so easy to imagine each scene.

Read if you like:
-Family dramas
-Irish roots
-Fairytales that bring hope
-Westchester setting
-Shameless