Reviews with content warning for Drug abuse - The Connellys of County Down

I rated this book an 8 out of 10. The main drive behind the story is the characters and their problems. There isn't a big plotline to move the story along. Even without a focused plot, I enjoyed reading about each character's personal struggles.

Tara, Eddie, and Geraldine Connelly are adult siblings who live together and provide more than enough drama for themselves. Anyone with siblings will be able to relate to the love and frustrations siblings bring. This strong dynamic held between the family pulls each aspect of the story together. Reading from each of their point of view, the commonality is the bond these siblings continue building on.

The biggest twist was not much of a twist or surprise at all. From the get-go, there is a crazy amount of foreshadowing to the point its basically revealed within the first few chapters. To me, the plot lines are not the key factor of this novel, but the characters themselves are the focus. With each chapter brings more character development, and you begin to feel a bond with them individually.

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okiecozyreader's review

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emotional hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

This was a great November read, with a touching family story centered around a daughter who is leaving prison for transporting drugs and going back home to live with her sister and brother, and his son. While they have a complicated family, their love for each other made me care about each of the family members and their struggles.

In the bookclub kit, Lange mentions that she likes writing about family dynamics and for this story she notices that “the person who appears to be causing the outward turmoil in the family, the one that may look the worst on paper, is sometimes the one with the least to hide.”

I appreciated the compassion for each character in the story. None were perfect, but each did they best they could. They were very real.

Thanks to Celadon Books for a copy of this book.
#CeladonBookClub

“When they were little she and Eddie used to play among the boxes and old furniture in the dusty, shadowed room, bringing to life one of their mom’s fairy tales, The Connellys of County Down. In the story, Geraldine, Eddie and Tara had to pass through the dangerous Fairy Forest on their quest to reclaim Connelly Castle, a grand stone masterpiece surrounded by beautiful gardens, majestic woodland, and boundless wildlife.” P31

I also liked the therapy representation and the contributions of Judy, the therapist
“Well congratulations, Connellys. You are a normal, healthy, screwed up family.”
“Maybe because you’re a hoarder, I’m a loser, and Tara’s a felon.” P107

“The most honest words didn’t have to be loud or dramatic to cut deep.” P199

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bookmarkie's review

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emotional slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

3.25

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kimveach's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I loved these flawed and real characters and the problems they face when they keep secrets instead of communicating. I also loved the author's debut book, "We Are the Brennans," and look forward to more books from her.

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kelly_e's review

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hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Title: The Connellys of County Down
Author: Tracey Lange
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 4.25
Pub Date: August 1, 2023

I received complimentary eARC and ALC copies of this book from Celadon Books and Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted #Ad

T H R E E • W O R D S

Mysterious • Relatable • Reflective

📖 S Y N O P S I S

When Tara Connelly is released from prison after serving eighteen months on a drug charge, she knows rebuilding her life at thirty years old won’t be easy. With no money and no prospects, she returns home to live with her siblings, who are both busy with their own problems. Her brother, a single dad, struggles with the ongoing effects of a brain injury he sustained years ago, and her sister’s fragile façade of calm and order is cracking under the burden of big secrets. Life becomes even more complicated when the cop who put her in prison keeps showing up unannounced, leaving Tara to wonder what he wants from her now.

💭 T H O U G H T S

After absolutely loving Tracey Lange's debut, We Are the Brennans, I was super excited to see she was releasing a new novel in 2023. One of my most anticipated releases, I picked The Connellys of County Down as my August pick for my personal book of the month project, and when Celadon offered me an advanced copy I wouldn't click 'yes' fast enough.

Centered around three siblings, the pacing keep me wanting more. The story unraveled slowly with each chapter offering new tidbits of information as to how everything would connect. From the very start, there was an underlying mysterious tone. The siblings were each flawed and relatable in their own way, and their relationships with one another were layered and complex. At various points it was hard to figure out whether to feel sorry for them or to empathize with them. It is clear Lange's background in behavioural science and psychology helped shape the narrative surrounding Eddie's traumatic brain injury, and Geraldine's hoarding. Both of these aspects were handled with care and realistically.

The novel is on the shorter side, and I just couldn't put it down. However, it was the ending that left me slightly dissatisfied. Not only did it end abruptly, but after so much conflict everything ended tied up with a pretty little bow, which just felt unrealistic. There were several other possible endings that made more sense in my head.

I tandem read the digital and audio versions, and I must say the audio narration by Barrie Kreinik really brought the family to life. Each character had a distinct voice, which made following along easy. Pacing was very well done and accents were done with excellent intonation.

Overall, I appreciated the themes of family obligation and starting anew, making The Connellys of County Down a satisfying read. I just would have preferred a different ending. After reading her sophomore novel, it really cements Tracey Lange as an auto-buy author for me, and I will eagerly be awaiting whatever she writes next.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• lovers of the family saga
• readers who like character driven stories
• fans of messy sibling relationships

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"I don’t think you do the rest of us any favors when you don’t let us carry our own burdens."

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