dig_the_plot 's review for:

The Connellys of County Down by Tracey Lange

3.5

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Family drama is not my genre but I really enjoy this author. I read We Are The Brennans in 2021 so it’s been a while but I gave it five stars. This author does a great job making you feel apart of the family and you really care about her characters. The Connelly’s of County Down is no different. Tara Connelly is being released from prison after serving 18 months on a drug charge. She is basically starting over at the age of 30. She has no money and now with a record knows finding employment will be difficult. She is moving in with her siblings who have their own problems. Her sister Geraldine is hiding a big secret at work and her brother Eddie struggles with the ongoing effects of a brain injury. Eddie is also raising his son Connor. When Tara and Eddie were little they played in the attic and brought to life one of their mother’s fairy tales “The Connelly’s of County Down.” Again this is a family drama so there are no twists or bombshells just life. A dysfunctional family dealing with life and standing up and protecting one another at all costs. My favorite part of this book was Geraldine. Tara was suppose to be the stand out main character but I stuck around for Geraldine. This is a slow book but I couldn’t wait to find out what Geraldine was up to. The therapy session was hilarious! One part of this I didn’t understand was the fairytale aspect of the story. It was never elaborated on and felt somewhat pointless. Tracey Lange writes books that are easy to read and invite you to be apart of the family. The last note I made in this book said I enjoyed the ending. These people were so frustrating and I needed the ending!