The Connellys of County Down by Tracey Lange: Book Review

The Connellys of County Down is the dramatic look at the everyday struggles of a family of siblings and the unrelenting love they have for one another.

Acknowledgments:

Thank you to Celadon Books and Macmillan Audio for the ARCs of this book and audiobook. The thoughts and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

From The Publisher:

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 facade 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.

While she works to build a new career and hold her family together, Tara finds a chance at love in a most unlikely place. But when the Connellys’ secrets start to unravel and threaten her future, they all must face their worst fears and come clean, or risk losing each other forever.

The Connellys of County Down is a moving novel about testing the bounds of love and loyalty. It explores the possibility of beginning our lives anew, and reveals the pitfalls of shielding each other from the bitter truth.

My Thoughts:

Family dynamics and interpersonal relationships between siblings can be complex. This is particularly true when the family loses their parents during their formative years. The Connellys of County Down is a story of three now adult siblings who would sacrifice everything for one another. This is the first book I’ve read from Tracey Lange but it won’t be my last.

The reader is first introduced to the youngest sibling Tara who is being released from prison after serving an eighteen-month sentence for drug smuggling. Once a teacher, Tara’s criminal charges mean that she is no longer able to teach. She returns home to live with her sister Geraldine, brother Eddie and his son Connor.

Tara learns that Eddie’s traumatic brain injury has impacted his life and he began having worsening headaches and seizures while Tara was incarcerated. She soon discovers that Geraldine has become a hoarder and has impacted much of the space in the home. She failed to pick Tara up upon her release as planned, and doesn’t seem to be that happy to see Tara home again. Geraldine became a parent to Tara and Eddie as a teenager upon the death of their mother and when their father fled a short time later.

As the book progresses, details about the family’s past are slowly revealed. Tara begins a new job as well as a romantic relationship with someone from her past. Geraldine’s desire to take care of everything leads to poor choices. The source of Eddie’s escalation in headaches is disclosed. Without giving anything away, expect a suspenseful climax and satisfying conclusion.

I listened to the audiobook version of the book which was narrated by Barrie Kreinik. I appreciated her tone and natural quality as she voiced several characters. I would not hesitate in recommending the audiobook to those readers who appreciate this format.

I recommend this book to those readers who enjoy Women’s Fiction or stories of Family Life.

You Might Also Enjoy:

A Little Ray of Sunshine by Kristan Higgins