AUDIOBOOK REVIEW - The Connellys of County Down

Title:  The Connellys of County Down

Author:  Tracey Lange   

Publisher:  Macmillan Audio

Genre:   Fiction

Format:  Kindle ARC and Audio ALC

Narrator:  Barrie Kreinik

Length:  9 hrs 21 mins

No. of Pages:   288

Date of Publication:   August 1, 2023

My Rating:   5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

When Tara Connelly is released from prison after serving eighteen months on a drug charge, she knows rebuilding her life won’t be easy. Thirty years old, 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 singlec 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.

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

The Connellys of County Down by Tracey Lange is a moving story about family, resilience, and second chances. Tara Connolly is newly released from prison after serving an eighteen-month sentence for a drug charge—a conviction she knows will likely shadow her for the rest of her life. Determined to move forward, Tara’s primary focus is helping her brother Eddie, a single father who is still coping with the effects of a traumatic brain injury. She is careful not to add to his stress, knowing how fragile his situation already is. Their sister, Geraldine, is clearly exhausted, having shouldered the responsibility of holding the family together during Tara’s incarceration.

Stepping back into her role within the family, Tara takes the reins with fierce love and determination. Making up for lost time matters deeply to her, and as the story unfolds, it becomes clear that she would do anything to protect the people she loves. That protective instinct is put to the test, especially when Tara finds herself facing difficult choices. Tara also has the possibility of romance, but with the cop responsible for her arrest? just as she begins to imagine a better future.

This was an excellent, emotionally rich read that beautifully explores the bonds of family and the hope that comes with second chances.

Many thanks to Macmillan Audio and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tracey Lange was born and raised in New York City. She graduated from the University of New Mexico with a degree in psychology before owning and operating a behavioral healthcare company with her husband for fifteen years. While writing her debut novel, We Are the Brennans, she completed the Stanford University online novel writing program. She currently lives in Bend, Oregon with her husband, two sons, and beloved German Shepherd.