Genre: Contemporary Adult

I have always wanted to be Irish…who knows why? I have a Katelyn and a Kerry, and I love a good St. Patrick’s day moment, but I am, I think mostly English with some Scottish thrown in (having a tartan is not awful lol). Any how, I couldn’t help but be drawn to Tracey Lange’s The Connellys of County Down. Always, I am drawn to the power of change and possibility. Retirement has been both lovely and difficult for me. While I know it was time for me to exit full time education for a variety of reasons, I worry that I still have a lot of years and hope to use them contributing to the world. I haven’t completely figured out the hows yet. I could be convinced some days that my current ruts are permanent and that the die is cast for much of my life; Lange shows the power of simple changes leading to a new hope.

When Tara Connelly is released from 18 months in prison, she is stunned to find neither one of her siblings waiting to pick her up and that she is forced to accept a ride from Ryan, the police officer instrumental in her jailing. The release foreshadows nicely the difficulties that she will find in returning home. Her brother Eddie, who struggles with stress and seizures while happy to find her at home carries a big secret. So too do her sister Geraldine and even the oddly attentive Ryan. Tracey Lange crafts a lovely novel of coming home, of family love and loyalty, of resolving conflict in The Connellys of County Down.

What I enjoyed most about Tracely Lange’s The Connellys of County Down is the strength of the family. She creates complex and realistic characters. We can both admire and dislike them-just like folks in real life. Even with all of the struggles and flaws, Tara, Eddie, Geraldine, and Conner love each other. They share the kind of love that survives serious disagreements and fights. Lange shows them warts and all. The kind of relationships that can transcend such conflict is to be admired. I also appreciated that a mental health counselor also makes an appearance. Through her, much of the healing is rooted. I cheer for the normalization of good counseling and the balance of her help and the persistence of the family in working for positive change. I also very much enjoyed Lange’s earlier novel We Are the Brennans. I love these families, even as an English Scot.