After seeing this book all over Book of the Month, I couldn’t wait to get the opportunity to read it myself.

And I am so glad I did get the opportunity.

Right away the author jumps into the storyline, having all the siblings banter and sling commentary towards each other that seems to be welcoming you into their family as you read on.

Having three other siblings myself, I loved the relationship between Sunday and Jackie as it reminded me of the closeness to one of my own.
I think my favorite part of the story, is how the parents choices whether they were out in the open, or kept Hidden from their children, really set into motion the tragedy and celebrations at the store siblings had to navigate. I know that as a parent we say we try our best for our children, and we do the best we can, but there’s a little bit of ownership that we forget to take that our choices as adults will eventually catch up to us whether that’s with privilege or consequence, and sometimes our kids will be left to clean up the mess.

As each Brennan family member dealt with their own personal situation throughout the story, you can’t help but notice the endearing camaraderie that they had in the family and it reminds me that sometimes you can grow up in the same family and be completely different adults, but what people do well is show up for their family celebrate the easy and to support the hard.

This drama filled story was a perfect reminder of how lies and family secrets are never kept buried for long.

We are the Brennans includes
- Family drama
- Irish Catholic family
- New York
- Poor decisions
- Dysfunctional family


Family is the main plot point In this book which I really loved. Every character has their own secrets and reasons why they did what they did. In We Are the Brennans you will see a lot of apologizing, things that make you mad, things you understand, and things you don't. However, it all comes together at the end. I really enjoyed the switching of points of view between the characters. You know which character is which during the transition, I found no need to look back at the beginning of the chapter to figure out who was telling the story.

The beginning was slow to me however, it is very well written and an easy read. The book does pick up of course, to the point where a lot of things are happening back to back!

The audiobook for this was great! I enjoyed the narration!

A beautiful debut., I will be buying a copy.

Thank You publishers for the early copy!

Oh, I really liked this novel! A lot of it was relatable. American/Irish Catholic family dynamics and a small town where everyone knows you are just a couple of ways I could relate. The Brennan family is vibrant on the outside but inside, they have their secrets, indiscretions, shame. No matter, family is family and they will always be there for each other. Imagine the story possibilities. It's one of my favorite books so far of 2021 and I can't wait to see what author Tracey Lange writes next.
The book was narrated by Barrie Kreinik - her performance was perfect and lovely.
4.5 stars

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for allowing me an early listener copy via the NetGalley app.

WE ARE THE BRENNANS by Tracey Lange resonated loud and clear with me. It felt so familiar just like being at home. This is a story about the Brennans siblings and the dynamic of their relationships. The Brennans is an Irish Catholic family from New York. The story follows the siblings as they each face the consequences of the past and the challenges of the present. Although they have their differences, they also have common history that will either mend them or break them. Which one will it be?

WE ARE THE BRENNANS is Ms. Lange’s debut novel. She is an author to watch. Her writing style is intelligent, moving, and thought-provoking. I absolutely loved how she used the end of one chapter to start the next. Each chapter offered a different POV which enhanced the story. I am looking forward to reading more books by this author. In the meantime, pick up a copy of this book and enjoy!

The narration was beautiful. The narrator was able to portrait the characters' feelings. She also was good at reproducing accents. Well done!

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced audiobook copy and Tracy Lange.

The narrator was great. I’ve listened to several books that she has narrated and enjoyed her voice.

As for the book it was good. Great family drama filled with secrets.

If you like to read a dysfunctional Irish American family, you’ll love this book like I did. It reminded me a bit of Maine by J Courtney Sullivan. We have the Catholic religion, the pub, the visits to the old country, the cups of tea and the messy, complex family dynamic. I listened to the audio and I highly commend the narrator on an amazing job of all the accents, especially the Northern ones. (I was born in Ireland and visit my family there often)

I was surprised to learn that this is a debut novel for Tracey Lange; I found her writing confident, smooth, smart and well-paced. The repetition of a line from the previous chapter was a nice touch. I enjoyed the plot – it became more twisty than I anticipated. The characters were very well developed and vulnerable; that Irish mother was scary real! Only Viv seemed one dimensional and stereotypical to me. They were flawed humans, but all were people I could relate to.

This is a family saga that includes four siblings, their relationships to each other and the outside world. It covers the danger of keeping secrets over the years and the far-reaching consequences, foreseeable and not. Universal questions are considered. Is it possible to go home and reinvent yourself? Is there only one true love? What is sacrificed for true love? How the position in the family can influence one’s relationships with other. This is a family that is envied by others but has lots of imperfections. The Brennans seemed real to me.

My only criticism would be that I found the focal “event” (no spoilers) was revisited too often for this reader. I understand the author was showing us the event from different perspectives, but I think use of first person might have achieved a better understanding of each character. The outside third person meant a retelling without a lot of new detail each time.

This is an entertaining book and I finished it in two days. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author. Thanks, NetGalley and MacMillan audio.

’Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.’
- Leo Tolstoy

The Brennans are a tightly-knit Irish family, living close to the parental family home in West Manor, NY. All except the only daughter, Sunday, who left years before to move to California, pursuing her dreams of becoming a writer, while at the same time leaving the man she loved behind with no explanation. She is forced to return when she wrecks her car, driving drunk, and ends up in the hospital. Denny, her oldest brother, is the one who gets the phone call notifying him of her circumstances, after which she returns - something she never wanted to do. Returning means not only facing her family, but facing Kale, the man she once loved, and still has feelings for.

Kale has married since then, and is also now a father, but is also almost considered family, since he is partners with her brother Denny on the family’s pub. It is impossible to avoid seeing him, and when she does all those old feelings come flooding back.

Each character, save one, in this story has their own secrets and stories, which all eventually come to the surface a little bit at a time. Some more scandalous than others, but only the youngest of her siblings seems to escape from being involved in the drama.

This is a family drama that feels both realistic, while slowly revealing drama upon drama as the story unveils over time. Each character, from the mother and father, the brothers and Sunday, the wives all have their own drama to add to it. In other hands, this could have just been too much, too unbelievable, but the way this was unveiled felt authentically real. It’s rare that I read a book, or as in this case listen to it, and come away thinking that it would make an excellent movie or series, but I could so easily visualize this one being adapted into a movie by someone like Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine.

Narrated by Barrie Kreinik, this is Tracey Lange’s debut novel, although it doesn’t feel like a debut. As she comes from a large Irish Catholic family herself, it is easy to feel the warmth she feels for this family she’s created. The way this story was woven throughout seems so authentic, and you can’t help but root for these characters she’s brought to life, hoping they find happiness.


Pub Date: 03 Aug 2021

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Macmillan Audio / Celadon Books

That one family in the neighborhood that everyone is so jealous of because everyone thinks their life is just so perfect.

If you’re into dramas surrounding family and friends then this is the book for you. From multiple viewpoints, it follows an Irish Catholic family from Long Island through their dark secrets, misunderstandings and mistakes. I found it to be a little slow at times, but picked up around 50%. The characters and their POV were all realistic, it pulled you in. The Brennans and their friends are close with an unbreakable bond. The narrator did a great job.

This reminded me of We’re All Adults here. I thought this was a great spin on the perfect American family that is anything but perfect. The characters are believable and you learn to care for them. The plot was not fast paced, but I found myself pouring through this book because I actually cared about the characters.

If you’re a fan of family dramas, this may be the book for you. It follows a Irish Catholic family during their ups and downs. I found it to be a little bland at times, but the characters were believable and it had a genuine feel, which I appreciated.

Each chapter alternates character perspectives to provide a different point of view, which I enjoyed. Various relationships are explored, memories are reflected upon, and secrets slowly exposed as the book unfolds.

One thing I love about this genre is having an intimate glimpse into the lives of others. In this story, I enjoyed the complex sibling dynamics, the sentimental moments, and being privy to the mistakes & struggles of these characters - who reminded me that humans are incredibly complicated and resilient.

☘️The audio had a nice flow and the narrator did a great job. This book is on the shorter side, and I’m glad I listened to it. Once I started, I was glued to my ear buds and listened to the story in one day.

This one is 3.5/5 stars rounded up to 4 for me

Thanks to Macmillan Audio & NetGalley for the audio Arc!

We Are The Brennans was the perfect family drama. Sunday Brennan is in a car accident out in LA. Her brother comes to her rescue and brings her back to her Irish family in NY.

Her family owns an Irish pub which is in financial trouble. As we learn more about each family member more secrets are uncovered. All their stories seem to intertwine even if they don’t realize it. The reader is teased with the event of what caused Sunday to leave her family and what went on with Mrs Brennan. There’s secrets behind each Brennan door that keep coming to light. This held my attention so much as if I was getting a front row seat into their lives unfolding.

What family loyalty the Brennan family has. They will stand up for their family members no matter what the cause or if there is any drama between them. It’s almost unheard of these days to know someone will have your back the way they all did. They didn’t even need to know what happened or who was in the wrong- they’d protect their family. I really enjoyed that piece of the story. I loved the Irish aspect as I have family in Ireland. It made me wish I had a bunch of Irish brothers!

The narrator did an excellent job. I loved how strong of an Irish brough Mr. Brennan had. I binged this story because it was such a pleasure to listen to & I had to know all the family secrets. This book had everything you’d want in a family drama!

Torn between 3 and 4 stars.

We are the Brennans chronicals a deeply connected and complex Irish family through their business endeavors, secrets and mistakes that altered their paths to the future. The ending was a tough sell for me. While I enjoy an ending that wraps things up neatly, I didn't necessarily agree or believe in the decision that was made to alleviate one of their biggest problems.

CW: violence, child loss

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy.

“We Are the Brennans” is about an Irish family that loves hard and has that element of family dysfunction as it finest. Sunday Brennan left for sunny LA in pursuit of a writing career. Leaving a man she loved and her family behind, while no one thought she looked back. After reckless choices and terrible accident, Monday hits an all time low returning home to the family and the past she tried to forget.

I fell in love with the characters and their relationships through Lange’s writing. I was pleasantly surprised how the Brennan family’s relationships made me reflect on my own family. Many issues will always arise, but they are present and constant. It was a fun engaging novel and I found the audiobook narrator to be quite pleasant. Also, the Irish dialect was easy to follow and brought that origin element to the audiobook.

Thank you Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and Tracey Lange for this ARC audiobook.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC.
This was a beautiful debut. Stories that center on family are hit or miss for me, and this one was a definite hit. I loved the Brennan siblings. They are all so human and flawed, yet there is so much love in this family, even when it feels like things are falling apart. I liked how the story slowly unfolded and how the layers worked together to bring about the cohesiveness of the plot. Each character's actions deeply affect the other characters, and this played out well.
The story goes back and forth, between past and present, to fully show how Sunday and her siblings deal with shame and secrets. I liked how the author carefully explored shame and how paralyzing it can be. I also enjoyed how first love was explored and the hold it has on those involved.
If you enjoy stories of tight-knit, yet flawed families, I think you'll enjoy this one. The narrator did a fantastic job of bringing these characters to life.

I loved all the minutes I spent with this novel. This is the story of Sunday Brennan who ends up returning to her hometown after a car accident that she causes. She left home five years ago without an explanation and it hurt her brothers and fractured her family. She also left an ex-fiance behind.

This is, at its core, a story of healing. It explores sibling relationships, parent-child relationships, and love, of course. It's about facing your past, it's about how one's pain can spiral out and cause a domino effect of pain throughout a family or a community. It's a perfect example of how shame, when left hidden, can completely destroy a family (and a person.)

After she returns home, Sunday's healing begins. And it slowly heals her family and relationships.

The only part that didn't sit well with me was Vivienne and how two-dimensional her character was. I didn't like how convenient it made things. Life is rarely that convenient.

This is a story of redemption, beautifully told. I loved it.

with gratitude to netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

First, I'd like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an early audible version of this debut novel. It's rare to snag a galley in this form, and for that I am grateful. However, the story as it unfolded was predictable with stock characters and reheated situations. What I did like was the structure -- giving relevance to the title, the family each had their say through a clever segue mechanism that propelled the action smoothly. Thus, the family, which is the centerpiece and form the main character, is individualized, each member brought center stage and given prominence. I do look forward to Lange's future works because I think her talent will develop nicely over time.

This was a high 4 stars for me. This audiobook narrated by Barrie Kreinik was about a family loyal to each other and protective. They got a lot of things wrong and it drew me right in. There could be second chances and healing if they’re brave enough.
I highly recommend this if you love good fiction. The narrator was great and I really enjoyed it.
Thanks Macmillan Audio via Netgalley.

I enjoyed spending some time getting to know this big Irish family from New York

I liked that their story was told from several points of view, which added to the warm and expansive feel of the book. Almost all of the characters in this book are flawed in their own way. They make many bad decisions and stick together to solve their problems.

As much as I liked my time spent with this family, I have to say I didn’t like the way the book ended, I was looking for more resolution.

Narration: Barrie Kreinik did an excellent job voicing the many different characters, including those with an Irish accent.

4.5/5

I loved the Brennans. Such a well written story about how one mistake can change your whole life, especially if you aren’t honest about it with the people who love you unconditionally. 4.5 stars rounding up to 5.