We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thank you to Celadon Books and Macmillan Publishing to allowing me to preview this novel.

Sometimes there are books that you could comfortably read forever. If the author would just keep writing chapters about these characters, then we could stay with them and keep an eye on them. This was one of those for me.

We Are the Brennans is about a close-knit Irish Catholic family that lives in a fictional Westchester, New York town, West Acres, that I suspect is based on the city where I was born, Peekskill (or very close to it). The patriarch, Mickey, emigrated from Northern Ireland as a young man and has supposed ties to the NRA. The matriarch is no longer with us, but her legacy is dark, tainted, resentful.

There are four Brennan children (now adults) - Denny, Sunday, Jackie, Shane - and one honorary Brennan - Kale, who grew up nearby and has always been a part of the family in one role or another.

Five years ago, something bad happened to Sunday and prompted her to move to California, far away from the family she is close to and to leave her almost-betrothed, Kale. A series of events reveals this and our story focuses on the family as they re-evaluate the past, do damage control, support each other, make new mistakes and correct old ones.

This is a family with a lot of love and care for one another that is clear even though they are not overly demonstrative. I really enjoyed the time I spent with them. My one criticism that the ending was kind of abrupt and could have been more graceful if given another chapter or two.

Recommend!

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