We Are the Brennans

I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of this title in exchange for an honest review. This is a spoiler free review. I genuinely wanted to like this book more, especially when I saw comparisons to Ask Again Yes and that it was picked for one of the 5 monthly books from Book of the Month. That being said, I was kind of disappointed that it didn't suck me in more. This book opens up with the reader finding themselves in the middle of the Brennan Family drama. There are secrets abound that you slowly begin to unravel as the story goes on. These secrets are tearing the family and their business apart from the inside. However, I personally did not find the secrets to be all that earth shattering. I also tend to agree with some other reviewers who stated that the overall pacing of the story could have been better. Some things seemed to be way too drawn out while others seemed much too rushed. I also had some difficulty keeping every straight but that may have simply been down to me not being interested enough to stay focused.

Sunday is the only daughter in a big, close knit, Irish American family living near NYC. Five years ago, she suddenly and mysteriously ran off to LA, abandoning her fiancé and family. She is forced to return home, after a DUI leading to an accident, in which she is badly injured. She must confront the secrets and consequences that she was hoping to avoid by running away years ago. She is not the only member of the family with something to hide, whether it is a long buried secret or a current deception. The story flows smoothly from chapter to chapter through multiple points of view, so that the reader experiences the unfolding of events through each character's eyes. These perspectives help build the tension and allow the reader to connect and empathize with the characters. The storylines were intense and emotional with unexpected twists and turns, creating a real page-turner. It is hard to believe this well-crafted family drama is written by a debut author. @CeladonBooks #partner #CeladonReads #WeAreTheBrennans #BookishFirst