We Are the Brennans

Tracey Lange

56 pages 1-hour read

Tracey Lange

We Are the Brennans

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2021

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Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

Sunday is a twenty-nine-year-old waitress living an isolated life in Los Angeles until a drunk-driving accident prompts her return to West Manor, New York. As the only daughter in a tight-knit Irish Catholic family, she traditionally managed the household's domestic responsibilities and served as her brothers' emotional center. She carries deep guilt over her sudden departure five years ago and harbors a heavy secret regarding her true reasons for leaving. Upon returning home, she cautiously attempts to reintegrate into the family dynamic while facing the unresolved relationships she left behind.

Key Relationships

Younger Sister of Denny Brennan

Ex-fiancée of Kale Collins

Older Sister of Jackie Brennan

Older Sister of Shane Brennan

Daughter of Mickey Brennan

Daughter of Maura Brennan

Denny is the oldest Brennan sibling and the ambitious co-owner of the family's pub. He feels a heavy, self-imposed responsibility for his family's success, leading him to take on immense financial stress while attempting to open a second restaurant location in Mamaroneck. His deeply ingrained habit of hiding his problems severely strains his personal life, directly contributing to a recent separation from his wife.

Key Relationships

Husband of Theresa Brennan

Father of Molly Brennan

Older Brother of Sunday Brennan

Best Friend of Kale Collins

Older Brother of Jackie Brennan

Older Brother of Shane Brennan

Debtor of Billy Walsh

Kale is Denny's childhood best friend and co-owner of Brennan's pub. Having grown up with an absent mother and an older father, he practically integrated into the Brennan family as a seventh member during his youth. He built a stable adult life by marrying Vivienne and having a son, but Sunday's sudden return to West Manor reawakens old feelings and threatens the domestic stability he worked hard to achieve.

Key Relationships

Husband of Vivienne Collins

Father of Luke Collins

Ex-fiancé of Sunday Brennan

Best Friend of Denny Brennan

Friend of Mickey Brennan

Jackie is the third Brennan sibling and a talented artist who works as a bartender at the family pub. He recently finished a probationary period following a drug possession arrest and actively seeks to rebuild a positive life. As the sibling closest in age to Sunday, he shares a special connection with her and serves as the primary advocate for open communication within his highly secretive family.

Key Relationships

Younger Brother of Sunday Brennan

Younger Brother of Denny Brennan

Older Brother of Shane Brennan

Mickey is the patriarch of the Brennan family and an immigrant who fled sectarian violence in Belfast to build a prosperous life in America. He worked for years in construction to provide for his family and now takes part-time shifts at the pub. He experiences occasional memory issues and harbors old regrets from his past, fueling his intense desire to keep his reunited family safely together.

Key Relationships

Husband of Maura Brennan

Father of Sunday Brennan

Father of Denny Brennan

Father of Jackie Brennan

Father of Shane Brennan

Brother of Clare

Vivienne is Kale's wife and works as an administrative assistant at their son's school. Having grown up in poverty on the outskirts of West Manor, she resents the Brennans' wealth, social standing, and insular family dynamics. She provides a grounded, outside perspective on the family and fiercely guards her marriage against Sunday's sudden reappearance in town.

Key Relationships

Wife of Kale Collins

Mother of Luke Collins

Billy is a former classmate of Denny who recently returned to New York after living in Katonah and Belfast. He immigrated from Northern Ireland as a child when his father worked for Mickey Brennan. He currently acts as a private investor for the Brennans' new restaurant location, holding significant and dangerous financial leverage over Denny.

Key Relationships

Creditor of Denny Brennan

Former Associate of Mickey Brennan

Supporting Characters

Maura is the deceased mother of the Brennan siblings. Raised in a strict Irish Catholic household, she internalized traditional teachings and prioritized maintaining a respectable public image over emotional vulnerability. Her rigid approach to parenting, handling of her cancer diagnosis, and intense fear of scandal left a lasting impact on how her children handle shame and secrecy.

Key Relationships

Mother of Sunday Brennan

Mother of Denny Brennan

Mother of Jackie Brennan

Mother of Shane Brennan

Theresa is Denny's estranged wife. She recently separated from him, taking their young daughter to stay at her sister Angie's house. She is deeply frustrated by Denny's refusal to share his burdens and his tendency to shut her out of his life, demanding a true partnership rather than silent provision.

Key Relationships

Wife of Denny Brennan

Mother of Molly Brennan

Sister-in-law of Sunday Brennan

Shane is the youngest Brennan sibling. He has an intellectual disability and relies on his family for emotional support and daily structure. He works at a local grocery store, loves watching Yankees games, and provides an innocent, grounding presence for his deeply conflicted older siblings.

Key Relationships

Younger Brother of Sunday Brennan

Younger Brother of Denny Brennan

Younger Brother of Jackie Brennan

Clare is Mickey's sister and the aunt of the Brennan siblings. She immigrated to the United States from Northern Ireland alongside Mickey to start a new life and raise her daughter away from the rigid judgment of their traditional community.

Key Relationships

Sister of Mickey Brennan

Mother of Grail

Grail is Clare's daughter and a cousin to the Brennan siblings. She works as a local detective, bringing a practical and authoritative energy to family gatherings. She acts as an older sister figure to Sunday, occasionally offering her blunt advice.

Key Relationships

Daughter of Clare

Cousin of Sunday Brennan

Michael is a lawyer and a former classmate of Denny. He handles the legal aspects of Denny's business expansion and offers professional counsel regarding Denny's impending marital issues. He also takes a polite interest in Sunday's writing aspirations.

Key Relationships

Lawyer of Denny Brennan

Acquaintance of Sunday Brennan

Molly is Denny and Theresa's four-year-old daughter. Her sudden departure from the Brennan household deeply affects her father, and she experiences anxiety stemming from the unspoken tension in her parents' marriage.

Key Relationships

Daughter of Denny Brennan

Daughter of Theresa Brennan

Luke is Kale and Vivienne's young son. He serves as the primary anchor for his parents' marriage, with both Kale and Vivienne fiercely dedicated to providing him with a stable and happy upbringing in West Manor.

Key Relationships