I went into this book knowing nothing except that it was a BOTM pick. By the end the characters felt like family and I didn’t want to say goodbye 😭 I felt EVERY emotion!! Although it’s not a genre I usually gravitate towards, this reallyyyyy made me appreciate well-written literary fiction. I usually struggle to get into more character-driven stories but these were *chef’s kiss*. Highly recommend if you’re looking to feel all the feels and be engulfed in snowy east coast vibes. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC! 📚

I love a good family drama. This took a turn I wasn't expecting and ended up being more heartbreaking than I thought it would be.

My goodness this book broke my heart over and over. Easily a contender for favourite book of the year. It was so moving, so heartbreaking and beautiful in its own way.

It's so hard to write reviews about books that I've loved, because there's so much to say yet simply saying this book was incredible feels like enough. Tracey Lange is an incredible storyteller, bringing you into her world and her characters lives like they're friends.

If you loved Beartown, I think you'd love this book. It's full of grief, family and forgiving and most importantly - love and finding it in our own ways.

I love that Tracey Lange's books are always about real life. It's messy, but could actually happen to a person. This book is no different. It follows a family through tragedy and overcoming the grief of the tragedy even years later. It's a beautiful. Definitely not light or "fun" but engaging and a great story.

So far I have read everything that Tracey Lange has came out with. I have enjoyed every single one of them. I felt all the feelings reading this book. It was wonderful with a lot of painful moments. I would 100% recommend. There is a big trigger warning(child death) that happens off screen.

Tracey Lange is becoming the Queen of family drama fiction. I’ve read all three of her books now (reviews to come!) and the way she crafts her characters is something else! They are all these beautiful, complex people with such depth to them. To me, Kyle (MMC) and Casey (FMC) are perfect, even with their flaws and all. The situations and the mistakes they make mirror real-life so naturally, and I just want to forgive them on the behalf of everyone.

This book is slightly different than Lange’s previous two books, in that it focuses more on a marriage than siblings. Perhaps because of that, we do get a little more romance than her previous two. It’s just a tantalizing amount, though- it had me wanting for more! (Although I think how it was done was perfect.) This one also focuses on grief more, and I was probably crying for about half of the book. I’m not sure if it’s because it really got me in my feelings, but this was definitely my favorite book of hers so far!

𝑾𝒉𝒐 𝑰'𝒅 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐:
Lovers of family drama, general/contemporary fiction, books great for book clubs - lots of discussion opportunities.

It took me a long time to get through this book but that’s just because of who I am. I struggle to get into literary/contemporary fiction because I usually need some anticipation to get me hooked. With that being said, I really liked this book! It was a sweet, tragic, and emotional family drama story. I found myself loving all the characters and wishing the best for them. I was even cheering on the little hockey team in my head and wishing I could pet the dog. If you like realistic stories with second chances that make you feel all the things while you’re reading, this one is for you!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the privilege of reading the ARC of What Happened to the McCrays?! And to Tracey Lange for writing it.

Tracey Lange is excellent at writing stories with complex family dynamics and well-drawn characters, and What Happened to the McCrays? is no different in that regard. A poignant, moving, enthralling story, I couldn’t help but read through it in one sitting.

Stephanie Németh-Parker and William DeMeritt did a fantastic job narrating the audiobook.

Thank you Tracey Lange, Celadon Books, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

Almost a tear jerker for me, this was touching and lovely. Not a thriller, or horror, or chick-lit, just a well written story about a man coming home to tend to his father after a stroke, facing his personal demons and those affected when he suddenly departed for another life. I could feel the depth of the emotions of each character as the storyline flows, it was sad at times but also heart felt and hopeful glad I chose to read this one. Recommended.

Thank you to author Tracey Lange and NetGalley for granting my wish!

Tracey Lange has such a talent for writing about family dynamics. This story in particular focuses on grief and how it affects everyone around you. The way she shows how each character deals with their grief and in turn deals with each other is seamless and relatable. If Tracey Lange writes it....I'm going to read it!

I loved The Connelly’s, but I didn’t feel any attachment to the McCray’s. Their story was heartbreaking, their journey together had its ups and downs, and their love for hockey was sweet.

The first half of the book was tedious so I resorted to an audiobook to get myself through it. When I was more than halfway though I knew that I detested Casey’s character, she was just so whiny and hateful throughout the entire book and I had already guessed what would happen between her and Kyle in the end.

This author knows how to make the reader feel alllllll the feels. I felt like I was a part of the family while reading this. There was not a character I could hate because I was just rooting for everyone and all their faults. I shall be reading more of this author again.

Love me a dual timeline and this one drives the reason why home. The timelines are a beautiful ebb and flow of questions, secrets, suspense, and finally answers to this family drama. While in the present time, we are left wondering what happened to the McCrays - geez, does that title ever fit. I thought it more than once. The characters are at times lovable and at times not, stick with it, it all comes together and you won’t get the story out of your head for a long time. Fantastic writing and I need more books by this author.

From New York Times bestselling author Tracey Lange, a poignant story about the resilience of family, the importance of community, and the magic of middle school hockey

When Kyle McCray gets word his father has suffered a debilitating stroke, he returns to his hometown of Potsdam, New York, where he doesn’t expect a warm welcome. Kyle left suddenly two and a half years ago, abandoning people who depended on him: his father, his employees, his friends―not to mention Casey, his wife of sixteen years and a beloved teacher in town. He plans to lie low and help his dad recuperate until he can leave again, especially after Casey makes it clear she wants him gone.

The longer he’s home, the more Kyle understands the impact his departure has had on the people he left behind. When he’s presented with an opportunity for redemption as the coach of the floundering middle school hockey team, he begins to find compassion in unexpected places. Kyle even considers staying in Potsdam, but that’s only possible if he and Casey can come to some kind of peace with each other.

Full of love and hope, What Happened to the McCrays? takes an intimate look at both sides of a failed marriage and two people who must finally confront the awful pain of their past or risk being consumed by it.

The Connellys of County Down was the first of Tracey Lange's books I read, and really enjoyed it, and I'm happy to say What Happened to the McCray's was just as enjoyable! Although this overall isn't a romance, it had a second-chance romance within it, and I loved learning about Kyle and Casey's relationship and was pulling for them to find their way back to each other. I also really liked the family dynamics, small town setting and the other characters in the book. There are some heavy topics addressed, but Lange handled them with care, and they added depth to the story and were believable/not gratuitous or over the top.

Thank you to the publisher, author and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

CW: Mother abandonment, divorce, loss of a child, loss of a parent, attempted suicide, complicated parental relationship

What a fantastic book! The first one I have read by this author but definitely can't wait to read more! The characters stay with you long after you finish the book. Highly recommend!

Thank you @netgalley and @celadonbooks for my copy!!

This book is GOOD! Like the kind you never want to end because you want to hang out with the characters forever. I knew from the beginning this would be one of my favorites of the year but oh my heart!!

Read this if you love
- AMAZING characters
- books FULL of heart
- raw and real relationships
- stories of grief and hope

Tracy Lange has made a name for herself writing smart well-drawn family dramas, when they're in flux or in crisis mode. It is currently March 2025 and my world here in the USA is filled with chaos, so it was a relief to turn to this novel, filled with old fashioned problems and nary a political division in sight in the small town where the characters lived.

Kyle McCray returns to his hometown after several years away when he learns his father has suffered a stroke and needs help. His ex-wife Casey has been helping his Dad before his return. Casey and Kyle both seems like nice, well-meaning people who still care about each other, but the story slowly reveals the giant wedge that drove them apart.

This is a slow burn but with enough interest that I was always ready to go back to the book. Special mention to the middle school hockey story line which added to the story. Also the character of Wyatt, Casey's brother in a wheelchair, who is presented as a functional person in his own right, and not as a sad aside. Even nice people make mistakes, and it was fulfilling to see the characters grow and develop to their fuller potential as the story progressed.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tracy Lange, and Celadon Books for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When Kyle McCray gets word his father has suffered a stroke, he returns to his hometown of Potsdam, New York, where he doesn’t expect a warm welcome. Kyle left suddenly two and a half years ago, abandoning people who depended on him: his father, his employees, his friends—not to mention Casey, his wife of sixteen years and a beloved teacher in town. He plans to lie low and help his dad recuperate until he can leave again, especially after Casey makes it clear she wants him gone.The longer he’s home, the more Kyle understands the impact his departure has had on the people he left behind. 

I have read every one of Tracey Lange’s books and she has such a knack for writing a dynamic, heart-warming family drama. Her writing style is beautiful and she immediately pulls her readers in by writing complex, flawed characters that make you feel as if you know them. What Happened to the McCrays is a layered, multi dimensional book that deals with family drama at the root - but also goes into a bit of second-chance romance and mystery as well. Kyle and Casey are such wonderful characters and their growth within the book was so fun to read. They both are dealing with loss and grief (trigger warnings),yet found ways to push through, find happiness, and forgive themselves for the situation that occurred long ago. At the core this book is all about the resilience of a person and the power of love. I did a mix of reading and listening to this book and both formats were beautiful. Stephanie Memeth-Parker and William DeMeritt did a phenomenal job at creating a captivating story.

I really enjoyed Tracey Lange's previous books, so I was excited for the opportunity to listen to "What Happened to the McCrays?". This story kept me interested and was an enjoyable read. Reflecting back on small town living and family dynamics I couldn't put it down.

My honest review in exchange for an advanced copy of this e-book. This was my third read by this author and it was, unfortunately, a major letdown for me, though I know it'll work for some. Personally, between the unending hockey, the middle schoolers, and the frustrating romance, I could find very little to enjoy. This is the type of book where you have to like, or at least accept, the huge amount of hockey talk, because its underlying themes of grief and forgiveness were not strong enough to make it "not be a hockey book." If you can handle that, this book may be a good fit for you. Otherwise, it's a skip.