If you love a deeply emotional book about love, loss, grief, and the power of forgiveness oneself, this has to be on your TBR. I don't read a lot of fiction like this, but I really enjoyed my time in upstate New York with a formerly married couple, her brother, and a hockey team of tween-aged boys.

I've read all three of Lange's books and, to me, this was written and paced more like a romance novel than I remember her other books being. No complaints from me, as this is such a strong second chance at love story.

This book is incredible. Lange is a masterful storyteller who brings complicated family drama from every day, small town America to life in a powerful and relatable manner. With themes of hope, resilience, forgiveness, community, and healing, this story is one that will linger in my heart and mind for years. A stand-out, top read for me!

The McCrays centers on a couple, Kyle and Casey, from their teenage romance to their failed marriage. Kyle has returned home after a 2 1/2 year absence to assist his ailing father, and must face his former wife, coworkers, and friends. It is a difficult reckoning for Kyle and Casey as they work through the trauma that triggered Kyle's departure while learning one another's story of the past several years. When Kyle gets an opportunity to extend his stay in town via a Middle School hockey coaching position, he stays, and hopes for a possible redemption.

I want to clearly state that this book delves into some darker themes; loss of a parent, loss of a child, suicidal ideation/attempt, depression, and caring for an injured parent. Yet, despite the raw emotion found in these chapters, and Lange's gut-wrenching descriptions, I never felt inclined to set this book aside or stop reading. Rather, I felt incredible compelled to continue; to root for redemption and healing. Somehow, Lange has perfectly captures the true dichotomy of life; that is can be both tragic and beautiful, sometimes even at the same time. That love can be both familiar and foreign, and trauma can be both transformative and renewing. You will root for Kyle and Casey from page 1 to the end, and fall in love with a few middle school hockey players as well. All the stars!

this book broke my heart and then put it back together again. a tale of a family driven apart and tragedy, told largely as they meet again. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

Kyle left town abruptly two years ago and is back to help take care of an ailing father. Once back he tries to stay low but starts to realize how much an impact he left behind on his family and friends including his beloved wife of 16 years.

This was a typical Tracey Lange book about Family strife and estrangement. Characters who don't communicate and a bit forgettable. With hockey in the background my go to comparison is Bear Town which this falls short but if you enjoyed we are the Brennans you will probably like this one as well.

I absolutely loved We Are the Brennans by this author, so I was so excited to read her next book! The family drama in this book was on another level. Kyle left his wife Casey about two years ago to move across the country after being together for 16 years. When Kyle comes back to his small town to take care of his father, he faces everything and everyone he left behind. This story was beautiful. I felt the love and pain both of these characters carried and found the book to be very emotional .

I love Tracey Lange. She's an auto-read author for me, and I'm so thankful that @celadonbooks surprised me by sending me an early copy of this. This book was one of my absolute favorite books from last year and I'm hoping to squeeze in a reread once the audio releases.
The book centered on Kyle McCray, who left his hometown a few years before, and left everyone behind. But then he was forced back and had to reckon with what he left. This book was tender and heartbreaking. It's told in the past and present so the reader got a full glimpse of these beautifully flawed characters. There's hockey and amazing middle school kids. It's a book surely to make you feel deeply and probably cry. I just loved every moment because of how raw and real it was. I savored it slowly. And it's also one that you should go into with no prior knowledge and just sink into the story.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Consider adding this to your TBR. Trust me. ⁣
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I’ve read and enjoyed all of Tracey Lange’s novels but this one quickly became my favorite. This one broke my heart and then put it back together. I cannot wait for more readers to experience this emotional story. From page one I was immersed into this captivating story. The writing was literary and flowed so seamlessly, unfurling layer after layer. Lives with deep love and deep loss. ⁣
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The characters felt like people I know- flawed yet fabulous, each with their own shame and shot at redemption. I particularly enjoyed the small town upstate New York setting along with the middle school hockey team and the corresponding secondary cast. ⁣
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It’s easily a five-star standout read that left me a huge book hangover. Thank you @macmillan.audio for the early copy.

Tracey Lange's What Happened to the McCrays? is a heartfelt story about family, loss, and second chances. Set in the small town of Potsdam, New York, the book follows Kyle McCray as he returns home after his father’s stroke, two years after abruptly leaving his family and friends.

The story explores Kyle’s strained relationships, especially with his ex-wife, Casey. Lange does an excellent job showing the emotions and struggles that come with broken relationships. Kyle’s new role as a hockey coach for a struggling team brings a hopeful element to the story, as both he and the team work through challenges together.

Lange’s writing is simple yet powerful, making the characters and their struggles feel real and relatable. The small-town setting adds warmth and charm to the story. With the overall message of healing and forgiveness shining through.

This book is perfect for readers who enjoy emotional stories about family and personal growth. It’s a touching and memorable read that leaves a lasting impression. I personally think this is my favorite Tracey Lange book which is a big statement given her other amazing books as of late.

4.5 stars rounded up

Love! This book was so good. It was filled with emotion, heart, sadness, regret, forgiveness, and so much more. I read this book with my book club and we all agreed it was amazing. Thank you for the opportunity to read!

4.25 stars

I have read all three of Tracey Lange’s novels now, and I have to say that her upcoming novel WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MCCRAYS? is my favorite. The author has a theme in all her writing so far, and that’s healing after crisis/tragedy. Her other two novels focused on big family sibling dynamics, but this one focused on divorced couple Kyle and Casey.

I think you might not know what to expect by looking at the cover. Were the McCrays taken from their house in the dead of winter? No. The McCrays are a divorced couple, and Kyle has been summoned back to his hometown to help out after his father is hospitalized. Casey still lives in the town. This novel moves back and forth between present day and the history of their relationship.

There are plot-related triggers in this novel (two big ones!), so check a more thorough summary if you feel that would turn you off.

Why I didn’t rate this higher is the main thrust of this novel isn’t very original. I’ve seen it quite a bit. I did think Lange had a deft hand in her writing though. She drops enough hints that you can piece together what happened before it’s revealed. Because this is a novel about healing and not one of suspense, I was completely good with not having any jaw-dropping moments.

I thought the main characters were good people going through stuff, so I had a good amount of empathy with them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love the way this author tells stories. This one had a little more of a romance plot in it as you have flashbacks of the two characters growing up. There is heartbreak in it but it ultimately is a beautiful story about healing and forgiveness. I think fans of this author will like the emotional depth that is in this novel.

TW: death of a child

I absolutely love Tracey Lange's writing! She is now 3 for 3 with me and officially an auto buy author! Her characters, her storytelling, and all the emotions they each bring out. What Happened to the McCray's? was exponentially sadder than I was prepared for. Even so, I simply could not put this one down. I wanted to stick it out to witness these characters, grow, and heal, and find whatever their version of happily ever after looks like. The narrators we SO good! I felt like their voices matched the characters well!

•Small town
•Third person/dual POV
•Past and present timelines
•First love
•Second chance at love
•Complicated family dynamics

4.5 stars

Thank you to Celadon Books for an advanced copy of this beautiful story in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan for the advanced reader copy.

Tracey Lange did complicated family relationships so well in her previous two books and WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MCCRARYS is no exception. Casey and Kyle's love story--and then the tragic loss that pulls them apart--was honest and gut wrenching. While there are clearly plot levers that Lange uses to move her characters around the world of the story, nothing feels artificial. The end also felt well earned and not pandering. This is an author that's going to be an auto-read for me. Can't wait to see what comes next.

What Happened to the McCrarys? is out January 14, 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What Happened to the McCrays?
Author: Tracey Lange
Publication Date: January 14, 2025
Source: Celadon Books ARC

I don’t think it is too soon to tell you that I will consider this novel one of my best books for 2025. Tracey Lange has a gift for creating great characters who are memorable yet simple, with relatable life struggles. I don’t want to give too much away. Still, the story centers around a tight-knit community, especially a family, with Kyle and Casey McCray, parents of their only child, and an extended family of neglected children they keep under their loving wings of protection through school and coaching hockey. An epic tragedy tests this family, and we learn what it takes to come back from the deep depths of grief and find a way to live again. This book oozes with love, not just between husband and wife, but between the people surrounding the town of Potsdam, who prop each other up when needed. Life is hard, struggles are real, and grace surrounds us if we only remember to look for it. The McCrays face the worst, yet those who love work diligently to find a way back to the living. This story is a family drama with great backstories and interesting lead characters. A love story for 2025. #WhatHappenedTotheMcCrays @celadon #ARC @traceyLange #familyDrama #literaryfiction #love #loss #grief #selfBlame #struggles #community#hope #struggles #snow #hockey #renewal

I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to @celadonbooks, @netgalley and the author for the opportunity to read this novel. #CeladonBooks #CeladonReadsTogether @celadonbooks #ReadWhatHappenedToTheMcCrays @netgalley

#book #books #bookAddict #BooksOfInstagram #bookstagram #bookstagramer #bookshelf #reader #pbooklove #bookreviewer #WhatHappenedtotheMcCrays

Tracey does it again! She is so great at making you FEEEEL for her characters. I loved the story being filled with hockey, how close the McCrays were, and the pain/grief we felt for Casey and Kyle. I wish I didn’t read it in two days because I loved it so much and wanted to stay in Potsdam, NY a little longer.

“Sometimes you’ve taken all the shots you can, and then it’s time to let someone else carry the puck for awhile.” 😭😭

Thank you to Celadon Books for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review!

Get it! Out 1/14/25

I have loved all of Tracey Lange’s books but this has been my favorite so far. The story of what happened to the McCrays is so heart breaking and relatable. Casey and Kyle’s journey was not an easy one but I was rooting so hard for them and the unforgettable cast of supporting characters. This book cemented Tracey Lange as an auto buy author for me.
**Be sure to check trigger warnings before reading because this book deals with some triggering content.

What Happen3d to the McCrays was a novel filled with characters that were so well-written, it felt like they were friends. As Kyle and Casey reunite to help Kyle's dad readers are slowly given clues about the events that led to their divorce. Overall, I couldn't help rooting for this couple. I really loved this novel!

Thanks to Celadon Books for the #gifted copy of this book.

Summary: Kyle and Casey are high school sweethearts, but they haven't seen each other or even been in the same state for the past 2 years. But after Kyle's father had a major stroke, he's back in their hometown to help his dad. The longer he stays, Kyle discovers the impact of his abrupt departure from their town on those in his life. As his stay continues, Kyle is asked to help out with the failing middle school hockey team. Kyle begins to enjoy the temporary life he is rebuilding in Potsdam so much, that he might want to make it permanent, as long as Casey agrees to this plan.

Thoughts: Wow!! This book blew me away and I was hooked from the very beginning. It had so many different themes throughout with the big ones of forgiveness, second chances, and new paths forward. I must admit that this book had me feeling so many emotions throughout and at times had me crying (which I don't do very often during books.). I loved how real these characters seemed throughout the pages as if I were reading a real story. As a mom, this was difficult to read in certain parts as it just broke my heart. Please be sure to check trigger warnings before you read this one.

Read if you love:
💕 Family Drama
💗Small Towns
🥰Second Chances

Thank you, #Partner @celadonbooks @Macmillanusa, for my #gifted (free) copy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️+ /5

Oh goodness, this book deserves all the stars. Lange seriously knows how to write a powerful and heartfelt story that brings  tears to my eyes and will stay with me forever. This is such a tragic love story, and it really shows you the meaning of how important communication really is. Pre-order and add this one to your TBR list!

When Kyle gets a phone call that his dad has a stroke, he feels obligated to return to his small hometown in Potsdam, New York. Kyle abruptly left home almost three years ago and not in the best way. He returns home and must face his family, friends, and ex-wife. Kyle realizes life in Postdam went on without him, and a lot has changed.

I loved this book and think it’s Tracey’s best one yet!

Two and a half years early after divorcing his high school sweetheart, Kyle left his hometown. When he gets a call that his father has suffered a stroke, the place he never wanted to return to he finds himself in, being around his ex-wife and what drove them apart, and coaching the middle school hockey team.

Tracey knows how to write a family drama and parts of this story broke my heart, but thankfully it was put back together in the end. Casey and Kyle are both broken with the history between them and each dealt with their grief in very different ways. I loved all of the characters in this book and each path that their story went down.