DNF at 23%

I think I saw that a lot of people were reading this book, and though I read the description, I didn’t read it closely enough to see that it was going to be a romance and not an edgy family drama. I don’t really do romance (though I guess I’ll be reading TWO this year for the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge. There’s usually one, but two?! There’s “read a romance book without an illustrated cover” and “read a holiday romance that isn’t Christmas.” Sigh.), so I won’t be finishing or rating this one. It started off fine, I guess. Seemed like a lot of people are liking it OK. You can definitely tell exactly what is going to happen.

Thank you @celadonbooks @netgalley for the free review copy!

📖 When Kyle’s father suffers a stroke, Kyle must go back to his small home town to take care of him. He’s not looking forward to reuniting with everyone, considering he left town over two years ago without so much as a goodbye. Now he must face everyone and the past he’s been running from.

💭 Lange is a master of writing family dramas. I’m always so pulled into her stories and invested so much in her characters. What Happened to the McCrays? is my favorite of her books to date. I loved the way she told the story, going back and forth from present day to the past. The mystery as to what happened between Kyle and Casey to end their marriage kept me turning the pages. I laughed, I cried, I cheered them on. Lange is an official auto buy author for me.

📚Read this if you like…
Family dramas
Second chances
Small town
Dual POV
Beartown by Fredrik Backman

⚠️ This book has some heavy grief themes, so I recommend checking content warnings before reading if this is something that might bother you.

✍️ How I rated other books by this author:
We Are the Brennans- 5⭐️
The Connellys of County Down- 4.5⭐️

I have really enjoyed all of Tracey Lange's books so far, but this has to be my favorite, and probably a favorite read for the year! I love how the author tells a story with complicated family drama. The main characters, Casey and Kyle are written beautifully! The backstory on this one is heartbreaking, but there is also so much hope in the story itself. It's so hard to review without spoiling the story. I cannot say enough good things about this book!
Thank you for granting my wish to read and review!

What Happened to the McCrays tells the poignant story of Kyle and Cadey McCray over the course of 2 decades. Their marriage has been shattered by past circumstances. The story starts with Kyle coming back to his hometown after a few years after his father has a stroke. Kyle has to face his demons of the past, present and future with Casey.

I really enjoyed this book, and have enjoyed the authors other two books. She has a knack of writing about family drama. It grabbed me in by the first chapter. If you liked her other two books, you'll enjoy What Happened to the McCrays?

I went into this book blind not knowing what to expect - I didn’t read any prior reviews or the summary of this book because I wanted to go into it with a clear perspective. Sometimes you come across books that you feel might be too depressing or too emotional so you skip them and end up missing out on reading, albeit sad, amazing books. What Happened to the McCrays was exactly that, deeply woeful but extraordinary nonetheless. It started off a bit slow for my taste but once I started reading more I was hooked. I will admit that there are trigger warnings for this book and advise caution to those readers who are more sensitive around those subject matters. While this book was incredibly sad I appreciated the way the author wrote the characters and their relationships with one another. I praise the author for talking about grief with care and describing how grief impacts relationships and how everyone handles their grief differently. The author does an amazing job of writing realistic family dynamics and trauma as well. This is an emotionally challenging book to get through and while I don’t regret reading this one I do wish the ending didn’t feel so rushed especially after reading about so much sorrow. Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review and feedback.

The year of books that stay with you, and what an incredible read about family, love, and loss. I'm glad I got the opportunity to read this, and agree with the rest of the reviews noted.

Thank you to Tracey Lange, Celadon Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review

1/27/25: Just published Jan 14th - congratulations to author Tracey Lange for another heart-felt family drama novel. I previously gave 5-stars to her 2021 book We Are The Brennans and I was all-in for her latest, with thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for providing the book in exchange for my honest review.

This novel utilizes an alternating chapter flashback structure starting with current time and Kyle McCray traveling back to Potsdam NY to help his father. We soon learn of his connection to Casey, who still lives across the street with her disabled adult brother. The book then goes back in time to when Kyle and Casey met back in high school. The timeline slowly merges together until the big reveal the book is built around and hints at throughout.

I really enjoyed the story arcs between Kyle and his father, Kyle and Casey's brother, and Kyle as a hockey coach. I felt Casey's narrative was very compelling, but still less interesting to me. In the second half I questioned some of her choices - they felt less authentic to me than I expected after reading the first half, but not way off the mark. There are 2-3 very heavy topics the book is centered around and is focused more on in the 2nd half that would make it unsuitable for some readers, so proceed with caution (no spoilers). I would love to read a future novel about Casey's brother!

With all that said, I really love Lange's writing, her character development, the scope of her "cast," and unique characteristics of each person that make us respect, empathize and love their journey. This is a book where there are no bad guys, just humans doing the best they can. Overall a very enjoyable read for me, and I'm not finding a lot of those lately. 4-stars.

1/11/25: Just approved by NetGalley to review this upcoming release! Looking forward to reading it as it looks like it has great reviews.

I really enjoyed Tracy Lange's new book What Happened to the McCrays. The story centers on Kyle, who left town and left his loved ones behind. Now he's come home to deal with family difficulties. As the story unfolds we come to understand why Kyle left and we learn about his and Casey's story. The supporting characters of Kyle's father, Wyatt, and the hockey players add depth to this family drama. I appreciate how the author unfolded the backstory of how and why Kyle and Casey came to be separated

I was leaning toward a four-star ranking until the author had me in tears at one crucial part of the story, which lifted this to a five-star read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. What Happened to the McCrays is available now.

What a beautiful, sad and heartwarming story. Casey’s and Kyle’s grief is felt through the pages while they navigate loss, both mental and physical. This is exactly what I look for in a great story. Tracey Lange will always be an automatic buy for me.

You can go home again but then you have to deal with the reasons you left.
What happened to the McCrays? This is Tracy Langes third novel. Like her past two, it revolves around family dynamics. I normally adore stories about families messy business.
We meet Casey McCray, middle school teacher, newly divorced and dealing with some heavy emotional baggage but we aren’t introduced to why for quite some time.
Kyle McCray, Casey’s ex husband, gets a call his father had a stroke and he has to come home to his former town in New York and help his dad get back on his feet. Only problem is- Casey is there and why he left is unknown.
We flash back and forth from the present to the past when Casey and Kyle met in HS and got married. We learn about their heavy emotional baggage. And we wade through a lot of unnecessary ice hockey filler…
This one was definitely too Hallmark for me. It was a typical story of a couple who love each other but separated but will never stop loving each other- yadda yadda- and then the ending you can use your imagination for.
I much prefer Langes last two novels that had some grit.
If you like romance stories you may really enjoy this one- if you like ice hockey- you may really enjoy this one. We all know I require more disfunction in my books.

This book is a poignant exploration of love, loss, and the complexities of family dynamics. The narrative centers on Kyle McCray, who returns to his hometown of Potsdam, New York, after his father suffers a debilitating stroke. Having abruptly left two and a half years prior—abandoning his wife, Casey, and the life they built together—Kyle faces the challenges of confronting past mistakes and seeking redemption.

The novel delves into the reasons behind Kyle’s sudden departure and the subsequent unraveling of his marriage. Through a dual timeline structure, Lange skillfully unveils the couple’s shared history, allowing readers to empathize with both perspectives. The characters are richly developed, each grappling with their own grief and guilt, making their journey toward healing both authentic and heart-wrenching.

A notable subplot involves Kyle’s involvement with a struggling middle school hockey team. As a former high school hockey star, coaching becomes a conduit for his personal growth and a means to reconnect with the community he left behind. This element adds depth to the story, highlighting themes of mentorship, community, and the redemptive power of sports.

This was an emotionally resonant story that lingered long after the final page.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for sending a digital; ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What Happened to the McCrays is a well-written, drama-filled story. The characters had incredible depth, and the story flowed well when parts were told from past to present. Evoking emotion at times, I thought the story touched upon relatable topics. I am curious about the audiobook and may listen to it because I enjoy listening to narration.

It was fun to get my NetGalley "wish granted" for this one, I have adored Tracey Lange's complex family relationships before and was pretty gleeful to get this one :)

The reviews here reflect what a well-crafted novel this is, so I won't repeat their synopses. If you're in the mood to feel some feels, this is the one.

Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

This book is so freaking good. I cried and my heart broke and it also was heartwarming. It was every feeling!! So so so good.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Wow okay this was a stunning book. I absolutely adore the way Tracey Lange can take real life problems and lace them with true emotion to tell a heartbreaking, emotional story. What Happened to the McCrays took my breath away multiple times. It was heart wrenching and raw to see these characters grapple with their problems. It was also beautiful to see them grow and find strength as they were honest with themselves. This was a book that once I finished I had to sit in my feelings and really let the book wash over me. It was a beautiful journey & I recommend it wholeheartedly.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone!

I would like to thank NetGalley and Celadon Books for providing me with an advance e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. Look for it now in your local and online bookstores and libraries.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for an ARC of Tracey Lange’s What Happened to the McCrays. The book delivers an intriguing premise and moments of heartfelt drama, but it didn’t quite measure up to Lange’s previous novels in my opinion. While I found it enjoyable overall, I wanted more from its characters and their emotional arcs.

The story, centered around the McCray family and their long-held secrets, had plenty of potential for deep, complex storytelling. However, the characters felt a bit flat to me, lacking the depth and nuance that would have made their struggles more compelling. Their actions and decisions sometimes felt predictable, which made it harder to fully connect with the emotional stakes of the narrative.

That said, this author will remain an auto-buy for me and I look forward to her next novel! I was so excited for this book that I have a hard copy from Book of the Month as well.

I love Tracey Lange’s books! They never disappoint! This one is pretty heavy in parts, but 100% would recommend!
Kyle McCray is hundreds of miles away when he gets a call that his dad suffered a stroke and will need someone to take care of him. With no other siblings or family members to help Kyle reluctantly heads back to Potsdam New York to a place he left almost 3 years ago leaving people disappointed with him. He’s worried on how the community will respond to his return.
Casey his wife of sixteen years and loved by the community won’t be happy to see him back. They have been divorced for years and don’t speak.
Being back is hard, but the longer he’s back slowly the cracks start to fill. He starts getting closure and realizing a fresh start was what he needed to get back to the people he loves.

First, let me say that I adore Tracey Lange’s writing and think she is a true storyteller. After seeing many, many five star reviews for this book, I had to get my hands on it! Unfortunately, this one just did not work for me. 😭
•
Ultimately, I think I needed more plot. I was bored. I never wanted to pick it up. Yes it was tragic. Yes I was rooting for the characters. Yes I love a then/now timeline. But the feelings just did not run deep. I didn’t feel connected with the story.
•
The hockey team added some feel good vibes, but some of the dialogue was cringey. And there’s no way Kyle didn’t know what GOAT means, especially being such a huge Gretzky fan. 🙄
•
I landed on three stars because of the wonderful writing, but I’m not sure if I would recommend this one to a friend. As always, many thanks to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the arc!

Thank you Caladon books and Netgalley for this ARC!

This is an absolutely beautifully written novel with excellent character development. This novel can be very hard to read for people because it is so emotionally provoking. This novel surrounds a family who has suffered grief and a son who returns home and everyone who had left behind. This was definitely emotional. There is a semi unexpected death. I definitely don’t think that this book would be for everyone who has a lot of trigger warnings or struggles with death and grief. I highly recommend this novel though, but check check your trigger warnings.