What Happened to the McCrays? is the newest family drama novel out by Tracey Lange, author of We Are the Brennans and The Connellys of County Down (which I enjoyed last year).

I'm going to start with trigger warnings for grief and loss of a child. Please look online to see a full list, as I don't want to spoil any plot points. I will say that the dog doesn't die. Okay, now on to the review.

Two and half years ago, Kyle McCray unexpectedly left his family and his job with no warning. He's moved around a lot in that time, never truly settling down. When he gets the call that his father, Danny McCray, has had a stroke and will need help during his rehabilitation, he heads home, not knowing what kind of reception he'll get.

During those two and a half years, Kyle's ex-wife Casey has gone through a lot that he doesn't know about, and she's not happy that he'll be home for a while. When Kyle fills in as the middle school hockey coach, the two of them are forced to work together because she's an assistant and the kids' teacher.

Told in alternating chapters of Now and Then, we see how Kyle and Casey fell in love, and how they got to where they are now. Not every scene is a happy one, though. The two of them have been through many ups and downs, but they had always come back to each other. There's no coming back from Kyle's leaving, though.

All in all, this was a good read. I don't read a lot of literary fiction, but I did enjoy this one to an extent. Casey did kind of get on my nerves with her 'yes/no' and 'go/stay'...so much that it felt like whiplash. Just make up your mind already! That said, if you enjoy a well-written family drama of grief and second chances, then definitely give this one a try.

A couple is torn apart following a tragic accident in a small town in upstate New York. The story alternates between before the accident and the present day. It was a very readable book but the plot doesn't really challenge readers and depends on some tropes/cliches.

I don't even know how to begin this review. This was as close to perfect as I could ask for in a book. It was hard to read, but also beautiful. Absolutely ripped my heart out, put it through hell and then put it back together again...but not perfectly. Because just like the Casey and Kyle, can't ever go back to normal or perfect after what they've been through as a couple. I also want to visit Potsdam and start watching middle school hockey apparently??? Thank you for writing this, Tracey Lange.

I've now read and loved every one of Lange's books.

This is the story of Kyle McCray who has to return home to take care of his dad after he suffers from a debilitating stroke. Kyle left town over two years ago and had not been planning to come back. In fact, he's pretty sure he's not welcome back.

Alas.

This is the story of grief, loss, family, forgiveness, shame and so so much love. It's a reminder that things are rarely what they seem and a reminder of all the things we give up in the name of caring for someone else and managing to hurt them in the process. It's a reminder that suffering in silence is never better than suffering together and healing together. Some losses are too big but even those, especially those, need the company of grace and love.

Lange's stories have so many of life's emotions at their center. And they always remind you what it means to be family.

with gratitude to netgalley and Celadon Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

My book besties both recommended this as one of their favorite books in 2024. So clearly I had to read it. It broke my heart and put it back together over and over. I wanted to dislike characters, but loved every single one. I wanted to be mad at different people at different times but found myself feeling deeply for each of them. I could not put it down.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC!
 
I really enjoyed the author’s previous novels and I can say the same for this one. She’s quickly becoming a top tier author for me because she writes heartwarming family stories where the characters really grow. This town feels real and the people feel real.
 
This book had a lot of what I love about her novels. I loved that there’s a German shepherd (who does not die in this book fyi) and I especially liked Wyatt as a side character. I loved Kyle and Casey’s journey back to one another. The subplot about the hockey team was a nice addition and didn’t overpower the main story which I liked (because honestly, I couldn’t give less of a sh*t about hockey).
 
I have two gripes with this novel—it felt like a slog at points and Casey was really, really frustrating as a character. It felt overly long and some flashbacks weren’t needed, in my opinion. As for Casey, gosh I found her selfish. Intellectually, I know she went through a lot, but I needed to see more of her interiority to give her some slack. Her decisions to remove herself from situations seemed hare-brained and half-baked.
 
However, overall, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it.

This wasn’t my favorite. It felt very long for not very much happening. The mystery of what happened kept me going but this took me longer than it should to get through.

This book broke my heart into a million pieces, and I loved it so much that it's a contender for my favorite book of the year.

What Happened To The McCrays is a beautiful, tender and emotional story of a marriage torn apart by pain and grief. When Kyle gets word that his dad has suffered a stroke, he must go home to upstate New York and face his ex-wife Casey and the town he abandoned 2.5 years ago. Kyle and Casey, broken and troubled, leapt off the page and into my heart. I could feel their pain, and I cried multiple times while reading. But underneath it all I felt hope. These characters needed healing and closure, and I so desperately wanted them to be ok.

The best way to go into this book is not knowing much about it. The story unfolds slowly, and you get the sense that there's so much you don't know. But as more and more information comes to light, your understanding of the characters grows, and things start to make a lot more sense.

This book was a very heavy read, and I found myself having to take breaks when the emotions got to be too much. But I wouldn't change a thing about it. It was a story of love, of shattered dreams, hope, resiliency, community and family. I highly, highly recommend this book.

When Kyle McCray receives word that his father has suffered a debilitating stroke, he returns to his hometown of Potsdam in upstate New York with no expectation of a warm welcome. Two and a half years earlier, Kyle burned a lot of bridges when he abruptly left town abandoning his dad, his friends, the employees at the garage he owned and Casey, his wife of sixteen years.

Apologies are made, responsibility is taken and before long Kyle is given an opportunity to redeem himself by taking on coaching the struggling middle school hockey team. He starts to think about moving back to Potsdam but knows that it's only possible if Casey doesn't object to his staying.

A "then" and "now" dual timeline story from both Kyle and Casey's points-of-view shows the start of their relationship as highschool sweethearts and continues up until the point that Kyle left town slowly revealing what happened to the McCrays at the same time as they confront the pain of their broken marriage and try to make peace with the past in the current timeline.

What Happened to the McCrays is an emotional family drama - both heartbreaking and hopeful. I was fully invested in this poignant story of family and community, love and loss, regret, forgiveness and redemption. The characters are sympathetic and you can't help but root for them, the small town experience is authentic, and I loved the middle school hockey players and the adorable dog. This is the first book that I have read by this author and it was quite an enjoyable read - I'll definitely pick up the author's previous two books now!

Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I loved Tracey Lange's last book and was so excited to receive a new copy of this one -- one of my most anticipated books of 2025! This one did not disappoint, I loved it so much and it's a hard one to review because I felt so invested! This was easily one of my favorite reads of the year.

I love how Tracey Lange writes complicated family dynamics and very emotional situations -- she handles very hard subjects in a graceful way. This book deals with many very sad things, but I couldn't put it down and loved it so much.

I felt for both Kyle and Casey and could see both of their points of view. I loved both characters and badly wanted things to work out for each of them.

I recommend this one to anyone who loves books that get under your skin and really make you feel, and who can handle being sad while reading. I am so excited to read whatever Tracey Lange reads in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

All the stars and then some!🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Looking for a family drama to lose yourself in this weekend? This is THAT book!

For the past two years Kyle and Casey McCray have been estranged, with Kyle moving across the country. But when his father falls ill, Kyle must make his way back home. And face the demons that have been haunting him.

There is so much love and history between this couple. I adored their stories and felt the profound pain they carried.

Can they heal themselves and make their way back to each other? Or are they destined once again to live separate lives.

This was such a beautifully crafted and emotional read. It’s been a long, long time since a book has brought me to tears. This one managed to on several occasions.

This book will definitely be making its way onto my favorites shelf! Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books.

When his father suffers a stroke, Kyle McCray find himself reluctantly back in his small hometown of Potsdam, New York. Kyle hasn't seen his father, his friends, or his ex-wife, Casey, since he left. He wants more than anything to get his father back on his feet quickly and leave again as quickly as possible. But when his father's recovery ends up being much more serious than previously expected, Kyle will be forced to face the people he left behind and come to terms with the events that caused him to leave.

What Happened to the McCrays is a story about redemption, grief, and moving on. Lange's books are brilliant, character driven stories that truly resonate with readers. Filled with complex family drama (the good kind), second chances, and small-town hockey - this story will invoke all the emotions.

Tracey Lange is officially an auto read author for me and each of her books just gets better and better. I ended up primarily listening to this on audio, and 10/10 recommend the audiobook narrated by Stephanie Memeth-Parker and William DeMerit.

TW: Child Death

What Happened to the McCrays? comes out January 14, 2025. Thank you to Celadon Books and Macmillan Audio for my advanced copy in exchange for my review. If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting:
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Kyle McCray left Home 2 1/2 years ago, he left it all behind, his wife, his dad, his brother-in-law, his business, his friends and the familiarity of his hometown… why?


This was a book of love, loss, friendship, forgiveness, and deep healing, and how a tragedy affects everyone.

We get to learn throughout the pages what had happened, the author had such a beautiful way of revealing what you needed to know when you needed to know it. So much healing throughout the pages.

My first book by this author, but absolutely definitely not my last

Title: What Happened to the McCrays?   
Author: Tracey Lange         
Genre:  Fiction       
Rating:  4.5 out of 5

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 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.

I really enjoyed this read! Potsdam, and life there, kind of made my skin crawl—not really a fan of the whole small-town life—but it felt very realistic and believable. I loved how things built slowly between Kyle and Casey, allowing us to see things unfolding in the past and the present, without it feeling rushed or unbelievable.

Tracey Lange lives in Oregon. What Happened to the McCrays? is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Celadon Books in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 1/14).

I loved this book just as I have Lange's others. It's a wonderful story about Kyle, who returns home to small town New York after his father suffers a stroke. Kyle had left over two years ago when his marriage fell apart. He didn't realize or didn't process how much his leaving had impacted those who loved him. It's a story of struggle and redemption on many levels. The characters are wonderful including several side characters that are memorable and deeply developed. I love Lange's writing. It's easy but not simple and pulls you along in a warm tug. Highly recommend. 4.5 starts rounding up to 5!

Thank you, Netgalley and Celadon, so much.

When I finished this novel, I let the story resonate within me. It is a deeply moving and emotional story of a deeply in love separated couple who had grown apart with a chasm so wide that there was no way to cross it. The story is filled with so much sadness and yet there are moments of joy, also. The “Then” and “Now’ chapters delicately tie together so as to portray the absolute depth of the character’s emotions and actions.It is a definitely not to miss novel.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Mesmerized from the first few pages. I liked the back and forth between timelines. The characters are rich and wounded. The relationships were written so well. Lange is a must-read author. Huge fan of this book!

Y’all, there is not a thing I’d change about this book except to undo the heartbreak that they have to bear.

❤️‍🩹

📚 If you read Lange’s other books, We Are the Brennans and The Connellys of County Down, this one follows her same writing style of a slow burn family drama following the struggle and heartache of everyday life.

📖 In What Happened to the McCrays, Kyle McCray returns home after being away for two years to take care of his father, forcing him to confront why he left and try to get his life back.

I read this one in small doses over two weeks as I didn’t want it to end. I got the sense of what had happened to Kyle fairly early on, but I really wasn’t sure how his life was going to turn out until the end.

🧑🏻‍🔧🏒 Kyle is just your average guy, high school hockey star turned mechanic who falls for the girl next door. His heartache is not all that uncommon, but is still tragic to read. I think that’s what makes this book so special.

I connected to this book so much, but cannot explain why without giving away a major plot point. But that plot point is a major trigger for some, so be warned if you need.

✨ This one hits shelves January 14th!! ✨

Thanks so much to @celadonbooks for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. 🩷

I’m a Tracey Lange Stan and I’ve loved all 3 of her books so far, but this may have bumped We Are the Brennans down from the #1 spot.

Tracey Lange has an incredible talent for crafting raw, heart-wrenching stories about love, family, and grief. Her storytelling is so compelling, and no two families ever feel the same. She has a gift for bringing these families and their situations to life.

This is a story about a divorced couple from a small town being forced to see each other again due to a family emergency after a few years apart. You spend the book getting to know the main characters, getting to experience them falling in love and getting married, and then ultimately, the tragic fallout.

I thought I guessed what went wrong multiple times and boy, was I off. This was a painful read with massive triggers (to list them would be a spoiler, but please proceed with caution). I thought the reveal in We Are the Brennans was heartbreaking but that was nothing compared to this story. My heart actually hurt and I cried for these characters. By the end, my heart was more or less healed and this is a powerful story that moved me. This will stay with me for a long time.

This had the perfect winter setting and it’s definitely a timely release. I recommend reading this as soon as it publishes on 1/14/25. ❄️

Thank you NetGalley for the e-ARC and Celadon books for the early copy.

I’m trying to write a biased review given how much I loved Lange’s first two books. Well, I loved this so take it how you like…. Once again I binged it there was no putting it down. Not because it’s a nail biter or a plot that moves fast but just because I love being around and enveloped by her characters. This is very much a Kevin and Casey show as opposed to her other two books of siblings with more equal playing time with them all so it felt a little less intricate. Definitely more back and forth as the history is revealed and we come to understand how the pieces fit together. Regardless, highly recommend!!