What Happened to the McCrays? by Tracey Lange
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Kyle McCray is across the country when he learns that his father is in the hospital after a stroke. He returns home to help care for him. He hasn’t been home since he left suddenly over two years ago. Now he is back he will need to answer for why he left.
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What I liked:
-Tracey writes the best emotional stories that just rip my heart out, toss it around a bit, then gently put it back, and stitch everything back together.
-Seriously, I cried so much reading this book. Bring tissues.
-There is just the perfect amount of gradual reveals to the story telling.
-There is just ending made my poor battered heart so happy.
-Also there’s a dog.
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I loved Kyle and Casey’s story.

When his father has a stroke, Kyle McCray reluctantly returns to his hometown to care for him. Two and half years ago, Kyle abruptly left town abandoning his father, his friends, his employees, and Casey, his wife of sixteen years. When asked to coach the struggling middle school hockey team, Kyle finds an chance for redemption. But to stay in town permanently, he must make peace with Casey as the book slowly reveals what caused a love-filled relationship to collapse so suddenly.

Tearjerker alert. I cried several times while reading Lange's latest novel which, I should add, I devoured in one day. Tracey Lange knows how to tear my heart and then put it back together in just the right ways and I am loving her family dramas. The complicated intertwining of grief and guilt that destroyed their marriage is painfully realistic and hits you like a truck but the hopeful ending provides the catharsis you need to warm your heart back up.

4.5
This is a serious family drama that deals with the loss of a young child and a fractured marriage. I was sucked into the lives of Kyle and Casey and the community of Potsdam. Lange writes an interesting story with compassion and the right amount of pacing and intrigue. My only critique is that the ending seemed to drag out and I thought the last conflict could have been omitted. Still, a great story that handles some difficult material. Lange does a great job writing about emotions and relationships.

Oh dear. I really don't enjoy writing a negative review. I'm sure this book will appeal to some readers, but it is far from what I would call literary fiction. It is not well-crafted. The mystery is why Kyle left his hometown of Potsdam several years ago with deep feelings of shame. A third of the way through the book, the author is still teasing that question while portraying Kyle as an admirable man. Are we going to discover that he is actually a villain? The story drags on and on with ultimately irrelevant details about a high school hockey team as well as a depiction of some of the serious psychological problems that Kyle's ex-wife suffers after the sad event that prompted Kyle's feelings of guilt and shame.
I really wanted to like this book. I wanted to experience what life is like in the town of Potsdam, NY for a teacher, a hockey team, a coach, a young couple, etc. There were such moments (waiting at the railroad tracks in your car for a train to pass while trying to avoid a conversation with your ex who is in the passenger seat) but the sense of place was pretty thin.
Fans of Lifetime movies will be more appreciative of the drama the author creates here.

A beautifully written family drama, What Happened to the McCrays will pull on your heartstrings. I highly recommend this newest title from the author of We Are the Brennans and The Connellys of County Down.

Kyle returns to his hometown in a small working class community in upstate New York after his father suffers a stroke. Reluctant to return home after his sudden departure two years ago, he’s forced to confront the impact his absence had on his family and coworkers. Casey, his exwife and highschool sweetheart has mixed emotions about his return.

Dual timelines gradually reveal Kyle and Casey’s perspectives on their marriage, the tragedy and the guilt they each carry. Full of well developed characters and complex in-depth relationships, Lange’s newest title tells a heartfelt story about a community and the lasting impact of tragedy. This poignant and hopeful story will stay with you long after the final page.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the advanced reader’s copy.

Many thanks to Netgalley and publishers for providing my review copy. This will break your heart and put it back together again. In my opinion, Tracey Lange is just getting better and better. I've enjoyed all of her work but this one takes the cake!! Grab the tissues and settle in.

I still have a book hangover from this emotionally gripping story. This was my first book by Tracey Lange, and I wasn’t prepared to cry while listening to the audiobook. The story is beautifully written and explores a failed marriage, highlighting how grief and guilt can affect people differently. Both narrators, Stephanie Németh-Parker and William DeMeritt, did an excellent job portraying Kyle and Casey, capturing all the emotions perfectly. Despite the heavy themes, I loved how their community rallied around them. There’s nothing more special than the support of one’s hometown. The hockey component was enjoyable, providing a necessary balance to the heartbreaking moments in the story. This story is intense and sometimes heartbreaking, but it's worth reading!

Thank you to NetGallery, Macmillan Audio and Celadon Books for giving me a copy

This book was very good and easy to read but the story was so sad! It was hard for me to understand why I kept reading after each character such hardship. I am glad I read til the end and recommend that you do too. Recommend.

I loved both of Tracey Lange’s previous books, and was so honored to be approved for this one! Lange is one of the most talented of storytellers bringing to life, not only the characters but the whole community in this book.
When Kyle McCray is called home, he knows he won’t receive a warm welcome after leaving abruptly over two years ago. He hopes to lie low and avoid the friends he abandoned, especially his wife of sixteen years, Casey. Focused on his own overwhelming loss, he didn’t realize the impact that his leaving had on the loved ones he left behind.
In a dual timeline scenario, Lange slowly unravels the story of the love story between Kyle and Casey and the tragedy that pulled them apart. It takes us into the home and hearts of this family.
This book is deeply emotional exploring devastating grief of one of the worst kinds which Lange handles compassionately, albeit with raw and deep emotion. It’s of hurt, guilt, anger and disappointment. But it also is a community that will hold one of their own, and of love, friendship, hope and forgiveness.

I have yet to read a Tracey Lange book I haven't loved but I think this is her best yet.

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗖𝗖𝗥𝗔𝗬𝗦 made me feel all the things. The story of love, loss and forgiveness reminded me a lot of 𝘉𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘯 which is one of my all-time favorite books and praise I don't dole out lightly. It's not only that they both feature small-town hockey teams - they have similarly memorable characters and quietly captivating stories about regular people trying to do their best they in difficult situations.

Lange's writing is poignant but subtle - she doesn't hit you over the head with drama but lets the secrets slowly unfold - and the relationships and situations all feel realistic. I got so emotionally invested in the McCrays and their community, I still think about them weeks later.

Don't miss this when it comes out in January - it's one of the best books I've read this year and I have no doubt it will be a top book club pick for 2025.

Thanks to Celadon Books and Macmillan Audio for the copies to review.

I had a connection to this book even before I opened up to the first chapter. A novel that takes place in a village of a town, a small corner of upstate NY, that holds a lot of my own memories.

Potsdam, NY. A town that explodes when Universities are in session and breathes again when they all leave. A community that rallies around each other and finds a simplicity to life that sinks in, in the way that the long winter nights hit there.

My husband was on a D1 scholarship to Clarkson. The school that holds my 19-22yr old memories. The friendships of the locals. The Inn at the end of the street that family stayed in. And the toilet seat yard that had us all laughing whenever we drove past. Oh, and still my favourite place to get a bagel sandwich at the Bagelry. (Not sure if it still exists though).

But instead of me reminiscing about the hard winters traveling there to see hockey; or trying to occupy myself with a good friend in a town with 1 Main Street…. I found myself completely immersed in Tracey’s characters.

It’s a story about love, friendship, grief and community. But even deeper to that, it’s about home. My husband and I have always said to each other that home is where our “home team” is together, and that sentiment runs deeply in this novel.

The characters are deeply emotional. Their marriage has war wounds of grief. But the community around them gives the book the beating heart.

I have loved Ms Lange’s other two books. But this is head and shoulders better. The writing just dug that much deeper emotively.

I mentioned in my previous post spotlighting this one that I would compare it to Beartown by Backman. Yes both have hockey. Yes both have small towns but also, it’s not about either of those things. Beartown felt different in that you had 3 novels to let the characters dig into you. This one just scratches the surface of life within a village. And hope after Grief.

This author is one of my very favorites. I've read both of her previous books and they were fantastic. This one is even better. The tear factor is 100%. It gives you a chuckle or three an you will fall in love with the main male character Kyle.

The main characters in this book are: Kyle, Wyatt, Casey, Danny and of course Star. Star is the German Shepherd you will love.

After a devastating loss Kyle leaves Potsdam, NY. He leaves without saying goodbye and the people who love him are upset with him. He could have said goodbye after all.

When Kyle finally checks his texts and sees he has quite a few he knows something is up. He has to go home because his dad has had a stroke and he needs to take care of him. Danny was a fireman. He was also a single parent to Kyle. Kyle had married the love of his life Casey. Casey's brother Wyatt has always lived with her. Since their mother died at a young age. Wyatt was in a terrible accident as a very young child and is in a wheelchair. He also has a thriving woodworking business in a shed behind their home. Star is the beloved family pet.

You learn about how Kyle and Casey came to become a couple. The love they shared and what happened to make them split. How they are both so messed up apart. Casey is a teacher and is filling in somewhat as a coach for the middle school hockey team. Kids that you will adore. When Kyle comes back he takes over being the coach and the kids thrive. They start playing so well and even place in the finals. What they do then will bring you to your knees. What they do for Kyle and Casey. It is a very emotional scene.

The love between these two main characters is one you can feel. While at the same time feeling the deep pain they each bear. This is a beautifully written love story and tragedy. It's a tearjerker but as with all of this author's books so far, it has a happy ending.

I adored this book. It gave me a few feels but the story is so overwhelming told that you will have the ugly cries. Have lots of kleenex handy. When you find out exactly what did Happen to the McCrays you get a big understanding of what pure pain and grief is. The author made this book real.

I also listened to the audio and it was done perfectly. The two narrators portrayed the characters exactly right. They made the emotions all the more realistic. From start to finish this book is great.

Thank you #NetGalley, #CeladonBooks, #MacmillanAudio, for this ARC. This is my thoughts about this book.

Five big stars and worth even more.

A truly grounding, character driven read in the human experience from start to finish!

When Kyle McCray returns to his small town to care for his ailing father, he must confront the consequences of his past actions and attempt to mend broken relationships with Casey, his ex-wife, and the community he left behind.

As a fan of Lange's previous work, I knew I needed to get my hands on "What Happened to the McCrays". And I'm so glad I was able to, because this book delivers in it's overall execution, premise, and impact.

If you're looking for a fast paced, action packed read? THIS IS NOT IT!

It is quiet in it's delivery of truly powerful moments. I enjoyed not only our main characters, Casey and Kyle, who show what it is to be an perfectly imperfect human and do the work, but also the side characters and the broader community who continue to show up again and again for our MCs no matter what. In this moment in time, community and who you surround yourself with is so vital and this book showcases that in dividends.

While I ultimately wasn't surprised by what drove these two away from each other, it was so worth the journey and wait to see them find their way back. And y'all it ain't easy but THAT is what makes it feel so realistic and honest and human. From abandoned toilets, sassy middle schoolers, lots of hockey talk, and so much investment in this one relationship, it all just comes together in a beautiful way.

Highly recommend this book (and the author's others if you haven't already!)

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for my advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

Oh, Tracey Lange, you have done it again.
Thank you, Celadon Books & Macmillan Audio, for the gifted copy of What Happened to the McCrays? {partner}

Genre: Fiction
Format: 🎧📖
Pub Date:  1.14.2024
Pages: 352
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

“Small towns don’t forgive easily. And even why they do, they never forget.”

If Tracey Lange writes it, I will read it. I will read it with tears streaming down my face, but that’s just to be expected in her books. Lange has this beautiful way of telling stories about people who feel very real. They could be your neighbor, best friend, or someone inside your family.  

What Happened to the McCrays? broke my heart in so many ways, but like the characters in the book, it started to heal with every page I read. By the end, I was hopeful for the people of Potsdam, New York. I had hoped that they would all find the happiness that they deserved. 

That is why I love Tracey Lange’s books—the characters are brought to life on every page, and I’m always so sad to see them go. 

Audiobook Review: ☆☆☆☆☆
Stephanie Nemeth-Parker (The Honeymoon Crashers, A Court of Wings & Ruin) and William Demerit (Jackal) narrated the audiobook. I loved the emotion and character depth they brought to the narration. They did an incredible job, and I’d absolutely recommend the audiobook to listeners.

Read if you enjoy:
🏘️ Small town
🥹 Stories of forgiveness
🫶🏼 Second chance romance
🏒 Underdog sports team

I recommend reading What Happened to the McCrays if you enjoyed any of Lange’s previous books or were a fan of Beartown.

This book broke my heart. It was beautifully written, but quite sad (though the ending is sweet and doesn’t leave you depressed). Tracey Lange is a talented author, and her writing always transports me.

Casey and Kyle were married but are now divorced and living on opposite sides of the country—the book unfolds the reasons why and how the couple might reconnect after Kyle returns home to care for his ill father.

I mostly listened to the audio, thanks to @macmillanaudio, and finished the book on kindle thanks to @celadonbooks. The audio was fantastic and kept me occupied while driving to and from work.

I adored this novel. I can’t remember a book that has made me cry so much, multiple times, but it was beautiful and tender and so well executed. I know this topic will be hard for some readers, but I am fervently hoping it doesn’t turn anyone away. These characters were pitch perfect, the hockey storyline made my heart soar as a hockey mom, and the found family and community on these pages is unforgettable. Five Stars.

My third read from Tracey Lange and I really love the way her books are a feel good - happy ending type of book. Her characters have emotions that make you want to root for them and there is a love story at the heart of it that the reader becomes attached too.

This is the same Casey and Kyle. They are pulled back together after Kyle's father suffers a stroke. Through being back in the same town and bonding over helping Kyle's father heal can these to figure out why they fell apart and help heal the other?

I loved this one and I would suggest a read if you are into second chance romance and tragedies helping pull couples back together this one if for you.

I'm all for books about family and their excessive drama, which initially pulled me into Tracey Lange's latest.
I gave [book:We Are the Brennans|55169040] three stars, didn't leave a review, but after reading about the McCrays, I now know why. It was a forgettable drama. There is an actual mention of the Brennan's bar in this book, which is neither here nor there.

What Happened to the McCrays? is essentially a long drawn out novel about Casey and Kyle, a couple who faced tragedy, as he returns back to Potsdam, after is it two, three, four years? I feel like the author isn't really sure herself. He reconnects with his ex Casey after his father recovers from a stroke.

What happens next is a long drawn story of redemption, sadness, and healing. The tragedy itself is supposed to be a bit of a mystery, but despite the details, there were chapters of events that didn't need to happen. The hockey coaching story is left by the wayside, Casey's brother Wyatt who is in a wheelchair but is a successful woodmaker has what could have been a more memorable role, and other pieces of the story that if fully fleshed out, would have been a more relatable family drama. Claire Lombardo and Ann Napolitano are experts at creating small family stories into big long heaps of uncertainty, grief, and eventually healing.
Unfortunately, Lange does not do what those authors do, instead, we end up reading two chapters on Kyle and Casey holding duffle bags to leave their sadness behind. These were not memorable characters to me, which is really what makes these family dramas unique. The fine details on everyday life were left out, and sad to say, despite the tragic storyline, my attention span went out the door myself.

'What Happened to the McCrays' by Tracey Lange was a four-star read for me. This is the second of Tracey Lange's books I have read, having previously read 'The Connelly's of County Down'. I tremendously enjoy Tracey Lange's novels. I like family sagas that paint characters in a real life light. Casey and Kyle McCray lead very believable lives, dealing with past mistakes and regrets like we all do and sometimes unnecessarily taking on blame and grappling to keep control. Though I normally don't enjoy a split timeline, this novel revealed the whole story in a series of 'Now' and 'Then' montages that worked well to keep my interest going. The ending did pack somewhat of a surprise. I won't forget the McCrays and their supportive group of friends anytime soon. I would like to thank NetGalley and Celadon for getting an ARC in my hands. I recommend getting a copy of this book on January 14, 2025.

Tracy Lange writes the most beautifully complex stories and What Happened to the McCrays is no exception. I flew through this book because I found myself reading this book at any free moment I had.

Kyle McCray has just returned to his hometown after his abrupt departure 2 years ago and needs to face everyone he had left behind, including his wife, family, friends, and employees. Kyle has returned to care for his father who recently suffered a stroke and needs extra care so he will be in town for a while. He is given the opportunity to coach the middle school hockey team and considers staying in his hometown but will everyone he left behind be happy for him to stay.

I truly loved this book from beginning to end. Grief is a huge part of this story and it is written so well. I love how the author writes these complex emotions and shows how different characters react to events differently. The relationships in this book are so authentic and have such depth. This book will join her others at the top of this list to recommend to others.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!