Name of Book: What Happened to the McCrays?
Author: Tracey Lange
Genre: Women’s Fiction, Family Drama
Publisher: Celedon
Pub Date: January 4, 2025
My Rating: 3.8 rounded up
Pages: 352

Hmmm what did happen to the McCrays that made Kyle leave Casey his high school sweetheart and wife he had adored for 16 years? He was a star hockey player as everyone plays hockey in Potsdam, NY and then became a coach. She is a middle school teacher and he is an auto mechanic. They have one son Charlie.

We learn that Kyle left his family, friends, work, and Potsdam over two years ago.
The story takes us through Kyle 's new life. Although told slowly, we do learn the reasons for Kyle’s past and why he left Potsdam.
Kyle gets notice that his father has suffered a severe stroke and since no one else who can stay with him as he recuperates - he returns to Potsdam to help his day as well as some resolution with Casey who is now his ex-wife.

This is my third Tracey Lange. I read " We Are the Brennans as well as The Connelly’s of County Down".
She writes powerful character based stories.
I liked this story the best of the three.

Want to thank NetGalley and Celedon for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Day scheduled for: January 4, 2025.

4.5 stars. Tracey Lange is the queen of family estrangement/family dramas.

Kyle and Casey McCray were high school sweethearts; however, they have been estranged for over two years. When Kyle's father suffers a stroke, Kyle must return to Potsdam, where Casey still lives, to help with his recovery. Told through past and present timelines, we learn what happened to Kyle and Casey to cause this rift, as well as find out if time does heal all wounds.

The characters in this story are deep and relatable-- they're flawed but always seem to be doing the best they can given the circumstances. I loved the healing component of this story, as well as the side characters. I cannot wait to see what Lange comes out with next because her books are always a hit.

This was the perfect title for this emotional then and now story. What happened to keep Kyle away from his cozy yellow home with the black shutters? How could a love so intense between Casey and Kyle McCray end?

Frustrated with Casey's behavior for the majority of the story, I began to warm up to her as mysteries and tragic moments were revealed. Grief is something we all handle in such different ways. This story tackled those emotions in an honest, heart-breaking way. Throughout the story I was definitely team Kyle, who wore his heart on his tatted body. In the end, sympathy, support, love… and ink… over-shadowed the selfishness that I had felt throughout the story and made me a fan of both of the McCrays.

I’m so happy to have had the chance to read the Advanced Reader’s Edition e-copy of What Happened to the McCray's? by Tracey Lange; thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books.

“You miss a hundred percent of the shots you don’t
take”

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

I was totally pulled into this family drama from the start until the very last word.
Kyle has to go back home to Potsdam New York to help his dad who has had a stroke. Going home is not easy as many memories are waiting as well as his ex wife Cassie.
Love, loss, tragedy, regret, forgiveness and so much more. This story broke my heart. Have the tissues handy as you will be needing them.

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you to Net Galley and Celadon Books for an early copy of What Happened to the McCrays? by Tracey Lange

This is a story about guilt and the overwhelming power that guilt can play on a person when it is undeserved but ever-present.

Strong main characters are devoted to each other and maintain a healthy relationship until a tragedy unravels everything they have established and counted on. Casey, a devoted wife, mother and teacher will break from the only man she has ever loved, her husband, Kyle.

Through alternating chapters dealing with both the past and the present, author Tracey Lange reveals the details of a tragedy that Casey and Kyle cannot recover from. Casey especially confronts the event by considering her own life not worth living. Only Casey and Kyle can take another risk by regarding what has happened in a new way. The road is not easy; there is much going back and forth because of the fear that comes with moving beyond past events.

Tracey Lange knows how to write family relationships, both the strained and the strong. The McCrays take their place with the Brennans and the Connellys in understanding sincere but flawed characters living each day.

Kyle McCray doesn't live in his hometown anymore. He left everything behind but when Kyle's father has a stroke, he needs to return. How will the people he grew up with and left behind respond to his return? His father will need help when discharged from the hospital. Physical therapy, follow-up doctor's appointments, and assistance around the house will be necessary. Kyle hopes all of this is quick and he can escape again. Kyle knows that he will have to face not only his past but also his ex-wife. Kyle doesn't want to deal with his past but knows facing Casey and their loss is the only way he can face the future. Casey is stunned to see her ex-husband, never thinking Kyle would return to care for his father. Casey has something she had kept quiet for a long time. Should she share her secret with Kyle?

Divorce and navigating a relationship with an ex-spouse can be difficult. Casey and Kyle certainly have to overcome the hurt from the divorce. They have much more in their life together that needs to be addressed. The author does an excellent job relating both the past and present as readers discover why they are no longer married. This is their story - who they were, who they are, and who they will be. Lange does an excellent job with character and plot development crafting a story that keeps us on our toes and fully engaged page by page. There is an emotional depth to the story that is realistic and honest. I enjoyed reading this book and believe that those who enjoy family drama and real life situations will love this book.

I could not put this book down! I needed to know the secrets, why their marriage broke down, the gossip, and the truth.
Tracey Lange writes terrific books. She wraps you in with weaving storylines and close-knit characters that you instantly fall in love with. Kyle, Casey, and all their supporting characters (even the minor ones) are vital to the story as they each bring lessons in love, trust, forgiveness, and starting over.

A beautifully told, heartbreaking tale of a family trying to survive. Lange brilliantly reveals what’s going on with this broken and suffering family little by little like the slow peeling of an onion, giving little hints of what’s to come along the way. The writing is outstanding. This will be a hit with book clubs. For fans of Celeste Ng and Liane Moriarty.

I cannot remember the last time I cared so deeply for a cast of characters: Kyle, the ex-husband who returns home to help out at his childhood home, bringing with him past sorrow; Casey, the ex-wife and teacher, with deep trauma in her past; Danny, the father who is struggling with the effects of his stroke and his own past; Wyatt, the brother confined to a wheelchair whose own history is riddled with loss; and the collection of young teenage hockey players, with their very real problems and a love for the sport.

Set in a small upstate New York town, obsessed with their hockey, people with characters just trying to get by but always willing to lend their neighbors a hand up, the setting of Potsdam is perfection.

As the story unfolds, we see Kyle and Casey’s past, as the mystery surrounding their separation unfolds. I was utterly unable to put down this character-rich and driven story. I smiled at the quips of the middle-school hockey players, I cheered for Danny as he relearned how to walk, and I wept for this entire family, drenched in sorrow, but always rich in love and hope.

Lange’s first book, Meet the Brennans, was a four star. Her next book The Connellys of County Down was a 4.5 star read for me, and now this third book, in my opinion, her very best. Tracey Lange has a golden pen; I will buy anything she writes.

What Happened to the McCray's? is my third book by author Tracey Lange. Kyle McCray heads back to Potsdam, NY after 2 1/2 years away to help his father recover from a stroke. There he will have to deal with the fall-out of his abrupt departure. Told in a series of "Then" and "Now", both Kyle and his ex-Wife Casey give all the details of the unraveling of their marriage. This book will be published on January 14, 2025. Pick this one up if you love family dramas!

Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the advanced digital copy of the book.

Tracey Lange specializes in family dramas. Her latest story focuses on Casey and Kyle McCray. They are divorced, with Kyle living in Spokane, and Casey back in their hometown of Potsdamn. Kyle is called home when his dad suffers a stroke. The book focuses on the past in sections called Then. During these the reader slowly learns how Casey and Kyle became a couple, then finally what drove them apart.

SPOILERS!!! Because this needs a trigger warning!

This is not an easy read because it tackles the death of a child. I feel this should be mentioned in the story description. The pain both Kyle and Casey carry around is palpable in every word and action they take. Both feel guilty for what happened to their son. Lange handles this all delicately and it feels real which is what made it a heavy read.

I loved Wyatt, Casey's brother, but Kyle and Casey both drove me nuts at times with their lack of communication. I also enjoyed the nods to Lange's other books - mentioning Brennan's Pub from We Are the Brennans plus Gordi and Lance get a mention from the Connelleys of County Down.

Overall, if you like family dramas with a redemption arc this is a great book! Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC! This book will hit shelves January 14, 2025.

A beautiful story about love and loss, and so much hope. I found all the characters to be likable and relatable. Regrettable lost years on misplaced guilt and rituals for the dead, but also the welcomed message to remember loves that have been lost as they were when they were alive and live each day with your beautiful memories.

💭 ⓂⓎ ⓉⒽⓄⓊⒼⒽⓉⓈ
For all my fellow emotional damage book lovers, this one is 100% for us. I went in completely blind and was caught off guard by the emotional impact this book had on me. The trigger warnings are pretty severe, but if you’re in the right headspace, this is a must-read. The story is beautifully heartbreaking yet hopeful, and all the characters are so well written that I don’t think I can pick a favorite. It tackles grief and forgiveness in a way that will stay with me forever. I loved absolutely everything about this book. It gave me all the atmospheric and hockey vibes of “Beartown” while making me sob and feel as connected to the characters as in “Brightside.”

Tracey Lange is truly amazing. I enjoyed We Are the Brennans, I loved The Connellys of County Down, and I’m absolutely obsessed with What Happened to the McCrays. This book is definitely making my top 5 of the year.

📚 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
💕Second chances
😢Emotional reads
💔Heartbreaking yet hopeful
🎭Family drama
📈Character driven
❤️‍🩹Dealing with grief
🏡Small town vibes
🏒Hockey
🔁Dual timelines

⚠️ 𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨: I think listing them will spoil the book. DM me for more info.

❤️‍🩹𝕄𝕐 ℝ𝔸𝕋𝕀ℕ𝔾❤️‍🩹
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

💕Q U O T E: “𝒫𝒶𝒾𝓃 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓅𝒾𝓃𝑒𝓈𝓈 𝓌𝑒𝓇𝑒𝓃'𝓉 𝓂𝓊𝓉𝓊𝒶𝓁𝓁𝓎 𝑒𝓍𝒸𝓁𝓊𝓈𝒾𝓋𝑒, 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓎 𝒸𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒸𝑜𝑒𝓍𝒾𝓈𝓉 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝒶𝓂𝑒 𝓂𝑜𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉, 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝒶𝓂𝑒 𝓂𝑒𝓂𝑜𝓇𝓎.”

🙏 Thank you NetGalley, Celadon Books, and Tracey Lange for this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts. 💕

This book will for sure be in my favorite books of the year- I wish there was a special 6 star rating for books like these.

What Happened to the McCrays is a book that will make you feel all the feels the entire time. I felt so incredibly invested in the story and didn’t want to put it down. I love a well done family drama and this one was written so well. I felt like I really knew the characters.

I’m not a crier but this book made me cry several times. It really was heart breaking and heart warming all at once.

I cannot recommend this book enough! If you like character rich novels or love stories that aren’t romances or family dramas- get this book!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

oh my gosh, LOVED THIS BOOK. Not a lot of books make me cry for the characters and this one felt so real and so raw that the day I finished I just wanted to give Kyle and Casey the biggest hugs. This book does family strife incredibly well - and showcases how one (or two) tragedies can tear us apart. My heart broke and was repaired all over again. Oh man. The perfect winter read.

5+ my heart in pieces, but I loved it stars

This one broke my heart and then put it back together. My favorite read of the year.

Heartbreaking. Family. Hockey. Parenthood. Guilt. Hopeful. Grief. Mental Health. Love. Small Towns. Somehow, these elements combine to create a book that feels like my favorite of the year. I have given two earlier books by this author 5 stars, but this is my favorite of hers.

As the title implies, this book is about the McCray family and much more. It opens with a scene of Kyle McCray on his way home to Potsdam to care for his father after a stroke. We learn what kind of man he is by how he treats a situation with a waitress in a diner: calmly diffusing things but showing he could use force if necessary.

Kyle and Casey found each other in high school. Many in town think too young. Casey was all set to head to college when a family tragedy strikes. She gives up her dream of college for a while. And Kyle moves in to take care of her and her brother Wyatt. Casey eventually becomes a middle school teacher and her kids adore her.

Kyle is a stand-up man. He was a star hockey player who went on to coach. He trained to become a mechanic and took over the local repair shop. He’s beloved in his community. He’s always anxious about money, though.

We don’t know why Kyle abandoned his family, friends, work, and community and suddenly left town over two years ago. He knows that he will get an unfriendly welcome from many in town. It’s clear that he needs to help his Dad rehabilitate.

The rest of the book is a masterful storytelling model. It shows us pieces of the past, including how Kyle and Casey fell in love, married, and built a life in town. We learn how Kyle takes care of the people he loves, and Casey internalizes her feelings. We learned what tore Kyle and Casey apart, and I hoped they might make their way back together.

Kyle is talked into coaching the middle school hockey team, and at first, they are truly awful. This is one of my favorite parts of the book, showing how sports and time can transform players' lives and those around them.

Sadly, Casey keeps pushing Kyle away and we only learn late in the book about her painful journey that broke my heart. I think I cried about four times in this book, so I recommend keeping the tissues handy. I was completely invested in this story, these characters, and they are memorable. This author write about family and relationships in an authentic and compelling way. Can you tell I loved this book?

An emotionally gripping story, highlighting the debilitating trail cut by grief, loss, fear and self-shaming. Narrated in turn by Kyle McCray, a fortyish mechanic, now living in Spokane, Washington and his ex-wife, Casey, who remained behind two-and-a-half years ago in their home and hometown of Potsdam NY, Kyle’s losses include both his wife and his community - a homebase brimming with small-town charm, ice-hockey mania, neighbors, and deep-rooted relationships.

When a family emergency sees Kyle unexpectedly forced back to Potsdam, Kyle and Casey’s difficult (and tragic) decisions, along with their repercussions, must finally be dealt with.

Told in alternate timelines of “then” and “now”, the story gradually unfurls to reveal exactly what did happen to the McCrays - an intimate tale that comes to be seen as both heartbreaking and poignant.

As both Kyle and Casey confront their pasts, re-visiting the lives they are attempting to build (individually) it is not at all clear if they will find their way to share a future, or if their secrets, and shame will continue to overwhelm them.

An interesting tale with more than one well-crafted emotional tug, this is a sweet and tender story with plenty of twists and turns (and a whole lot of heart) along the way.

A great big thank you to the Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC of this story. All thoughts presented are my own.

I have enjoyed Tracey Lange's previous two novels but this one was her best yet. It was a little darker, I full on cried at times, and smiled as well. I love her books and will always read her. The character development of the main characters was wonderful.

What Happened to the McCray’s by Tracey Lange is good! The characters are well defined and really make you feel.
Kyle McCray finds out his father has had a stroke, and he needs to go back home. There is a lot of heartache there and he is reluctant to go home.
When he does, he is confronted with all the angst from his past. All his friends and especially his wife Casey.

I loved the writing and how the story showed all the flaws and how everything worked out with forgiveness,

As always, Tracy Lange delivers on the beautiful, gut -wrenching family drama. The main characters are so well drawn, I felt I knew them, not to mention the lovely people in the community that I adopted as my own neighbors. There is a lot of hockey involved in the book, but it does not take away from the plot line. I love how the author adds little things like toilet planters, to give the story even more charm. Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!