Thank you Celadon for the review copy! Tracey Lange has a talent for captivating and engaging family dramas, stories that feel relatable and filled with the push/pull of family love and stress and strain, the complicated sense of loyalty and unconditional support filled with the tension that emerges when challenges in families arise, when we are with people we know so very well. What Happened to the McCrays captures this so well and I am reminded why I love a good dive into a character driven book about every day families navigating turning points and life after change and challenge, the journey to new acceptance and new ways of thriving.

I’ve now read all three of Tracey Lange’s books and I can easily say this one is my new favorite. I loved the subtle mystery element of this one as you engaged with the characters and storyline. It kept me reading until the very end. Highly recommend!

Really great, emotional read. I couldn't put the book down, even though it was so sad at times. I had to know what happened. Despite the tragedy that the main characters endured, there was a lot of hope in this book--and the middle school hockey players also provide some comic relief!

Wow! When I started this, I honestly thought it was supposed to be a mystery/suspense type novel. I had received an ARC from NetGalley and needless to say, I did not read the description. I am not going to lie; this book left my heart in pieces. I will post trigger warnings below and I highly suggest reading them before reading.
This book was so well done. It jumps back and forth between “then” and “now” to tell the story of Kyle and Casey’s love story and relationship as well as what split them apart. There are so many characters in this book, but I truly believe they all needed to be there. The main characters and side characters were believable and relatable. The author does a great job keeping you in the story even when you keep wondering, “What broke these two apart?”
This was my first book by Tracey Lange but I can confidently say I will be reading more. She approaches family grief, tragedy, healing, mental health, and so many other important topics so well. She opens up both sides to all of these things and really helps a reader to understand how these hard life things can affect us all differently.
I would highly recommend this. I did a mix of audio and ebook and I was a big fan of the audio.

Trigger warnings:
Grief
Suicide
Death of a family member
Stroke
Divorce

I've happily been on a roll of 5 star reads so far in 2025, and that streak is continuing with What Happened to the McCrays? by Tracey Lange. Having enjoyed both of her other books, I was excited to add this one to my TBR, and I would say it's her best one yet. Her writing is excellent, and her characterization is second to none. The characters all feel so real, and I felt the emotions they went through and actually teared up in a few places.

It tells the story of Kyle and Casey McCray, high school sweethearts who were happily married and living in the small town they grew up in, until tragedy struck their lives. Ultimately Kyle left, running far away, and they divorced. Two years later, he returns to town to care for his father after a stroke, and has to face everything he left so abruptly. You don't know all the details at once; Lange is a master at revealing everything in the perfect pacing, via an occasional chapter set in the past. As I mentioned, the writing is just so good, and I felt so strongly for both Kyle and Casey and was hoping they'd work it out (no spoilers here). I also loved the side characters, all the complicated family dynamics at play, their dog, their house, and their small town. All of it was just so good.

There were definitely sad and heavy parts in this book, so don't expect a light read, but it was tempered with hope, and I loved it. A huge thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for granting my wish and letting me read this. Lange is now going on my auto-buy author list. 5 well-earned stars.

The call we all dread "Something has happened to your dad, and we need you to come 'home'" Kyle left his small town two years ago leaving his estranged wife Casey behind and now has no choice but to face the things he thought he was leaving behind.

This book got me from the start and didn't let go. Amazingly written and really tugged at my heart strings.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Celadon Books for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book and will be recommending it to all my friends.

*What Happened to the McCrays?* is a story about family drama, blending heartbreak, resilience, and hope into an unforgettable story. From the very first page, I was captivated by the McCray family's deep-seated secrets and their collective struggle to heal from past wounds. Lange’s ability to explore the complexities of grief and the fragile yet unbreakable bonds of family is nothing short of extraordinary.

The novel follows the McCray siblings as they grapple with the fallout of a tragedy that fractured their family years ago. Each character is richly developed, flawed yet deeply relatable, and their individual journeys toward understanding, forgiveness, and connection are beautifully intertwined.

What sets this book apart is its exploration of hope. Even in the darkest moments, Lange weaves a thread of possibility that carries the characters—and the reader—through the pain. By the end, I found myself reflecting on my own relationships and the power of love to mend even the deepest scars.

If you’re a fan of character-driven stories like *The Light Between Oceans* or *The Great Alone*, *What Happened to the McCrays* will undoubtedly resonate with you. This book isn’t just a story; it’s an experience, one that lingers long after the final page. Highly recommend!

Tracey Lange has done it again with What Happened to the McCrays—a heartbreaking yet hopeful story about family, community, and second chances. I went into this book expecting to feel a lot, and wow, did it deliver!

The story is told in dual perspectives—Kyle, the estranged husband, and Casey, his wife—spanning over 24 years of their relationship. The “THEN” chapters explore how they met as teenagers and built a life together, while the “NOW” chapters focus on their present-day struggles in their 40s. This structure worked beautifully to give depth to their characters and show how the choices they made over the years shaped where they are now.

This book is SAD. Between the family estrangements, Kyle's strained relationship with his father, and the fallout of his abrupt departure from town, there’s no shortage of emotional weight. But as with all of Lange’s novels, there’s a thread of hope running through it. I found myself rooting for both Kyle and Casey, despite their mistakes, because Lange crafts such relatable, fully human characters.

On a personal note, the storyline with Kyle’s dad, Danny, hit me hard. My father-in-law has been in and out of the hospital recently, so the struggles with Danny’s health felt incredibly real to me. It’s one of those books where you can’t help but project your own experiences onto the story, and I think that’s part of Lange’s magic—she makes it personal.

If you’re a fan of character-driven novels that dig deep into relationships and redemption, this one’s for you. Yes, it will make you cry, but it will also make you feel hopeful, and I think that’s exactly the balance Lange was going for. Would definitely recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Kyle McCray's father has suffered a stroke and he must return home to care for him. His departure years earlier left many hard feelings with folks in the town, including his ex wife Casey. Casey is a beloved teacher . Kyle hoped to keep a low profile, but that isn't possible. He is asked to coach the middle school hockey team. The book looks at both sides of a failed marriage and the importance of community. Beautifully written and emotionally charged.

Wow. This was such a great book. The grief and everything they were going through felt so real. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves family dramas. Be prepared to cry! Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

📖 BOOK REVIEW

📱 WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MCCRAYS? by Tracey Lange
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Genre: contemporary fiction
Did I cry: yeah i think
Publishes 1/14/25
My Goodreads review: “4.5⭐️ ended up looooving”

💭: i started this on audio and was enjoying it but not loving — which i think speaks to my lack of attention to the book and not to the book itself bec once i switched over to my kindle copy at around 45% in, I started to love it.

This book tackles the theme of grief (specifically grief from the loss of a child, and grieving a marriage due to the subsequent divorce) in a really powerful way. It looks at it from all angles, highlighting how grief and loss can impact a whole family and community.

I did wonder for a good portion of the book if I missed a key detail that would’ve explained a big part of the story, but it turned out that the plot was building up to giving the reader those answers. Once i realized that, i was locked in. The book also got better once I felt I knew the characters better since it was so character-driven. The supporting characters were all integral to the plot and to the themes and contributed so nicely to the book. The ending was really good — a perfect wrap up to the story with closure for everyone 🥹

Tracey Lange excels at creating compelling family dramas, begging to be devoured and dissected. Her latest venture, What Happened to the McCrays?, is a portrait of a crumbling marriage and small town community striving to right past wrongs.

After his father suffers a debilitating stroke, Kyle McCray returns to his hometown of Potsdam, New York, despite having left his childhood sweetheart (and wife of sixteen years) Casey behind two and a half years prior. Kyle’s arrival is met with mixed reactions but when the opportunity to coach a youth hockey team arises, he welcomes the distraction. Now, coaching alongside Casey, Kyle must confront the impact his leaving had, as well as the wounds that he and Casey left unmended.

This was one of Lange’s most heartbreaking stories, effectively told through past and present timelines. Kyle and Casey carry quite a bit of trauma but their grief is portrayed authentically. Their arcs were beautiful and their resilience in the face of life-altering challenges made me emotional. I loved the entire cast of supporting characters as well, including Kyle’s father, the middle school hockey team, and Casey’s brother Wyatt. There is disability rep that I felt was well depicted and it was nice to see a second chance romance centered around a couple in their 40s.

I thoroughly enjoyed What Happened to the McCrays?, and even noticed a little nod to Lange’s other works. This book is gutting yet poignant and I highly recommend looking up trigger warnings as the novel’s major themes include sensitive topics. Lange never shies away from the most difficult aspects of humanity and What Happened to the McCrays? is a touching example of the strength of the human condition.

Thank you Celadon Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars rounded up
Tracey Lange is one of the authors I genuinely look forward to new releases as soon as they hit the shelves; she has become an absolute auto-buy author for me. I can always count on complex and relatable characters, and to be taken on an emotional journey. Tears WILL be shed. Sign me up every single time.

What Happened to the McCrays checked all the boxes. Told through dual POV and multiple timelines, we unravel what went wrong in the McCrays' marriage to result in their sudden split; the pain they have to finally face when Kyle returns to town.

I loved the way the McCrays story illustrated the different ways people can experience grief and regret as well as the healing power of love, community, and understanding; the beauty of giving yourself permission to move forward.
Lange is an incredible storyteller. Though there's heavy subject matter (content warnings below) it didn’t feel all consuming.

🎧 Narrators Stephanie Németh-Parker and William DeMeritt were excellent. Their interpretations of the characters were spot on; I felt fully immersed in the story. Highly recommend going the audio route.

⚠️ Death of a child, suicide attempt, death of a parent, infertility.

Tracey Lange just knows how to tell a great story with well developed characters. I always enjoy her books.

2 years after Kyle McCray left town, he is called home to take care of his father who had a stroke. There he will have to face the events and decisions of his past alongside his ex wife and other community members.

Postives
Told from multiple povs in different timelines
All of the characters are people the reader can relate to and want to see succeed and be happy
There is an element of an untold story throughout, adding tp the great plot development
Focuses on the importance of community, second chances, family drama, flawed characters, etc.

Negatives:
Only small negative was it was a bit slow at times

A great solid read I will recommend to many.

I absolutely loved this book. This is my favorite book of Tracey's so far. She has such a way of writing a broken, challenging family. It connected with my emotions even though I've never personally experienced something like this.

The way she shaped the characters and slowly gave out the plot was done so well. I will recommend this book to everyone.

What Happened to the McCrays?
By Tracey Lange
Release Date: 01/14/2025

Review -
What hasn’t happened to the McCrays? This poignant book weaves together the past and present through the eyes of Kyle and Casey, who have weathered life's storms together since they were just 17. Their journey is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, as they confront heart-wrenching challenges that many can relate to.

Be prepared to reach for the tissues 🧻🧻🤧🤧. This story delves into authentic experiences and beautifully illustrates how love can truly be a force that helps us overcome even the darkest moments.
4.5 🌠🌠🌠🌠💫STARS

#whathappenedtothemccrays #netgalley #netgalleyreviewer #celadonbooks #getthetissues #bookriew #bookrecommendations #bookstagrammer

Tracey Lange is so good at writing family dramas! I have read and enjoyed all of her books, and I think this one is my favorite yet.

This story is about Kyle and Casey. After being married for 16 years, Kyle cut ties and left and has spent the last two years living alone and out of touch. But when his dad gets sick, Kyle has to come home to take care of him and face the pain and secrets of his past with Casey.

As with Lange's previous books, this story features authentic, broken characters that are far from perfect but still very likeable. These are characters that feel relatable and real, the kind of characters that you want to keep reading about even after you finish the last page. It's good storytelling that dives into the dynamics of family and marriage and all the highs and lows that come with it. This book is sadder than Lange's previous books, so be warned! But it was so good. I loved it!

4.5 ⭐️

I’m a sucker for a good family drama and Tracey Lange writes them so well. I’ve loved her previous two books so I knew I wanted to read her most recent, What Happened to the McCrays as soon as I could.

The story opens when Kyle McCray is heading back to Potsdam in upstate New York to see his father after being away for a few years. Throughout the novel we learn slowly why he left, and what happened between him and his ex-wife Casey. Their story is complex and heartbreaking and I was pulled in from the very first chapter. Casey and Kyle were both flawed and felt so real to me, as did the other characters in the story, including Kyle’s dad, Casey’s brother, her best friend and the middle school students she taught. Also - there’s a bit of hockey, an underdog story that had me missing Beartown.

A great read, highly recommend this one and Lange’s other novels, The Connellys of County Down and We Are the Brennans. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, Celadon Books and Tracey Lange for the opportunity to read and review What Happened to the McCrays?
This is a heart wrenching, emotional story about the strength of family, the reliance of a small community and a touch of middle school hockey. I thoroughly enjoyed this journey filled with ups and downs. Definitely make sure your seatbelt is fastened as it’s a wild ride.
The characters are well developed and likable. Although they all carry the same flaw of miscommunication. No one is perfect but more talking to each other is better than quiet and assuming. In my family it was always easier to sweep it under the rug and pretend everything was ok.
The plot advances in the “then” and “now” alternatively. We learn things in pieces with some of the puzzle not fitting very well until the very end. Some parts are predictable but others are not and I enjoyed being immersed in the story trying to figure it all out. This story will stay with me for awhile along with some quotes that glued this story together. I look forward to more from Tracey Lange-great work on this one!

In this beautifully written novel, grief, losses, and love commanded my attention the start. I became very involved in the well developed characters and their ups and downs in life. It really tugged at my heart. What Happened to the McCrays? will be a popular book club selection. Highly recommend.