Tracey Lange is becoming THE family drama author! She'll make you cry, laugh, and cry so more. This is the second novel I've read of hers and I absolutely loved the audiobook. Two narrators friends, who both were amazing!  If I could sum up this novel with one phrase it would be, the truth will set you free. But man is that ever hard to do as an adult. This is the story of The McCray's (Casey and Kyle) told in dual timelines of when the couple is still teenagers and at present tense two and a half years after their divorce. Kyle comes back home after his father has had a stroke and it's a lukewarm welcome to the life he left suddenly behind. He gets roped into becoming the middle school's hockey team coach and I will say I felt a little Mighty Ducks vibes. This joint family of Kyle and Casey had many tragedies happen and at one point I thought, no more please, but sadly that's how it goes for some families. If you enjoy family dramas and second chance stories I think you will adore this one. Pub Day is just after the holidays on Jan 15th. Thank you Macmilllan Audio, Celadon Books, and NetGalley for the gifted ALC in exchange for an honest review.

💥 Pub Date: 1/14/2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 (rounded up)

• family drama
• dual timeline
• themes of loss, tragedy, forgiveness

I love how the characters feel so authentic... regular ol' people. I think I experienced every emotion while listening to this book. The dual audio narration was excellent!

🗣 Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read and review this book via gifted audio! All opinions are honest and my own.

𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: It has been two and a half years since Kyle and Casey, two high school sweethearts who are now divorced, last spoke. However, when Kyle’s father suffers from a stroke, he returns back to his small upstate town where Casey still lives. Told through past and present timelines, you learn what exactly tore the two apart and if they have a second chance.

𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: I have loved every book written by Tracey Lang as no one writes a family drama like her. What sets her writing apart is how real and relatable her characters are. They are flawed but full of big hearts and good intentions. This one differed from her first two in that there were moments that were completely heartbreaking (I full on sobbed). I was not expecting to feel so much, but at the same time, I loved how Lange focused on the healing process after loss and showed readers how two people can blame and grieve so differently. I absolutely loved the dual narration by Stephanie Németh-Parker and William DeMeritt.

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
-Family dramas
-Stories of forgiveness and second chances
-Healing process
-Upstate NY small townsetting
-Beartown

Lange does conflicted families so well. What Happened to the McCrays follows estranged couple Casey and Kyle after two years apart. You go into the book thinking the story is just about Kyle leaving quickly and then having to come back after his father has a stroke, but Lange slowly unwinds the story about the how and why of the leaving through flashbacks and conversations with the people he left behind as Kyle makes amends. I loved the side story of the young hockey team and watching Casey and Kyle grow through them and reckoning with their relationship. Not to spoil anything for anyone, but there are some serious topics of death and self-harm in this book. A big thank you to Macmillan Audio for Celadon Books and NetGalley for the early listen in exchange for my honest opinion. 4.5 stars

What Happened to the McCrays? That's what we find out as we follow Kyle and Casey McCray. They have been divorced for years when Kyle must return home after his father has a stroke. With only a street to separate them, the two must learn how to navigate life in close proximity of one another again. Kyle grapples with the realization of how life has continued onward after he left. Casey struggles with all the old memories and hurts that Kyle's return has resurfaced. This book focuses on love, loss, the forgiveness of others as well as oneself, and the ups and downs that come with marriage. I adored every second of this book. I believe it to be Lange's best so far. She writes about messy, loving families so well. You both want to be a part of this crew but also get wrapped up in the drama of the relationships they have with one another. The audio is superbly done. This is one of those experiences where you want to find things to do around the house so you can keep listening. There are some definite triggers in this book so sensitive readers should check the content warnings. The McCrays captured my heart and had me cheering for them throughout the entire novel! A solid 5 stars!!

Lange sure does know how to write family drama. The way she weaves past and present to allow a slow piecing together of the story adds to the already palpable tension between the main characters. The characters, man oh man, I adored them all.

This novel deals with something very difficult, so much so that I was absolutely wrecked by a certain moment toward the end, but I found it to be gentle and meaningful. It felt so honest, my heart broke and was put back together more times than I can count while I made my way through this. It’s a phenomenal story that jumps to the top as my favorite by Lange!

I loved the nod to the Brennans midway through the book. Having her tie in her first novel as she continues writing brings me an odd kind of joy. This was so good, had great narration, and was exactly what needed right now. I’m confident if you liked her previous novels you’ll thoroughly enjoy this one.

Rating: 5/5⭐️
Pub day: Jan 14, 2025

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the alc via Netgalley!

A man left his wife of 16 years only to return home two years later when his Dad had a stroke. He discovers that he can face his past and heal again...but will he be forgiven?

No one writes about complex families like Tracey Lange. You should read this.

I think “What Happened to the McCrays?” has made Tracey Lange an auto-read author for me. I am picky with family dramas. I can’t read unlikable family with no redeeming qualities and I do think a lot of family dramas lean into that too much. But Lange writes broken characters with flaws that I still love and root for. Her ability to write the tension of estrangement and coming together again is all you want in a family drama. This book made me miss my exit as I listened. I accidentally drove over the Williamsburg bridge and had to double-back on the Brooklyn Bridge because I was so captivated by the McCrays. Honestly, I wasn’t even made because it meant more listening time. Kyle and Casey’s love for one another was felt from the beginning and piecing together the mystery of their story was both heartbreaking and ultimately uplifting.

I do want to mention the narrators for this audiobook. I really enjoyed both performances. You could feel their emotion throughout. It was part of what captured my attention so well. Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC!

I absolutely love how this story was constructed. Going back-and-forth and Building the story with intricate details kept my attention. As a mother, I couldn’t put it down because my intuition wouldn’t let me. I just had to figure out what happened! I think this story is helpful for those who have lost a child In anyway, and I am grateful that I read it!

Kyle finds out his dad has had a stroke and needs to return home to Potsdam, NY to care for him during his recovery. He hasn't been back in 2.5 years since he left his wife and everyone without notice. With his return, he comes to regret his leaving and we learn of the circumstances that led to it. A book full of love, hope, regret, grief and new chances. This is the best book to date by this author and the narrator did an excellent job.

I'm not sure I can find the words to explain the brilliance and emotion of Tracey Lange's new book - What Happened to the McCrays?

"Kyle McCray returns to Potsdam, NY after finding out that his father had a stroke. He's worried about what kind of reception he'll get because he left two-and-a-half years ago - abandoning his wife, family, friends and employees - all people that counted on him. He plans to lie low and avoid as many people as he can and leave when his father recovers - especially when Casey, his ex-wife, says she wants him gone.
Kyle is asked to help with the middle-school hockey team and finds compassion in unexpected places. Kyle considers staying in Potsdam but only if he and Casey can find some peace."

This is a book about grief - about what it takes to make relationships work. It's about a couple that loves the other so hard they can't see a way through. There's tragedy...and it will break your heart. Lange gives little clues throughout but you don't know exactly what happened 'til later. Or some of the consequences. This story is full of emotion - some of it raw. There was one moment where I almost had to pull the car over because it hit me so hard.
The audio team of Stephanie Németh-Parker and William DeMeritt are phenomenal. Stephanie is Casey and William is Kyle. They wonderfully capture the emotion and feelings of the characters. One of the best audio performances this year.

Do not miss this book. Lange has given us a wonderful story of two broken people trying to find their way back to each other.

OH MY GOSH! I loved this one.. I loved the narrator but the story was so good! It reminded me a lot of We Are The Brennan's and all of the good things I loved about that book!

When Kyle McCray gets word his father has had a stroke, he returns home after leaving suddenly two and a half years ago. He is not expecting a warm welcome, but quickly realizes what and who he had abandoned when he left, including his wife, Casey, who is not sure she wants him back.

This dual POV book dives in for an intimate look at both sides of a failed marriage providing the ability to really understand and love the the flawed characters. Lange skillfully intertwines dual timelines of then and now to unfold the past in line with the future pulling the story forward. The author wrote with a consistent pace for a character driven story except in one part where the story seemed to go in slow motion. I feel like this was a deliberate move to increase the intensity of the plot, but was a little unnerving. This is my first Tracey Lange and I will be picking up more!

This is my third Tracey Lange book and it's now my favorite.

The overall arc (and the book cover) reminded me of a Hallmark movie. However, it was so much more complex than a fluffy love story. The heartbreak and grief of the characters jumped off the page. It wasn't hard to be invested and empathetic.

This will absolutely be one of my top books of the year. A family drama that is full of love, loss, forgiveness, regret, and so much more. What I love about Lange’s writing is how truly relatable these characters are. Casey and Kyle were high school sweethearts who have grown into adulthood together and from the first couple of chapters you can feel the love they have for one another but you also know there is something that has torn them apart. Told from both the past and present the author lets us into the lives of these characters as we fall in love with this small, tight knit community and but also see where things started to unravel.

While this book is heartbreaking at times, there was also so much hope and love and healing. I laughed and cried and just wanted to give this book the biggest hug!

I was able to listen on audio and Stephanie Memeth-Parker and William DeMeritt did a phenomenal job and made for such an immersive reading experience.

Tracey Lange sure knows how to write emotional family dramas! I didn’t think it was possible for her to write something I loved more than The Connelly’s of County Down, but Lange has done it. I really connected with this book. I found it easy to love Kyle and Casey. They both went through such a devastating loss. I can’t even imagine the pain.

The personal journey’s Kyle and Casey both went on were raw and painful. I loved the hockey team and the roll they played in the story! The way Kyle and Casey’s story came together in the end was really well done. It all felt so believable and earnest to me.

If Tracey Lange writes it, I will read it! If you enjoy emotional family dramas, then I definitely recommend checking out this book! Have the tissues ready! I highly recommend the audiobook version, the narrator did a great job bringing the story to life!

Thank you to Tracy Lange and Celadon books for the ARC and MacMillan Audio (#MacAudio) for the ALC!

When Kyle receives a call from the hospital that his father suffered a stroke, he returns home to Potsdam for the first time in years. He had left suddenly two years ago, abandoning now only his father but his wife, Casey. He plans to help his dad recuperate and lay low. But the longer he stays, the more he sees the impact his leaving had on those around him. Offered the chance to coach a boys’ hockey team - and work closely with Casey - Kyle considers staying in Potsdam.

I have loved each of this author’s books and was eagerly waiting to get my hands on this one. I’m so thankful I had the audio so I didn’t have to let real life adulting get in the way of my reading! Kyle and Casey’s relationship was at the forefront of this story, but it wasn’t the only special one. The relationship they both had with her brother and his father - creating their own “found family” if you will - was truly heartwarming. Without giving any spoilers, I had an idea of where this book was going about midway through but I still thoroughly enjoyed the journey to get to the end - even if it brought me to tears multiple times. There really isn’t a lot else I ca say about their relationship without spoiling the storyline, but I really appreciated their growth (both individually and together), and as always, Tracy Lange created such complex characters and relationships.

Tracy Lange will always be a special author to me because her first book, We Are the Brennans, came out around the same time I started my bookstagram! If you told me then she would be one of my favorite authors, I wouldn’t be surprised. But to say I would receive not only one, but the next two of her books in ARC form would’ve blown my mind. More than anything, Tracy and her books symbolize why I have this hobby - the joy and the excitement that books bring to me and connecting with others who feel the same way. Thank you, Tracy, for bringing my book nerd dreams full circle!!

”We Are the McCrays” releases January 14, 2025. This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

🤗Thank you so much to @macmillan.audio and @celadonbooks for the audiobook and physical ARC! #macaudio2024

📖Title: What Happened to the McCray's?
✍️Author: Tracey Lange
📅Pub Date: January 14, 2025
⏳Audiobook length: 10hr, 26min
🗣️Audiobook Narrator: Stephanie Németh-Parker and William DeMeritt

📖This is my third book by Tracey Lange and all three of them have been memorable 5-star reads.

⭐I usually forget book characters the day after I read a book, but Tracey’s stay with me, and that alone sets her so far apart from most authors. She truly has the gift of sharing the stories of normal, everyday people and making them extraordinary. This family drama will be one that you never forget!

📖I could talk about this book and how wonderful the main characters Kyle and Casey are all day long, but I think that this book is best enjoyed by knowing as little as possible going in! Just know that you’re in for a very emotional and unforgettable ride. You won’t be able to put this down!

⚠️There is some heavy content but listing CWs would 100% spoil the plot, so be careful reading them. DM me with concerns.

🎧The audiobook was done so well, absolutely zero complaints! Once I started it, I barely stopped until it was over. Dual narrators made it so easy for me to follow and both of them did an incredible job not just reading their character’s parts, but truly BECOMING the characters.

Make no mistake, What happened to the McCrays is a heartbreaking book. But author Tracey Lange draws the characters so completely and sets the stage so beautifully that there is healing in the sadness. The loss, grief and love in this book is profound but the conclusion is delicately wrought. A beautiful book, a prefect book club pick. And I can't recommend the audiobook highly enough. The two narrators bring the depth of the story to life with pitch-perfect storytelling and intonation. This one will stay with me a good long while.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MCCRAYS by Tracey Lange

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC audiobook

Narration was performed by Stephanie Nemeth-Parker and William DeMeritt. Both did a fine job of reading this story.

A family drama taking place in the close-knit community of, Potsdam, New York. Taking an intimate look into the marriage of Kyle and Casey, and the struggles and trauma they have experienced. The story slowly peels back the layers and reveals the secrets of this marriage from the past to present day. This is a character driven story with heartbreak and also hope.

Touching on, family drama, love, forgiveness, grief, healing, hope, and resilience.

I enjoy Tracey Lange’s writing and look forward to what she does next.