I've picked up a few books lately based solely on the author, and ironically they've been set around Upstate New York (hello, from Syracuse!). It's mind-boggling to me because it's been random, but picking up Tracey's newest not only meant that I'd be familiar with the location but also the subject matter. I grew up in a hockey family and my life has never NOT revolved around it- I've kept score, manned the penalty box, taped sticks, attended games, watched them on TV and the list could go on and on.

The incredible depth of emotions while reading this was a whirlwind- Lange consistently showcases the beauty in grief and pain, the complexity of relationships and a single miscommunication can change the course of many lives.

I loved every minute of this, and the narration was phenomenal- I was truly IN Potsdam with Casey, Kyle, Wyatt et al. I could feel the chill of the hockey rink, the chill of air between Casey and Kyle and opposingly the warmth of love, admiration and respect of all who rallied around the McCrays in their time of need.

Trigger warnings below that may be spoilers:::


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TW: child loss, trauma, self-harm

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

Kyle McCray begrudgingly returned to his hometown to care for his father. In doing so, he was forced to face everyone he left behind upon his quick exit. Kyle was especially nervous to see his ex-wife, Casey, as he knew complicated emotions had wreaked havoc on their relationship. When the hockey team’s coach quit, Kyle was given the perfect opportunity to reconnect with family and friends.

I dove right into this story as I was excited for a new Tracey Lange release! Her writing style is familiar, comforting, and I loved the subtle tie-in to We are the Brennans. Lange’s characters again felt realistic and were faced with life’s common challenges and heartaches. Overall, this was a good listen and I felt for the main characters and their struggles. Had there been a bit more character development with Charlie’s character, I would have felt even more connected to the characters and their story.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and Celadon Books for a gifted ALC of this title.

Another hit from Tracey Lange, who just excels at portraying the average family going through struggles with such realistic narration. This is my third book from Lange, and I could not wait to jump into it!

In "What Happened to the McCrays?", we follow the perspectives of divorced couple/former high-school sweethearts Kyle and Casey McCray. When Kyle has to return to his hometown to help his father following a medical emergency, he and Casey inevitably run into one another and are forced to finally face the past that drove them apart.

What I love most about Lange's writings is she tends to be very direct, she doesn't overexplain or create too much dialogue. It creates an ideal pacing for a story that is full of emotion. This latest novel did not disappoint!

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this audiobook!

Tracey Lange is such a reliable author of engaging books about family. What Happened to the McCrays is a great addition to the set. I thought the characters were engaging - not without flaws but people you are really rooting for. The details of "what happened" are peeled back in a very effective way, and I stayed very interested in the story throughout. And though I'm not much of a hockey fan, the hockey brought a dimension to the story that really worked for me. Lange's writing is very comfortable and easy to process (and I'm meaning that as a compliment!). And the audiobook was very well done in terms of both narration and production. All in all, a book (and audiobook) that I will definitely recommend to customers in our store.

What happens when the unthinkable happens? How do you go on and learn to forgive yourself? Kyle and Casey were high school sweethearts married for 16 years when Kyle suddenly left. Now he has returned to care for his farther. This is a story of what happens when you become broken and how you can put yourself back together if you can forgive.

This book is a heartwrenching, grab the tissues, 5 star read for me. Tracey Lange is truly a genius with writing about family dynamics.

What Happened to the McCrays follows Kyle and Casey before, during and after their divorce. Kyle returns home two years later to care for his dad who suffered a stroke.

This book is heart wrenching but filled with joy. With the POV of Kyle and Casey you hear both sides to their love and loss. My momma heart ached reading this. Tracey writes about family relation being hard and the beauty of healing.

Thank you MacMillian Audio and Celadon books for this advanced reader copy.

Rating: 5/5 Stars
Pub Date: 1/14/2025
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Kyle returns home after he was notified that his dad had a stroke. It's been two and a half years since he left his home, and his wife. Seeing Casey again makes Kyle never want to leave. It takes a lot for the two of them to look deep inside in order to heal from their past.
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Tracey Lange..... I have no idea how you continuously tear my heart out and then build it back together, but once again you wrote a truly magnificent story. This one will be sticking with me for a very long time. The McCray's have become a part of my family at this point.
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What Happened to the McCray's? Is told in a dual narrative though the eyes of Kyle and Casey and through a dual timeline, from when they first met to the present time. This story is filled with so much love and heartbreak. I felt all of the emotions while reading this one. Kyle and Casey were two amazing characters, and their growth is incredible throughout the story. Their strength to overcome the obstacles they were faced with was incredible. I loved having both of their points of view throughout the story in order to get a glimpse into each of their minds.
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I flew through this in a day because I just couldn't put this one down. I literally had to know what exactly happened to the McCray's. And let me tell you when i found out I audibly gasped. The way that the story unfolds is absolutely beautiful and it is such a heartfelt read.
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I listened to this via audiobook and it was narrated by Stephanie Németh-Parker and William DeMeritt. These two compliment one another perfectly, they were phenomenal as Casey and Kyle. I felt like I was transported into this story and could visualize everything that was happening. The audiobook was phenomenal - I highly recommend listening to this one.
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Overall, this is a must read of 2025. Tracey Lange is incredible, this story is incredible. I cannot recommend it enough. Huge thank you to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio and Tracey Lange for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

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.

I also listened to the audio and read along. 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.

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 and narrators made this book real.

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

Five big stars and worth even more.

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.