I am a Tracey Lange Stan, so it pains me to give this one 3 stars. It just didn't have the impact on me her last two did. I enjoyed the characters but felt it was missing something. The narrators were great.

Thanks to Macmillin Audio and NetGalley for the arc

Kyle hasn’t been home in 2.5 years, but is called home to check on his father, who just had a stroke. He had left abruptly, leaving his father, his town, and his wife of sixteen years, Casey. Casey has been taking care of and checking on Kyle’s dad. She was the one who found him, but not the who called to notify Kyle of the stroke. He didn’t get the call for a few days. Needless to say, tensions are high upon his return and reunion with those who knew him. Kyle, though still broken from his past, hopes to make things right.

The story of the McCrays is an emotional one, and I do recommend checking the trigger warnings before reading this one. It’s a story of grief, heartbreak, and healing. I teared up a few times listening to this audiobook due to the themes presented. I really appreciated the depth and growth throughout this story. It’s different from my usual go-to stories, but I’m really glad I read it.

I am not a fan of family novels, but I am a fan of Tracey Lange's family dramas. There is something about her writing that hooks me until the very last page. This book covered a relationship broken by a crippling loss and how they ultimately have to find healing together. There are TOUGH situations that this couple face, and while it wasn't personally relatable, I felt like I understood all of their motivations and choices perfectly because of Lange's writing. I was rooting for Casey and Kyle the whole time. I also felt the back and forth timeline and dual POV was handled well; I never got confused by what was happening when. Kudos to both the narrators- they were excellent performers.
**The only thing I would change is the cursing; I personally could do without it.

As a HUGE family drama fan, I find that Lange just isn't my favorite. I'm obsessed with Claire Lombardo, Ann Patchett, Celeste Ng, Liane Moriarty, etc. so I can't exactly put my finger on why I'm never quite as drawn into Lange's books and why they don't feel quite as memorable for me.

In What Happened to the McCray's, Kyle returns to Potsdam, NY, to see his ill father after several years away. We know that he left after divorcing his wife of 16 years, Casey. But we don't know what happened to their marriage. Casey has remained in Potsdam, teaching, spending time with Kyle's dad and her wheelchair-bound brother, and helping the boy's junior hockey team. The book alternates between Kyle's and Casey's POVs and as it proceeds, we learn more and more about their past.

The story comes together really well, but for whatever reason, I just couldn't connect with it like I can with some of the other family dramas I read. I wish I had a better way of putting these feelings into words, but sometimes books just really hit you and sometimes they don't.

I spent a lot of time in Potsdam back in my early 20s as my then-boyfriend played college hockey at SUNY Potsdam, so this book brought back a lot of memories as place is such a strong part of it. Lange does a great job of describing the area and its obsession with hockey.

Despite the fact that I didn't fully connect with this one, I know lots of people will absolutely love it. If you really enjoyed We Are the Brennans and The Connellys of County Down, I think this will also be a hit for you.

4.5 stars, rounded up
This is the third book I've read by Tracey Lange and it has been just as stellar as the rest. She has an innate ability to write about real life and real feelings that draws the reader in and doesn't let go.

This isn't an easy read. It's sometimes frustrating, sometimes heartbreaking, yet overall the author captures the various nuances of grief and how it can break a person, but also how a person can find forgiveness and healing.

"You have to feel it to heal it."

This is the story of two people--Kyle and Casey McCray, who fell in love in high school, got married, and then got divorced. As the story progresses the reader finds out what happened to them before, during, and after their split. Lange doesn't waste words, she tells the story without getting mired in any one thing for too long, moving the characters forward (sometimes against their will.)

I listened to this as an audiobook, and the dual narrators really help the reader to enter into both Kyle's and Casey's worlds, to understand them better and feel closer to them. The narrators portray the depths of grief, the warmth of love and belonging, and the embrace of family in a beautiful way.

The subject matter of this book is something I know intimately as I've experienced it as well. It's a tough subject to portray on the page accurately and respectfully, but also to understand that every person would or has their own way of handling things, even if it is painful and heartbreaking.

Ultimately, this is a hopeful book and will touch many readers' hearts.

Thanks to @macmillan.audio for the #gifted copy of this book.

Summary: Kyle and Casey are high school sweethearts, but they haven't seen each other or even been in the same state for the past 2 years. But after Kyle's father had a major stroke, he's back in their hometown to help his dad. The longer he stays, Kyle discovers the impact of his abrupt departure from their town on those in his life. As his stay continues, Kyle is asked to help out with the failing middle school hockey team. Kyle begins to enjoy the temporary life he is rebuilding in Potsdam so much, that he might want to make it permanent, as long as Casey will agree to this plan.

Dani's Thoughts: Wow!! This book blew me away and I was hooked from the very beginning. It had so many different themes throughout with the big ones of forgiveness, second chances, and new paths forward. I must admit that this book had me feeling so many emotions throughout and at times had me crying (which I don't do very often during books.). I loved how real these characters seemed throughout the pages as if I were reading a real story. As a mom, this was difficult to read in certain parts as it just broke my heart. Please be sure to check trigger warnings before you read this one.

The audio was dual pov narration with narrators Stephanie Németh-Parker and William DeMeritt. They did such a great job bringing these characters to life and helping me hear the emotions the characters were feeling throughout.

Read if you love:
💕 Family Drama
💗Small Towns
🥰Second Chances

Tracey Lange may just be one of my new favorite novelists. Between "McCrays" and the "Connelly's of County Down," she's established herself as a master storyteller with a keen eye and pen for family relationships. Set in New York, "McCrays" follows Kyle who travels back to his hometown to care for his father. There, he reconnects with his former wife Casey who has been struggling to find her footing since their divorce. I'm tempted to describe this as a second chance romance, but that would negate the tension and heartbreak underlying Kyle and Casey's relationship. As the title suggests, a particularly terrible tragedy haunts them and they are both forced to reconcile with this pain from their past. The author goes to great length to prevent this arc from turning into voyeurism or unnecessary cruelty. It's a beautiful story of healing and identity that had me laughing, crying, and cheering.

Content notes: [spoilers ahead]: suicide, death of a child

This story touched me very deeply. Lange’s depiction of grief and loss with tremendous depth and authenticity was incredibly spot on with the turbulence of mourning and the differing feelings and experiences of each individual’s experience hit home for me.

The audiobook was narrated by Stephanie Németh-Parker and William DeMeritt. Casey and Kyle were amazing in how they portrayed them and I could easily imagine what was happening from their fantastic narration. I wholeheartedly recommend you guys listen to the audiobook and get ready for the laughter, the tears, and the feeling of the whirlwind.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for allowing me to read and review this book.

When Kyle McCray finds out his dad had a stroke, he returns to his hometown that he abruptly left two years earlier and is forced to reunite with everyone he left behind, including his ex-wife Casey.

I loved everything about this book — the complex characters, the small-town community, the little league hockey team, and the focus on family. Through the pages we learn how the McCrays got together as high school sweethearts, what tore their relationship apart, and watch them tiptoe around being forced together again.

The book is heartbreaking and heavy at times as the characters navigate guilt, grief, parenthood, death of loved ones, and mental health — but there is also a lot of love and hope. You'll be rooting for the characters as they heal from their past and find forgiveness. Have tissues handy!

I loved the audio narration -- the dual narration for Kyle and Casey's characters hooked me into the story immediately and they brought emotion to the story.

Thank you to @macmillan.audio for the ALC of this book! This dual narration was so enjoyable to listen to!

I very much enjoyed this story. I felt that Tracey Lange did a great job of writing grief and loss in a very real and complex way, grieving is messy and nobody does it the same and that really came across for me.

I really liked the small town vibes and the way that the community and friendships helped heal Kyle and Casey. Even in their faults they were both so easy to root for and sympathize with. This felt like part family drama, part cautionary tale, and it made me want to go home and hug my loved ones a little bit longer than normal!

Read if you like:
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒Family drama
✌🏻Dual POV & narration
🔀Dual timeline
❤️‍🩹Loss & Healing
🏒Hockey

Kyle returns to his hometown when he receives a call from the hospital informing him of his father's stroke. When he realizes it was his estranged wife Casey who found him, he can't help but feel hurt. With the two being forced to work together to assist the school hockey team, can they air their grievances enough to get along?

Tracey Lange sure knows how to write a family drama! I was lucky enough to listen to this one on audio and it was fantastic. The story was simple but the way the author crafted the story, put tingit together with POV's from both sides and dual timelines so we could see what happened before to now, raised it so high that I couldn't help but get invested. And boy did I! There were so many emotions going through me as I listened. Absolutely amazing.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ALC of What Happened to the McCray's? in exchange for my honest opinion. I am a big fan of Tracey Lange’s writing, and this may even top We Are the Brennan's as my favorite of her books.
This character-driven family drama is perfect to feature on a holiday. The audiobook has dual narration, making for an easy listen. Small town hockey, family obligations, and second chances feature prominently in this story, which is at times heartbreaking but feels completely realistic. I needed tissues to make it through, but I tend to have extremely emotional reactions to character-driven novels.

I’ve adored Tracey Lange’s two previous books and have come to know her as an author of the BEST family dramas. So I was expecting more of the same, but Lange blew my mind with this emotional romance instead!

Short Synopsis:
Kyle McCray returns home to his small town when his father suffers a stroke, after being away for two years. But all Kyle wants to do is reconnect with his ex-wife, who does everything to keep her distance from him.

My Thoughts:
Oh my heart. I was NOT expecting this book to be so heavy, but sad romances are my favorite so naturally I’m obsessed with it.
Kyle and Casey. I just loved them both. The town was precious. And all the side characters were fantastic. I loved the focus of the middle school hockey team and just how kind hearted this group of boys were. I don’t want to say too much so you can experience this one, but grab some tissues.

What You’ll Find:
💕Second chance romance
😭Tears
🏘️Small town
🏒Middle school hockey team
😢Grief
💁‍♀️Character driven
2️⃣Dual timelines

Trigger warnings are heavy in this one. So please check them out and take care of yourself first.

LOVED this book. It was a perfect Thanksgiving break read. The narrators were perfect and could appropriately weave in emotion without "overacting" and making it cheesy.

I had this book on my shelf for a long time but skipped over many times because the cover/title made me think it was suspense or mystery. Boy was I wrong.

Without spoiling anything, this is a story of high school sweethearts, who are living the dream. A tragedy occurs and they part ways. This is a story of grief and pain and how different people deal with things differently and no matter how much you love a person, the grief can destroy a relationship. I loved the characters and neither was unable to place fault on either.

Thank you to Macmillian Audio via NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this audiobook.

This book was tragic at times, but also so good! Read it if you think you'll enjoy a plot featuring: high school sweethearts, hockey, a tragic accident, and a second chance.
The audiobook was well done and made me tear up a few times. The book is not light as it explores grief & guilt and also mentions a suicide attempt.
I liked how the author included bits of the past alongside the present storyline so you can see what happened to make the characters the way they are. It also left a little mystery and intrigue while you were reading because the female main character was pretty closed off about the accident.
This was my first book by this author and I'll have to check out her others! Thank you to MacMillan audio for the ALC

This was the first time I have ever read/listened to anything by Tracey Lange and I'm wondering to myself why?
She has an beautiful way of writing family drama, her characters were well developed and I was completely invested in this story.

This novel tells the story of Kyle and Casey McCray. They grew up next door to each other and both experienced the loss of a parent. They fell in love and married after dating in high school. Their marriage is tested after a tragic event (not giving away any spoilers). I was rooting for them both!!!

Take the time to savor this wonderful story, and have tissues ready!

Thank you Netgalley, Macmillan Audio for the fantastic ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to MacMillan Audio & NetGalley for providing an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is, by and large, an engaging-enough family drama. Where things fall apart is in the drawing out of the story: we KNOW there is a reason why these two people (Kyle and Casey McCray) who were high school sweethearts split up, but Lange teases the reason for way longer than necessary, and then teases how each person blames themselves for what happened. No one is in therapy (aside from group therapy, mentioned maybe once or twice), and ... I guess that's because this is Pottsdam, upstate NY where hockey is a religion? There's a LOT of hockey in this book, and a lot of underdeveloped characters: Wyatt, Casey's paraplegic brother; Kyle's father; hell, even Mateo, the new owner of Kyle's business. Get ready for hearing the same famous Wayne Gretzky "inspirational" quote, and for Kyle to show the many layers of his psyche by turning his ball cap backwards at the start of an important interaction, almost as if he's donning his tunic for important Roman senatorial business.

It has some interesting, relatable themes - people punishing themselves in an effort to stay current in their grief, and refusing help because they don't feel they deserve it, for a start - but ultimately this was just another soap opera of tragedy in a little town. Not terrible, but also not very good.

The voice acting is good. No one used an outlandish accent, which is always a plus. There could've been some better differentiating between voices, but overall it was easy to follow and tell between characters.

2.5 stars rounded up

The emotional impact of this work was remarkable. Lange beautifully captures sorrow and the complexity of human relationships.
I empathized with the characters and appreciated Lange's straightforward writing, which creates a perfect rhythm for a deeply emotional narrative. This novel met my expectations.

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:::


----------------------------------
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