Let’s begin by lauding the author for a great choice of title. What did happen to Kyle and Casey McCray? Tracey Lange uses secrets, suspense, and a skillful use of time jumps to invest us in this emotional, slow-burn family drama.

Kyle McCray returns to Potsdam, NY to care for his father who’d just suffered a stroke. He’s on edge about it all, because it means seeing his ex-wife Casey and all his former friends again after his sudden departure two and a half years ago. Casey has carried on as a teacher and manager of a youth hockey team, but something’s not right with her. For her and their friends, it’s not just awkward, it’s painful. But Kyle’s going to be there a while, so they all have to just deal with it.

I have a hard time summarizing the plot more than that, because it’s predicated on many critical happenings from the “Then” time frame. As we wallow in the “Now,” we’re wondering why there’s such sadness, even animosity, between Kyle and Casey. There must have been some kind of tragedy, or accident, or crucial misunderstanding…right? But I can’t tell you what happens and why I think it’s great, because it’ll give away way too many spoilers! The reader unfamiliar with this style may get frustrated, but the last third makes it very worthwhile.

Let me put it this way: love was there, love went away, and now there’s a glimmer of hope love can return. And because this isn’t structured or styled like your garden-variety romance, the issue of the textbook happy ending is in doubt. The text is a little heavy on third-person introspection, but the desire to know what happened, along with the emotional “will-they-won’t-they,” is more than enough to hold the reader’s interest.

Just like in her previous works, Lange demonstrates her skill in character development. Anne Lamott says to spend time with one’s characters, so Lange must’ve locked herself in a bunker with them. Or she must have based them on real people. (Though I doubt it.) Either way, all characters are multi-faceted, complex, and interesting, right down to the friends and the youth hockey players. She has a way of writing from the middle-class, every-person perspective, giving everyone relatable problems like fixing the car or taking out loans. That has a way of driving home the emotional issues they face with a refreshing realism.

I can’t remember if I’ve been to Potsdam, but her portrayal of the remoteness and hardscrabble setting of upstate New York is right up there with Richard Russo. There was a little struggle between spreading one’s wings into the bigger world or sticking close to home. Lange delivers this subplot with plenty of detail and feeling.

No, it’s not a thriller, so there’s no scene with the McCrays dangling from that…that part of the helicopter? You know? The bottom? But What Happened to the McCrays excels in its ability to slowly, carefully, suspensefully reveal the deep cracks in a powerful love. It does even better to give us a satisfying ending, one that…well. Can’t tell you.

If literature is supposed to help us connect with new perspectives and explore both exciting and heartbreaking emotions, this book will open you to a section of the heart rarely seen.

I fell in love with Tracey Lange’s writing style when I read her first two books, but this one was by far my favorite. I was hooked within the first couple of chapters and really couldn’t wait to see how things would play out. Excellent book!

I read Tracey Lange’s books every time I see a new novel is published. What Happened to the McCrays? was everything I thought it would be. Her books have been 3 for 3 for me.

This novel is very character driven and explores then and now timelines to figure out what happened to the McCrays. I flew through the book wanting to know how they ended up so fractured when everyone seemed like a good person. This book goes through the good and the bad in this family drama.

Thank you to Celadon Books, Tracey Lange, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, Tracey Lange has quickly become one of my favorite authors. What Happened to the McCrays? is a beautifully written story of love, family, grief, and renewal. Despite how heartbreaking the story was, it was also filled with hope, and I felt all the emotions as I read/listened to this story. I enjoyed the ‘then & now’ format as well as the shifting POV between Casey and Kyle. I also received an ALC and thought the narration was fantastic.

Tracey Lange crafts a powerful and emotionally rich story of family, grief, and hope. Her vivid writing and expertly developed characters pull you in, making every twist in the McCray family's history feel authentic and impactful. While the story starts slowly, it unfolds beautifully, balancing heartbreak and hope in a way that’s both deeply moving and unforgettable. Be prepared for all the emotions—and check trigger warnings—but this is a book you won’t want to put down.

Tracey Lange is back this week with another wonderful character-driven novel. If you enjoyed her previous novels, this one will not disappoint.

Kyle McCray abruptly left his hometown in Potsdam, NY and hasn’t been back in 2 years. But when his father suffers a stroke, he returns home and is forced to reckon with his past, and a community that hasn’t forgiven or forgotten how he left.

And there’s Casey, the woman he was married to for 16 years who is clear she is not happy to have Kyle back. Kyle decides he will leave as soon as his father is well but as time passes, he realizes just how much heartache he left behind. As he attempts to redeem himself, he hopes that maybe he and Casey can make peace with their past as well.

This novel explores the complexities of how a marriage starts and how it can fall apart despite the love that might still be smoldering under the ruins. I was glued to this novel as I switched back and girth from the digital and audio versions. The narration was SO good!

Thank you to @netgalley @celadonbooks @macmillan.audio for early digital and audio versions of this novel

🏒This book had me hooked from the very first chapter! When Kyle steps in to protect a teen girl from drunk customers, I knew I was in for a treat. A hockey player with tattoos, a protective streak, and a kind heart? Say no more—I was fully invested from page one.
💞As the story unfolds, we are introduced to Casey, Kyle’s ex-wife and a beloved teacher in their tight-knit town. Casey’s warmth and resilience make her an unforgettable character. The supporting cast—Wyatt, Danny, the middle school hockey team, and Matteo—added so much richness to the story. Each character was multi-dimensional, with their own fears, desires, and growth. Tracey Lange has a gift for capturing the complexities of human relationships and emotions and bringing them to life in each scene.
💔The dual timeline structure kept me turning pages, revealing the beautiful yet heartbreaking story of Kyle and Casey’s relationship and the tragedy that tore them apart. This emotional journey is one you won’t soon forget—so be ready to feel all the emotions.
If you love small-town romance, second-chance love stories, and authentic, relatable characters, this book should be on your TBR. It’s definitely worth all the hype.

Tracey Lange’s third novel, “What Happened to the McCray’s?” continues in her genre of writing wonderful novels about families navigating the travails of life. (Her previous books, “We Are The Brennans” and “The Connellys of County Down” are both excellent.)

Kyle McCray is living a spartan existence in Spokane after leaving his wife and hometown of Postdam, New York suddenly two and half years ago. He gets a call that his father Danny has had a stroke, and Kyle’s former youth hockey coach and his dad’s best friend tells him that he needs to come home to care for his father.

When Kyle returns home, he finds his former wife Casey has been taking care of his Dad in his absence. Things are tense between Kyle and Casey, but the reader is not privy to why Kyle up and left his wife and his auto repair business suddenly.

Casey is a middle school social studies teacher and manages the junior hockey squad. Her brother Wyatt uses a wheelchair and lives with Casey. Wyatt is not happy to see Kyle back in town.

We know that Kyle is not a bad guy, we saw him help a young sandwich shop worker when a group of young men came into her store and harassed her. We get Kyle’s and Casey’s backstory, both children of single parents who helped each other’s families out. They had been high school sweethearts, loving and caring with each other.

Soon the reader discovers the sad reason that led to Kyle leaving his wife and the hometown he loves.

Lange puts the reader right inside this snowy, cold town of Potsdam, where everyone lives for hockey. Kyle was a hockey superstar in his younger days, beloved by all. She gets the small town, college town vibe just right.

I love all of Tracey Lange’s books, and “What Happened to the McCray’s” is her best yet. Her characters feel real, as does the way they face the challenges that life throws at them, and the relationships among the characters.

Kyle McCray returns to his hometown after receiving news that his father has suffered a stroke. His estranged wife and friends aren’t happy about his return, still angry with him for leaving town a few years ago. When a an opportunity opens up as the hockey coach at the local middle school, Kyle decides to take it, determined to make amends with those he left behind.

This is a very quiet read, with themes of love, loss, forgiveness and second chances, perfect to settle in with on a cold winter’s day. From the moment I started it, I was completely immersed in the lives of the McCrays, hardships and all.

These characters will break your heart; their pain will be your pain. They are multi-faceted, flawed characters, each dealing with their own life struggles, and it’s hard not to feel incredibly connected to them by the final page. I desperately rooted for Kyle and Casey to find their way back to one another even when it didn’t seem possible. If you are looking for a book that will break your heart and then put it back together, it’s this one.

🎧 This slow burn story is absolutely fantastic on audio. Stephanie Nemeth-Parker and William DeMeritt are pitch perfect and only help to enhance the already gorgeous prose.

Read if you like:
▪️literary fiction
▪️family dramas
▪️second chances
▪️character driven stories
▪️small town life
▪️Adirondacks

Thank you Celadon Books and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copies.

I know it’s early in the year but this is going to be one of my top books this year! I loved every moment with these characters and with the community in Potsdam, NY. I am a sucker for small town communities and I really connected with this story.

I have read all of Tracey Lange’s novels and I loved all 3 of them but this one hit me hard in the feels and made me cry more than I was prepared to - and I loved it! This story was my favorite of all 3 novels….and that is saying a lot!

I really loved reading this book! Tracey Lange writes stories about family dramas that are so real and heartfelt and this one really got to my emotions. I don’t believe I’ve ever cried this much while reading a book! What Happened to the McCrays is the third book I’ve read by this author, the first being We Are The Brennans and the second one being The Connellys of County Down, and I can honestly say that this one is my favorite. I think it’s her best work yet. I liked that it takes place in Potsdam, New York which isn’t all that far from where I live. It was also nice that it mentioned Watertown and Syracuse which are the 2 cities that I live in between. I find it nice to read about areas that you are familiar with. But it was the basis of the story, the love between a young couple and the struggles and the heartaches that they face from living life and experiencing loss that really captured my attention. They suffered with guilt and there was grief but in the end it was their love that gets them through. This story really touched my heart and it’s one I’ll never forget. I’d like to thank Celadon Books for accepting my request to read an early copy and NetGalley for the arc. It’s a book I’ll be recommending to all of my reading friends and I’ll be adding a physical copy to my home library of favorites. I’m giving it a well deserved 5 star rating and I hope to be reading more by Tracey Lange in the very near future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the eARC.

Tracey Lange writes the best family drama books. This one pulled at my heart and I loved how the book shifted my perspective and feelings on each of our main characters. Some of the plot pieces felt a bit monotonous, but, I will reach for Lange's work over and over. 4.5/5 stars.

Tracey Lange's ability to write emotionally complex characters and capture the intricacies of family dynamics is absolutely incredible. Where the slow unfolding of a story can at times feel forced, Lange's never does. Every new reveal of the McCray's history was unexpected without being shocking; heart wrenching without feeling artificial; and truly made this a book I could not put down.

Although a slow start, I became invested in these characters who had suffered a loss that would be hard to navigate. I felt their pain and loss and felt like the characters were expertly developed.

I have LOVED everything Tracey Lange has written yet, and this was no exception-- I already can't wait for her next novel (I hope there is one). Nobody writes family drama like she does. This was a tough read and very sad at times. I didn't initially love the title (and I guess I still don't), but it is 100% appropriate for the context of this novel-- the reader is quickly confused with the, "wait, what is happening? Why did they end up like this?"

I didn't want to put this one down AND I didn't want this book to end- that is one of the highest levels of praise for me. It's January 17, and I already know that this book is going on my "favorites of 2025" list,

I actually had this book in both formats- print and audio-- Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC AND the audio ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. (The narrators were great and completely fit the story that was being told).

This book. Wow. I cried. A lot. (Reader, know thyself and double check trigger warnings). But for as emotional and hard this book was, it was also beautiful and hopeful. Lange’s writing is vivid and pulls you in right from the very start. Such a powerful story of family, grief, and change.

This is my favorite book by Tracey Lange yet! I have enjoyed each of her books but I couldn't get enough of this one. I loved how this novel unearthed another piece of the plot, slowly. The fact that Kyle and Casey had been married, and for how long they had been together, why and how they split up, the tragedy that they both experienced and how they both experienced it so differently. It was heartwrenching and hopeful all at once.

I loved this book! There are so many emotions swirling around, such as grief, guilt, anger, and loneliness. But ultimately there is complete honesty and the healing process begins. I really liked the entire cast of characters, everyone had a place in my heart, and I thought there was great character development over the course of time. The story felt very true to life in that way that life has ups and downs, and sometimes you are your best self, and sometimes you’re not. I think there is a part where it comes dangerously close to the “I can never tell how I really feel” trope, but it made sense within the context of grieving. It also wasn’t the only conflict propelling the action. Big thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the DRC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Tracey Lange is now an autobuy author for me! I absolutely loved this one! This is a story about love, grief, forgiveness, and family. The story is split into two timelines and two perspectives which adds depth and complexity to the story. Casey and Kyle were both relatable and well developed characters and I felt like I really knew and understood them. This book simultaneously broke my heart and filled me with hope. I highly recommend this for anyone looking for a complex family drama that leaves you with all the feels

This is mg new fave Tracey Lange book!

I love a redemption arc and this one has several of them and they all lifted me up and left me emotional.

Not without trigger warnings but I felt like all the subject matter was handled so eloquently and with care.

In Lange’s authors note she mentions the power of community and this book really highlights that and made me think of my own small town and how we show up for one another.

Loved it, I can see this one being very popular.