I already know I will be putting this book in my books for 2025!! Yes you read that correctly! This book was perfection!

Kyle and Casey McCray have been estranged, after their divorce Kyle left their small hometown of Potsdam and Casey stayed behind picking up the fractured pieces of their once perfect life. But when his father has a stroke Kyle must make his way back home, since there is no one else who can stay with him while he recuperates. Kyle isn’t expecting a warm welcome. He is shocked at the amount of understanding, compassion and even forgiveness that the town feels towards him. In Potsdam you begin to see that “hockey is life” , the high school team is in dire trouble. They have lost their coach and Kyle finds himself recruited to help the team . Kyle was once a high school player who had led the team to many victories during his time playing and finds himself quickly invested in this young group of players.
Across the street we meet Casey McCray, who is Kyle’s ex-wife and high school sweetheart, she has lived in the home they had shared for over sixteen years. Her brother Wyatt, is confined to a wheelchair whose own history is riddled with loss but has built his own business with his hands building beautiful furniture.
The story unfolds slowly. The reason, at first, why Kyle and Casey separated is unclear, but while it is apparent there is deep pain, it feels like love still hides below the surface. We begin to see the heartbreak and loss and the story goes from past to present and I cried so many times while reading. There is a lot of pain in their past, also learning to forgive and accept their regrets and even confront their future . The story reveals the resilience of family and the importance of a community accepting who and why they are, accepting the past and hoping for a future. Love, loss and second chances.
Please be aware trigger warnings, parent stroke, child death, and suicide attempt.

They say you can’t go home again, and Kyle McCray feels this with much trepidation when he hears his father has suffered a stroke and heads home to help him.

There is a freeze in the air in hockey-centric Potsdam and it’s not just the weather. Kyle left town for reasons not yet revealed, which adds to the intrigue, his relationship with his dad is rocky at best. Their close neighbor Casey watches over his father as her childhood past with Kyle slowly unfolds to reveal tragedy, estrangement, sorrow. There are heavy subjects to uncover and with her usual deft touch, Lange brings readers into the fold of a family drama with compassion, as she eases us into it.

A story about community, family, hope, forgiveness.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books.

I am a big fan of Tracy Lange’s work, and this one was no different – I enjoyed it thoroughly, although I will note that this one touches on some heavier subject matter, including the devastating loss of a child. This one is a story of small-town life, hockey, our dreams and desires and the realities of life and circumstances that get in our way of achieving them, love, loss, grief, and the struggles of marriage and inter-family relationships.

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Kyle is forced to suddenly leave the Pacific Northwest, where he has been residing as of late, and return to the small, upper New York community of Potsdam following a recent stroke suffered by his father. Potsdam contains the entirety of Kyle’s life and memories: it is where he was born, grew up, and spent the entirety of his life until roughly two years ago, when he got into his vehicle, put it in drive, and never looked back.

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Painful memories and regret are not the only thing Kyle left behind, though – as he returns to take care of his struggling father, he is confronted with the people in his life whom he abandoned for his cross-country travels – including the woman he has loved for the vast majority of his life. A woman who seemingly, as Kyle believes, will never forgive him for the havoc his decisions have wreaked on their life, love, family, and careers.

I enjoyed this family drama and felt like it flowed nicely from start to finish! This book does deal with some trigger-worthy warnings including: child loss and suicide. The story highlights the importance of family, opens old wounds, and shows us what really happened behind closed doors. It was an enjoyable, albeit emotional read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Ah! I couldn’t put this one down! The hype around this one is real. It’s deep and moody. Emotional and intriguing.
If you like books with deep roots and flowing emotions, this is a GOOD book to pick up!

In What Happened to the McCrays?, Kyle McCray learns that his father suffered a debilitating stroke and must return home to Potsdam, New York. But, his return is an emotionally-charged event for him and everyone around him. That’s because when he left suddenly two and a half years ago he abandoned everyone who loved and depended on him, including his wife, Casey. Can Kyle and Casey stand to be in the same town again? What happened nearly three years ago?

The novel is a family drama presented mostly in the present, but told in “Then” and “Now” chapters. As Kyle slowly discovers the impact his departure from New York had on everyone in his life, the reader slowly learns the events leading up to it.

I’ve read all of Tracey Lange’s books so far, and I tend to enjoy her overall writing style. I think her skills shine in creating tension in her scenes and evoking emotion from the reader. I like how she builds suspense as the narratives unravel. However, in my opinion, she tends to rely on tropes/clichés a little too heavily, both in terms of characterization and sometimes in plot. I also know that she likes to write about flawed characters, but sometimes she seems to be flirting with romanticizing toxic behaviors and it weirds me out a little. We see that here with some of Kyle’s behaviors in particular.

I also just had a harder time staying engaged this go around. I didn’t have that issue with her past works, and I think it might be because I was more interested in the relationship at the center of the narrative than the other elements (the hockey team, the side characters), and also because I wasn’t as connected to Kyle and Casey as I was with the Brennans or Connellys.

Even though this wasn’t for me, readers of family dramas and relationship dramas (especially those with small town vibes) might enjoy this one. And it’s especially worth checking out if you are a fan of Tracey Lange’s previous works!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!*

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 love Tracey Lange's work!

Kyle returns home to take care of his father who has recently had a stroke and needs his help. After leaving his hometown a few years back abruptly, he is not looking forward to seeing his family, friends and co-workers he left behind…including his ex wife and high school love Casey. They all suffered a major loss together and you watch all the drama and awkwardness of this ride as he returns and tries to put/piece everything back together.

I’ve read all of Tracey’s books and have no issues with her writing! It was well told, just not for me. This one was getting the best reviews so I was so excited! I enjoy family dramas that build, have depth and dive into deeper topics but this one just fell flat. It was so long and drawn out I was just bored and ready for it to be over. I just need people to talk to each other…

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was invested in these characters from the opening pages until the very end. This is full of community, love, commitment and hope. I felt every emotion and loved it all.

This book wrecked me and put me back together again. I found myself guessing what was going to happen right before it did and I wanted to close my eyes or put the book down. It was so beautifully written and perfectly jumps back and forth between timelines and POVs. I loved this story and I can’t wait to read more from this author in the future. 😊

When Kyle McCray's dad suffers a stroke, he returns, after a few years' absence, to the tiny town he grew up in to care for him. His return means Kyle is forced to face everything and everyone he suddenly abandoned, including his then-wife, Casey, who also spent his time away trying to get over their shared, heartbreaking past.
This was really engaging - sad and touching, without being overly sentimental.
Thanks to #netgalley and #celadonbooks for this #arc of #whathappenedtothemccrays by #traceylange in exchange for an honest review.

I have been a fan of Lange since her debut, We are the Brennans. She does such an amazing job with family drama. There’s just enough it keeps you going but never veers into the too much category. I know this book might not hit as well for some people considering the very heavy subject matter but I absolutely loved this one. The journey this book takes through grief and pain to come out into the light at the end really resonated with me. Anyone who has been in this pain can feel and empathize with the characters in this book and it will speak to your healing heart.

Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MCCRAYS by Tracey Lange had all the feels. Broke my heart and healed it.
An intense look at high school sweethearts, they're married for 15 years until tragedy separates them. Their separation is told from both points of view. I became very invested in the characters and their stories.

I recommend this book; it was not an edge of your chair read, it was painful, it was sweet, it is life, laid out in print.

In What Happened to the McCrays?, author Tracey Lange weaves a wonderful story of family and second chances.

Kyle and Casey McCray were high school sweethearts who were together for twenty-one years and married for sixteen years. But that all changed two and half years ago when Kyle walked away from their marriage.

Kyle has been living in Spokane, Washington and working as a mechanic when he receives a call that his dad is in the hospital after having a stroke. Kyle knows it's time to come home to Potsdam, NY and face the past and seek redemption.

Casey has been trying to move on with her life since the divorce was finalized. She's a sixth-grade social studies teacher and also manages the town's local junior hockey program. But there is a sadness that she deals with every day.

As Kyle and Casey's story unfolds, they have to deal with their past, and hopefully rediscover the true meaning of love, friendship, and family.

In What Happened to the McCrays?, author Tracey Lange easily captivates her readers' attention with this beautifully written tale that engages them to follow along as Kyle and Casey's story unfolds with a strong emotional pull. There is plenty of drama, long-held secrets, trials and tribulations, life challenges, and family issues that they have to resolve. The story is told in the alternating past and present timeline, and the reader is taken on an emotional roller coaster ride and will experience the full gamut of emotions when the reason behind the end of Kyle and Casey's marriage is revealed. You can't help but hope that Kyle and Casey can put the trauma of their past behind them and hopefully rediscover the love they once shared.

What Happened to the McCrays? is a compelling story about the resilience of family and community, especially through loss, grief, redemption, love, and second chances.

Disclaimer: I purchased a hardcover copy of the book via my subscription with Book Of The Month and also received an ARC copy from the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

https://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2025/02/what-happened-to-mccrays-by-tracey.html

"What Happened to the McCrays" was a deviation from my normal romance books and exactly what I needed. The complexity of the characters, the humanity of them created a story that had me sucked in from the start. This was my first book by Tracey Lange, but I will for sure be checking out the backlist. Thank you Caledon Books for the opportunity to read this book.

Tracey Lange will also be an auto-buy author for me. Her writing and stories are just wonderful! What Happened to the McCrays? is no exception. I was immediately drawn into the story. Kyle and Casey went through so much and there was a lot to be resolved. Saying too much would spoil this fantastic story. Definitely get this on your to-be-read shelf!

Have you ever just rooted for strangers to win? That was this book for me. Sometimes the best way forward is going through it together.

Well told story about family tragedy and guilt. Tracey Lange does a great job talking about families and relationships.
An author I will continue to follow.

In the end, this book just isn’t for me, but I do think there are readers who will love it. If you were a fan of the TV show This Is Us or enjoy an emotionally wrenching story, this is for you. I had no issues with the writing style, plotting, or characters, but as soon as I realized why the marriage at the center must have ended, I was no longer interested in reading. Once my hunch was confirmed, I DNFed at 40%.

Content warning for child loss.

I love Tracey Lange's books and have read all of them. What Happened to the McCrays is not my favorite but it was very good. This dual timeline story about family, both inherited and found, has secrets abound, likeable characters with relateable problems. I suggest you read any or all Tracey
Lange novels.