4.25 stars

I have read all three of Tracey Lange’s novels now, and I have to say that her upcoming novel WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MCCRAYS? is my favorite. The author has a theme in all her writing so far, and that’s healing after crisis/tragedy. Her other two novels focused on big family sibling dynamics, but this one focused on divorced couple Kyle and Casey.

I think you might not know what to expect by looking at the cover. Were the McCrays taken from their house in the dead of winter? No. The McCrays are a divorced couple, and Kyle has been summoned back to his hometown to help out after his father is hospitalized. Casey still lives in the town. This novel moves back and forth between present day and the history of their relationship.

There are plot-related triggers in this novel (two big ones!), so check a more thorough summary if you feel that would turn you off.

Why I didn’t rate this higher is the main thrust of this novel isn’t very original. I’ve seen it quite a bit. I did think Lange had a deft hand in her writing though. She drops enough hints that you can piece together what happened before it’s revealed. Because this is a novel about healing and not one of suspense, I was completely good with not having any jaw-dropping moments.

I thought the main characters were good people going through stuff, so I had a good amount of empathy with them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love the way this author tells stories. This one had a little more of a romance plot in it as you have flashbacks of the two characters growing up. There is heartbreak in it but it ultimately is a beautiful story about healing and forgiveness. I think fans of this author will like the emotional depth that is in this novel.

TW: death of a child

I absolutely love Tracey Lange's writing! She is now 3 for 3 with me and officially an auto buy author! Her characters, her storytelling, and all the emotions they each bring out. What Happened to the McCray's? was exponentially sadder than I was prepared for. Even so, I simply could not put this one down. I wanted to stick it out to witness these characters, grow, and heal, and find whatever their version of happily ever after looks like. The narrators we SO good! I felt like their voices matched the characters well!

•Small town
•Third person/dual POV
•Past and present timelines
•First love
•Second chance at love
•Complicated family dynamics

4.5 stars

Thank you to Celadon Books for an advanced copy of this beautiful story in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan for the advanced reader copy.

Tracey Lange did complicated family relationships so well in her previous two books and WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MCCRARYS is no exception. Casey and Kyle's love story--and then the tragic loss that pulls them apart--was honest and gut wrenching. While there are clearly plot levers that Lange uses to move her characters around the world of the story, nothing feels artificial. The end also felt well earned and not pandering. This is an author that's going to be an auto-read for me. Can't wait to see what comes next.

What Happened to the McCrarys? is out January 14, 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What Happened to the McCrays?
Author: Tracey Lange
Publication Date: January 14, 2025
Source: Celadon Books ARC

I don’t think it is too soon to tell you that I will consider this novel one of my best books for 2025. Tracey Lange has a gift for creating great characters who are memorable yet simple, with relatable life struggles. I don’t want to give too much away. Still, the story centers around a tight-knit community, especially a family, with Kyle and Casey McCray, parents of their only child, and an extended family of neglected children they keep under their loving wings of protection through school and coaching hockey. An epic tragedy tests this family, and we learn what it takes to come back from the deep depths of grief and find a way to live again. This book oozes with love, not just between husband and wife, but between the people surrounding the town of Potsdam, who prop each other up when needed. Life is hard, struggles are real, and grace surrounds us if we only remember to look for it. The McCrays face the worst, yet those who love work diligently to find a way back to the living. This story is a family drama with great backstories and interesting lead characters. A love story for 2025. #WhatHappenedTotheMcCrays @celadon #ARC @traceyLange #familyDrama #literaryfiction #love #loss #grief #selfBlame #struggles #community#hope #struggles #snow #hockey #renewal

I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to @celadonbooks, @netgalley and the author for the opportunity to read this novel. #CeladonBooks #CeladonReadsTogether @celadonbooks #ReadWhatHappenedToTheMcCrays @netgalley

#book #books #bookAddict #BooksOfInstagram #bookstagram #bookstagramer #bookshelf #reader #pbooklove #bookreviewer #WhatHappenedtotheMcCrays

Tracey does it again! She is so great at making you FEEEEL for her characters. I loved the story being filled with hockey, how close the McCrays were, and the pain/grief we felt for Casey and Kyle. I wish I didn’t read it in two days because I loved it so much and wanted to stay in Potsdam, NY a little longer.

“Sometimes you’ve taken all the shots you can, and then it’s time to let someone else carry the puck for awhile.” 😭😭

Thank you to Celadon Books for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review!

Get it! Out 1/14/25

I have loved all of Tracey Lange’s books but this has been my favorite so far. The story of what happened to the McCrays is so heart breaking and relatable. Casey and Kyle’s journey was not an easy one but I was rooting so hard for them and the unforgettable cast of supporting characters. This book cemented Tracey Lange as an auto buy author for me.
**Be sure to check trigger warnings before reading because this book deals with some triggering content.

What Happen3d to the McCrays was a novel filled with characters that were so well-written, it felt like they were friends. As Kyle and Casey reunite to help Kyle's dad readers are slowly given clues about the events that led to their divorce. Overall, I couldn't help rooting for this couple. I really loved this novel!

Thanks to Celadon Books 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 agrees to this plan.

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.

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

Thank you, #Partner @celadonbooks @Macmillanusa, for my #gifted (free) copy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️+ /5

Oh goodness, this book deserves all the stars. Lange seriously knows how to write a powerful and heartfelt story that brings  tears to my eyes and will stay with me forever. This is such a tragic love story, and it really shows you the meaning of how important communication really is. Pre-order and add this one to your TBR list!

When Kyle gets a phone call that his dad has a stroke, he feels obligated to return to his small hometown in Potsdam, New York. Kyle abruptly left home almost three years ago and not in the best way. He returns home and must face his family, friends, and ex-wife. Kyle realizes life in Postdam went on without him, and a lot has changed.

I loved this book and think it’s Tracey’s best one yet!

Two and a half years early after divorcing his high school sweetheart, Kyle left his hometown. When he gets a call that his father has suffered a stroke, the place he never wanted to return to he finds himself in, being around his ex-wife and what drove them apart, and coaching the middle school hockey team.

Tracey knows how to write a family drama and parts of this story broke my heart, but thankfully it was put back together in the end. Casey and Kyle are both broken with the history between them and each dealt with their grief in very different ways. I loved all of the characters in this book and each path that their story went down.

I have become a huge Tracey Lange fan. She has the ability to create characters that I immediately am drawn to. They’re just that real.
In this story, Kyle McCray has left his hometown of Potsdam, leaving behind his father and ex-wife. Then, he gets a call that his father has suffered a stroke and he needs to return home. Given how he left everyone in the lurch, he knows it’s not going to be an easy homecoming. The reader is only slowly told the facts on why he left. I loved that Lange doesn’t try to create a good guy/bad guy situation. Everyone has their reasons and they’re all understandable. It’s a strong family drama that also incorporates the whole small town vibe, with folks needing to rely on each other. As Lange says in her Acknowledgement, “One of the themes of this book is the importance and power of community.”
It deals with grief, and the different ways people respond to it. It also covers guilt and how we hold ourselves to impossible standards. The ending got a little sappy but overall it worked.
I was lucky to get a whole box of this book from Celadon Books as a book club giveaway. We’ll be discussing this on Monday and I can’t wait.

Lange delivers another outstanding family drama that is poignant, heartbreaking, and utterly compelling.

Kyle and Casey are divorced, and Kyle has moved across the country. However, when his father suffers a stroke, he returns to the small town he grew up in, where he must confront his ex-wife. As the layers unfold, we discover the beginnings of their love story and marriage and what caused its end. Lange is a masterful storyteller. This is beautifully written and layered. I rooted hard for them to reconnect.

Lange draws you in with relatable characters, situations, and a mix of heartache and hope. The characters, particularly MCs Kyle and Casey, are richly developed. But I also enjoyed the secondary characters, as they all face their own struggles. The community plays a significant role in the character's lives, and this one was tight-knit and lovely. I really came to care for this cast and was moved to tears more than once.

The audiobook is immersive and very well done, with excellent dual narration. Stephanie Nemeth-Parker and William DeMeritt embody their respective characters beautifully. The story has many complex and raw emotions that Lange writes compassionately while the narrators breathe life into them and add nuance. I could not stop listening and thought about this book for days after I finished. This is one of my top reads of the year!

Thank you to Celadon Books, Macmillan Audio, and Netgalley for the gifted review copies!

yle 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 Celadon Books for a gifted ALC of this title.

What Happened to the McCrays is a contemporary novel about a man who returns to his hometown to care for his ailing father and confronts the people he left behind, including his former wife.

Kyle McCray left his hometown in New York over two years ago to start over in Washington, but he’s unexpectedly called home to help his father recover from a stroke. His extended stay means he’ll have to face his failed marriage to his high school sweetheart and everyone else he left behind. His ex-wife, Casey, has tried to move on after a devastating loss and Kyle’s departure, but the local middle school hockey team desperately needs a coach, and Kyle is their best option.

Tracey Lange does a terrific job of writing about complicated families and couples. There is a lot of loss in this book, which can be difficult to read at times, but it’s a beautiful story about moving on after grief and finding your way back to each other.

Kyle McCray goes to his New York State hometown when his father suffers a stroke. He plans to lay low since he left town years ago, abandoning his father, friends, employees, and wife.

If you loved the Brennan’s, you’ll definitely enjoy this one as well. Both are quiet stories about families, with a lot of hidden depth that takes time to get to. Personally this was on the slower side for me, so it wasn’t my favorite. I felt the same about the Brennan’s. I know many people enjoyed both of these so I am definitely the odd one out.

“Small towns don’t forgive easily. Even when they do, they never forget.”

What Happened to the McCray’s comes out 1/14.

This book took a long time to get where it was going and I nearly put it down several times, but it was worth trudging through. It’s about the various aspects of grief and the various ways we choose to help ourselves through.

I appreciate the ARC from NetGalley and hope that those people needing this eye opener will read it.

Tracey Lange has this amazing way of connecting the reader to her characters. Not only did I feel a part of their lives, I felt myself rooting for all the characters in the situation. She takes an interesting family situation and pulls you in. I was on the edge of my seat, wanting to know what had happened to the McCrays in the past to lead them to the current situation that they are in. Highly recommend!

A five for me!

Just like the Brennans and the Connellys before them, you’ll want to meet the McCrays.

Kyle and Casey McCray seemed to have it all. High school sweethearts, happily married for sixteen years. But then, without warning, Kyle leaves—disappearing from town, his job, and the wife he still deeply loved. No one really knows why.

Now, two years later, Kyle is called back home. His father has suffered a major stroke and needs help regaining his strength, walking, and getting to physical therapy sessions. Though Kyle isn’t ready to face the past, he knows he can’t turn his back on his father.

When Kyle sees Casey again, all his feelings for her resurface, stronger than ever. He also discovers that the town doesn’t resent him as he feared; most people are understanding and forgiving. When the chance to coach the local teenage hockey team comes up, Kyle jumps at it. Hockey is his passion, and mentoring these kids becomes a path to healing—not just for them, but for himself too.

I loved every part of these characters. They felt so authentic—flawed, yes, but never malicious. Their humanity and kindness shone through on every page.

I can’t wait for the author’s next novel. I’m officially a fan!

Cliffhanger: No

5/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Celadon Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Title: What Happened to the McCrays?
Author: Tracey Lange
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: 5.00
Pub Date: January 14, 2025

I received complimentary eARC and ALC copies from Celadon Books and Macmillan audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted

T H R E E • W O R D S

Messy • Poignant • Sincere

📖 S Y N O P S I S

When Kyle McCray gets word his father has suffered a debilitating stroke, he returns to his hometown of Potsdam, New York, where he doesn’t expect a warm welcome. Kyle left suddenly two and a half years ago, abandoning people who depended on him - his father, his employees, his friends—not to mention Casey, his wife of sixteen years and a beloved teacher in town. He plans to lie low and help his dad recuperate until he can leave again, especially after Casey makes it clear she wants him gone.

The longer he’s home, the more Kyle understands the impact his departure has had on the people he left behind. When he’s presented with an opportunity for redemption as the coach of the floundering middle school hockey team, he begins to find compassion in unexpected places. Kyle even considers staying in Potsdam, but that’s only possible if he and Casey can come to some kind of peace with each other.

💭 T H O U G H T S

Tracey Lange is an auto-read author for me, so it will come as no surprise What Happened to the McCrays? was one of my most anticipated 2025 releases. I've loved her two previous novels, so I certainly had high hopes for this one as well, and it did not disappoint!

This story felt so real - the characters and their relationships were complex and messy, the small town community was entirely plausible, and the emotions made everything relatable. It is a love story, yet it is also so much more. A story of guilt and redemption. A story of marriage and hockey. A story of small towns and found family. A story of grief and hope. I felt Casey and Kyle's pain so intensely, and eventually their hope too. The secondary characters accompany them beautifully in a solid display of community and support. Everyone had their place, even the dog, Star.

Alternating between Kyle and Casey's perspectives, the novel is told through a present day timeline as well as flashbacks to the past. It's this structure which builds an air of mystery and slowly reveals the pain and trauma one layer at a time.

The dual narration by Stephanie Németh-Parker and William DeMeritt brought the entire story to life and made these characters unforgettable. It was a truly immersive experience with so much added emotion.

What Happened to the McCrays? was everything I was hoping it would be! Tracey Lange has delivered yet another phenomenal family drama filled with raw emotion and real characters. It certainly required the tissues. This book was the perfect way to kick of my reading in 2025 and an early contender to appear on my 2025 favourites list. I adore her writing style and will continue to pick up everything she writes!

📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• this author's previous books
• Beartown
• themes of grief

⚠️ CW: medical trauma, medical content, suicide attempt, self-harm, mental illness, depression, blood, injury/injury detail, death, death of parent, child death, partner death, grief, infertility, cursing, bullying, abandonment, pregnancy, divorce, accident, car accident,

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"Thank you for being different."

"But he didn't play for the future, he played for how alive it made him feel in the moment."

"'Sometimes you've taken all the shots you can', he said. 'And then it's time to let someone else carry the puck for awhile.'"

"Pain and happiness weren't mutually exclusive, they could coexist in the same moment, in the same memory."