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kelly_e's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
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." 3
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." 3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Death, Mental illness, and Medical content
Minor: Bullying, Cursing, Infertility, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
depression, partner death, divorce, accidentstories_and_suds's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and Infertility
the_grateful_read's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Tracey Lange is an extraordinary storyteller. This is far from your typical second-chance romance—it's the compelling tale of Kyle and Casey, exploring all that unfolds when they marry young. The story is a slow burn, but one that pulls you in completely. I adored the sense of community in this book, the richly drawn cast of characters, and the way Tracey handled difficult topics with such grace and sensitivity. The dual timeline added depth and context, and the way different generations came together created a truly epic narrative.
That said, one of the main characters did oscillate a bit too much between “go/stay” and “yes/no” for my liking—by the end, I might have chosen differently. But that’s the beauty of books: they spark conversations and let us explore different perspectives.
This story, with its unforgettable characters and relatable struggles, feels both epic and deeply authentic. It’s one that will stay with me for a long time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Infertility, Self harm, and Suicide attempt
hheartbooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
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.
Thanks to netgalley for the audiobook! All opinions are my own.
**The only thing I would change is the cursing; I personally could do without it.
Thanks to netgalley for the audiobook! All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Mental illness, Self harm, Blood, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Infertility, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail