Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC and Celadon Books #partner for the advanced copy of What Happened to the McCrays? in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: Celadon Books / Macmillan Audio
Published: January 14, 2025
Summary:
From New York Times bestselling author Tracey Lange, a poignant story about the resilience of family, the importance of community, and the magic of middle school hockey
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 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.
Full of love and hope, What Happened to the McCrays? takes an intimate look at both sides of a failed marriage and two people who must finally confront the awful pain of their past or risk being consumed by it.
My thoughts:
This is the third book I’ve read by Tracey Lange and while I have loved them all, this one is without a doubt my new favorite. No one does complicated, messy family drama like Lange and yet there is something about her stories that feel so real and relatable.
It’s no secret I come from a big family and so maybe that’s why I love these stories that Lange creates. She allows us to see normal, everyday people who have issues like everyone else in the world and how they might handle it. And that small-town setting always feels like home to me.
This one hit me in all my feels and maybe because of the way my life played out this year or not, but I really felt connected to these characters. It was an emotional, and at times heavy, ride for sure, but also one of hope and full of humor at times, which I just loved. There were definitely tears shed while reading this, but there were also chuckles to be had along the way, too. I don’t even want to say anything more for fear of spoiling anything…just trust me when I say, it’s my new favorite of her books and I cannot wait to see what she writes next!
Audio thoughts:
I listened to this one and could not put it down once I started it. The two narrators, Stephanie Nemeth-Parker and William DeMeritt, did an amazing job bringing this story to life. They each infused just the right amount of emotion into their voices as needed.
Purchasing from the link below supports independent bookstores and my blog!
