What Happened to the McCrays? by Tracey Lange @tracey_lange @snemethparker @demeritt @macmillan.audio #WhatHappenedToTheMcCrarys

the setup…
Kyle McCray is back in town. He left Potsdam over two years ago and has returned because his father just had a stroke and needs help. Kyle is reluctant to run into the people he left behind, in particular his ex-wife Casey. They were married for sixteen years and he still loves her. But reactions of others are mixed, some unexpectedly really happy to see him and others a little frosty, including Casey. What indeed happened to tear the McCrays apart?

the heart of the story…
It’s unclear initially why Kyle and Casey broke up or why he felt the need to leave town. She’s a middle school teacher and he’s an auto mechanic who owned his own operation there in Potsdam. The story unfolds in multiple timelines from the onset of their relationship through present day. The pacing was wonderful as the insights were well timed as I slowly began to understand the fractures. It was heartbreaking at times, absolutely lovely at others. But it was their reconnection over middle school hockey that brought the serious heart vibes when Kyle came to the rescue of the hapless team (he was a high school hockey star).

the narration…
Stephanie Németh-Parker and William DeMeritt delivered subtle but powerful performances, not getting in front of the eloquence of the words or over dramatizing. It was pretty special.

the bottom line…
This felt like an anatomy of a breakdown of a relationship when tragedy strikes and everything changes. It’s not any one person’s fault, just grief and trauma that create disconnections. There was nothing easy about Kyle’s and Casey’s reunion and I was rooting hard for them. But it was those middle schoolers that stole my heart, (I even enjoyed the hockey!) their innocence providing a balm. Such a painful but lovely story, told with so much authenticity.

Book Info

• Release Date: January 14, 2025
• Narrators: Stephanie Németh-Parker & William DeMeritt
• Audio Length: 10 hours, 26 minutes
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Listen to a Sample!

Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm

(Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)