by Tracey Lange
First published 2025
Kyle McCray receives the call he's been dreading. His father has suffered a stroke in their small hometown of Potsdam, New York. After two and a half years away, Kyle must return to face the wreckage he left behind. His wife Casey, a respected local teacher, makes her feelings clear: she wants him gone. His former employees and friends remember his sudden departure. Kyle plans to help his father recover and leave again as quickly as possible. But Potsdam has other plans. When the struggling middle school hockey team needs a coach, Kyle sees a chance to make amends. As he works with the kids, he discovers forgiveness in places he never expected. The town that once felt like a trap might become his salvation. Yet staying means confronting Casey and the painful history that drove him away. Kyle must decide whether he can rebuild what he destroyed or if some damage runs too deep to repair.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, second-chance
Setting: New York, Potsdam
Period: 2.5 Years
352 pages · Kindle Edition · Celadon Books