Thank you for the opportunity to review The Bright Years. I was captivated by the emotional depth and rawness of the story. Damoff brilliantly captures how grief and pain evolve over time, showing that while they may never fully disappear, they can transform as we grow.
The alternating points of view offer a rich, multifaceted perspective on the protagonist's journey, revealing how different people process loss in their own ways. This layered storytelling adds emotional weight and complexity to the narrative. I look forward to reading more of Sarah’s work!

Emotional family drama! What a debut! If you enjoy family drama like The Names or Broken Country, give this one a try. We follow the Bright family from 1958 to 2019 and what a journey. Love, life, loss, addiction, redemption... it has a bit of it all. While it started out a little slow in the beginning, by the end I couldn't turn the pages fast enough (or in my case, listen to it nonstop). The audiobook narration was wonderful. It definitely has some tough topics so check out trigger warnings before starting this one but such a great read!

If I could give this book 10 stars I would. Infinite. Why? Because I am 40 years old, I have been reading non stop since my early 20s. To the day I finished The bright years I HAVE NEVER cried reading a book… until now. I don’t know exactly why, I don’t. This book just hit me just about the right time, space, moment and I read the last 5 pages and my tears were flooding. That’s all I have to say. Forever marked.

The Bright Years is a multi-generational family saga that delves into the complexities of love, addiction, and healing. Told from the perspectives of Lillian, Ryan, and Jet, the novel spans six decades, exploring how each generation deals with the shadows of the past while hoping for redemption and connection.

The writing is both tender and unflinching. It captures the nuances of familial bonds and the enduring impact of trauma.

Sold. In love. I adore finding an author that can write hard topics realistically and beautifully. What a triumph!

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was a heartbreaking novel but also had beautiful and hopeful moments. Anyone that has been involved with someone with an addiction will identify with the characters and the story.

Although it was a great story, some of the timeline events didn't seem to flow well, and they mentioned something about reflecting on school shootings, specifically Columbine, before Columbine happened.

This book brought me to tears. With its rich world-building and deeply layered character development, The Bright Years takes readers through the lives of four generations of one North Texas family—their struggles, demons, loves, and joys. Life comes full circle for some characters, while others are cut short or never even make it into the world, leaving an unforgettable mark.

Damoff handles themes of addiction, denial, and redemption with raw honesty, showing the heartbreak of those who need help but cannot accept it. At the same time, she beautifully portrays the enduring love and forgiveness that family and friends extend—even when the ones they love feel they don’t deserve it.

This is a story that lingers long after the final page.

One of my favorite novels this year THE BRIGHT YEARS BY @sarahdamoff comes out tomorrow and is absolutely one you will want to pick up!

The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff is a beautifully written novel about the quiet struggles, painful conflicts, and lasting bonds of family. Told through the alternating perspectives of Lillian, Ryan, and their daughter Georgette (Jet), the story follows the family over several decades and explores how love, secrets, and addiction can shape a family over time. Every character is emotionally compelling and backed by an incredibly supporting cast of secondary characters.

At the novel's heart is Lillian, a devoted mother who’s spent years burying a secret she never fully recovered from. Ryan, Lillian’s husband, is battling generational demons, determined but often failing to show up for his family in the ways they need him most.

Jet’s journey is perhaps the novel's most compelling and emotional throughline. Growing up in a house filled with love but haunted by unspoken truths, Jet is left to navigate the gaps between what’s said and what’s hidden.

Sarah Damoff captures the beauty and pain of ordinary lives with raw emotion, empathy, and grace. The way the characters' lives are woven together—sometimes in conflict and sometimes in harmony—makes this novel feel truly authentic.

If you love character-driven stories that explore family dynamics, hope, and love and leave you thinking about it long after you finish, I think you will love THE BRIGHT YEARS as much as I did.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for the e-ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

From the note to the reader, Sarah Damoff reveals, “I became a social worker because of the same two realizations that would lead me to write THE BRIGHT YEARS. The first is this: what happens in childhood matters. The second: even for those who suffer in childhood, there is hope yet.” So sets the stage for this moving novel.

Damoff explores the destruction of addiction, especially alcoholism, as she weaves a family saga from various characters’ points of view. What family and belonging can look like in various iterations is examined, as well as our griefs and regrets. Damoff has the ability to capture great truths simply, such as, “I’ve learned how big of a dream it is to have a small life.”

I was drawn into this rich depiction of the real messiness of things, and I couldn’t help rooting for redemption. It’s a beautifully written book with depth and insight, with complex topics handled frankly but gently.

(Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.)

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read, “The Bright Years” by Sarah Damoff. This was such an amazing book and I cannot wait to recommend it to everyone I know!

Loved The Bright Years the writing is gorgeous the story so emotional so moving.Alcoholism plays a part in this debut novel unputdownable.#NetGalley #the brightyears. # NetGalley #thebrightyears

So glad I finally pulled this one off the shelf. What a great and powerful story. If you have triggers for alcoholism or eating disorders, this one may be a tough read for you. If you can get past these though, what a great book.

This story follows a few generations of a family that is faced with alcoholism. The love that binds them also cripples them at times and the sadness that follows is pretty tough to read. If you can stick with it through the tough parts, there are some joyful moments as well.

The characters were so well developed, and I was immediately invested in their lives. I found myself pulling for all of them to be able to find their way back to sobriety, joy, to each other.

The love stories felt very real, and the idea of redemption carried well throughout the timelines. Really good pacing, nothing felt like it dragged to me, and I loved the story.

incredible story and the writing was impeccable. i was nervous i wasn't going to like this as the storyline sounded like it was going to break my heart in a million pieces. well, it did that, but i wasn't sorry. Damoff handled the subject matter well. LOVED - can't wait to read more of her books.

I hardly know where to begin with this book. What a story! We begin with Ryan and Lillian, and this is really the saga of them and their family. Their attraction is pretty immediate, but there are also danger signs, because neither of them has been completely honest with the other. As things typically do, those secrets become festering points for problems in the relationship. Lillian had a son before she met Ryan, and Ryan is an alcoholic like his father. They have a daughter, Georgette, and she is a bright light for both of them. But the issues between them are serious, and there are years of dark times and missing important things and deep hurt between them.

I wasn’t expecting this one to impact me so strongly. The book seemed long, but it went by fast. It’s heart wrenching and the magnitude of the lives of these characters will stay with me a long time. An added theme is Texas! I’m a native, and most of the story takes place in Fort Worth, with a little in San Antonio. Very authentic. I highly recommend this one!

Five stars!

I received a copy of the digital ARC via the publisher and NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

What a perfect book!!! And what a debut. This book is special. I did not know anything about it prior to starting, and it completely captivated me, surprised me, devastated me, and put me back together all at the same time.

I think the author does such a spectacular job of discussing these heavier topics, and the way that she weaved these characters with so much feeling, emotion, grit, love. I am in awe!!!

This book is about a family that is burdened with secrets and addiction. It’s told from three different POVs which splits the book into thirds. It also covers about 50 years from the 70s to the 2010s. That being said, I really don’t think this book went deep enough in its 288 pages to cover all of this territory. I really enjoyed the story and the premise and once I was into it I really loved it, but the entire first part of it felt disconnected in its storytelling that it took me a while to actually care about these characters. That being said, there is still so much powerful writing and I’m impressed that this all is from a debut author. I would definitely recommend this one if you love a deeply emotional book about families.

A moving story about the daughter and family of an alcoholic. Especially enlightening because every character is equally damaged and flawed by the circumstances of life, both bad and good. Addiction is an illness that significantly and endlessly impacts the lives of all family members unlike any other illness.
Jet is the amazing daughter of an alcoholic father. Her story is tragic and sad, joyful and full of love. Her Nana - her father’s mother - also endured great sadness and loss as well as great love and fulfillment.
The contrast between these two women and the alcoholic father/son they shared and loved is masterfully crafted by Damoff. These women meet the challenges of everyday life under the shadow of his illness while he chooses to drown the same challenges in bottles of booze.
And the “choice” makes all the difference.

An impressive debut novel that weaves the journey of a family with their struggles dealing with alcoholism, the burdens of secrets, loss, and regret. I loved the structure of the book: three voices telling the story, and chapters by year. It is emotional and truthful and this one left me teary- eyed at the end.

The Bright Years is the debut novel by Sarah Damoff. The novel is told in past and present timelines and in multiple points of view, following four generations. The novel is brief, at less than 300 pages. Sarah Damoff’s writing is lovely; there are many gems of deep and profound insight about life and love scattered throughout the novel. It is a tale of loss, of regret, of finding and losing love, and of forgiveness. There are heavy topics discussed, but they didn’t quite hit me emotionally. I’m not sure the book was long enough for me to feel as if I had formed relationships with the characters or if there was a disconnect there due to the author’s writing style (which I still think is beautiful), etc. I wanted the book to be longer, I wanted to bond more with these characters, but I just couldn’t, and that’s a shame because I feel like with about 50-100 more pages of character development, I may have been spilling the tears that everyone else has been spilling over this novel! Overall, though, a great debut that I’m rating 3 out of 5 stars. I’ll be interested to read this author’s work in the future. I think she has a lot of potential. Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The Bright Years examines generational trauma and coming of age/growing up in a way most can relate to right now. The things we say, the things we keep secret, and how often we spend our time second-guessing our actions, our decisions, afraid of the repercussions. Highly recommend.