A beautifully written story that spans from 1979 to 2019 (technically starts in 1958 if you count the prologue) and follows Lillian, Ryan, and their daughter Georgette. Told from each of their perspectives in three separate parts, theirs is the story of how alcoholism tears apart families, but people can put them back together. This novel is full of beautiful reflections on parenthood, secrets, loss, and love.

Review: The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff
Sarah Damoff’s The Bright Years is a moving and intricately woven family saga that delves into the complexities of love, secrets, and intergenerational trauma. Spanning four generations of the Bright family, the novel masterfully captures the emotional landscapes of its characters as they navigate life’s unexpected twists, all while trying to hold on to one another amidst deep-seated personal and familial struggles.

At the heart of the story are Ryan and Lillian Bright, a couple deeply in love yet burdened by secrets that threaten their marriage and the future of their family. Lillian’s hidden past—a son she gave up for adoption—is an unresolved part of her life that shadows her every decision. Ryan, on the other hand, grapples with an alcohol addiction, another secret that erodes the foundations of their relationship. Their daughter, Georgette, is born into this fraught dynamic, and the novel skillfully portrays her coming of age as she witnesses the highs and lows of her parents’ marriage.

Damoff’s decision to explore the family’s story from three different perspectives—Lillian, Ryan, and Georgette—adds depth to the narrative, allowing readers to see the full emotional scope of each character’s inner life. Lillian’s guilt over her hidden son, Ryan’s battle with addiction, and Georgette’s struggle to understand the fragmentation of her family are all rendered with sensitivity and emotional complexity. These alternating points of view also highlight how each generation shapes and impacts the next, creating a rich tapestry of shared trauma, love, and redemption.

As Georgette grows older, her attempts to distance herself from the pain of her parents’ crumbling relationship are heartbreakingly relatable. Damoff paints her as a character torn between wanting to escape her family’s legacy and feeling an inescapable pull back toward them. When Lillian’s son, long lost to the family, reappears years later, Georgette is forced to confront the past she’s tried so hard to leave behind. This search for connection and belonging is central to the novel’s themes, and Damoff handles it with grace, illustrating the messy, often painful process of reconciling with one’s roots.

One of the novel’s strongest aspects is its exploration of how secrets—whether Lillian’s hidden son or Ryan’s addiction—can ripple through generations, affecting relationships and shaping identities. Damoff doesn’t shy away from depicting the emotional toll of these buried truths, but she also shows how love and forgiveness can bring healing, even after years of estrangement. The reconciliation process, particularly through Georgette’s eyes, is tender and nuanced, highlighting the power of grace in the face of long-held family wounds.

While the novel delves into heavy topics like addiction, loss, and familial separation, it is also a story about hope and the enduring strength of familial bonds. The Texas setting provides a warm, grounded backdrop for the narrative, and Damoff’s descriptions of the landscapes, both physical and emotional, bring a vivid sense of place to the story. The emotional beats of the novel feel authentic, with each character’s pain and growth portrayed in a way that resonates deeply with the reader.

Damoff’s writing is thoughtful and measured, particularly in her depiction of Ryan’s addiction and the devastating impact it has on his marriage and daughter. The novel does not gloss over the difficulties of addiction but instead offers a raw, unflinching portrayal of how it affects both the addict and those who love them. However, Damoff also provides moments of hope and redemption, showing how recovery—though arduous—can help mend broken relationships.

Final Thoughts:
The Bright Years is a beautifully written and emotionally resonant family saga that explores the profound impact of secrets, addiction, and reconciliation. Sarah Damoff deftly weaves together multiple generations and perspectives to create a rich, multi-layered narrative about love, loss, and the enduring ties that bind families together. Fans of Mary Beth Keane and Claire Lombardo will appreciate the tender, true-to-life storytelling and the novel’s exploration of how grace and forgiveness can heal even the deepest wounds. It’s a heartfelt, thought-provoking read that will stay with readers long after the final page.

Unfortunately not for me. In a world with SO many books being published, I just don't see this as a must in our collection.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC! In *The Bright Years* by Sarah Damoff, readers are taken through the emotional journey of the Bright family across four generations, each grappling with the heavy legacies of secrets and addiction. At the heart of the story is the marriage between Lillian and Ryan Bright, whose individual hidden struggles—Lillian's undisclosed son and Ryan's alcoholism—eventually shake their fragile family dynamic. Their daughter, Georgette, must navigate the ripple effects of their choices, especially when Lillian’s son reappears later in life. Damoff’s debut novel delicately explores themes of love, forgiveness, and the enduring bonds of family despite heartbreak. It’s a poignant narrative about how family trauma can both divide and ultimately heal those who embrace it.

5 STARS!!! I loved this book. It was brilliantly written and the story was one that affected the heart. I really enjoyed getting to know each of the characters. A story spanning generations is pleasing and all encompassing. I felt sympathy for Ryan, empathy for Lillian, and understanding for Jet. I also enjoyed the three points of view. I think this catapulted the pacing of this story. I appreciated the honesty of this story, and I feel like that it made the characters all the more real. I did not want this book to end; it was that good!!!

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy (releases April 2025).

Holy smokes, this book absolutely wrecked me 🥹😭💔 Told through multiple perspectives (a wife, her daughter, and her husband), this novel spans decades of time and covers a family as they navigate new parenthood and marriage, a crippling addiction that tears them apart, and how death and grief can pull us under. I was blown away by the heart and the raw emotion of this novel, and Damoff’s portrayal of addiction, abuse, forgiveness, hope, and pain was so real and hit very close to home for me.

I will warn readers that if you have a history of family addiction, this one may be difficult to get through. I know I personally had to take several breaks because my own memories were surfacing. However, I am so glad I stuck with it, because the love and redemption amidst the hurt and anger and grief was so artfully portrayed that I was left in awe at the end.

This was a bit reminiscent of Tracey Lange or Mary Beth Keane. A family saga spanning several generations, and a book that reminds us we can break familial cycles, even when it isn’t easy.

This was such a deeply moving read, with well-developed characters that had you rooting for or against them at various times in the story, but that kept you intrigued throughout. While there are three different parts of the book, each a different character's point of view, the author thankfully doesn't go all overly repetitive with the details of duplicative scenes, but instead makes you feel grateful they developed the story and characters so well that it wasn't needed to move the story along. I am glad I read this book though I can't quite give it five stars as I left wanting more, but what, I'm not sure I can put my finger on it and for that I apologize. I spent quite a bit thinking about it, too!

Thank you, Simon & Shuster and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC

I was blown away that this is a debut novel. The Writing style was beautiful and flowed like poetry at points. It showed every perspective from a family crushed my alcohol. As a daughter to a recovering alcoholic I understood Jet completely.

This book was perfection to me. I read it in one sitting. It took me 5 hours.

I loved this book! When I first started reading the book I thought it might be a modern retelling of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - there are some similarities.

I really fell in love with the characters and their relationships with each other. This would be a good one for book club discussion.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc! Publication date is 4/1/25.

For fans of Ann Napolitano and Claire Lombardo, Sarah Damoff's "The Bright Years" follows father Ryan, mother Lillian, and daughter Jet through decades of heartbreak and resurrection as they navigate addiction, parenthood, adolescence, family, and friendship.

I was worried at first by the fast pace of the novel, particularly from Lillian's perspective as she had many years to cover. However, Damoff covered the high notes of the Brights' lives in a way that I didn't fear I was missing important details along the way.

Some of the historic references, like the Davidians at Waco, could have been removed. Their purpose felt more about establishing timelines and less about how those events' impact on the characters.

I thought the author covered addiction as sensitively, and realistically as possible. Ryan's experience and history felt authentic, and I appreciated Damoff's choice for Ryan to struggle with sobriety for his entire life. That choice felt in service to the reader to keep it honest versus wrapping it up in a neat bow for reviews.

I thought The Bright Years was wonderful and I hope for its success!

4.5 stars! Read this one thanks to the ARC from #Netgalley. I absolutely loved this book. It such realistic problems and lovable characters. Despite the amount of loss there was also so much joy. I know this will be a big hit in 2025! I probably will want to “read” it again, but listen. Can’t believe this was a debut novel.

This book was beautiful! This is a mult-generational, character driven fiction. It is written from 3 different POV, each having a different cadence. It is a beautiful story about love and loss, forgiveness and redemption. It is heartbreaking and hopeful. I think I cried through the last 1/3 of the book.

I can not believe this is a debut novel. I look forward to more by this author.

I loved this book so much, I can not wait to get the hard copy and notate it. The writing is so beautiful without be overtly flowery. I can not wait to read it again.

Thank you to Net Galleyand Simon & Schuster for the ARC.

The debut novel The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff is a multi-generational story of the Bright family, composed of Ryan, Elise, Lillian and Jet. Damoff’s novel deftly tells the story of the Bright family as they navigate life’s ups and downs. We observe the Bright family as they fall in love, give birth and follow their passions and life’s dreams while tackling difficult and traumatic issues including alcohol addiction, adoption, domestic violence, miscarriage, eating disorders, grief, depression and loss. The novel is set in Texas and spans decades from 1958 - 2019. Damoff expertly tells the story from three points of view by weaving in details throughout the decades that make the characters feel real and relatable. At its core, The Bright Family is a story about family (blood related and the family you create) and the risks we take for love. Damoff’s prose is beautiful and literally brought tears to my eyes during several different parts of the novel. The Bright family’s story will stay with me for some time.

Thank you to @netgalley and @simonbooks for the ARC. The Bright Years will be published on April 1, 2025.

Wow - this was an excellent, sprawling family story that I couldn’t put down. Full of both joy and heartbreak, this debut will hook you from start to finish!

They had me at “readers of Claire Lombardo.” The Bright Years by @sarahdamoff is a generational family drama with multiple secrets, three POV told over the years of 1958 to 2019. From the preface, even before page one, we learn that what happens in childhood matters. And even for those who suffer, there is hope.

This is a highly descriptive novel, Lillian and Ryan Bright’s love story, all the births, deaths and family secrets. The third POV in the story is their daughter Georgette, known as Jet. Falling in love and alcoholism, air travel and photography. It’s a nice addition that in each year are throw away references to news and culture in the year of the chapter. Although this spans many years, it reads like a short story, and I am reminded more of Raymond Carver than Claire Lombardo. Every death grieves every other death, every birth reminds you of every other birth. I read it in one sitting.

Thanks to @netgalley and @simonbooks for the ARC. Book to be published April 1, 2025

#thebrightyears #netgalley #booksbooksbooks #bookreview #bookstagram #booktok

This is, at times, a difficult read. Heartbreak - of having an alcoholic husband and father; of being an alcoholic - the primary emotion I felt while reading this book. Told from the viewpoint of the 3 main characters, we’re given glimpses of hope. Redemption comes at the end, and it’s that redemption that bumps my 3.5 stars to 4.

An absolutely incredible debut novel from Sarah Damoff!! This is a truly beautiful and poignant story about the heartbreak, confusion, and the overpowering, all-consuming nature of love, family, friendship, addiction, grief, and the passing of time.

I love books that make me feel. Like, really FEEEEL. And this book delivered on that tenfold, and is so incredibly written. Truly such an immersive story with SO much depth. I literally felt myself in the Bright's apartment, experiencing all the love, the hurt, the loss, and so much more right alongside the family. I felt myself with Jet as she navigated her life and all of its ups and downs and moments of pain and confusion. I found myself in the pages of this book over and over again. I cried (numerous times), I smiled, and I connected with these characters on such a deep level. I truly cannot say enough good things about this book, and I am so grateful I had the chance to read it early. I will be highly recommending this book for the foreseeable future.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and the author for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The writing within these pages is nothing short of stunning! I cannot tell you how many times I thought "Ooooooh, yes. That!!!" The characters are genuine, their emotions and actions relatable, and their flaws perfectly imperfect. This author has some serious chops and I can't wait to see what other things she puts out into the world. It is a difficult story to tell, but it was in the right hands, and the outcome is poignant and at times both heartbreaking and joyful.

This beautiful novel delves into the complexities of family, love, and the secrets that can either bind or break us. Ryan and Lillian Bright, a couple deeply in love and navigating the challenges of new parenthood, harbor secrets that cast long shadows over their marriage. As their daughter Georgette grows up in the midst of their hidden struggles—Ryan’s battle with alcoholism and Lillian’s undisclosed son—she witnesses the highs and lows of their relationship, shaping her own views on love and trust.

Hit with an unexpected blow, Georgette tries to distance herself from her family but finds it hard to leave her past behind. With Lillian’s son searching for his birth family, Georgette returns to her roots to delve into their family history and possibly make amends before it’s too late.

Told from three different perspectives, each character is richly drawn. While the narrative is infused with a raw, emotional honesty that resonates long after the final page, the exploration of love, grace, and redemption feels somewhat forced at times.

Overall, this is a good pick for anyone who appreciates stories of family, resilience, and the redemptive power of love.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff tells the story of Ryan and Lillian Bright. As newlyweds they happily begin their story of starting a family. However, by keeping secrets and avoiding their pasts it leads to heartache. Now their daughter Georgette must face the inherited struggles of her parents while learning to cope with her interpretation of their pain along with her own struggles in life. The book is a poignant story about secrets, addiction, loss, friendships, family and forgiveness. It’s about seeing the light even when things seem dark.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley, for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.