I loved this book! The writing was amazing and I read this in a day. I couldn't put it down, I wanted to know what was going to happen to Lillian, Ryan and Jet. I loved that it was set in Fort Worth, TX and throughout Texas, as I am a native Texan.
This is a deep look into addiction and what it can do to a family. There is so much love between these characters and the right decisions aren't always made. It is hard to read in many ways because there is loss and it is sad.
I loved Jet and Elise and Kendi. I liked watching Jet grow and change and how the loss she experiences molds her and changes her.
I adored Elise and how much she cared about Lillian and Jet, even as her son, is struggling to stay in the picture.
Lillian is such a strong character, bearing the weight of motherhood, but leaning on found family in the process. I related to her journey through motherhood a lot. There are so many lines I highlighted throughout. This was one of my favorites: "I begin to understand that keeping a child is like keeping the sky- always with me but never mine."
Jet and Kendi's relationship grows and changes, as relationships do as you grow up. They had emotions and loss to process. Eventually they figured out how to do that while backing each other.
I think that many people are going to love this novel and it will make great discussions for book clubs.

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This was a very emotionally “heavy” book. It is a story of one family’s struggle with addiction. How that addiction impacted each family member in such profound ways.
It about family, love, loss and showing the people you love the true meaning of grace.

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for this eArc!

I cannot believe this is a debut author-THAT is how exceptional this book is. I read most of it in one sitting, gasping, laughing and even crying a little. This story of Ryan, Lillian and what happens over time in a marriage is utterly a masterpiece. I hope it sells a zillion copies next year when it releases. Thank you to Edelweiss who provided me with a copy for my honest review.

This is a stunningly beautiful, yet heartbreakingly sad novel about love, family, addiction, loss and redemption.

When Lillian meets Ryan, they fall madly in love. They are both hurting from grief and this is what draws them together. When they start a family of their own, Ryan vows to be a better father than his own, but when he can’t keep that promise, he knows he must leave. Lillian raises their daughter, Georgette (Jet, for short) on her own knowing that Ryan will come and go, in his fog of alcohol, as best as he knows how. But when tragedy strikes, Jet must move on and learn how to forgive, how to love, and how to make peace with her past.

This book is masterful. I cried, I laughed, and I contemplated my own life choices while reading this. I honestly cannot believe this is a debut novel. I will read every book that Sarah Damoff writes. Thank you, NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the opportunity to read this 5-star novel.

The Bright Years, the debut novel by Sarah Damoff is an unvarnished story about the pain of alcohol addiction told from the perspectives of the wife, the daughter and the alcoholic husband/father. It’s extremely well written and details the emotional ups and downs of hope that often bring hopelessness, anxiety and sometimes a chance of redemption. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley. Most highly recommend.

Wow, The Bright Years is a hard, sad, and wholly beautiful book. Lillian is an orphaned young woman swept off her feet by Ryan. Despite the heaviness of her life without parents, Lillian is able to fall happily and deeply in love with Ryan. Things change for them both when she becomes pregnant. Secrets rise to the surface and Ryan is pushed to a path he’s always avoided: alcohol as life’s coping mechanism.

They share a daughter, Georgette, more commonly referred to as Jet. Jet, alongside some special neighbors become Lillian’s family. There are hard years and ups and downs, but this core group grows ever stronger. Occasionally shaken by the storm of Ryan’s alcoholism.

It feels hard to sum up this story, told in three parts: first Lillian, second by Jet and third, by Ryan. The relationships feel deep, important and real. The pain of Ryan’s alcoholism, as a family illness, is tangible. I felt moved to tears several times, especially as the book neared its end.

Overall, I loved this story and its characters. Highly recommended. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thought books couldn’t make me cry… until I read this.

The Bright Years follows Lillian, Ryan, and their daughter Georgette (Jet) on a familial journey of love, addiction, and loss.

This story was beautifully told from all three different points of view at different times in their lives. You get to see the full story and find both anger and understanding for all three.

As a thriller reader who sometimes dabbles in contemporary and general fiction, I can’t wait to share this with my fellow book lovers! It’s a fantastic, emotional story that I could not put it down.

Books about birth families are some of my faves. This story was rich and heartbreaking and hopeful all at the same time. I was fascinated with the writing and flow of each chapter. It worked for me! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This is a beautifully written, raw account of one family's journey through a collection of tragedies and misadventures. The book is contained in small scenes by date, narrated by the different characters. There are no punches pulled; this is a raw story. Without this toughness, though, I don't think the full complexity and beauty of the characters would shine through. Well worth the read and the five stars.

I do love a multi generational family novel, sprawling decades, with shifting perspectives, but The Bright Years was not my favorite read. The story and characters were compelling but the writing felt like a work in progress still. I think it has a lot of potential and I would love to revisit this book in its final form.

The impact of alcoholism on a family can go on for generations.
This novel opens with a riveting, sad prologue (a boy and his mom on the fun from his violent dad).
Next, a meet-cute with a really sweet guy who actually does become a good husband and father....
A woman who's kept her illegitimate child a secret from the man she married...
This is well-written and high-impact, but I found myself skimming after a while.
Life is hard, and when I read, I seek to escape into something light hearted and amusing.
Yes, I continue to read the difficult stuff. Because I cannot NOT read the sad stuff. (Especially historical fiction and nonfiction.)
Finding happy reading material is not easy.
No, I don't insist on happy endings, but I crave a consolation prize, some silver lining for all the tragedies, and some humor.
Kudos to Sarah Damoff for tackling this dark subject matter.

Wow, wow, wow. I cannot believe this is a debut! This book is one of my top reads by far.

The story follows Lillian, Georgette, and Ryan through their journeys. Damoff does this in a way that does not make it feel long and slow. It is perfectly paced and gives you so many emotions. I laughed, cried, smiled, and grieved while reading.

I highly recommend this.

TW: Miscarriage and Alcoholism.

Really lovely, absorbing, and heartbreaking.

Lillian loves Ryan and Ryan loves Lillian. For a while, that’s enough. When their daughter, Georgette, is born, secrets emerge that threaten to upend all of their lives.

This is a tender and captivating read about love, family, friendship, grief, and addiction. The writing is gorgeous and full of care and empathy for its characters. The inclusion of three points of view (Lillian’s, Georgette’s, and Ryan’s) and the transitions between each was done so well. I did not want the story to end and highly recommend it.

Thank you very much to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy of this stunning debut.

The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff is one of my most favorite books of the summer. I laughed and cried my way through this novel. The characters are written beautifully in this story of the Bright family told in 3 parts all from a different family members view point which I absolutely loved.
The author has made these characters so real and accessible you can’t put this book down I devoured it.
Sarah Damoff has shown us the story of this family through addiction, loss, and forgiveness. I also loved that it was based in Texas, which gave me an added level of understanding since I knew exactly where the places she had described in her story are.
Looking forward to reading more from this author!

If there were more stars than 5 I would give them! Words escape me on how to describe this book. I will just say that here, there, and everywhere have new meaning to me. In the prelude Sarah Damon’s said “And I believe a good novel can do the same thing as a good social worker: help someone feel a little less alone.” So many thanks to the author for the hours I got to enjoy the characters and the story. Also, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc and a book that I won’t soon forget.

Stunning! Stunning! Stunning! The story starts with Ryan and Lillian Bright, recently married and now with a daughter, Georgette. Neither one has been completely honest about their pasts which include a secret son and an alcohol addiction. It’s also a story of pulling through adversities, love, family and the impact each generation has on the next.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Though she was young, Lillian had already lived a full life before meeting Ryan. She had been in love with a musician, who left her for fame and fortune. Pregnant and alone, she gave up her baby for adoption and settled for years of a quiet, loveless life until she met Ryan. He filled her empty spaces and made her trust in love and men again. However, soon after the birth of their baby girl Jet, Ryan changed. The love he had for them was transferred to the bottle. As Ryan swirled down the path of alcoholism, abuse, and addition, Lillian’s hopes and dreams for their family died.

In their own voices, Lillian, Ryan, and Jet tell their stories of love, pain, disillusion, addiction, betrayal, acceptance, and peace. Even Lillian’s baby boy, born years earlier and now grown with a family of his own, has a role to play in helping to teach the family how to trust again.

This family saga across the generations will make readers think deeply about what it means to love someone “till death do us part.”

Recommended for Adults.

Excellent book! I could not put this book down. I was so engaged with the story and characters and I did not want the book to end. I will be looking for other titles by the author! One of my favorite reads of the year!

What an unbelievably beautiful and heartbreaking story of love, loss, grief, and family. Hard to believe this was the author’s debut novel. I finished The Bright Years last night, with tears streaming down my face, and I’m still feeling all the emotions. I’m almost at a loss for words as nothing I write can do justice to this thoughtful piece. Definitely one of the best I’ve read this year. Highly recommend!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Damoff, and Simon and Schuster for the opportunity to review this ARC in exchange for my review.

It’s hard to believe this is a debut. “The Bright Years” is brilliant! This heartbreaking, beautiful family saga is going to last with me for a long time, and I do believe it’s on par with the classics. I plan to reread closer to publication day and can’t wait to recommend, especially to my book club. Thanks so much for the opportunity to read in advance!