I can’t even see what I’m typing—my tears are pouring like a torrent. I’m crying like a baby with colic, and one thing is for sure: I just finished the BEST DEBUT FICTION of the year. The other thing? My heart is completely shattered.

One family. Three perspectives—mother, father, and daughter. Broken hearts, grief, abuse, resentment, secrets, forgiveness, addiction, second-chance love, pain, sadness, invisible scars, child abandonment, teen motherhood, hope, promises—this book tackles so many triggering yet deeply thought-provoking themes through the epic, dramatic, raw, and profoundly emotional story of the Bright family.

Ryan and Lily Bright’s first meeting in a library feels like the perfect rom-com "meet-cute," the beginning of a love story between two flawed people, each hiding secrets that will shape their future in unexpected ways. Ryan comes from a broken home; his mother escaped an abusive relationship and raised him alone. He’s a photographer with big dreams of opening an art gallery, and though he vows to be a better man for Lily and a better father to their daughter, Georgette (aka Jet), he eventually falls into the same destructive patterns as his own father. Alcoholism steals him away from the life he tried to build, and one tragic mistake forces him to step back from his family.

Lillian, too, carries a heavy secret—she gave up a child for adoption as a teen mom after her first love chose music over fatherhood. She thought she’d found her second chance with Ryan, but now watches helplessly as the man she once loved disappears into someone unrecognizable.

Georgette is mostly raised by her Nana Elise, Ryan’s mother, and harbors deep resentment toward her parents for the secrets they kept. When she meets Davis—her mother’s adopted son—she begins to see the bigger picture and discovers the possibility of creating her own chosen family. As she begins to understand the weight of her parents’ decisions, her perspective begins to shift.

No words I write here can truly do justice to how powerful this book is. It turned me into a red-eyed, heart-wrecked mess. I deeply empathized with Lillian, Ryan, and Jet—their mistakes, pain, love, and longing—and it all resonated with my own feelings, regrets, and hopes. This story reminds us that no family is perfect, and no parent has all the answers. But love means showing up, trying again, and holding on, even when it’s hard.

What more can I say? I’m speechless. I wholeheartedly loved every chapter, every character, every ache, and every word in this book. It’s already etched into my heart, and without a doubt, it’s my pick for Best Debut of the Year.

Ten gazillion stars.

Endless thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with a digital reviewer copy of this stunning debut in exchange for my honest thoughts. I’m beyond grateful.

This is a heavy, heavy book that deals with some really important things like loss, heartbreak, grief, and family. This was so well done and impactful and I cannot recommend this read enough. I am a SUCKER for books about familial relationships and progressions through generations and I was so pleasantly surprised with the way this book handled these things.

Even when a family is rich in love, there are so many pitfalls that can invade that happiness. Basicallly written as a three-generational story, it follows the Bright family as they struggle with abuse, addiction, an undisclosed past, and grief that threaten not just the current generation, but the next as well. Especially moving is the struggle with alcoholism that one character voiced so eloquently. Running through the entire storyline were love and acceptance and hope. All of the characters were exceptionally developed and so easy to care about.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC to read and review.

✨𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗬𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗦✨
🅶🅴🅽🆁🅴—𝒞𝑜𝓃𝓉𝑒𝓂𝓅𝑜𝓇𝒶𝓇𝓎 𝐹𝒾𝒸𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃
🗓ℙ𝕦𝕓 𝔻𝕒𝕥𝕖—𝔸𝕡𝕣𝕚𝕝 𝟚𝟚, 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟝

‼️ 𝕎𝔸ℝℕ𝕀ℕ𝔾: 𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕓𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕕𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕣𝕠𝕪 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕤𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕪 𝕡𝕠𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕓𝕝𝕖.

✂️ P L O T L I N E
The Bright Years is a sweeping, emotional family saga following four generations of a Texas family shaped by secrets, addiction, and the enduring pull of love. As Georgette grows up in the shadow of her parents’ hidden pasts, a reunion with a long-lost brother forces her to confront the truth, heal old wounds, and consider the possibility of love and forgiveness.

💭 ⓂⓎ ⓉⒽⓄⓊⒼⒽⓉⓈ
If you’re like me and emotional damage is your love language, then this is a must read. I wasn’t prepared for how deeply this book would move me. Lillian and Ryan’s love story is absolutely gut wrenching. Watching alcoholism slowly unravel their once loving relationship and witnessing the long lasting impact it has on their daughter, Jet, tore me apart. Yet it was portrayed with such honesty and realism. The story is told in three parts from the perspectives of Lillian (the mother), Jet (the daughter), and Ryan (the father). The writing is magnificent. This novel is beautiful and raw, making you reflect on love, life, and the possibility of redemption. It’s a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to right your wrongs and to hold tight to the people you love.

📚 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
😭Emotional reads
🧑‍🧑‍🧒Multigenerational Family Saga
🥰Resilience and redemption
🫶🏼Complexities of love
🍺Portrayal of addiction
❤️‍🩹Exploration of grief
📈Coming of age
🤐Family secrets
🗣️Multiple POV
🔄Nonlinear timelines

⚠️ 𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨: alcoholism, miscarriage, domestic abuse, and eating disorders as well as mentions of suicidal ideation.

☀️𝕄𝕐 ℝ𝔸𝕋𝕀ℕ𝔾☀️
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

💕Q U O T E: "𝐵𝑒𝒸𝒶𝓊𝓈𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓈𝒽𝑜𝓌𝓃 𝓂𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒 𝒾𝓈 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓉𝒽 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓁𝑜𝓈𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝑜𝒻 𝒾𝓉."

🙏Thank you @SimonBooks #SimonBooksBuddy, NetGalley, and Sarah Damoff for the free eARC!💕

I love a good multigenerational story! This one spans from 1958 to 2019 and tackles generational trauma.

Lillian and Ryan fall hard for each other, but both carry heavy baggage from their upbringing. They get married and have a daughter, Jet. Lillian harbors a secret, and Ryan begins to follow in his father’s footsteps with his drinking.

The story depicts the devastation of addiction and the many ways it impacts a family. You truly get to feel what these characters are going through—they are flawed, real, and complex.

I loved seeing Jet’s coming-of-age journey, the areas where she felt stuck, and the growth she experienced throughout her life.

There is so much rawness and truth in this story. The writing is both beautiful and heartbreaking. I was tearful throughout the book. What a stunning debut. I can’t recommend it enough!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I needed a reset as I’ve been in a slump. WOW! This book is excellent. The writing is excellent. I have all the feelings and want more from this author.

The author, Sara Danoff, is a well experienced social worker and this is her debut novel. Well done !
Characters well developed, a story line that weaves and navigates to and through topics that hit home with many. There are secrets and receipts, addition and tough love. A picture of what could be any family
The prelude starts with the author sharing about her kindergarten friend " with a little mullet and a scratchy voice " who grows, has a child of his own at 18 and apparently takes his life five years later in his twenties. Her professional and personal insight is nicely reflected in her novel.
Lillian and Ryan have a child after challenges conceiving. They both have a secret that undermines what could have been.
Just like real life can evolve.
There are lines the author places here and there that offer a beautiful nugget of writing, for example Lillian, after she suffers a miscarriage : " my milk comes in three days later, and I apply warm compresses to weeping breasts. It's a death without a funeral "
A novel that is sometimes light and fun, other times impactful and emotional. Well done !
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC. I received a complimentary copy of this book. These opinions in this review are my own

Say hello to your new favorite book club book.

THE BRIGHT YEARS is a family drama and explores alcoholism's effect on relationships.

It is a moving, beautiful, big-hearted story about loss, forgiveness, family, and more. I really enjoyed my time with this book. I would recommend going in blind. You don't need to know much more than the fact that this book will tear your heart out and then put it back together. It's so real and I loved that. Thank you to the publisher for my gifted copy! If you liked books like THE MOST FUN WE EVER HAD, you will enjoy this.

I enjoyed some characters more than others in this book, overall pretty good. Am bummed by forcing the weird Christian ending.

”But this is where it starts. We begin to say goodbye as soon as we say hello. Death is a corollary of birth, and to welcome life is to guarantee loss.”

Wow, what a debut! This was actually much different than what I was anticipating from the synopsis, but I don’t mean that in a bad way. I loved how it was told in separate parts, from different characters POV, spanning over four decades. It had the perfect flow and just made the pieces fall together so nicely. I loved this story, and these characters, all of it messy and tragic, but full of love and resilience, grace and forgiveness.

I expect a lot of success for this book, and rightfully so, absolutely earned. Sarah Damoff, you have a new fan in me, and I truly can’t wait to see what else you decide to share with the world! Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the eARC!

The Bright Years is a beautifully written, heartfelt novel. It tells the story is a couple, Lillian and Ryan Bright, as their life unfolds. We follow the birth of their daughter, Jet, professional and personal struggles and triumphs and Ryan’s pull towards alcoholism and a secret from Lillian’s past. The story is narrated by Lillian, Jet and Ryan and we learn different things from each of their perspectives. I wouldn’t put this book in the same category as my most favorite family stories but it is a close contender and I look forward to what is next from Sarah Damoff.
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for an advanced copy of this book.

✨It’s really difficult to believe this exquisitely written novel is a debut. I have to say this is a #BookstragramMadeMeDoIt after seeing so many rave over it.

✨I was drawn in by the multiple points of view of the three main characters, and the honest depiction of the pain brought on by secrets and betrayals. This was a slow burn rise of a family being built piece by piece followed by the fall of it tearing itself apart bit by bit. Their efforts of picking up the pieces are beautifully woven into the story, and I was truly impressed at the way the author was able to command my attention. I couldn’t look away from the stories of Lillian, Jette and Ryan. And I never wanted to.

✨I will note that there are some very heavy topics in these pages, so please take note of content warnings. Still, I highly recommend.

🌿Read if you like:
✨Multigenerational family sagas
✨Tearjerkers
✨Multiple points of view
✨Expert character development
✨Complex family dynamics
✨Non-linear timelines
✨Fort Worth, Texas settings

4-4.5 stars
I think this is my favorite book of 2025 so far. Several generations of a family and the hopes and dreams, births and deaths, struggles and accomplishments they go through. Very touching, at times very depressing, other times hopeful. Hard to believe this is the author's debut novel--will definitely look for more from her.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an e-ARC copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

The Brights, Ryan and Lillian, are living their best life, and are parents to a baby girl. The problem, is that Lillian was a mother once before, and Ryan does not know about this. For Ryan, who is battling an alcohol problem, he is hiding this from Lillian.

This story is told from Ryan, Lillian, and Georgette's (their daughter) points of views.

This was a tragic family love story, and I really enjoyed it! Even though it was heartwrenching, it was captivating and you can't help but love each one of the Bright's.

I wish I had the right words to bottle up the way I feel about this book because I would keep them in my pocket to carry around with me everywhere. I’ve never felt so seen in a book. Safe. Understood. I cannot believe this is a debut novel - it’s a true work of art. I’m going to carry this story, this family, these words, how much this book means to me; for a very long time. This is a story for those of us who grew up with addicts - specifically alcoholics. This story is for you and will touch some of the most tender parts of your soul.

This is a generational family drama with addiction, secrets, grief, growth, healing; all the things. The story opens up with the Mom’s POV, then the daughter’s POV, and then last ending the story with the Father’s. I think I experienced every human emotion possible while reading this one. Please please please read this book. Truly one of a kind.

I absolutely loved The Bright Years! As a fan of generational stories, this one did not disappoint. Sarah Damoff masterfully weaves together the lives of Lillian, Ryan, and their daughter Georgette, spanning decades and exploring themes of love, loss, addiction, and redemption. The writing is exquisite, drawing me into the heart of this Texas family's journey. Each character felt deeply real, their struggles and triumphs resonating long after I turned the last page. A truly beautiful and heartfelt debut that I highly recommend.

It could be that this his my childhood trauma just right, but this stunning story about grief in many forms had me sobbing by the end. It’s rare that we get a story that spans so many years and multiple POV and that it is told in such a way that you feel you know each one of them intimately. The topic of grief is covered in so many ways throughout, and is so on point. I will be thinking about this book for a long time.

SYNOPSIS
- A sweeping multigenerational story that spans from 1958 to 2019 and follows the Bright family through love, addiction, secrets, and redemption.
- Lillian and Ryan fall hard for each other, but both carry heavy baggage—he struggles with alcoholism, and she hides the existence of a son from a previous relationship.
- Their daughter, Georgette, grows up in the shadow of her parents’ unraveling marriage. As an adult, she must confront her family’s past when long-buried truths resurface.
- Told through the intimate, rotating perspectives of Lillian, Ryan, and Georgette, this is a story of inherited trauma, devastating choices, and the enduring pull of family.

MY THOUGHTS
- This is Sarah Damoff’s debut? Seriously? The writing is polished, emotionally intelligent, and just gorgeous.
- The way Damoff explores addiction, regret, and love without ever tipping into melodrama is impressive. It’s raw but never gratuitous.
- Told from three POVs, the narrative structure adds real depth. Each character feels distinct and heartbreakingly real.
- The emotional arc is beautifully layered—there’s grief and heartbreak, but also resilience and hope woven through every page.
- It hit on so many universal themes: first love, the weight of secrets, the messiness of parenting, and the ways trauma trickles down through generations.
- I felt everything while reading this—anger, sorrow, frustration, tenderness, and above all, empathy.
- Jet’s journey especially stayed with me. Watching her navigate the emotional wreckage left behind by her parents was quietly devastating and profoundly moving.
- This is one of those books I’ll carry with me for a long time. It made me feel, and isn’t that the whole point?

TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️A stunning, emotionally rich debut that explores love, addiction, grief, and generational trauma with grace and compassion. Beautiful writing, unforgettable characters, and a story that lingers.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published on April 22, 2025.

The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff will HANDS DOWN be on my Top 10 of 2025 list. I can not thank NetGalley and SImon & Schuster enough for allowing me the privilege of reading an early release copy of this extraordinary story.

I love a good character driven family drama and this did not disappoint. I do not want to say too much and give *anything* away because you truly have to experience this beautiful and heartbreaking story about Ryan, Lillian, Elise, Georgette and a cast of other incredible characters. I read this in a single day, I was truly sucked into the story. I truly can not find the words - this is a story of life, regret, second chances, heartache, and love. Sarah Damoff has exceeded all my expectations - I can't believe this is a debut novel! Just read it. Please.

Please pick up a copy of The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff. Sarah's debut book is filled with deep emotions, family love and all of the pressures of life. You will be rooting for the Bright family as they face daily real-life struggles, including alcoholism. Your heart will beat faster as Sarah's writing pulls you in deeper. Families can be tricky and yet, so full of love. You will be reminded that 'life remains here in front of us.' This book is a gem. Looking forward to more from Sarah Samoff.