Oh man this one had me in my feels. Character driven stories about flawed humans are some of my favorite reads, so when I read the synopsis of this one, I knew I needed more. This story of family, and the secrets, grief, struggles, and generational trauma within it, drew me in from the first page. The writing was engrossing, and the topics were challenging. I saw bits and pieces of myself in each of the characters, and loved how well developed each of them were. My only real complaint is that I wish it had been longer. I feel like with more time, the characters could have been explored even more deeply, which I would have loved.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! I was so pleased to read this novel by a debut author whose writing in this book is just beautiful, I couldn't believe this was her first published book. My heart broke multiple times reading this, and although the tears readily flowed, they were warranted. I fell in love with the characters and the family, despite the tragedies that they endured. Again, beautiful writing and character development. Truthful and poignant. This is by far one of my favorite novels of 2025!

This is a beautifully written story about family and friendship, love and loss, and ultimately forgiveness. It’s hard to believe that this is Sarah Damoff’s debut novel.

This story was told from the point of view of the three main characters, spanning six decades. It deals with some pretty heavy themes, including adoption, alcoholism, domestic violence, and unexpected death. However, among these themes, there is a still a sense of love and hope that keeps these characters going.

I loved the main characters, flaws and all, and through this beautiful narrative, felt everything they were feeling. I also adored the cast of side characters, and the love and support they shared throughout story.

Ultimately, I love how the author tackled the complexities of generational trauma and the messiness of life. This story was both heartbreaking and uplifting up until the very last page.

I am look forward to reading any future novels by Sarah Damoff!

Thank you so much to Net Galley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy of this book.

THE BRIGHT YEARS by Sarah Damoff

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC ebook of this brilliant story.

This is Sarah Damoff’s debut and I have to say I was impressed by her incredible writing skills of telling this beautiful, heartbreaking, and inspirational story. Starting in 1958-2019 and told from three intimate points of view, of a Texas family of four generations; dealing with real life experiences and how these experiences impinge upon their lives. Ryan and Lillian are deeply in love, but each harbor secrets that impact the relationship. Years later their daughter, Georgette, unearths her family’s history and has decisions to make.

This is a well paced multigenerational story with themes of addiction, secrets, trauma, grief, love, choices, heartbreak, and joy. I will be eagerly awaiting Sarah Damoff’s next book.

5 ⭐️ I loved this debut novel by Sarah Damoff. A real tear jerker! Told from three POV of the Bright family, Lillian, Jet, and Ryan.

I fell in love with the Bright family, Lillian, wife of Ryan, mother of Jet, orphaned at a young age, keeps a secret. Georgette “Jet”, Lillian and Ryan’s daughter. Jet deals with loss and grief and an alcoholic father. Ryan, Lil’s husband, Jet’s father, alcoholic, son of an alcoholic. Each of their chapters is a strong voice to the many aspects of love and addiction.

The writing is beautiful, brought me to tears time and time again. Subjects of death, loss, grief and alcoholism are captured perfectly and realistically. Though death and loss are heavy in this book, the triumphs of family and love overcoming addiction is touching and uplifting.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the eArc in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars for this one. I love the cover art, and there were many lovely passages in this book, especially Ryan's final letter at the end. This wasn't a 'can't put it down' for me but I enjoyed it. I liked that this book showed many variations on family and "the village." Fortunately, I don't have history with alcoholism but can imagine this story being so meaningful and realistic to those who do. The character of Nana, her warmth and her love of Blue Bell ice cream and rhubarb pie resonated with me and I could feel the gratitude Jet had for her upbringing with her. The strong female characters appealed to me, and the author did a great job of portraying struggling Ryan making difficult choices time and time again, grappling with his past.

58 % in and Wow...my heart has been shredded!
5+STARS!!!
This is hands down one of the most beautifully heartbreaking stories I have ever read!!
It has been a few weeks and books since reading this novel and it still sits in a special place within my heart.
It is hard to believe that this is Sarah Damoff's debut novel.
She has earned herself a forever reader that will pick up anything else she publishes.
"The Bright Years" is a character-driven novel. It shifts through perspectives of Lillian, Georgette, and Ryan over the course of time. The characters expose the raw truths of how addiction and trauma affects a family. The rawness of this story shattered my heart, inspired me and blew me away all at the same time.
Each character is so well developed that you feel like you personally know them or someone like them or someone deep in their shoes. OR maybe it's you you're seeing in one of them?

Throughout the book, found myself sobbing while being uplifted and inspired.
Sarah Damoff does an amazing job at exposing the multi-layers of addiction, trauma, grief, while also reminding us that life is tender, resilient, forbearing, and forgiving.
Many people will pick up this novel and feel "seen" for the first time.
It's okay to be seen! We see you! I see you!!

Sarah Damoff has written a book that will stick with me and many readers for a lifetime.
I will be pushing this beautiful masterpiece to the HIGH HEAVENS and into the hands of EVERYONE!!

Thank you to Net Galley and Simon & Schuster for a free ebook in exchange for this honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced digital copy of this book.

The Bright Years tells the story of one family through four generations, inviting the reader on a journey with them as they tackle life’s highs and lows and the trials and tribulations that were thrown in their path. At its core, it is a story about love, and not just romantic love, but love of all kinds.

I was not expecting the wealth of emotions this book evoked within me, but I was drawn to the characters immediately and very quickly became highly invested in finding out what happened to them. From the butterflies of early love, to the devastation of betrayal, to the unyielding bond of parents and their children, this book portrayed it all with realism and empathy.

The depiction of alcoholism within this novel was particularly raw and heartbreaking, but also was so honest and believable. While the level of angst and drama was significant, the general feeling left behind after reading it was hopeful. Overall, this was an excellent debut novel, and I look forward to whatever Sarah Damoff has in store for her readers next.

The Bright Years is an intimate, honest look at the ways addiction and secrets can ripple through a family, shaking their fragile foundations to their core. With her precise insight, Sarah Damoff gives readers an honest portrait of a family in crisis, how they grapple with their present and future in the wake of their world falling apart.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing a copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is an amazing collection of words and stories. I cannot wrap my head around how much greatness is wrapped up neatly in under 300 pages. The sentences are beautiful, the characters and emotions are intense and fully realized, and it spans 40+years all in my own backyard. This is a glorious debut. Five Stars. The five stars at night are big and bright...

I received this ARC from NetGalley and was immediately drawn into the story. The Bright Years does a fantastic job of portraying parents as human—flawed, complex, and doing the best they can with what they have. I appreciated how the novel explored different ways people process grief, making it an emotionally gripping read.

The use of flashbacks was one of my favorite aspects. The story beautifully illustrates how the past shapes both our present and future, particularly in the way parental decisions impact their children. Lillian made choices based on what she believed was right at the time, using the resources available to her. Watching her children interpret those choices—and seeing how their perspectives evolved with age and understanding—was incredibly moving.

This novel is a heartfelt, thought-provoking read that lingers long after the last page.

There are so many things to digest with addiction, loss, grieving past versions of yourself and others, generational trauma. I also made the mistake of finishing it at breakfast in the office and was deep breathing to not cry.

“I don’t want a new tomorrow—I want a new yesterday.”

I can’t say enough good things about the writing, the pace of the story, the complexity of the characters. There wasn’t much foreshadowing or leading up to big moments, which made the story feel so natural. Things change at the drop of the hat and now we have to process them.

“But there is no easy way out. We just have to calculate between loss and loss.”

Moral of the story, I cried. A few times. And I won’t stop talking about this book for a long time.

Thank you SO much to Sarah Damoff for this book and to Simon & Schuster for the ARC via NetGalley.

I can’t believe this is a debut novel. I absolutely loved the storyline and years that the story spread through. I felt like this book was hitting my soul. I was not expecting to be emotionally impacted by this novel and I’m a puddle of mess.

"The Bright Years" follows the life of a family in Texas over time, chronicling their individual and shared triumphs, love, and losses across the years in a poignant and thought-provoking work.

When Lillian first meets Ryan, a passionate artist determined to open his own art gallery, the two fall quickly in love and promptly get married despite a number of unresolved issues between the two. What Lillian has kept from him is the secret of an earlier son, one she gave up for adoption years before, and for Ryan, his dependency on alcohol only grows. After the birth of their daughter Georgette "Jet" Bright, Lillian is forced to make a decision for the safety of her child, but one that causes the family to splinter and for young Georgette to grow up with a mostly absent father. A crushing loss changes the family forever, and with it, Georgette is forced to confront the truth of both of her parents' pasts, all while she comes to terms with adulthood and dealing with her own struggles and grief.

From the start, "The Bright Years" is very much a character-driven novel, and one that shifts through the alternative perspectives of Lillian, Georgette, and Ryan over the course of time. I appreciated that each character had their own voice, and you were able to understand and empathize with their situations and actions. For Lillian, we come to see her love for both her daughter and husband, as well as the struggle to separate him from his addiction; for Georgette, coming to terms with the good and lesser-known aspects of her parents becomes an integral part of her own journey and self-acceptance; and for Ryan, his lifelong battle with alcohol will never be erased, but he attempts to forge a better life for himself and his family despite the past. This was a beautifully written work that lovingly and gracefully examined an ever-changing family, the ways they came together and fell apart, and highlights the strength of their love for each other. I'm impressed that this is Dumoff's first novel and am so excited to read future works from her!

Very much recommended when this novel is published in April 2025!

A gorgeous multi-generational family drama that captures the heartbreak of addiction and how it can tear a family and a couple apart. I loved The Bright Years from beginning to end and it truly stuck with me. Heartbreaking but hopeful, it's a book that should be read by everyone.

Many thanks to Netgalley and publishers for providing my review copy.

The Bright Years was a short but impactful read. Zeroing in on 3 characters across a span of many years. There were so many moments during the book that surprised me and made me very emotional. Addiction, grief, loss. It goes on. Damoff did a fabulous job weaving this story together from 3 different perspectives. I wanted to hold onto each one and not let go.

The Bright Years is a touching novel of how addiction takes hold of not only the individual, but on generations to follow. Author Sarah Damoff’s The Bright Years depicts one family’s struggle with addiction over a span of decades. With the toppling of one bottle, the promise of the next one to fall is inevitable. It's a heartbreaking adult fiction novel filled with despair, grief and yet the continued desire for love and hope. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys realistic fiction and recent historical fiction as there are well written flash backs woven into the story.

Thank you for the ARC NetGalley and Simon & Schuster. Opinions are my own.

Perfect. The writing is absolutely beautiful—lyrical without being overdone, full of emotion without feeling forced. The characters are richly drawn, each with their own struggles, hopes, and moments of grace. It’s a big-hearted story, full of warmth and depth. Simply, I loved it.

5–wow so many emotions.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with an early read of The Bright Years in exchange for my honest review.

The Bright Years explores the lives of the Bright family over four generations, focusing on Ryan and Lillian as they navigate personal struggles, including addiction and family secrets. Their daughter Georgette tries to escape her past, but a family crisis forces her to confront their complicated legacy and the possibility of healing.

With amazing quotes throughout I found myself laughing and even shedding a few tears. The story of Ryan and Lillian and the evolution of their marriage is a true masterpiece.

I was slowly then all of a sudden hooked on this book. The shift from part one to part two....tissues. The writing is beautiful and lends itself well to the topics covered. Definitely recommend.