This novel is a well-written emotional family drama taking place over decades about, Lillian, Ryan, and their daughter Jet. It’s about love, loss, addiction, friendship, second chances, and more.

This book had so many sad moments that at one point I started worrying every scene would end in tragedy, but it truly did grab my heart and thankfully ended with a little hope. And it was especially impressive that this book was a debut novel - look forward to seeing what Sarah Damoff writes next.

4.25 stars

Thank you, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, for this ARC.

The Bright Years follows Lillian, Ryan, and their daughter Georgette (Jet) on a journey of love, addiction, and loss. It tackles topics like alcoholism, grief, adoption, and ultimately redemption.

This story was beautifully told from all three different points of view at different times in their lives. The characters are thorough and vivid, they are deeply flawed in their own ways and all the more real for this reason.

Emotional. If you read this book, be prepared for it to touch every emotion. A family is torn apart by their weaknesses, yet melded together by their love for each other. To understand them is to hurt for them. Told over a period of decades, three members of the family paint a picture of both sides of a family's differences. This may be a debut, but it's definitely a book to be read, shared and savored over and over.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

The Bright Years is Sarah Damoff debut novel about four generations of one Texan family. Their story is told over sixty-one years, from 1958 through 2019. It is a story about a little boy, Ryan, that spent many a night coloring night skies on the underbelly of the kitchen table while his parent fought .. violently.

In 1970, Lillan and Ryan meet, each hiding their own little secret but there is that immediate attraction. When they become the Bright family with a little daughter, Georgette, Ryan promises to himself to not be like his father and to be good to these two women in his life. But life got in the way and soon Ryan will fall into the same destructive pattern of alcoholism as his father.

Lilly (Lillian) harbors her own dark secret, a son she gave up for adoption. Ryan and Jet (Georgette) are her second chance at the family she always wanted but instead she watches the man she loves fall deeper and deeper into alcoholism with no desire to get better.

Jet is mostly raised by her grandmother Nana Elise, Ryan’s mother. While she deeply loves both her parents, she also resents them for the secrets they kept from her.

The Bright Years while very well written, it is dark raw story of six decades of family heartbreak dealing with miscarriage, domestic violence, alcoholism, adoption, death of a parent, grief, depression, eating disorder yet ends on a somewhat happier note of love and compassion coming through.

Thank you, Sarah Damoff, Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was released on April 22, 2025.

Thank you @SarahDamoff and @simonbooks for the beautiful copy of the book. #simonbooksbuddy All opinions expressed are my own.

“The Bright Years” by Sarah Damoff is a deeply emotional family saga that spans four generations, told through the eyes of a mother, father, and daughter. Lillian and Ryan Bright are madly in love—until secrets and addiction start to fracture their foundation. Their daughter Georgette grows up caught in the storm, and when a hidden piece of her family's past resurfaces years later, she's forced to confront everything she’s tried to leave behind.

This debut is raw, layered, and packed with real, messy emotion. It explores the ripple effects of addiction, abandonment, and forgiveness with honesty and care. Every chapter brings a new wave of empathy as you watch the Bright family struggle, stumble, and slowly heal. The storytelling is intimate and powerful, weaving timelines and POVs in a way that keeps you invested from start to finish. A standout debut that doesn’t shy away from hard truths—and one that absolutely earns a spot on your bookshelf.

This is definitely going to be an unpopular opinion, but this was just an average read for me. This is a multigenerational family drama told in different POV's over the span of a couple of decades. We follow Lillian and Ryan's love story which includes them both having secrets and baggage. It touches heavily on alcoholism and all the trauma associated with that, which I can't relate to, so it wasn't as impactful as it might be for others. We get the ups and downs of navigating relationships, wanting to accept someone even when they make poor choices, regret & death of a loved one. There are some really good parts in this book, it is just really depressing. Might have just been the wrong time for me to read this or I may have liked it more if I had an audiobook for it.

Thank you NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, & Deanna Sarah Damoff for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. #NetGalley #TheBrightYears

It is rare for a book to leave me absolutely and utterly speechless, especially a character-driven literary fiction one for that matter, but this book absolutely gutted me in an incredible way. A powerful story about the bonds that make and break family, there is no doubt in my mind that this is going to be a top read for 2025. It’s for sure #1 right now and going to be hard to beat.

Meet the Bright family: two parents in madly in love, determined to give their daughter nothing but the best. But when mom has a secret son, and when dad has a hidden alcohol addiction, daughter is left picking up the pieces of a broken marriage. And when that secret son comes to find his mother, she’ll have to face traumas from her past that she never wanted to relive.

Told in three parts from each family member’s POV, The Bright Years is deeply touching and equally mesmerizing. This story is not only incredibly well written from start to finish, but also incredibly moving and poignant. I highly recommend keeping the tissues nearby for this one – it had me thinking about my own relationships and legacy for the future. The tears were unstoppable.

I typically gravitate towards stories that are more plot-driven, but in this case the characters were so beautifully written that I found myself unable to put this one down. I finished the entire book in one afternoon, I truly can’t remember the last time I did that for something that wasn’t a thriller.

I cannot sing this book’s praises enough, and I am desperate for someone else’s thoughts!

This one was an ugly cry. It broke my heart then gave me hope. I loved it. This family drama focuses on secrets and their power to eat away at you when kept tucked away and their destructive force when released. It is about good people facing hard decisions and unresolved pasts, how the beautiful is shaped by the ugly, and how the path forward is so obvious you can't see it. this is a lovely novel with all the feels. Highly recommended. Thank you NetGalley and publishers for providing a digital ARC for review.

The Bright Years would make an excellent book club book - and I say that partly because I just finished and have a lot of feelings and wish I could discuss it with friends! This is a story taking place over a long span of time and telling us about the Bright family from 3 different POVs.

There was a lot I really loved about it - I was here for the characters and the writing and the emotion. But there are also times that for me it crossed into being wrapped up a little too neatly and veering into sentimentality. Moments that should have felt earned sometimes veered toward overly tidy resolutions. I wanted to stick with the complexity and the mess. The emotional beats landed, but some wrapped up in ways that felt a little too polished for the story’s raw heart. Thank you to the publisher for the free ebook to review.

Just wow. I have thought about the story and these characters every day since finishing this absolutely beautiful debut novel. The story is told through multiple POVs as we follow a marriage and family across time and learn about the heartbreaking impact that addiction can have. This is not a particularly long novel, but the pacing was perfect, and nothing felt rushed- I finished this novel in one sitting, and I needed to know what happened to these characters that I came to care about so much. While at times devastating, the story is also full of forgiveness and love, leaving me with a sense of hope by the end. This is an emotional and powerful read, and I cannot recommend enough!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for a copy of the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Incredibly moving book that left me in tears. Oh wow, this book is a trip. It’s one of those stories that hits you with all kinds of emotions. I loved how the author jumped between different years and perspectives! It wasn’t a straight path, more like a winding, unpredictable journey. You think you know where it’s going, and then bam, it throws you somewhere totally different.

What really got me was the way the characters were so messy and flawed, but still so captivating. It’s about real-life struggles—addiction, family breakdowns, love, loss—and yet somehow, you can’t help but feel for them. I mean, they mess up so much, but you just want to keep reading because they feel so human.

There are so many powerful moments and lines in this book that just hit hard. It’s the kind of story that makes you think about life in a way you didn’t expect. It’s got all the feels, from hope to heartbreak, and it really makes you reflect on how fragile things can be.

I’m definitely in the "I love it" camp. I totally get why people might not connect with it, but for me, the journey was worth it. It’s a slow burn, and it’ll make you question everything as you go. It’s a beautifully written, heart-wrenching book that stays with you long after you’re done reading.

Books like these are why I love reading. The Bright Years is a stunning debut that I started on a Saturday morning and could not put it down until I finished! It’s out in the world today (April 22nd) so please do yourself a favor and run to your closest indie or library and grab a copy. I pre-ordered a trophy copy for my shelf from my local indie and can’t wait to pick it up 🤗

The Bright Years is a family drama at its core, but it’s so much more than that. It’s an authentic and raw look at how addiction impacts each family member, how secrets can come back to haunt us, but also a family fighting for love, happiness and meaning.

This book packs a powerful punch, and is proof you don’t need a lot of pages to tell a compelling story. It blows my mind this is a debut novel! I loved the multiple points of view from the Bright family, I could easily have read another 100+ pages from each of them. I particularly loved Jet’s POV. While addiction is a big part of the story, Demoff handles the topic so gently and respectfully given her experience as a social worker. It’s not just a storyline, it’s authentic. The Bright family felt so real, which is a testament to Demoff’s writing.

I’d recommend reading The Bright Years if you like:

- Authentic characters
- Family dramas
- Character driven stories
- Found family
- Beautiful prose
- Multiple POV’s
- Stunning covers
- Shorter books (< 300 pages)

@sarahdemoff also put together a Spotify playlist (second slide) which is spot on. Thank you, thank you for this beautiful story! I will read anything you write.

Thank you Simon Books and NetGalley for the eARC!

WOW, Just wow, I am blown away by the fact that this beautifully written, heartbreaking, moving story is a DEBUT NOVEL by this author. This could easily be one of the best debut fiction books of the year and I hope to see more people talking about it. I am so so happy I saw a few close friends rave about this book and decided to check it out myself, because it is a book that will stick with me for a long time.

The Bright Years is a story going through four generations, each generation connected to the last through alcoholism, grief, love, and family. It is the story of the Bright family, told through the eyes of Ryan, Lillian, and Georgette. The Bright Years is a story about addiction, depression, grief, death, the power of love, hope, and choices we make in our darkest times. This story is often very dark and heartbreaking, as almost every character is touched by some sort of loss or challenges. But above all it is a story of love and redemption.

I loved how realistic and authentic the portrayal of alcoholism, addiction, and abuse is in this book. The author does not shy away from fleshing out and uncovering the worst parts of alcoholism and how it can change and bring out the worst in a person. But at the same time, each character struggling with alcoholism has their strengths and potential to heal and redeem themselves. Each character felt so real and the author did a fantastic job of portraying humans at their best and worst.

I found myself tearing up throughout this book, especially for the women of the Bright family, who often were forced to make the hardest of choices to protect their children, themselves, and move forward with their lives. The female relationships, blood or not, in this book were so strong and helped cast a shield of hope and love around each character when they were faced with the darkness of alcoholism from their loved ones. I genuinely sobbed at the ending of this book with Ryan's shot at redemption and watching the cycle of alcoholism hopefully be broken. I think if you grew up in a family with addicts or alcoholics you will feel very seen by this book. I was just in awe of the author's easy writing style but the way she brought out every emotion in my heart.

Thank you to Simon Books for the free book!!

This book had so much heart.

It’s officially out in the world today, and I highly recommend grabbing a copy. It’s a short read, at a little over 300 pages, but it hits with the emotional weight of a 500-page novel.

The story follows Ryan, who is married to Lillian. They have a daughter, Georgette. Ryan is struggling with alcoholism, a generational curse inherited from his father, and it’s slowly unraveling the life he’s built. As his addiction tightens its grip, Lillian and Georgette find themselves caught in the crosshairs.

Told through three alternating points of view, the narrative structure gives us an intimate look at each character’s inner world. Their voices are distinct and raw, and the emotional honesty is what really made this story shine. You don’t just read their pain. You feel it in your chest.

This book is heartfelt, tragic, beautiful, and utterly heartbreaking. It wrecked me in the best way, like a slow ache that leaves you better for having gone through it. And just when I thought it had broken me completely, it offered moments of hope and quiet healing, especially at the end.

The author’s writing is stunning. Poetic without being pretentious. I found myself highlighting line after line after line. She captures complex emotions with such clarity and grace.

If you’re looking for a powerful character-driven story that explores love, addiction, loyalty, and healing, this one’s for you.
Read it. Feel it. Let it stay with you.

ALL THE STARS. ALL OF THEM.

I am not ok and that’s ok. I read for a multitude of reasons —to be entertained, to learn, to escape—but mostly I read to feel and I felt Sarah Damoff’s brilliant debut novel to my very core. THE BRIGHT YEARS left me a slobbering mess; shattered into infinite pieces.

Damoff’s writing is utterly gorgeous. There is not a wasted word. Nearly every sentence is to be savored and pondered and absorbed. Her ability to convey the deepest emotions through ordinary words is masterful.

THE BRIGHT YEARS is a family saga rife with heartbreak and sadness, but also intense love and enduring hope. Spanning decades and three generations, the story is told through very intimate and distinct voices. Hearts are laid bare with rawness and vulnerability. It is impossible not to be swept away by the honesty and intensity found in this book.

Prepare to be destroyed. Grab your tissues and settle in for a remarkable reading experience. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Sarah Damoff has established herself as a must read author after penning this dazzling debut.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

Over the course of one debut novel covering 6 decades, readers of the Bright Years to get to know the Bright family on an intimate level. Told quietly and simply, this novel is a gorgeous family drama that is deeper than it appears. I fell in love with this family, the good, the bad, and the ugly, and am amazed that one person could create such a striking portrait of an American family. Phenomenal read.

Thank you Simon Books for my #gifted ARC and thank you Simon Audio for my #gifted ALC of The Bright Years! #simonbooksbuddy #simonaudio #pubday #PubDayReview #TheBrightYears #SarahDamoff

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐒𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐡 𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐟𝐟
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: 𝐅𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐨, 𝐉𝐨𝐲 𝐎𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐤𝐢, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐞𝐞 𝐎𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐨
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟐𝟐, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

𝟓★

What a debut! If this book is not on your radar, it needs to be, along with a box of tissues! This was a beautiful multigenerational family drama about the Bright family in Texas. It’s the story of Ryan and Lillian who fall in love and have a baby girl named Georgette. Ryan is an artist and has an alcohol addition that he hasn’t told Lillian about, and Lillian has a son that she hasn’t told Ryan about. Their marriage has its ups and downs, all while Georgette (Jet) watches. Then, a life changing event occurs and the trio is separated from one another, and Jet distances herself from Ryan. It’s not until Lillian’s son comes searching for his birth family that Jet discovers her family history and decides whether or not she is ready to love and trust again. The Bright Years is told from three points of view: Lillian, Georgette, and Ryan. I loved the format and thought it added so much to hear from each one of the main characters.

🩷Multiple POV
🩷Past + Present Timelines
🩷Second Chance Romance
🩷Multigenerational Family Drama
🩷Character Driven
🩷Themes of Addiction, Grief, and Love

🎧I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated by three talented narrators: Ferdelle Capistrano, Joy Osmanski, and Lee Osorio. I loved how each one brought forth such a unique voice to narrate their own character and was able to bring the story to life in such a beautiful way. I was immediately hooked to this audiobook and once I started listening, I did not want to stop. If you have the opportunity to listen to this one, I seriously cannot recommend it enough. It was pure perfection! There was so much emotion to perfectly capture this emotional debut!

Posted on Goodreads on April 22, 2025: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around April 22, 2025: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on April 22, 2025
**-will post on designated date

Lillian and Ryan fall in love and get married in Fort Worth. They are happy for a while but then both of them have secrets that weigh on them and their marriage falls apart. When Ryan's drinking problem comes out, he leaves his wife and young daughter to protect them from the abuse that he received from his father's drunken abuse. As Lillian and her daughter, Jet, continue on, they make friends that are like family as they deal with Ryan in and out of their lives as he lives in his alcoholism.

I really loved these characters. I was afraid the main theme of living with an alcoholic would be too hard to read, but the tone of this book was somewhat detached and more hopeful than I'd expected. I also liked the pop culture mentions; there are tons of them, and I thought they added context but toed the line of being too much. This is set in the 1990's-2000's in Fort Worth, so that is my era and area, and it was fun to have some shout outs I knew.

This debut novel is smartly told from one perspective at a time- first Lillian, then daughter Jet, then Ryan. It also helps that it is told in a mostly linear storyline. But, this book is heavy and sad. It is about living with an alcoholic family member and generational trauma. Thankfully, author Damoff had the sense to make it shorter in length so the weight of it doesn't feel overly heavy. The tone of this book, although written in first person, feels somewhat detached, in almost an omniscient narrator style. Because of this writing style, this book reminded me of Hello Beautiful and Olympus, Texas. I would recommend this book to lovers of complicated family stories that can handle difficult topics if they are done well. It would be good for fans of Tracey Lange and Claire Lombardo.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

Poignant and emotional.
Heart-wrenching family drama.

With thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this e-ARC.

This debut is brilliant. Simply brilliant.

Dealing with themes of loss, alcoholism, trust, and finding oneself in this world, The Bright Years captivated me. Love is patient and love is kind.

I adored the characters through their struggles and happiness as the years went on.

Following Lillian, Georgette (Jet), Ryan, and Nana Brighton (Bright) really pulled at my heart strings.
Lillian is patient and hopeful. Jet is a dreamer. Ryan is flawed but trying. Nana is gentle and kind.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for allowing me to read and review The Bright Years.