“The Bright Years” by Sarah Damoff is an absolute masterpiece, a novel that captures the essence of life’s fleeting moments with poignant clarity and beauty. Damoff’s writing is exquisite, blending lyrical prose with vividly drawn characters whose journeys are deeply personal and universally relatable. The narrative explores love, loss, and redemption themes, weaving them into a tapestry that feels intimate and expansive. Each chapter is meticulously crafted, pulling the reader into the lives of its characters and holding them captivated until the very last page. Damoff’s ability to evoke emotion is remarkable, making “The Bright Years” not just a story but an experience. This book is a triumph of storytelling, deserving of its five stars for its emotional depth, narrative finesse, and unforgettable impact.

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.