The Bright Years
By Sarah Damoff
Published 2025
Read July 2026
This fascinating and amazing novel covers the period 1979-2019 of the Bright family—mother Lillian, husband Ryan, daughter Georgette “Jette”, and mother-in-law Elsie. It is told in three parts, the first narrated by Lillian, the second by Jette, and the third by Ryan.
Lillian tells us the sweet story of Lillian and Ryan’s courtship and early marriage. The near saccharine nature of this part of their story led this reader to wonder when the other shoe would drop. And it does. The prologue sets part of the stage for this—Ryan’s mother had run away with small son, Ryan, from an abusive, alcoholic husband. All through Lillian and Ryan’s courtship and early marriage, neither of them drank alcohol for no reason except that they didn’t see any reason to do so. After the birth of their daughter, Jette, things change and Ryan starts drinking heavily. When Lillian’s long hidden secret is revealed and he nearly hits his wife, he abruptly leaves them, completely separates from them, and leaves Lillian become a single mom, fortunately with a good mother-in-law.
A major strength of this novel is that it shows the story of alcoholism in this family from Lillian’s perspective in the first section, for Jette in the second, and Ryan’s story in the third. All three perspectives seem quite believable. Similarly, we also see the impact of Lillian’s hidden secret on everyone.
Another strength is that the author will make the reader wish that the couple could have communicated more fully earlier, but the need to keep their secrets hidden got in the way and this reader found that to be quite believable too.
Some reviewers call this the best book of the year. This reader isn’t sure this is quite the case, but certainly strongly recommends this book. It should make good fodder for serious book discussion groups. This reader looks forward to more from this author.
