The Bright Years
A National Bestseller
One family. Four generations. A secret son. A devastating addiction. A Texas family is met with losses and surprises of inheritance, but theyāre unable to shake the pull back toward each other in this family saga perfect for readers of Mary Beth Keane and Claire Lombardo.
Ryan and Lillian Bright are deeply in love, recently married, and now parents to a baby girl, Georgette. But Lillian has a son she hasnāt told Ryan about, and Ryan has an alcohol addiction he hasnāt told Lillian about, so Georgette comes of age watching their marriage rise and fall.
When a shocking blow scatters their fragile trio, Georgette tries to distance herself from reminders of her parents. Years later, Lillianās son comes searching for his birth family, so Georgette must return to her roots, unearth her familyās history, and decide whether she can open up to love for themāor herselfāwhile thereās still time.
Told from three intimate points of view, The Bright Years is a tender, true-to-life debut that explores the impact of each generation in a family torn apart by tragedy but, over time, restored by the power of grace and love.
One family. Four generations. A secret son. A devastating addiction. A Texas family is met with losses and surprises of inheritance, but theyāre unable to shake the pull back toward each other in this family saga perfect for readers of Mary Beth Keane and Claire Lombardo.
Ryan and Lillian Bright are deeply in love, recently married, and now parents to a baby girl, Georgette. But Lillian has a son she hasnāt told Ryan about, and Ryan has an alcohol addiction he hasnāt told Lillian about, so Georgette comes of age watching their marriage rise and fall.
When a shocking blow scatters their fragile trio, Georgette tries to distance herself from reminders of her parents. Years later, Lillianās son comes searching for his birth family, so Georgette must return to her roots, unearth her familyās history, and decide whether she can open up to love for themāor herselfāwhile thereās still time.
Told from three intimate points of view, The Bright Years is a tender, true-to-life debut that explores the impact of each generation in a family torn apart by tragedy but, over time, restored by the power of grace and love.
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Community Reviews
AMAZING š¤© loved every chapter, every character. It touched on so many life lessons but in such raw ways. 9/10 āļø
I will be honest. This book was not my favorite and I only finished it because it was my book club pick. I listened to it on audio and the narrators did a great job with the voices, but the story itself never grabbed me. It was not a bad book, it just was not for me. If you enjoy emotional and slow moving stories you might like it more than I did.
The Bright Years is an incredibly emotional and beautifully written novel, told in three distinct parts from the voices of each central character. The book doesnāt shy away from tough, realistic portrayals of addictionācapturing the pain, complexity, and consequences with raw honesty. This is a story about love, resilience, and redemption, woven with compassion and truth.
Favorite quotes:
"It's not that you dont need anyone--just that you dont need everyone."
"Because you have shown me
that love is worth the losing of it."
--Sarah Damoff
Favorite quotes:
"It's not that you dont need anyone--just that you dont need everyone."
"Because you have shown me
that love is worth the losing of it."
--Sarah Damoff
I really enjoyed the way this story flowed throughout the book, not only as it followed the love between a couple throughout the years but as each decade is a different narrative. From the moment Lily and Ryan meet and begin their life together, the read is taken on a bit of a spoiled journey (the description has spoilers) yet still worthwhile one. The author did a great job still bringing the emotions as each character gains, bears, and tries to heal from their inner scars, traumas, and family ties. I really liked how this book faced the topics head on and yet kept the reading a light satisfying flow.
The Bright Years
A tender and emotional story about grief, love, and moving forward. Thereās a moment about halfway through that truly surprised meāand made the story even more impactful. Some parts felt like they could have used a little more depth, but overall, I found it heartfelt and memorable. A quiet, beautiful read.
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