The Bright Years

August 3, 2025 /

The Bright Years ~ Sarah Damoff

Ryan Brighton is a child from a broken home. His mother takes him away from his abusive, alcoholic father, and raises him on her own. Ryan vows that he will not be like his father, starting with abstaining from alcohol.

Lillian Wright was orphaned young, one parent killed by a drunk driver, the other from cancer. When she learns she is pregnant as a young adult, she decides that she isn’t ready to become a parent, and gives her baby boy up for adoption, a decision that she hopes was the right one, even as she aches with the loss.

Ryan and Lillian meet, fall in love, and marry. They meld their last names, taking on the last name ‘Bright’. Their love is strong, but their marriage suffers from too many secrets. They hope the birth of their daughter Georgette (Jet) will help them strengthen their marriage.

This is Darnoff’s debut novel. She brings her experience dealing with families in crisis as a social worker to this well told, moving story. I was engrossed listening to their alternating stories, and very much enjoyed the time I spent with this book. Highly recommended.

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