Oh man. This book.
The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff is the story of a Texas couple – Lily and Ryan – whose marriage is plagued by Ryan’s addiction to alcohol. Despite the love that they share, as well as Jet, the daughter they adore, Ryan’s addiction simply becomes too big to overcome, and he abandons the family. The Bright Years is a wrenching, beautiful book about so many things – grief, forgiveness, acceptance, addiction, secrecy, motherhood – all wrapped into a kaleidoscopic chronicle of three generations of pain and joy. It is told from all three perspectives over time – Lily, Ryan and Jet – and this shifting narration allows the reader to understand their flaws, their desperate decisions and choices, and the ways they found solace and hope. This was an utterly heartbreaking read, but I loved it so much. If you can handle sad, then I’d definitely pick this book up.