The Burning Side

“Detailed in three different perspectives, the familial and romantic intricacies are ripe for discussion (and tons of tears)…a tender family saga.”—Martha Stewart, The Best Book Club Books of 2026

“[A] layered family saga… Damoff skillfully paints a picture of April and Leo’s rich, complex marriage…in The Burning Side, family—however unwieldy and difficult—is too precious a thing to throw away lightly.”—Bookreporter

“One of my all-time favorites…The Burning Side is just perfection. I feel more connected to all of humanity after connecting so deeply to this family—and feel honored to have spent time with these fictional souls.”—Zibby Owens, Totally Booked with Zibby

“Following the breakout success of her debut, The Bright Years, Damoff continues to explore the interplay of the many relationships that make up a family with rare sensitivity.“—Oprah Daily

“[A] heartbreaking tale of a family contending with its fractures in the wake of a devastating house fire…This will stay with readers.”—Publishers Weekly

“Rich in poignant moments and nuanced characters…Damoff writes with lyrical precision, weaving fire imagery throughout the novel as both literal catastrophe and emotional metaphor. Her characters feel achingly real in their flaws and vulnerabilities…a compelling choice for book clubs.”—Southern Literary Review

“A deeply human story about marriage, caregiving, and the fragile ways families hold each other together.”—Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper

“Sarah Damoff has a rare gift for creating endearing characters who are recognizable human beings, flawed people striving to do their best for those they love.”—Dallas Morning News

Praise for The Bright Years

“Sarah Damoff’s debut novel, The Bright Years, carries the sensitivity and knowledge of her years of experience as a social worker…Damoff’s careful approach to depicting alcoholism, and her expressions of what it means to love (and be loved) amidst the wreckage of addiction, set this tender novel apart.”—Elle

“The Bright Years is more than just a good novel. It is so masterfully constructed and so sensitively, satisfyingly written that one finds it hard to believe it is a first novel. It contains all the realism of everyday life for millions of everyday people: passionate romance, betrayal, abandonment, survival and overcoming the odds. It’s a family saga filled with heart and hope, pain and joy, love and grief.”—Dallas Morning News

“In Damoff’s heartfelt debut, which spans four generations, the impact of addiction is threaded tightly into a family’s story. The novel examines the joys and sorrows of Lillian Bright and addresses a timeless theme: how alcohol decides what to destroy and what to leave alone.”—People

“Unforgettable characters and life-affirming moments shine in this powerful debut novel.”—Woman’s World

“To attempt to tell a convincing love story at this late stage in the history of the novel is to set the bar ambitiously high, and yet Sarah Damoff somehow pulls it off twice in a single book, penning two thoroughly persuasive, interrelated relationship histories, each with appealing texture and depth…The Bright Years builds symphonically, polyphonically, reaching emotional crescendos and gliding into perfectly calibrated decrescendos that mimic the rhythms of real life.”—Lit Hub

“The Bright Years is a dazzling, true-to-life depiction of adoration and damage, and the lovely ache of living as the pendulum swings between them.”—Shelf Awareness (starred review)

“Outstanding…through Damoff’s beautiful, at times almost poetic narrative, we see hope through the darkness, and how love—and forgiveness—can make us whole.”—BookReporter

“Tender and heartbreaking, but ultimately hopeful…will make the reader feel like they are actually living through it alongside the characters.”—Booklist (starred review)

“Social worker Damoff’s heartfelt debut focuses on the impact of alcohol addiction on a family over four generations…This family drama rings true.”—Publishers Weekly

Sarah Damoff is the author of The Burning Side and The Bright Years, which was a USA TODAY bestseller. She lives with her husband and children in Texas, where she has been a social worker.

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