The Bright Years

Lillian meets Ryan at the library, her favorite of all places. He is instantly charming and a flirt, their chemistry is undeniable. Eventually married, they open an art studio and create a sweet little family giving birth to a beautiful girl they name Georgette (nickname Jet). The happiest either of them have ever been, the deep loss which initially bound them begins to tear them apart. Ryan’s father was a raging, abusive alcoholic. His mother Elise escaped with Ryan when he was just a little boy and although they built a stable home and Elise was a wonderful mother, Ryan is haunted by the mere possibility that this man’s DNA exists - enough to turn him into a lifelong teetotaler. An orphan too young, Lillian lost both her parents and craved a family more than Ryan could possibly understand. She also feared the idea of loss so deeply that she often pushed love away out of self protection. This generational family drama is narrated through three points of view; Lillian, Jet and Ryan. The initial portion told by Lillian had me on the edge of my seat as I cheered for her to figure a way out of their complicated mess. But from there it went downhill. Even though I mostly liked the main characters there was too much death and the rollercoaster of Ryan’s alcoholism, although tragically sad was exhausting and repetitive. I cannot put my finger on it but although this book had really positive reviews overall - it was “like”, not love for me. ⭐⭐⭐