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The Burning Side
From the author of The Bright Years, the story of April and Leo, a couple on the brink of collapse. When their house goes up in flames, family secrets and thorny histories emerge as they are forced to decide what is worth salvaging.
When April and Leo’s house burns in the middle of the night, they escape with their two young children and the quiet knowledge that the fire is not the only thing threatening their family. They retreat to April’s childhood home in Dallas, where her spirited parents and siblings provide both comfort and complication.
As the family reckons with the aftermath—grief, guilt, logistics, and memories scorched and intact—the fire exposes the cracks already forming in April and Leo’s marriage. The novel unfolds in alternating from April, who feels the crushing weight of motherhood, marriage, and self-blame; from Leo, a high school history teacher shaped by a lonely, fractured childhood; from Deb, April’s generous and no-nonsense mother who has to contend with her husband’s recent Alzheimer’s diagnosis; and from flashbacks that trace April and Leo’s relationship from its earliest days of connection to the devastating decisions that led them here.
A family saga suffused with humor, longing, and heartbreak, The Burning Side is about what we inherit and what we choose, about forgiveness and the ache of being known. It is, above all, about the meaning of home and the costs of long love.
When April and Leo’s house burns in the middle of the night, they escape with their two young children and the quiet knowledge that the fire is not the only thing threatening their family. They retreat to April’s childhood home in Dallas, where her spirited parents and siblings provide both comfort and complication.
As the family reckons with the aftermath—grief, guilt, logistics, and memories scorched and intact—the fire exposes the cracks already forming in April and Leo’s marriage. The novel unfolds in alternating from April, who feels the crushing weight of motherhood, marriage, and self-blame; from Leo, a high school history teacher shaped by a lonely, fractured childhood; from Deb, April’s generous and no-nonsense mother who has to contend with her husband’s recent Alzheimer’s diagnosis; and from flashbacks that trace April and Leo’s relationship from its earliest days of connection to the devastating decisions that led them here.
A family saga suffused with humor, longing, and heartbreak, The Burning Side is about what we inherit and what we choose, about forgiveness and the ache of being known. It is, above all, about the meaning of home and the costs of long love.
Audible Audio
First published May 19, 2026
About the author
Sarah Damoff
3 books2,176 followersSarah Damoff is the author of the debut novel, THE BRIGHT YEARS, published by Simon & Schuster on April 22, 2025. It was a national bestseller; a Goodreads Choice Awards finalist; Southern Literary Review Book of the Year; and it is being translated into fourteen languages. Her writing has appeared in Oprah Daily, Porter House Review, Ruminate Magazine, and Open Global Rights, among other publications. She holds a degree in Family Studies and a Child Protection Certification from Harvard University. A Texas native, Sarah lives with her husband and children in Dallas, where she has been a social worker. Her second novel, THE BURNING SIDE, is forthcoming in May 2026.
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May 30, 2026
I know it’s way too early to declare that I’ve found the best book of 2026, but I’m going to say it anyway—and I will stand by it. This book is a MASTERPIECE.
The characterization is so flawless, so deeply human, that every single character feels like someone you know—someone you love. They feel like family members you want to spend time with: firing up the grill for a backyard barbecue, dancing in the kitchen to “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” devouring the pastries Deb lovingly bakes, doing puzzles with Sadie, belting out “Summer Nights” from Grease with Josie, or cuddling sweet little Otto. These people crawl into your heart and stay there.
This book will tear you apart, shatter your heart into a million sharp glass pieces, and leave you crying until you’re certain there can’t possibly be a single tear left to shed. And yet—somehow—it is also comforting, hopeful, and deeply affirming. It reminds you of love, tenderness, and self-worth. It paints a breathtaking portrait of a family that is far from perfect but achingly real: messy, warm, silly, supportive, deeply flawed, and endlessly kind.
The story opens with pure devastation. In the middle of the night, April flees her burning house, clutching her baby in one arm and the book her husband has written in the other. Moments later, Leo emerges from the flames carrying their daughter. Everyone is safe—but nothing else is. April is in shock, because the fire is her fault. She had been boiling pasta when Leo asked for a divorce. In that moment, everything inside her froze. She forgot the stove. She forgot herself. She floated outside her own body and watched as the home they built, the life they shared, and the marriage they nurtured went up in flames together.
With nowhere else to go, April and Leo move into her parents’ home while dealing with the aftermath. Leo hesitates. Living with the Russo family—Deb and Billy—means confronting a truth he’s been avoiding for years: they are the only real family he’s ever known. His own parents abandoned him, leaving him to be raised by an aunt before cutting ties completely. Deb and Billy never treated him like a son-in-law—they treated him like their fourth child, offering unconditional love, protection, and belonging. Walking away from April means walking away from all of them: from Deb, Billy, and from April’s siblings, Josie and Cameron, who became his own family along the way.
As April and Leo try to maintain appearances for the sake of their children, buying time while waiting to learn whether the house can be salvaged, Leo remains determined to end the marriage. April, desperate and heartbroken, begs him to see things from her side. During this fragile time, Deb quietly carries the weight of a painful truth—a serious health issue affecting Billy that she has been shielding the family from in an attempt to protect them. When this reality finally surfaces, it shakes everyone to the core and forces each character to confront what truly matters.
Life, as this book so beautifully reminds us, doesn’t deliver pain or joy in neat packages. Triumphs and tragedies arrive side by side: new job opportunities, unexpected successes, marriage proposals, a child’s magical first visit from the tooth fairy—alongside heartbreak, illness, loss, and unbearable truths. Yet through it all, the bonds of family are tested, stretched, and—sometimes—made even stronger.
Houses can burn. Marriages can fracture. Hearts can break. Memories can fade. Tears will fall. But real love—the kind rooted in trust, loyalty, and deep understanding—can survive even the fiercest storms. The question is: will they survive this one?
There were moments when I wanted to shake both April and Leo and scream at them to stop being so stubborn—especially Leo. I rooted for them with my whole heart. Deb and Billy absolutely stole the show for me: watching them grow, support one another, and face life with quiet strength was profoundly moving.
The final chapters broke me… and then gently put me back together again. I felt everything at once: sorrow, love, reality’s harsh truths, illness, healing, trust, loyalty—and life itself, with all its brutal beauty and unexpected grace.
No more words. This isn’t just my favorite book of 2026 so far—it has already secured a place among my all-time favorite books.
If you don’t read this book—if you don’t buy a copy immediately or at least add it to your TBR—I will personally come to your house and sing “Dream a Little Dream of Me” at full volume until your ears bleed. (I have a lot of travel miles and an Uber discount.) Trust me, my voice is terrible. To avoid this fate, please just buy the book.
(That last sentence was delivered in my most professional customer-service tone.)
Millions of thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with this MASTERPIECE’s digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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The characterization is so flawless, so deeply human, that every single character feels like someone you know—someone you love. They feel like family members you want to spend time with: firing up the grill for a backyard barbecue, dancing in the kitchen to “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” devouring the pastries Deb lovingly bakes, doing puzzles with Sadie, belting out “Summer Nights” from Grease with Josie, or cuddling sweet little Otto. These people crawl into your heart and stay there.
This book will tear you apart, shatter your heart into a million sharp glass pieces, and leave you crying until you’re certain there can’t possibly be a single tear left to shed. And yet—somehow—it is also comforting, hopeful, and deeply affirming. It reminds you of love, tenderness, and self-worth. It paints a breathtaking portrait of a family that is far from perfect but achingly real: messy, warm, silly, supportive, deeply flawed, and endlessly kind.
The story opens with pure devastation. In the middle of the night, April flees her burning house, clutching her baby in one arm and the book her husband has written in the other. Moments later, Leo emerges from the flames carrying their daughter. Everyone is safe—but nothing else is. April is in shock, because the fire is her fault. She had been boiling pasta when Leo asked for a divorce. In that moment, everything inside her froze. She forgot the stove. She forgot herself. She floated outside her own body and watched as the home they built, the life they shared, and the marriage they nurtured went up in flames together.
With nowhere else to go, April and Leo move into her parents’ home while dealing with the aftermath. Leo hesitates. Living with the Russo family—Deb and Billy—means confronting a truth he’s been avoiding for years: they are the only real family he’s ever known. His own parents abandoned him, leaving him to be raised by an aunt before cutting ties completely. Deb and Billy never treated him like a son-in-law—they treated him like their fourth child, offering unconditional love, protection, and belonging. Walking away from April means walking away from all of them: from Deb, Billy, and from April’s siblings, Josie and Cameron, who became his own family along the way.
As April and Leo try to maintain appearances for the sake of their children, buying time while waiting to learn whether the house can be salvaged, Leo remains determined to end the marriage. April, desperate and heartbroken, begs him to see things from her side. During this fragile time, Deb quietly carries the weight of a painful truth—a serious health issue affecting Billy that she has been shielding the family from in an attempt to protect them. When this reality finally surfaces, it shakes everyone to the core and forces each character to confront what truly matters.
Life, as this book so beautifully reminds us, doesn’t deliver pain or joy in neat packages. Triumphs and tragedies arrive side by side: new job opportunities, unexpected successes, marriage proposals, a child’s magical first visit from the tooth fairy—alongside heartbreak, illness, loss, and unbearable truths. Yet through it all, the bonds of family are tested, stretched, and—sometimes—made even stronger.
Houses can burn. Marriages can fracture. Hearts can break. Memories can fade. Tears will fall. But real love—the kind rooted in trust, loyalty, and deep understanding—can survive even the fiercest storms. The question is: will they survive this one?
There were moments when I wanted to shake both April and Leo and scream at them to stop being so stubborn—especially Leo. I rooted for them with my whole heart. Deb and Billy absolutely stole the show for me: watching them grow, support one another, and face life with quiet strength was profoundly moving.
The final chapters broke me… and then gently put me back together again. I felt everything at once: sorrow, love, reality’s harsh truths, illness, healing, trust, loyalty—and life itself, with all its brutal beauty and unexpected grace.
No more words. This isn’t just my favorite book of 2026 so far—it has already secured a place among my all-time favorite books.
If you don’t read this book—if you don’t buy a copy immediately or at least add it to your TBR—I will personally come to your house and sing “Dream a Little Dream of Me” at full volume until your ears bleed. (I have a lot of travel miles and an Uber discount.) Trust me, my voice is terrible. To avoid this fate, please just buy the book.
(That last sentence was delivered in my most professional customer-service tone.)
Millions of thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with this MASTERPIECE’s digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
May 24, 2026
This was INCREDIBLE. Had high hopes for this one since I loved The Bright Years - and this did not disappoint. I feel like Sarah's writing was even STRONGER in this one as we tied in more intricacies of all the members of this family. Their dynamics felt even more nuanced and layered since we were seeing deeper into the multiple generations of this family.
You know I LOVE a book about memory, and this book made me really think of what really holds our memories. Is it our homes, our objects, our families & personal circles, or just within our brains? And on top of that - what makes a home, what makes a family?
Sarah is incredible at capturing the little details & observations about a person, a relationship, a home, a place. Little mundane details like a floor tile that can have so much significance when you build memories around it. Every bit of info she gives you as the reader has significance to the story and it's so masterful.
If you loved The Bright Years, DEFINITELY read this one - it's even better! If you loved the show This Is Us, READ THIS ONE!
You know I LOVE a book about memory, and this book made me really think of what really holds our memories. Is it our homes, our objects, our families & personal circles, or just within our brains? And on top of that - what makes a home, what makes a family?
Sarah is incredible at capturing the little details & observations about a person, a relationship, a home, a place. Little mundane details like a floor tile that can have so much significance when you build memories around it. Every bit of info she gives you as the reader has significance to the story and it's so masterful.
If you loved The Bright Years, DEFINITELY read this one - it's even better! If you loved the show This Is Us, READ THIS ONE!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Digital ARC provided by NetGalley and Simon and Schuster. All opinions are my own.
Some novels move you while you're reading them. Others linger long after the final page.
The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff firmly belongs to the latter. All the stars! 😭
Opening with a devastating house fire that irrevocably alters the lives the Russo/Torres family- the novel traces the emotional aftermath through three alternating perspectives, Leo, April and Deb.
What unfolds is not simply a story about tragedy, but about consequence — how grief reshapes relationships, how families fracture and endure, and how love persists even when understanding feels out of reach.
Damoff's greatest strength lies in her character work. Each perspective is rendered with such depth and compassion that the characters feel believably real.
I found myself thinking about Leo and April even after picking up another book, mentally returning to their choices and emotional journeys as though they existed beyond the confines of the story.
Deb's chapters resonated especially deeply with me. Her portrayal captures, with remarkable honesty, the quiet emotional weight mothers often carry - so much given, so much absorbed, often without recognition.
Reading her perspective left me reflecting on and appreciating my own mother in ways I hadn't expected.
One of the novel's most impressive achievements is how it gently dismantles the reader's instinct to judge. I initially struggled with certain decisions - particularly April's actions and Leo's reactions — yet as the narrative expands, understanding replaces certainty.
Damoff allows space for contradiction and humanity, reminding us that people are rarely defined by their worst moments. By the novel's midpoint, I wasn't evaluating these characters anymore; I was rooting for all of them.
Though sparked by a singular tragedy, the emotional core of The Burning Side feels profoundly universal: life happens, mistakes happen, and love ultimately becomes a choice made repeatedly in imperfect circumstances.
I cried and sobbed throughout much of this story— not from manipulation, but from recognition. ❤️🩹
My digital ARC from Simon & Schuster is heavily highlighted, and I'm already looking forward to revisiting it in physical form.
With back-to-back five-star reads, Sarah Damoff has secured a place on my auto-read author list. I cannot recommend this novel highly enough.
Yeee! Simon and Schuster how I loveeee theee! I HAD plans for another book tonight lol but getting this arc might have changed them… 💖
Expected pub date - 5/19/26
The Bright Side review
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
Some novels move you while you're reading them. Others linger long after the final page.
The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff firmly belongs to the latter. All the stars! 😭
Opening with a devastating house fire that irrevocably alters the lives the Russo/Torres family- the novel traces the emotional aftermath through three alternating perspectives, Leo, April and Deb.
What unfolds is not simply a story about tragedy, but about consequence — how grief reshapes relationships, how families fracture and endure, and how love persists even when understanding feels out of reach.
Damoff's greatest strength lies in her character work. Each perspective is rendered with such depth and compassion that the characters feel believably real.
I found myself thinking about Leo and April even after picking up another book, mentally returning to their choices and emotional journeys as though they existed beyond the confines of the story.
Deb's chapters resonated especially deeply with me. Her portrayal captures, with remarkable honesty, the quiet emotional weight mothers often carry - so much given, so much absorbed, often without recognition.
Reading her perspective left me reflecting on and appreciating my own mother in ways I hadn't expected.
One of the novel's most impressive achievements is how it gently dismantles the reader's instinct to judge. I initially struggled with certain decisions - particularly April's actions and Leo's reactions — yet as the narrative expands, understanding replaces certainty.
Damoff allows space for contradiction and humanity, reminding us that people are rarely defined by their worst moments. By the novel's midpoint, I wasn't evaluating these characters anymore; I was rooting for all of them.
Though sparked by a singular tragedy, the emotional core of The Burning Side feels profoundly universal: life happens, mistakes happen, and love ultimately becomes a choice made repeatedly in imperfect circumstances.
I cried and sobbed throughout much of this story— not from manipulation, but from recognition. ❤️🩹
My digital ARC from Simon & Schuster is heavily highlighted, and I'm already looking forward to revisiting it in physical form.
With back-to-back five-star reads, Sarah Damoff has secured a place on my auto-read author list. I cannot recommend this novel highly enough.
Yeee! Simon and Schuster how I loveeee theee! I HAD plans for another book tonight lol but getting this arc might have changed them… 💖
Expected pub date - 5/19/26
The Bright Side review
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Burning Side written by Sarah Damoff was heart wrenching, powerful, deeply moving, emotional, extremely heart breaking, beautiful, real, and heart shattering. I will admit I was a bit hesitant to start this book because The Bright Years was a top favorite for me in 2025, but let me just tell you Sarah Damoff does not disappoint, The Burning Side will now be a top favorite in 2026 for me as well. As excited as I was to get my hands on this highly anticipated release, I was a bit nervous because of the emotional damage that was about to be done to my heart, and let me just say, my heart was one hundred percent damaged in the process. This book is told in three different POV's but I was never once confused, which I truly appreciate because I know many POV's can be confusing, but there was absolutely nothing confusing about this one. I absolutely loved this beautiful and heart breaking book from the very first page all the way until the very last page, no matter how much Sarah damaged my heart, I will continue to read her books. If you love an emotional story that will leave you staring at the ceiling for hours on end after finishing, then y'all need to mark your calendars for May 19th, 2026 because The Burning Side is the type of book that should not go unnoticed. The Burning Side is a story about everything turning to ash. There's some books that move you while you're reading them, but there's certain books that linger long after the final page is turned. I can't recommend this book enough, everyone please read The Burning Side.
THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND SIMON & SCHUSTER FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!!
🎧🎸ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ : The Luckiest by Ben Folds🎧🎸
1:26───ㅇ─────4:25
"💗🤪Love isn't stupid💗🤪".
"💗🦋Love cannot be reversed, cannot be erased, maybe cannot even be a mistake. It can end- and it does- but it is never undone💗🦋".
"💗🌳There are a hundred paths through the world that are easier than loving💗🌳".
"🌞💫Sunshine has a way of dusting tragedy with hope🌞💫".
"🌱👾Life is a series of wild unknowns, and the past will always leave marks🌱👾".
June 10th, 2022 is the night April and Leo Torres's house goes up in flames with their son Otto and their daughter Sadie still inside. This has been their home of almost a decade when April left a boiled pot of pasta on the stove when Leo hinted that he's not in love with April anymore. The fire was described as a bright and beautiful terror. I mean, what are you supposed to do when your significant other just randomly drops the bomb that they aren't in love with you anymore? After their house isn't doomed safe to live in anymore, April, Leo, Otto, and Sadie are now living in April's childhood home, and things are very on edge. Otto is too young to understand what happened, but poor precious Sadie has trauma- she screams when she sees a flame because of that awful night of June 10th, 2022. April and Leo's marriage was on the verge of collapse before the fire even happened, they weren't talking at all and they were even sleeping in different bedrooms. April and Leo both abandoned each other in their marriage because they both have disillusionment, it wasn't just one person's fault. If you're in a marriage it should be fifty-fifty between the each of you to equal one hundred. April and Leo met in 2011 at Argyle High School during summer school and were soon married on September 21st, 2013.
April Torres was a summer tutor in 2011 at Argyle High School where she helps students with dyslexia how to read because she has dyslexia herself and she knows how frustrating it is when students are trying to read but they struggle so it's hard to pass a class when you fall behind in reading. After giving birth to her two precious children, April suffers from post partum depression, she hates the way her body looks, I think that also played a role in their marriage collapsing because April hated herself, so how could she possibly love her husband? I also think Leo should have been more understanding. It was so beautiful watching April through motherhood- she's such a good mom and has a beautiful soul. April is also a compulsive care taker because she takes care of everyone else but puts herself dead last, which as a people pleaser is so relatable. Leo Torres was a history teacher at Argyle High School in 2011 where he met April. At just seven years old, Leo's parents left him with his aunt and uncle and hasn't seen his parents since that day. Leo lived with his aunt and uncle for ten years, but after high school graduation he packed his bags and left because he felt like he interrupted their lives. It's so heart breaking, because none of his family members showed up during his and April's wedding. Leo also suffers from childhood abandonment- his childhood story broke me.
Deb Russo is fifty-seven years old and a mom to three kids- April, Cameron, and Josie. Deb and her husband Billy got married in 1988 after her first pregnancy is confirmed- Deb became a mom to April at just twenty-four years old. Deb and Billy have been married for twenty-five years but now Billy has early onset Alzheimer's. It's so heart breaking to watch a man who you have been married to for twenty-five years forget who you and your grandchildren are- my heart just breaks for Deb. Billy and Deb live on Lexington Avenue in Texas, which is also the childhood for April and now she lives with her parents, and her whole family after that awful night in June. April finds out two days after her house burns down that her father has Alzheimer's, Billy and Deb both knew but never told their children until tragedy strikes. I often found Deb to be a bit selfish because she said "why does my child have to have a crisis when I have one of my own?" Like I totally understand where Deb is coming from because she doesn't want to see her children struggle, but that sentence just struck me as a bit selfish. I totally understand no parent ever wants to see their child in pain or struggling, but that's just how life works, not everything is rainbows and sprinkles. I don't fault Deb by any means, I truly think she's an amazing mother and wife, but just that one sentence didn't rub me the right way.
THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND SIMON & SCHUSTER FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!!
🎧🎸ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ : The Luckiest by Ben Folds🎧🎸
1:26───ㅇ─────4:25
"💗🤪Love isn't stupid💗🤪".
"💗🦋Love cannot be reversed, cannot be erased, maybe cannot even be a mistake. It can end- and it does- but it is never undone💗🦋".
"💗🌳There are a hundred paths through the world that are easier than loving💗🌳".
"🌞💫Sunshine has a way of dusting tragedy with hope🌞💫".
"🌱👾Life is a series of wild unknowns, and the past will always leave marks🌱👾".
June 10th, 2022 is the night April and Leo Torres's house goes up in flames with their son Otto and their daughter Sadie still inside. This has been their home of almost a decade when April left a boiled pot of pasta on the stove when Leo hinted that he's not in love with April anymore. The fire was described as a bright and beautiful terror. I mean, what are you supposed to do when your significant other just randomly drops the bomb that they aren't in love with you anymore? After their house isn't doomed safe to live in anymore, April, Leo, Otto, and Sadie are now living in April's childhood home, and things are very on edge. Otto is too young to understand what happened, but poor precious Sadie has trauma- she screams when she sees a flame because of that awful night of June 10th, 2022. April and Leo's marriage was on the verge of collapse before the fire even happened, they weren't talking at all and they were even sleeping in different bedrooms. April and Leo both abandoned each other in their marriage because they both have disillusionment, it wasn't just one person's fault. If you're in a marriage it should be fifty-fifty between the each of you to equal one hundred. April and Leo met in 2011 at Argyle High School during summer school and were soon married on September 21st, 2013.
April Torres was a summer tutor in 2011 at Argyle High School where she helps students with dyslexia how to read because she has dyslexia herself and she knows how frustrating it is when students are trying to read but they struggle so it's hard to pass a class when you fall behind in reading. After giving birth to her two precious children, April suffers from post partum depression, she hates the way her body looks, I think that also played a role in their marriage collapsing because April hated herself, so how could she possibly love her husband? I also think Leo should have been more understanding. It was so beautiful watching April through motherhood- she's such a good mom and has a beautiful soul. April is also a compulsive care taker because she takes care of everyone else but puts herself dead last, which as a people pleaser is so relatable. Leo Torres was a history teacher at Argyle High School in 2011 where he met April. At just seven years old, Leo's parents left him with his aunt and uncle and hasn't seen his parents since that day. Leo lived with his aunt and uncle for ten years, but after high school graduation he packed his bags and left because he felt like he interrupted their lives. It's so heart breaking, because none of his family members showed up during his and April's wedding. Leo also suffers from childhood abandonment- his childhood story broke me.
Deb Russo is fifty-seven years old and a mom to three kids- April, Cameron, and Josie. Deb and her husband Billy got married in 1988 after her first pregnancy is confirmed- Deb became a mom to April at just twenty-four years old. Deb and Billy have been married for twenty-five years but now Billy has early onset Alzheimer's. It's so heart breaking to watch a man who you have been married to for twenty-five years forget who you and your grandchildren are- my heart just breaks for Deb. Billy and Deb live on Lexington Avenue in Texas, which is also the childhood for April and now she lives with her parents, and her whole family after that awful night in June. April finds out two days after her house burns down that her father has Alzheimer's, Billy and Deb both knew but never told their children until tragedy strikes. I often found Deb to be a bit selfish because she said "why does my child have to have a crisis when I have one of my own?" Like I totally understand where Deb is coming from because she doesn't want to see her children struggle, but that sentence just struck me as a bit selfish. I totally understand no parent ever wants to see their child in pain or struggling, but that's just how life works, not everything is rainbows and sprinkles. I don't fault Deb by any means, I truly think she's an amazing mother and wife, but just that one sentence didn't rub me the right way.
April 22, 2026
5++++ stars!
You know how it is when you love a book so much that you don’t even know what to say about it because whatever you say will be inadequate?
This is that book for me. It’s the type of character-driven story that makes you pause and reflect, a book that grabs you and doesn’t let go, even after the last page is turned.
The authors debut, THE BRIGHT YEARS, was a 5 star read for me and now the author has done it again.
Sarah Damoff has a background in social work, and it shows. She shows such tender loving care and understanding toward her characters.
The author has a keen insight into human behavior and writes beautifully. It’s the type of writing where one powerful line can say so much and evoke such emotion. Were I to use my highlighter nearly every line would be highlighted.
I loved each and every character. I cared about them deeply, and was completely invested in their stories. There’s heartbreak here but also hope.
Also….how have I lived so many years and not heard this song by Ben Folds? It’s achingly beautiful, much like this book! (The song plays a part in the book)
https://youtu.be/f9bRmuP-kQY?si=g1MT1...
I won’t repeat the synopsis of the plot here. This book is so much more than that, it can’t be reduced to a paragraph.
* I received a digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
You know how it is when you love a book so much that you don’t even know what to say about it because whatever you say will be inadequate?
This is that book for me. It’s the type of character-driven story that makes you pause and reflect, a book that grabs you and doesn’t let go, even after the last page is turned.
The authors debut, THE BRIGHT YEARS, was a 5 star read for me and now the author has done it again.
Sarah Damoff has a background in social work, and it shows. She shows such tender loving care and understanding toward her characters.
The author has a keen insight into human behavior and writes beautifully. It’s the type of writing where one powerful line can say so much and evoke such emotion. Were I to use my highlighter nearly every line would be highlighted.
I loved each and every character. I cared about them deeply, and was completely invested in their stories. There’s heartbreak here but also hope.
Also….how have I lived so many years and not heard this song by Ben Folds? It’s achingly beautiful, much like this book! (The song plays a part in the book)
https://youtu.be/f9bRmuP-kQY?si=g1MT1...
I won’t repeat the synopsis of the plot here. This book is so much more than that, it can’t be reduced to a paragraph.
* I received a digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Book of the Month
5 STARS. Flawless. Simply beautiful and deeply emotional. Damoff writes with such urgency and momentum! This is going into one of my TOP reads for the year. She's now an auto buy author for me.
Sarah Damoff wrote a very moving story, The Bright Years, that became one of my favorite books of 2025. The Burning Side is no different. It's a story about everything that turns to ash. It's for all who experienced unexpected trials in life, silent resentments, grief. It's for anyone who experienced heartbreak, loss or a relationship/marriage on the brink of extinction.
FULL REVIEW TO FOLLOW!
This book is featured on BOTM! Grab an early copy just for $5, here's a link to join: https://www.mybotm.com/bgnrjn6qk0o
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Many thanks to the publisher for an early copy.
Sarah Damoff wrote a very moving story, The Bright Years, that became one of my favorite books of 2025. The Burning Side is no different. It's a story about everything that turns to ash. It's for all who experienced unexpected trials in life, silent resentments, grief. It's for anyone who experienced heartbreak, loss or a relationship/marriage on the brink of extinction.
FULL REVIEW TO FOLLOW!
This book is featured on BOTM! Grab an early copy just for $5, here's a link to join: https://www.mybotm.com/bgnrjn6qk0o
Cancel anytime at no cost to you. I LOVE BOTM!
Many thanks to the publisher for an early copy.
March 30, 2026
5 beautiful aching speechless stars 😭 get your libby holds in and your tissues ready!
i must admit i went into this one with some walls up because while i really respected the bright years, i struggled to fully connect with the characters at times. but THIS! this really made sarah damoff click for me!
what sarah damoff does so well is she takes the most everyday parts of life and puts them under a microscope. marriage, family, caregiving, guilt, resentment, memory, are masterfully plucked out & pulled apart & put back together in such a simple but striking way.
this is the kind of book where seemingly nothing happens, but emotionally everything is happening. the chapters are quick, the pacing is strong, and i could not put it down because i just needed to keep understanding each character a little more.
i also really loved the wider cast of characters here because it made the story feel much richer. having all these different perspectives made it easier to find someone to connect to in every corner of the book. deb’s POV might have been my favorite, but i honestly grew attached to all of them. everyone felt so flawed and frustrating and caring and real.
april and leo’s lack of communication definitely got to me at times, but it felt believable in a way that worked. the emotional baggage, the housing situation, the responsibility of the children, the grief, all of it made their disconnect feel so honest rather than contrived. and i loved the way their burned house really parallels their relationship throughout the story, both of them having to sort through what was lost and what was still worth saving.
this book hurt in the best way. it broke my heart and stitched it back together and ripped it up again. just a really beautiful reminder that the human experience is both devastating and remarkable.
p.s. content warning for alzheimer’s, which plays a significant role in the story. it was incredibly sad to read, but felt like it was handled with a lot of care and honesty.
thank you to simon & schuster and netgalley for providing me with an early copy in exchange for my honest review 💌
i must admit i went into this one with some walls up because while i really respected the bright years, i struggled to fully connect with the characters at times. but THIS! this really made sarah damoff click for me!
what sarah damoff does so well is she takes the most everyday parts of life and puts them under a microscope. marriage, family, caregiving, guilt, resentment, memory, are masterfully plucked out & pulled apart & put back together in such a simple but striking way.
this is the kind of book where seemingly nothing happens, but emotionally everything is happening. the chapters are quick, the pacing is strong, and i could not put it down because i just needed to keep understanding each character a little more.
i also really loved the wider cast of characters here because it made the story feel much richer. having all these different perspectives made it easier to find someone to connect to in every corner of the book. deb’s POV might have been my favorite, but i honestly grew attached to all of them. everyone felt so flawed and frustrating and caring and real.
april and leo’s lack of communication definitely got to me at times, but it felt believable in a way that worked. the emotional baggage, the housing situation, the responsibility of the children, the grief, all of it made their disconnect feel so honest rather than contrived. and i loved the way their burned house really parallels their relationship throughout the story, both of them having to sort through what was lost and what was still worth saving.
this book hurt in the best way. it broke my heart and stitched it back together and ripped it up again. just a really beautiful reminder that the human experience is both devastating and remarkable.
p.s. content warning for alzheimer’s, which plays a significant role in the story. it was incredibly sad to read, but felt like it was handled with a lot of care and honesty.
thank you to simon & schuster and netgalley for providing me with an early copy in exchange for my honest review 💌
March 25, 2026
Absolutely incredible.
May 30, 2026
Emotional. Poetic. Complex. Perfectly paced.
Sarah Damoff's writing is impeccable. I fell in love with her debut, The Bright Years, and have anticipated her sophomore effort ever since. Such complex characters that also feel so real. I cannot wait for what's to come!
•Multiple timelines
•Multiple POV
•Second chances
•Grief
•Complex family dynamics
•Healing & redemption
4.5⭐️
Sarah Damoff's writing is impeccable. I fell in love with her debut, The Bright Years, and have anticipated her sophomore effort ever since. Such complex characters that also feel so real. I cannot wait for what's to come!
•Multiple timelines
•Multiple POV
•Second chances
•Grief
•Complex family dynamics
•Healing & redemption
4.5⭐️
May 25, 2026
this hurt in all the best ways. sarah damoff can do no wrong. six stars.
𐙚⋆.˚pre-read
don’t even need to read this to know it’s a five star ⭐🤭 time for some emotional devastation!!
𐙚⋆.˚pre-read
don’t even need to read this to know it’s a five star ⭐🤭 time for some emotional devastation!!
May 28, 2026
one of my most anticipated releases of this year!!!!! I fell in love with sarah damoff last year when she released her debut, the bright years, which is one of my favorite reads from 2025 and i think about that book all the time.
the burning side was no different. her books are so emotional and filled with complex stories and people. i absolutely love her writing style and how many emotions she can pull out of me. one of my favorite authors to read.
this book followed multiple povs from the different people in this family, what they were going through together and in their own personal lives. this book follows of the importance of forgiveness and uncovers if love really is enough. the characters were all unlikeable all times, but some of my favorite books involve characters who are real and are not always perfect. this was such a heartbreaking and heartfelt story, and i loved following along each characters journey and how they overcame their battles. a broken marriage and a burnt down home. they had so many reasons to let life pull them apart, and i really enjoyed their second chance.
thank you so much simon & schuster and sarah damoff for the arc!!!!
the burning side was no different. her books are so emotional and filled with complex stories and people. i absolutely love her writing style and how many emotions she can pull out of me. one of my favorite authors to read.
this book followed multiple povs from the different people in this family, what they were going through together and in their own personal lives. this book follows of the importance of forgiveness and uncovers if love really is enough. the characters were all unlikeable all times, but some of my favorite books involve characters who are real and are not always perfect. this was such a heartbreaking and heartfelt story, and i loved following along each characters journey and how they overcame their battles. a broken marriage and a burnt down home. they had so many reasons to let life pull them apart, and i really enjoyed their second chance.
thank you so much simon & schuster and sarah damoff for the arc!!!!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I feel so incredibly lucky to be living in a world where I get to experience stories like these. I was lucky enough to arc read Sarah Damoff's debut, The Bright Years, last year (please go read it) and it was my top read of 2025. So imagine my EXTREME excitement when the publisher sent me The Burning Side to arc read as well. I had a little cry and immediately dived back into the world and writing of one of my favorite authors. I know we are only in January but I'm telling you right now, The Burning Side will be in my top books of 2026. This book was everything to me. This book reminded me why I love reading so much and the portrayals of love, grief, happiness, sacrifice, and vulnerability made me sob so many times. This book is a true treasure.
The Burning Side is the story of a married couple, April and Leo, who are on the brink of collapse. The books begins with gut-wrenching devastation as their family home burns in the middle of the night. The scenes of April and Leo running out of the house clutching their children were so visceral and heartbreaking. In the aftermath, April is stuck in time after the fire because she blames herself. The night before Leo tells her he wants a divorce and in a daze of shock April forgets to turn off the stove. One small mistake turns into everything they knew into flames. Now forced to abandon their home, the family finds themselves retreating back to April's parents house in Dallas as they try to salvage not only their home but their marriage.
This book shines in its characterization and the synopsis says it best. "Told in alternating perspectives: from April, who feels the crushing weight of motherhood, marriage, and self-blame; from Leo, a high school history teacher shaped by a lonely, fractured childhood; from Deb, April’s generous and no-nonsense mother who has to contend with her husband’s recent Alzheimer’s diagnosis; and from flashbacks that trace April and Leo’s relationship from its earliest days of connection to the devastating decisions that led them here." Living with April's parents brings a whole new set of challenges, tension, and complications to the family but I loved getting all the context to each of the characters through their perspectives and the flashbacks.
In the wake of Billy's diagnosis, the family begins to confront and question what really matters. This book reminds us just how fragile, beautiful, and devastating life can be at times. It captures both the complexities and still moments of familial relationships: grilling in the backyard, quiet sacrifices, mornings with the tooth fairy, and unimaginable hardships. Sarah's writing was so honest and respectful to the topics in the book and filled with emotion on every page. The ending chapters absolutely broke me but also made me feel so hopeful. We only get one life to live and this book is a gentle reminder to do just that, live.
Where The Bright Years feels like hit after hit leaving you in a sobbing mess, The Burning Side is a quiet heartbreak that unravels over the course of the book. It is a breathtaking portrayal of a family that is deeply flawed, messy, real but also comforting, warm, silly, and so so supportive of each other in every avenue. It is a beautifully written book that will stay with my forever.
Thank you endlessly to Simon & Schuster and Sarah Damoff for the eARC in exchange for my review. I already have my copy pre ordered and I truly cannot recommend this book enough! Sarah Damoff has solidified herself as of one my all-time favorite authors with The Burning Side and I feel so lucky I got to read this early 💖
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update: I GOT THE ARC gonna go sob and read now🥹🥹🥹
SARAH PLEASE IM BEGGING FOR AN ARC!!!
also if you haven’t read her debut, The Bright Years, go do it right now!!!
The Burning Side is the story of a married couple, April and Leo, who are on the brink of collapse. The books begins with gut-wrenching devastation as their family home burns in the middle of the night. The scenes of April and Leo running out of the house clutching their children were so visceral and heartbreaking. In the aftermath, April is stuck in time after the fire because she blames herself. The night before Leo tells her he wants a divorce and in a daze of shock April forgets to turn off the stove. One small mistake turns into everything they knew into flames. Now forced to abandon their home, the family finds themselves retreating back to April's parents house in Dallas as they try to salvage not only their home but their marriage.
This book shines in its characterization and the synopsis says it best. "Told in alternating perspectives: from April, who feels the crushing weight of motherhood, marriage, and self-blame; from Leo, a high school history teacher shaped by a lonely, fractured childhood; from Deb, April’s generous and no-nonsense mother who has to contend with her husband’s recent Alzheimer’s diagnosis; and from flashbacks that trace April and Leo’s relationship from its earliest days of connection to the devastating decisions that led them here." Living with April's parents brings a whole new set of challenges, tension, and complications to the family but I loved getting all the context to each of the characters through their perspectives and the flashbacks.
In the wake of Billy's diagnosis, the family begins to confront and question what really matters. This book reminds us just how fragile, beautiful, and devastating life can be at times. It captures both the complexities and still moments of familial relationships: grilling in the backyard, quiet sacrifices, mornings with the tooth fairy, and unimaginable hardships. Sarah's writing was so honest and respectful to the topics in the book and filled with emotion on every page. The ending chapters absolutely broke me but also made me feel so hopeful. We only get one life to live and this book is a gentle reminder to do just that, live.
Where The Bright Years feels like hit after hit leaving you in a sobbing mess, The Burning Side is a quiet heartbreak that unravels over the course of the book. It is a breathtaking portrayal of a family that is deeply flawed, messy, real but also comforting, warm, silly, and so so supportive of each other in every avenue. It is a beautifully written book that will stay with my forever.
Thank you endlessly to Simon & Schuster and Sarah Damoff for the eARC in exchange for my review. I already have my copy pre ordered and I truly cannot recommend this book enough! Sarah Damoff has solidified herself as of one my all-time favorite authors with The Burning Side and I feel so lucky I got to read this early 💖
-----------------------------------------
update: I GOT THE ARC gonna go sob and read now🥹🥹🥹
SARAH PLEASE IM BEGGING FOR AN ARC!!!
also if you haven’t read her debut, The Bright Years, go do it right now!!!
May 19, 2026
I loved Damoff's debut novel,The Bright Years so I was excited to dive into her sophomore effort, The Burning Side
Imagine this: the very same day your husband asks for a divorce, your house burns down. This catastrophe forces April, Leo, and their two young children to move in with April’s mother in Dallas to essentially rebuild their lives from scratch.
The story follows April and Leo as the fire exposes the deep-seated issues they’ve been grieving, along with the past family traumas Leo has never quite overcome. The contrast between them is stark: It’s such a poignant touch to have the physical "burning" of the house mirror the internal "burning" of their marriage.
April has lived an idyllic life raised by two amazing parents. Leo, conversely, was handed off to an unloving aunt and uncle at a young age.
The narrative jumps back and forth, allowing us to discover the genuine love they once shared, and the eventual blow-up that tore them apart.
This is a fairly well-written tale of family, love, and the fragile nature of happiness. My only issue is that the ending felt a bit rushed. I found it resolved rather quickly and personally wanted a little more "burn" to the resolution. However, it remains a quick, engaging read for anyone who loves a solid family drama!
Imagine this: the very same day your husband asks for a divorce, your house burns down. This catastrophe forces April, Leo, and their two young children to move in with April’s mother in Dallas to essentially rebuild their lives from scratch.
The story follows April and Leo as the fire exposes the deep-seated issues they’ve been grieving, along with the past family traumas Leo has never quite overcome. The contrast between them is stark: It’s such a poignant touch to have the physical "burning" of the house mirror the internal "burning" of their marriage.
April has lived an idyllic life raised by two amazing parents. Leo, conversely, was handed off to an unloving aunt and uncle at a young age.
The narrative jumps back and forth, allowing us to discover the genuine love they once shared, and the eventual blow-up that tore them apart.
This is a fairly well-written tale of family, love, and the fragile nature of happiness. My only issue is that the ending felt a bit rushed. I found it resolved rather quickly and personally wanted a little more "burn" to the resolution. However, it remains a quick, engaging read for anyone who loves a solid family drama!
April 2, 2026
Really really solid! I loved The Bright Years so my expectations were probably high going into this one. The story was complicated and there was a lot going on with the extended family. I think my holding back of 5 glowing stars was not seeing enough Leo and April. The story was about them primarily, but they weren’t in it enough for me.
Other than that, there was so much heart in this book and I think this is an impressive second book from Sarah Damoff!
Other than that, there was so much heart in this book and I think this is an impressive second book from Sarah Damoff!
May 24, 2026
The Burning side is another emotional and character driven novel written beautifully by Sarah Damoff.
She really is brilliant at portraying the complexities of life.
This story is told in alternate short chapters by three members of a beautiful big family.
April and Leo… whose marriage is in trouble and then they have a major tragedy, and then Deb, who is April’s mother who is going through a life crisis of her own.
There is both joy and heartbreak… the story has such depth.
I loved it and after last years brilliant “The Bright Side” which I LOVED… and now this one, I will read whatever this author writes!
She really is brilliant at portraying the complexities of life.
This story is told in alternate short chapters by three members of a beautiful big family.
April and Leo… whose marriage is in trouble and then they have a major tragedy, and then Deb, who is April’s mother who is going through a life crisis of her own.
There is both joy and heartbreak… the story has such depth.
I loved it and after last years brilliant “The Bright Side” which I LOVED… and now this one, I will read whatever this author writes!
May 20, 2026
“And that matters as much as anything in life, the person who is there.”
This was a beautiful story with many layers. It was real and honest. Some books are good at making you feel like a fly on the wall, but Sarah is magic & makes you feel like you’re a family member in these stories.
I love how Sarah writes her stories & I especially loved & appreciated the way she wrote about the mental load of motherhood. I feel like that’s a topic not talked about enough in books & it felt so raw & honest.
I am already dying to get my hands on Sarah’s next book. She’s a force to be reckoned with!
This was a beautiful story with many layers. It was real and honest. Some books are good at making you feel like a fly on the wall, but Sarah is magic & makes you feel like you’re a family member in these stories.
I love how Sarah writes her stories & I especially loved & appreciated the way she wrote about the mental load of motherhood. I feel like that’s a topic not talked about enough in books & it felt so raw & honest.
I am already dying to get my hands on Sarah’s next book. She’s a force to be reckoned with!
May 19, 2026
This author's debut novel The Bright Years was exceptional, but this novel is amazing and I loved it even more. This contemporary fiction family drama gutted me. Though it is heavily laden throughout with heartache, loss, abandonment, and infidelity, it is also held together by love, joy, commitment, devotion, and forgiveness. This emotional story is beautifully written with extraordinary tenderness.
With a loss in trust, April and Leo's struggling marriage is headed towards divorce when their home burns down and leads them and their two children to stay at April's parent's house. April's sister, Josie, is staying at the house and so is her brother, Cameron, who announces his unexpected engagement and upcoming wedding. The family dynamics in this story are brilliantly crafted.
Chapters are told from the perspectives of April and Leo, and also April's mother, Deb. Deb and her husband Billy are reluctant to reveal Billy's diagnosis of Alzheimer's, yet soon enough his symptoms are impossible to hide. My own experience with a close family member who has Alzheimer's had me weeping for this family.
This story was poignant, profoundly moving, and totally unforgettable. I also adored how the story ends with a view of the family thirty years later and a flashback to earlier times.
My sincere gratitude to Danielle Prielipp, Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an early copy of this fantastic book. Sarah Damoff has cemented her place on my list of must-read authors, and I can't wait to read what she writes next. I highly recommend this book to fans of literary fiction and contemporary family dramas.
With a loss in trust, April and Leo's struggling marriage is headed towards divorce when their home burns down and leads them and their two children to stay at April's parent's house. April's sister, Josie, is staying at the house and so is her brother, Cameron, who announces his unexpected engagement and upcoming wedding. The family dynamics in this story are brilliantly crafted.
Chapters are told from the perspectives of April and Leo, and also April's mother, Deb. Deb and her husband Billy are reluctant to reveal Billy's diagnosis of Alzheimer's, yet soon enough his symptoms are impossible to hide. My own experience with a close family member who has Alzheimer's had me weeping for this family.
This story was poignant, profoundly moving, and totally unforgettable. I also adored how the story ends with a view of the family thirty years later and a flashback to earlier times.
My sincere gratitude to Danielle Prielipp, Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an early copy of this fantastic book. Sarah Damoff has cemented her place on my list of must-read authors, and I can't wait to read what she writes next. I highly recommend this book to fans of literary fiction and contemporary family dramas.
May 9, 2026
5⭐️ Oh my Sarah Damoff has done it again! Her debut novel The Bright Years was one of my favorite books of 2025, and The Burning Side is sure to claim a top spot in my 2026 top reads of the year. With exquisite writing and real, relatable characters that feel like family, this one will stay with me long after I’ve finished it.
I fell in love with each of the characters, Deb & Billy, the grandparents; Billy newly diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. April & Leo and their small children Sadie & Otto, back home after experiencing a devastating home fire just as their marriage is burning down, Cameron & Rachel surprising the family with their new engagement and Josie, the quirky actress sister, home from college.
This is an engrossing family drama told in alternating chapters of Deb, April, and Leo. We learn their stories through past and present timelines. It’s a story of found family, childhood trauma, a mother’s strong enduring love, evolving love and marriage, infidelity, and healing. Their stories are beautiful and heartbreaking! The writing is so moving and emotional, have tissues ready!
I was lucky to receive an eARC of this book from Simon & Schuster for my honest review, but when it was a May BOMC selection I had to own the physical copy too! Sarah Damoff will be an auto buy author now!
I fell in love with each of the characters, Deb & Billy, the grandparents; Billy newly diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. April & Leo and their small children Sadie & Otto, back home after experiencing a devastating home fire just as their marriage is burning down, Cameron & Rachel surprising the family with their new engagement and Josie, the quirky actress sister, home from college.
This is an engrossing family drama told in alternating chapters of Deb, April, and Leo. We learn their stories through past and present timelines. It’s a story of found family, childhood trauma, a mother’s strong enduring love, evolving love and marriage, infidelity, and healing. Their stories are beautiful and heartbreaking! The writing is so moving and emotional, have tissues ready!
I was lucky to receive an eARC of this book from Simon & Schuster for my honest review, but when it was a May BOMC selection I had to own the physical copy too! Sarah Damoff will be an auto buy author now!
May 14, 2026
I’ll admit I was a bit nervous about starting THE BURNING SIDE, given that The Bright Years was my top read of 2025 and easily one of the best books I have ever read. And now, looking back having just finished it, I am laughing at myself for ever having doubted Sarah Damoff and her writing prowess. One hit can be a fluke, but her sophomore novel should prove to all that Damoff is as skilled as they come.
While she does literally every thing right, what I am most floored with is her ability to write relationships so real you can palpate the heartbeat. Never saccharine in nature, these deeply meaningful connections, whether between spouses, parents and children, or siblings, are as lifelike as our own. And because of that, it’s hard not to feel emotionally attached to all involved. After all, is it even an SD novel if we don’t spend the last 20% of it in complete tears? I think not.
Similar to The Bright Years, this is a story of a family in motion. Focusing on both the matriarch who must come to terms with her husband’s rapidly progressing dementia and her eldest daughter and her husband, on the precipice of divorce, we are quietly and intricately woven back and forth through time to where it began, how it developed, and how it will end. If you are someone who craves a family drama rich with characters and emotions, and wants to feel connected to the story on a visceral level, this is for you.
In short, this is an absolute must read if you are looking for something that will make you feel …
🎧 One final note, the audiobook is absolutely incredible narrated by a full cast. However, for the ultimate reading experience, I highly recommend doing an immersive read using both the physical and audiobook in combination.
“The air is filled with sickness while the roadsides are filled with wildflowers.”
Read if you like:
▪️multi-generational family dramas
▪️stories of love in all forms
▪️flawed and broken characters
▪️marriage in crisis
▪️reflections on growing older
▪️eloquent writing
▪️multiple POVs and timelines
▪️Anne Tyler & Catherine Newman
Check out my Bookstagram post here ♥
Thank you Simon Books and Simon Audio for the advanced copies.
While she does literally every thing right, what I am most floored with is her ability to write relationships so real you can palpate the heartbeat. Never saccharine in nature, these deeply meaningful connections, whether between spouses, parents and children, or siblings, are as lifelike as our own. And because of that, it’s hard not to feel emotionally attached to all involved. After all, is it even an SD novel if we don’t spend the last 20% of it in complete tears? I think not.
Similar to The Bright Years, this is a story of a family in motion. Focusing on both the matriarch who must come to terms with her husband’s rapidly progressing dementia and her eldest daughter and her husband, on the precipice of divorce, we are quietly and intricately woven back and forth through time to where it began, how it developed, and how it will end. If you are someone who craves a family drama rich with characters and emotions, and wants to feel connected to the story on a visceral level, this is for you.
In short, this is an absolute must read if you are looking for something that will make you feel …
🎧 One final note, the audiobook is absolutely incredible narrated by a full cast. However, for the ultimate reading experience, I highly recommend doing an immersive read using both the physical and audiobook in combination.
“The air is filled with sickness while the roadsides are filled with wildflowers.”
Read if you like:
▪️multi-generational family dramas
▪️stories of love in all forms
▪️flawed and broken characters
▪️marriage in crisis
▪️reflections on growing older
▪️eloquent writing
▪️multiple POVs and timelines
▪️Anne Tyler & Catherine Newman
Check out my Bookstagram post here ♥
Thank you Simon Books and Simon Audio for the advanced copies.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Just like Sarah’s debut novel, The Bright Years, The Burning Side is another character center story that is centered around a Texas family.
This multigenerational tale does a deep dive into the Torres and Russo clans. We meet every member (and a few extended members) while learning the struggles they endured which made for a very compelling read. The characters were written with much depth and the plot is very layered. I really enjoyed the emotional aspects as well as learning more about the characters and their relationships with each other.
I listened to the audiobook format of The Burning Side which is read by Stacy Gonzalez, Timothy Andrés Pabon, and Jackie Sanders who all did an amazing job.
The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff will be available on May 19. Many thanks to Simon Audio for the gifted audiobook!
This multigenerational tale does a deep dive into the Torres and Russo clans. We meet every member (and a few extended members) while learning the struggles they endured which made for a very compelling read. The characters were written with much depth and the plot is very layered. I really enjoyed the emotional aspects as well as learning more about the characters and their relationships with each other.
I listened to the audiobook format of The Burning Side which is read by Stacy Gonzalez, Timothy Andrés Pabon, and Jackie Sanders who all did an amazing job.
The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff will be available on May 19. Many thanks to Simon Audio for the gifted audiobook!
May 20, 2026
4.25 I flew through this one! The writing is beautiful and captures a multigenerational family and all of their intricate complexities. I'll definitely be checking out The Bright Years.
May 27, 2026
An intimately humane, realistic (slightly overly optimistic) story of family.
In its surface, this is a character study on April and Leo, a married couple on the brink of divorce. On the exact night they decide to separate, their home is destroyed by a kitchen fire.
They move in with April’s loving parents, subtle tensions being hidden.
You get POVs from April, Leo, and April’s mother who is managing her husband’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
Each perspective is utterly raw and you can’t help but empathise with every single one, no matter their own actions and blame.
I am not a mother and yet, I knew with certainty that any mother would relate to April.
I have never been faced with the choices that Leo and April’s mother were, yet their conflicting pain came through.
Alzheimer’s is a form of time travel, but time travel hurts. It always leaves someone behind.
This examines the choices and negotiations required to endure in a marriage. As someone with loving and supportive parents who have been married for more than 35 years, I can attest that love is a constant reframing.
I did think the ending was slightly at odds with the rest of the novel whilst also providing a satisfying conclusion. Maybe I am just too pessimistic.
If I could put my finger on it, I’d pin it on the abruptness of the turning point. I think a bit more page time could have made this feel more genuine, in line with the rest of the book. I am being vague due to spoilers.
Ultimately, it is a story about family. The bond that will always be regardless of situation and emotions. Everyone has a mother and father after all.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
In its surface, this is a character study on April and Leo, a married couple on the brink of divorce. On the exact night they decide to separate, their home is destroyed by a kitchen fire.
They move in with April’s loving parents, subtle tensions being hidden.
You get POVs from April, Leo, and April’s mother who is managing her husband’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
Each perspective is utterly raw and you can’t help but empathise with every single one, no matter their own actions and blame.
I am not a mother and yet, I knew with certainty that any mother would relate to April.
I have never been faced with the choices that Leo and April’s mother were, yet their conflicting pain came through.
Alzheimer’s is a form of time travel, but time travel hurts. It always leaves someone behind.
This examines the choices and negotiations required to endure in a marriage. As someone with loving and supportive parents who have been married for more than 35 years, I can attest that love is a constant reframing.
I did think the ending was slightly at odds with the rest of the novel whilst also providing a satisfying conclusion. Maybe I am just too pessimistic.
If I could put my finger on it, I’d pin it on the abruptness of the turning point. I think a bit more page time could have made this feel more genuine, in line with the rest of the book. I am being vague due to spoilers.
Ultimately, it is a story about family. The bond that will always be regardless of situation and emotions. Everyone has a mother and father after all.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
May 24, 2026
This was a “a 24 hour read”. It was so compelling and when i wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it.
This is a book that everyone can relate to. No matter your age or background. The beginning of marriage and the end. All the messiness that lies in between.
The writing and the quotes had to be read over and over again because they were meant to be savoured. I loved, “The Bright Years”, by this author. This book was much better.
A book that will be gifted to many friends throughout the year because my copy will not be shared. 🤣.
Forever to be sitting on my favourites shelf. 🤎
This is a book that everyone can relate to. No matter your age or background. The beginning of marriage and the end. All the messiness that lies in between.
The writing and the quotes had to be read over and over again because they were meant to be savoured. I loved, “The Bright Years”, by this author. This book was much better.
A book that will be gifted to many friends throughout the year because my copy will not be shared. 🤣.
Forever to be sitting on my favourites shelf. 🤎
May 17, 2026
the setup…
April and Leo Torres are roused in the middle of the night when their house is suddenly in flames. They escape with their two young children and find respite with her family in nearby Dallas. Their house isn’t the only thing on fire as they face the fracturing of their marriage. She’s a reading tutor from an affluent family; he’s a history teacher whose family fell apart when he was very young. Now as they face an uncertain future, April and Leo look back on their lives and reflect on what tore them apart.
the heart of the story…
April, Leo and Deb Russo (April’s mother) provide the narratives. Their perspectives provide so much insight into not only themselves but their perceptions of each other. Deb is trying to manage her own feelings about husband Billy’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis and how to tell her children. The shifts from the timeframe of the house fire to different points of time in the past were instructive and expertly timed. I came to care deeply about these people, even when they weren’t behaving their best. I wasn’t always sure who or what I was rooting for because of the emotional complexities.
the narration…
Stacy Gonzalez, Timothy Andrés Pabon and Jackie Sanders gave beautiful performances while expertly capturing the essences of their characters without a lot of drama. They came across authentically.
the bottom line…
I became an immediate fan of the author after reading her debut novel, The Bright Years, which was brilliant. I counted on my heart being pricked again and there is that. But her deft touch in defining these characters is where the artistry shines. There is no judgment of right or wrong, just the reality of a multigenerational family grappling with tough life choices, the need for forgiveness and seeing each other as they want to be seen and heard. Another masterpiece I struggle to give justice.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Simon & Schuster Audio and Libro.fm for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
April and Leo Torres are roused in the middle of the night when their house is suddenly in flames. They escape with their two young children and find respite with her family in nearby Dallas. Their house isn’t the only thing on fire as they face the fracturing of their marriage. She’s a reading tutor from an affluent family; he’s a history teacher whose family fell apart when he was very young. Now as they face an uncertain future, April and Leo look back on their lives and reflect on what tore them apart.
the heart of the story…
April, Leo and Deb Russo (April’s mother) provide the narratives. Their perspectives provide so much insight into not only themselves but their perceptions of each other. Deb is trying to manage her own feelings about husband Billy’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis and how to tell her children. The shifts from the timeframe of the house fire to different points of time in the past were instructive and expertly timed. I came to care deeply about these people, even when they weren’t behaving their best. I wasn’t always sure who or what I was rooting for because of the emotional complexities.
the narration…
Stacy Gonzalez, Timothy Andrés Pabon and Jackie Sanders gave beautiful performances while expertly capturing the essences of their characters without a lot of drama. They came across authentically.
the bottom line…
I became an immediate fan of the author after reading her debut novel, The Bright Years, which was brilliant. I counted on my heart being pricked again and there is that. But her deft touch in defining these characters is where the artistry shines. There is no judgment of right or wrong, just the reality of a multigenerational family grappling with tough life choices, the need for forgiveness and seeing each other as they want to be seen and heard. Another masterpiece I struggle to give justice.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Simon & Schuster Audio and Libro.fm for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
May 26, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff
I went blindly into this book and truly had no idea what to expect. Even though a house fire happens right at the beginning, this story is about so much more than the fire itself. It’s about grief, marriage, forgiveness, family, caregiving, communication, and the little choices and moments that slowly become the bigger story of our lives.
What stood out most to me was that I genuinely connected with every POV. I understood every character’s struggles, emotions, and the weight they were carrying, even when they made mistakes. That made the story feel very real and emotionally layered instead of one-sided.
This book really made me reflect on how important communication, understanding, and grace are within the relationships in our lives. It’s about loving people through sickness, exhaustion, disappointment, and heartbreak, while also realizing how easy it can be to slowly drift apart when life becomes overwhelming.
The ending was both heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time, and the emotional weight of this story lingered with me after I finished. To me, “The Burning Side” felt symbolic of the seasons in life where everything seems to be falling apart, but where rebuilding, healing, and forgiveness are still possible afterward.
This was an emotional, thoughtful, beautifully human story that I won’t forget anytime soon.
I went blindly into this book and truly had no idea what to expect. Even though a house fire happens right at the beginning, this story is about so much more than the fire itself. It’s about grief, marriage, forgiveness, family, caregiving, communication, and the little choices and moments that slowly become the bigger story of our lives.
What stood out most to me was that I genuinely connected with every POV. I understood every character’s struggles, emotions, and the weight they were carrying, even when they made mistakes. That made the story feel very real and emotionally layered instead of one-sided.
This book really made me reflect on how important communication, understanding, and grace are within the relationships in our lives. It’s about loving people through sickness, exhaustion, disappointment, and heartbreak, while also realizing how easy it can be to slowly drift apart when life becomes overwhelming.
The ending was both heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time, and the emotional weight of this story lingered with me after I finished. To me, “The Burning Side” felt symbolic of the seasons in life where everything seems to be falling apart, but where rebuilding, healing, and forgiveness are still possible afterward.
This was an emotional, thoughtful, beautifully human story that I won’t forget anytime soon.
April 14, 2026
This was a 3.5
It’s got all the ingredients of a perfectly crafted lit fic; multigenerational family drama with struggles and heartfelt moments.
But perhaps, it was a little too “perfect”, like nothing was a surprise and often felt more scripted than real. The characters did exactly what their character would do in their stereotypical roles, like doting mom or oldest daughter, etc.
I needed more realistic characters to connect with. Everything was as it should be and as you’d expect. Perfectly timed moments and convenient coincidences, all unfolding in a contrived way.
However, it was an easy, fast-paced read with a lot of opportunities for all the feelings and quotable prose.
This book tackles a lot of serious subjects. There’s relatable moments, especially with motherhood and aging parents, but not to sound like a broken record, everything was pretty typical of what you’d expect.
It was a good book, but it will be forgettable for me.
I would recommend because the ingredients are all here. Just mix and enjoy!
A very big thank you to netgalley and simonbooks for the eARC, in exchange for my honest opinion.
It’s got all the ingredients of a perfectly crafted lit fic; multigenerational family drama with struggles and heartfelt moments.
But perhaps, it was a little too “perfect”, like nothing was a surprise and often felt more scripted than real. The characters did exactly what their character would do in their stereotypical roles, like doting mom or oldest daughter, etc.
I needed more realistic characters to connect with. Everything was as it should be and as you’d expect. Perfectly timed moments and convenient coincidences, all unfolding in a contrived way.
However, it was an easy, fast-paced read with a lot of opportunities for all the feelings and quotable prose.
This book tackles a lot of serious subjects. There’s relatable moments, especially with motherhood and aging parents, but not to sound like a broken record, everything was pretty typical of what you’d expect.
It was a good book, but it will be forgettable for me.
I would recommend because the ingredients are all here. Just mix and enjoy!
A very big thank you to netgalley and simonbooks for the eARC, in exchange for my honest opinion.
February 24, 2026
finished with tears in my eyes!!!
May 28, 2026
This book was amazing. I loved how many different people it followed in the family and the many facets this book had. I loved seeing the different perspectives also on peoples lifes. It follows a couple in the midst of a house fire & a divorce. You also follow the wife of her husband going through early onset Alzheimer's. This book will break you.
May 25, 2026
Another fabulous book by Sarah Damoff that handles difficult subject matter with grace and love. This story is very human! Highly recommend you read it! It's a book written by a social worker, recommended by a social worker / therapist.
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May 21, 2026
ꕀ ˖ ݁ 4.5 stars ᝰ.ᐟ
( 39th ) . . . book of the year 𖥔
im speechless this wrecked my soul. the writing was so unabashedly real and it made me feel like the characters were baring their soul out to me.
[ reading time ] → 20 / 5 / 26 - 21 / 5 / 26 ᰋ
( 39th ) . . . book of the year 𖥔
⊹ marriage is a carousel for those who can stomach the cycles of it, orbiting an axis of children and money, of fear and brute determination. and—in some cases—of love. it’s for those who can survive coming back around to the starting place to discover that it has been subtly but irrevocably changed. we are right where we started, but we are not as we were.
im speechless this wrecked my soul. the writing was so unabashedly real and it made me feel like the characters were baring their soul out to me.
⊹ alzheimer’s is a form of time travel, but time travel hurts. tt always leaves someone behind.
⊹ he is stepping more into himself while I’m disintegrating, piece by sleepless piece, and i wonder if this is ultimately what a marriage must do—dim one person so the other can shine.
⊹ suffering is easy to imagine. it’s our responses that take us by surprise. the ways trials edit who we are.
⊹ and the truth stains me: love cannot be reversed, cannot be erased, maybe cannot even be a mistake. it can end—and it does—but it is never undone.
⊹ depression and joy can both be uncomfortable, yet we have to allow for them in their turns.
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