The Burning Side [Large Print]

By Sarah Damoff

Book Overview

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 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.

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.

• Format: Hardcover
• Large Print: Yes
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1420535889
• ISBN13: 9781420535884
• Release Date: September 2026
• Publisher: Thorndike Press Large Print
• Length: 448 Pages
• Weight: 1.23 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.6" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

This was such a phenomenal story

Sarah Damoff really has a way with her words. I knew after reading The Bright Years to be prepared to cry. Which I did while reading the ending of this book. This book brought out so many emotions while reading it. This story is such a true to life book. I feel like everything that happened within these pages could truly happen to someone's family. My heart went out to each and every character in this story. You could truly feel sympathy for everyone at one time or another. Each character made choices that they know they shouldn't have. They know they should have done things differently. They should have talked to their partner more often than they did. But sometimes you just don't think that you can, or you just don't think that they will listen to you. I really believe that everything this author writes will be books that will stay with me for a long time and will also be books that will stay on my shelf. Because The Bright Years and The Burning Side are definitely staying in my "Keep Collection".

4 stars

THE BURNING SIDE by Sarah Damoff Holy family saga! With themes of choosing your people, memories and perspective, marriage and family, this was a heartfelt character study. The story centers around married couple April and Leo, their two kids, and April’s mother Deb. April and Leo’s marriage is at a crossroads while Deb is facing the devastating reality of her husband’s Alzheimers diagnosis. The subject matter is heavy, emotions are intense, but there’s also humor, heart, and hope. I really enjoyed Damoff’s debut novel, The Bright Years, so I had high expectations. Happy to say this book met them. Damoff really knows how to write family dramas Rating: 4/5 ⭐️

Good story

A good emotional, character driven novel. Worth the read.