This is one of the most disturbing books I’ve read in a long time. I had nightmares after I finished it, and then I couldn’t sleep for the rest of the night.  

When We Were Bright and Beautiful starts out like it’s going to be a story about whether or not Billy, the good-looking, privileged youngest son of the wealthy Quinn family, raped his ex-girlfriend (shades of Brock Turner), as told by the family’s adopted daughter Cassie. But it turns out that this is a story about the family’s secrets, which are much worse than acquaintance rape, which is horrifying in its own right. 

The final twist is a gut punch. 

When the Quinn family is measured against the  old AA adage, “We're only as sick as our secrets,” the Quinns are very sick. 

It’s a compelling story, but be aware of the triggers before starting. (Rape, violence, child sexual abuse, grooming children, mental illness).