Better Than I Know Myself

By: Virginia DeBerry, Donna Grant

Narrated by: Lisa Renee Pitts

Length: 19 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

The beloved #1 Essence best-selling authors of Tryin' to Sleep in the Bed You Made now deliver a novel in which you'll meet their most unforgettable characters yet. Carmen, Jewel, and Regina could not be more different. When they meet as freshmen at Columbia University, they're pretty confident that a friendship among them isn't in the cards.

Jewel is Hollywood royalty; as the teenage star of the TV show Daddy's Girl, her face is instantly recognizable all across America. Now, though, she wants two things: to get a serious education and to leave her controlling stage-mother behind. Regina is the definitive upper-middle-class African-American girl. Her picture-perfect parents are what she calls "black Ward and June Cleavers", and their goals for her are like a stranglehold. No one can see, though, how far Regina's rebellious side will take her, or how treacherous it will become. Carmen is just trying to get by. A child of the projects whose father is dead and whose mother has vanished, Carmen has been raised by her abusive brother. Columbia is the way for her to get a better life, if she can hold down two jobs and keep her grade point average up.

When the three of them meet, their lives are at a crossroad. And as the years progress, from the 1980s to the present day, they are challenged by drug addiction, fame, secrets from the past, sickness, betrayal, and the darkest things women can face. One of them won't survive. But what will be the lasting legacy of their friendship? Better Than I Know Myself is a novel of heartache, triumph, tears, and the unshakeable bonds among women.

©2004 Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant (P)2004 Blackstone Audiobooks

Ugly cried and laughed 🥲

I enjoyed this book so much. Three very different walks of life and experiences that contributed to the characters highs and lows. I loved it but it had me on pins and needles❤️❤️❤️.
Shumpert
Michigan USA

True Friendships & Life

This was a PHENOMENAL book!!! I was on vacation, and listened to it throughout my entire days off!!! I appreciated the way the characters’ friendships developed, the realness of themselves in their friendship, and how they were each there for one another through the their lives’ highs and lows. I was very disheartened by Jewel’s death, but oh so delighted by Carmen’s expectancy, and Regina and Tye reconnecting. I’m sorry that I have completed the book; I could have read on and on! Thanks!

beautiful

I love this book ,It made me laugh and cry I was so happy for Carmen I cried for jewel like she was my friend

Should Be A Movie!!!!

This would be an excellent movie. This book makes you laugh, makes you cry, has some drama and some of the best friendships that I've ever read. I absolutely love this book and would love to see it on the big screen. I would invite all of my female friends and family members.

Soooooo amazing!!!

I laughed, upset, happy and sad! A true roller coaster ride through life as we know in an amazing and entertaining way! Very good read. I feel like each of these women deserve a genuine celebration! Made me think about my past and smile. Thank you to the authors Virginia and Donna!

great read

enjoyed this and was sad it was over. thanks for my new literary friends..great diversion for my evening cool down

Great Fiction

I love Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant. This is another great work of art. This book has it all: great plot, nice character development, good pacing and it’s even, at times, laugh out loud funny! Listen to (good narration) or read this book.

Excellent!

I enjoyed this book. Well written very relatable. Definitely going to listen to the other books written by the authors.The narrator was great!

Give this book a chance!! You will love it.

I purchased this book and then put off listening to it for months. I even wondered why I had ever purchased it after all it's not my usual style. Then, finally, I decided that since I had purchased it I should at least listen to it or try to anyway. Well what can I say other than "I LOVED THIS BOOK" I never wanted to turn it off. As other reviewers have said, I felt like I was losing my best friends when this book ended and I will miss all of them. I am finding it hard now to start listening to another book. WOW I want to find more books by these authors but I don't think Audible has any more of them...so sad. I really like the way it was read also and I plan on looking for other books read by her.

THE PERFECT NARRATIVE!!

This book really touched Every emotion. I truely identified and grew with EVERY one of these women. I shared in their joys fears and pains. Truely a great dipiction of life, love and sisterhood. Best book I have listend to or read!!