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Getting to Happy  By  cover art

Getting to Happy

By: Terry McMillan
Narrated by: Terry McMillan, S. Epatha Merkerson, Gloria Reuben, LaChanze
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Editorial reviews

It’s been 15 years and the four women you loved from Waiting to Exhale are back with a few more wrinkles, a few more pounds, but the same old man issues. Savannah (voiced by author Terry McMillan), who was single when we last knew her, has now been married for 10 years and is falling out of love. Robin has a 15-year-old daughter and is trying her hand at internet dating. Bernadine, now twice divorced, is drowning in her prescription drug addiction. And Gloria, the only woman out of the four with a good man and a happy home is dealt a tragic blow, which brings all four of the women even closer in support of their friend. The same personalities that made the original novel so great are still there, but the bitterness and unhappiness that pervades these women’s lives gets tiresome in this sequel.

McMillan’s portrayal of Savannah is especially bitter and acid-laced and one can’t help but wonder if her own failed marriage inspires the tone. The other three characters, voiced by S. Epatha Merkerson, Gloria Reuben, and LaChanze, sound strikingly familiar to the actresses who portrayed the women in the movie Waiting to Exhale. Whether on purpose or not, it’s easy to picture the characters as their on-screen personas and get involved with them all over again.

If you loved Waiting to Exhale and are curious about where these women ended up, this book is worth a listen. But if you’re hoping they all found a happy ending or have learned something about men and love in the past 15 years, you’re bound to be disappointed. Colleen Oakley

Publisher's summary

Terry McMillan's Waiting to Exhale was more than just a bestselling novel - its publication was a watershed moment in literary history. McMillan's sassy and vibrant story about four African American women struggling to find love and their place in the world touched a cultural nerve, inspired a blockbuster film, and generated a devoted audience.

Now, McMillan revisits Savannah, Gloria, Bernadine, and Robin fifteen years later. Each is at her own midlife crossroads: Savannah has awakened to the fact that she's made too many concessions in her marriage, and decides to face life single again-at fifty-one. Bernadine has watched her megadivorce settlement dwindle, been swindled by her husband number two, and conned herself into thinking that a few pills will help distract her from her pain. Robin has an all-American case of shopaholism, while the big dream of her life - to wear a wedding dress - has gone unrealized. And for years, Gloria has taken happiness and security for granted. But being at the wrong place at the wrong time can change everything. All four are learning to heal past hurts and to reclaim their joy and their dreams; but they return to us full of spirit, sass, and faith in one another. They've exhaled: now they are learning to breathe.

©2010 Terry McMillan (P)2010 Penguin Audiobooks

Critic reviews

“The women of Waiting to Exhale have returned.... McMillan fans won't be disappointed.” (Dallas Morning News)

"It's great to meet up with old friends again." (People)

"Required reading for anyone who cared about Waiting to Exhale." (Miami Herald)

What listeners say about Getting to Happy

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Realistic and believable

Second listen. This is a funny, heartaching, story of our lives. I could see myself and friends as any one of these ladies. The narrators were excellent as well showing the emotions and personalities of the characters. Definitely worth the listen!

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Great aufible I wasn't expecting

this book was SO good! I was nervous at first about the title but when I started to listen to it I could literally began to picture each scene in my mind. very englightning and motivating

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Loved this sequel !

I thoroughly enjoyed this audio book and wished that this could've been made into a movie. (Sorry that Ms. Whitney Houston has passed on.) very pleased with the author and actresses who lent their voices to this literary piece.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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I wanted more

I wanted more....After Waiting to exhale, I thought this book would be an even better follow on. It was just OK.

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Great Sequel loved it

loved it want more left me with a feeling of what happened next part 3?

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This is what I needed

I have to be honest, I've been looking for closure from Waiting to Exhale and this was it. So good and a true blessing.

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Love it

Adorable and entertaining. All Narrators were wonderful. It was funny and relatable. Just Excellent

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Fantastic!

I so wish this could have been the movie sequel for Waiting to Exhale. That would have been phenomenal!

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Story lines for each character

Love the transition to each characters journey from the last book. This was definitely a good read.

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Great snapshot of American life

Getting to Happy
Terry McMillan wrote a brilliant view of were these women are today. as someone who was mid 30???s 15 years ago, with Waiting To Exhale, I am now 50???ish with Getting to Happy, and she captured our generation to a T!
from hot flashes, to sandwich generations, through heart attacks, internet porn, helping with grand kids, losing long term jobs- these are all OUR lives. I was laughing and crying out loud. its a Mid-Class view, and it crosses color lines.
where McMillan fails is when she is trying to push the ???social agenda.??? I agree with her causes, (Katrina, teen pregnancies, casinos for the elderly, and more) but her writing about them as if they come from her characters does not ring true.
the characters ring so true, but not when they speak ???agenda??? its as if your girlfriend is lying to you.

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7 people found this helpful