Getting to Happy

The phenomenal coast-to-coast bestseller. It's 20 years later-but worth the wait: the eagerly-anticipated sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling sensation, Waiting to Exhale . The remarkable heroines of Terry McMillan's unforgettable novel are back-and at a crossroads that will define their future. All four are learning to heal past hurts, and are more determined than ever to reclaim their lives and dreams. They've exhaled: now they are learning to breathe. From Publishers Weekly Fifteen years after Waiting to Exhale, McMillan brings back Savannah, Gloria, Bernadine, and Robin--now in their 50s--for a disappointing and uninspired outing. As the story opens, Gloria is very happy, Savannah believes she might be happy, Bernadine is fighting addiction and losing ground, and single mother Robin is trying to resign herself to being alone while things at her job begin to unravel. Within the first few chapters, Gloria and Savannah are struck by disaster, and things go rapidly downhill from there for everyone. Most of the misery has to do with men who lie, steal, cheat, or disappear, or with adult children who face similar problems. Unfortunately, the beloved cast isn't given a story worthy of them; instead, this reunion reads like a catalogue of personal catastrophes annotated with very long, rambling discussions, with more emphasis on simple drama than character. Copyright В© Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From Bookmarks Magazine For McMillan fans (and they are legion, given the immense popularity of her novels and film adaptations), the publication of Getting to Happy will be welcome news. The novel is full of the juicy romantic entanglements, family dysfunction, and high drama that readers have come to anticipate. The novel is not without its shortcomings; most critics noted the occasional clunky writing and predictable plot line. After all, McMillan's characters are the same as before--older and heavier, perhaps, but not necessarily happier or wiser. Still, the novel is entertaining, escapist fare, and " Getting to Happy is pretty much required reading for anyone who cared about Waiting to Exhale " ( Miami Herald ).