McMillan, Terry. Getting to Happy

Terry McMillan’s quartet of Phoenix girlfriends have grown older but not wiser in this Waiting to Exhale sequel. Gloria, Savannah, Bernadine, and Robin struggle through the joys and heartaches of grown children, wayward husbands, unexpected tragedy, and newfound romance. Critics have had mixed reactions to the book, with a few complaining that the plot is unsurprising or that the characters have not matured much at middle age.  While it’s true that McMillan doesn’t really break much new ground with the plot, she throws in enough twists and surprises to keep the reader turning pages. And, for those who enjoyed the original novel, the characters are like old friends, and McMillan’s dialogue is as witty and engaging as ever. This is a fast, light read for fans of popular women’s fiction.