Secrets to Happiness [Audio CD]

Sarah Dunn (Author), Julie Dretzin (Narrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: 2009

From the Publisher "Deftly mixing humor and pathos, Sarah Dunn's Secrets to Happiness delivers an entertaining story of professional women living the city life. It has been likened to a hybrid of Candace Bushnell, Edith Wharton, and Jane Austen, and Kirkus Reviews calls it a "smart chick-lit tale with dark undertones." Recently divorced Holly is intelligent and spunky-and her priceless ruminations on love, life, and happiness are not to be missed."

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Recorded Books (2009)
• ISBN-10: 1436174694
• ISBN-13: 978-1436174695
• ASIN: B002E1O3NI
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (86 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Amusing, Gritty Look at Manhattan Love, February 9, 2009

By 

Jody (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Secrets to Happiness: A Novel (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

I would not jump to classify this book as "chick lit." The author, Sarah Dunn, tells a more realistic and gritty anti-love story through different characters throughout the novel. There are girlfriends, ex-husbands, boyfriends, boy-toys, work partners, pets, siblings - a variety of relationships are explored as the characters intertwine. All types of relationships can lead to or lead from one's personal quest for the secrets to happiness.

It takes a few chapters to get into this book, the main characters, Holly and Amanda, are not immediately like-able possessing a somewhat chilly city charm. By the end, though, I felt refreshed for choosing to read an interesting take on adult relationships and not another girl finds self, gets man, story.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars No Secrets for me, June 20, 2009

By 

K. Herbrand - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Secrets to Happiness: A Novel (Hardcover)

Based on the title, Secrets to Happiness, and the cute puppy on the cover, I was expecting a light summer read with a happy ending. Now, don't misunderstand me - I don't need a happy ending to enjoy a book - and this book did have a happy ending of sorts - it was just not what I was expecting. (I guess that is why they say don't judge a book by it's cover!)

Holly is the main character - she is middle-aged, divorced from a man she was still in love with, and her career is in a downward spiral. She had been a successful sitcom writer with Leonard - but had taken a break to write a book. (Leonard's career also took a nose dive after this when he decided to make a very very gay movie). The book was not the success she had hoped for and was pretty much about her ex-husband Alex, and her ex-boyfriend before the husband, Spencer.

Holly does some crazy things in the following months - I would say she was searching for that 'elusive' happiness. She has an affair with Lucas who is only 22 and the younger brother of her friend Betsy. Then she moves on to Jack who she met while he was having an affair with her married friend, Amanda. Somewhere in the midst of all this she adopts a dog, Chester, who has brain cancer.

I did not feel a connection to anyone in this book - and there were a lot of characters. I will admit that I had to go back occasionally to figure out who they were talking about - the characters just did not seem very distinctive for me. The book overall didn't hold any excitement or anticipation - it didn't seem to 'build' to a climax, but just sort of ended. I suppose that mirrors real life in some ways though - situations resolve, relationships evolve or end, but life continues on. Please take a look at some other reviews (below) - just because it wasn't for me, doesn't mean it won't be for you!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful escape, March 18, 2009

By 

Kyliegirl - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Secrets to Happiness: A Novel (Hardcover)

I loved this book. I've been waiting for it since I read The Big Love two years ago, and it didn't disappoint. The story subtly weaves together the lives of several New Yorkers wrestling with real questions about friendships, love, and how to live...I was captivated. It's been awhile since I started a book and didn't want to put it down, but this was one of those stories. Grab Secrets To Happiness for your next free afternoon--It will make you a little bit happier.