Conversations with the Fat Girl

Liza Palmer

Sep 2007 · Sold by Forever

About this ebook

Liza Palmer will have readers cheering as she explores friendship, true love, and self-acceptance in this "engaging and poignant" (Jennifer Weiner) novel.

Everyone seems to be getting on with their lives except Maggie. At twenty-seven, she's still serving coffee at Joe's while her friends are getting married, having babies, and thriving in their careers. And now Olivia, Maggie's best friend since grade school, is getting married too. The man in Maggie's life? Well there isn't one, except the guy she has a crush on, Domenic, who works with her at the coffee shop. Oh, and her dog, Solo (the name says it all).

When Olivia comes to town and asks Maggie to be her maid of honor, Maggie is thrilled... but she can't help comparing herself to the new and "improved" Olivia. Way back then, they befriended each other because they both struggled with their weight. Now grown up, Maggie is still shopping in the "women's section" while Olivia went and had gastric-bypass surgery in search of the elusive size 2. But as the wedding nears, Olivia's seemingly perfect life starts to unravel, and Maggie realizes that happiness might not be tied to a number on the scale.

In this wonderful novel, Liza Palmer is both witty and wise, giving a voice to women everywhere who have ever wished they could stop obsessing... and start living.

"Kudos to Liza Palmer." -- People
"Palmer's likable characters and snappy dialogue make this novel stand out from the crowd." -- Booklist
"In a word: genuine." -- Herald Sun

Ratings and reviews

This was a really thoughtful and introspective read. Conversations with the Fat Girl started a little slow for me and I'm not a huge fan of the title, but it ended up surprising me in a wonderful way. I think many readers will be able to relate to the insecurities, fears, and challenges that our heroine Maggie faces. I loved Maggie's growth through the novel and how she really came into her own. "If you can't even choose yourself, how can anyone else?" This quote was such a turning point in the novel for me. The complexity behind such a simple statement really struck a chord. As Maggie faced off with all of her blue buckets, I also evaluated my own life and perceptions of self. The message of self-worth and value was so important and I appreciated that Liza Palmer addressed it in a realistic and honest way. The collapse of Olivia and Maggie's friendship was a painful reminder that you actively choose who you let into your life and history alone does not dictate your relationships. I enjoyed the secondary characters, especially Kate, Peregrine, and Solo, and there were some hilarious pop culture references. There are quite a few laugh out loud moments and it was a bonus for me that the book took place in Los Angeles. Palmer's writing was witty and entertaining and I enjoyed this heartfelt read. *I voluntarily read an advance review copy of the 2019 edition of this book*

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher** Reading Conversations with the Fat Girl was one of those books that made me reflect. I identified with many things in this book and especially with Maggie, the main character. Maggie is 27, single and overweight and waiting for the right job to come along. She's working, but not doing what she wants to be. Her best friend from childhood, Olivia, is set to get married and she is the maid of honor. Things between the two friends have been somewhat strained since Olivia had gastric bypass surgery and she has embraced her "new" life. Maggie is learning how much things have changed and how even the strongest of bonds can weaken and change over time. This was one of those books that really made me think and reflect. While outward appearances may be that someone is skinny, that doesn't mean they are happy. They could be absolutely miserable and vice versa with a heavier person. Just because you have looks doesn't mean you have happiness and putting on airs to "fit in" or to achieve something that you believe will make you happy and in the end doesn't, is only doing the person a disservice. I really loved how loyal Maggie was even though she knew that her relationship with Olivia was broken. She wanted to hold out hope that it would improve and I give her a lot of credit for that loyalty. Maggie definitely loved her family and had such a good heart, it made her even more lovable. Overall this was a great read and I'm glad it was brought to my attention. It was worth picking up.

As an adult female who is currently overweight, and was actually slightly pudgy but althletic & curvy as teenager and had a very distorted body image.....I enjoyed this book bc of the way it read as if you were listening to the character's thoughts. I could relate to her warped self image and quirky thoughts. I found this book very relatable and funny.

About the author

Liza Palmer is the internationally bestselling author of Conversations with the Fat Girl and six other novels. An Emmy-nominated writer, she lives in Los Angeles and works for BuzzFeed.