I could not connect with this story. I wanted to. It just seemed like the protagonist spent all her time fat bashing herself and feeling as if she is not worthy. It became a problem. I was hoping we would start moving forward...unfortunately that was not the case.
The story was the main problem for me, I would absolutely read another book by Liza. This particular one, was not a good fit ☹️.

I really like this book, because it made you think and ponder. Soemtimes outward appearances are not what they seem. And just because someone is skinny does not in anyone affect their overall happiness or even togetherness! Body shape shouldn't have enough power to make your life better or not it's about what's inside that does that. Just because you fit what society would like you to look like doesn't mean you are happy.
Maggie was super loyal and I really liked how well she was written!
Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC,.

Conversations with the Fat Girl is a book that was released years ago but is relevant to any woman at any time in her life. Liza Palmer writes about weight issues in a way that inspires and can make you laugh.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and felt it was very relatable. As a girl that's always been fat, i've always felt uncomfortable and looked at other people who oozed confidence and wished I could be like them. I loved the characters - especially Maggie and Kate. I thought Dominic(o) was a little odd but in a cute-ish way. I really enjoyed the story of Maggie's life journey and her grabbing life by the fat rolls (so to speak!). I liked how she realized she was good enough and I loved so much how her family 100% supported her. This was a great read and I would highly recommend it to anyone with confidence issues (like 26 year old me)

Maggie is such a wonderful character and I really enjoyed reading her point of view. Her self-acceptance issues were very real and highly believable. Readers will find themselves cheering for this character to succeed and believe in her own worth.

This was such an inspiring read! It makes you realize how important being confident can really be! I recommend this book to everyone 100%!! 5 stars! bravo!

Based on the synopsis, I figured I would enjoy this book, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I LOVED this book (and how much I laughed while reading it). The protagonist is sarcastic, crass, and oh-so-relatable. She navigates her insecurities that surface leading up to her formally overweight best friend’s wedding in a hilarious, but also inspiring way. Liza Palmer is a fantastic writer and hit it out of the park in terms of likable and well-developed characters, pace, and telling a truly entertaining story.

I think this is one that you need to be in the right time and place mentally to get the most out of it. I am going to put this on my list to pull out when the time is right.

Conversations with the Fat Girl is one of the most emotionally honest books I’ve read in a long time. Liza Palmer does a fantastic job of conveying body image issues, childhood friendships, and confidence in an organic, relatable way. There are parts of this story that are so raw and relatable to me that they were heart-wrenching and I absolutely loved that. Maggie is twenty-seven years old, has a master’s degree, and her life is stagnant. She works at a coffee shop and gazes from afar at the cute guy she has a crush on, afraid to put herself out there personally or professionally. I sympathized with Maggie and I yearned to see her find confidence, to break out of her comfort zone and go for what she wants.

The other big storyline in Conversations with the Fat Girl revolves around Maggie being the maid of honor in her childhood best friend’s wedding. Olivia and Maggie were a dynamic pair as teenagers, two plus size girls who were outcasts but who also were true and close friends. But after her gastric bypass, Olivia became obsessed with becoming her ideal self, which is a size two with a fairytale past she has dreamed up. Maggie doesn’t fit into the fantasy world Olivia has created for herself and again, I loved the way Ms. Palmer handles this. Maggie tries to cling to a friendship that isn’t there anymore; what is there is something sad and toxic. It’s understandable why Maggie fights so hard for her friendship with Olivia and it’s a great examination of a complex friendship that has so much history but has come to an end.

There is a lot to love about Conversations with the Fat Girl. The emotions it brought to the surface for me make this a story I will definitely remember. So why four stars instead of five? Well, I didn’t expect or want Maggie to be the perfect heroine, but her flaws did tend to grate on my nerves. She can be childish, petty, judgmental, and her attitude frustrated me quite a few times for reasons which would be spoilers. One non-spoiler example is, while I understand why she gets annoyed with her boss’s attitude in some areas, you cannot blame a supervisor for being irritated that you’re always late for work and seem to spend a good part of your shift chatting in the back room. There’s also a romance element to this story which fell kind of flat for me. Perhaps if Domenic had been better fleshed out and their interactions more developed it would have been a more interesting part to the story.

I have a soft spot for protagonists with body image issues and rarely have I seen it handled so well as it is in this story. I also found the exploration of childhood-to-adulthood friendships where two people have grown far apart engaging and relatable. Maggie did frustrate me at times and if it weren’t such an emotionally vulnerable story I might have rated it lower. But when this book shines, it shines bright and I think that’s what makes it special.

I received a copy of this arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was about 27 year old Maggie who is “watching all her friends move on in life.” The character only seemed to have one friend that was mentioned. She worked at a coffee shop and was just kind of stagnant in life.

This was mostly okay for me. The main character was relatable but I got a little fed up with her after awhile. The story dragged in parts.

This book was a delight to read.

This book came our 14 years ago, and the themes within this book are still relevant today. I feel it has stood the test of time.

All of this story felt real, and I found myself relating very much to Maggie and her struggles.

This book did and up falling into some older tropes, but I enjoyed the writing so much it was easy to accept what was happening.

This is some great literature about body acceptance and self love.

A book all women who suffer from the normal anxieties insecurities obsession over our weight.Maggie is a wonderful character who has all the issues.Shes a heroine to cheer on.Perfect Ya book young girls will really relate.#netgalley #grandcentral

**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.

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*

Conversations with the Fat Girl is a updated release. The characters are interesting and the storyline is good.

Title: Conversations with the Fat Girl
Author: Liza Plamer
Pages: 322
Genre: Romance, Relationships
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

This is an Advanced Readers Copy. That means that this is not the final version of the book. Therefore, facts and quotes are subject to change in the published book. This is also re-release of a novel written over ten years ago. Now with a better cover, this book tried to find it’s way in the popular YA genre.

We follow Maggie, a girl who is overweight who works as a barista at a coffee shop. When her best friend asks her to be her to be her maid of honor. Only problem is that her best friend wants to forget that she used to be overweight and lie to everyone around her.

Oh No’s
I disliked the ending. I thought this would lead up to a reconciliation between the two friends but do not be deceived. This book is about friends who fall out of friendship but it does teach that you shouldn’t stay in a toxic relationship if you’re not fully happy.

Yay’s
I really enjoyed how she worked at a coffee shop where they were all like family. It reminded me so much of my past job where I met some of the greatest people. Without my friends, I don’t know where I would be and this was very much like that.

This was a great read with the growing out of the friendship. Sometimes you just aren’t meant to be lifetime friends. And as I said, this is similar to a toxic relationship and show that you shouldn’t let yourself be used if you aren’t happy yourself.

Finally,
For anyone struggling to release themselves from a toxic relationship, remember that there are plenty of other people out there. Not only that but you have plenty of years to go through and you will find that’s the times change, we change.

My similar recommendation for this novel would be The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen.

Favorite Quote
“At one point she asked me at what angle it looked the most like a size 2. I had to bite my tongue to keep from saying The one staring down at the tag.“

ARC

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-PM