GIRL BEFORE A MIRROR: A Novel by Liza Palmer

GIRL BEFORE a MIRROR: A Novel (HarperCollins) is my first experience with TLC Book Tours and my first introduction to author, Liza Palmer. I was excited to read her novel when I found out Liza was nominated for two Emmys for writing the debut season of VH-1 Pop Up Video. I used to watch that show religiously. It’s one of the reasons why I’m such a book, tv, movie and music trivia-holic!

Anna Wyatt celebrates the big 4-0 at the beginning of GIRL BEFORE a MIRROR! She’s the main character in the novel and that alone is reason to celebrate and jump into this book! We have a protagonist of a real age and she’s dealing with some real tough life issues. Anna is about to take a huge leap on the advertising job front, she’s just been on a year leave from relationships, about to dip her toes back into those shark-infested waters and I don’t have enough room to write about her dysfunctional family dynamics.

We rally around her because she doesn’t moan, whine and complain, which now that she’s a big girl we can say, she doesn’t bitch! Bad things come her way and she rolls with it, deals, because it’s life. Reality isn’t easy, especially when you’re used to behaving as if you’re an island. After getting bruised and beaten-up enough, Anna decides to try to some new techniques. She looks into reaching out to others, especially those with more knowledge and experience.

GIRL BEFORE a MIRROR confused me several times with its numerous plotlines, but I loved the characters and found myself cheering for Anna and her team. I enjoyed Liza’s clever dialogue and succinct writing. It takes a tv writer to truly appreciate a fellow pithy tv writer. I look forward to checking out her backlist.

HARPER COLLINS’ summary of GIRL BEFORE a MIRROR
The author of Conversations with a Fat Girl—optioned for HBO—returns with the hilarious and heartfelt story of a woman who must learn how to be the heroine of her own life—a journey that will teach her priceless lessons about love, friendship, family, work, and her own heart.

An account executive in a Mad Men world, Anna Wyatt is at a crossroads. Recently divorced, she’s done a lot of emotional housecleaning, including a self-imposed dating sabbatical. But now that she’s turned forty, she’s struggling to figure out what her life needs. Brainstorming to win over an important new client, she discovers a self-help book—Be the Heroine, Find Your Hero—that offers her unexpected insights and leads her to a most unlikely place: a romance writers’ conference. If she can sign the Romance Cover Model of the Year Pageant winner for her campaign—and meet the author who has inspired her to take control of her life—she’ll win the account.

For Anna, taking control means taking chances, including getting to know Sasha, her pretty young colleague on the project, and indulging in a steamy elevator ride with Lincoln Mallory, a dashing financial consultant she meets in the hotel. When the conference ends, Anna and Lincoln must decide if their intense connection is strong enough to survive outside the romantic fantasy they’ve created. Yet Lincoln is only one of Anna’s dilemmas. Now that her campaign is off the ground, others in the office want to steal her success, and her alcoholic brother, Ferdie, is spiraling out of control.

To have the life she wants—to be happy without guilt, to be accepted for herself, to love and to be loved, to just be—she has to put herself first, accept her imperfections, embrace her passions, and finally be the heroine of her own story.

Purchase Links

Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble

About Liza Palmer

Liza Palmer is the author of the international bestseller Conversations with the Fat Girl, as well as Seeing Me Naked, A Field Guide to Burying Your Parents, and More Like Her. An Emmy-nominated writer, she lives in Los Angeles, California, and is hard at work on her next novel and several film and television projects.

Find out more about Liza at her website and connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.

Liza’s Tour Stops

Tuesday, January 27th: West Metro Mommy

Wednesday, January 28th: A Bookworm’s World

Thursday, January 29th: Walking With Nora

Friday, January 30th: Vox Libris

Monday, February 2nd: Drey’s Library

Tuesday, February 3rd: No More Grumpy Bookseller

Wednesday, February 4th: Thoughts On This ‘n That

Thursday, February 5th: Sara’s Organized Chaos

Monday, February 9th: Unshelfish

Tuesday, February 10th: Kritters Ramblings

Wednesday, February 11th: Peeking Between the Pages

Monday, February 16th: 5 Minutes For Books

Friday, February 6th we’ll be checking out VANESSA and HER SISTER, by Priya Parmar. Be sure to log on to http://www.cindyroesel.com for more of my reviews and to check out my novel, “Viewer Discretion Advised.” Be sure to support your local bookstores and libraries my sweet chickadees. They’ll love you for it!
And feel free to leave a comment below about anything you’ve read above! I hope I’ve made some new friends.