Seeing Me Naked - A Review

I realize how crazy the title of this post may seem, but much to the delight of my husband and parents, Seeing Me Naked is the latest novel I've consumed and I'm eager to share a review. I found out about author Liza Palmer from the brilliantly witty two-some of Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke over at ChickLitIsNotDead.com. They have a Q&A with Palmer posted now. I went to the library to find her new release, A Field Guide to Burying Your Parents, but it wasn't available so I checked out her sophomore novel instead. I'm so glad I did.

First of all, the last three novels I've read have been based in New York City. While I'm sure New York is great, I am a California girl at heart and was excited to see that Palmer and I grew up in the same area, Pasadena, California. Seeing Me Naked sporadically takes place in Pasadena and I felt an odd solace in this. I connected with the main character, Elisabeth Page, and understood the nuances of the area, the lifestyle to which she refers and the geographic references. Of course this isn't necessary to enjoy the read, it just helped me connect to it on another level.

Given the title of the book (and the cover photo), you may think you know what it's about, but you don't. In Elisabeth Page, Palmer skillfully creates a lovable and talented character on a journey to define her own success independent of her famous (and pretentious) family. Just when she thinks she will never be good enough, her life takes an unexpected turn that enables her to explore options she never thought possible, both professionally and personally. Rather than striving to control every aspect of her life, Elisabeth now has an opportunity to let go of her critical ways and let down her guard. This new-found vulnerability takes her to a better place, where she values her own unique skills, lets go of her family's expectations and stripes down to reveal the real Elisabeth.

Palmer is funny, authentic and honest. She leaves the reader wondering if the walls and other protective mechanisms we've established in our lives are keeping us from experiencing true joy. I highly recommend this novel.