When You See Her

By: Barbara Boehm Miller

Narrated by: Katie Schorr

Trapped and isolated in small-town Wisconsin, Sarah wants nothing more than to blend in and lead a normal life away from her abusive brother. Weighing five hundred pounds and having no job or formal education, however, makes this almost impossible.

When Sarah commits an unthinkable act, she seizes the only opportunity available to escape the consequences of her actions. She contacts the carnival man who previously offered her a job as a sideshow act. Burying her guilt, Sarah leaves home and begins performing under the stage name Lola Rolls.

Traveling from town to town, Lola wonders if it’s possible to hide in plain sight and truly outrun her past. She builds lasting friendships along the way, and as the quality of her performances improves, she starts on a path to self-reliance and self-acceptance.

Set in the late 1970s, When You See Her is an immersive thriller that explores what it means to be both visible and invisible, simultaneously desired and reviled, while carving out a space in a too-small world.

©2023 Barbara Boehm Miller (P)2023 Blackstone Publishing

Beautifully written story and excellent narration

"When You See Her" is a compelling story that I highly recommend! From the first few pages I was captivated by Sarah’s/Lola’s character and rooting for her to “get her act together,” literally and figuratively. The rich details in this book immersed me in the carnival life, which the author clearly researched well, and I was delighted by the nostalgic tidbits of 1970s culture and music sprinkled throughout. I enjoyed getting to know all the characters and appreciated how the author humanizes the sideshow performers. The narrator does a wonderful job giving each of these characters a voice and drawing the listener in to each scene. I found myself at times cringing and at times laughing out loud (and wishing for more from Reverend Kindheart!). Overall, the author led me to empathize with Lola and understand her journey. “When You See Her” would make an excellent book club selection. I can’t wait for the movie and am looking forward to reading more from this author.

Engaging and Unexoected

I thoroughly enjoyed listening while walking my dog. In fact, I was so engrossed in the story that I missed my own street!

The story is unusual and the characters are unraveled with much sensitivity. There is a good moral to the story as well. Sarah is an isolated, 17 year old with little life experience, no education and without friends. She weighs in at over 500 pounds when she runs away to join the circus, working as the fat lady in the sideshow. .

The story is a set in the seventies and the narrator does a great job bringing the various characters to life.

Highly recommend.