They'd driven east along the Cote d'Azur, the endless sky above, the Mediterranean a dirty blue to her right. The villas packed together vibrant oranges and creamy whites, like too much acne on an overcrowded cheek. The light was lemon, and she was sour...
***
The Blurb
Welcome to the world of model Joey Superstar - a whirlwind of cocaine, sex, and money.
Josaphina Brinkley seems to have it all: she’s a superstar model in 1980s America, a cover girl plastered, naked, on fashion billboards above Sunset Blvd. Women want to be her. Men simply want her.
But underneath the glossy veneer she hides a traumatic past. The end of her marriage to Italian Aristocracy led to a stint in rehab. As she returns to parties, premiers and modelling, she’s hoping a life of designer clothes, expensive jewellery and beautiful people won’t take her back to blow. If only she could be truly seen, heard and understood, maybe she wouldn’t self-destruct again?
Joey sets out to confront the roots of her wildness – but must admit to a youthful act that haunts her. As she moves from addiction to redemption, can she change the course of her life, deal with her dark past and become the superstar she was always destined to be?
Former Miss Universe Margaret Gardiner gives readers the key to a secret world of supermodels, sex, style and scandal in her deliciously intoxicating debut, Joey Superstar, the first in an exciting Damaged Beauty series.
My Review
This isn't my typical reading fare, but I am a big believer in stepping out of my comfort zone every once in a while. I think it is good for all of us, especially in our reading choices. That said, I am delighted to say that I enjoyed this book very much.
It is a very character led book and focuses on the life of Joey (also known as Josaphina Brinkley,) a supermodel with celebrity status. To the observer it is a life full of glamour and beauty but through Joey the reader can see that that is very far from the reality.
The book is narrated by Joey almost exclusively with just a couple of insights from her friend, Fran. We soon learn that Joey's life is an extremely troubled one and little by little we learn more of her backstory and how her life has brought her to the place she is currently. She learns that it is necessary that she confronts her past in order to be able to face her future.
This book provides the reader with insight into the world of being a supermodel. It is fuelled by a series of sex, drugs and money. There is little of the glamour that we assume to represent the life of a supermodel.
This insight comes from the author, Margaret Gardiner who was herself a model and I suspect there is a substantial element of her own experience in this novel. Margaret is a former Miss Universe and supermodel in her own right and therefore, I think we can trust her portrayal of Joey's world as accurate.
The narrative moves along fairly swiftly and feels absolutely real. It is probably needless for me to say that this book is intended for an adult reader due to it's content. The world the author portrays is very different to my own life experiences and this made for interesting reading. She has composed her book whereby the narrative came to life on the page.
The book is well worth reading. I am so glad that I stepped outside of my reading comfort zone with this, as I enjoyed it very much. Damaged Beauty: Joey Superstar is the first in a planned series and I am looking forward to reading more.
Book Details
ISBN: 979 8991751711
Publisher: Nightstar
Formats: e-book and hardback
No. of Pages: 210 (hardback)
Purchase Links
About the Author
Margaret Gardiner became an international cover-girl at 16 and at 18 she was the first woman from Africa to be crowned Miss Universe.
Her debut novel explores the seedy underbelly of the high-octane world of 1980s fashion modelling. While her book is not autobiographical, it is inspired by the people of the time and events she witnessed. Margaret saw extremes in various forms: the dreaded scales being used to weigh models in the 70s, the coping strategies of other models and friends including drug and alcohol abuse.
As a model for almost 50 years, and a fashion editor, Margaret has an insider’s knowledge of the industry. She knows what it is like to be on the red carpet, in the spotlight - and what goes on behind the scenes.
With a degree in psychology, and a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, her debut novel is for every woman who has ever been made to feel less. She wants to empower women with her writing.
You can also find Margaret at:
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(ARC and media courtesy of the publisher)
(all opinions are my own)
