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Mirror Mirror
DAUGHTER OF FORTUNEThe beautiful heiress who dared to risk it all for a forbidden love.CHILD OF DESIREThe servant's daughter whose soaring ambitions would betray her dearest friend.From the sun-drenched Caribbean to the splendors of Venice, their lifelong friendship was bonded by their hopes, their dreams, their visions of love. But as Francesca and Josie was swept deeper into the fabulous jet-set world of Europe's elite, they discovered the shattering truths that would forever change their lives. The secrecy, the scandals, the aching desire that drew them to the same man...
- GenresFiction
464 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1988
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 30, 2018
Wow-amazing story
Such intensity and drama! Its a heartbreaking story revolving around two privileged girls, Francesca and Josie,who are best friends, closer than sisters, since childhood...until they travel together from their homebase in the Bahamas to Francesca's childhood home in Venice, where her father resides. For Francesca is no ordinary girl - shes a countess from the noble Nordonia family. But when Francesca was just a child, her mother was killed under mysterious circumstances, and her father, Carlo, sent young Francesca away from Venice to live in the vacation home in the islands of the Bahamas, in the care of the housekeeper and her similarly-aged daughter Josie. Now about to turn 18, Carlo has invited Francesca back to Venice to celebrate her upcoming milestone birthday with a grand ball that will introduce Francesca Nordonia back into society. With Josie by her side, the girls leave behind their simple island lives and enter into the Nordonia world of excess and luxury. Josie is shocked to find Francesca is a modern-day princess, her father a "king" with a guilded palazzo palace, and a sneering prejudice toward Haitian Josie, who had never thought of herself as any different than Francesca. But together, the girls learn the cold, hard truth that life so far had shielded them from:Francesca is white royalty, and Josie is her black maid. The days of careless fun are over and now begins Francesca's rigid training to prepare her for her entrance into the life of a countess. At the same time, Josie begins the descent toward her proper place as servant, and watches resentfully as Francesca is lavished with praise, luxe gifts of jewels and designer gowns, and becomes beloved by all. Eventually, the bitterness and envy in Josie's heart drives her farther and farther away from her only friend in the world, turning her into someone else entirely. But then, the girls discover something too delicious to ignore: the American movie star/heartthrob Jack Westman.
Francesca and Josie are so excited to find out Jack is filming a movie in Venice, that they put aside their differences and are once again laughing and gossiping late into the night just like before. But their reunion is short-lived...The night of the ball, Jack Westman arrives and the girls are speechless. But when the handsome movie star sets eyes on beautiful Francesca and falls head over heels for her, the still fresh envy in Josie is unleashed with new force. As Francesca and Jack become infatuated lovers, Josie's feelings of betrayal and resentment toward Francesca reach their limit, and eventually causes Josie to do something so awful and unforgivable, the effect is the end of their friendship. Afterwards, Josie and Francesca go their separate ways, with each of them going through more than their share of ups and down.
The book then divides its pages between Francesca's world and Josie's struggling survival in the music industry. But both girls are soon devastated by two seperate tragedies that at first drive them further apart but ultimately lead them back to each other. Though one lives a privileged existence while the other barely scrapes by, neither Francesca nor Josie have an easy, simple road to travel. I love the message that no matter how much better life may seem to be for others, no one goes through life without their share of pain, suffering, and heartache - nobody gets through life unscathed.
Though I loved the ending, I found myself wishing for more. These characters are worthy of a series!! I could relate so well to both girls and found their lives fascinating, exciting, and heartbreaking. I could not put this one down and loved every juicy, delicious moment. I only wish there were more.
Such intensity and drama! Its a heartbreaking story revolving around two privileged girls, Francesca and Josie,who are best friends, closer than sisters, since childhood...until they travel together from their homebase in the Bahamas to Francesca's childhood home in Venice, where her father resides. For Francesca is no ordinary girl - shes a countess from the noble Nordonia family. But when Francesca was just a child, her mother was killed under mysterious circumstances, and her father, Carlo, sent young Francesca away from Venice to live in the vacation home in the islands of the Bahamas, in the care of the housekeeper and her similarly-aged daughter Josie. Now about to turn 18, Carlo has invited Francesca back to Venice to celebrate her upcoming milestone birthday with a grand ball that will introduce Francesca Nordonia back into society. With Josie by her side, the girls leave behind their simple island lives and enter into the Nordonia world of excess and luxury. Josie is shocked to find Francesca is a modern-day princess, her father a "king" with a guilded palazzo palace, and a sneering prejudice toward Haitian Josie, who had never thought of herself as any different than Francesca. But together, the girls learn the cold, hard truth that life so far had shielded them from:Francesca is white royalty, and Josie is her black maid. The days of careless fun are over and now begins Francesca's rigid training to prepare her for her entrance into the life of a countess. At the same time, Josie begins the descent toward her proper place as servant, and watches resentfully as Francesca is lavished with praise, luxe gifts of jewels and designer gowns, and becomes beloved by all. Eventually, the bitterness and envy in Josie's heart drives her farther and farther away from her only friend in the world, turning her into someone else entirely. But then, the girls discover something too delicious to ignore: the American movie star/heartthrob Jack Westman.
Francesca and Josie are so excited to find out Jack is filming a movie in Venice, that they put aside their differences and are once again laughing and gossiping late into the night just like before. But their reunion is short-lived...The night of the ball, Jack Westman arrives and the girls are speechless. But when the handsome movie star sets eyes on beautiful Francesca and falls head over heels for her, the still fresh envy in Josie is unleashed with new force. As Francesca and Jack become infatuated lovers, Josie's feelings of betrayal and resentment toward Francesca reach their limit, and eventually causes Josie to do something so awful and unforgivable, the effect is the end of their friendship. Afterwards, Josie and Francesca go their separate ways, with each of them going through more than their share of ups and down.
The book then divides its pages between Francesca's world and Josie's struggling survival in the music industry. But both girls are soon devastated by two seperate tragedies that at first drive them further apart but ultimately lead them back to each other. Though one lives a privileged existence while the other barely scrapes by, neither Francesca nor Josie have an easy, simple road to travel. I love the message that no matter how much better life may seem to be for others, no one goes through life without their share of pain, suffering, and heartache - nobody gets through life unscathed.
Though I loved the ending, I found myself wishing for more. These characters are worthy of a series!! I could relate so well to both girls and found their lives fascinating, exciting, and heartbreaking. I could not put this one down and loved every juicy, delicious moment. I only wish there were more.
November 20, 2017
Book was an interesting read, but the ending was a fizzer. The book just stopped!
January 31, 2021
Reading this book was a whole experience. I have never read a book with so much drama before but I really enjoyed it. Couldn't put it down.
August 11, 2015
In the beginning I was surprised how much I was enjoying this book, not my usual genre anymore but one I used to love. Too bad it was about 200 pages too long and pretty dated since being a lesbian is no longer scandelous!! The book was predictable, I knew where it was going but I still managed to like it.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews