In the Mirror

By: Lise Gold, Madeleine Taylor

Narrated by: Tessa Stavers

Length: 9 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

New Yorker Faith Astor is a successful fashion photographer. Living in Manhattan and parading glamorous parties, she seems to have it all, yet nothing could be further from the truth. When a female personal trainer shows up on New Year’s Day, she regrets booking the kick-start session in a drunken haze, but the woman likes a challenge and won’t take no for an answer.

After years of struggling with an eating disorder, Silva Carter finally has her life back on track. With a careful balance of exercise, healthy living, and a strict routine, she keeps her anxiety at bay, but breaking her ankle forces her to let go of the control she so desperately needs. As she's unable to tackle the staircase in her apartment block, her beautiful client Faith offers Silva her spare bedroom for the duration of her recovery, and they soon learn they have more in common than they realized.

Faith is fascinated by her cute trainer, who seems to understand her better than anyone else, and for the first time, she finds herself attracted to a woman. But after a run-in on a high-profile photoshoot, that could be the least of her worries.

©2022 Lise Gold Books (P)2022 Lise Gold Books

Another great book!

What a great story! This story touched me in so many ways. It was so inspiring. I've taken quotes to utilize in my personal life and I don't even have an eating disorder. I loved the characters. They were well established and well developed. The narrator did a great job. I think I'll be listening to this one again.

Beautiful story

I have read most of Lise Golds books, and she is truly an awesome writer!
This story is one of her best! We follow two women who have been at really low points in their lives,
Unexpectedly they learn that they compliment each other perfectly, and the romance builds slowly and surely without needless angsty moments.
The narrator, Tessa Stavers, is as always extremely talented.

a 5 star plus

loved every minute of this audio book. Lise is slowly becoming one of my favorite authors.

Wonderful

I had read this book and liked it however after listening to it I loved it a second time even more. If possible. A true meaningful story with relatable characters. Give it a listen you won’t be disappointed

I really enjoyed this collaboration

I like the combination of the writing styles of the authors, as well as the narration of Tessa Stavers. She fit the characters.

Body Image Therapy

This book travels the range of body image disorders that many young women face. It can be off putting but Lise Gold always delivers

Was so excited to see this on audio, did not disappoint!

Absolutely adored this book when I originally read it on Kindle. Gold and Taylor tell a truly touching story here that goes beyond romance. It’s a sweet, at times painful, account of two women battling their own demons, and helping each other see the beauty in one another. It’s a study of body positivity and how unrealistic standards of beauty put unhealthy and harmful expectations on women in society. Faith and Silva are so good for each other. So tender, mature and supportive. Their progression from friends to lovers feels natural. There is no silly, manufactured breakup 80% of the way through. Just two adults falling in love and making it work. Beautiful book with an inspiring message.

I really like Tessa Stavers, and she does a very good job here. I did kind of wish the voice choices had been switched, since I envisioned Silva as sort of soft butch, and so having her be the one with the high pitch, California girl voice took some adjusting on my part. But that’s a minor complaint. Definitely get this audiobook, you won’t regret it.

Much more than a romance

I love that we can count on a wide variety of subjects from Lise Gold, and this is one of a handful in her catalog where she tackles a serious subject.

Fashion Photographer Faith Astor is surrounded by ultra-thin models, and is even related to one - her very successful younger sister. She hasn't felt good about her size in years and during a New Year's Eve drunken bender, hires a personal trainer to start the following day to help put her on the right path. Silva Carter arrives bright and early the next morning confident, strong and she motivates Faith in a way that surprises her. As the story progresses, we learn not just about Faith's body issues, but also Silva's - under the overall umbrella of how the fashion industry perpetuates a culture of unhealthy beauty standards.

I'm a little surprised she released this under Lise Gold/Madeleine Taylor because it's less about sexy times and more about bringing to light a significant problem in a multi billion dollar industry, which trickles down to society as a whole. As I read through this, it brought to mind the changes we are now seeing - slowly but surely. Plus/average-sized models, models of color, and a variety of sexualities and genders are not uncommon to see any more in major ad campaigns.

This book is extremely relatable for anyone who has struggled with weight or body image in their lives. And it can be uncomfortable to recognize things about what these characters experience because of how their self worth is so strongly attached to how their bodies are perceived - and their own body dysmorphia. But it's not just about the issues themselves and where they come from, but what might be done to, if not overcome them - to deal with them as they arise. This is not a short book and Gold doesn't cut corners with her subject matter.

There are a few nitpicky things of concern for me. First - that Faith has a goal of looking better in six weeks. While we don't know her size exactly, it's not likely most people would see much of a result in such a short period of time. And while Gold doesn't say how different she's become in that amount of time, she is making enough progress that other people are taking notice. Their story does go on much longer, though, and it's much more likely the results would be noticeable after an extended period. And while I appreciate that they have each other for support, it skirts a very fine line between that and co-dependence. But perhaps it's just more about having someone in your life that reminds you of your worth and that what you see in your head isn't what others do. This is also a romance - and a sweet one at that. But it's not the primary focus.

This isn't a story just illustrating a problem, it's proactive and delves into what can be done. Therefore, it's hopeful and certainly worth being told. Madeleine Taylor's go-to narrator Tessa Stavers performs this work and while she doesn't have a wide variety of voices in her wheelhouse, she does a good job.