We’re delighted to be sharing Laura’s thoughts about Damaged Beauty: Joey Superstar by Margaret Gardiner.
Jera’s Jamboree receives payments for affiliate advertising. This is at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.
- Category : Contemporary Fiction
- ASIN : B0DK2PFDJQ
- Publisher : Nightstar (10 Feb. 2025)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 210 pages
- ISBN-13 : 979-8991751704
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 modeling, she’s hoping a life of designer clothes and beautiful people won’t take her back to blow. If only she could be truly seen, heard and understood, perhaps 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 Joey fights 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.
Damaged Beauty : Joey Superstar Review
A debut novel by Margaret Gardiner, former Miss Universe. Damaged Beauty introduces us to Joey, a glamorous model navigating her comeback after addiction and heartbreak.
This story is set in the dazzling yet unforgiving world of 1980s modelling — think flashing cameras, high fashion, and behind-the-scenes scandal. But beneath the surface lies a more emotional journey. Joey is strong-willed, independent, and deeply scarred by past trauma. There are moments where she challenges judgement based on looks alone, and that really stayed with me. One scene in particular, where she stands up against unkindness, shows her strength and inner values.
This book explores mature themes including addiction, sex, and the dark side of fame. At times, the lifestyle is seductive and exciting, but it’s also isolating and emotionally draining. I enjoyed the fast pace and short chapters — they made it easy to stay engaged.
I don’t usually read this genre, but I found it fascinating to get a glimpse into a world I know little about. I’ll be interested to see where this series goes next.
About the Author
A cover girl in Paris at 16, Miss Universe at 18 and fashion editor for Golden Globes, Margaret Gardiner has worked with A-list actors from Angelina Jolie to Zendaya. She’s walked the red carpet and seen behind the scenes.
Nominated for Media and Entertainment Journalism Awards her first Best Seller was ‘Margaret Gardiner’s Complete Health & Beauty Guide’.
With a BSci in Psychology she’s co-hosted Miss Universe, Miss South Africa, Good Morning South Africa, panels for influencers on mental health, stylists on fashion, women on inequity & podcast. She’s organized panels for The American Pavilion, Cannes Film Festival, she’s guested on Miss Universe 2023, Telemundo’s No. 1 entertainment program that night in adults 18-49, walked in and covered Paris Fashion Week.
Clients: Marie Claire, People Magazine, Sunday Times, Weekend Argus, Rapport. Video interviews: You-Tube.
‘Damaged Beauty: Joey Superstar’ is the first in the ‘Damaged Beauty’ series about good girls who play nice, get damaged and find their voice to become who they really are.
