I really struggled with this review. I have mixed and conflicting opinions/thoughts. I rate this 2 stars on likeability and 4 stars on novel execution, for an average of 3 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for this advanced eBook copy.

Iris is so unlikeable! Summer is prettier... Summer has the husband... Summer this, Summer that. Iris is obsessed with money. “And I’m her shadow, her double, her ultimate accessory.” Get over it Iris and make your own happiness! But by the end, my opinion of both Summer and Iris changed - well done.

The plot is trite and superficial - competing for 100 million dollars because their dad said they had to get married and have a baby and make more Carmichael heirs. Sickening. Anti-feminist.

The teen-marriage and teen-pregnancy plot is sickening. Why encourage that behavior/those choices? Especially only for money?

I wish the ending was different.

Summer and Iris are twins. They split on the last possible day in the womb. That’s why Iris is the mirror image of her sister. Summer is right-handed, Iris is left-handed. Even Iris’s internal organs are on the left instead of the right. And she’s always felt like the second daughter. Summer was prettier, smarter, nicer. Iris was identical but somehow less attractive. She was smart but less confident. And she wasn’t all that nice. She had a better relationship with their younger brother Ben, but she always resented Summer just a little. Iris copied Summer’s fashions. She copied her hair. And she envied Summer her perfect marriage.

So when Iris’s marriage falls apart and she heads back to Summer’s house in Australia, she knows that she has some time to figure out her next move, since Summer and her husband Adam are sailing in their yacht for a month. But an emergency phone call from Thailand sent Summer flying out to meet them, to help sail the yacht while their son recovered from surgery at the hospital in Thailand. Iris thought she’d be sailing out with Adam, but instead he stayed with his son and Summer made the sailing trip with Iris.

It would be several weeks of sailing before they got to Seychelles, where Adam’s family lived, and at first the sailing is beautiful. Iris loved to sail as a teenager, and being back out there, on their father’s yacht, she felt right at home. But sailing the ocean with a crew of only two is not easy. Someone has to be watching at all times, and once Summer shared her good news with her sister—that’s she’s pregnant—then Iris insists on doing the bulk of the sailing herself.

Summer volunteers to watch the ship until midnight, since she can’t get to sleep before that anyway, and she sends Iris down to the bedroom to sleep until then. But when Iris wakes up, the sun is up. And the boar doesn’t feel quite right. She heads upstairs to see what’s going on with the boat, but when she realizes that Summer is missing, that’s all that matters. She looks everywhere, but Summer isn’t on the yacht. Iris tries to figure out when it was that she went over, and she turns the ship around to try to find her. But there is nothing. Just water everywhere, nothing else in sight.

Iris is despondent, and she spends all the time she can looking for Summer. But when it gets to the point that the fuel is running out and her water is running out, she knows she has to head for Seychelles. She can explain what happened, and they’ll understand. She thinks. But when she finally gets there, dehydrated, exhausted, and confused, she is taken for Summer and she doesn’t know how to convince them that she’s Iris. She doesn’t know how to break Adam’s heart, to tell him that his wife and baby are gone. And she’s worried of what the police will think. So she pretends to be sister.

And as the days go on, no one notices. And no one seems all that upset that Iris is gone. So she keeps being Summer, the golden daughter., never realizing that being the sister who lived could put her in the worst danger of her life.

The Girl in the Mirror is a twisty thriller about what comes of envy, even between the closest of sisters. Author Rose Carlyle has thought of everything in this family saga—bitterness, resentment, lies, secrets, and competition. No stone has been left unturned in the crafting of this compelling story, from the smallest details of each character to the crazy turns of the story. The Girl in the Mirror is a tight, taut nautical knot of a novel that you will not be able to put down.

I struggled to get into The Girl in the Mirror at first. It starts from Iris’s point of view, and she comes with a lot of emotional baggage. But as the pages go by, as the action takes over, I felt like I could get into her head and understand where she was coming from. Once I could see her point of view, then I was all in and I raced through until the end. I thought I might know where it would end up, but there were plenty of surprises along the way to twist my head and keep me wondering exactly where we were going and how we were going to get there. This is a solid thriller and lots of fun!

Egalleys for The Girl in the Mirror were provided by William Morrow through NetGalley, with many thanks.

It was a case of mistaken identity. As you can imagine, it happens often with twins, and especially with Summer and Iris Carmichael. A set of mirror twins, Summer and Iris split in the womb at the very last moment, leaving Iris with all of her organs on the opposite of her body from her sister. Iris was also left with a burning desire to be Summer, as she has always felt herself to be the lesser twin, the "wrong" twin. Her life would be so much better, if only it was Summer's.

Iris has been in competition with her lookalike her entire life, but the rivalry between these two sisters flares up when their millionaire father dies when they are just 14. He bequeaths his massive fortune to the first of his seven children to produce an heir, and as you can guess, the race is on. While Summer says she doesn't care about inheriting a 100 million dollar fortune, Iris does, and for once she is determined to best her twin. If she can't beat Summer in looks, personality, and popularity, maybe she can surpass her in riches.

The contest comes to a head when, in their early 20s and still childless, Iris and Summer meet up to sail their family's yacht to the Seychelles. But something terrible happens as the sisters sail across the Indian Ocean, and only one twin shows up in the Seychelles - Iris. Before Iris can decide if she should tell the authorities the truth about what happened to Summer out on the open water, Summer's husband Adam mistakes Iris for his wife. Iris has always wanted Summer's life, and now here's her chance. She goes along with the blunder and slips into her twin's life without a second though. As she becomes more entrenched in her lie, however, Iris finds herself teetering on the edge of pulling off the biggest switch ever and being exposed for the fraud she is. Can she truly have her happy ending?

Rose Carlyle's debut novel The Girl in the Mirror is a finely crafted, heart-pounding novel of suspense. The women's suspense/thriller genre has long been a favorite of mine, but I have found the market to be over-saturated with less than exciting novels as of late. The Girl in the Mirror is just the book I needed to spark and renew my interest and keep me on the edge of my seat. I listened to an audiobook production of this novel and I always find it to be a mark of a good story when an audiobook can capture and hold my attention through commuting and exercising. The Girl in the Mirror did just that.

Carlyle meticulously lays down and layers the plot of The Girl in the Mirror to create a thrilling story that is tense and twisty. Although she has stolen her sister's life, I was rooting for Iris, and was anxious to discover if she was actually going to pull off the ultimate deception. Carlyle slowly feeds readers information throughout this novel, and when the twists start happening, it is great fun to look back and see that the signs were there all along. I was truly wrapped up in this taut tale and didn't want it to end.

Recommended to anyone looking for something fresh and exciting to come out of the women's suspense genre! Also recommended to readers who enjoy stories about rivalries between sisters, and especially twins.

This was a title that started off promising and then went very slow and hard to understand what was going on and felt like too much story about nothing until Rose & Iris switch Sam shifts of the yacht and then the accident occurs leaving you mystified and the feeling that the story is really just beginning.

From there I was pulled in with the fast paced storyline that just didn’t stop. I had my fingers and toes twisting as I couldn’t believe what was happening and I was embarrassed picturing myself in the main characters place. (I can’t be detailed because I do not want to give any spoilers). This book was so well thought out and I couldn’t believe the twist. I felt for some of the characters and began to cheer them on. There definitely were cringe worthy moments that you wanted to jump in the book and help. But the end is something you never see coming and it doesn’t just end simply. A great thriller with an original rarity and twist that I recommend.

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. So good- fast paced soapy characters and situations- so fun! Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I'm just going to say it up here: Keep reading all the way to the end. That's what makes the whole book.

Iris and Summer are identical twins on the outside, but inside -- where it counts -- they are actually mirror images of each other, both in the placement of their organs and in who they are. One is the "perfect" twin, while the other is severely flawed. When Summer needs Iris to help her sail the family yacht out of Thailand to the Seychelles, Iris drops everything to go to her. But, when Iris finds herself alone on the boat in the middle of the ocean, she pretends to be Summer -- who she has always wanted to be -- even to Summer's unsuspecting and amazing husband Adam. But how long will she be able to get away with the charade?

The premise of this book is definitely weird, and some of the explicit conversations between Summer and Iris at the beginning of the story was very uncomfortable and seemed out of place in context (although kind of makes sense later,) but the ending of the book will knock you in circles as it twists and turns toward the conclusion. The ending alone is the best reason to read this book, and you'll be thinking about this one for days to come. I finished this a few days ago, and I still can't believe how it all went down. And, unlike some books that really have to work to make the twists and turns successful, this one came together smoothly, although in a big rush of adrenaline. .

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and the Book Club Girl for providing with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. It has not influenced my opinion.

This is a pulpy thriller featuring rich people behaving badly. It includes exotic locales, beautiful mirror-identical twins, a yacht, a wicked stepmother, and a $100 million inheritance with strings attached. If you’re seeking a break from reality, this a great escape.

Twin sisters Summer and Iris are the main characters who lead readers through exploits around the globe, from Thailand to Australia and beyond. Many members of this far-branching family are involved in the scheming as well. I found myself skimming the nautical terminology in the first part of the novel, but kept going and was glad I did. After reading, I’m pondering the author’s first name and the imagery of roses throughout the story.

Thank you to the Book Club Girl group at William Morris for the gifted copy.

3.5 stars!
Iris has always been envious of her twin sister, Summer. She thinks Summer has it all: beauty, a sexy husband, wealth, her mother’s preference & an adorable stepson. When Summer calls Iris and asks for help sailing their family sailboat across the ocean from Thailand, Iris leaps at the opportunity as she is feeling forlorn after the failure of her own marriage. However, when the sailboat arrives at port, only one of the twins is alive onboard. Who is it? What happened to the other sister? Did I forget to mention that their father left his entire multi-million dollar inheritance to his child that bore an heir to their family first?

Iris is a weirdo. I honestly don't know what to think of her. As she is our narrator, we get the story through her eyes but her inner monologue is very fractured which made it hard to connect with her. One minute she’s evil, the next she’s totally conflicted and devout to her family. I loved the theme of jealousy and loyalty that was explored in with the overhanging race to be the one to get the inheritance. The first half was a total page turner for me but things started to get increasingly unbelievable. The second half totally lost me and by the end, I felt like I had just read a soap opera about a totally dysfunctional family that didn’t seem opposed to committing various crimes. But I mean...who doesn’t love the occasional soap? It was juicy and digestible and I loved the settings of Thailand, Seychelles & Australia as I don’t often get to read novels in those places.

This book had an intriguing storyline that wasn't fully understood until the very end. There were a lot of the twists and turns that make a psychological thriller extraordinary and this one certainly was. Family histories, interpersonal relationships, sibling rivalries and protectiveness and the infamous not quite well-balanced blended families. There were a few slow parts but not enough to change my opinion or enjoyment of this book. An all around well written thriller with complex characters that I would definitely recommend. #TheGirlInTheMirror #RoseCarlyle #WilliamMorrow #SceneOfTheCrime #NetGalley

yay! Happy publication do to this twisted book. WOW loved it. The story kept me on the edge and I couldn't put It down. So glad I got to read it! Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow!

3.5 twin book stars

*First, my advice, go into this one blind. DO NOT read the blurb, it gives too much away!

This one was a twisty, clever surprise read. Iris and Summer are identical twins that have competed their whole lives. Summer now seems to be living a charmed life, with a gorgeous husband, a stepson, and about to set sail on a months-long voyage on the family yacht. Iris has been struggling to find happiness.

Things take a turn though when Summer calls on Iris to help sail the yacht from Thailand to the Seychelles. I don’t want to give much more away, but things don’t go according to plan on the trip and the rest of the book is a rollercoaster thriller.

I’m still thinking about the ending to this one. It did seem a bit over the top a few times, but this one was firmly in the escapism realm for me. I felt like I had to finish to find out what would happen and then, that ending! Hang on for the ride!

Whoa! This was almost a DNF for me, but I kept reading that there were some fantastic twists and turns, so I pushed forward and I'm glad I did.

Ok this starts off REALLY slow. I don't want the backstory of every single moment that happened in Iris and Summer's past, but we get it. Move on! There is always one twin jealous of the other twin..got it! So I thought nothing of when Summer pleads for Iris's help sailing the family yacht from Thailand to Seychelles. Like a good sister Iris says yes. Then one night while Iris is sleeping, Summer disappears and is presumed dead. Hahah! The beautiful twin is now gone and the ugly twin can take over her life. Easy peasy right? Wrong! Iris quickly realizes that Summer did not have the perfect life she always gushed about. Far from it!

A little over halfway through the book the twists start getting good. I felt bad for Iris because it seemed like her family felt that if one of the girls had to die, at least it wasn't Summer. Little do they know! I want to talk about the best twist of all, which I still don't like, but I can't! It would give everything away! I will say that although I was disappointed, the author couldn't have done it any other way. It finalized the story in the creepiest of ways!
This one was published yesterday so go grab your copy!

The Girl in the Mirror is Rose Carlyle’s debut novel and she wrote a winner! This book had everything, lies, cheating, family drama, and a twisty ending. Carlyle’s writing echoes that of Michelle Campbell and the suspense reminded me of Gilly Macmillan. I loved it and I’m sure you will too!

Where do I even begin with this one? Carlyle masterfully crafted characters that we loved to hate. Summer was annoyingly perfect, but I just knew that something sinister lurked beneath her seemingly flawless life. Iris was reckless and made horrible decisions but was I found her more relatable because her envy of Summer is common across siblings. Adam was just straight up awful. I could not stand his two-faced and appalling behavior. I even found Tarquin, the little stepson, annoying, which I felt slightly guilty about.
The first 100 pages moved a little slow because we were just sailing the yacht with Summer and Iris. I felt Iris’s pain at Summer’s droning on and on about how perfect her life was. If you ask me, it sounded like she was trying to convince herself. The story went from zero to sixty when Summer went overboard, and Iris was left alone on the massive yacht.

As soon as Iris and the yacht emerged off the coast of the Seychelles, the story really picked up. Iris previously debated whether she would assume Summer’s life or tell the truth, but in a split-second Adam comforts her as Summer the decision is made – Iris becomes Summer. Of course, this is something I would never do, but if Iris hadn’t pretended to be Summer there wouldn’t have been much of a story to tell. I did have to stretch my imagination to believe that nobody noticed Iris was impersonating Summer, but the pacing made this more of an afterthought. I questioned every single character’s motives and actions because I had a latent feeling that at least one of them knew what Iris was up to.

Let’s talk about the ending…well, partially because I don’t want to spoil anything! I predicted one the twists and I’m sure that most readers will as well. However, I’m guessing that Carlyle did that on purpose and threw a one two punch that left me sitting in silence for a good thirty minutes after I finished the book saying, “what?!” Carlyle knocked me out with a shocking ending, and I was genuinely stunned and left in a stupor. I love when an author can write a conclusion that seems to come out of nowhere!

Overall, I really enjoyed The Girl in the Mirror and would recommend it to readers who like Catherine Steadman and Michelle Campbell. Happy reading!

Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for my advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

I have to admit, the twist got me!
In this fun, angst inducing thriller we find twin sisters, Iris and Summer with the typical sibling rivalries. Summer lights up a room and Iris is the other twin. When Summers husband calls Iris to help them out of a sticky situation, Iris is all too happy to go. It's when she does that things get interesting.
Well written with a tight plot and fast pace, I devoured this gem in a day. I have to admit I went into this one without reading many reviews and I'm glad I did so I hope what little I've shared allows you the same experience when you read it. If you like thrillers based around family drama with perfectly placed twists and turns, I highly recommend this one.
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Thank You to the author, William Morrow, Scene of the Crime Facebook group and NetGalley for the ARC to read, review and enjoy.

A tangled web of deceptive thriller with engrossing storyline that embarks the reader in a wildly twisted and nightmarish journey. This story is focused on the identical twin sisters Summer and Iris Carmichael. Summer have always been considered the perfect daughter in the Carmichael family and presently married to an ideal husband and leading the glamorous life. In the other end, Iris is the flawed, cynical and the insecure sister with no promising future. Summer reaches out to Iris from Thailand for her to help sail their yacht to the Seychelles. But during the sail, Summer disappears in the middle of the ocean leaving Iris alone. This allows her to go along in stepping into Summer's perfect life.

The pacing of the novel was perfect in building up the anxiety-inducing tension that created a claustrophoic atmosphere that allowed the readers to experience Iris' constant stress and agony. Strong character developments are highlighted in this novel. The one character that stood out was Iris. She definitely isn't a perfect specimen of humanity but the heavily flawed characteristics drew me to easily identify with Iris rather than Summer. The desperation, the envious nature, and the greed drives Iris to commit this act. But her inner monologues allows the readers a glimpse of the vulnerable side of Iris who is engulfed in pain and loneliness. This complicated multi-layered characterization was the driving force of the novel. The twisted plot was filled with disturbing and unnerving suspense with a gripping premise that kept me turning these pages until the end.

Thank you to Net Galley and William Morrow for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Iris and Summer are identical twins, almost, except that they are of mirror images! That means, Summer’s left side mirrors Iris’s right side, including the organs within! However, their characteristics and behaviors would set them apart if one takes a closer look, where Iris always harbors dark secrets with a twinge of resentment.
While Irish and Summer are sailing the family yacht from Thailand to Seychelles, an unexpected tragedy happens where Summer falls off the yacht in the middle of the ocean, and Irish is left alone!
Then, everything changes, and hence begins the mystery and suspense!
THE GIRL IN THE MIRROR by Rose Carlyle starts slow and steady, and then pulls one into the suspense of deep, dark secrets and lies!
#TheGirlInTheMirror
#NetGalley

OMG! This is a book like no other! When money is concerned why do people have to be so rapacious and rogue?? Someday they will regret what they have done to other people when it comes back to bite them on the *#*! This book is exceptionally well written but the subject disgusts me. Enjoy!

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was different than the types of book I usually read. Twin young women from Australia are sailing a boat home from Thailand. One of them doesn't come back. The other assumes the dead twin's life. Oh, and by the way, there is a family inheritance of $100M riding on whichever child can produce a legitimate offspring first. (There is a brother and four half-siblings in the mix too). It was interesting reading about the twin dynamic and how each perceived the other. I expected one of the twists but not the final twist. I'd consider this book on the fluffy side but was entertaining.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

The ending is everything! I’ve always been fascinated with twins and loved the good twin/bad twin aspect. So much anxiety with this book because you know the lies will catch up to them but it did it in an unexpected way. So good with a great ending.

Thank you NetGalley for this read!

I received this book from Netgalley. What a thriller! Two sisters, Thailand & suspense! Thank you for this book which I could not put down. Definitely going to recommend this book!!