Raquel is hardened by life. She has been through so much heartache in her life. She is at a job she hates, she doesn't have any friends and she refuses to admit she's attracted to the guy she's interviewing for a job. Sean buys old houses and restores them. He is in it for family. These two don't seem to fit but they end up having so much in common and with a love like no other.

Mirrors was my first book by this author. It was pretty slow for me, but I was interested to see what was going to happen with Raquel and Sean So I decided to finish it and now I am looking forward to the next book.

Talk about a slow build.... And the ending makes you think what the heck happened?? Raquel a woman who doesn't have it easy since childhood... And Sean who had a good childhood but has lost sight of what he really wants

This book cannot be read in one sitting. It is not a fluffy read. It is dark, sometimes hard to read, raw, realistic and poignant. The whole atmosphere is heavy. The writing is very descriptive, sometimes too much so as it can take from the story flow. Heavy on character development and details, you will either love or hate it.
Raquel is a loner. She's had a hard life, a lot of loss. She is hardened, she settled for a job she hates and she had only one real friend. Sean buys old houses, restores them and then sells them back for profit. He is as much a pragmatic as Raquel is. He's given up on his dream to become a chef in order to support his family.
Raquel and Sean meet on site of his latest project and they immediately start this cat and mouse game. They feel this insane attraction towards each other but act like crazy kids a lot of the times.
The book is very heavy on the details and there are a lot of side characters. All characters are so realistically portrayed and are highly relatable and that's why it can be difficult to read. I had a lot of times where I had to stop and take a break from the intensity. The scenes where Raquel and Sean are together are amazing and powerful. Their sexual tension is palpable and their banter is witty and fun.
Mirrors is a serious book. It reflects on a lot of topics. Proceed with an open heart!

Sean is a real estate investor. He buys run-down homes at rock bottom prices and "flips" them through renovations, then sells them at a profit. He intends to sell his current property quickly and move on to the next project. Too bad markets are down, and he is having trouble bringing inquiries to the said property.

In comes Raquel Flannigan, a journalist at a small-town newspaper, to the rescue. As a favor to her best friend, Penelope - coincidentally hired as the interior stager for the property Sean is selling, Raquel agrees to promote the property. Her first encounter with Sean was electric to both of them but was an odd interview. There was no denying the tension radiating in the. When it all came out, it was explosive and spectacular! It raised the standards in steam and angst!

Raquel is a complex character. She went through a tragic past that changed her. Filled with much guilt and torturing emotions, Raquel was crumbling from the inside while maintaining a calm, no-nonsense, tough journalist facade. Outside of her job, her life is pure chaos that Sean seems to be willing to dive into to "save her."

Without giving so much, readers will surely get the gravity of Raquel's situation midway through the book. It is dark and sinister. It will change how you perceive things. I did not like the road that Raquel took to "save" the people around her. I was frustrated with her reckless decisions. Yes, she had terrible things happen to her and her family, which she blames was her doing. Because of this, she lost herself, her passion and decided that she was not worthy of peace and happiness by taking on the "bad things" in her life as penance.
Sean has his issues, but it's a lot safer than what Raquel had around. He gave up his dreams to be able to support his family after a tragic loss. It was not uncommon, but now, his family is on him going back to pursue his passion and think of himself. It was driving him crazy because Sean believes he is fine where he is...or so he thinks.

The theme of "mirrors" or "self-reflection and perceptions" runs well into the book. There is a lot of "push-pull" in Sean and Raquel's lives for their daily interaction with family and friends - how they see themselves - potential, ambition, and expectations.

I like to note that I love Raquel's best friend and forever confidant, Penelope. She and Raquel are opposites but bonded together in college when they became roommates. Penelope has gone through a lot with her family and background, but they become an unstoppable team with Raquel's support. Penelope also is integral in having Raquel realize the destructive path she was heading towards. Without that realization, this story would turn out badly.

Mirrors is a poignant, slow-burn, enemies-to-friends story. It is a gut-wrenching story that dives into two broken characters' lives: one accepting it while the other is in denial. Both need each other to find their redemption and healing to move to live with their choices.
The scenes and points of view are very detailed. The writing may get overwhelming at times, so I had to sit and reflect. This book took me longer than expected to finish because of the immense information coming from interesting characters - each detail of a scene, person's points written and described in vivid word descriptions.
There is a lot of character development that will surely make readers also reflect and empathize with them. Note that the plot is heavy and complex, with various issues between Sean and Raquel. Expect the book to be pulling out all types of "feels" for readers.

What a debut by A.L. Woods! Raquel & Sean captivated me from the first page to the last! I can’t wait to read the rest of their journey!

I voluntarily reviewed this book.

This is the first book by this author that I have read and I went into it blind without reading any blurbs or reviews. It took me a bit to get into the story, however once I was hooked I was all in. Raquel and Sean's story is very well written full of emotional ups and downs. I knew I was in for a cliff hanger, just not the one I got. I look forward to seeing where this story takes us in book 2. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for my honest review.