Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced copy of The Cover Girl by Amy Rossi. I was drawn to this book by the description. I grew up during this time and followed all the Super Models. I enjoyed the book however I feel there were some flaws. There were two things that stood out to me. I felt the book ended abruptly. The ending should have included a final discussion with Harriett. Next, the story didn’t have smooth transition sometimes between stories. The specific time period sections interrupted the storyline in my opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. A young detached but beautiful girl is “discovered” by a modeling agency in the 1970s. She already doesn’t fit in anywhere She is detached from life with cold and uncaring parents She hopes through modeling she has found her purpose. Instead she becomes a “baby groupie” and is whisked away by “the rock star” at the tender age of 15. The rest of book mostly deals with the fallout from her life spent too young. The detachment remains. And although I felt sympathy for her , I never could relate to her superficial glide through her sad life It all ended up feeling very sad and empty and frustrating

The Cover Girl by Amy Rossi dives deep into the dark side of the modeling world through Birdie Rhodes' life. Discovered at just 13 by a famous agent, Birdie is thrown into the glamour and exploitation of fashion. As she travels from LA to Paris, she struggles with past trauma, including neglect and a toxic relationship with an older rock star. The book shifts between past and present, showing how Birdie’s scars shape her life as an adult, now named Elizabeth. It’s a powerful, emotional story about the harsh realities many women face in the industry.

The Cover Girl by Amy Rossi is a compelling and poignant exploration of the modeling industry, fame, and the emotional complexities of womanhood through the life of Birdie Rhodes. Discovered at just 13 by legendary agent Harriet Goldman, Birdie is thrust into the glamorous yet often predatory world of fashion. As she navigates the high-stakes industry, her journey takes her from LA to Paris, while she struggles with the trauma of a past marked by parental neglect and a toxic relationship with an older rock star. The novel alternates between past and present, revealing the deep scars that continue to shape Birdie’s life as an adult, now known as Elizabeth.

The story powerfully exposes the darker, exploitative side of the fashion world, especially during a time before the #MeToo movement, and captures the predatory relationships many young girls faced. Birdie’s emotional journey is heart-wrenching—caught between her desperate search for love and her inability to recognize the abusive dynamics she’s entangled in. The rock star’s anonymity throughout the novel serves as a chilling reminder that his behavior could belong to anyone, highlighting how widespread and terrifying such experiences are for many women.

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the e-arc.

“The Cover Girl” is the story about the modeling industry in the 70’s and 80’s told in flashbacks by a woman who was “discovered” at age 13. Birdie was let down by every adult in her life. We are witness to her finally coming to terms with the damage that was done to her. It’s in many ways a tragic story, one that would never happen today. Highly recommend. It took me a little bit to get into so it gets 4.5 stars.

4/5 couch binge worthy, finished it in a few sittings. Got a little slow toward the end (could have been ~50 ps shorter imo) but def kept me coming back to it quick.

Great for fans of:
- unreliable narrators
- flash forwards and backwards
- had a very Almost Famous (the movie) vibes to it

The Cover Girl takes us on the journey of Birdie Rhodes through the 70s to 2018 and her roller coaster career as a model.

The descriptions of modeling life from decades past was interesting and intriguing. However, as we come to find out, the story has more to do with a relationship of Birdie’s — one with The Rock Star. I felt sad for Birdie but also her ignorance drove me a little crazy. She was alone and lonely and I felt for her lost potential. She made choices for years based on what happened to her as a teenager. Some of those choices led to positive activism, other choices led to her closing off her mind and her heart.

I think having the story alternately told by Harriet’s POV could have been intriguing. I also think the 2018 pieces could have been told as an epilogue instead of being woven throughout. The back and forth made it feel choppy to me.

Also, what was the point of never naming The Rock Star?

This was not a top read for me and it wouldn’t be the first book I’d recommend to a friend.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

The Cover Girl by Amy Rossi is a sharp, poignant look at the world of modeling, music, fame, and Sunset Boulevard mainly in the 70s-80s through the life of Birdie, a model who was discovered at 13 walking into Saks Fifth Avenue by Harriett, an agent who has a very complicated relationship with Birdie. Cover Girl is told in dual timeline, focusing on the past and present Birdie (who now goes by Elizabeth).

Cover Girl was a wonderful and complicated story. It touched on a lot of important topics, from girls in predatory relationships to parental neglect to the AIDs crisis. Unfortunately I think this book tried to cover almost too much, A lot of topics felt glazed over, especially how they related to Birdie and her recovery personally. However, I did really enjoy this book. There was something cathartic about the ending especially, seeing how Birdie's relationship to Harriett was redefined and changed. I certainly agree with other reviews that this book is perfect for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid.

Amy Rossi tells a tragic story of a young model, Birdie Rhodes, who was abused by the system, neglected by her parents, groomed my a much older Rock Star and affected deeply by the AIDS epidemic.

Rossi hits on so many topics that are relevant to the fashion and rock star lifestyle, however it is all happening to one character and I felt like it glazed over these topics instead of picking one or two and doing a deep dive. Birdie is a complex character, but reads as more of a bystander in her life. I felt like she had no fight in her, which may have been exactly what Ms. Rossi wanted from her. Because of that I had a hard time really connecting with Birdie. I wanted so many more confrontations from her as an adult, then just the retrospective she fades into.

I did enjoy reading this novel, but I was looking for a different ending to the character.

Birdie is discovered at the tender age of 13 and thrust into the grown up world of modeling in the 1970s. Her agent, Harriet, is the only one who offers some semblance of security. Her parents were only too eager to let her go off w a much older rock star. That strained credulity for me.

The novel offers a sometimes shocking look at the modeling industry in the 70’s and 80s. Fans of Daisy Jones and the Six will certainly enjoy. Recommend for all public libraries

If you're a fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid, this is the book for you. Personally, The Cover Girl felt a little too shallow. I think it properly painted LA in the late 70's/early 80's Sunset Strip Rock & Roll life. I did find it disappointing that it took Birdie 40 years to realize that she was in a predatory relationship with "The Rocker" and how it derailed her career. You'd hope that she came to that realization earlier on in life, but it is what it is.

Well written historical fiction told by Birdie, the very tall, very beautiful girl/woman who doesn’t have her shit together. Writing is delightful, Birdie is a great character, and I highly recommend this novel.

📸 Summary:
At just 13 years old, Birdie Rhodes is discovered by legendary modeling agent Harriet Goldman and swept into the glamorous, high-stakes world of fashion. But while she dreams of making it big, she never quite reaches the top. At 15, she falls into a relationship with a much older rock star—something Harriet warns her against. As her career takes her from LA to Paris and beyond, Birdie buries her past, reinventing herself along the way. Decades later, an invitation to honor Harriet’s legacy forces her to confront everything she’s tried to forget—the fame, the trauma, and the choices that shaped her life.

🌟 My Thoughts:
Overall, The Cover Girl was a pretty good read with an important message. It sheds light on how women were treated in the modeling industry before the #MeToo movement, showing the darker realities behind the glamour. Birdie’s story was compelling, and I appreciated how the book explored the exploitation young girls faced.

That said, the pacing felt uneven. A huge portion of Birdie’s life seemed to be skipped over, leaving gaps in how she truly felt about everything she had experienced. Then, when she finally figures things out, it all wraps up too quickly. I wanted a deeper look into her emotions and journey rather than a rushed conclusion. While it had its flaws, I still found the story impactful and worth reading.

"The Cover Girl" by Amy Rossi highlights the child modeling industry and the impact that it leaves on those involved. Birdie is discovered as a model at a very young age and ends up mainly surrounding herself with people who aren't the best influence nor are looking out for her best interests. It was honestly sad to read what she went through and how it shaped her decision making skills later on, especially when her bad decisions were so apparent to those who truly cared about her. There were so many times in the book when I just wanted to yell at Birdie to open her eyes!

The story ties together nicely at the end and I enjoyed the slight-dual timeline. Thank you for the advanced reader copy!

I felt for Birdie so much when reading, being young and feeling unloved does cause you to make bad decisions. Her parents truly failed her and Harriet tried her best. Birdie was stuck in the false sense of a fulfilling love that was never pure. I don’t think she would have actually listened in any of the adults of her life overtly stuck up for her. I could feel how she disassociated from modeling, her life and that she just never knew who she was. This shows how much trauma can truly alter your brain chemistry and perception. Birdie was never going to realize the abusive situation she was in until she was ready to confront. My favorite thing about the book was how the rock star was never given a name - he could’ve been anyone. Because this has happened to many woman and that is terrifying.

How this book is written definitely reminds me of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, which I loved. The premise of this book really hooked me in because I love learning about how the fashion and modeling industry was so different before the 2000s. I love how universal and timeless womanhood is, but in a tragically beautiful way.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC!

After reading The Cover Girl by Amy Rossi, I was brought into a world filled with values placed on the superficial and morals that were easily seen as corrupted, and it kept me wanting to read more. As the story follow Birdie, a young model, it has us travel through time in the present and with vivid flashbacks to the past to give insight into the world of modeling in the 70s and 80s. Birdie strives to make it big and get away from her love lacking family but ends up putting her life in the hands of her agent and a rockstar with very questionable motives. While at times I was deeply concerned for Birdie and her well-being, Rossi made me care for Birdie as if she was a friend. Picking up pace at different points in the novel, I reached the end and wished for a deeper understanding of the relationship between Birdie and her agent, Harriet, who was such a role-model in a sense to the impressionable and young Birdie. Leaving me with insight to a new world and questions about how far is too far in certain industries, The Cover Girl is a read that lead to many shocking revelations and appreciation for the work placed upon models, beyond the superficial narrative.

More than just a face....

At thirteen, Birdie Rhodes is a gangly outsider amongst her school friends. But when her mother drags her to New York City for her annual school clothing shopping, Harriet Goldman sees her and MUST meet with her. Harriet is *the* woman in charge of *the* modeling agency of the time. Undeniably, Harriet has an eye for talent and developing it.

As Birdie becomes more experienced and starts to spread her wings, she sees a call for a rock and roll album cover. And things are never the same after that shoot. She falls head over heels for the lead singer, who just happens to be 31 years old! She grows up quickly, and sees more than any young girl should.

Fast forward to her mature world, where she's the face of vitamins and anti-aging creams. Her time in LA, enmeshed in the punk scene, and all that does with it are just faded memories. But when an invitation arrives to join those from her past in celebrating Harriet's 50-year career, everything comes back to light.

I had to keep reminding myself that this was the 70's/80's and not quite the timeframe or mindset of my youth. Some things seem unbelievable, but when you think of the time, maybe not so much... It was really interesting to see the perspective, like an inside peek within the industry. And it's not all sunshine and rainbows.

Thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Amy Rossi for the eARC.

Thirteen year old Birdie Rhodes gets discovered in a NYC department store and her life changes forever. In a series of wrong doings and miscommunication, adults let her down, allow her to be abused, and discard her like she’s a useless commodity. It took me a bit to get into this book and then, bam, I was sucked in.

If you are a Millennial you will like this book. It reminds me of all the stories we heard of modeling days and living in LA in the 90's and early 00's. Kind of like a follow up to ANTM. It was so good and captivating.

Thank you NetGalley and Harelquin Trade Publishing for an advanced reader copy of Cover Girl by Amy Rossi. This was a good,quick, entertaining read, it following Birdie at a few periods of her life jumping between the 70s when she is a young teen in the modeling industry and 2018 when she is about 50 and it’s a culmination this sort of trauma that is resurfacing and she has to finally face it. For me sometimes a good 3 star read is perfect just entertaining and quick. I would recommend this even if the modeling premise isn’t appealing because it isn’t too heavy on like the vain aspect it has depth, Birdie has depth and while those classic model connotations aspects were definitely there it wasn’t in an annoying way at all.