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Thursday's Child
With forty-four New York Times bestselling novels to her credit, Sandra Brown is one of romance’s best-loved authors. She has been hailed by Rendezvous magazine as an author whose “larger than life heroes and heroines make you believe all the warm, wonderful, wild things in life.”
Sexy, funny, and wonderfully romantic, here is the unforgettably sensuous story of a woman too smart to fall in love — and the man determined to prove her wrong.
Thursday’s Child
Allison Leamon knew that pretending to be her identical twin sister was a bad idea. For although the two redheads looked exactly alike, they couldn’t be more different. How could a no-nonsense scientist like Allison possibly fool anyone into thinking that she was the bubbly, vivacious Annie?
Trading her sensible shoes for strappy sandals, her eyeglasses for contacts, and her lab smock for a chiffon dress, Allison was determined to try her best. Her first challenge was a dinner date with Annie’s fiancé, Davis. But what Allison didn’t expect was the presence of Davis’s best friend.
Allison was far too logical to believe in love at first sight, but there was nothing logical about the way she was responding to Spencer Raft. The dark-haired, blue-eyed mystery man had an assurance that Allison found positively maddening.
And by the end of the evening, she couldn’t help feeling that Spencer had been attracted to a carefully constructed illusion. She was certain that the handsome adventurer wouldn’t give her a second look if he knew her as she really was.
But Spencer Raft was a man of many talents — and seeing below the surface of things was one of them. He sensed the flesh-and-blood woman beneath the elaborate charade, and after years of wandering the world in search of excitement, he knew he had finally found what he had been looking for.
But first this incurable romantic had to convince an intractable skeptic that there was more to love than what she could study in a laboratory. And what better way than to propose a passionate experiment of his own?
On board his yacht, Spencer and Allison would fulfill their wildest fantasies and deepest desires; but when their blissful idyll was over, would it all prove to be no more than a pleasant interlude — or the real thing?
Sexy, funny, and wonderfully romantic, here is the unforgettably sensuous story of a woman too smart to fall in love — and the man determined to prove her wrong.
Thursday’s Child
Allison Leamon knew that pretending to be her identical twin sister was a bad idea. For although the two redheads looked exactly alike, they couldn’t be more different. How could a no-nonsense scientist like Allison possibly fool anyone into thinking that she was the bubbly, vivacious Annie?
Trading her sensible shoes for strappy sandals, her eyeglasses for contacts, and her lab smock for a chiffon dress, Allison was determined to try her best. Her first challenge was a dinner date with Annie’s fiancé, Davis. But what Allison didn’t expect was the presence of Davis’s best friend.
Allison was far too logical to believe in love at first sight, but there was nothing logical about the way she was responding to Spencer Raft. The dark-haired, blue-eyed mystery man had an assurance that Allison found positively maddening.
And by the end of the evening, she couldn’t help feeling that Spencer had been attracted to a carefully constructed illusion. She was certain that the handsome adventurer wouldn’t give her a second look if he knew her as she really was.
But Spencer Raft was a man of many talents — and seeing below the surface of things was one of them. He sensed the flesh-and-blood woman beneath the elaborate charade, and after years of wandering the world in search of excitement, he knew he had finally found what he had been looking for.
But first this incurable romantic had to convince an intractable skeptic that there was more to love than what she could study in a laboratory. And what better way than to propose a passionate experiment of his own?
On board his yacht, Spencer and Allison would fulfill their wildest fantasies and deepest desires; but when their blissful idyll was over, would it all prove to be no more than a pleasant interlude — or the real thing?
224 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 1976
29 people are currently reading
2644 people want to read
About the author
Sandra Brown
343 books19.3k followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Sandra Brown is the author of more than sixty New York Times bestsellers, including STING (2016), FRICTION (2015), MEAN STREAK (2014), DEADLINE(2013), & LOW PRESSURE (2012), LETHAL (2011).
Brown began her writing career in 1981 and since then has published over seventy novels, bringing the number of copies of her books in print worldwide to upwards of eighty million. Her work has been translated into over thirty languages.
In 2009 Brown detoured from romantic suspense to write, Rainwater, a much acclaimed, powerfully moving historical fiction story about honor and sacrifice during the Great Depression.
Brown was given an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Texas Christian University. She was named Thriller Master for 2008, the top award given by the International Thriller Writer’s Association. Other awards and commendations include the 2007 Texas Medal of Arts Award for Literature and the Romance Writers of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
Sandra Brown is the author of more than sixty New York Times bestsellers, including STING (2016), FRICTION (2015), MEAN STREAK (2014), DEADLINE(2013), & LOW PRESSURE (2012), LETHAL (2011).
Brown began her writing career in 1981 and since then has published over seventy novels, bringing the number of copies of her books in print worldwide to upwards of eighty million. Her work has been translated into over thirty languages.
In 2009 Brown detoured from romantic suspense to write, Rainwater, a much acclaimed, powerfully moving historical fiction story about honor and sacrifice during the Great Depression.
Brown was given an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Texas Christian University. She was named Thriller Master for 2008, the top award given by the International Thriller Writer’s Association. Other awards and commendations include the 2007 Texas Medal of Arts Award for Literature and the Romance Writers of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews
October 10, 2019
Translation widget on The blog!!!
Ce se poate întâmpla când doua surori gemene își schimba locul pentru câteva zile? Poate sa apară dragostea! Dar pana atunci avem parte de multe momente amuzante și emoționante. O poveste de dragoste dulce și fierbinte.
Recenzia mea completa o găsiți aici:
https://justreadingmybooks.wordpress....
Ce se poate întâmpla când doua surori gemene își schimba locul pentru câteva zile? Poate sa apară dragostea! Dar pana atunci avem parte de multe momente amuzante și emoționante. O poveste de dragoste dulce și fierbinte.
Recenzia mea completa o găsiți aici:
https://justreadingmybooks.wordpress....
July 21, 2012
I liked this book and I couldn't put it down. But I honestly have to say I was almost repelled by Spencer initially. I mean ugh! Even if you are strongly attracted to your best friend's fiancee', that doesn't mean you have a right to pursue that and wreck his engagement because you feel like you have a stronger bond with the woman than your friend. He didn't respect boundaries at all. Keep your octopus hands to yourself dude! I think his insistence on honesty came out of a sense of self-indulgence, arrogance and not true honor. If he was the better man he would have walked away. I wasn't sure I wanted him to be the hero of this book until well into the story. I thought Allison was much too good for him. He gave me this skeevy vibe that I couldn't get past. Towards the end of the book I felt better towards him, but I can't say I love him as a hero. He is merely okay to me. When I finished this book, I shrugged and thought, "If that's what she wants, okay." If I had a choice, I would have gone for a different hero with a lot more class than Spencer (and I'm not talking money and polish).
I really liked Allison. Despite her insecurities, she was twice the woman her sister was. Her sister had the same level of intelligence, but seemed kind of shallow, and I feel that her guilting her sister into pretending to be her with her fiance' was selfish and immature. Why would you do that to your sister? Put her in that situation, just so you could get a for your fiance' and not be sensitive to the distress you were causing her? I loved when Allison finally got fed up with both guys and came clean on the switch. That was the best part of the book. If I am going to be honest, I might as well lay it out here. My sister would never want me to go off to have a fling with a sleazy guy who was hitting on his best friend's fiancee'! I'd want him to stay far away from my sister, not helping her buy sexy clothes and unpacking her bras when she went off for her fling. Honestly, I don't find her sister's fiance' to be a deep man either. I hope they will be happy together in their shallowness. Your mileage may vary.
This book was pretty darn steamy. For a book written in 1985, I was like, wow. Very sensual. Sandra Brown knows how to write some sexy romance! I liked the voyage of discovery for Allison, and I liked that she realized that her life was a lot more open to possibilities than she could imagine. But I also liked that she did fall in love with Spencer instead of just being hot for him. That would have made the whole situation a lot more tawdry in my view than it had the potential to be. It was also a saving grace that Spencer clearly did fall in love Allison as well, instead of just being on the make. If not, I think I might have used this book as a hockey puck based on how he was acting at the beginning.
I think the fact that I enjoyed this book despite having very little respect for most of the characters is a sign of good writing by the author. If I just go with the flow, I can think of this as a fun, grown up version of The Parent Trap with a little bit of Love Potion No. 9 thrown in. A good oldie by this very popular and talented author.
I really liked Allison. Despite her insecurities, she was twice the woman her sister was. Her sister had the same level of intelligence, but seemed kind of shallow, and I feel that her guilting her sister into pretending to be her with her fiance' was selfish and immature. Why would you do that to your sister? Put her in that situation, just so you could get a for your fiance' and not be sensitive to the distress you were causing her? I loved when Allison finally got fed up with both guys and came clean on the switch. That was the best part of the book. If I am going to be honest, I might as well lay it out here. My sister would never want me to go off to have a fling with a sleazy guy who was hitting on his best friend's fiancee'! I'd want him to stay far away from my sister, not helping her buy sexy clothes and unpacking her bras when she went off for her fling. Honestly, I don't find her sister's fiance' to be a deep man either. I hope they will be happy together in their shallowness. Your mileage may vary.
This book was pretty darn steamy. For a book written in 1985, I was like, wow. Very sensual. Sandra Brown knows how to write some sexy romance! I liked the voyage of discovery for Allison, and I liked that she realized that her life was a lot more open to possibilities than she could imagine. But I also liked that she did fall in love with Spencer instead of just being hot for him. That would have made the whole situation a lot more tawdry in my view than it had the potential to be. It was also a saving grace that Spencer clearly did fall in love Allison as well, instead of just being on the make. If not, I think I might have used this book as a hockey puck based on how he was acting at the beginning.
I think the fact that I enjoyed this book despite having very little respect for most of the characters is a sign of good writing by the author. If I just go with the flow, I can think of this as a fun, grown up version of The Parent Trap with a little bit of Love Potion No. 9 thrown in. A good oldie by this very popular and talented author.
August 20, 2017
Cheese!!! Glorious CHEESE!!! I love it. The fashions described in this book had me laughing out loud!! Oh and how cute is this, using a pay phone to make a call or using a phone book to look up an address??! Hahahaha.
October 3, 2016
4.5 MISTAKEN ID STARS
Review to come. I loved this one!!!
Review to come. I loved this one!!!
February 10, 2015
3.5.
Allison Leamon knew that pretending to be her identical twin sister was a bad idea. For although the two redheads looked exactly alike, they couldn’t be more different. How could a no-nonsense scientist like Allison possibly fool anyone into thinking that she was the bubbly, vivacious Annie?
Yes it was cheesy, yes it was corny, yes it was dated, yes it was goofy. I liked it.
The book is 30 years old. Could you tell? Yes. But it brought me back to my teenage years. These are the books I read back then. I used to sneak them from my neighbour as my mother hated me reading them. They were interfering with my study time and they were trashy books. I loved them. I don't even think there was "sex" in the books back then!
So if you are looking for a SB masterpiece like Lethal, Envy or Deadline, look away. Its probably one of her first books - straight romance, no suspense at all.
Allison Leamon knew that pretending to be her identical twin sister was a bad idea. For although the two redheads looked exactly alike, they couldn’t be more different. How could a no-nonsense scientist like Allison possibly fool anyone into thinking that she was the bubbly, vivacious Annie?
Yes it was cheesy, yes it was corny, yes it was dated, yes it was goofy. I liked it.
"And the red hair?
"Our Irish grandfather."
The book is 30 years old. Could you tell? Yes. But it brought me back to my teenage years. These are the books I read back then. I used to sneak them from my neighbour as my mother hated me reading them. They were interfering with my study time and they were trashy books. I loved them. I don't even think there was "sex" in the books back then!
"Say my name again ..."
So if you are looking for a SB masterpiece like Lethal, Envy or Deadline, look away. Its probably one of her first books - straight romance, no suspense at all.
He tore open his shirt. She only got a passing glimpse of his magnificent chest before he lowered himself over her for a searing kiss.
September 27, 2010
Silly little romance book, very pat story line, kind if ridiculous. On the other hand, it was kind of cute, very sweet/simple, nothing to hurt the brain (if the story line didn't make you spit), and it had a sex scene or two that was fun fantasy material. Nothing great here, just silly.
OK, spoilers below, but here's my rendition of the book:
Twin 1: Ooh, pretend to be me for a few days.
Twin 2: No. Oh, OK.
Fiance: Darling!
Fiance's handsome buddy: You don't even love him. Make love to me.
Twin 2: Help. Enough charade. I am not Twin 1.
Buddy: It's you I want. Have my baby.
Twin 2: No. Well, OK.
End to sound of marriage bells.
Really, how can you be serious?
OK, spoilers below, but here's my rendition of the book:
Twin 1: Ooh, pretend to be me for a few days.
Twin 2: No. Oh, OK.
Fiance: Darling!
Fiance's handsome buddy: You don't even love him. Make love to me.
Twin 2: Help. Enough charade. I am not Twin 1.
Buddy: It's you I want. Have my baby.
Twin 2: No. Well, OK.
End to sound of marriage bells.
Really, how can you be serious?
March 8, 2016
This is a story about identical twins. Alison, "the brains," is the super intelligent scientist sister and Ann is considered the beauty and the sociable sister. Ann wants to surprise her fiance, Davis, with a boob job and asks Alison, to pose as her for a few days while she has the surgery. Spencer, the groom's best friend and best-man is instantly smitten with Alison/Ann. Alison is falling for him too and things become too complicated cause she can't reveal her real identity.
Sweet funny read with a smart bookish heroine and a sexy hot hero! I loved Allison and Spencer they were adorable and sexy together!
Sweet funny read with a smart bookish heroine and a sexy hot hero! I loved Allison and Spencer they were adorable and sexy together!
March 18, 2010
Typical identical twin swap/mistaken identity story.
Alison, "the brains," is the stereotypical brainiac (complete with glasses and wears hair in a bun) and Ann, though they are identical in appearance, is considered "the beauty" and the social butterfly.
Ann wants to surprise her fiance, Davis, with a boob job and enlists the help of her identical twin sister, Alison, to pose as her for a few days while she has the surgery. Begrudgingly, Alison is forced to trade in her glasses, bun, lab coat and sensible shoes for contacts, loose hair hanging around her shoulders, skimpy fashionable dresses and high heels. Just one week of keeping up with the charade of being her sister then it's back to the lab she goes. No sweat.
Enter the main plot device: Spencer, the groom-to-be's hot and mysterious best friend and best-man. Spencer is instantly smitten with the awkward sister posing as his best friend's fiance...and the attraction is mutual! Thus throwing kinks into the doppelganger mission that Alison is trying desperately not to screw up.
Honestly, I enjoyed the heck out of this book. All the characters were likable and I was genuinely interested in the lead hero/heroine's HEA. There was plenty romance and humor to go around. I laughed-out-loud throughout the entire book.
Alison, "the brains," is the stereotypical brainiac (complete with glasses and wears hair in a bun) and Ann, though they are identical in appearance, is considered "the beauty" and the social butterfly.
Ann wants to surprise her fiance, Davis, with a boob job and enlists the help of her identical twin sister, Alison, to pose as her for a few days while she has the surgery. Begrudgingly, Alison is forced to trade in her glasses, bun, lab coat and sensible shoes for contacts, loose hair hanging around her shoulders, skimpy fashionable dresses and high heels. Just one week of keeping up with the charade of being her sister then it's back to the lab she goes. No sweat.
Enter the main plot device: Spencer, the groom-to-be's hot and mysterious best friend and best-man. Spencer is instantly smitten with the awkward sister posing as his best friend's fiance...and the attraction is mutual! Thus throwing kinks into the doppelganger mission that Alison is trying desperately not to screw up.
Honestly, I enjoyed the heck out of this book. All the characters were likable and I was genuinely interested in the lead hero/heroine's HEA. There was plenty romance and humor to go around. I laughed-out-loud throughout the entire book.
December 27, 2016
Although written by SB, this is not one of her gritty romantic suspence stories but a slushy Harlequin style romance. It was ok but I wouldn't have recognised or hazarded a guess that SB wrote it if hadn't already known!
Nice and easy read but not one I would rush to experience again.
Nice and easy read but not one I would rush to experience again.
December 3, 2012
Goofy book about twins trading places. Pretty unbelievable but if you squint and hold your tongue right it was enjoyable. The hero was not to be believed and wasn't a really noble guy. The heroine was pretty fun when she finally came clean about the deception. Don't take anything too seriously even the plot or writing and it wasn't too bad to while away an hour or two.
May 14, 2019
A quick read featuring twins, which I really like, trying to pull off a switch, only to have a man mess up their plans.
Allison, the logical twin, agrees to take her bubbly sister Annie's place for a few days, while she gets cosmetic surgery to surprise her fiance, who had arranged for her to meet Spencer, his best friend during the same period of time.
There are sparks flying from the moment Allison and Spencer meet, but she is pretending to be engaged to Spencer's best friend. Spencer, who can tell that something doesn't quite add up, complicates things between all of them, until .
That's the point where the story took a bit of a weird turn, since .
Enjoyable story, if a bit dated, both in terms of technology and some ideas and behaviors.
Allison, the logical twin, agrees to take her bubbly sister Annie's place for a few days, while she gets cosmetic surgery to surprise her fiance, who had arranged for her to meet Spencer, his best friend during the same period of time.
There are sparks flying from the moment Allison and Spencer meet, but she is pretending to be engaged to Spencer's best friend. Spencer, who can tell that something doesn't quite add up, complicates things between all of them, until .
That's the point where the story took a bit of a weird turn, since .
Enjoyable story, if a bit dated, both in terms of technology and some ideas and behaviors.
January 14, 2016
I liked this book and I couldn't put it down. Honestly (if I was a twin) I would not want to swap/be my twin for one day let alone one week... I mean having to be yourself at your job and then get off work and be someone else... sorry I woulda told twin sister that she needs to just tell her Fiance she is sick or come up with some excuse why she can't see him for a week. But I guess that is just me but I really enjoyed this story. It was a fun read.
September 5, 2010
For the review...well it's a very interesting topic, and really has humor giving the fact that it's actually a romantic book! As for what i've learned? It's never too late or too soon to meet the right person, even if the circumstances might seem odd!
August 31, 2012
This is probably the worst thing I've read by Sandra Brown. What a stupid love story! The heroine was a scientist so brilliant but a complete twit. And the hero was such an ass I couldn't figure what Allison even saw in him. Terrible book.
July 6, 2013
Thursday's Child By Sandra Brown A hot and heavy love story; couldn't turn the pages fast enough. It was a book that took little time to read, just wanted to read was on the next page. Two sisters(twins) swiched identies for a few days. As a result the plot thickened. Good book.
September 4, 2014
First book I ever read of hers. No author has brought the romance genre to life like Sandra Brown. It's real, not fantasy like most books. You can relate to it and find yourself in the characters.
November 3, 2008
This is one of the best short love stories I have read so far. I'm starting to really enjoy Sandra Brown book I must say. :)
April 30, 2010
I love all of Sandra Brown's books. This one was a love story only - no mystery.
November 23, 2010
Oh this was a really good quick and fun read. Sandra did a wonderful job on this whole book from beginning to end.
March 18, 2017
Meh. As far as Sandra Brown books go, I've definitely read better
February 19, 2022
Cuando escribes docenas de harlequines, unos te salen mejor y otros peor. Este, publicado en febrero de 1985 para la línea Loveswept (es el n.º 79) resulta de los malonchos. Soso y aburrido, hacen bien en no traducirlo porque es perfectamente prescindible.
Recurre a uno de esos tópicos descacharrantes de la novela romántica: intercambio de mellizas. Allison Leamon se hace pasar por su hermana Ann en una cena con el novio de esta (que no sabe que la que está a su lado no es su simpática prometida, sino su más seria y virginal cuñada) y con el padrino (y mejor amigo) del novio, Spencer Raft. ¿Por qué finge ser Ann? El motivo es totalmente ridículo y el resultado, previsible: atracción entre «Ann» y Spencer.
Años después, Brown retomó la idea del intercambio de mellizas para uno de sus suspenses, The switch (2000), muchísimo mejor que esta, claro.
Crítica más amplia, en mi blog.
Recurre a uno de esos tópicos descacharrantes de la novela romántica: intercambio de mellizas. Allison Leamon se hace pasar por su hermana Ann en una cena con el novio de esta (que no sabe que la que está a su lado no es su simpática prometida, sino su más seria y virginal cuñada) y con el padrino (y mejor amigo) del novio, Spencer Raft. ¿Por qué finge ser Ann? El motivo es totalmente ridículo y el resultado, previsible: atracción entre «Ann» y Spencer.
Años después, Brown retomó la idea del intercambio de mellizas para uno de sus suspenses, The switch (2000), muchísimo mejor que esta, claro.
Crítica más amplia, en mi blog.
May 17, 2020
Cute romance and quick read!!
I always love the twin switch in romance. I did not think I would be able to like the best friend after what happened but he was so sexy and sweet to Allison that I had to forgive him. This was a fun and quick read.
I always love the twin switch in romance. I did not think I would be able to like the best friend after what happened but he was so sexy and sweet to Allison that I had to forgive him. This was a fun and quick read.
December 12, 2025
lol what was that ? I never say this but this was a 200 page book that could have been 500. CHEESY AS HECK
January 4, 2013
Dear lord, what did I just read?!
Thursday's Child has a ridiculous plot where basically everything and I mean everything leads to sex.
After a while I started skipping the lovemaking where bodies 'fit together like jigsaw pieces' just to see what happens in the end.
Guess what i found?
MORE sex.
Thursday's Child has a ridiculous plot where basically everything and I mean everything leads to sex.
After a while I started skipping the lovemaking where bodies 'fit together like jigsaw pieces' just to see what happens in the end.
Guess what i found?
MORE sex.
July 18, 2010
I thought this book was pretty funny in it's own way, but of course dated as it was written with the early 80's style. I honestly don't think I would ever trade laces with a twin so she could get her boobs done and act like I was in love with my soon to be brother-in-law. I enjoyed this book and would reconmend it for a quick read.
October 12, 2010
Enjoyed reading about twin red-heads.
February 11, 2017
القصه كانت ممتعة وسهله القراءة
January 26, 2018
*I received a free signed copy via a goodreads giveaway*
This was an enjoyable, easy read. Good for lighthearted fun. Finished in a day between some heavier content reads, was a good freshener.
This was an enjoyable, easy read. Good for lighthearted fun. Finished in a day between some heavier content reads, was a good freshener.
April 4, 2018
I liked this story. Much of the same but just enough difference to make it a good story. And, don’t forget, a happy ending.
January 29, 2021
easy read, though most of her books are easy to read, does not seem she has much to her books, not much thought put into them, which makes them an easy read
Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews