What do you think?
Rate this book
Cinderella in the Spotlight
Swapping places with her supermodel twin was just supposed to be a temporary favor. But then she’s hired as the face of a far-too-tempting tycoon’s charity… Read on in the first book in Sophie Pembroke’s Twin Sister Swap duet for Harlequin Romance!
HIDING FROM THE WORLD…IN PLAIN SIGHT!
Rowan’s dismayed when her identical twin begs her to temporarily step into her New York life. Willow’s a famous supermodel, and Rowan is…not. If that isn’t complicated enough, incredibly charming tycoon Eli needs a famous face for his charity gala…and Rowan’s the top choice! She should refuse, but Eli’s way too tempting. However, if this Cinderella’s not careful, she’ll find herself in the spotlight, unmasked—and completely undone…
From Harlequin Be swept away by glamorous and heartfelt love stories.
Twin Sister Swap
Book 1: Cinderella in the Spotlight
HIDING FROM THE WORLD…IN PLAIN SIGHT!
Rowan’s dismayed when her identical twin begs her to temporarily step into her New York life. Willow’s a famous supermodel, and Rowan is…not. If that isn’t complicated enough, incredibly charming tycoon Eli needs a famous face for his charity gala…and Rowan’s the top choice! She should refuse, but Eli’s way too tempting. However, if this Cinderella’s not careful, she’ll find herself in the spotlight, unmasked—and completely undone…
From Harlequin Be swept away by glamorous and heartfelt love stories.
Twin Sister Swap
Book 1: Cinderella in the Spotlight
- GenresRomance
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published February 20, 2024
11 people are currently reading
11 people want to read
About the author
Sophie Pembroke
241 books126 followersSophie Pembroke writes very British romances for Orion, Mills & Boon / Harlequin Romance, Avon and HQ. She has been dreaming, reading and writing romance ever since she read her first Mills & Boon as part of her English Literature degree at Lancaster University, so getting to write romantic fiction for a living really is a dream come true!
She lives in a little English market town with her scientist husband, wildly imaginative ten year old daughter, and adorable four year old son. She spends her days writing, drinking tea and curling up with a good book. (Oh, and planning. There is a lot of planning.)
In Sophie’s world, happy is for ever after, everything stops for tea, and there’s always time for just one more page…
She lives in a little English market town with her scientist husband, wildly imaginative ten year old daughter, and adorable four year old son. She spends her days writing, drinking tea and curling up with a good book. (Oh, and planning. There is a lot of planning.)
In Sophie’s world, happy is for ever after, everything stops for tea, and there’s always time for just one more page…
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 4, 2024
Twin Swap. Go to New York and be me but people can’t know! Romance with the brother of the pregnant heroine’s now ex-boyfriend/father of her unborn child.
Newly Pregnant Willow shows up on the doorstep of her twin sister’s home asking if they can swap lives for a bit. The father of her unborn child is off galavanting somewhere being a turd (he doesn’t know she’s pregnant) and Willow needs time to figure things out. Rowan (our heroine) does so out of sisterly love and the story takes off from there. Our meet cute involves an anxiety attack and kicks off the lies about who Rowan actually is. When Eli (the brother of Ben, Willow’s ex) enters Willow’s apartment searching for something under the impression that she’s not there, he finds ‘her’ and startles ‘her’ which kicks off the story of these two spending more and more time together and the lie that Rowan is keeping.
This book is glittered with conflict. The tension just builds and builds to the point where I was bursting at the seams needing to know how the heck things were truly going to be pulled off. Eli’s brother Ben is such a jerk. I’m note sure he is the hero in book 2 but my goodness I hope not.
What I appreciate is that in Willow asking her twin to swap lives, she got her out of hiding and it comes a point where Rowan has to reconcile with liking this new version of herself and wanting to come out of her safe space but also acknowledging that she loves her safe space but if she and Eli are going to be together, there is a whole ocean separating them and also people across that ocean who truly value her work. It’s okay to start over. Some places re meant for us for a time. They serve their purpose, then it’s time to move on.
Newly Pregnant Willow shows up on the doorstep of her twin sister’s home asking if they can swap lives for a bit. The father of her unborn child is off galavanting somewhere being a turd (he doesn’t know she’s pregnant) and Willow needs time to figure things out. Rowan (our heroine) does so out of sisterly love and the story takes off from there. Our meet cute involves an anxiety attack and kicks off the lies about who Rowan actually is. When Eli (the brother of Ben, Willow’s ex) enters Willow’s apartment searching for something under the impression that she’s not there, he finds ‘her’ and startles ‘her’ which kicks off the story of these two spending more and more time together and the lie that Rowan is keeping.
This book is glittered with conflict. The tension just builds and builds to the point where I was bursting at the seams needing to know how the heck things were truly going to be pulled off. Eli’s brother Ben is such a jerk. I’m note sure he is the hero in book 2 but my goodness I hope not.
What I appreciate is that in Willow asking her twin to swap lives, she got her out of hiding and it comes a point where Rowan has to reconcile with liking this new version of herself and wanting to come out of her safe space but also acknowledging that she loves her safe space but if she and Eli are going to be together, there is a whole ocean separating them and also people across that ocean who truly value her work. It’s okay to start over. Some places re meant for us for a time. They serve their purpose, then it’s time to move on.
February 2, 2024
A story of discovery
Rowan’s identical twin Willow has shown up on her doorstep on the Cornish coast pregnant and in need of a favour. She needs Rowan to go to New York and pretend to be her whilst she figures things out. Things get a bit more complicated when Rowan starts to fall for Eli, the brother of Willows ex boyfriend
I loved this book, especially Rowan. She is so conflicted, pretending to be Willow introduces a lot of stress to her life, Willow is still a successful model whereas Rowan quit that life and instead became a dress designer and this book looks a lot about the conflicts in Rowan. Who she was and who she is becoming whilst in New York, she is having to channel her inner Willow so their scheme doesn’t get found out and it also makes Rowan look at the life she has created, is she really happy or is it just an escape from her past are questions that get raised and seeing Rowan develop from the beginning to the end showed the person she was able to become. Eli was a harder character to get to know initially, he has a lot of emotional baggage and experiences a lot of internal conflict between the Willow he thought he know from the news cycle and the one he meets in New York, one good thing for Rowan and Willow is that Eli has never actually met Willow but he does get the sense that she is hiding something and his reactions to this as well as those of Rowan made them feel more realistic to me
I read this book over the course of two nights and will admit that it did keep me up later than it should have done as I got more involved in Eli and Rowans story. I think something that really appealed to me was that they were both involved in charitable causes, but not just as figureheads, Eli has his own charity and Rowans dressmaking is often done for those who want to feel beautiful even when they might not feel it and or confirm to the societal views of how they should look and this really struck a chord with me. I often struggle to find clothes that make me feel pretty so that’s probably why I bonded with Rowan as a character. One thing I have to add is that I’m really looking forward to reading Willows story when it come out, I need to know what happens and if she gets her HEA
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy a romance full of emotion and personal journeys which will capture your heart and imagination
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley who provided me with a copy of this book to review
Rowan’s identical twin Willow has shown up on her doorstep on the Cornish coast pregnant and in need of a favour. She needs Rowan to go to New York and pretend to be her whilst she figures things out. Things get a bit more complicated when Rowan starts to fall for Eli, the brother of Willows ex boyfriend
I loved this book, especially Rowan. She is so conflicted, pretending to be Willow introduces a lot of stress to her life, Willow is still a successful model whereas Rowan quit that life and instead became a dress designer and this book looks a lot about the conflicts in Rowan. Who she was and who she is becoming whilst in New York, she is having to channel her inner Willow so their scheme doesn’t get found out and it also makes Rowan look at the life she has created, is she really happy or is it just an escape from her past are questions that get raised and seeing Rowan develop from the beginning to the end showed the person she was able to become. Eli was a harder character to get to know initially, he has a lot of emotional baggage and experiences a lot of internal conflict between the Willow he thought he know from the news cycle and the one he meets in New York, one good thing for Rowan and Willow is that Eli has never actually met Willow but he does get the sense that she is hiding something and his reactions to this as well as those of Rowan made them feel more realistic to me
I read this book over the course of two nights and will admit that it did keep me up later than it should have done as I got more involved in Eli and Rowans story. I think something that really appealed to me was that they were both involved in charitable causes, but not just as figureheads, Eli has his own charity and Rowans dressmaking is often done for those who want to feel beautiful even when they might not feel it and or confirm to the societal views of how they should look and this really struck a chord with me. I often struggle to find clothes that make me feel pretty so that’s probably why I bonded with Rowan as a character. One thing I have to add is that I’m really looking forward to reading Willows story when it come out, I need to know what happens and if she gets her HEA
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy a romance full of emotion and personal journeys which will capture your heart and imagination
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley who provided me with a copy of this book to review
March 4, 2024
Very good book. Rowan and her sister, Willow, are identical twins. They were modeling sensations when they were younger. Willow still lives the glamorous life of a supermodel, while Rowan walked away several years ago. She now lives quietly in a small Cornish village where she designs clothes. When Willow shows up at Rowan's house asking for a favor, Rowan can't say no. Willow has parted ways with her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Ben, and has discovered she's pregnant. She needs a quiet place to work out what she wants to do and asks Rowan to take her place in the city and pretend to be her. This way, no one knows that Willow is gone.
When Rowan arrives at Willow's apartment in New York, she finds a strange man there, which triggers a panic attack. Eli, who is Ben's brother, helps her through the episode. Eli is surprised by Rowan (who he believes is Willow). She is not what he expected, which creates a conflict within him. He is attracted to her, but she is his brother's ex and, therefore, off-limits.
I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Rowan and Eli. Because Eli had never met Willow, it is easier for Rowan to portray her sister while retaining some of her own personality. I liked Rowan's interest in Eli's charity and how she got involved. Spending time together working on his project brings them closer together, but Rowan feels guilty about not telling him the truth. Meanwhile, Eli senses that she is hiding something. Both have issues stemming from their pasts that affect the way they see themselves and their relationships.
I liked seeing the changes that being together brought about. Rowan looks at her current life and must decide if she has been living the life she wants or has simply been hiding. Eli faces his doubts about his place in the family and his relationship with Ben. I liked the ending and seeing them face their fears. Rowan finds that she is stronger than she thought, and Eli discovers that there is a place for him after all.
I'm looking forward to reading Willow's story. I can't wait to see if Ben redeems himself or remains as big a jerk as he was in this book.
#netgalley
When Rowan arrives at Willow's apartment in New York, she finds a strange man there, which triggers a panic attack. Eli, who is Ben's brother, helps her through the episode. Eli is surprised by Rowan (who he believes is Willow). She is not what he expected, which creates a conflict within him. He is attracted to her, but she is his brother's ex and, therefore, off-limits.
I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Rowan and Eli. Because Eli had never met Willow, it is easier for Rowan to portray her sister while retaining some of her own personality. I liked Rowan's interest in Eli's charity and how she got involved. Spending time together working on his project brings them closer together, but Rowan feels guilty about not telling him the truth. Meanwhile, Eli senses that she is hiding something. Both have issues stemming from their pasts that affect the way they see themselves and their relationships.
I liked seeing the changes that being together brought about. Rowan looks at her current life and must decide if she has been living the life she wants or has simply been hiding. Eli faces his doubts about his place in the family and his relationship with Ben. I liked the ending and seeing them face their fears. Rowan finds that she is stronger than she thought, and Eli discovers that there is a place for him after all.
I'm looking forward to reading Willow's story. I can't wait to see if Ben redeems himself or remains as big a jerk as he was in this book.
#netgalley
March 17, 2024
This was an interesting concept to read in romance. I wasn't sure how it was going to be pulled off, but the author is a good, strong writer who definitely made it work in unexpected ways. The second book might be a bit more challenging in that aspect, but we shall see.
No lie, I initially found the man female protagonist, Rowan, rather insipid, and at times, grating. But as she grew more confident, I warmed up to her (but it took me a while).
I liked Eli considerably more, and if this hadn't been a twin swap story, I might have liked to read him with Willow instead! But he is exactly the kind of main male character that I enjoy reading.
The romantic chemistry and tension was undeniable though. The deception definitely added to that tension.
On the whole, I enjoyed the story, concept and relationship. My sightly lower mark mostly reflects my feelings about how the FMC was written, which is more of a personal preference then a reflection of the writer's ability as a story teller!
Thank you Harlequin & Net Galley for an opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest review.
No lie, I initially found the man female protagonist, Rowan, rather insipid, and at times, grating. But as she grew more confident, I warmed up to her (but it took me a while).
I liked Eli considerably more, and if this hadn't been a twin swap story, I might have liked to read him with Willow instead! But he is exactly the kind of main male character that I enjoy reading.
The romantic chemistry and tension was undeniable though. The deception definitely added to that tension.
On the whole, I enjoyed the story, concept and relationship. My sightly lower mark mostly reflects my feelings about how the FMC was written, which is more of a personal preference then a reflection of the writer's ability as a story teller!
Thank you Harlequin & Net Galley for an opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest review.
March 1, 2024
Twin sisters Willow and Rowan, may look alike but they couldnt be more different. Willow is living a glamourous life as a model and Rowan walked away from that life and now lives a simple life in a coastal village making clothes for locals. When Willow turns up at her twins front door, in need of a favour. Rowan cant turn her sister down, Willow has recently split up from her ex and has found out she is pregnant. In need of a quiet place to decide what to do, Willow asks Rowan to go to New York and pretend to be her. Been seen around the city, so her ex doesnt work out she is gone.
When Rowan walks into her sisters apartment she comes face to face with a strange man and ends up having a panic attack. Eli helps her through the attack and tells her his brother said he could come and pick up some paperwork from Willow's apartment. Eli is really surprised by Willow she is not what he was expecting. As Willow plays her part in her sisters ruse, her and Eli start to spend more time together. Eli finds he is attracted to Willow but cant go there as its his brothers ex. Rowan feels the attraction too. As the truth comes to light will these two be able to find their way to a happy ending? Cinderella in the spotlight is an enjoyable read one you wont want to put down. I look forward to reading Willow's story in the future. Highly recommended for fans of contemporary romance. ARC received via Netgalley & Mills & Boon in exchange for a honest review.
When Rowan walks into her sisters apartment she comes face to face with a strange man and ends up having a panic attack. Eli helps her through the attack and tells her his brother said he could come and pick up some paperwork from Willow's apartment. Eli is really surprised by Willow she is not what he was expecting. As Willow plays her part in her sisters ruse, her and Eli start to spend more time together. Eli finds he is attracted to Willow but cant go there as its his brothers ex. Rowan feels the attraction too. As the truth comes to light will these two be able to find their way to a happy ending? Cinderella in the spotlight is an enjoyable read one you wont want to put down. I look forward to reading Willow's story in the future. Highly recommended for fans of contemporary romance. ARC received via Netgalley & Mills & Boon in exchange for a honest review.
February 23, 2024
Grown up twin swap.
I really enjoy Sophie Pembroke's writing. This time, it features adult identical twins swapping places. Its an interconnected duet. Rowan, the camera shy twin is hiding out in Cornwall for the past six years. Until her more flamboyant twin sister shows up. Willow is pregnant and hiding out from her on again, off again boyfriend, Ben. Ben's brother is Eli, whose parentage is questionable, hence, no love from his pops.
Rowan, despite many, many misgivings owes her sister and agrees to pose as Willow.
Eli has his own ambitions and that involves Willow (being portrayed by Rowan).
What tangled webs we weave.
Can't wait for Willow's story, though I could really relate more to Rowan (and Eli).
Recommend.
I really enjoy Sophie Pembroke's writing. This time, it features adult identical twins swapping places. Its an interconnected duet. Rowan, the camera shy twin is hiding out in Cornwall for the past six years. Until her more flamboyant twin sister shows up. Willow is pregnant and hiding out from her on again, off again boyfriend, Ben. Ben's brother is Eli, whose parentage is questionable, hence, no love from his pops.
Rowan, despite many, many misgivings owes her sister and agrees to pose as Willow.
Eli has his own ambitions and that involves Willow (being portrayed by Rowan).
What tangled webs we weave.
Can't wait for Willow's story, though I could really relate more to Rowan (and Eli).
Recommend.
January 26, 2024
When her supermodel twin takes a break, small-town Rowan steps into her sister’s glitzy NYC life. Charmed by tycoon Eli, Rowan attends a charity gala. Will Rowen’s Cinderella story unravel in the spotlight, or lead to an unexpected happy ending?
This is a cute, fun story. Rowan is relatable, and Eli is sweet. They have strong chemistry from the beginning. The book is emotional and uplifting.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
This is a cute, fun story. Rowan is relatable, and Eli is sweet. They have strong chemistry from the beginning. The book is emotional and uplifting.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
January 31, 2024
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Mills and Boon in exchange for an honest review.
This was an enjoyable story but I was unhappy about the sister’s situation. Her boyfriend Ben was an utter jerk in this book and I cannot imagine any way in which he can be redeemed in the next book. It meant it coloured my view of the pregnant sister and that kept interfering with my enjoyment of this book.
I don’t like the idea of a heroine being pregnant with a man who will not be a hero.
This was an enjoyable story but I was unhappy about the sister’s situation. Her boyfriend Ben was an utter jerk in this book and I cannot imagine any way in which he can be redeemed in the next book. It meant it coloured my view of the pregnant sister and that kept interfering with my enjoyment of this book.
I don’t like the idea of a heroine being pregnant with a man who will not be a hero.
December 24, 2023
This was a fun and fast read.
I loved seeing Rowan gain confidence in herself and leave her shell.
I need the second book. I need to know Willow’s story.
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin romances for a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
I loved seeing Rowan gain confidence in herself and leave her shell.
I need the second book. I need to know Willow’s story.
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin romances for a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
January 21, 2024
Cinderella in the Spotlight is an entertaining tale of two sisters who swap places and the repercussions that occur. I throughly enjoyed the well written plot. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my ebook. This is my unbiased review.
December 26, 2023
Twin swap with a happy ending. Supermodel sister switches places with sister that quit that lifestyle.
Thanks for the temporary ARC to review Net Galley.
Thanks for the temporary ARC to review Net Galley.
Read
February 2, 2024Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction, Fairy Tales, Folklore & Mythology
Miniseries
Twin Sister Swap (Book #1)
Miniseries
Twin Sister Swap (Book #1)
Read
May 16, 2024This was pretty cute but I went into it not realising it was a closed door romance and so overall I found it disappointing.
December 28, 2023
Engaging twin switch. As one would expect problems do arise when participating in a swap. Not necessarily the ones that would first come to mind which add to the intrigue of the story. A quick enjoyable read. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.
December 24, 2023
This was a fun and fast read.
I loved seeing Rowan gain confidence in herself and leave her shell.
I need the second book. I need to know Willow’s story.
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin romances for a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
I loved seeing Rowan gain confidence in herself and leave her shell.
I need the second book. I need to know Willow’s story.
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin romances for a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
August 9, 2024
Rowan, a former model turned designer, reluctantly agrees to impersonate her supermodel twin sister, Willow, in New York after Willow's unexpected pregnancy. In the city, she meets Eli, Ben's brother, who mistakes her for Willow. Despite initial complications, Rowan and Eli's relationship blossoms as they bond over shared interests and confront their pasts. As they navigate their feelings, Rowan questions her identity and Eli grapples with family expectations. Ultimately, they find strength in facing their fears and embracing their true selves, leading to a satisfying conclusion.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews