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Under Gemini
It seemed such an innocent deception. All Flora Waring had to do was play the part of Rose, her long-lost twin, for one weekend and meet the family of Rose's fiance. But when Flora is introduced to the Armstrong family, she realizes that she has inherited the secret scandal Rose created five years before...and left wounds that turn the man Flora loves against her.
247 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1974
396 people are currently reading
1473 people want to read
About the author
Rosamunde Pilcher
176 books3,108 followersRosamunde Scott was born on 22 September 1924 in Lelant, Cornwall, England, UK, daughter of Helen and Charles Scott, a British commander. Just before her birth her father was posted in Burma, her mother remained in England. She attended St. Clare's Polwithen and Howell's School Llandaff before going on to Miss Kerr-Sanders' Secretarial College. She began writing when she was seven and published her first short story when she was 18. From 1943 through 1946, Pilcher served with the Women's Naval Service. On 7 December 1946, she married Graham Hope Pilcher, a war hero and jute industry executive who died in March 2009. They moved to Dundee, Scotland, where she remained until her death in 2019. They had two daughters and two sons, and fourteen grandchildren. Her son, Robin Pilcher, is also a novelist.
In 1949, her first book, a romance novel, was published by Mills & Boon, under the pseudonym Jane Fraser. She published a further ten novels under that name. In 1955, she also began writing under her married name Rosamunde Pilcher, by 1965 she her own name to all of her novels. In 1996, her novel Coming Home won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by Romantic Novelists' Association. She retired from writing in 2000 following publication of Winter Solstice. Two years later, she was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
In 1949, her first book, a romance novel, was published by Mills & Boon, under the pseudonym Jane Fraser. She published a further ten novels under that name. In 1955, she also began writing under her married name Rosamunde Pilcher, by 1965 she her own name to all of her novels. In 1996, her novel Coming Home won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by Romantic Novelists' Association. She retired from writing in 2000 following publication of Winter Solstice. Two years later, she was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 282 reviews
September 26, 2008
This is my favorite of hers. The thing she does best is paint word pictures. She has a gift for descriptive language. You can 'see' the places she talks about. I love her English settings as well.
March 31, 2023
This must be her best "little" book. It has all of the Pilcher ingredients with the added intrigue of the always reliable evil twin/good twin did-not-even-know-about-it until the beginning of this book. The love interest was the ultimate Pilcher hero. Strong, good, closed off due to an unhappy relationship, and a little intimidating. He reminded me a lot of Sandy, the Scottish doctor in "Dear Enemy" by Jean Webster. Flora, our heroine, was the usual thin young kind, and good girl, without the irritating weaknesses of the previous young ladies in the prior two books I read. It brought me to tears near the end. Pilcher has a way of getting me connected to her world and really caring about her families.
November 21, 2023
I am upping my rating from 3 to 4 stars on this re-read, because Lucy Patterson is a great narrator and I cannot resist a lovely Scottish accent and the Scottish scenery, plus I also liked the story much better this time, even though I still have some bones to pick with it.
It is definitely a lovely comfort read, but still way too short and actually needed more padding and backstory, character development and some more closure for other people apart from Flora and her love interest. (What about Anthony? What happened to the vile twin, Rose? Why haven't Flora and Rose confronted their parents about their separating them and each abandoning one of their daughters? How did the parents feel? Etc...) It is hard to accept that Rosamunde Pilcher seems to have abandoned her little book, because I know what she is capable of with her doorstoppers, two of which have become my staunch favourites on reading them last winter (Winter Solstice) and this spring (Coming Home).
Ah well, it was still worth rereading.
Funnily enough
It is definitely a lovely comfort read, but still way too short and actually needed more padding and backstory, character development and some more closure for other people apart from Flora and her love interest. (What about Anthony? What happened to the vile twin, Rose? Why haven't Flora and Rose confronted their parents about their separating them and each abandoning one of their daughters? How did the parents feel? Etc...) It is hard to accept that Rosamunde Pilcher seems to have abandoned her little book, because I know what she is capable of with her doorstoppers, two of which have become my staunch favourites on reading them last winter (Winter Solstice) and this spring (Coming Home).
Ah well, it was still worth rereading.
Funnily enough
February 6, 2017
This is the second Rosamunde Pilcher book I have read, and the second where the male love interest slaps the female protagonist. I understand it's a product of its time, but I just find it disturbing, especially since it seemed unnecessary and contrary to his character.
Aside from that it was lovely. Beautiful descriptions, good emotional impact, and a clever twist on the old twin swapping story. Not the sort of plot that will have you up all night telling yourself 'just one more chapter,' but definitely a nice book to curl up with after a bad day. I would have given it 4 stars without the slap, which honestly could easily be edited out.
Aside from that it was lovely. Beautiful descriptions, good emotional impact, and a clever twist on the old twin swapping story. Not the sort of plot that will have you up all night telling yourself 'just one more chapter,' but definitely a nice book to curl up with after a bad day. I would have given it 4 stars without the slap, which honestly could easily be edited out.
October 1, 2015
I think if you look up 'comfort read' in the dictionary, it will tell you 'see Rosemunde Pilcher.' It would in my own personal dictionary, anyway. I love her books for the robust good sense of the characters, the twists and turns of the plots, and the eventual happy ending, cleverly achieved. Usually lit is accomplished by somebody doing the right thing. I had to stop and think as I was reading this book 'is this a D. E. Stevenson novel?' but no, it was Pilcher, the next best thing to Stevenson.
Flora falls in with the madcap plans of her suddenly-discovered twin and agrees to take her place to comfort a dying woman. She comes to find that deceiving kind, decent people who take you at face value and come to cherish the person they think you are isn't as much fun as she thought it was going to be. It becomes even more untenable when she realizes that her twin is a manipulative, selfish person who thinks only of herself.
Eventually inhabiting Rose's skin becomes so difficult for Flora that she wants out, but doesn't know how to extricate herself without doing more damage than she has already done. She does, of course, in typical Pilcher fashion and finds her true self and love, too, along the way.
Flora falls in with the madcap plans of her suddenly-discovered twin and agrees to take her place to comfort a dying woman. She comes to find that deceiving kind, decent people who take you at face value and come to cherish the person they think you are isn't as much fun as she thought it was going to be. It becomes even more untenable when she realizes that her twin is a manipulative, selfish person who thinks only of herself.
Eventually inhabiting Rose's skin becomes so difficult for Flora that she wants out, but doesn't know how to extricate herself without doing more damage than she has already done. She does, of course, in typical Pilcher fashion and finds her true self and love, too, along the way.
November 6, 2022
'It can never be dull to be needed and to be important to people.'
I loved an atmosphere that Rosamunde Pilcher created in her books. These lovely families in a beautiful natural setting.
Life isn't always pleasurable but her stories showed that you can endure many tragedies and troubles when you are strong or/and have people to support you.
The idea of twins that was used here was only a tool to picture for us the mentioned above truth.
"Under Gemini", like Voices in Summer, is just a one-step behind the best books by Pilcher (like The Shell Seekers and Winter Solstice), so I would have given it 4.5 stars. But comparing it to other novels of genre and because GR doesn't allow half stars I round it up.
June 9, 2025
One of my favorite of Pilcher's earlier works. Not only is it a cosy, satisfying love story, but it introduced me to "Brat Farrar" and Josephine Tey's other wonderful books. You can see the beginnings of some characters and themes of Pilcher's best books as well.
March 9, 2022
4.5 stars
October 30, 2017
After a stressful week, I set aside my heavier reading to escape into this Rosamund Pilcher romance about Flora, a twin who agrees to impersonate her sister as a favour, spending a week with a family who lives in the Scottish Highlands. It all goes terribly wrong, of course, and then it all comes wonderfully right.
July 8, 2021
2.5 stars
Another mid-70s publication from Pilcher, Under Gemini (1976) felt very much in the same vein of Snow in April. However, I did find it easier to see between the lines and get a better sense of the improvement to bridge the distance between Pilcher's earlier works and her more famous (and better) later novels, namely The Shell Seekers and September.
Under Gemini features a plot very similar to Disney's The Parent Trap (1961), which in turn is based on Lottie and Lisa. Here, instead of meeting up at camp as young teens, the separated twins reunite in their early twenties at a London restaurant. Flora, who had been living with her father, accidentally runs into Rose, the twin that had been raised by their mother. Rose, who is the more free-spirited twin, convinces Flora, who has just come to London to find a place to live and a job, to come stay at her stepfather's London flat until she can get settled. Rose already has plans to leave not long after, but insists Flora can absolutely stay at the flat in her absence.
Before long, Antony, Rose's ex-fiancé, turns up to ask Rose to pretend to still be engaged so they can go and provide comfort to his dying grandmother, Tuppy. Instead, Antony ends up asking Flora to pretend to be Rose and they travel to Scotland to carry on quite the charade. Flora's hesitancy at masquerading as a long-lost twin she just met doesn't last long at all. I was also surprised at the lack of desire from either Flora or Rose to want to confront their parents.
Beyond that it's a fairly predictable story — some tiny surprises along the way, but nothing that waylays the ultimate quaint [schmaltzy] ending. It's a cozy romance and cozy Bildungsroman combined. It's cozy, cozy.
Pilcher's lean towards getting the atmosphere as part of the story seems to be coming into season. You can feel the beginnings of that style here. Pilcher's love of Scotland is always apparent and she provides a great sense of place with the household of Antony's grandmother, Tuppy. Tuppy herself is a really great character — and despite being bedridden for the entirety of the novel, she feels every bit the gentle and much-loved matriarch as Pilcher intended.
Audiobook, as narrated by Lucy Paterson: Paterson did a lovely job once again with this Pilcher novel. I know her Pilcher pairing from Snow in April, another mid-70s publication from Pilcher.
Another mid-70s publication from Pilcher, Under Gemini (1976) felt very much in the same vein of Snow in April. However, I did find it easier to see between the lines and get a better sense of the improvement to bridge the distance between Pilcher's earlier works and her more famous (and better) later novels, namely The Shell Seekers and September.
Under Gemini features a plot very similar to Disney's The Parent Trap (1961), which in turn is based on Lottie and Lisa. Here, instead of meeting up at camp as young teens, the separated twins reunite in their early twenties at a London restaurant. Flora, who had been living with her father, accidentally runs into Rose, the twin that had been raised by their mother. Rose, who is the more free-spirited twin, convinces Flora, who has just come to London to find a place to live and a job, to come stay at her stepfather's London flat until she can get settled. Rose already has plans to leave not long after, but insists Flora can absolutely stay at the flat in her absence.
Before long, Antony, Rose's ex-fiancé, turns up to ask Rose to pretend to still be engaged so they can go and provide comfort to his dying grandmother, Tuppy. Instead, Antony ends up asking Flora to pretend to be Rose and they travel to Scotland to carry on quite the charade. Flora's hesitancy at masquerading as a long-lost twin she just met doesn't last long at all. I was also surprised at the lack of desire from either Flora or Rose to want to confront their parents.
Beyond that it's a fairly predictable story — some tiny surprises along the way, but nothing that waylays the ultimate quaint [schmaltzy] ending. It's a cozy romance and cozy Bildungsroman combined. It's cozy, cozy.
Pilcher's lean towards getting the atmosphere as part of the story seems to be coming into season. You can feel the beginnings of that style here. Pilcher's love of Scotland is always apparent and she provides a great sense of place with the household of Antony's grandmother, Tuppy. Tuppy herself is a really great character — and despite being bedridden for the entirety of the novel, she feels every bit the gentle and much-loved matriarch as Pilcher intended.
Audiobook, as narrated by Lucy Paterson: Paterson did a lovely job once again with this Pilcher novel. I know her Pilcher pairing from Snow in April, another mid-70s publication from Pilcher.
October 24, 2022
I listened to this audiobook. I love the narrator, Lucy Paterson. We have two identical twins separated at birth. The story was good, but annoyed me a bit in the middle. Mainly because it took too long (in my opinion) for the main character to take charge of her life. Other than that, it was good.
August 9, 2016
Love Rosamunde Pilcher's "cosy" Cornwall/countryside stories of romance, but that's two books in a row where the romantic hero slaps the heroine and no one thinks it's weird. It's weird! Don't fall in love with that guy!
January 21, 2022
I don't usually appreciate long descriptive paragraphs of landscapes, but there is something so magical about Rosamunde Pilcher's novels that appeals to my imagination. And her characters are very endearing. It is just a simple love story, but so poetic.
December 28, 2021
A very enjoyable read.
January 3, 2022
So fun to have discovered Rosamunde Pilcher this year! I love her books, the settings & characters will stay with me forever!
February 19, 2022
It all starts with an incredible coincidence in this book and the sequel is probably just as unlikely as the author uses the usual plot device of the twins whose resemblance creates strange situations. Normally this would be something that would significantly reduce the value of the book, but the author uses this topic in such a way that it gives a special interest to what we read, emphasizing these small differences that make people worthy and come from the different upbringing that each of us receives. Not that there is a teaching tendency in this story, is just that the author, as usual, wants to show us in this beautiful romantic place equally beautiful people in their inner world, that is why she brings them face to face with negative characters, thus its central element plot, the twins, makes this thing even more intense. Of course, all this is connected with all the usual elements that the author uses, the sensitivity, the search for love, the beneficial sociability, resulting in another moving story that will move those who appreciate her books.
Όλα ξεκινάνε με μία απίθανη σύμπτωση σε αυτό το βιβλίο και η συνέχεια μάλλον είναι εξίσου απίθανη καθώς η συγγραφέας χρησιμοποιεί τη συνηθισμένη συνταγή των διδύμων που η ομοιότητα τους δημιουργεί περίεργες καταστάσεις. Κανονικά αυτό θα ήταν κάτι που θα μείωνε σημαντικά την αξία του βιβλίου, η συγγραφέας όμως χρησιμοποιεί αυτό το θέμα με τέτοιον τρόπο που δίνει ένα ξεχωριστό ενδιαφέρον σε αυτά που διαβάζουμε, τονίζοντας αυτές τις μικρές διαφορές που κάνουν τους ανθρώπους άξιους και προέρχονται από τη διαφορετική ανατροφή που λαμβάνει ο καθένας μας. Όχι ότι υπάρχει κάποια τάση διδακτισμού σε αυτήν την ιστορία, απλά η συγγραφέας, όπως συνηθίζει, θέλει να μας δείξει σε αυτό το όμορφο ρομαντικό μέρος εξίσου όμορφους ανθρώπους στον εσωτερικό τους κόσμο, για αυτό τους φέρνει αντιμέτωπους με αρνητικούς χαρακτήρες, έτσι το κεντρικό στοιχείο της πλοκής, οι δίδυμες, κάνει ακόμα πιο έντονο αυτό το πράγμα. Φυσικά όλα αυτά συνδέονται με όλα τα συνηθισμένα στοιχεία που χρησιμοποιεί η συγγραφέας, την ευαισθησία, την αναζήτηση της αγάπης, την ευεργετική κοινωνικότητα, με αποτέλεσμα άλλη μία συγκινητική ιστορία που θα συγκινήσει όσους εκτιμούν τα βιβλία της.
Όλα ξεκινάνε με μία απίθανη σύμπτωση σε αυτό το βιβλίο και η συνέχεια μάλλον είναι εξίσου απίθανη καθώς η συγγραφέας χρησιμοποιεί τη συνηθισμένη συνταγή των διδύμων που η ομοιότητα τους δημιουργεί περίεργες καταστάσεις. Κανονικά αυτό θα ήταν κάτι που θα μείωνε σημαντικά την αξία του βιβλίου, η συγγραφέας όμως χρησιμοποιεί αυτό το θέμα με τέτοιον τρόπο που δίνει ένα ξεχωριστό ενδιαφέρον σε αυτά που διαβάζουμε, τονίζοντας αυτές τις μικρές διαφορές που κάνουν τους ανθρώπους άξιους και προέρχονται από τη διαφορετική ανατροφή που λαμβάνει ο καθένας μας. Όχι ότι υπάρχει κάποια τάση διδακτισμού σε αυτήν την ιστορία, απλά η συγγραφέας, όπως συνηθίζει, θέλει να μας δείξει σε αυτό το όμορφο ρομαντικό μέρος εξίσου όμορφους ανθρώπους στον εσωτερικό τους κόσμο, για αυτό τους φέρνει αντιμέτωπους με αρνητικούς χαρακτήρες, έτσι το κεντρικό στοιχείο της πλοκής, οι δίδυμες, κάνει ακόμα πιο έντονο αυτό το πράγμα. Φυσικά όλα αυτά συνδέονται με όλα τα συνηθισμένα στοιχεία που χρησιμοποιεί η συγγραφέας, την ευαισθησία, την αναζήτηση της αγάπης, την ευεργετική κοινωνικότητα, με αποτέλεσμα άλλη μία συγκινητική ιστορία που θα συγκινήσει όσους εκτιμούν τα βιβλία της.
December 12, 2019
Εξαιρετικό! Το αγάπησα πολύ, παρόλο που είναι λίγο παρατραβηγμενο. Οι ήρωες της όμως είναι πάντοτε αθώοι, καθημερινοί άνθρωποι που έχουν ανάγκη να αγαπήσουν και να αγαπηθούν.
June 16, 2025
A fun story--has a sort of Parent Trap beginning but then goes in a very different direction.
August 22, 2022
Maybe it’s because my family is from England but I love Rosamund Pilcher‘s books. They remind me of the way my parents life must’ve been. Both my parents have passed now so reading these books is like returning home for me. The back of the book says “when you’ve finished one of pilchers novels you’re ready for another“ -by the New York Times /and since it was written in 1976 you know that the New York Times really did like it ….(the author didn’t pay for the review as they do today.)
This book is warm and cozy with just enough confusion and suspense in it to keep it from being too predictable or boring.
It has the ability to take you away from your current situation , whatever it is, and that’s what a good book should do.
This book is warm and cozy with just enough confusion and suspense in it to keep it from being too predictable or boring.
It has the ability to take you away from your current situation , whatever it is, and that’s what a good book should do.
July 29, 2021
Ένα από τα αγαπημένα μου βιβλίο από μικρή! Μια όμορφη ευανάγνωστη ρομαντική ιστορία, πολύ ευχάριστη και συγκινητική, ειδικά στις σκηνές με τη γλυκιά Τάπι. Θεωρώ την ιστορία των δύο αδελφών ιδιαίτερη, και για τη Ρόουζ "σωτήρια". Η Φλόρα είναι μια αξιολάτρευτη γυναίκα, αθώα και μετρημένη, όπως τη μεγάλωσε ο πατέρας της και διαφέρει σε πολλά σημεία από την Ρόουζ, την οποία μεγάλωσε η μητέρα της. Είναι από τις ιστορίες που συνιστώ ανεπιφύλακτα για χαλάρωση σε φίλους των βιβλίων.
April 11, 2021
I am a huge fan of Rosamunde Pilcher and have read all her books many, many times. Under Gemini is one of the stories I've read in the past, but it still holds up. Rosamunde is such a descriptive writer that you feel very much part of the story and the setting; you become an observer watching the scenes unfold. I will never tire being part of her warm and enchanting world.
February 4, 2018
Another good one
Another comforting and old fashioned story. I love her writing and this was another fun read to get lost in.
Another comforting and old fashioned story. I love her writing and this was another fun read to get lost in.
February 7, 2025
I loved this book from start to finish. Set in the 1970s it took me back to a time before mobile phones when life was so much simpler!
The story is a good one. Identical twins separated at birth who meet for the first time in their early twenties, by accident and totally unaware of each other's existence. The meeting changes their lives, with Flora - brought up in Cornwall by her father - agreeing to stand in for Rose and travel to Scotland with Rose's fiancé to visit his very ill grandmother.
Flora is a likeable character, beautifully drawn by the author - as are all the people in this book. The scenery in both Cornwall and Scotland is, as ever by Rosamunde Pilcher - wonderfully described. The reader is transported to both places. I couldn't put it down.
This is the kind of book you find yourself thinking about after you've finished it. I don't know what to read next, and I'm almost tempted to read it all over again!
Five stars, a favourite and recommended. And yes, I will read it again!
The story is a good one. Identical twins separated at birth who meet for the first time in their early twenties, by accident and totally unaware of each other's existence. The meeting changes their lives, with Flora - brought up in Cornwall by her father - agreeing to stand in for Rose and travel to Scotland with Rose's fiancé to visit his very ill grandmother.
Flora is a likeable character, beautifully drawn by the author - as are all the people in this book. The scenery in both Cornwall and Scotland is, as ever by Rosamunde Pilcher - wonderfully described. The reader is transported to both places. I couldn't put it down.
This is the kind of book you find yourself thinking about after you've finished it. I don't know what to read next, and I'm almost tempted to read it all over again!
Five stars, a favourite and recommended. And yes, I will read it again!
December 6, 2025
As an avid fan of Rosamunde Pilcher’s books, this one was another delight! Her settings are always so charming, and Under Gemini takes place (for the most part) in the West Highlands of Scotland. We meet Flora Waring, who makes a shock discovery one day that she has a long lost twin. The notion that no one else is aware of this brings on the deceptive idea that Flora should take on the identity of Rose. Just for a weekend. No one will be the wiser and after the weekend Flora can go on about her own life, no strings attached.
Of course, this plan does not go as planned~ and Flora’s life will be changed forever.
Very much enjoyed this book!
Of course, this plan does not go as planned~ and Flora’s life will be changed forever.
Very much enjoyed this book!
July 3, 2024
3.5 rounded up
A sweet “short” book by Rosamunde Pilcher that has everything you love about Pilcher’s books: characters you wish you knew in real life, settings and surroundings that you can imagine being a part of, and the comfort of a well told story.
A sweet “short” book by Rosamunde Pilcher that has everything you love about Pilcher’s books: characters you wish you knew in real life, settings and surroundings that you can imagine being a part of, and the comfort of a well told story.
April 6, 2020
Παρατραβηγμένο θα έλεγα .Για να περάσεις πολύ χαλαρά την ώρα σου καλό είναι.
April 22, 2020
Probablemente ya lo habia leido... Siempre es lindo ir a Escocia otra vez..
April 27, 2023
Just lovely. Starts with Parent Trap vibes and moves into a complicated, yet blessedly cozy, classic Pilcher story. These stories are such a comfort, filled with people who nurture one another with steaming cups of tea and clean sheets and a bath just when you want one.
January 16, 2024
Book - 4.5 stars
Narration by Lucy Paterson - 5 stars
Narration by Lucy Paterson - 5 stars
October 6, 2023
Beautiful story and she has such a gift creating in words the countryside and characters in this novel. The story was different and interesting.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 282 reviews