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The Switch

The Switch

List Price: $25.95
Your Price: $25.95
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Disappointing
Review: Being a fourth year English major, I had wanted to take a break from literature and read a trashy novel. So I turned to Sandra Brown's latest, "The Switch." Having read an excerpt of the first chapter, I was intrigued by it and got the book. Only to be disappointed. Never in an SB novel have I seen such underdeveloped characters. The relationship between the sisters was portrayed so briefly--we are only TOLD but not very well SHOWN that they are extremely close. I think their relationship should have been shaped more richly. And the brief romance between Chief and Gillian hardly led me to believe they were in love--that subject is vague, as well. And Melina, to me, is a carbon copy of many Sandra Brown characters she has written about. She was a caricature, not a character, not someone that I felt was three dimensional or well fleshed out. And the plot fell apart as soon as the murder occured, it wasn't exciting anymore. And the Brother Gabriel plot was so far fetched I laughed when I was supposed to be taking it seriously. Thank God I got this book for 99 cents at the Doubleday book club!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Swtich by Sandra Brown
Review: The Switch is a murder mystery revolving around twin sisters. Identical twins, Gillian and Melina Lloyd switched identities the night of Gillian's murder.

Melina is a media escort and is worried about the man Gillian is seeing. Trying to get her to date others, she switches places with her sister and Gillian escorts NASA astronaut colonel Christopher "Chief" Heart to the dinner planned in his honor. The next morning, Melina is told, Gillian has been murdered.

Melina doesn't believe the police are doing everything possible to bring her sister's killer to justice. She begins her own investigation. "Chief" was so taken with Gillian that he stays on in the city to help Melina solve the crime. The story shows the never-ending bond between twins and has an unexpected twist at the end.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Refund Please:
Review: The story of The Switch had remarkable potential, but the execution was trite and not very convincing. I found myself dreading it everytime I grabbed the book because the writing was tediously ordinary and the characters were superficial. I finished The Switch not because I was compelled by superb writing, but because I could not return it for a refund.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Good, if not entirely successful, effort from Sandra Brown
Review: Sandra Brown is one of the more skilled writers in the romantic suspense genre, capable of coming up with mysteries that keep you guessing until the last minute with more than a fair share of steamy sex scenes. While "The Switch" is much better than her last book "The Alibi", it still does not rank up there with "The Witness" or "Exclusive." The latter two books had genuine "gotcha" endings, that threw the reader unexpected curve. Anyone who has read a mystery involving twins and exchanged identities can probably guess how "The Switch" ends.

That said, Brown's tale maintains suspense as Melina tries to figure out exactly what was the motive behind Gillian's murder, and who was responsible. Brown is also to be commended for creating a Native American leading man in Chief and giving historical background on the past, current, and future struggles of the Native Americans. Their plight is treated with respect, and is successfully incorporated into the plot. The chemistry between Chief and Melina feels forced at times, and because of that the romance between the characters is not that convincing. The sex scenes, revealed mostly through flashbacks by Chief, is the only time when the two seemed connected and bonded.

As some other readers have noted, the book is a little long and the plot suffers for it, making "The Switch" a chore to finish in some parts of the book. However, this is definitely one of Sandra Brown's better efforts and hopefully it indicates she is returning to the style of some of her more suspenseful and tightly paced novels.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Not to be missed!
Review: I had this book on my shelf for many months before I got around to it. When I finally started reading it, I could not put it down and finished it in one day. I could have kicked myself for leaving it on the shelf for so long! I'm not a big huge fan of suspense, but Sandra Brown is one author who writes it so well, especially in this book. I won't repeat what other reviewers have said about the storyline except for two points:
1. If I can choose to be a heroine, I would want to be one who is as gutsy and endearing as Melina and ...
2. Where can I sign up for a guy like Christopher Hart?!?
So if you haven't read this book, please read it as soon as possible. I don't bother to write many reviews except for those books that do deserve to be lauded. This is my favourite Sandra Brown book after Adam's Fall, which is a DEFINITE must-read too.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Amazon...We Need More Stars For This One!!!
Review: If I sat here all day, I couldn't begin tell you how much I enjoyed "The Switch". Being a fan of Sandra Brown's, I bought the book the day it hit the shelves as I always do with each of her titles as they are released. I was kind of expecting the typical 'twins switching places and getting into trouble' story, but what I got was sooo much more ! Ms. Brown has worked her magic on an old story and given it a brand-spankin-new-twist! It's the kind of mystery that keeps possible endings hanging in the back of your mind, just waiting for the most bizarre shocker to pop out. The ending of this book had me whooping for joy ! Outgoing Melina and reserved Gillian know each other better than they know themselves and when Gillian is brutally murdered after taking a life-altering risk (by being artificially inseminated), you can almost feel the anger and the loss her twin feels at the life thats been so cruelly wasted. When her sister informs the police that, just the night before, the women had switched places so that Gillian (impersonating her media escort sister) could meet astronaut Christopher 'Cheif' Hart, things begin to get a little jumbled. But Sandra Brown only manages to weave the web tighter. After only two chapters, you'll be frantically turning pages trying to guess whats coming, and solve the mystery. This is definately a book to invest on in hardcover. Don't wait for the paperback version. Get it today, and enjoy it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: the purveyor of suspense
Review: Realized I have never read a book of suspense or mystery by a women. My wife suggested one she just finished by Sandra Brown. What a great discovery. Her talent is not measureable, she can keep you wondering page by page. Her finality again was unexpected and the book as a whole would have to rate way up on the list. I will read many more after this sample, she shows many books written under her name so I would highly recommend her novels to all. Pick one up and find out for yourself. Good Reading.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A delightful discovery
Review: This summer I discovered Sandra Brown, and I have had great fun since. I discovered I like the romantic suspense novel. I always go into a book with a blank mind, I have no preconceptions, I read to be entertained. Sandra Brown is one of the best. I have now read two of her other novels and am willing to read more. She does not inhabit just one of her characters, she seems to step inside two or three of them. No one is all bad or all good. In this novel each twin has flaws. Ms. Brown gives you reasons to prefer one to the other. But Chief is the same way, not your typical good guy hero. I recommend this book. It does have a [physical]interlude, but it unfolds in flashbacks and is not overwhelming.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Brilliantly mysterious.
Review: Gillian and Melina Lloyd are identical twins. As children, a favorite game was to switch identities. Now one of the twins is found brutally murdered, after spending an evening out with a famous astronaut, Christopher "Chief" (for his Indian blood) Hart. It's much more than meets the eye here, as the remaining twin claims to have switched with her sister that particular evening, playing the switch game for the first time ever as adults. The remaining twin is devastated; sure the murder was meant to be her. As the plot gels, and the murder becomes more and more intricately weaved with a possible conspiracy of enormous proportions, so does the question arise: Who really is who? The story is brilliantly written by Sandra Brown, quick to clasp the reader's interest, a little slow at times, but eventually fantastically brought together in a smashing ending that will leave you reeling.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Brown does it again... and again we want more!!!
Review: I loved this book. I checked it out from the library and read it in 2 days. I have always been a fan of Brown. Gillian and her sister was a hoot and to join them for a bit in there crazy lives. I loved it. Great read for by the pool or beach.


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