Holiday Kisses by Shannon Stacey, Jaci Burton, HelenKay Dimon, and Alison Kent

Holiday Kisses is an anthology by Carina Press full of delightful Christmas-time tales. As it’s getting closer and closer to the big day I’ve broken this review down story by story. So those of you who were early birds and finished shopping in October can Click Here to purchase the full eBook version of the anthology. Those of *cough* us *cough* who may have forgotten how quickly 25 days go by may want to invest in the titles individually. You know, for that quick hour to be found while waiting in line at the mall…

…Don’t judge, you know you’ve seen me reading in the checkout line and though longingly of your own Nook waiting for you at home…Shop Prepared People! lol…

Simply click on each title to be directed to the Carina Press page where the ebooks can be purchased for about 3 dollars a copy. That’s less than a Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte! And much more relaxing…especially if you splurge on the Starbucks as well 😉

Without Further Ado…Holiday Kisses…

This Time Next Year – Alison Kent

Brenna Keating is on her way to spend Christmas with her grandmother when treacherous roads and a skittish deer put her car in a ditch. Riding to the rescue—literally—is Dillon Craig, a reclusive doctor who insists she weather the storm in his cabin.

Since returning from Afghanistan where he treated wounded soldiers on the front lines, Dillon’s made it a point to avoid any emotional involvement. But his unexpected guest has him dangerously close to breaking his own rules.

Brenna has a plan for her life—until she’s stranded for three days with Dillon. Soon, the chemistry sizzling between them forces her to reexamine her priorities. The man is gorgeous, if taciturn, and a true hero in every sense of the word. No woman in her right mind could resist him, and so Brenna doesn’t—even though she can’t stay…

This title was the perfect opening to this anthology. I really found myself wishing this was a full length story. Because, even with the constraints of a novella Kent really took the time to give them full personalities. Brenna and Dillon were complex. She’s torn between a lifelong dream and the reality she may not want to leave behind. Dillon is recovering from tours in Afghanistan, haunted by those he was unable to save as a medic in the Army.

I liked Brenna and Dillon together. I could tell that they were the perfect fit to heal each other’s wounds. I just wish that they had been given a full story to flesh out all the complexities Kent gives them. While the novella felt complete…the reader in me itched for a little more time. Maybe Kent will re-release in time as a longer work. I’d like to know more of their histories, spend some time with the mountain people, watch Dillon work on his woodworking craft shirtless…And I’d really love to see some of the love letters the characters sent to each other…Hint, Hint! lol.

Rating: 3.5/5 If only we had a little more time with their love…

A Rare Gift Jaci Burton

With a disastrous marriage behind him, Wyatt Kent has no interest in getting involved with any woman, let alone his ex-wife’s younger sister. But when Calliope Andrews hires him to build an addition onto her day care center, Wyatt can’t help but notice she’s a desirable woman, as warm and funny as his ex was cold and aloof.

Calliope fell hard for Wyatt the first time he walked through the door of her family’s home, and can’t believe her sister let him get away. He’s still the star of all her fantasies, and she’s determined to prove to him she’s nothing like his manipulative ex. Wyatt may be all business, but Calliope sees the way he looks at her when he’s supposed to be working…

It’s not long before Wyatt and Calliope are keeping each other warm on cold December nights. But it’s going to take a Christmas miracle for Wyatt to put his trust in love a second time.

Can I tell you how much I loved this story? I really felt like the characters had time to circle around each other. I didn’t feel like their romantic progression was rushed. And can I just tell you how cute this romantic progression is? Calliope is a quirky girl who knows what she wants and sets out to get him. The potential awkwardness that could result from a woman dating her sister’s ex-husband is dispersed by Calliope’s enthusiasm. Just watching Wyatt’s bear-like nature melt under Calliope’s love and attention was lovely 😉 Too cute. I wanted to eat this story up. It was so good, I need to stop myself now before I continue to gush…One of the best of the book for sure.

Rating: 5/5 Potentially awkward romance gives lots of wonderful love instead. 

It’s Not Christmas Without You by HelenKay Dimon

Carrie Anders officially broke up with Austin Thomas when she accepted a dream job in the city. Unofficially, she misses him and is tempted to sneak back to her West Virginia hometown to see him. That’s why this year, she’s not going home for the holidays. Her heart can’t take any more mornings-after where nothing has changed—and Austin has made it clear he’s not interested in relocating.

Austin’s been waiting for Carrie to realize she can’t live without him. But when he hears she’s not coming home for Christmas, he decides to take action. If Carrie won’t come to the country, he’s going to bring a piece of the country to Carrie—in the form of a Christmas tree lot just minutes from her apartment. He’s certain daily meetings will entice her to come home with him, this time for good.

Their attraction is as hot as ever, but with such contrary Christmas wishes, can either of them get what they really want this year?

I’ll admit, I could have skipped this tale. It’s about a relationship that has been on hiatus for roughly 6 months. This is after dating for years: think high school, college, and beyond. Carrie has moved to D.C. because Austin won’t compromise. Austin can’t understand why Carrie would like to have her own hopes and dreams fulfilled working in a prestigious museum rather than a small tourist trap in West Virginia. Silly man, the answer is Duh. What girl doesn’t want all her dreams to come true…even those that don’t include a man.

What bothered me was that in the end, I don’t think Austin got it. He openly hated Carrie’s job and spent the majority of the novella waiting for her to come to her senses and come home. While the do eventually reconcile and “compromise” it’s not in any way I see working in the long run. I wondered if maybe Carrie should have given the big city boys a chance…because Austin’s not giving up anything for her dream.

Rating: 1/5 I didn’t like their relationship…If Carrie was my girlfriend I’d tell her to move on…

Mistletoe and Margaritas by Shannon Stacey

Claire Rutledge still believes in love, despite losing her husband. So, after two years, she’s not surprised by the steamy dreams telling her it might be time to start moving on. But she didn’t expect her friend Justin to have the starring role.

Justin McCormick has loved Claire since the moment he first saw her, but his best friend got there first. Now that Claire is ready to move on with her life, Justin is finding it harder than ever to hide his true feelings. And when they both get caught up in the holiday spirits at a party, their simmering mutual attraction boils over into a night neither of them can forget…

Can I start by saying how much I love Shannon Stacey’s writing. When I interviewed her this summer she let it slip that this story would be out around the holidays. You don’t even want to see how excited I got when this collection went up on NetGalley. E.X.C.I.T.E.D. doesn’t even do it justice.

Stacey didn’t disappoint. Her characters, as always, were down to earth and funny. You hit this relationship not at its beginning but close to its boiling point. You’re literally waiting for these characters to implode! They’ve spent so much time trying to resist each other because of the nature of Claire’s first marriage that the tension is through the roof. Their relationship, both physical and emotional, comes together very realistically. Though this is the shortest title in the collection I never felt as though the progression of their relationship was rushed. And they were given time to deal with the emotional ramifications of their attraction. When this one ends you’ll find a Happily Ever After, not just because the Author tells you there will be one…but because you can see it for yourself in the character’s new-found understanding.

Rating: 4/5 Mistletoe spurs yet another relationship…Because something had to break that tension! 

*Book Received from Carina Press via NetGalley…I was in no way compensated for my review beyond the gift of a free book…Thanks!*

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The Librarian Interviews…Shannon Stacey

It’s The Kowalski Family Finale (of Doom! lol)

I hope you’ve all enjoyed the week with the Kowalski family. And that I’ve peaked your interest in their love stories. As a finale to all the fun, or “Doom” as the Kowalski’s like to say, author Shannon Stacey is stopping by to give some insight on the series as well as a little sneak peak at her next project: A Christmas novella Margaritas and Mistletoe coming out this December. So read on to learn a little more about Shannon and her Kowalski’s…

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shannon Stacey lives with her husband and two sons in New England, where her two favorite activities are writing stories of happily ever after and riding her four-wheeler. From May to November, the Stacey family spends their weekends on their ATVs, making loads of muddy laundry to keep Shannon busy when she’s not at her computer. She prefers writing to laundry, however, and considers herself lucky she got to be an author when she grew up. You can contact Shannon through her website, where she has maintains an almost daily blog, or visit her on Twitter, her Facebook page, or email her at shannon@shannonstacey.com.

The Questions:

1. The Bio on your blog starts with your marriage to Prince Charming…Can you give us a little synopsis of your own love story?

I was a waitress and he was a coffee counter regular, but it wasn’t love at first sight. Or second. (He learned fairly quickly to lower his newspaper and make eye contact with a waitress offering him more coffee, though.) But I’m a sucker for hardworking, smart guys with a wicked sense of humor and we’ve been married eighteen years now.

2. As a Romance writer when did you first fall in love with the genre?

As with many romance readers, I fell in love with romance novels snuck from my mother’s collection during my teen years. Before that were Louis L’Amour’s westerns, which quite often featured swoon-worthy love stories. But the first romance I ever fell in love with was between Laura Ingalls and Almanzo Wilder in the “Little House” series.

3. Where did the idea for the Kowalski family come from? And are any of the Kowalski characters based on people in your own life?

The first story, Exclusively Yours, grew from my own family’s enjoyment of four-wheeling and the campground we stay at. The characters aren’t based on people I know but rather grown from the story, although some have traits “borrowed” from reality. For example, my husband can’t do dishes because I can’t stand that he washes them in the “wrong” order. And he never lets me drive.

4. Ok, there are a lot of Kowalski events that end with the threat of “Doom”…Does your own family practice these hilarious Doomsday events or do they only exist for the Kowalski’s?

“Of Doom” is an expression that’s always been used in my house, though I’m not sure where we picked it up. My boys don’t have Nerf gun battles. They have Epic Nerf Gun Battles of Doom! It just seemed to work for the Kowalskis, too.

5. Of all your books is there one that holds a special spot in your heart? One that was the most fun to write?

I think Exclusively Yours will always be a little special to me because of how it came to be written. I didn’t think it would be very marketable, so most of it was written just for fun. I wrote the romance I wanted to read. But Yours To Keep is always going to be the first (though hopefully not last) of my books to land on the NYT list, so that’s pretty special, too!

6. Each book has two separate romances running through it. And these romances run the gamut from traditional leading man/woman to mid-marriage rough patches to the spark of love between grandparents! What is it about the quirky love that you love so much?

The secondary romances weren’t storylines I planned before I sat to write the books. They just kind of grew out of the story as I went along. I have a big family with lots of interesting twists and turns in the family tree, so I’ve seen my share of rough patches and second chances at love.

7. I have to ask…The couples…I’m personally a Sean & Emma fan…but Terry & Evan had me laughing out loud during their make-up sex!…As a reader I have a hard time picking a favorite…do you have one?

If I tried to pick a favorite couple, I’d be talking in circles for days. I loved writing Sean and Emma…but Joe and Keri were so much fun and made me laugh out loud…but Kevin’s so sweet…but… See? I can’t pick a favorite!

8. Heroines be damned…Is there one leading man from your books who you’d want to end up with?

I’ve got my leading man, but there are little bits and pieces of him to be found in the Kowalski guys. Sean’s reluctance to let Emma drive. Kevin’s love of snowmobiling. Joe’s way with kids. And overall, their sense of humor and devotion to family. My husband could’ve been a Kowalski!

9. I was so happy to see in Yours To Keep that the Kowalski Family is going to provide more romance in the books to come…Can you describe your next hero or heroine in 5 words or less…

Can I describe Mitch Kowalski in five words or less? No. But his heroine, Paige: “Immune to Kowalski charm…maybe.”

10. Any last Kowalski tidbits to whet our appetite for the next title? Christmas is months away…Secrets Please!

Christmas won’t bring a Kowalski this year. The next Kowalski book will release in September of 2012, though I’m working on a Super Secret Kowalski Project of Doom I hope to share with readers this fall. My Christmas novella from Carina Press is a stand alone story titled Mistletoe & Margaritas. Justin McCormick may not be a Kowalski, but he’s not too shabby in the hero department, either! And to whet your appetite, the first line:

When Justin McCormick was fourteen, a dirt bike crash had put him in the hospital for two weeks, but even three broken bones and a concussion hadn’t hurt as much as loving his best friend’s widow did now.

Thank you so much, Sara, for having me and for your enthusiasm for the Kowalski family!

* * *

Thank you Shannon for taking the time to answer my questions! I love the five words used to define Paige…something tells me Paige won’t hold out for long (maybe my lifetime love of romance plots? someone always has to give in to love right? lol). Boo, to waiting a year for more Kowalski…But I know what I’ll be looking for in my stocking this year…Mistletoe & Margaritas 😉 I do live on the beach so a margarita in December it is…no need to ask me twice. I’ll take it on the rocks, with salt, and a little romance please!

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Yours To Keep (Kowalski Family #3) by Shannon Stacey

It’s Kowalski Family Week!

Day three of this Kowalski extravaganza focuses on Stacey’s latest title in the series Yours To Keep. If you’re just joining this party check out Exclusively Yours and Undeniably Yours for an introduction to the large, loving family that is the Kowalskis. I’m not gonna lie. This was by far my favorite title of the series. You get a couple worthy of each other, lots of post-it notes, and a little granny romance. Oh and more Kowalski abs. Those Kowalski’s are genetically blessed in the six-pack area and this title does not fail to represent the feature well! Stay tuned for tomorrow’s finale…an interview with the series’s author: Shannon Stacey.

So without further ado…Kowalski Family #3: Yours To Keep

BookTalk

Sean Kowalski has just gotten out of the Military. A free man for the first time in years, he’s ready to explore life, kick back a few beers, and sow some wild oats.

Emma Shaw is an independent woman. She started a landscaping business from scratch and refinished her grandmother’s home and made it her own. Basically, she’s created a life she loves.

Too bad Emma got a little too creative in sharing her life with her Grandmother. You see, while Grandma has retired to Florida a large part of her still worries that Emma is a little lost living alone in that big old house. Enter the Fake Fiance. What started as a little white lie about a man around the house to put Grandma at ease has blossomed into a very complex engagement with a very real man…Sean Kowalski.

So begins this tale of laughs and love…Emma Shaw proposing the wildest of schemes to Sean Kowalski. She’s asked him to play the fake fiance for Grandma’s month-long visit. The gig comes with a job in Emma’s landscaping business and a bed…not 10 feet away from Emma. What neither counts on is the spark of attraction and the slow burn of a fake relationship that begins to feel very real…

Review

I. Loved. This. Book.

Ooooh, this one was my favorite in the series so far. This title centers around another branch of the Kowalski family tree, cousins of the Kowalski’s we’ve all come to love. Sean has just returned from a tour in Afghanistan looking forward to some freedom in his life. Just the ability to do whatever he wishes…to find himself…

Well, Emma Shaw finds him first. She’s integrated Sean into a year-long Grandma deception. Emma’s Grandmother (who raised her from the age of four, after Emma’s parent’s death) while retired in Florida, can’t stop worrying about her granddaughter. Constant phone calls centering on the care of the house and Emma’s single status caused Emma to invent a relationship to put her grandmother’s mind at ease. What starts as a little white lie to help her Grandmother enjoy her retirement has grown into a full-fledged marriage proposal. And Sean comes home just in time for Emma’s Grandmother’s visit.

Crazy right? I think Sean himself uses the term “batshit”. And normally I’d have to agree. I’ve done the invented relationship a few other times in my romance reading…And I don’t usually enjoy it. I always think that a woman who needs to make up a fictional man has issues, not to mention a lack of independence or strong-woman traits. I like my heroines to be strong…Which is where this book started to go so right.

Emma is one strong gal. She is fully independent, but still willing to let love into her life. The relationship that develops between Sean and Emma is balanced, respectful, and flirty. I love a couple that enhances and challenges each other. Emma and Sean are this type of couple. Add to that the fact that Sean helps rationalize Emma’s lie…seeing that it was done out of love rather than an insecurity. And that’s key. Sean and Emma are both very family oriented so purveying an untruth to save a family member from worry…no matter how harebrained the scheme…rings true for both characters.

But back to the romance. My most favorite part of this book, besides Sean’s abs, were his post-it notes. From the first tip about his dislike of broccoli to the final declarations at the end of the novel these post-it notes were the cutest way to watch their relationship grow. I think that most women have a soft spot for love letters and whether it comes in the form of a hand written note, email (that would be mine! lol), greeting card, or post-it the sentiment within is usually enough to melt. So, Sean’s sharpie-penned thoughts were a very special part of the romance.

And what would a Stacey book be without a side romance to complete the package? In this book Emma’s Grandmother gets a second shot at love with an old acquaintance. While the love between the older couple is far easier to achieve it does set a nice balance…Showing the reader that with age also comes the realization that everyday should be lived to the fullest. No need to push away the gift that love is. Which, obviously, is what Emma and Sean end up doing. Youngins…too stubborn to give into good sex, sweet friendship, and true love!

Pick up this book immediately. It’s a quick read and the book will stand-alone if necessary…but why wouldn’t you want to start from the beginning with Joe and Keri. The Kowalski family is a group that keeps the romance flowing and the love alive…They’ll suck you in I swear!

Rating: 10/10

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Undeniably Yours (Kowalski Family #2) by Shannon Stacey

It’s Kowalski Family Week!

Today is day two of my reviews/booktalks for Shannon Stacey’s Kowalski Family series. I recently discovered these books and blew through them in three days! It’s a series all about a large, loving, laughing family that is way too involved in each other’s lives. Lets just say I’m in love with watching all of them fall in love. Stick around because the week ends with an Author interview where she’ll spill the beans about writing the Kowalskis.

Without further ado…Undeniably Yours (Kowalski Family #2)

BookTalk

Beth and Kevin had a one night stand….At Kevin’s brother’s wedding. Kevin had met spunky Beth previously during a brawl at his bar. At the wedding Kevin finds Beth tending bar. And after a night of calculated flirtation Beth has no more fight left to combat Kevin’s roguish charm. Enter one hot night…followed by an early morning walk of shame.

3 weeks later Beth and Kevin learn first hand that the 2% failure rate for condoms is a real statistic. Beth is pregnant and Kevin is all for an instant family. Over the next nine months Kevin finds himself falling in love with the mother and excited for the baby…But Beth isn’t willing to trust in a love blooming between two people who only know each other through a surprise pregnancy. Will Beth and Kevin remain friends with a baby?…Or can Beth trust in the love and family Kevin is offering her?…

Review

I was super excited for this title. I liked the character of Kevin in the first of this series (Exclusively Yours) and I was intrigued by the pregnancy aspect of this book. Any situation that forces two characters to be so intimate so fast usually makes for some really great emotion and scenes.

This book didn’t disappoint in the emotional aspect. I loved how much Kevin loves Beth. Seeing him care for both Beth and their future child was super sweet. From the very beginning he is supportive of Beth and their decision to keep the baby. And the man doesn’t stop flirting for the whole book! He wants Beth. He wants her bad. And he’s willing to wait till the time is right to get her.

Where I got lost a little was with Beth. She is so insistent that she do everything on her own. EVERY. THING. She pushes Kevin away so many times the guy should apply for sainthood just for sticking around. Beth jumps down the poor guy’s throat for buying her a cell phone, even for offering to help her move to a better apartment. While I expected the independent streak to last quite awhile I had no idea that it would last the entire pregnancy.

Beth spends quite a bit of time talking about hormones making her a little lusty and yet she manages to resist Kevin and his amazing abs. I was so frustrated by this! lol. Maybe its just because my hubby doesn’t have to do a lot of convincing to get me feeling lusty…hormones or not…And as sexy as the hubs is, he doesn’t have Kevin’s 6-pack. Come to think of it, no one may have the Kowalski abs in real life…they only exist in our photoshopped imaginations, lol.

But back to my Beth frustrations. At one point she’s a new mother and everyone is tripping over themselves to help; to give her a break. And she accepts nothing! First off, what new mother doesn’t accept the offer to take a shower while some one watches the baby? Crazy talk for not accepting that. Second, Kevin spends a lot of time running around with no shirt and lots of abs…While begging Beth to accept him in a relationship. Crazy talk for not giving in months before she does.

I’m probably being a little hard on poor Beth…she’s just not my favorite type of character. I think that a little give and take would have saved her a lot of stress. That being said, even Kevin agrees that it was best for them to wait until post baby to truly get involved in an intimate relationship. Without the excitement of a baby on the way, and with the real life schedule of a newborn all fantasies are disproved…and if love is still there then the couple will have a stronger love than most for their sacrifice.

The ending is worth waiting for because of this. The emotional buildup yields great results, results that wouldn’t have had the impact had Beth given in months earlier. Also, the beginning of the novel had some of the sweetest scenes. Watching Kevin and Beth come together over such a big change in their lives while getting to know each other presents smile inducing moments. Throughout it all while I didn’t love Beth…Kevin is by far my favorite Kowalski brother. His looks, his sweetness, and that little naughty smile (he’s always giving shirtless!) had me at hello. He makes this story for me…and by the end Beth knows what an amazing guy she has too.

Rating: 7/10

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Exclusively Yours (Kowalski Family #1) by Shannon Stacey

It’s Kowalski Family Week!

So last week I fell in Love…with a books series! I started Shannon Stacey’s series about a large, loud, loving family from the North East. I read the first book and then quickly devoured the rest. So my booktalk/review posts of the week feature the three books currently released in the series. The week ends with an interview with the Author herself to give us a peek into writing about Kowalski family.

Without Further Ado…Kowalski Family #1: Exclusively Yours…

BookTalk

Joe Kowalski was Keri Daniels’ first…Her high school sweetheart, her first serious boyfriend, and her first lover. Together they created memories to the tunes of Whitesnake on lover’s lane. And that fresh young love is still the best sex she’s ever had. But at graduation Keri surprisingly drops Joe heading to the west coast to pursue a name for herself in journalism.

After years of no contact Keri finds herself one step away from the masthead of a major celebrity magazine and Joe has become a bestselling but reclusive author. Once, Joe had been in a relationship splashed across the tabloids, it ended in lawsuit mystery…and no one knows what happened behind courtroom doors. Now Keri’s boss has found out her childhood connection to Joe and has laid an ultimatum at Keri’s feet: Get an interview, and the dirt, on Joe and the promotion she’s worked her whole career for is hers…Fail and she’ll find herself with a pink slip searching for a new job.

Keri wrangles the interview…In exchange for spending a two-week vacation in the country with the Kowalski family Joe will answer one question a day. You see, Keri isn’t the only one with an agenda. Keri is the girl Joe never got over, and after seeing her again he doesn’t plan on letter her go anytime soon…But can a high school love stand the test of time?…and the test of two solid weeks with the family?…

Review

I’ll admit I wasn’t so sure of this book at the start. The main characters were close to 40 and while I’m not ageist, it does tend to mean that the romance is going to be of the mature variety. Full of romantic meals and steamy scenes that end at the bedroom door…what’s happening in the sheets not meant for the readers eyes. While that can be enjoyable it wasn’t quite what I was in the mood for…

So I guess it’s a good thing that this was NOT that mature romance book…Steamy scenes, witty banter, and hot muscles abound!

Keri and Joe had chemistry in high school and from the first time they meet in Exclusively Yours they have it again. The references to the couple’s 80’s love are sweet and funny. Full of clichés including big hair, bad cars, and Whitesnake. What really got me was when Joe puts Keri in “the Locker Pose”. The one where a girl would be leaning against a locker and the guy has one leg in-between hers with either hand on the locker beside her head. I suppose I’m describing this poorly…but I could just picture that pose from high school! Where the couple of the moment flaunted their relationship for the whole 5 minutes between periods. Like a pre-Facebook relationship update.

This family is definitely of the down-home American kind. For the family vacation they take off to camp grounds (granted in a few luxury RV’s because Joe is a famous millionaire author) to take ATV’s (four wheelers) off-roading and cook some smores by the campfire. The family is honest, sweet, and completely involved in each other’s lives. But some of my favorite relationship moments came from the other family couples…

An extravagant anniversary gift that cleared up any hesitation about love in the marriage…

The purchase of an ugly marble table and shoes with sex…

Honestly, the scene with the couple and the table (don’t want to spoil anything!) had me rolling on the floor laughing out loud…an honest to goodness ROTFLOL moment. It was sooo sweet too.

I liked Stacey’s characters. They were real people with real issues. Which makes seeing them reconnect their love over these everyday issues all the more squeal-worthy and heart-warming.

This is the first of a series of 3…and I’ve already started book 2, Uniquely Yours. The promise of the hot, ex-cop, ab-baring, younger brother falling in love was too much to bear! And from the start it seems even better than the first.

Rating: 8/10

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