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romancingthereader's Reviews (1.65k)
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I loved Christmas in Coconut Creek so much I highlighted half the book. And when you like a book that much, you're automatically a little weary of the follow up. But I am here to say, I was ready to give this book a 5-star rating at the end of the first chapter, and I am obsessed with what it turned out to be.
๐ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ ๐๐ป๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: For Pleasure or Worse by Karissa Kinword
๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐: Dirty Delta character series. Book 2.
๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐น๐: E-book ARC on Kindle.
๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฟ๐ฒ: Contemporary romance
๐ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐: Love at first sight, sex worker rep, opposites attract, found family.
๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ป๐ผ๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐: Natalia and Mateo are on their way down the aisle. But life is in the way - Mateo's business is understaffed, Tally's sex work is as demanding as ever, their family is in town and the cracks in their hastily built foundation start to show.
๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐: In Christmas in Coconut Creek, Mateo and Tally are already together. And they were so compelling, I was excited to hear more. But it's so very rare to get a romance novel where the couple is already established, and I honestly didn't know how that was going to play out.
But from the start of this book, it was absolutely perfect.
Mateo and Natalie fall in love literally at first sight. They fit together so well. The dual POV leaves these two so achingly vulnerable, I just wanted to jump into the pages to hug them. There was conflict, but it wasn't too deep and it felt needed. There was, understandably, some standout spice - but it was the kind of spice that was unbearably hot AND meant something to the plot.
And again, I highlighted the crap out of this book. I wanted to drop everything on my TBR and re-read it immediately. It's automatically one of my top reads of the year so far.
๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด: 5/5 โญโญโญโญโญ
๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น: 4/5 ๐ถ๐ถ๐ถ๐ถ๐ถ
๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐ ๐จ๐น๐ช ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This series has been such a nice surprise to dig into, and King was my favorite book yet.
๐ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ ๐๐ป๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: King by SJ Tilly
๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐: The Alliance character series. Book 2.
๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐น๐: Audiobook on Hoopla. ๐๏ธ on KU.
๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฟ๐ฒ: Mafia romance
๐ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐: Opposites attract, golden retriever MMC, unhinged MMC, she's a painter, cute dog alert.
๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ป๐ผ๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐: Savannah sees a man murder the guy she's dating. Instead of killing her too, he kidnaps her. Turns out, he's King Voss - the co-leader of The Alliance, and her new husband.
๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐: This book was so unhinged I actually cackled halfway through it.
Book one was a solid mafia romance. Just genuinely liked it as a book in the subgenre. Book 2... King was different. This book was everything I want in a mafia romance - something that's just a little different than all the rest of the pack. Great FMC with her own path through life and some sass of her own. A mafia man who is quite literally a simp for her. Great pacing, not overly verbose, with some action and danger. And of course, some quality spice.
I loved every second of it, and one of my telltale signs of a great read is wishing I had more time in that world. I literally can't wait to dive into Book 3.
๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด: 4.5/5 โญโญโญโญ
๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น: 3.5/5 ๐ถ๐ถ๐ถ
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
When I was a baby romance reader, I discovered the Horde Kings series by Zoey Draven and literally lost two weeks of my life in them. To this day, I think about them. But I havenโt pushed myself to read more - almost because I know sheโs going to suck me in again. Welllllpppppโฆ here I am again.
๐ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ ๐๐ป๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: Desire In His Blood by Zoey Draven
๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐: Brides of Kylorr character series. Book 1.
๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐น๐: E-book on Kindle. ๐ on KU.
๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฟ๐ฒ: Sci-fi romance
๐ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐: Enemies-to-lovers, warring families, fish out of water, knotting.
๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ป๐ผ๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐: Gemmaโs family is drowning in debt thanks to her fatherโs gambling. When she receives a mysterious offer for marriage that would pay off all they owe, she takes it. Then she meets Azur, her new husband who plans to ruin her father and everything he holds dear.
๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐: Lord, I forgot how incredible Zoey Dravenโs writing is. Sheโs impeccable, and this first book pulled me right back in.
I could get lost in Sci-Fi alien romances. And Zoey Draven makes them easy to read. The world building is right alongside the plot, so it never feels burdensome. This little world with fated blood mates and alien berserkers was FUN and beyond swoony.
But itโs the characters and the romance that make this a five-star rating for me. Azur was hard not to love. He was vengeful and cocky and then he fell SO HARD for Gemma. And Gemma was independent and smart, it was so easy to root for her.
I am very easily slipping into Book 2, and I canโt wait to see how I like it.
๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด: 5/5 โญโญโญโญโญ
๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น: 3.5/5 ๐ถ๐ถ๐ถ
๐ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ ๐๐ป๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: Desire In His Blood by Zoey Draven
๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐: Brides of Kylorr character series. Book 1.
๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐น๐: E-book on Kindle. ๐ on KU.
๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฟ๐ฒ: Sci-fi romance
๐ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐: Enemies-to-lovers, warring families, fish out of water, knotting.
๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ป๐ผ๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐: Gemmaโs family is drowning in debt thanks to her fatherโs gambling. When she receives a mysterious offer for marriage that would pay off all they owe, she takes it. Then she meets Azur, her new husband who plans to ruin her father and everything he holds dear.
๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐: Lord, I forgot how incredible Zoey Dravenโs writing is. Sheโs impeccable, and this first book pulled me right back in.
I could get lost in Sci-Fi alien romances. And Zoey Draven makes them easy to read. The world building is right alongside the plot, so it never feels burdensome. This little world with fated blood mates and alien berserkers was FUN and beyond swoony.
But itโs the characters and the romance that make this a five-star rating for me. Azur was hard not to love. He was vengeful and cocky and then he fell SO HARD for Gemma. And Gemma was independent and smart, it was so easy to root for her.
I am very easily slipping into Book 2, and I canโt wait to see how I like it.
๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด: 5/5 โญโญโญโญโญ
๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น: 3.5/5 ๐ถ๐ถ๐ถ
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Months later, Iโm still thinking about Bull Rush. So when the ARC for Dark Horse landed in my inbox, I was excited to revisit this dark, suspenseful small town.
๐ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ ๐๐ป๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: Dark Horse by Maggie Rawdon
๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐: The Quiet Horseman character series. Book 2.
๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐น๐: E-book ARC on Kindle. ๐ on KU.
๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฟ๐ฒ: Dark romance
๐ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐: Enemies-to-lovers, blackmail, banter, sex worker rep, billionaire.
๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ป๐ผ๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐: Dakota is working hard to keep her bar afloat - even making some extra money selling pictures of herself online. But when her long-time enemy and reluctant sentinel Grant finds out, he makes her a deal she cant refuse.
๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐: Iโm a sucker for this little town and itโs big bad MMCs that Maggie Rawdon has created. And even though I have so many questions, I love where this series is heading.
If you liked Ramsey in Bull Rush, youโre going to looooooove Grant. Heโs even more growly and manipulative. But I kind of lived for it.
Listen, everything here is checked perfectly. The spice, absolutely there. The tension, award winning. The pining? Yep, I was begging them both to be happy. I loved Dakota and Grantโs banter, and I loved that Grant fell so reluctantly.
Small side note that this has an underlying plot thatโs continuous. So if youโre going to read, start at book 1 in Bull Rush and continue from there.
๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด: 4.5/5 โญโญโญโญ
๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น: 4/5 ๐ถ๐ถ๐ถ๐ถ
๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐จ๐น๐ช ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐.
๐ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ ๐๐ป๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: Dark Horse by Maggie Rawdon
๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐: The Quiet Horseman character series. Book 2.
๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐น๐: E-book ARC on Kindle. ๐ on KU.
๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฟ๐ฒ: Dark romance
๐ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐: Enemies-to-lovers, blackmail, banter, sex worker rep, billionaire.
๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ป๐ผ๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐: Dakota is working hard to keep her bar afloat - even making some extra money selling pictures of herself online. But when her long-time enemy and reluctant sentinel Grant finds out, he makes her a deal she cant refuse.
๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐: Iโm a sucker for this little town and itโs big bad MMCs that Maggie Rawdon has created. And even though I have so many questions, I love where this series is heading.
If you liked Ramsey in Bull Rush, youโre going to looooooove Grant. Heโs even more growly and manipulative. But I kind of lived for it.
Listen, everything here is checked perfectly. The spice, absolutely there. The tension, award winning. The pining? Yep, I was begging them both to be happy. I loved Dakota and Grantโs banter, and I loved that Grant fell so reluctantly.
Small side note that this has an underlying plot thatโs continuous. So if youโre going to read, start at book 1 in Bull Rush and continue from there.
๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด: 4.5/5 โญโญโญโญ
๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น: 4/5 ๐ถ๐ถ๐ถ๐ถ
๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐จ๐น๐ช ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐.
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Billionaire hockey team owner and the reclusive but badass woman in hiding? Forced proximity? He falls first and legitimately pines for her? I mean, whatโs not to love?
๐ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ ๐๐ป๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: Beautiful Exile by Catherine Cowles
๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐: Sparrow Falls character series. Book 4.
๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐น๐: E-book ARC on Kindle.
๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฟ๐ฒ: Romantic suspense
๐ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐: Opposites attract, hidden identity, billionaire, he falls first, best friendโs sister, found family.
๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ป๐ผ๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐: Linc is working on construction of his new house and staying at his best friendโs house until itโs complete. Arden is used to her peace and quiet until the billionaire upends her space and her life.
๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐: Listen, Iโm not going to ruin it for you if you havenโt already seen it, but Arden & Lincโs meet-cute is epically good. Itโs the kind of meet-cute that you just KNOW the book is going to be solid.
And then you get pining. Pining and flirting and banter page after page. I feel like as I was reading I was throwing out stars like Oprah.
Arden is one of my favorite characters Iโve read from Catherine Cowles since I started this journey. Sheโs fierce and fun, and intensely vulnerable with literally only Linc. Catherine Cowles didnโt rush her transformation, and gave all of the key moments time to breatheโฆ which made it so much better when it all came together.
And listen, thereโs no way youโre not going to like Linc. Heโs clearly a man written by a woman. The care he gives Arden is so swoony. I was smitten and Iโm willing to bet you will be too.
๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด: 5/5 โญโญโญโญโญ
๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น: 3/5 ๐ถ๐ถ๐ถ
๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐จ๐น๐ช ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐.
๐ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ ๐๐ป๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: Beautiful Exile by Catherine Cowles
๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐: Sparrow Falls character series. Book 4.
๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐น๐: E-book ARC on Kindle.
๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฟ๐ฒ: Romantic suspense
๐ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐: Opposites attract, hidden identity, billionaire, he falls first, best friendโs sister, found family.
๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ป๐ผ๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐: Linc is working on construction of his new house and staying at his best friendโs house until itโs complete. Arden is used to her peace and quiet until the billionaire upends her space and her life.
๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐: Listen, Iโm not going to ruin it for you if you havenโt already seen it, but Arden & Lincโs meet-cute is epically good. Itโs the kind of meet-cute that you just KNOW the book is going to be solid.
And then you get pining. Pining and flirting and banter page after page. I feel like as I was reading I was throwing out stars like Oprah.
Arden is one of my favorite characters Iโve read from Catherine Cowles since I started this journey. Sheโs fierce and fun, and intensely vulnerable with literally only Linc. Catherine Cowles didnโt rush her transformation, and gave all of the key moments time to breatheโฆ which made it so much better when it all came together.
And listen, thereโs no way youโre not going to like Linc. Heโs clearly a man written by a woman. The care he gives Arden is so swoony. I was smitten and Iโm willing to bet you will be too.
๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด: 5/5 โญโญโญโญโญ
๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น: 3/5 ๐ถ๐ถ๐ถ
๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐จ๐น๐ช ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I canโt help but love Kass OโShireโs writing in its complete uniqueness.
๐ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ ๐๐ป๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: A Polar Expedition by Kass OโShire
๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐: Shades of Sanctuary character series. Book 1.
๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐น๐: E-book on Kindle. ๐ on KU.
๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฟ๐ฒ: Fantasy/paranormal romance
๐ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐: Strangers-to-lovers, adventure vibes, accidental mating bite, light but friendly stalking, slow burn.
๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ป๐ผ๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐: Sirin is on a forbidden journey to track the source of the worldโs magic. Berne is a guardian of that secret. But as he tracks her through the woods, and as she gets closer to an answer, he canโt help but fall for her.
๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐: I feel a little unhinged by how much I like these books.
Kass OโShire is a new-to-me author I discovered on the Instagram search page by some art I didnโt even understand at the time. It led me to read the third book in this series, and now Iโm doubling back.
She writes in the most eclectic way. Itโs hard to describe but itโs funny and FUN, and I absolutely love it. It feels like a fairytale from my childhood came alive and got an adult makeover.
Sirin and Berne were awesome to read. Berne is hilarious in a way that makes you wish you also knew a burly, funny polar bear shifter. Sirin is eccentric and adorable. There was almost no drama between them, and I loved that for myself.
Iโm definitely going to finish this series, then wait patiently (read: not so patiently) for the new book in the series early next year.
๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด: 5/5 โญโญโญโญโญ
๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น: 3.5/5 ๐ถ๐ถ๐ถ
๐ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ ๐๐ป๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: A Polar Expedition by Kass OโShire
๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐: Shades of Sanctuary character series. Book 1.
๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐น๐: E-book on Kindle. ๐ on KU.
๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฟ๐ฒ: Fantasy/paranormal romance
๐ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐: Strangers-to-lovers, adventure vibes, accidental mating bite, light but friendly stalking, slow burn.
๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ป๐ผ๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐: Sirin is on a forbidden journey to track the source of the worldโs magic. Berne is a guardian of that secret. But as he tracks her through the woods, and as she gets closer to an answer, he canโt help but fall for her.
๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐: I feel a little unhinged by how much I like these books.
Kass OโShire is a new-to-me author I discovered on the Instagram search page by some art I didnโt even understand at the time. It led me to read the third book in this series, and now Iโm doubling back.
She writes in the most eclectic way. Itโs hard to describe but itโs funny and FUN, and I absolutely love it. It feels like a fairytale from my childhood came alive and got an adult makeover.
Sirin and Berne were awesome to read. Berne is hilarious in a way that makes you wish you also knew a burly, funny polar bear shifter. Sirin is eccentric and adorable. There was almost no drama between them, and I loved that for myself.
Iโm definitely going to finish this series, then wait patiently (read: not so patiently) for the new book in the series early next year.
๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด: 5/5 โญโญโญโญโญ
๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น: 3.5/5 ๐ถ๐ถ๐ถ
