Books like 'Guarded Deputy'
Readers who enjoyed Guarded Deputy by Fabiola Francisco also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance small town grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc workplace slow-burn forced-proximity enemies-to-lovers
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The Resurrection of Wildflowers by Micalea Smeltzer
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIt took me a while to learn that sometimes no matter how much, or how hard you love someone, or something, you have to let them go. You can’t save a sinking ship.Sometimes, you have someone else you have to be strong for, who needs you more.You make a choice.A devastating one.And you hope, maybe one day, they’ll come back to you... -
The Mistletoe Kisser: A Small Town Love Story by Lucy Score
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsRyan Sosa, grumpy former corporate accountant, has had it up to here with surprises. He didn’t see getting fired coming. And he certainly didn’t anticipate flying across the country to the world’s hippie-est, happiest, most annoying town to save his great-uncle from some mysterious emergency...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor slow-burn steamy adult -
Show Me Forever (The Maxwell Brothers) by Layla Hagen
Rated: 4.80 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI moved to Chicago six months ago, determined to finally open my own bakery. My landlady was this sweet woman who treated me like her granddaughter. Then she sold the house. Now the devil himself is my landlord and neighbor since I live in the guesthouse on his property. Declan Maxwell is moody, unreasonable, and takes himself far too seriously. Unfortunately for me, he’s also damn sexy...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor steamy adult -
Finn Rhodes Forever by Stephanie Archer
Rated: 4.75 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe guy who broke my heart is now an arrogant, too-hot firefighter… who’s hell-bent on getting me back. This summer, I have one goal: field work. I need it to finish my PhD. I never expected Finn Rhodes to offer help. He broke my heart twelve years ago, and now that he’s back in town, I want nothing to do with him. Finn wants one thing—me. We were inseparable as kids until everything changed... -
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Unraveling Him by Claire Kingsley
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsA Small Town Family Romance. She’s the sunshine to his storm cloud Stoic, growly Evan Bailey has enough on his plate. A growing business, a pack of brothers who drive him crazy, a gossip-loving small town, and a rivalry that runs deeper than any family feud. Love? That’s a hard pass. He already learned the hard way that he’s better off alone. Fiona Gallagher has a problem...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers family forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor multi-pov -
Grumpy Cowboy by Max Monroe
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsATTENTION: If you have been a victim of false advertising, you may be entitled to compensation...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers family forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor multi-pov -
Sunshine and Sammy by Melanie Moreland
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLuke Adler lives for his ranch. It’s the only reason he agreed to get on board with his sister’s grand plan for guests staying on the property.Nothing prepares him for the force of nature that is Samantha Morrison. When she arrives on his ranch to help construct this new part of his business, what he expects and what he gets are two entirely different things.He expects a no-nonsense businessman...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers family forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor multi-pov -
Cash by Jessica Peterson
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsButting heads leads to knocking boots in this wildly sexy enemies-to-lovers, grumpy/sunshine, small town cowboy romance by Jessica Peterson.My dad and I have been estranged for years. But as his only living relative, it’s no surprise I inherit his massive cattle ranch when he dies...Categorized as:
family enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc slow-burn workplace -
Starting Over Scottish: A Grumpy Sunshine Holiday Romance by Tricia O'Malley
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratings... -
Drink It Up: The Donovans by Cee Bowerman
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsQuinn Donovan is a single dad with too much on his plate. He is surrounded by his wild and crazy family at home and at work while raising two little girls who are the light of his life. When a complete stranger swoops in to help him when he needs it most only to then disappear without a word, it seems he’s lost his chance to get to know her... -
Neat by Kandi Steiner
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsMy life is over. I swore I would never work at the whiskey distillery with my last name on it, that I would never be a part of my father’s legacy. But when I graduated with my art degree and realized there were no jobs, the devil appeared, and I sold my soul, agreeing to work in the family business if he’d give me the art studio I’d always dreamed of. It can’t be that bad, I thought...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers family grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor multi-pov slow-burn -
Gotta Be Bayou by Erin Nicholas
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHow do you get over a woman you never should have been, ahem, under in the first place?Just when FBI special agent Spencer Landry had decided to forget about investigative journalist Maxine — Max — Keller and their one hot night together, there's a threat made against her and Spencer's protective instincts get all riled up. Again...Categorized as:
forced-proximity steamy enemies-to-lovers grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc multi-pov workplace -
Wild Temptation by Hope Ford
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAsher Wild is a temptation I can’t resist.He’s my grumpy boss.He didn’t want to hire me,But as a favor to a friend -- he gave me a chance.Besides proving I’m a good worker, and can make a difference on his peach farm.It seems I can’t stop throwing myself at him. I didn’t think Asher would rock my world...Categorized as:
workplace grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc family forced-proximity multi-pov steamy -
Dirty Little Midlife (Fake) Date by Lilian Monroe
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSingle mom Mia has a problem. Her new landlord Des just raised her rent, and even in her dreams, Mia wouldn’t be able to afford it.Not that she’d want to dream of Des. Ever.To make matters worse, Des is big, grumpy, and apparently his heart is made of granite. He’s not willing to meet Mia in any sort of middle.Suffice it to say, Mia’s forties aren’t off to a good start.Until...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor steamy adult -
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The Christmas Fix by Lucy Score
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsShe'll save Christmas just to spite him... When a late season hurricane hits Merry, Connecticut, city manager and single dad Noah Yates has to inform the already devastated residents that there won't be a Christmas Festival this year. No festival means no tourism dollars. A disaster of epic proportions for his hometown...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor multi-pov satire -
If You Need Me by Helena Hunting
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA standalone enemies to lovers, fake engagement, hockey romance. I’ve been secretly in love with Wilhelmina Reddi-Grinst since the third grade.I should be the one taking her to our small-town high school reunion. The prom king finally gets his chance with the valedictorian.Except she hates me.To the world, I’m a pro hockey player with a million dollar smile...Categorized as:
family humor enemies-to-lovers workplace multi-pov forced-proximity grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc -
Folk Around and Find Out by Penny Reid
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsHe needs to get her out of his system. Just once...Hank Weller doesn’t help people. He leaves that do-gooder nonsense to his best friend, Beau Winston. Hank does what he wants, when he wants, with whomever he wants—and Hank does not want to hire Charlotte Mitchell to be an exotic dancer at his club, The Pink Pony...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers family forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor multi-pov -
Don't Go Away Mad by Lacey Black
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsJasperThe kitchen: it’s my domain, where I create the best burgers in the Midwest. I’m the man behind the grill at Burgers and Brew, the restaurant and bar I co-own with my best friends. Every night, we’re packed, the demand has never been this high. It’s the only way I want it, thriving and pushing myself to be the very best.Then she started her new business across the street from mine...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers family forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine multi-pov slow-burn -
On the Shore by Laura Pavlov
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsHe's the GOAT of the NFL. She's a hot-headed reporter who despises him. They're in the same small town for the summer. What could possibly go wrong?I'm more than aware of the responsibilities that come with being a quarterback in the NFL.The upside—I get to do what I love every day, which is play football.And I make more money than I know what to do with...Categorized as:
family enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity workplace grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc slow-burn -
Defender by Nicole Dykes
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTravis WyattAll I’ve ever wanted was to go to college and get out of Kensley. That small town is all I’ve ever known. I want to be free to be myself, not stifled by small minds in the football-loving town where I grew up.And then I blew my one and only chance.So now, I’m just stuck. Stuck in small-town life, with the same small-town people I’ve always known. Stuck where I don’t want to be...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc steamy forced-proximity workplace enemies-to-lovers family -
Forsaken Oath by Penelope Black
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBeau Carter: kingpin, blue-eyed playboy from across town, and the only man I’ve ever shared my secrets with.And now, my fiercest competition.I never planned on racing in the Gauntlet, but with my sisters depending on me, winning this tournament is the only way to keep our heads above water. I work for a crew that trades in secrets, and Beau runs the underground races that keep this town alive...Categorized as:
slow-burn forced-proximity grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc enemies-to-lovers steamy multi-pov -
Kissing the Rival by Kaylee Ryan
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsCharlotteI’m not just kissing the rival… I’m falling for him.Spencer Pennington has always been a shameless flirt, but when it came to being the best in our MBA program, all bets were off, and the competition was on.Fast-forward a few years, and all it takes is a bar at a failed wedding and my silly kiss-rating system to lock lips with the enemy...Categorized as:
enemies-to-lovers workplace slow-burn steamy multi-pov forced-proximity humor romance -
Enticing Her Love by Melissa Foster
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsPro: Stuck sharing a bed with my hot, broody boss Con: He’s trying to get me fired Discovery Hour reporter Sutton Steele spends her days trying to keep her job, while her insanely hot, infuriating boss, Flynn Braden, would love nothing more than to see her gone...Categorized as:
enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity workplace family multi-pov grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc -
Once Upon A Bet: A Grumpy Single Dad Romance by Penelope Bloom
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAll I ever wanted was the perfect happily ever after.All he ever wanted was to ruin my freaking life.Okay, that’s a smidge dramatic, but hear me out.My new neighbor might as well plant an “unavailable” sign in his front yard.He’s got biceps made for pulling swooning maidens out of danger, eyes built for melting glaciers (and panties), and a smile that makes my knees want to buckle...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers family forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor multi-pov -
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More Than I Could by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThis grumpy single dad falls hard for the nanny. Chase Marshall is many things:· An attentive single dad· Jaw-droppingly gorgeous· My employer for the next thirty daysHe’s also the bane of my existence.He swears I’m a never-ending headache—the most infuriating woman he’s ever met...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers family forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor slow-burn -
Otterly Irresistible by Erin Nicholas
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWhat happens when a smoking hot, but grouchy vet meets a sunny and sassy optimist? An opposites attract, grumpy boss, small town romance that's otterly irresistible. Broody wildlife veterinarian Griffin Foster is done. Done trying to save the world. Done getting attached... -
Stay by Willow Aster
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA scorching hot small town, age gap, single father/nanny romance by USA Today bestselling author Willow Aster...Categorized as:
forced-proximity workplace slow-burn family multi-pov grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc -
Taste by Melanie Harlow
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsThe last person on earth I want to be stranded with is Gianni Lupo.But thanks to the blizzard of the century, I’m trapped in a roadside motel room with that cocky bastard for two straight days.With one small bed.Some women might thank Mother Nature for delivering a polar vortex that maroons them with six feet of solid muscle, those deep blue eyes, that sexy grin--but not me...Categorized as:
enemies-to-lovers family forced-proximity humor multi-pov slow-burn steamy workplace -
See Me After Class by Meghan Quinn
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 20 ratings"Did you have relations with my brother . . ." Good question. I’d like to preface this by saying it was never my intention to ever get involved in a workplace romance, let alone get involved with the most surly, agitating, and pompous man I’ve ever met who just so happens to be my new friend’s brother...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor multi-pov slow-burn -
Heartbreak & Cupcakes by Shawna Renae
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAlex VaughnThe last thing I wanted was to be named San Francisco’s Most Eligible Bachelor. The title alone was misleading. I wasn’t a bachelor. I was a widower and single father. One who wasn’t available or interested.Well... there was one person who might have piqued my interest. Cupcake Girl. But interest and intent are two very different things...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine steamy adult book contemporary -
Cry About It by Maggie C. Gates
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratings-Joelle-You know what they say about enemies.* Know the enemy* Keep the enemy close* Outsmart the enemy* Make out with the enemyOkay, maybe not that last part. And maybe that’s what got me in trouble with Vaughan Thompson. But in my defense, he started it. That city boy should have known better than to act a fool in these parts.I don't get mad. I get even... -
Brewing Sunshine: a Steamy Small Town Romance by Taryn Quinn
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsShe calls me Viking, and she’s not wrong. I’m rough around the edges and work as hard as I play. What she’s going to find out is that I love even harder.I knew from the moment I met her she was made for me.The problem?My Kira is stubborn and she takes her job very seriously. We both want to prove ourselves and make the new Brothers Three Taproom a success...Categorized as:
steamy workplace grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity humor multi-pov -
Man Splain by Vanessa Vale
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIt's literally my job to make sure everything goes to plan. I'm really f-ing good at it. But when the beautiful coffee shop owner refuses a corporate loan to keep her business afloat solely because we had a slightly-drunk quickie, it makes me crazy. Insane. Frustrated. Turned on. Especially when I discover the stubborn woman chooses instead to be a cam girl to pay her bills...Categorized as:
family forced-proximity steamy grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc multi-pov humor -
Ale's Fair in Love and War by Sylvie Stewart
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAn Enemies-to-Lovers RomanceHollis Hayes is the worst neighbor in the entire history of neighbors.She’s also the hottest.F.M.L.I don’t have time to fight with the dog groomer next door. There’s a brewery to run, siblings to rein in, and a mom to look after. So if Hollis thinks I’ll roll over and let her drive me out of business, she’s not nearly as smart as she thinks she is... -
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Boone by Laramie Briscoe
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI’m old enough to be her father, and a life-long confirmed bachelor, but after one night together, all that is about to change. Boone Wilson Instead of building my forever with a conventional family, I’ve dedicated my life to being the best father I can to the son I had way too early in life. Now that he’s grown, I’m giving all I can to my job... -
A Lodge Affair by Rachel LaBerge
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIvy Lawson loves a to-do list, hates surprises, and the only outdoor activity she’s interested in is brunch on a patio. After catching her long-term boyfriend—and co-worker—cheating, she’s thrown into leading a high-profile client event at The Emerald Canopy Lodge. AKA: her nightmare destination. Ivy finds herself desperate and anxious to get her job done and leave the lodge as soon as possible...Categorized as:
slow-burn grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity multi-pov humor romance -
The Brazen One by Daisy Jane
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratings...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor steamy adult -
If You Give a Single Dad a Nanny by Ann Einerson
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI, Marlow Taylor, need to stop fantasizing about the hot, single dad next door.Should I have agreed to nanny his cute six year old who loves my dog Waffles? Absolutely not.But her dad seems to think he can do everything himself. ( no one can)3 reasons why I absolutely cannot fall for Dylan 1. He’s grumpy and doesn’t seem to like me very much2...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity slow-burn workplace humor romance -
One Last Play by Annah Conwell
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsShe could be the one. I’ve spent twelve years caring for my niece Maddie who I adopted after my sister died. Having a daughter has made me picky when it comes to the women I spend time with. Not to mention dealing with the pressure of being a college football coach. But when I spot MJ at a mutual friend’s wedding, something draws me toward her...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity multi-pov slow-burn humor satire -
Temptress by Jessica Prince
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWho knew the grumpy single dad next door would turn out to be The One?As Sloane Chambers stood at her window and creeped on the new guy moving in next door, she was immediately drawn to the tattoos, muscles, and the way his jeans hugged his perfect . . . frame. But when she caught him hacking up her rose bushes with a chain saw, the battle was on...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity family humor romance -
Fake Around and Find Out by S.M. Shade
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAn enemies-to-lovers, fake relationship romantic comedy.The Happy Haven Trailer Park is not where I hoped to be at age twenty-five.Circumstances have left me without a job or a car in a small town where work is scarce. When my insufferable neighbor approached me with a very indecent proposal to co-star in his videos on the Lonely Hands app, I had to resist the impulse to punch him in the mouth...Categorized as:
humor enemies-to-lovers grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc steamy multi-pov romance -
Anger Banger by S.M. Shade
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe residents of Happy Haven Trailer park have been waiting for this for a long time. The slumlord who abandoned this place and let our homes deteriorate has been court ordered to live here while making repairs. Imagine our surprise when the guy who shows up to move in to the dilapidated trailer across the street isn't the sixty year old man we expected, but his son...Categorized as:
humor enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc steamy workplace -
Shaken by Charity Ferrell
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA see yourself out note isn’t how you want to celebrate the morning after your first one- night stand.The first time I meet Archer Callahan is when I block him in a parking spot.The second is a fender bender.The third is at a bar, drinking away our problems, and finding our way to his bed.I never expected to see him again...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine multi-pov slow-burn steamy -
Claus and Effect by Piper Rayne
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsTwo strangers who couldn’t be more opposite find themselves on an unexpected cross-country road trip days before Christmas where whatever can go wrong, does.He’s an Army Ranger.She’s a baker.He’s organized and rigid.She’s messy and carefree.He doesn’t do relationships.She’s following her heart.His family chat blows up his phone.She just buried her last living relative...Categorized as:
enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc slow-burn multi-pov family -
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Spill the Sweet Tea by Lyra Parish
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSome describe me as a quirky, free-spirited journalist who charges her crystals by moonlight.They’re not wrong.My instincts ensure I know everything that goes on in my small town. And not much surprises me. But when the man who destroyed my heart returns to care for his family’s business, I’m shaken to the core.After our messy breakup, Hayden Shaw swore he’d never come back to Valentine, Texas... -
Let Your Hearts Be Light by Fae Quin
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsA stranger is just someone you haven’t been forced to spend Christmas with yet.Baxter: As a 42-year-old single father the last thing I expected before Christmas was for my daughter to sign me up for a community matchmaking event...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity steamy family slow-burn -
Craving by Lilian Monroe
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsTHE WEDPOCALYPSE CONTINUES... Marlon St. James wants only one to be left alone. He has a house, a successful private security business, and endless peace and quiet. Things are exactly as they should be. Until Camilla. His brother thrusts soft, sweet, curvy Camilla Fox in front of Marlon and announces that she’ll be moving into Marlon’s house. Otherwise, she’ll be homeless. Fine...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity slow-burn multi-pov humor romance -
One Night by Lena Hendrix
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsDuke Sullivan is the oldest brother of my family’s hated rival. He also happens to be my good morning text and the man I have no right to have a secret crush on. Duke is strictly forbidden.After months of keeping our friendship hidden, the stars align, sparks ignite, and we finally give into temptation...Categorized as:
family forced-proximity grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc enemies-to-lovers multi-pov steamy -
The Summer I Destroyed You by Elizabeth O'Roark
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratings“Destroying other people isn’t going to make you feel any better.”“That suggests you’ve never destroyed an enemy before. It’s actually quite fulfilling.”EMMYElliott Springs has small-town values, cobblestone streets, perfect scenery. These are things I don’t care about. What I do care Revenge... -
Oops, I've Fallen by Max Monroe
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIf my time with Ryan Miller were a hit track on the radio, I imagine the lyrics would go something like this…“We’re so different, but they say opposites attract. Oops, I’ve fallen, and my heart doesn’t want to come back.”But, holy bingo night, is my attraction to the sexy, broody businessman so much more complicated than the chorus of a song...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor multi-pov satire
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