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Second Chance

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Anabella Stewart's perfect life evaporated in an instant, sending her into survival mode. The only silver lining was her two young daughters. But fate likes to tinker, and when it tossed Nikolas Turner into her life, Anabella had a choice--hold on to the secluded life she'd built, or take a second chance on love.

321 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 23, 2015

17 people are currently reading
194 people want to read

About the author

Allyson Sinclair

3 books93 followers
Allyson Sinclair, Ally to her friends, is a Contemporary Romance author. She lives in a beachside town on the Capricorn Coast of Australia with her two incredible daughters.
She began reading in her late twenties, and she soon fell in love with the literary world, publishing her first book in 2015. Her books are filled with angst and plot twists that her readers love.

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5 stars
44 (53%)
4 stars
21 (25%)
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12 (14%)
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5 (6%)
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1 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
Profile Image for The Sweet & Sinful Book Nerds.
1,390 reviews14 followers
August 26, 2015
I love a good accent filled romance! This story was incredible. I love the idea and storyline. Annabella is a strong character. She is a tough cookie who takes the things that life throws at her and keeps trucking. She has been divorced for 2 years and has 2 daughters. Her friendship with her doctor neighbor Ben is amazing. They fit together so well and get along great. Nikolas is every woman’s dream. He is wealthy (of course that doesn’t matter to most women), he is charming, good looking, and available. What’s not to love? Annabella tries her best to not get involved with Nikolas. But he is persistent. When they come together, ovaries everywhere will explode. They have some ups and downs. And what good romance doesn’t have a plotting hoochie in the mix? The journey these two take together is filled with emotion and it will pull you in and not let go. I do wish there had been a little more interaction between Nikolas and the girls. A great debut for a new author! Look forward to more work from her!
Reviewed for FMR Book Grind
Profile Image for J.M. Nash.
Author 12 books44 followers
August 19, 2015
I loved the book. I couldn't put it down. I instantly feel in love with the characters and wanted more. I laughed and wanted to throw the kindle on several occasions. If I would have had a paperback, I probably would have. I loved the connection that you felt for and with the characters. I can't wait to read more from Allyson!
349 reviews12 followers
March 21, 2016
2 1/2 stars....

Not all books speak to every reader and unfortunately this one didn't speak to me. I struggled with Second Chance and had I not received it as an ARC I may have given up instead of finishing the book. Ms. Sinclair is a great writer, don't get me wrong. When I focused on the writing and not the story line I was quite impressed with the sentence structure and she has a great way of setting the scene and describing details. That being said, the story line though did not have me as captivated. By the 20% mark there was more drama than other books have in the entire plot and there was still more to come. The plot line left me frustrated more often than not and I feel like I didn't start enjoying the book until I was past the 60% mark.

I avoid spoilers at all costs so to reveal all of the reasons why I didn't connect with the book is not an option for me. Suffice to say the main character gave me a bit of whiplash with her inconsistencies. And the drama was over the top for me. Unfortunately too far over the top for me to enjoy the beautiful writing. My only hope for this author is that she keeps writing. Ms. Sinclair has a talent with words...and potential for a great career. In my honest opinion, dialing back the drama would have made this a fantastic read. Overall, a good effort for a debut novel.
Profile Image for Marina Skinner.
1,646 reviews47 followers
August 27, 2015
I cannot describe in enough words how much I loved reading this debut book by Allyson Sinclair! I couldn't put it down, I cried, I swooned, I felt like I had a constant smile on my face, it was that brilliant!!
A real life fairy tale in a sense!! I just loved the characters, the banter that made me laugh out loud, the best friends, the feel good moments, everything about this beautiful story just touched me emotionally!
I loved the way Anabella was, the way she cared for her daughters, her trust issues, considering what she went through in her life. Meeting Nik, in the way that she did and then finding out who he is, well, who wouldn't want that to happen?? Oh and holy hotness when Nik and Ana get together the words, their connection, it’s just sizzling!! Oh My…..lol!!
The direction this story went, the way it flowed and the ups and downs worked so well. At certain points you kind of want to get cross at certain characters for acting the way they do BUT in all honesty, every scenario made it seem so ‘real’.
This is a story that should be on everyone’s TBR list. An absolute MUST READ!!!
Complimentary copy received for an honest review.
Profile Image for Liz DiBenedetto.
257 reviews9 followers
August 20, 2015
This book was so good and I could not stop reading it!! I don't usually go for romance novels but I really wanted to read this one. The cover is what took my breath away first and I knew I had to read it. There are twists and turns in this book that I didn't see coming.

I was able to relate to Anabella and all of her insecurity's about her body and relationships. I am a mother of two girls and I have issues with my own body. My husband always tells me I am beautiful just like Nik does. He never lets me down and he makes me feel like the most important person in the world. I love the fact that Anabella and Ben are best friends. I think it is great because I also have a man for a best friend. So like I said I related to her alot.

The only reason it didnt get 5 stars is only because Nik's character at time was very possessive and annoying. I love his passion for Anabella it was just to intense at times for me.

I did enjoy it and I would recommend it to anyone who likes romance and stories of Second Chances.

4/5
Profile Image for Erika Shannon.
284 reviews10 followers
January 17, 2016
I love this book. The story of Anabelle Stewart and Nikolas Turner is story mind blowing.

Once I started to read this book. I couldn't put it down.

Anabelle is a broken woman. Who as decided to take control of her life. But one night on her way to meet a friend an accident occurs that changes her life.

Nikolas Turner is the person who literally crashers into Anabelle world.

This story is a powerful story that had me from the start. It is a story that has everything in it emotion rise.

Warning: Once you start reading Second Chances. You will not want to put it down.
Profile Image for Chantelle ✨.
14 reviews
January 15, 2019
I could not put this book down! If an author makes you feel all kinds of emotions, that's a great author and Allyson makes you feel, emotions that you didn't even think you had!
No spoilers here, just read the book!
Profile Image for tania.
426 reviews2 followers
March 7, 2020
wow

this book is amazing, I've was able to feel how the characters felt as if i was the one writing the book. second chance is well written standalone and I've love every moment of every word. Anabella is a lovely name and suits her character perfectly.

top marks for the well written and well put together story line.
Profile Image for Coco.V.
50k reviews128 followers
Want to read
March 21, 2020
🎁 FREE on Amazon today (3/21/2020)! 🎁
Profile Image for Lustful Literature.
1,822 reviews336 followers
September 14, 2015
**BETH'S REVIEW**

The stunning cover of this book was the first thing that caught my eye enough to make me want to read the synopsis , and after reading it, I was hooked. This one sounded full of heartbreak but it was also sounded to be of one of receiving a second chance at finding the one true love. Although the synopsis did intrigue me enough to want to read, I also found it was a bit long and gave me too much info of what the book was about. When I know too much going in I tend to already go in with a perceived concept of what to expect and after getting into this book, it didn’t really match up with what I expected and I think that played a part in my rating of this book.

Anabella was happy, she had been married for ten years with two young girls when it all ended and she swore to live her life alone and not open her heart up to another heartbreak, she couldn’t survive it a second time. That is until she meets Nikolas, a wealthy business man that after their first accidental meeting, he is taken with her. Anabella immediately feels the connection they share but tries to fight for the well being of her heart but Nikolas’ persistence wears her down but can she truly trust her heart to another man?

I was instantly pulled into this book and enjoyed the author’s writing style along with the premise of the book but had a few issues with the book. First there were inconsistencies and for me, which are complete turn offs, they were distracting and pulled me away from the storyline. Second I had a really hard time connecting with both characters. I liked Nikolas but for me he felt a bit like a stalker when it came to Anabella, it felt a bit creepy which I just couldn’t get past it and warm up to him. Anabella’s character felt underdeveloped for me. I understood her pain and heartbreak but she really got on my nerves at times with her and the constantly running away from Nikolas or any type of real connection, it just seemed to add unnecessary drama again and again every time she did it. Also she was a single mom, but when her girls were away with their father for a long vacation, it really bothered me that there was no mention of them, it was like she just turned Mom off, there was no calling them, missing them, the story became all about her and Nikolas and their drama filled relationship. Last, I just didn’t feel any real connection between Anabella and Nikolas, yes there was chemistry and attraction but for me it never felt there was more between them than just that and for me, things turned very insta-love early on in their relationship, which is another huge turn off for me.

Overall, it was an okay read and a really good effort for a debut novel by this author. I really wanted to love this book and it did start out that way but I think going into the story with a preconceived concept that I formed from reading such a long and detailed synopsis and the actual book not being what I thought it would be, it affected my overall feeling towards the book. This is why I truly believe when it comes to a book’s synopsis, “LESS IS MORE”, going into a book with very little information, so little you are going in blind truly makes the experience of reading a book so much more enjoyable.
Profile Image for Tracy Grieve.
414 reviews1 follower
January 12, 2019
Got given this book for honest review.

Wow what an amazing read. Love, betrayal, heartache and friendships made.

Trust doesn't come easy to those that have been hurt in the past and when you have two girls you want to protect them as well. Anabella Stewart knows first hand knows how it feels after being with her husband for years, he left her broken hearted and only her two daughters and hot chocolate {nice to see a female in a story no all wired up to coffee} get her through the days. Until one day a freak accident that leaves her in hospital and under the care of Ben Wilson a young yummy doctor who gets her pulse racing (he runs topless as well). But Anabella does what she does best and closes herself off to Ben, but she later realises that she just wants his friendship.

After going clubbing with her friends she meets Mr Eclipse who says he is sorry and leaves, she thinks nothing more of him until she gets summoned to Scream Productions as the owner wishes to see her. It's only then he reveals himself and what he knows about her accident, sparks fly between them but Anabella puts up her walls but Nik doesn't give up on her and he soon gets to her, but with her trust gone in men and her confidence of her body after having two kids she can't understand why he would want to be with her, but Nik is keeping a secret from Anabella and he is not sure how to tell her but when you are the owner of Scream Productions you are news worthy.

There is a twist to the story I never saw coming and it was more of a wtf moment and had to go back and re read a part and still would never have guessed.

But well done Allyson Sinclair on a what is going to be a great book, have recommended it to a lot of my friends and family already, couldn't put it down and the one more chapter then I'll stop just never came until I finished it. If I could give more than 5* I would.
Profile Image for Kaylene Osborn.
394 reviews24 followers
August 7, 2015
Great book, by debut author

Second Chance is the debut novel by Allyson Sinclair and follows the life of Anabella Stewart and her second chance at love.

Anabella is a heroine who's had a terrible past relationship and is just moving through life day by day with her two children. When Anabella learned the truth regarding her husband, she was completely devastated, she tried to stay strong but guarded.

Anabella has two beautiful girls and they light up her life with the love she needs to get through her days. She meets a gorgeous Doctor, Ben and life takes a bit of a turn for her. She forms a beautiful friendship with Ben and that friendship is there for her through thick and thin.

A serious car accident finds her involved with Nikolas Turner, a wealthy CEO, who turns her world upside down. Nikolas finds Anabella irresistible and romance ensues. This is a story of second chances and a love that when you think you're closed off to everything life can offer, along comes a man that literally sweeps you off your feet.

I really enjoyed this story and found it hard to put down. Congratulations Allyson Sinclair on a great debut novel. I give this five well-deserved stars.
Profile Image for Mariana Lee.
672 reviews18 followers
August 26, 2015
This is the the first book by this incredibly talented new author. This book had me hooked from the very start, I just couldn't put it down and read it in one go, I just needed to know everything that was happening. This is a lovely and heart felt story that it not like your typical love strories...this is not your usual man meets woman and fall in love. There is so much more to this which made it different and so captivating. This story is gripping, emotional, sexy and has enough angst and drama to keep your attention without putting you off it. The main characters have so much chemistry and an incredible connection that it's totally captivating and enviable. There is absolutely nothing I can criticise about this story, it is wonderfully written to the point that you almost feel part of the story. I laughed and cried and even got a bit angry at times. This book has the perfect balance of everything a book bees to totally BRILLIANT! Thank you Ally for such an amazing story and I for one look forward to reading more from you!!!
I was gifted this book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Tammy Markowski.
33 reviews9 followers
August 15, 2015
Second Chance, is a wonderful written book. Author Allyson Sinclair will have you guessing till the end what happens. Once, I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down. Second Chance will have you laughing, crying, and wanting to slap a few people. Believe me my Kindle got tossed a few times, when I had an OMG...moment (there are a few).

Anabelle feels that she's not pretty or worthy enough of finding love again. With these feelings she doesn't give herself the chance to find love, but could finding her soul mate change her way of thinking. Just when you think you know what's going to happen, the author has you thinking "what the hell". The story is easy to follow and the characters are explained so that you get a sense of how they look and feel.

I would highly recommend reading " Second Chance", it's a story about if you give yourself a chance, you just might find what you have been looking for. I was given an ARC for an honest review.
Profile Image for Katrina.
887 reviews16 followers
August 23, 2015
SECOND CHANCE is the debut novel from author Allyson Sinclair, and what a remarkable debut it is!.
It's a story full of love,emotion,friendship and happiness.

Anabella Stewart is a divorced mother of 2 young girls. Since ending her marriage she has given up on finding "the one" and has made raising her daughters her main priority. When businessman Nikolas Turner enters her life, Anabella can't believe her luck. He's gorgeous and smart and has a sexy English accent.Even though he seems devoted to her, Anabella can't seem to let herself believe that this man wants her. Will she put her past insecurities behind her and let herself get a second chance?
I really enjoyed this story. It's well written and flows easily. Anabella is feisty and head strong. Nikolas is dreamy and caring. Very likeable characters who any reader would just love to keep reading about. Highly recommended

Profile Image for Kimothy.
1,303 reviews23 followers
August 29, 2015
This is a adult romance book, by that i do not mean it is full out dirty, but it does have some very sexy scenes in it. I mean it is for grown ups who have loved and lost and are taking that very daunting step into a new romance and second chances at life. This is a debut novel from a new author and it is a very, very good debut novel. There is plenty of depth to the characters, some suspense concerning an event in the book and the revelation, and some very funny and touching moments. The female lead will be connectable to all that read the story, she is vulnerable but strong and smart. The men in the book are equally as connectable to the reader. The characters all go on a journey and the reader gets swept along with them. I will be keeping a close eye on Allyson Sinclair and her future work as this lady has great promise in her writing that i will be looking to see what her next release will bring us :)
Profile Image for katrina.
993 reviews70 followers
February 2, 2017
Second Chance is a beautifully woven story about love and second chances .

Romance is easy , true love is not . Alyson has wonderfully delivered a romance story that isn't all hearts and flowers but trial and tribulation .

Heartache and tears, happiness and insecurity . So very real to life. So many of us feel this way and reading along with this story, I could see certain aspects of myself within the pages.

A journey of trust , respect moving on and forgiveness . A love worth having is worth fighting for.

A second chance is a chance you take .

Beautifully woven love story, that will make your loins tingle, your heart flutter and you make you believe that taking a chance on love can be worth it .


Engaging , spine tingling and bewitchingly penned .


A debut novel !!! I'll be following this author for more


Full review to come
Profile Image for Emily Gould.
141 reviews1 follower
August 12, 2015
First of all, Congratulations Allyson Sinclair on your debut novel, you should be proud of yourself.

Second Chance is all about Anabella giving herself a second chance at love. At the start I was all for Ben being that second chance but when Nikolas came along, my word he took the cake. Nik's definitely the alpha male of this book but even though the chemistry was there between him and Ana he had to work at gaining her trust. Anabella has trust issues, because of her past, and with her two daughters in mind she very careful who she can and can't trust.

I enjoyed reading Second Chance it had that real life feel about it and definitely very Australian.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Candace.
7 reviews2 followers
October 2, 2015
Debut author Allyson Sinclair has you on an emotional roller coaster with her first book! Anabella Stewart has been hurt before and does not want to let anyone in again. Divorced and 2 children Anabella has finally found a place in life that won't hurt her. A sudden car accident flips her world around and there is no going back to her once normal life. Hot doctors, to a British CEO the men wont stop falling into Anabella's life and she is not willing to give up her heart with out a fight! Allyson sends you on and up and down ride that will have you wanting to throw your kindle at the wall one minute and grabbing a box of kleenex the next. Couldn't put this one down! A must read! Cannot wait for what Allyson writes next!
Profile Image for Megan Jonas.
1 review1 follower
August 9, 2015
I have read books that I haven't been able to put down as I needed to know what happened. The debut novel by Ally Sinclair is definitely one of those books. The only reason I didn't finish in one sitting is because my iPad ran out of battery. It's not your plain old romance book where the two main characters meet, fall in love and live happily ever after. I really did enjoyed reading this book. I like that it wasn't just an easy plain sailing relationship. It kept me wanting to read and wasn't boring like some others Ive read and had to put down cause they didn't keep me interested
Profile Image for Joann Herley.
6 reviews6 followers
September 2, 2015
Second Chance is an adult romance. It is certainly real life with the right amount of fairytale thrown in for good measure. You struggle right along with Anabella as she works her way through a new relationship full of emotion and passion. The author makes you feel all of it. You go forward, backward, and forward again right along with the characters. There is plenty of drama to keep you turning the pages. Congratulations Allyson on your debut novel? Quite frankly, it was wonderful!
Profile Image for Renee at Book Happiness.
1,486 reviews36 followers
August 30, 2015
I received this for an honest review.. I have to say I was surprised by this book... Because not only did this author write a really great book but awesome characters and such a strong female in this book...

When life gives you lemons you make some lemonade!!! Annabella is thrown into a rocky path when she discovers that her life is not what she thought!! She doesn't back down.. What a wonderful story and story-line!!

This is one book that was hard to put down and just a great read!!!
1 review12 followers
August 19, 2015
This was an amazing read! It made me have so many mixed feelings (all good don't worry lol) I cried, laughed and fell in love with the characters. Allyson has truly captioned the meaning of a 'second chance' at love. Well worth the 5 stars and Congratulations to Allyson on her first debut novel! I am looking forward to seeing future books from her.
Profile Image for The Book Lover.
2,070 reviews32 followers
August 25, 2015
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.. and it was an amazing 1st book by a new author, it has everything you need in a book, the story wraps you up and doesn't let you go until the very end! Well done Ally!
Profile Image for Shaztwirl.
3,319 reviews36 followers
March 11, 2020
Good

A good story, low angst. Personally, I'm not a fan of the method of delivery - 1st person present point of view - but that's merely my preference. I won't be knocking any stars off for that.
Profile Image for BethyMac.
720 reviews25 followers
September 7, 2015
The stunning cover of this book was the first thing that caught my eye enough to make me want to read the synopsis , and after reading it, I was hooked. This one sounded full of heartbreak but it was also sounded to be of one of receiving a second chance at finding the one true love. Although the synopsis did intrigue me enough to want to read, I also found it was a bit long and gave me too much info of what the book was about. When I know too much going in I tend to already go in with a perceived concept of what to expect and after getting into this book, it didn’t really match up with what I expected and I think that played a part in my rating of this book.

Anabella was happy, she had been married for ten years with two young girls when it all ended and she swore to live her life alone and not open her heart up to another heartbreak, she couldn’t survive it a second time. That is until she meets Nikolas, a wealthy business man that after their first accidental meeting, he is taken with her. Anabella immediately feels the connection they share but tries to fight for the well being of her heart but Nikolas’ persistence wears her down but can she truly trust her heart to another man?

I was instantly pulled into this book and enjoyed the author’s writing style along with the premise of the book but had a few issues with the book. First there were inconsistencies and for me, which are complete turn offs, they were distracting and pulled me away from the storyline. Second I had a really hard time connecting with both characters. I liked Nikolas but for me he felt a bit like a stalker when it came to Anabella, it felt a bit creepy which I just couldn’t get past it and warm up to him. Anabella’s character felt underdeveloped for me. I understood her pain and heartbreak but she really got on my nerves at times with her and the constantly running away from Nikolas or any type of real connection, it just seemed to add unnecessary drama again and again every time she did it. Also she was a single mom, but when her girls were away with their father for a long vacation, it really bothered me that there was no mention of them, it was like she just turned Mom off, there was no calling them, missing them, the story became all about her and Nikolas and their drama filled relationship. Last, I just didn’t feel any real connection between Anabella and Nikolas, yes there was chemistry and attraction but for me it never felt there was more between them than just that and for me, things turned very insta-love early on in their relationship, which is another huge turn off for me.

Overall, it was an okay read and a really good effort for a debut novel by this author. I really wanted to love this book and it did start out that way but I think going into the story with a preconceived concept that I formed from reading such a long and detailed synopsis and the actual book not being what I thought it would be, it affected my overall feeling towards the book. This is why I truly believe when it comes to a book’s synopsis, “LESS IS MORE”, going into a book with very little information, so little you are going in blind truly makes the experience of reading a book so much more enjoyable.
Profile Image for Jo - •.★Reading Is My Bliss★.•.
2,430 reviews238 followers
August 30, 2015
The title of this story is what got my attention in the first instance. I really enjoy reading about second chance love.

This isn't second chance love with the same person but rather a second chance at love for Anabella after her marriage ended. She is now a divorced single mother just getting on life. She meets a cute guy called Ben. I really loved Ben and I felt that Ben seemed like the perfect guy for her and then he just got treated like a door mat, continually.

Anabella meets Nikolas, a successful, good looking British business man. He is really into Anabella and is even accepting of the fact that she has children that he needs to take on too, if he wants to be with her. Her friendship with Ben was a big issue for Nikolas and to be honest it was for me too. The time she spent with him to me was just inappropriate - if he was gay then maybe it would have been okay I totally got why Nik was pissed off with her over that friendship.

Once the reason was revealed about the break up between her and her ex-husband it left me feeling really confused about his current relationship situation. I couldn't understand why that storyline didn't follow through because there seemed no point in revealing it otherwise.

I liked Nikolas and Anabella, together they make a great couple. This story had great bones but I felt that less drama would have brought out more of the emotions and helped with my connection to the characters.
Profile Image for Karen Harper.
383 reviews
August 31, 2015
I’m an Aussie and I will admit that I have a soft spot for Australian authors. So when I came across Second Chance, a book written by an Australian author and set in Australia, I was really looking forward to reading this book. The icing on the cake was when I found out that it was set in a place with which I am familiar. I suppose that’s not important to most people, but since most of the books I read are set in the USA, it is to me. But that isn’t the only reason I loved Second Chance.
I immediately felt a connection with the main character, Anabella Stewart. She was a real person. She wasn’t rich and she didn’t have a perfect body, but she loved her children and would do anything for them. She’s also a great friend. Nikolas Turner was a different kettle of fish. I wasn’t sure about him and I wasn’t sure if he was the right person for Anabella. And then there was Ben Wilson, the hot doctor. He seemed perfect for Anabella.
There were also lots of other characters to love, in particular, Anabella’s girlfriends. But the characters aren’t the only component of a good book. There needs to be a story that keeps the reader interested and wanting to read more. Second Chance is one of those books.
This is the first book written by Allyson Sinclair and there were a few minor things that did annoy me, but they were more to do with the editing. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.
I gave Second Chances 4 stars.
Written by Karen from A Thousand Lives Book Blog
Profile Image for Miranda Beazley.
668 reviews6 followers
March 15, 2016
Anabella has had her heart crushed, her first marriage ending has left her destroyed. That is until Nikolas literally crashes into her life.

This book has so many highs and lows. Reading it will make you smile, sigh and cry. So keep a box of tissues handy when reading. Anabella has been so destroyed she determined not to get hurt again but to do that she pushes away anyone trying to get close to her. Her pain is beautifully portrayed. You can't help but feel it yourself while your reading. Some of the situations she has to deal with leave you feeling her anxiety and fear so deeply that you need to keep reading in the hopes everything will be ok. Nikolas is amazing, he fights for her. Knowing he wants her, he's not willing to give up on her. They're relationship is up and down and sometimes all over the place, but through it all you can't help but feel his devotion and determination. The start of the book is a little bit jumpy but it's setting the background for you, and as you read, it all slots into place and you're grateful the author thought to put those snippets of information in there.

I found this book through an author signing where I met the author. Reading it I was constantly sending her messages as the story developed and my emotions took a beating. I became so invested into the emotions of the characters in the book. An amazing book.
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