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Malvagio Mafia Duet #2

Screams in Symphony

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There once was a girl,
tarnished and ruined by the actions of others.
Some are born plagued by darkness,
but she was doused in it by those she trusted.

Like Lucifer himself,
she fell from the heavens and landed amongst the flames.
Now she wears her crown black,
with diamonds coated in the blood of her enemies.

This isn’t the story of a girl who saved the villain.
This is the story of a girl who became something much worse,
and the man who loved her for it.

254 pages, Paperback

Published January 20, 2022

851 people are currently reading
2952 people want to read

About the author

Kelsey Clayton

26 books2,147 followers
Kelsey Clayton is a USA Today bestselling author of Contemporary Romance novels. She lives in a small town in Delaware with her husband, two kids, and dog.

She is an avid reader of fall hard romance. She believes that books are the best escape you can find, and that if you feel a range of emotions while reading her stories - she succeeded. She loves writing and is only getting started on this life long journey.

Kelsey likes to keep things in her life simple. Her ideal night is one with sweatpants, a fluffy blanket, cheese fries, and wine. She holds her friends and family close to her heart and would do just about anything to make them happy.


Connect with Kelsey at:

Website: www.kelseyclayton.com
Facebook: @KelsClayton
Instagram: @Kels_Clayton
Twitter: @Kels_Clayton

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5 stars
2,287 (34%)
4 stars
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3 stars
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159 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 471 reviews
Profile Image for Anovelqueen .
299 reviews1,042 followers
October 7, 2022
***4 STARS***

What an excellent ending. Twists and turns galore and I was all there for them.

This is a new to me mafia author but I will certainly be read her other books.

Very well written especially displaying Kage as the epic deranged morally gray hero he is.
Profile Image for ❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books.
2,625 reviews10.9k followers
January 19, 2022
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📚'SCREAMS IN SYMPHONY' 📚 Is the second full length dark mafia romance book, in Kelsey Clayton's 'Malvagio Mafia' duet. It picks up where the previous book left off. Spoken in 'dual perspectives.'
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MY REVIEW AND OTHERS: can also be found on my blog:
➽ KITTY KATS CRAZY ABOUT BOOKS

After inhaling/devouring the first book which I crazy loved I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one, anticipation levels spiking when it arrived on my kindle and then life was put on the back burner whilst this was inhaled in one sitting. I loved coming back to this world.

This picked up right where that cliffy hanger left us in the previous book, all of us left floundering, wondering if our heroine was going to pull through, asking ourselves who tried to take her out. So many thoughts went through my mind, and when it was all revealed I was left flabbergasted.

Kelsey went that wee little bit darker, our heroine stepped out of the light and went into pure darkness, and I guess that's where I struggled with this book, don't get me wrong I still loved it, but it was a 180 turn from who we used to know, it wasn't gradual it was full out bat shit crazy, but made for good reading all the same...

Both have lost so much in this world they find themselves in, both come out bats swinging to take down ones that have wronged them...

Get ready for one crazy motherf#cker of a ride...Highly recommend this series...

                  
Profile Image for Carla .
1,670 reviews532 followers
January 23, 2022
I liked the first book more than this. The female character was out of the place with her actions.
Unfortunately.
Profile Image for Dora Koutsoukou .
2,260 reviews721 followers
Read
January 23, 2022
Part 2

I am sad to say, but it got worse than the previous part.
Apart from cliches, Saxon’s character was developed in such a way that any interest I had left was lost and disappointed me.
I can not accept a heroine’s epic change of character without appropriate development!
While she was just an ordinary girl, naive and virgin, a pre-med student simply living her life, soon after she became a great seductress and killer, while she embraced her darkness profoundly.
Sorry, not buying it. Dnf @ 60%
Profile Image for Kursed Reads.
801 reviews9,312 followers
February 8, 2022
Screams in Symphony picks up right after the heart-wrenching cliffhanger we were left on at the end of Suffer (a truly apt title, by the way).

Kage is, understandably, beside himself and gawd the first few chapters are painful. That’s just the start; it truly gets worse before it gets better.

As the story progresses, pieces of the puzzle begin to fall together. We witness Saxon’s recovery, physically and mentally, and her rebirth as a new, stronger, more confident and ruthless (read: bàdáss), version of herself. Equally, we see Kage evolving and accepting Sax as his counterpart, not a delicate flower to be coddled and kept in the dark.

“I came into this world a prisoner and a pawn, someone who was taken for someone else’s gain. A girl stumbling through her own life, not knowing what her purpose was until she was forced to face it head on. And I came out a warrior.”

This duet was epic, but Screams was an especially satisfying conclusion. I loved it. All of it! The nonstop action, hot-as-heII scenes, and well-paced character growth gave me everything my greedy little black heart w̴a̴n̴t̴s̴ needs, all in one deliciously dark - and very twisted - mafia romance.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Heat: 🌶🌶🌶1/2

🗂 Genre: Dark Romance

✨ Tropes: Mafia, Revenge

⛔️ Warning: This book/series may cause blushing, squirming, combusting pantries, and/or self-care.

⚠️ Safety Squad: Miscarrïage, Explicit VioIence

📣 Suffer in Silence is the conclusion to the Malvagio Mafia duet.
Profile Image for Ceceliaₓₒₓₒ | hotforbooks.
141 reviews542 followers
December 11, 2022
Saxon turned her humanity off 👀 Ooh and it was amazing. I mean…her and Kage 🔥 were made for each other. 🫶 Ouch… that twist was a painful one. My heart hurt for Saxon. Ultimately, what a satisfying conclusion! 🤌
1,060 reviews34 followers
February 17, 2022
2.25 This is one of those series that started out good and quickly took a nose dive.

I really enjoyed the first book of this series but felt that the second book in the series took a dramatic left turn into an obnoxious overly done revenge saga. I read dark novels to be entertained but expect even the worst of characters in these series to have "some" redeemable qualities by books' end. There was very little light in either of these characters' by books' end." They still lived for the bloodlust and vigilantism that was prevalent in book 2, even after the birth of their son. They became judge and jury to anyone who crossed them.

I love strong h's, but Saxton's character went too far; she became toxic and crazy, devolving into a completely different person. The author even changed her "laugh" to a sadistic chuckle. Her character wasn't believable going from a normal, book reading, virgin, low key-college student to a "Kill Bill" character that fell in love with the idea of "pain and torture" and the high that she professed went with it. She became addicted to "killing" just like an addict becomes addicted to drugs. The transformation of Saxton's character in book 2 was too dramatic of a change to be believable. I felt as though book two was a constant "whiplash" with her "Jekyll and Hyde" personality changes. Her character lost all relevancy becoming a cliche' and a ghost of her previous self. I understand why Viola's character had a sadistic side to her, because of who she was but; book 2 made Viola's dark side look like child's play when compared to Saxton's.

Kage's character devolved in book 2 as he built his own little killing machine in Saxton. He could have directed her in a different way but chose to introduce her to the dark side and then doubled down on encouraging her blood lust, turning her into a psycho that fit his need for an equal partner in his role as Don. This whole story could have kept it's entertainment value and still ended with enough revenge to satisfy any reader in this genre, but chose to take it to a complete different level. Saxton could have gotten her revenge/vengeance without selling her soul to the devil.
Profile Image for G.
516 reviews205 followers
January 23, 2023
Really enjoyed this duet. Especially when Saxon and Kage exact their revenge
Profile Image for TJ *Book Twins Reviews*.
1,186 reviews2,604 followers
January 27, 2022
Kelsey Clayton did not come to play with this one. She went balls to the wall dark and I was here for every shocking second of this thrilling conclusion to the duet!

SIS is sexy, dark, and completely entertaining! For fans of the genre, this is a must read. This is a new favorite from this talented author.
Profile Image for Travelogged Blogs.
1,554 reviews129 followers
January 17, 2022

"A girl stumbling through her own life, not knowing what her purpose was until she was forced to face it head on. And I came out a warrior."

From the first book itself, I found myself to be completely engrossed into the plot. The duet had lots of action, suspenseful moments, unexpected twists, a sense of loss, romance, passion and funny banters woven together in a perfect mix. The Malvagio world was so thrilling and full of danger but Kage and his closely knit family were entertaining! Some characters turned out to be unexpectedly nice and some equally bad and there were back to back revealations that kept me hooked.

"We’ll burn the whole damn city to the ground, you and me. If that’s what you need, we’ll do it. Together.”

I thought Kage would be more ruthless and unhinged after the cliffhanger in the last book but turns out, Saxon was much more vindictive than him. Her new savage side was hard to believe at first but her character completely changed for the better and then I just started to love that side too! Overall, this was a page turner, totally worth reading if you're into this genre but I feel that this book was a bit darker than the first one. Though it was fantastic!

ARC received in exchange of an honest review
Profile Image for NiCoLeTa E. {Addicted To Books}.
1,555 reviews82 followers
January 26, 2022
***4 "My favorite little psycho!!!" stars***

OUT NOW!!!



“Pain is a dangerous thing. It can make people crazy. Turn them into something they swore they’d never become. And once you give into the pain, there’s no guarantee you’ll ever come back from it.”

Holy shit!!! What a crazy ride was that!!!
Yes, we established that Kelsey is capable of darkness, but I never thought that she could become sooooo dark!!!!
If I want to be honest here, it really shocked me the way things turned out in here!!! Still... I enjoyed this crazy, raw and very intense ride!!!
And just like that... after a huge cliffy, we found out how a nice person could turn out a monster because she was wronged!!!!
Revenge is on your hands now, my sweet wildflower!!! Just give them hell!!!!

"A girl stumbling through her own life, not knowing what her purpose was until she was forced to face it head on..."

The second installment picked up exactly where the first book left us...
Saxon's life turned to pure hell the last few months... The monster who had taken away from the life she used to know, turned out her lifeline... Good or bad, she had fallen for him and when she had started to realize the role that they were playing her loved ones in her life, she was left for dead from the hands of those she trusted the most...
Now, she is fighting for her life and if she will turned back on the land of living, will she be the same girl or something darker will shadow her spirit????

"Cold. Enraged. Ready to burn the whole world to the ground."

Along her side, a monster that had no boundaries...
A man with questionable morals who was seeking his own revenge....
A man that Saxon had stolen his heart...
He is determined to fight her demons for her, and when he is realizing that she is capable to do it by herself, his love for her is growing even more stronger...
She is just the perfect match for him and he is determined to never let her leave his side...

"We’ll burn the whole damn city to the ground, you and me. If that’s what you need, we’ll do it. Together.”

I liked this story very much...
I liked Kage from the very first moment... He was unapologetical ruthless and he was oozing power...
He was very possessive of Saxon and I loved the way he was trying to protect her...
Saxon was different... I can understand her reasons why she changed so much but this change shocked me, if I want to be honest... The chance was so abrupt and intense... Still... I can totally understand the reasoning behind her actions...
Betrayal is not an easy thing to deal with after all!!!

“I've been doing everything I can to keep her from becoming a monster like me, but I'm failing miserably.”

I loved the way that Kelsey had walked through the dark side, even though the brutality of some things were making my insides twist....
The plotline was amazing... I loved how she connected the things between them...
I won't hide to you that she got me at the end... I was so sure of something, but she twisted it so much that I never saw it coming... And I liked this element of surprise...
Also I liked that I took a small taste of my beloved Knox and his Delaney!!!
If you dare, you might enter!!!

“There in the middle of destruction, I kiss her like she’s breathing the life back into me. Like we’re breathing the life back into each other.”

**I received an ARC for the exchange of an honest review**
Profile Image for Cristina.
529 reviews2 followers
May 10, 2025
Este libro es pura mafia. El anterior me gustó un poco más, pero éste no deja de ser un buen libro.
Tiene muchas escenas de violencia gráfica, así que si te incomodan, igual no es tu libro, pero si leíste el anterior, no tendrás problemas.

Quedamos en suspenso al terminar el primero y en este encontrarás una trama bien construida con giros que llegan hasta el final.
Mucha acción y una evolución muy importante en los personajes.

No es un libro de romance, aunque lo tiene, es un libro de mafia y me encanta, porque la mayoría de las veces leemos libros de mafia que sólo son romance.

Saxon definitivamente termina siendo una reina, con todo lo que le ocurre, resurge completamente y no se siente como una joven, es una mujer que lucha. Kage es un compañero fuerte, digno y me ha encantado en ambos libros.

Sin duda, un dueto para recordar.
Profile Image for Intel Chicky Reads Romance (Kara Merideth).
2,256 reviews1,525 followers
January 22, 2022
Fantastic conclusion!

Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trope: Enemies to lovers
Angst: 😱😱😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Triggers: pregnancy loss

What a fantastic conclusion to the duet! Screams in Symphony is well written, fast paced, and has tons of twists and turns. I love my romance with a dash of suspense that keeps you hooked to the end and Screams in Symphony certainly delivers. This book sees Saxon’s complete transformation from beaten down and lost to the vengeful, fiery queen she was meant to be. Kane is right be her side - whether she wants him to be there or not - determined to stand by her and support her in her quest for vengeance. Kane makes his own transformation, from being an island unto himself to truly opening himself up to his family - learning his own painful lessons along the way. I just loved this duet so much - such a departure from Kelsey’s previous works  - just extra dark and yummy. I especially loved our little cameo by a couple of our favorite characters ❤️. Can’t wait to see what Kelsey has up next!
Profile Image for Stephanie.
1,054 reviews
September 7, 2023
3.5! Revenge .. and Saxon literally had me on edge. Did I throw pillows? Yes. Destined to be a mafia wife? Loved it.
Profile Image for Amy .
3,125 reviews
January 21, 2022
“Pain is a dangerous thing. It can make people crazy. Turn them into something they swore they’d never become. And once you give into the pain, there’s no guarantee you’ll ever come back from it.”

“There in the middle of destruction, I kiss her like she’s breathing the life back into me. Like we’re breathing the life back into each other. It’s an intoxicating dose of serotonin straight to my system until the pain comes back in.”

Screams in Symphony is the deliciously disturbing, most anticipated conclusion to the Malvagio Mafia Duet. This book pulls out all the stops. It’s dark. It’s twisted. It’s all-consuming. Screams in Symphony will keep you on the edge of your seat and will leave you devouring each and every word.

Screams in Symphony picks up right where Suffer in Silence left off and completely hits the ground running. This story is dark and ruthless. It’s a twisted tale of love and revenge that will take these characters to unexpected places. Filled with lots of twists and turns, this book had my heart-pounding and left me hanging on every word.

Screams in Symphony lived up to its name and delivered on all fronts. This book was intense, with some parts that were hard for me to read. Even with all that, this book still left me with my mind-blown. For all of my dark romance-loving friends, this is a book/duet you won’t want to miss. So, run and grab the Malvagio Mafia Duet today. You won’t be disappointed….

*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review*
Profile Image for Naaytaashreads.
1,033 reviews186 followers
January 24, 2023
“You really were fucking made for me.”

Trigger warning: Miscarriage, PTSD, depression, suicide, violence, gore and blood

THIS WAS SO GOOD!
The author is completely forgiven for not letting romance be the reader's focus.
The plotline of action, friendship, family, mafia, and women empowerment makes up for the less focused romance.
The second book got even darker, which I love.

Things get a little heavy, rough and dark.
This changes the mood of the mafia plotline and turns into a bloodbath of revenge.
SO SO GOOD.

I spend the first few chapters bawling my eyes out.
It was heartbreaking, but I am glad the author focused on Saxon's difficulty.
I love seeing Saxon's struggle and Kage's struggle in balancing trying to be there for Saxon and at the same time trying to heal too.
Their reaction towards the issue was honest, genuine and heartbreaking.

While the plotline became dark, the humour was through the roof.
The involvement of the side characters gets the main character a bit loose, and there was a little bit of fun and laughter that got me to laugh snorting.

The action got so dark and bloody, but Saxon was so badass.
I love that Kage didn't deny what her character has grown into but embraced her, and together they were a power couple for sure.

The twist in the plotline was so unexpected.
I love the mind games and mystery we follow through in solving the betrayal.
What a sequel, totally a step up from the first book!


I know. And I’m on your side. We’ll give them everything they’ve earned. We’ll burn the whole damn city to the ground, you and me. If that’s what you need, we’ll do it. Together.”
Profile Image for Sabrina.
4,298 reviews2,392 followers
August 14, 2023
Review copied from Book 1

This wasn't a bad story but I also wasn't heavily invested in it like I wanted to be. Somehow the story felt too drawn out but while also not giving enough detail. There were scenes that felt very unfinished like seeing the hero walk into a meeting and then the next part was him racing to get to the heroine. And there was nothing in between that? It just didn't make sense to me.
Profile Image for TheBookPlatypus.
1,243 reviews264 followers
February 7, 2023
Let me start off with saying book two is WAY darker than book one.


It has literally my one trigger, which I’m fine reading about. I just need a heads up and I was able to figure out that it was happening before it technically happened.


❗️❗️❗️Spoiler❗️❗️❗️❗️
Child loss. Pregnancy loss.

Saxon becomes mentally unhinged after this loss and getting shot. She feels betrayed like she’s never felt before.

This author definitely has a very intense yet a creative mind when it comes to torturing people. That or intense research. 😂
The detail of some of the torture methods that Saxon and Kage used - even I was squirming!

“I’ve been doing everything I can to keep her from becoming a monster like me, but I’m failing miserably. She keeps coming back to it, like a magnet to metal. And I’m not sure how much longer I can shelter her from the violent life of torture and killing.”

These two are hell-bent on revenge. But they are also on a journey of helping and healing each other through the traumatic events of their lives.
This duet does have an HEA. No cheating.

It’s such a good dark romance. I highly recommend this to everyone!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for The Romantic Rush Blog.
2,643 reviews966 followers
January 22, 2022
This is Kelsey Clayton like you've never seen her before- and if you thought Suffer in Silence was the depths of her dark story telling, buckle up. Because Screams in Symphony is even darker, even edgier, and even more dangerous. Violence embodies these pages, and Kelsey dives into the twisted glee of revenge with gusto in this mafia duet finale.

After our epic cliffhanger, we have a brief moment of reprieve as Kage faces an uncertain future and wallows in his undying love. But soon the quest for revenge against their enemies ignites as a breakneck pace- and our dark mafia kidnapper tries once besotted lover for size while Saxon emerges as a ruthless mafia queen. Once at odds, now they are united both in love and thirst for vengeance.

This story is definitely dark- less because of the romantic element and more because of the gritty violence Kelsey weaves into the narrative. The torture and murder are both descriptive, giving at times this mafia story a bit of a macabre flavor, and the romance takes a bit of the backseat for the action. Saxon has a full out transformation into a psychotic and fierce heroine- so much so that at times I didn’t recognize her. She’s entertaining even if I wanted to revel in the nuances of her transformation a bit more. Her transformation felt a bit much for me- and very abrupt. But all she’s been through most certainly catalyzes this ruthless cunning in her, and I know many will enjoy her savageness, even if I found myself disconnecting from her in it. Kage is a glorious supporter and mentor of all things vengeful. And revenge we find, with some passion and twists speckled along the way.

If you like your mafia romance violent and intense and the chemistry volcanic, you’ll love Saxon and Kage. It’s been a wild ride and fun to see Kelsey try on new tropes in this fast-paced mafia suspense.
Profile Image for Manoela.
1,177 reviews24 followers
January 30, 2022
3 estrelas

Achei esse livro mais fraco que o anterior, apesar de termos mais ação aqui a mudança repentina da protagonista foi muito rápida e não me convenceu. Mas foi uma leitura agradável para passar o tempo.
Profile Image for Keri Loves Books.
1,247 reviews204 followers
January 21, 2022
The conclusion of Kage and Saxon’s dark love story has arrived. It’s vicious in it’s quest for revenge and blood will be spilled in abundance.

The story picks up where it left us hanging. Their love is steadfast but after a great loss, Kage will need to pull her from the darkness. To heal she must embrace her own thirst for revenge and become a weapon of destruction. Everyone who played a part in their pain will suffer.

This dark romance is not for the faint of heart. It will focus on their revenge and torture methods used to achieve their goals. They will revel in the dark side.

I enjoyed the characters as they evolved into a fierce couple. The lies will unfold and the truth may surprise you. However, this half of the book was brutal as they exacted revenge. Saxon was lethal and Kage was her protector. Together they are unstoppable. One half of a whole.
Profile Image for Reading_Junkie28.
1,286 reviews24 followers
January 24, 2022
What an AMAZING DUET!!!! Kage and Saxon are FIRE!!! I absolutely LOVE them…couldn’t get enough!!! What a jaw dropping TWIST…LOVED IT! This book will give you all the answers to every question you were left hanging with at the end of SIS and a surprise you will ABSOLUTELY LOVE!! A definite MUST READ!!
Profile Image for Katyayini Singh.
173 reviews12 followers
January 23, 2022
Screams in Symphony, book 2 of Malvagio Mafia Series, by Kelsey Clayton was a missed opportunity. In my opinion, in the ending of the first one, the plot falters in the end. Instead of course correcting, this one took those missteps and ran with it.
The protagonist, Saxon, completely transformed into another character. While the reason was somewhat justified, I, as a reader, did not find myself caring because we were never given time to invest in that development to feel for its loss. Kage’s revenge quest falls flat in this book, conveniently merging successfully with Saxon’s motivations. The worst victim however is Viola, who is left with not a single ounce of Machiavellian shrewdness that we were promised from her in Book 1. Perhaps the only character who fares better in this book is Nico and that too not by much because he is rarely in the book beside having the biggest story arc.
The plot twist in the end was a little annoying because the red herring was honestly more likely and enjoyable, had that transformed into the actual ending. All and all, after the first book, I had bigger and better expectations from the book. That’s not to say it’s bad. It’s actually quite a fun read if it were tweaked a bit.
Profile Image for Kiera Veronica .
307 reviews12 followers
January 25, 2022
Why is it the author grips you with the first book and the second one comes out and it’s nothing like the first????

1. She seems to have forgotten the K seemed to have a legit business that he’s just discarded of? Surely he needs to check in with that business? It seemed as if he was a CEO of a big company?

2. Sure, she went through a trauma but she has come out as this different person that doesn’t fit anything that happened in the first book. A few pages in and I couldn’t stand the constant lashing out she did.

3. K was this badass mafia man who now for the most part stays at home worrying about his gf who has gone on a major breakdown and is seeking revenge despite her character not having any training, being dainty and naive is fuck in the first book? I feel like it should have been worked up to and that we shouldn’t have lost her whole character’s personality.

DNF it was that chaotic.
Profile Image for Mandyloves2read.
1,765 reviews174 followers
January 22, 2022
Wow what a amazing wild dark and twisted ride this story is! This was the perfect conclusion for Saxon and Kage’s journey ! It’s wicked it’s action packed and full of darkness this author did amazing stepping out of her element she exceeded all my expectations for this story! I was captivated from beginning till end couldn’t turn the pages fast enough I loved how it turned out and you will too ! I can’t wait to see where this author takes us next !
Profile Image for Steph.
1,407 reviews2 followers
February 5, 2022
‘Saxon Malvagio is something fucking else. Wild. Dangerous. Sinful. And mine.’

A great end for this duet.
As a whole, I really enjoyed the story and this one was even darker and grittier than the first book.

I loved how the story concluded happily and that Saxon and Kage both got their revenge and moved on. I loved them as a couple 😍🔥

I have to admit that I didn’t really like the turn that Saxon’s character took in this part. I don’t know if it’s because it didn’t feel believable to me? Or that I just wished the author hadn’t changed her so much? I’m not sure 🤔

But I was hooked from the start and dying to see what happened as I went along ☺️
Profile Image for Brooke.
69 reviews9 followers
September 5, 2023
3.5 ⭐️
Loved this! These books are such easy reads, I finished each of them within 24 hours 🥳
The reason the stars isn’t higher is because I found this book so cringe and again I hate the cover 😂
Kage and Saxton are SO messed up I loved it HAHA I think the dark romance life chose me 👀💀
These books were never boring, so SO much drama
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