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Theirs to Crave

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Estrella's life wasn't exactly going to plan: divorced, childless, and halfway to forty. But she was getting by. She had her work, her brother, and several "friends" in her nightstand happy to help out if she got lonely.

Then she woke up on an alien ship.

Suddenly, "just getting by" took on a much greater meaning. Determined not to be victims, Estrella, her brother, and the other prisoners must band together to fight for their freedom, and a chance to return home.

But what happens when that ship crashes, leaving them stranded?

With no choice but to go forward, what kind of new lives will they build? Figuring that out would be simpler if the local aliens weren't so...attractive. They really shouldn't be. They're...furry. They have tails, claws, and great big teeth! And they're huge!

But they're also sweet, and strong, and kind...and their tongues are so loooong. And they purrrrr...

Theirs to Crave is the first book in the Aliens of Doluna series. It's a FFMM polyam romance featuring a beautiful, fat Latina and three fuzzy aliens. Fair warning, everything crosses.

This book is intended for a mature audience and contains explicit content. This content includes, but is not limited to: depictions of mental health struggles, episodes of PTSD, experiences of trauma both foreign and domestic, discussion of infertility, exploration of grief, death, and non-vanilla sexual activity. For a more complete listing, please see the author’s website

335 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 10, 2023

69 people are currently reading
506 people want to read

About the author

Rowan Merrick

23 books120 followers
Born and raised in the Pacific northwest, Rowan spends her days dreaming of less cloudy realities where people find love with all manner of monsters. When not writing, she's chasing around her three partners, the tiny demon they created, and her pet hellhound.

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5 stars
110 (40%)
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101 (37%)
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40 (14%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
Profile Image for Poppy || Monster Lover.
1,803 reviews500 followers
April 22, 2025
This was such a wonderfully complex alien romance. The culture was interesting, the characters had depth, and it was very consent heavy between the MCs. This book is DARK though, so please read the content warnings before beginning. All the characters had their own strengths and weaknesses that made them lovable. The language barrier was also well done. They struggled through many a conversation, but gradually figured stuff out.

Spice: 5/5

Triggers: Abduction, Anxiety, Body horror, Captivity, Child endangerment, Domestic violence (on and off page), Death (on and off page), Forced medical procedure, Funeral, Gore, Grief, Infertility (discussion of), Loss of bodily autonomy, PTSD episodes, Vehicular crash, Violence, Fatphobia (not throughout), Homophobia (one instance), Attempted SA
Profile Image for Lil Red Reviews.
189 reviews17 followers
February 12, 2023
<3

I am going to start with, I love the CW system. Personally, I am okay with it just being in the front. But the care the author showed in making sure her audience was not triggered by the material was awesome!! I appreciate it so much, it gives me warm and fuzzies.

I was not sure what to expect. Honestly, the only other book I have read by this author, though very good, did not have much plot. But this had SOOO much plot, it was also a slow burn. I love sci-fi abduction stories. I really like that this didn’t go with the cliche we have no women sub-plot. I also loooove when there is a communication hurdle throughout the book. I loved the characters and their approach to a relationship. Their respect of Estrella’s “heart-hurt”.

I was a little wary of the MC being Hispanic. Due to all the conversations the book community has had. But I felt like Rowan did a great job, they didn’t try to write BIPOC struggles and I didn’t detect any stereotypes. But as I am not part of the community, I am still a little worried I missed something, so I will keep an eye out.

All in all, I believe this made it to the top of my sci-if romance list. One of my new favorites and one the best I have read in a long time.

Plot: 4.5/5
Characters: 5/5
Spice: 4.5/5
Profile Image for Nikita Navalkar.
886 reviews114 followers
February 18, 2023
3.5 Intergalactic Stars

Typically I’m not much of a blue/purple alien girl, but I knew that this author can do a heck of a sexy polyam monster romance with big sapphic vibes from Tentacles and Teeth, so I jumped into this full length alien saga with eagerness. And I was pleasantly surprised. The beginning is a little slow because the author is trying to build a whole world and settle our abductees in it. Speaking of which, the world building is lush and in-depth and so atmospheric you can almost smell it from here. The author does a great job of creating and establishing distinctions between the various languages, and makes it less confusing than a lot of books I’ve read which have fantasy languages. Plus I really enjoyed the liberal use of Spanish in Estrella and Mariano’s vocabulary, which feels authentic (IMO and I’m not an expert obviously) but not too complex not to understand from context clues.

The portrayal of Estrella and the group’s PTSD and delicate emotional state also felt very well done. Once we’re settled though, it’s go time and it gets very hot on this tropical (I assume) planet. Estrella is a confident plus size goddess and her three take great care of her. And vice versa. Zaf and Litha and Revik all fulfill different needs for Estrella’s personality, but Daddy Rivek might be my favorite. For obvious reasons.
I’m intrigued by the budding intimate relationships all through this little family of humans (and other aliens) and I’m interested to see where the other stories go.
Profile Image for Ashley.
Author 11 books281 followers
February 8, 2023
Ugh there's so much to say about this one, I don't even know where to start. To be honest I'm fucking live, laugh, loving for all of the rep, for the new kinks and for the just fucking wholesome ass bullshit. I don't think I even got all the fucking tags I had for this one.

Stars ▷ ✨✨✨✨✨
Spice ▷ 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Ya'll it really 🥴)
POV ▷ Multiple
Rep ▷ 🌈 ⚔️ (Sapphic + MM)
▷ Interconnected Standalone, will be part of a series but can be read independently
Creature Feature ▷👾 (Cat aliens, uhh, we stan)
Themes/Tropes ▷Poly/Scifi
Triggers ▷ There is an extensive list of TW's that Rowan has lovingly provided for us. Please take a look at it! I will specifically mention Infertility + past cheating trauma/DV these are by no means the end all, please check the list, but will clarify Inf in the spoiler
KU ✔️
Audio ❌
Pet Names ▷ many, in their own language and outside of it, v cute and personal to our bby
Profile Image for Courtney.
374 reviews8 followers
July 12, 2024
✨ARC Review! I received an early copy of this book and this is my honest review.✨

I received an ARC of Theirs To Crave and wow… just wow is all I have to say. This novel is the perfect blend of action, lore, and love. I give this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!

A synopsis of this book really can’t do it justice. There’s so much packed into it. The gist of the story revolves around Estrella, and her abduction by aliens. She’s abducted along with her brother, a few other humans, and another species of alien. They end up crash landing on a primitive planet and overthrow their captors.

In that process, they catch the attention of the locals, a cat like species of alien. This trio of aliens are: Revik, the alpha male who is fierce and a “daddy.” Rafett, a healer and the “prince” of the tribe. And finally Litha, a fearsome huntress who is also missing an arm. These three are mates. They take in the survivors and end up fostering them out to other families in the tribe, but keep Estrella for themselves.

These four feel so drawn to one another and as they learn about each other (and how to communicate) it’s clear they’re in love… but not everyone from the tribe wants these newcomers to stay… *insert dramatic action music*

I can’t get over how much is packed into this book. Not only did Rowan create a world with humans and four different species of aliens in it, she also included FOUR DIFFERENT LANGUAGES! Are you kidding me?!! There’s English, Spanish (spoken between Estrella and her brother), plus two different alien languages. Wow, just wow!

Not only that, but the world build up in this book was phenomenal. She created such a diverse and inclusive world for everyone. There’s so many scenes of struggle and acceptance among one another. There’s also a lot of action in this! The conflict definitely adds to the plot and helps drive it along.

Finally… the spice! 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️. It’s absolutely amazing. It’s MMFF with all sorts of crossing. There’s human/alien pairings, size differences, fluid play, blood play, knife play, daddy kink, fisting, primal play, and more!

Please also check the content warnings. The here’s some heavy stuff in the beginning that might be triggering for some!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Sunshine .
904 reviews
March 14, 2023
I did not see that coming. Wow. Okay. Still wrapping my head around this book. Slow burn(ish), why-choose, alien romance with found family, a Latina plus size MFC and great characters. Lots of goodness here. It was long but didn’t feel slow or drawn out. It had length that added character and relationship development. Lots of sweet heart-warming scenes. The author did a great job (I felt) with trigger warnings and a work around system for that. Really thoughtful. I liked the writing. I’m interested to see how the series continues.
Profile Image for Kaitlyn Rose.
74 reviews3 followers
January 9, 2025
Oh my gosh, I loved everything about this book!!!

I don't know what it is, but the language barrier trope gets me every time!!
It's like I really love when both the humans and the aliens put in the effort to learn the others' language/culture.
(AKA, THE EFFORT I WISH SOMEONE WOULD PUT IN WITH ME 😭😭)

I also loved all the gender and sexuality representation!! I'm genderfluid, bi, and poly. So my happy little heart loved all of it.

Plus, I mean. I'd kill for 3 hot aliens to wanna court me and love me and try to make the best of that whole situation.

There were definitely moments that pulled my heartstrings, too.
So this book really gives you everything.

Crazy hot smut? ✔️
Emotional feely moments? ✔️
Good plot and world building? ✔️
Profile Image for Grey Story.
369 reviews22 followers
March 19, 2023
Estrella looks great on the cover but I think the rest of the cover trio sound more appealing in the story. Here's a great description from Estrella:
"Zafett had been beautiful by firelight. In the full light of day? I could do nothing but stare. We’d crashed on the planet of cat supermodels. Giant cat supermodels. My attention drifted downwards. Proportionate giant cat supermodels."

I really enjoyed the whole cast of characters in this! Estrella is very clearly multi-faceted with a lot going on. Her struggles between dealing with her past, her grief, her new happiness, her trauma, her kinky shit and relationship woes, and so on felt very realistic. All of the characters felt more than one note, even ones that unfortunately didn't get much 'screen' time.

Reverse harems and the like aren't actively a thing I look for in my book selections but this felt like a damned good one. It was very well balanced. All partners clearly adore each other, each has their strengths and weaknesses, and they have to learn to communicate and work stuff out just like any other relationship. It was pretty great how it was handled.

The spice in this is slow to start but once it gets there, there's plenty of it and eventually from everyone's perspective.

There isn't as much worldbuilding as you might think there could be in a near 500 page book but there's a decent amount once they get to the alien planet. I'm very eager to hear more about some of their customs, their skills, history of their people (they've only lived in the jungle for 4 generations??), the other creatures and people on the planet, etc.

The attention to language in this is really cool. Estrella and Mariano are bilingual and eventually come to learn a tad bit of the Quoosalk language as well as very decent Teterayuh language. The Spanish is there with no explanation or translation (because why would it be for those characters?) but still understandable through context. The way the Teterayuh language was built was kind of cool. Given the genderless nature of the Quoosalk, I also loved how Estrella called Yin her Abuele - not Abuelo or Abuela - and the neutral pronouns consistently used for them.

I totally missed the tidbit in the author's note about there being a glossary in the back of the book and didn't realize it was there until like 70% of the way through. It's definitely nice to have but you can absolutely make it through without. It also added to the immersion of the story because the Estrella wouldn't have any clue what the words mean until she's learning them - and they're slowly explained as they learn or discernible from context.

I am really hoping Rowan Merrick continues this as a series.
Profile Image for Chey.
1,494 reviews50 followers
February 14, 2023
Their to Crave

Estrella is trying to figure out her life after her abusive marriage, when she and her brother are kidnapped by aliens. Now, she and other creatures she has met must band together and figure out how to survive.

There is quite a bit of representation throughout this book, with the main FMC being Latina and heavy set, some LGBTQ+ representation, and also showcases DV survival in a realistic yet positive way. Estrella has had a rough time and finds herself in a less than ideal situation that turns into a more pleasant one. She meets a few different characters that she connects with on an intimate level, and builds relationships with. The spice was there and while it's not the spicest book there is, it does have quote a few decent scenes.

The language barrier was something that the characters had to overcome and while that was a good and realistic addition, it also made for a more difficult read. We have a mix of English, Spanish and alien language that are all mixed together and weren't cohesive. I would have liked for there to be some sort of index of alien verbiage in the back of the book so you could at least look up what was being said at points. The dialogue also could have used more work, as the characters all felt stagnant and robotic when they spoke.

Overall rating
3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
2 🌶 🌶
Profile Image for Summer.
385 reviews
February 12, 2023
Honest ARC review: Wow this book is going to be going through my mind for awhile I can tell. This was such a complex and dynamic book that gives you so much but wasn’t overwhelming. Ok so I am in love with these characters! We have our main characters but also a big group of side characters that are very active in the plot. This is a story about strangers who get stuck in a very scary situation and end up becoming a family. Each character is so unique and I am excited for all of their stories. The world building in this book was so perfect. It wasn’t overwhelming and it actually helped paint the picture of the world. The cultures in this story were so fascinating and helped shape the story. I could probably do a whole review on Estrella herself because she really is the star of this book. She is hella sassy, fat and proud, confident, full of personality, but also deals with a lot of trauma. She is so unbelievably strong and has such a bright personality that I want to be real life friends with her. This sci-fi romance had action, world building, amazing plot, hot spicy scenes, character growth, found family, cultural differences, overcoming trauma, and was just an overall great story.
Profile Image for S.
Author 11 books20 followers
February 11, 2023
Alien Corn Has No Right To Be This Good!

Too many things I could title this review.
“A slow kindling to a ducking bonfire” was my runner up.

Not the point!
No!
The point is Theirs to Crave is top of my list of Alien Romance.
Nothing can compare to it. Not that I’ve read in the past, and I doubt I will read in the future (unless it’s more by Rowan).

We’ve got a redunculously well thought out world, with multiple languages, NOT ALL HUMAN.
A badbooty leading lady that’s had previous ✨Character Development✨only to score EVEN MORE.
All the characters feel real, and I mean ALL of them. Even side characters that pop up a handful of time are given care that bring the reader into the pages.
Dialogue is natural and flows.
The spice is level ten and there is plenty of lead up (this ain’t an insta-love story my dears, more careful insta-lust that progresses into love).
Rowan literally hit all of my “book needs” and did them spectacularly.

Cannot wait for more active cuddling!!

Rowan,
Wall-puncher & Hot-chick will forever engrained in my brain, and I swear to all that is holy you better give Estrella what she wants 😂
With Love,
Sarah
Profile Image for Becca Lynne.
Author 3 books15 followers
May 1, 2023
If you’re looking for queer, femme, body positivity & ACCURATE bdsm & polyam representation, look no further than 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝑪𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒆 by @rowanmerrickwrites.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

I was an alpha reader as Rowan was writing this amazing aliens romance novel! Estrella & her now found family are abducted by aliens & wind up on the planet Dolduna.

Its a wonderful slow burn 🔥 with an amazing amount of 🌶️ but it goes beyond just spice. There’s building of relationships, figuring out how to cohabitate with a language barrier & coping with trauma in healthy manners.

Rowan takes such great care with writing CW at the beginning of each chapter so that you can make sure your mental health stays in tact. Even the (potentially) triggering scenes are written with such love.

Definitely a must read for sci-fi, monster romance lovers 🖤
Profile Image for Mari.
155 reviews4 followers
October 31, 2023
Positives: the characters and the relationships. I love a good poly romance, it was lovely! I also liked the first part of the book with the other human characters, I wish there was more of their story after they got to the alien planet.

Negatives: the language barrier was a little too much for me. It was boring having to read a made up language that meant nothing, and I wasn’t up to learning all the new words. There is also a bunch of Spanish, which I was ok with because I know Spanish. But I see how this would be annoying to someone who doesn’t, because there is no translation. Also I wish there was more plot in the second part of the book, more world building and tribe dynamics with the new planet.
Profile Image for Sofia.
412 reviews5 followers
March 5, 2023
3.5 stars. I found the story fine, the steam was def steamy just not really my personal taste in some spots. It’s not that I took issue with the fmcs kinks, cause to each their own, but the internal dialogue was a bit much for me.
I don’t know if I just didn’t particularly feel invested in the feelings between the fmc and the consorts. I did love that it was Ffmm. The anatomy of the trio is neat. But all in all, I felt like something fell flat. Which kills me cause I LOVED tentacles and teeth. I’ll still read whatever comes next from the author in case this particular story didn’t captivate me as much.
Profile Image for Well Read Nurse.
592 reviews238 followers
Read
February 27, 2023
If you need a guide on how to WRITE DIFFERENT sex scenes, this is it right here!!!

The slow burn is so worth it. Li and Estrella scenes have me SCREAMING!

Each relationship inside of the why choose is delicious in its own way.


There is DV, SA, unaliving, child loss, ptsd, blood play,
92 reviews
December 20, 2023
You know when something feels like 🌶 but is not... this book is like that. The real 🌶 comes 80% into the book. Overall, it is an interesting story.
Profile Image for Amanda Johnston.
23 reviews7 followers
February 8, 2023
🥰ARC Reader 🥰

Overall: 4.5/5
Spice 🌶️: 4/5
Angst 🖤: 3/5
Slow Burn 🔥: Definitely

Honestly, Rowan Merrick could make anything sexy, interesting, and consensual. She could write a story about lazy boy recliners and I know I’d walk away thinking… am I attracted to this?

Theirs To Crave is a slow burn alien romance! It burns slowwwww. There is lots of pining and a little miscommunication but it’s the miscommunication that makes sense and isn’t fabricated tension. It feels real.

The world she builds is so interesting and beautiful. The aliens are hot and there are MULTIPLE species with fancy 🍆 AND 🐱!!! It’s spicy, consensual, and beautifully written. I only took off half a star because I’m a spice slut and I felt like I got edged for half this book. So if you love slow burn, this book is for you!
Profile Image for Kendra Way.
106 reviews
March 13, 2023
I downloaded this to my kindle on a whim as it was suggested after another book I grabbed and this was honestly so good! I had 0 expectations, didn’t even know what it was about and I really enjoyed it.
I really enjoy the characters and the way the personalities were shown through the different povs, as well as the inclusivity in the book.
There are a couple reasons I am taking off a star, and one is just the beginning. I could be the only one, but there were so many characters introduced in such a short time I can’t recall who’s alien and who’s human. Apart from that, the use of Spanish didn’t bother me except I couldn’t make sense of the translation with the conversation. One translates to “an egg” but had nothing to with the conversation…not sure what happened.
Other than that, I would totally read more about these characters and hope to!
Profile Image for Tally Patton.
343 reviews15 followers
June 7, 2023
More please??? I want an alien kitty polycule!!!

This book checked every box I wanted and every box I didn't know I needed:
A sassy, sexy FMC? ✔️
An epic and traumatic alien abduction? ✔️
Buckets of diversity from characters of color to different gender identities? ✔️
A unique and complex society? ✔️
A story of trauma and healing? ✔️
Every kink under the sun? ✔️
A relationship built on friendship and trust? ✔️
Daddy kitty? ✔️
Cuddle puddles? ✔️
A happy ending? ✔️

I could wax poetic for hours about this book, and it wouldn't be enough. This book was touching, sexy, and intense. The characters were complex and relatable, with unique personalities and traits. I want more of Estrella, and her cat-like mates, and I want more of the humans and their new lives.
Thank you for such an amazing experience!!!
😻😽
Profile Image for Danielle Mccowen.
363 reviews11 followers
February 15, 2023
I didn't really know what to expect going into this book and I was pleasantly surprised. Theirs to Crave was fantastic. The unique alien world was detailed and Rowan really emersed you in this story. This story was packed full of adventure, funny moments, sexy alien times and acceptance. Not only were the main characters great but so were the side characters which I thought were unique and I really enjoyed that about this book. I loved FMC Estrella who was unapologetically herself in both flaws and confidence. As for the big aliens, Revik (Alpha Dadee), Raffet (healer and cinnamon roll) and Litha (loving, fierce warrior) I absolutely loved them. The MMFF poly relationship was strong and beautiful. The spice of these four 🔥🔥.
Profile Image for Kianna.
577 reviews5 followers
March 1, 2023
I was so lucky to have received an ARC of Theirs to Crave in exchange for an honest review.

Are. You. Kidding. Me. THIS WAS SO MUCH FUN!!! Wow easily in my top five alien romance that I’ve read! This was wild, sexy, fun, and I had the BEST time reading it!!

The characters were absolutely delicious. They were so sweet and I genuinely got teary eyes at certain parts, hot at others, and felt my heart swell like the freakin Grinch at others! What I’m saying is this hook made me feel. I love a book that can take me through the emotional ringer. And seriously alien/monster romances are the best freakin romances, in my opinion.

So, so, so good. I had so much fun, although I’m not surprised because Rowan is freakin amazing, and I absolutely cannot wait to GOBBLE up anything else she writes!
Profile Image for Beauty_bydebrosse.
337 reviews9 followers
January 2, 2024
More like a 4.5 stars. This is my first review of the year!!!! And I’m happy to say I really enjoyed the story. I had no expectations going into it because I’ve never read an alien romance before but this was such a fun and interesting read. I found myself constantly thinking about this book and wanting to know what happened next. I highly recommend if you want to get into alien romance because it was a great start. I loved how funny Estrella’s kin was especially Ria and Shane. I just loved everyone’s dynamic and they felt like real people. The daddee thing towards the end got a little weird but all in all, it was a cute message. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and the smut was amazing. Amazing start to the year!!!!
24 reviews1 follower
March 4, 2023
Awesome!!

I can't even say enough good things about this book. I don't usually read anything sci-fi or with aliens but I was looking for something different and saw this one as a recommendation. The characters are lovely and have depth. It was an incredibly sweet story. The spicy scenes were 🤌 and some of my favorites I've read in a while. The writing in general was just good including all the world building. I really loved this book and will definitely try something else by this author.
Profile Image for Sarah Patterson.
84 reviews
October 19, 2024
I couldn't put it down. So well written. The character development and world building... actually had me crying a FEW times. Like crying crying.

Oh and the 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ was top tier. Yes it takes about 70% of the book to get to it BUT when you do.... OMG🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🥵.

I cannot tell a lie. I became quite sad the closer I got to the end because I didn't want it to end. I took an extra day to finish just to delay the inevitable...the end.😭😭😭

Count me among the many that are impatiently waiting for Part Deux. It can't get here soon enough.💓💓💓
Profile Image for Jenna Lopez.
450 reviews3 followers
February 14, 2023
🔥🔥🔥

I absolutely loved this book so much! The beginning was hard to read only because of the language gap between the aliens and the humans but once I got the hang of it I was absolutely hooked! The spice was absolutely out of this world and the love and connection between her and her mates was so beautiful to read and imagine.
Profile Image for R.A. Alyse.
Author 16 books139 followers
February 20, 2023
I didn’t sleep

It’s been a long time since a book kept me up to finish it. Each time I thought I was okay to stop and go to bed, I just wanted to keep reading. Then it was 4:30am…

I fully blame Rowan for my 2 hours of sleep on a workday 😂

This book was really well written and I loved the characters!
Profile Image for Sam.
39 reviews
June 17, 2023
This book was written beautifully.The different languages once you got used to it flowed flawlessly. I love that while not knowing enough of the language that there was still open communication and that the book wasn't just filled with the miscommunication trope. I laughed and even teared up a little with this book. I can't wait for more from this series!
47 reviews1 follower
February 25, 2023
definitely recommend

It has some dark moments but I really enjoyed the story and the characters. I loved that the twins had each other to lean on which is unique in most alien romance. Will definitely be reading the next one.
Profile Image for Nayeli Gonzalez .
444 reviews
March 10, 2024
This book is a delicious, why choose, monster alien romance. I ate it up and I’m now addicted. The Audio is so good. I definitely recommend it. We have some spanish words which I absolutely love hearing my culture in this book. Tortillas are my addiction. I felt so connected to the FMC and she’s a plus size just like me. I absolutely loved this audiobook. This is a dual narrative which the narrators did an amazing job. I love hearing Blanca Frappier. She has a beautiful voice and I’m her biggest fan. Her Spanish is perfect. P.J. Freebourn also has a very sexy beautiful voice. Which I’m now obsessed with.
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