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The Improbability of Love
The Improbability of Love: A novel | Hannah Rothschild
Wickedly funny, this totally engaging, richly observed first novel by Hannah Rothschild is a tour de force. Its sweeping narrative and cast of wildly colorful characters takes you behind the scenes of a London auction house, into the secret operations of a powerful art dealer, to a flamboyant eighteenth-century-style dinner party, and into a modest living room in Berlin, among many other unexpected settings. In The Improbability of Love we meet Annie McDee, thirty-one, who is working as a chef for two rather sinister art dealers. Recovering from the end of a long-term relationship, she is searching in a neglected secondhand shop for a birthday present for her unsuitable new lover. Hidden behind a rubber plant on top of a file cabinet, a grimy painting catches her eye. After spending her meager savings on the picture, Annie prepares an elaborate birthday dinner for two, only to be stood up. The painting becomes hers, and as it turns out, Annie has stumbled across a lost masterpiece by one of the most important French painters of the eighteenth century. But who painted this masterpiece is not clear at first. Soon Annie finds herself pursued by interested parties who would do anything to possess her picture. For a gloomy, exiled Russian oligarch, an avaricious sheikha, a desperate auctioneer, and an unscrupulous dealer, among others, the painting embodies their greatest hopes and fears. In her search for the paintings identity, Annie will unwittingly uncover some of the darkest secrets of European historyas well as the possibility of falling in love again.Irreverent, witty, bittersweet, The Improbability of Love draws an unforgettable portrait of the London art scene, but it is also an exuberant and unexpected journey through lifes highs and lows and the complexities of love and loss.From the Hardcover edition.
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juliannebenford
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It's been a while, Littens! I hope everyone is doing okay in this weird new world we're living in. To cheer myself up I'm taking part in the #PositiviTeaAndBooks readathon, and starting with this, which I started a few days ago. I'm going to listen while I make sweet potato curry for dinner and drink some apple tea. What are you eating tonight?

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Ottergirl

I was thinking about this book and how it‘s from the POV of a painting, and that I‘ve read a book from the POV of bees. Can anyone recommend books that are from different POV so I can carry on with this collection?

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lynneamch
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". . . others looked to the paintings as beacons of hope because they showed that the human struggle is endless and universal. " Really enjoyed this engaging story of stolen art and family secrets intertwined with amazing descriptions of food created by a struggling young chef caught in the middle of it all. Wikipedia image is of Watteau's "The Love Lesson." #foodiebooks #art #LivingForLove #Movember @Cinfhen

Cinfhen This was a strange read/ I wanted to like it more than I did 😞 5y
33 likes1 comment
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Librarybelle
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Someone recommended this to me awhile ago, so I picked up a copy from Book Outlet, and it‘s on my to read list...

What happens when a painting leads to danger and self discovery? The main character Annie finds out when she discovers a painting in a second hand store. Not a #BadSelfPortrait , but it is a painting that stirs trouble. #NoFemmeber

WanderingBookaneer I enjoyed this one! It was like a bookish soap opera. 6y
Librarybelle @WanderingBookaneer I love that description! 6y
Billypar Interesting concept! ☺️ 6y
Cinfhen Sorry I missed this post... this book had potential but it became like a bad Monty Python zany madcap adventure and totally annoyed me. 6y
86 likes4 comments
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BookBabe
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#BookNDinner! For this hot and humid night: teriyaki shrimp skewers with grilled zucchini and sticky jasmine mango rice. 😁 This has been another production of #MrBookBookBabeKitchen. Happy reads & happy eats!

Dragon That looks so yummy! 😀🐉 6y
Joanne1 It the opposite of hot and humid here but I think that dinner would go down well in any climate. 6y
mabell Looks delicious! 6y
97 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Librarybelle
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Love and the art world come together in this book. It sounds amazing...I‘m anxious to read this! #ibelieveinathingcalledlove #getmovin

Cinfhen I read this one but I remember not being a fan....of course I can‘t remember why🤪 6y
Librarybelle @Cinfhen Haha! If you remember, let me know! Someone I know recommended this to me because they loved it. It‘s interesting to hear the pros and cons of books. 6y
76 likes1 stack add2 comments
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ablachly
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Testing. With cat pictures.

ablachly Puck (the #catsoflitsy pictured) loves the new servers. 7y
27 likes1 comment
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amoody4
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Pickpick

This was a really enjoyable light read about a girl who unknowingly finds a masterpiece in a pawn shop and the events that follow. There's many interesting characters, a little romance, and a crazy twisty plot that keeps the pages turning. Read this one while in Jamaica

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MaureenMc
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Pickpick

I seem to be in the minority, but I loved this satire of the high-dollar art world. The story follows several characters whose lives intersect around the titular painting. The painting itself narrates a few chapters.

mabell Sounds like a fun premise! 7y
31 likes1 comment
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BookBabe
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#BookNDinner! Thanks Hello Fresh for this delicious almost-free meal! Creamy lemon salmon with tomato scallion couscous. So delicious! This has been another production of #MrBookBookBabeKitchen. Happy reads & happy eats!
🥦🍅🥕
If you haven‘t tried Hello Fresh before, use this code for $40 off a box full of delicious dinners!
Code: BOOKWO22
https://www.hellofresh.com/?c=BOOKWO22&utm_source=raf-share&utm_campaign=share-s...

batsy Yum, salmon and couscous. That looks great! 7y
ApoptyGina69 Oooo, the big-sized Israeli couscous. Nice. 👍 7y
BookBabe @batsy @ApoptyGina69 😋 So yummy! This was my first time making couscous. I am a fan!! 🙌🏻 7y
95 likes3 comments
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BookBabe
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#BookNDinner! Angus cheeseburger with provolone and all the fixins, topped with dill relish and fresh diced garlic, alongside extra crispy tater tots. Yum! 😋This has been another presentation of: #MrBookBookBabeKitchen. Happy reads & happy eats!

GatheringBooks now i‘m craving for a burger. boohoo. :( 7y
RadicalReader @BookBabe I love having water with dinner such a wonderful beverage choice absolutely delicious 7y
94 likes2 comments
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MaureenMc
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At the library today, I took the plunge on one of their blind dates with a book. Two of the teasers were “satirical novel” and “art dealers.” Has anyone read this? #blinddatewithabook

28 likes1 stack add
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vamp
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CatGV Dear... What is that beautiful language I keep seeing on your account? O.O 7y
vamp @CatGV Croation language:) 7y
CatGV @Vedrana Aw, that explains it! I have wanted to learn Croatian for years now and I am still wondering if I should. I am a polyglot and a die-hard language passionate. :) Thanks for your reply, dear! 7y
vamp @CATGV super if I can help here i am:) 7y
18 likes4 comments
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charl08
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Taken ages to warm up to this one, but I think 200 pages in, it's finally clicked...

RidgewayGirl I hope you end up like it more than I did. It would be hard to like it less! 7y
charl08 I don't really see why it got shortlisted, but overall, ok. I am Determined to be positive about at least one book for book group... 7y
32 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Booksnchill
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My #SundayMorningMug and #SundayMorningArtRead packed for #PleinAirPainting today trying to beat the heat by getting out early. This book is about an art auction of the titular painting and a satire of that world (I think- just a few pages in so far).

TheLibrarian I like your mug! 7y
Booksnchill That mug has fans! I got it at the Frist Center for the Arts and wish I had gotten more than one!💀 7y
Cathythoughts ❤️❤️❤️ 7y
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BarbaraBB Plein air painting? How cool! 7y
Redwritinghood Lovely watercolor! 7y
Booksnchill @Redwritinghood Thanks so much! 7y
66 likes7 comments
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CaramelLunacy
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I am enjoying the art themed suppers, but could do without the chapters from the self-absorbed bratty painting's point of view.

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beccaeve
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Belated #BookOutlet #bookhaul! This was my first time ordering from Book Outlet. I'm hooked! The prices beat most used book prices!

swishandflick Pretty stack!! 7y
ferskner What a great bunch of books! 7y
RealBooks4ever Nice stack! 😻 7y
CrowCAH Sooo pretty!!! 😍 7y
39 likes4 comments
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dawnsworldblog
Mehso-so

This book was okay, parts of it were great but for me there was too many interweaving stories and I felt it got a little unbelievable towards the end. I'm glad I finished it but it wasn't a favourite.

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Jen_Reads
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Cinfhen
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Mehso-so

I'm surprised that this debut made the Baileys Longlist (2015? 16?) While the premise is good the execution was a bit Return of the Pink Panther( think zany screwball 1970's caper) It just didn't work for me?‍♀️ I like that the painting was a "character" & that fulfilled my #popsugarchallenge (non human perspective) box,so props for that! I did enjoy the #FoodieFiction aspect but overall meh 2/5 ?

TrishB Great review - which coupled with the blurb means I'm not reading this 😀 7y
KarenUK Nice Review 👍and Oh no! I was looking forward to this one... 7y
Reviewsbylola Definitely not for me, although it sounds interesting. 7y
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saresmoore Oof. My husband has made me sit through too many Pink Panther (and similarly zany) films. This would drive me crazy, too! (edited) 7y
Megabooks This was a bail for me. I skipped to the end. The painting talking was really weird! 7y
Redwritinghood I had similar feelings about this one. Just mediocre at best. 7y
Cinfhen Yeah, this was a dud 😖 @Redwritinghood @Booksandcooks @saresmoore @Reviewsbylola @KarenUK @TrishB I might check out the author again though..she showed some signs of promise 7y
WanderingBookaneer This goes to show how diverse tastes really are. I enjoyed the 70's caper aspect. I also enjoyed the hints of a thriller sprinkled throughout, but I agree about the ending. I hope the other books I sent fare better. 7y
WanderingBookaneer Also, I listened to the audiobook. Maybe that made a difference. 7y
Cinfhen Thanks @WanderingBookaneer I'm still glad I got a chance to read this one, it was on my TBR....And the other two books were AWESOME 😍lots of feels and tons of love~ so 2/3 is excellent👍🏻how you liking the blue hair??? I think it's hot🔥🔥🔥🔥 7y
WanderingBookaneer Phew! I'm glad you loved the other two. Blue hair is amazing. Great for morale. Strangers stop me to say they love it. 7y
108 likes1 stack add11 comments
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Cinfhen
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Next up! Thanks @WanderingBookaneer I'm looking forward to reading this book and it will check off a box for #PopSugarReadingChallenge

shawnmooney I'd wager that it's also improbable that you'll bail. 😘 7y
Cinfhen I'm liking it so far @shawnmooney 😜 7y
Dragon Sounds good 👍adding it to the stack 😀 7y
120 likes7 stack adds3 comments
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rachelwill
Pickpick

Book 10: Another story of rich Russians and 'quirky' women in book/art/antique (delete as appropriate) shops... I'm having 'Gorsky' flashbacks. Not a good thing.

Thankfully after a rocky start, Rothschild brings it back by refocusing on art and food - an unlikely combination but one that lends itself to wonderful descriptive passages that help round out the 'mystery' as it unfolds, with a well thought out twist in the final third of the book.

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Cinfhen
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EEEEEEEE, my valentine gift was wayyyyyyy better than I could ever have hoped 💘💘💘 @WanderingBookaneer
Everything was wrapped beautifully and each book had a personalized card with why the book was chosen! The tote is awesome as are the books and adorable pins!!!!! You made my day 💛🌞😄Thanks to @BookishMarginalia for once again bringing bookish joy to this Litten 😘😘😘Have a wonderful day everyone 💖💖💖#cupidgoespostal #IloveMyBooks

LeahBergen Ooo, nice!! 💗💗 8y
shawnmooney ❤❤❤ 8y
LauraJ Lovely and very holiday appropriate! 8y
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Graciouswarriorprincess Awesome!❤💕 8y
Cinfhen I know @Graciouswarriorprincess @LauraJ @shawnmooney @LeahBergen Life is good 😊 and I have @WanderingBookaneer and the rest of you to thank 😘😘 8y
ValerieAndBooks 💖💖💖 8y
Reviewsbylola Very thoughtful. 😍 8y
BookishMarginalia Glad you loved the gifts! 8y
151 likes8 comments
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KimmyM
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New books! 📚📚📚💗💗💗

#nicestack #bookmail

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CoffeeAndABook
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I'm thoroughly enjoying this book! It's an enthralling & entertaining story written out thoughtfully. There are good moments of humor, deeper insights & all sorts of interesting, believable and wonderfully flawed characters.

Ahhh.... this is the best way to kick off the weekend - some quiet time with only my book, my coffee, good music and me 😊📚☕️like a bee in clover 🍯🐝

WanderingBookaneer It's almost like a soap opera. I liken it to a Liane Moriarty book because of the supporting players and the drama they add. 8y
CoffeeAndABook @WanderingBookaneer Aha!! So I'll have to give Moriarty a try 😉 Yeah I can see what you mean with it being like a soap opera. I find it far more entertaining than I anticipated! 8y
36 likes4 comments
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MrBook
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#TBRtemptation post! I'm just chockful of these today. Can you handle it 😜?! Romance and historical intrigue blend themselves into London's modern-day art world, with events swirling around Annie & the eponymous long-lost masterpiece she stumbles upon that everyone must have. Meet Russian oligarchs, Sheikhs, auctioneers to the elite, and the normal girl just looking for love. I can dig this. Can you? #blameLitsy #blameMrBook 😎

106 likes11 stack adds
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CoffeeAndABook
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New book I started this morning 🦋☕️📚👏

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deefig
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Pickpick

Holiday book club meeting...
We really enjoyed this book and the overall grade was an A.

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Librarybelle
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Heard good things from co-workers about this book!

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ladypontisbright
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Pickpick

I was expecting something lighter than this. I had stalked it from hardback into paperback, confident from a book tuber review. The beginning had so much patriarchy--men critiquing and leering at the protagonist, men objectifying female employees--which was not the escape I needed from Trump's most recent comments. That being said, the plot twist picked up the tempo considerably and was done thoughtfully

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WanderingBookaneer
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Pickpick

There are 📚 you are just drawn to w/o explanation. It was like that for me when I 👀 this tome. Expecting a light, fluffy romance—a palate cleanser between heavier tomes— I found 🎶 of a thriller that sometimes lurked & other times hovered over what would otherwise have been an unmemorable read. Approaching the climax I found myself unable to put it ⬇️ And while the loose ends were tidied up neatly and succinctly, I enjoyed the book's denouement.

60 likes8 stack adds
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WanderingBookaneer
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LindsayReads Allllll the tiiiiiiiiiime 8y
Shemac77 All the time! 8y
MeganAnn Absolutely!! And if there is a strong accent, sometimes I start thinking in that accent in my head... 😳 8y
See All 8 Comments
Notafraidofwords Austen did this to me. I would shake my head and say, wait where am I? 8y
Hobbinol It dost happen here as well.😉 8y
NCNY If someone winks in a book, I always wink too. 😉 8y
BookishMarginalia I do it too! 8y
52 likes8 comments
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WanderingBookaneer
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gibblr 😂😂 8y
Cinfhen Ha, love this❣ 8y
BookishFeminist 😂😂😂 8y
79 likes3 comments
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WanderingBookaneer
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Started this audiobook today. Love this cover!

CoffeeAndABook Oh can't wait to hear what you're going to report about it. It's on my shortlist for my upcoming vacation & I take my holiday picks very seriously - ridiculously so, but why shouldn't I? It's prime reading time!! 😉🎈 8y
58 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Clare_Riley
Mehso-so

I genuinely struggled to read this. I found it all too easy to put it down and get on with my studying (unheard of!!). It was funny in places, and poked fun at the establishment (I liked this aspect), but the story really dragged. It's a shame, I had high hopes!

3 likes1 stack add
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Clare_Riley
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On to something very different!

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LaviniaG
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Halfway through it and loving it.

1 like1 stack add
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LaviniaG

Halfway through it and loving it.

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SealedWithInk
Pickpick

**** stars. A lovely blend of romance and satire, with a touch of humour. It features a great cast of characters that won't be forgotten anytime soon.

7 likes2 stack adds
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SealedWithInk
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One of my favourite mugs :D

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SealedWithInk
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"She did not want to be part of a profession where art and money had become inextricably linked, where spirituality and beauty were mere footnotes".

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SealedWithInk
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1 like1 stack add
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Apinlibraryland
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Anyone read this yet? Sounds fantastic!

MrBook Nope. But your feline is cute 😸👍🏻. 8y
2 likes1 comment
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Mairi
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Next read

1 like1 stack add
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Rlweasley
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This large, serious adult novel about art references my favorite movie of all time - Galaxy Quest!

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Rlweasley
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I'm not sure which one I'm enjoying more.

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Libraryfines
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Mehso-so

Enjoying this so far.

3 likes1 stack add
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Librarylady
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Spending my night absorbed in The Improbability of Love by Hannah Rothschild.

3 likes2 stack adds