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Penny is thrilled to make the 79-mile drive to Austin, Texas, where she’s about to begin her freshman year of college—far away from everything she’s been itching to leave behind. Sam runs a coffee shop near her new campus and lives in the shop’s storage room upstairs. He has plans to become a documentary filmmaker, but first, he has to figure out how to put his past behind him.

When Penny and Sam meet, they swap numbers in case of emergency. But soon they find themselves texting nonstop, growing closer to one another than to the friends they see in real life. But will Penny and Sam’s digital-only relationship be enough to help them through some of the toughest transitions they’ve ever faced?

At first glance, Mary H.K. Choi’s first novel is a lighthearted young adult romance. But dig a little deeper, and her bubbly prose reveals a poignant slice-of-life story built around a diverse group of vulnerable characters dealing with complicated issues. Though the narrative voice feels sprawling and occasionally forced, the character voices crackle as Sam, Penny and their friends relate to each other in a sharp, witty way that readers will recognize and enjoy. Emergency Contact is a bittersweet peek into the lives of two teenagers who come together in the right moment to help each other deal with life’s curveballs.

 

This article was originally published in the April 2018 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Penny is thrilled to make the 79-mile drive to Austin, Texas, where she’s about to begin her freshman year of college—far away from everything she’s been itching to leave behind. Sam runs a coffee shop near her new campus and lives in the shop’s storage room upstairs. He has plans to become a documentary filmmaker, but first, he has to figure out how to put his past behind him.

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Sibling rivalry looms over an unexpected romance in Want You, Stacy Finz’s next installment in the Garner Brothers series.

Deb Bennett is in a fiscal dilemma and seeks the savvy expertise of TJ Garner, the CEO of his family-run touring company, Garner Adventure (GA). TJ’s solution is to hire Deb as GA’s retail store executive. TJ has harbored a longtime crush on Deb, even though she’s had a long-running on-and-off relationship with TJ’s youngest brother, Win. But Deb and Win aren’t currently an item, and suddenly Deb finds the idea of getting to know TJ more attractive. It doesn’t take long before romance enters the scene, providing a ray of hope for Deb’s romantic future until unresolved sibling issues interfere. The situation escalates when the company becomes embroiled in a lawsuit, and Deb finds out that she may be out of a job.

Engaging banter and realistic relational tension help Want You stand out from the host of small-town romances. Finz has created four confident, intriguing brothers whose friendly jabbing and straight talk reflect the deep respect they have for one another. They are not without their issues, though, as Finz eventually reveals both TJ and Win have lingering scars from competing against each other as professional skiers. Amid a handful of sudden injuries and business backlashes, Finz balances tense moments with charming family scenes and the sweet, mature relationship between Deb and TJ. Want You is another satisfying story in Finz’s warm-and-fuzzy romance series.

Sibling rivalry looms over an unexpected romance in Want You, Stacy Finz’s next installment in the Garner Brothers series.

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Meredith Duran delivers an emotional love story of reconciliation and healing in her return to the Rules for the Reckless series.

The Sins of Lord Lockwood begins with a whirlwind romance between the charming William “Liam” Devaliant and Anna Wallace, a confident and courageous Scottish heiress. Though their marriage is one of convenience, their attraction is palpable, and it’s easy to see that their arrangement would lead to something more, if not for a dreadful tragedy.

Following their wedding, Liam goes missing, and Anna’s heart breaks at the thought that her new husband has abandoned her and that she’s misinterpreted their chemistry all along. In reality, he was kidnapped, imprisoned and sent to a penal colony. It takes nearly four years for the pair to be reunited, and even then, their marriage is fraught with dark and dangerous feelings.

Liam is out for revenge, consumed with his desire to unmask the men responsible for his disappearance. He also suffers from severe PTSD, and trying to rebuild a life with the wife he left behind is a huge uphill battle. Duran doesn’t go into the gritty details of Liam’s imprisonment, instead hinting at the traumas and abuse he endured in well-deployed pricks of memory. Anna has had to live with her feelings of neglect and abandonment for years, as well as the knowledge that she’s been a source for all kinds of gossip. And even after Liam returns, she realizes the man she married may still be lost to her.

Duran is incredibly adept at piecing together each part of Liam and Anna’s relationship, flashing back to pivotal moments throughout The Sins of Lord Lockwood. We see their courtship and flirtation, the pain their separation causes both of them, and how much their time apart has changed them. Liam worries he has no room in his heart for love when he’s so fueled by anger. He’s very much a wounded animal, so unlike the charismatic lord Anna married. Tears will be shed over how desperately Anna wants to convey to Liam that she’s there for him, despite how much his shame makes him push her away.

The romance is hard won but worth it. Seeing Liam and Anna fight tooth and nail for one another is exactly what makes a happily ever after so satisfying. It’s raw. It’s real. And honestly, it’s easy to feel jealous of Liam. Anyone would be lucky to have Anna and her perseverance for the people she loves most.

The Sins of Lord Lockwood is a book that readers will adore, even as their hearts are being put through the wringer. Trust me, it hurts so good.

Meredith Duran delivers an emotional love story of reconciliation and healing in her return to the Rules for the Reckless series.

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Jennifer Gracen concludes her sizzling Harrisons series with a bombshell of a surprise—a secret Harrison! Miami cop Nick Martell thought it was sheer chance when he matched as a bone marrow donor for Myles Harrison, the 12-year-old grandson of the fabulously wealthy Charles Harrison II. But when Nick tells his family, he learns the dark truth. Years ago, his mother was the Harrisons’ housekeeper. An affair with Charles led to pregnancy, but her fear of the harsh, controlling family patriarch made her run. She begs Nick to protect himself by avoiding the Long Island clan, but he can’t live with himself if he lets down a child in need.

As Myles’ private nurse, Amanda Kozlov is grateful to Nick, whose donation offers the child a chance of recovery, and the chemistry between them is immediate, electric and dangerous. Nick has an entire life back in Miami, and his connections in Long Island are strained as the family adjusts to his revelation. The smart choice for Amanda would be to keep her distance, but surely a steamy fling won’t be too much of a risk.

Nick is worlds away from the other Harrison men, having grown up with none of their wealth or privilege. But that doesn’t make him any less of a force to be reckoned with. Strong, capable and bulldog-determined, he refuses to back down or lose sight of his reason for entering the Harrisons’ lives. That inner steel is what makes down-to-earth, straight-talking Amanda such a perfect match for him. She’s there to support and encourage him when the cyclone of problems around him gets overwhelming, but she’ll also go toe-to-toe with him and force him to acknowledge when he crosses a line. When she deserves an apology, she demands one—and he gives it. They’re both too smart and too self-assured to treat each other as anything other than equals, in bed and out of it.

While the heat between the characters is enticing, It Might Be You’s emotional depth really captures the reader. Amanda and Nick feel so grounded and realistic that it’s impossible not to root for them to find a way to make things work. And the supporting cast of characters surrounding them is terrific, engaging and fun. Genuinely sweet relationships develop over the course of the story, with the connection between Myles and Nick being especially heartwarming. It Might Be You’s happy ending—for Amanda and Nick, and for the whole Harrison clan—is well earned and wonderfully satisfying.

Jennifer Gracen concludes her sizzling Harrisons series with a bombshell of a surprise—a secret Harrison! Miami cop Nick Martell thought it was sheer chance when he matched as a bone marrow donor for Myles Harrison, grandson of the fabulously wealthy Charles Harrison II. But when Nick tells his family, he learns the dark truth. Years ago, his mother was the Harrisons’ housekeeper. An affair with Charles led to pregnancy, but her fear of the harsh, controlling family patriarch made her run. She begs Nick to protect himself by avoiding the Long Island clan, but he can’t live with himself if he lets down a child in need.

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Tessa Bailey returns to her Academy series with a bang in Indecent Exposure, which features a charming police trainee who can’t resist his firearms instructor’s Irish lilt.

Jack Garrett is on his way to becoming a police officer. It’s not out of duty or family history; he’s just looking for a little job security. But the charming playboy finds himself slightly over his head when he realizes the woman he had a hot make-out session with the night before is now his new firearms teacher.

Katie McCoy knows her way around a gun. She’s a master markswoman and an Olympic gold medalist to boot. Plus, her charming Irish accent has everyone taking notice. However, the last thing she needs is to start a no-strings-attached fling with her new trainee. With Jack, though, nothing goes as planned, and resistance seems to be futile.

Jack is a welcome surprise as a hero. He’s the comedic relief of his friend group and likes to keep things light and fun. It’s no secret that Jack is also quite popular with the ladies, but he has an inner depth he tries to hide. He’s OK with being used for a little “release” and being the guy people can count on for a good time. But Katie sees something more in him than just eye candy, and for someone to want Jack for more than just a primal, superficial attraction is surprisingly satisfying. This realization that he’s more than just a hot bod is incredibly sweet.

With her Olympic background and intense training, Katie is obviously a unique heroine. She’s driven, outspoken and intimidating. It’s impossible not to love her. When paired with Jack, her honesty frequently puts the sweet-talker off his game, and to see him get frazzled by her openness feels like an exciting victory for the reader. Jack uses his humor as a shield, and Katie has no problem breaking down those walls with her earnest compassion.

When you read a book by Bailey, there are two things you can always count on: sexy, rapid-fire dialogue and scorching love scenes. Indecent Exposure delivers on both fronts and is a delightful reminder of why Bailey is a favorite author for many romance readers. Though there are moments of seriousness, especially when it comes to Jack’s guarded behavior and his past, this book is just wickedly fun.

After finishing the book, the biggest complaint from readers will be that they want more. More Jack. More Katie. And definitely more from the Academy. Hopefully, Bailey won’t make us wait too long.

Tessa Bailey returns to her Academy series with a bang in Indecent Exposure, which features a charming police trainee who can’t resist his firearms instructor’s Irish lilt.

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A woman’s mysterious new job leads to unimaginable challenges, especially when she’s faced with an infamous yet very irresistible man.

Julie Hughes’ first day as a nurse for the de Vincent household does not fare well when she recognizes Lucian, the youngest of the three male siblings, as the guy she hooked up with the night before. It only gets worse when she learns that the family manor is haunted. A spine-chilling scenario sends Lucian to her rescue and provides an opportunity for them to make amends and start anew. The two find themselves falling in love, but whether or not their relationship will survive a flurry of disturbing events remains to be seen.

The first novel of the de Vincent series, Moonlight Sins dances between four genres—thriller, mystery, paranormal and romance—with aplomb. Jennifer L. Armentrout’s prose drips with romantic tension, and well-crafted erotic scenes spark within a narrative shrouded in mystery and replete with unsettling preternatural elements.

Armentrout’s dialogue is engaging throughout—fun and flirty between her main pair, and guarded and sarcastic between the more evasive and mysterious de Vincent family members. In a book full of cliffhangers, unexpected scenarios and red herrings, Armentrout’s realistic interactions between characters ground the story.

While Moonlight Sins closes on a solid note, there are many unanswered questions, which means readers have plenty to look forward to in subsequent installments.

A woman’s mysterious new job leads to unimaginable challenges, especially when she’s faced with an infamous yet very irresistible man.

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A Devil in Scotland is the satisfying conclusion to Suzanne Enoch’s No Ordinary Hero series. Once upon a time in 19th-century Scotland, in a drunken rage, Callum MacCreath destroyed his relationships with his brother, Ian, and his best friend, Rebecca. Upon discovering they were about to become engaged, Callum demanded she marry him instead and ranted about the dangers of the partnership Ian was about to enter with Rebecca’s father. Rebecca firmly refused him, and his beloved brother ordered Callum to leave and never come back.

Callum spent the past 10 years growing up and building a business in America. But when he learns that his brother has drowned under mysterious circumstances, he ends his exile. Callum realizes now that Ian was justified in banishing him, but he also knows he wasn’t wrong about everything he spewed the last time he saw his brother. He returns to Scotland with a heart bent on revenge. And if those old feelings for Becca are still there, well, he’ll work around them.

Marrying Ian was the smart and practical thing to do, but in Becca’s weaker moments, she still remembers the feelings she once harbored for his younger brother. She has just begun to emerge from mourning not only Ian’s death but also her father’s. Then Callum, whom she believed to have died during the past decade, appears on her doorstep to take his rightful place as the new Lord Geiry. He’s steadier—and stronger—than the wild and reckless boy she remembers. Yet he still inspires the same sneaky fire in her heart that he did as an 18-year-old. But can he give up his thirst for revenge?

Enoch always displays a deft touch with family relationships, and A Devil in Scotland is no exception. The details of how Rebecca’s properties and inheritance are handled are particularly insightful. Enoch’s characters leap from the page, especially Callum, who evolves from a man willing to die for justice to a true hero who seeks a solution that won’t leave mayhem in his wake.

Callum and Rebecca grab the reader’s heart in this rich, sexy and nuanced tale of love and intrigue.

A Devil in Scotland is the satisfying conclusion to Suzanne Enoch’s No Ordinary Hero series. Once upon a time in 19th-century Scotland, in a drunken rage, Callum MacCreath destroyed his relationships with his brother, Ian, and his best friend, Rebecca. Upon discovering they were about to become engaged, Callum demanded she marry him instead and ranted about the dangers of the partnership Ian was about to enter with Rebecca’s father. Rebecca firmly refused him, and his beloved brother ordered Callum to leave and never come back.

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Mix medieval romance with present-day Texas teens, and you have a recipe for a romance that sparkles with acceptance and a keen insight into what defines a person in a relationship.

Lily, who’s been diagnosed with ADHD, gets in trouble for breaking a sliding wall between classrooms. Abelard, a boy on the autism spectrum, was on the other side of the wall and also gets in trouble. As they await their punishments, Lily impulsively kisses Abelard. Simultaneously horrified and pleased, the teens awkwardly navigate that event.

Before long, shy Abelard texts Lily, but they aren’t ordinary texts. He confidently uses sentences taken from The Letters of Abelard and Heloise, the actual medieval love letters written between the two legendary figures. Lily’s father taught her to read using those letters, and Lily soon recognizes the source of Abelard’s words. She is smitten.

Because Abelard is sensitive to being touched, the teens learn how to pilot these unchartered waters of kissing and other physical manifestations of love. To further complicate the budding relationship, Lily is determined to live on the West Coast with her father for the summer, and maybe permanently, while Abelard has a chance to attend a faraway, prestigious school for autistic youth.

Laura Creedle’s The Love Letters of Abelard and Lily gives discerning insights into a romance that isn’t textbook perfect, and will challenge readers to look at love anew, especially when supplemented by the medieval tale of love that still stands the test of time.

Mix medieval romance with present-day Texas teens, and you have a recipe for a romance that sparkles with acceptance and a keen insight into what defines a person in a relationship.

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J.R. Ward returns to her beloved Black Dagger Brotherhood with Blood Fury, the third book in the spinoff Black Dagger Legacy series. This riveting novel features two powerful parallel storylines. The first involves Novo, a survivor of painful family betrayal, and Peyton, an aristocratic vampire whose own personal history is strewn with bad choices. As Black Dagger Brotherhood trainees, Novo and Peyton share classes, workouts, hand-to-hand combat practice and dangerous, sometimes bloody field exercises. Despite Novo’s hard-edged persona and snarky comments, Peyton can’t deny he’s drawn to her. Novo shares his attraction, but she locks down her emotions due to her belief that he is in love with someone else. All that changes, however, when the dangerous nature of their work forces both to confront their feelings. Faced with the very real possibility of losing Novo forever, Peyton must make hard choices about himself and the world he lives in. Given both Novo’s and Peyton’s dysfunctional childhoods, however, the road to happy ever after is not a simple one.

Interwoven with Novo and Peyton’s journey is that of Saxton, legal counsel to the King, and Ruhn, a commoner of unparalleled honor. Saxton and Ruhn have wildly different backgrounds and life experiences, but when they are assigned to work on the same project, they realize fate has brought them together. Both are wary of falling in love due to past hurts and they’re cautious about the feelings that swamp them. Just as a future together looks bright, their dangerous assignment turns life-threatening. If Saxton loses Ruhn, he’ll lose much more than a lover. He’ll lose the other half of himself. Will the fate that brought them together now cruelly tear them apart?

Fans of the Brotherhood series have long anticipated the pairing of these two couples, and the novel doesn’t disappoint. The brilliantly developed world of the Brotherhood, nail-biting action and lots of steamy sexual tension make Blood Fury a stellar read.

 

Lois Dyer writes from her home in Port Orchard, Washington.

J.R. Ward returns to her beloved Black Dagger Brotherhood with Blood Fury, the third book in the spinoff Black Dagger Legacy series.

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Love strikes amid the unexpected in Earl Interrupted, the second novel of Amanda Forester’s Daring Marriages duology.

The Earl of Darington and Emma St. James meet through a most unusual set of circumstances: He is kidnapped by mysterious ruffians and Emma risks her life to save his, forcing the two strangers to go on the run together. Dare, who goes by Captain Robert Ashton among privateers and pirates, wonders if these bizarre circumstances have anything to do with his recent windfall at sea. To complicate matters, Dare finds that he is falling hopelessly in love with the beautiful, strong-willed and innocent Emma, who claims to be engaged to a stranger in America. Dare endeavors to win her regardless, until he learns the truth behind his father’s death, the details of which could prevent him from marrying altogether.

Plenty of emotional and sexual tension is woven into this riveting tale of destiny. Earl Interrupted focuses on Dare’s perspective on love and life (as opposed to its companion read, If the Earl Only Knew, which presents the romantic tale of Kate, Dare’s twin sister). Dare may be of noble blood, but his life is riddled with hardship—something that he and Emma have in common. Earl Interrupted is replete with a continual string of twists, turns and lighthearted yet steamy sexual moments.

Love strikes amid the unexpected in Earl Interrupted, the second novel of Amanda Forester’s Daring Marriages duology.

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Miranda Gabriel is back in Blue Moon Harbor, the town she fled after dropping out of high school. It’s the last place she ever expected to return to, but she has a 2-year-old daughter who deserves better than what Miranda has been able to give her so far. So Miranda returns to the tiny town and to her brother, Aaron, the only person she unequivocally knows she can count on. Once back in Blue Moon Harbor, Miranda discovers she’s inheriting Aaron’s new fiancée’s family right along with him. Miranda and Aaron were given short shrift in the functional family department, so she doesn’t have the first idea how to interact with her new family-in-law. She doesn’t plan to stick around very long, anyhow. She just needs to get back on her feet, then she’s returning to Vancouver where she belongs.

Local veterinarian Luke Chandler is a lifelong resident of Blue Moon Harbor. He married his high school sweetheart, and they planned to grow old together. But the day their twin boys were born, he lost the love of his life, and he’s been raising his sons on his own these past four years. Then one day, he walks into the local toy store and runs into the no-longer-Goth, grown-up version of the girl who fascinated him back in high school. Luke decides on the spot that maybe the time is finally right for him to get to know another woman. Miranda is a harder sell, but Luke perseveres until she agrees to meet him for a cup of coffee. And little by little thereafter, Miranda is drawn deeper into his orbit.

Susan Fox pens a page-turner of second chances and self-discovery in the second book of her Blue Moon Harbor series. Too many books hinge on a problem that one good conversation would resolve, but Miranda and Luke are excellent communicators who actually discuss the problems separating them, even as their individual issues threaten to keep them from getting their hearts’ desires. Their gratifying struggle will keep you turning the pages of Come Home with Me far into the early hours of the morning to learn how they ultimately score their happily ever after.

Susan Fox pens a page-turner of second chances and self-discovery in the second book of her Blue Moon Harbor series.

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A Scottish hero gets more than he bargained for when he promises to take care of his friend’s daughter in Amy Jarecki’s return to the Lords of the Highlands series.

Handsome, broad-shouldered Captain Reid MacKenzie is no stranger to adventure. It’s during a fearsome battle on the high seas that he gives his solemn vow to protect and see to the safety of Nicholas Kinnet’s daughter, Audrey. Reid expects Audrey to be a child, a girl that he can easily ship off to some boarding school until she’s of marriageable age. Much to his surprise, Audrey is already of marriageable age. She’s hopelessly shy, but beneath her wallflower exterior is a spitfire of the highest order.

When a strange man shows up on Audrey’s doorstep, giving her news of her father’s death and announcing that she’s now his ward, she thinks the man has gone mad. To make matters worse, he insists that she be married off immediately. However, as Reid’s claim to guardianship proves true, a battle of wills ignites between the two of them. Audrey wants nothing to do with marriage, unless it’s on her own terms. Reid sees marriage as a way of ensuring Audrey’s welfare while getting her out of his hair.

The Highland Guardian is a true gem when it comes to compelling, dynamic characters. Reid’s sense of duty and responsibility is ingrained into everything he does, despite his often brusque manner. Meanwhile, Audrey is the star of the show, possessing a hidden intelligence and finding strength in the face of uncertainty and danger.

Though Reid and Audrey aren’t quite enemies, there is a crackling tension between the two. Audrey isn’t used to having her life upended by some bossy Highlander, however handsome he may be. And as a captain, Reid’s direction isn’t often questioned. He sets upon finding suitors for Audrey, insisting on taking her to various events and balls, despite Audrey’s hatred of being put on display. She’s also a dreadfully terrible dancer.

When Wagner Tupps stakes a claim for Audrey’s hand in marriage, Reid senses that something isn’t quite right. He refuses, igniting Wagner’s thirst for revenge on Reid, Audrey and the reputation of her late father.

Jarecki takes on a heavy responsibility in capturing the turmoil the Jacobites faced by setting The Highland Guardian in the 18th century, but she does an extraordinary job. The book’s sense of place is easily its own character, and the era’s cultural upheaval adds an additional element of foreboding to Reid and Audrey’s romance.

With clever, enchanting writing, elements of life-or-death danger and a romance that takes both Reid and Audrey completely by surprise, The Highland Guardian is an historical romance so on point it’ll leave readers awestruck.

A Scottish hero gets more than he bargained for when he promises to take care of his friend’s daughter in Amy Jarecki’s return to the Lords of the Highlands series.

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Teens Ammy and Noah meet on an Amtrak train headed to upstate New York. Ammy is reluctantly on her way to her father’s second wedding, and Noah is attempting to make a grand gesture and win back his ex-girlfriend. When their train breaks down in the middle of a snowstorm, the pair decides to make a bold move: leave the train and make their way through the snowstorm together.

As their simple one-mile journey to the bus station turns into a 24-hour adventure, the two start to become friends (and discover a mutual attraction)—until morning comes and a new discovery leads to disaster.

Author Leah Konen (The Romantics) has created two charming protagonists that young readers will find highly relatable. Although the pair have opposing viewpoints on the realities of love and relationships—Noah with his blind optimism and Ammy with her equally blinding cynicism—sparks quickly fly in this sweet story. However, trouble soon comes when Noah desperately tries to cling to his stale romance and Ammy attempts to close the door to her budding feelings.

Ammy and Noah’s journey from the broken-down train is outlandish, but that’s the point—both kids are taking an uncharacteristic risk. Love and Other Train Wrecks is equal parts inspiring, heartbreaking and fun to read as Ammy and Noah tackle obstacle after obstacle in dogged determination to get where they’re going. Maybe all they really need on this journey is each other.

 

This article was originally published in the January 2018 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Teens Ammy and Noah meet on an Amtrak train headed to upstate New York. Ammy is reluctantly on her way to her father’s second wedding, and Noah is attempting to make a grand gesture and win back his ex-girlfriend. When their train breaks down in the middle of a snowstorm, the pair decides to make a bold move: leave the train and make their way through the snowstorm together.

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