The.Bookish.Mom

Sip + Swoon

Jack & Cherry Coke + Real Love by Rachel Lindsay

Happy Friday! To get the weekend started I thought I would introduce a fun new post idea — Sip + Swoon! I was thinking of a different way to feature upcoming romances, and pairing them with a fun drink sounds like a delicious and challenging task! I am always perusing new recipes on Pinterest, and looking at Target and my local Specs for interesting drinks or ingredients (alcoholic and nonalcoholic). I thought why not try and pair a new drink with a new book!

The book I am featuring today just came out this week — Real Love by Rachel Lindsay! It is an opposites attract romance that is just as much about Maya finding herself and what happiness really is to her as much as it is a fun romance. I love how she included a Bachelor inspired reality tv show, and thought her tight group of girl friends and sister really brought Maya into her own and were pivotal in her finding herself. I also love how she learned to lean on her sister and found a new relationship with her as an adult.

For the drink of this Sip + Swoon I thought I would do a fun twist on Maya’s favorite cocktail. She loves the classic Crown and Coke, and to make it more my taste I did a Jack Daniels (our household bourbon of choice) and cherry Coke! Give me cherry coke over regular all day long, and while bourbon and coke isn’t one of my preferred drinks, I thought it would be a fun task to try and make it more suited for my taste.

Jack and Cherry Coke

INGREDIENTS:

– Ice
– 1 shot of Jack Daniels (or bourbon of choice)
– Cherries (fresh or frozen & thawed)
– 1/2 -1 oz Simple syrup (depending on how sweet you want it)
– Coke (or Diet Coke)

In a shaker/glass add cherries and simple syrup and muddle them. Strain and set aside

Add ice to your glass, pour in Jack Daniels and strained cherry syrup.

Top with coke or Diet Coke and stir gently. Throw a cherry in there and enjoy!

This drink is still pretty bourbon heavy, but I love the subtle cherry flavor to sweeten it up just a tad. If you wanted to go more the artificially delicious cherry route (I mean yum, right?!), grab yourself a jar of the maraschino cherries when you’re getting your coke and substitute that for the fresh cherries & simple syrup!

I hope you enjoyed this — I’ve already got a couple more drinks up my sleeve and can’t wait to share them with you! Cheers!

Book Recs // Fake Dating

What is a trope you will *always* pickup?

For me I loooooove fake dating. There’s something about the characters going from (usually) dislike or neutral feelings to head over heels for that person. I just love being right in the middle of that progression and feeling all the angst and butterflies!

Honestly, fake dating is really the trope that brought me back to reading in 2019 and helped me discover Bookstagram! Don’t laugh, but before I knew this world existed I thought I was like, one of the founders! Little did I know there was this big ol’ corner of the internet reading their hearts out and sharing about all the swoon! I got here as fast as I could though and never looked back!

But back to the book that started it all for me… it’s is The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren and woooo dog, that book has it all — laughs, steam, angst, and hilarious fake dating. It is still one of my favorite romances to recommend to this day. If you haven’t read it puhleaseeeee add it to your TBR!

Here are some other fun fake dating romances — if you have a favorite you don’t see here comment below and tell me!

Romance Rec // Cinnamon Roll Hero

I’m not gonna lie — I have a hard time pinpointing this trope. To me the majority hero’s are cinnamon rolls.

What sets a “cinnamon roll hero” apart from a non cinnamon roll hero? And you can’t say Alpha Holes.. we know alpha holes aren’t cinnamon rolls. But if they’re not an alpha-hole.. does that make them a cinnamon roll?

When thinking about a cinnamon roll hero and the main men in the books above, they seem to be over the top, head over heels, would walk to the ends of the earth for their person and aren’t afraid to show it. I honestly love that vulnerability in a hero and it always makes me feel their love that much more.

Tell me what you think a cinnamon roll hero is — if I’m hitting the nail on the head or way off base! LOL!

Book Review // The Valentine’s Hate

Read synopsis here

Buy here

Do you love or hate Valentine’s Day?! I love it! And my husband and I take it as a holiday for me, so I always get spoiled 😂

This was a super easy, entertaining read that had sweet and spicy moments! Childhood rivals Brian and Lizzie haven’t seen each other since high school, but somehow they are on a plane together heading to the same place and wind up in a fake (very public) relationship. I thought the characters had good chemistry, I enjoyed their history and their communication as adults. It was also a great balance between their love story and the other side stories/antics going on around them. It switched up enough between the two I didn’t get bored. This was one of those books I enjoyed, but didn’t give me all the feels and I closed it thinking I’ll probably forget about it in a week.

TROPES:
💗 childhood enemies to lovers
❤️ dual POV
💗 forced proximity
❤️ fate dating/engagement
💗 steamy/open door

The Valentines Hate is out now and great for a quick, light, steamy read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you Avon Books for the free copy – all opinions are my own! This post may contain affiliate links

Book Review // Exes & O’s

Read Synopsis Here

Purchase on Amazon here

Bookstagrammer heroine?! SIGN. ME. UP. Exes and O’s is Amy’s second rom-com and second in her Influencer series. You don’t have to read the first book, Set on You, or read this one, but I would recommend it because you get the same cast of characters and it makes it more fun!

I thought this book was a fun rom-com that made me smile and swoon! Tara was funny and sweet, and Trevor a sexy player with a hidden thoughtful side.

My biggest critiques for this book was I found the romance to be slow for my liking, and thought multiple times how much I wished it was dual POV. But it was fun reading about Tara’s bookstagrammer life, her Ex List, and her and Trevor’s roommate turned friendship turned relationship develop.

Tropes:
💗 slow burn
💗 friends to lovers
💗 forced proximity
💗 bad boy/player

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🔥🔥🔥 (open door)

Exes and O’s is a great book to pick up before Valentine’s Day if you want a steamy slow burn romance!

Thank you Berkley Romance for the free copy — all opinions are my own. Post may contain affiliate links

SIP + SWOON

Let’s make a fun drink and check out a swoony romance!

This edition of Sip + Swoon has the perfect cocktail that will help keep you up into the wee hours of the night enjoying that romance you can’t put down, the Espresso Martini. This classic drink has been having a MOMENT and as someone who could *always* use some caffeine I am here for it!

Simple ingredients make it easy to whip up, and I even have a little twist to the classic cocktail below!

How to make a Classic Espresso Martini

Step 1: pour espresso in a shaker with ice

Step 2: add your simple syrup

Step 3: Add your vodka (we love Tito’s!)

Step 4: add your coffee liqueur (we always reach for Kahlua)

Step 5: Shake Shake Shake!

Step 6: strain into coupe or martini glass

Step 7: add 3 coffee beans for garnish. Cheers!

The romance I I paired my Espresso Martini with is Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez because not only are doctors known for needing all the caffeine for their demanding schedule, you will want it too when you have to read just one more chapter… for the 7th time… at 2 am. Yes this book is that good. [check out my review for it HERE]

This romance comes out on 4/11, but it’s one you are should go ahead a pre-order now! You can thank me later! 🙂

Read Synopsis Here

Pre-Order Here

Check out the recipe below, and keep reading for a few tips and twists on this delicious cocktail!

Classic Espresso Martini

Ingredients:
– 2 oz vodka ( we love Tito’s Vodka )
– 1 oz coffee liqueur ( I used Kahlua )
– 1 shot of espresso ( fresh brewed is best )
– 1/2 oz – 1 oz simple syrup
– 3 coffee beans for garnish

Directions:
Add vodka, coffee liquor, espresso, and simple syrup in a shaker along with a handful of ice. Shake, Shake Shake hard so the signature froth forms (trust me, I tried stirring it because I didn’t have a shaker, it’s not the same). Strain into a coupe or martini glass and garnish with 3 coffee beans. Enjoy!

Tips:
– for a simple syrup short cut I just stir a shot glass of water with a packet of stevia until it is dissolved. I have no idea if it is even close to the same, but I can’t do super sugary drinks and this cuts it down a bit for me!

– fresher brewed espresso has frothed better for me than if I let it sit

Twists:
⁃ Substitute the vodka for good quality tequila (we love Clase Azul Reposado and Casamigos)

– Substitute the coffee liqueur for cream de cacao or chocolate liqueur

– use vanilla vodka

Thank you for checking out Sip + Swoon! Don’t forget to head over to my Instagram to see more book content!

{this post may contain affiliate links}

February Romance Releases!

Happy Monday!! I wanted to start your week off right and give you 20 books to look forward to this coming month! Even though my Instagram grid looks AWFUL with the graphics taking over this little section (please know it’s killing me inside) but I’m doing this for you! 😂

There are so many fun, sweet, and super sexy books coming this month! I am getting my February TBR together and I’m basically going to see how many of these I can get read!

I didn’t have time today to get books linked up, but next month I’ll be more on my game and have this post ready to go and all the releases linked up on Amazon!

See anything on here you’re excited to pick up? Or is there a February book I don’t have on my list you can’t wait for?

8 Books to Order at the Barnes & Noble Pre-Order Sale! (1/25-1/27)

Everyone stop what you’re doing and go treat your future self to a NEW BOOK!

Nothing makes me preorder a book faster than
1) a signed author’s copy and
2) the Barnes and Noble 25% off sale.

I am not sure how often they have this sale, but whenever it comes up I always have a list of books I want to order to gift my future self! I don’t always grab them all because I have other things like gas and food to pay for (adulting at it’s finest), but I always get at least 1 or 2.. I mean at 25% off it’s almost a crime not to!

Here are 8 books I would preorder myself

There are SO many books I want to preorder, but I narrowed it down to these 8. These books 100% need to be on my bookshelves ASAP!

Comment below and tell me which book you preordered, or would order! Happy shopping!

5 Valentine Romances to add to your February TBR

Happy February! I mean finally, right?! It’s so funny how we joke about January being 75 days long, but it really does feel longer than any other month of the year!

I don’t know about you, but Valentine’s Day is such a fun holiday for me. I love the pink and red, chocolate and hearts everywhere, and overall feeling of love! My kiddos have Valentine’s parties at school and yours truly somehow wound up being assistant to the room mom for both 1st AND 2nd grade! *facepalm* luckily it’s nowhere near as stressful as their winter parties (I swear I almost ran out of that school Forest Gump style I was so stressed)! I’ll keep you updated on how the parties go this time around.

I gathered up the new romances that center around this heart filled holiday below. You can check out the synopsis for each one below or shop on amazon via my affiliate link!

Read Synopsis Here

Purchase on Amazon Here

I am not a typical YA reader, but anything Lynn Painter write I am purchasing and reading asap! I thought this was such a fun read with the time loop and character development!

Read Synopsis Here

Purchase on Amazon Here

Read my Review Here

This was an easy, entertaining romance!

Read Synopsis Here

Purchase on Amazon Here

Read my Review Here

Loved the bookstagrammer FMC (female main character), and playboy MMC with a secret soft side!

The Second You’ve Single by Cara Tanamachi

Read Synopsis Here

Purchase on Amazon Here

I put this one down because I felt it was dragging (remember I’m super picky — so I say check it out if it sounds good to you!)

Read Synopsis Here

Purchase on Amazon Here

How cute are all of these?! I have read three (review for The Do-Over coming ASAP!), and put The Second You’ve Single down because I wasn’t feeling it at the moment.. but I might pick it back up later on this month. The Sweet Spot is on my February TBR, so I will keep you update on that one as well!

I am so glad to see a handful of Valentine’s Day themed romances come out this year — is this new or have I missed this in years past?! Whatever the case I am HERE for it! I would be in major trouble if there were holiday themed books for every holiday of the year! I love me a good theme!

Let me know if you’re into non-Christmas holiday themed romances, or if the only holiday books you like to see is Christmas ones!

Romance Recs || Brother’s Best Friend

Ahhhhh brother’s best friend (or best friend’s brother, etc)… this is one of my all time favorite romance tropes! I feel like the angst here is always high when you have that forbidden factor of having the hots for a sibling’s best friend/best friend’s sibling! There’s also usually a history with the characters and a longing over many years, so the love/infatuation doesn’t ever feel insta (one of my least favorite tropes).

I have distinct memories of having the major hots for my 6th grade best friend’s older brother! As a matter of fact he was my first ever kiss (good ol’ truth or dare)! 😂 No surprise I suppose that this is a favorite trope of mine! I always think it is so underrated and doesn’t get used enough. Anytime I find a romance with it I always file it away for a future read. I have always told myself if I were to ever write a romance brother’s best friend would 100% be the main romance trope for it!

I have read a majority of these romances above. Mr. Wrong Number and The Off Limits Rule are my absolute favorite. They are hilarious and super swoony! I also really enjoyed The Duke and I, A False Start, and The Roommate Situation (that one is a little on the cheesier side, but a good clean read). I am admittedly not the right audience for Colleen Hoover, so I won’t read that one. And haven’t heard much about Hang the Moon or Twisted Love, but I have seen them around the ‘gram so they’re definitely worth a try!

Comment below and tell me a good brother’s best friend romance — or if you don’t know one what trope would you write if you penned a romance?!