Boozy Bookgasms

Scattered Bones by Nicole Scarano
Who doesn’t want to fall in love with a thief, catch the attention of the gods, and embark on the most dangerously unhinged scavenger hunt imaginable—tracking down your husband’s missing body parts? Come along with the cousins as they take on this crazy, somewhat romantic adventure.

 

Signature Cocktail: Mezcal Bone Crusher

Tonight's beverage of choice is not for the faint of heart. It is smokey, bold and the perfect cocktail for when you want to work with Death himself to piss off the rest of the gods all in the pursuit of Happily Ever After-ish.

Ingredients:

8 oz Mezcal (Del Maguey VIda recommended)

2 oz fresh lime juice

2 squirts of Sriracha

2 oz simple syrup

Chipotle chili powder for the rim and surface of the drink

lime wheel for garnish

Rim two 12oz tumblers with chili powder and fill with ice. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice and add the Mezcal, lime juice, simple syrup and sriracha. Shake well and pour into iced glasses. Sprinkle a top coat of the chili powder over the surface of the drink and garnish with the lime wheel.

Three Swedish Mountain Men by Lily Gold
Join the cousins as these rugged men save a woman on the run—from her life and a blizzard. With nowhere to go and nothing to do but survive, there’s really only one option: share a bed, abandon all boundaries, and stumble into forever.

 

Signature Cocktail:

Sex on a Snowbank

5-6 Pieces Ice

1.5 oz Malibu Coconut Rum *

1.5 oz Cream of Coconut

Instructions:

Add all of the ingredients to a blender.

Blend until smooth.

Rim a Martini glass with chocolate syrup and dip in coconut flakes.

Add the mixture to the glass and enjoy.

Braving the Storm by Elliott Rose

We’re back with the second book in the Crimson Ridge series by Elliott Rose—Braving the Storm. And let me be clear… this is not a “will they, won’t they.” This is very much “they absolutely will,” and you know it right out of the gate and oh boy is it complicated. 

 

Signature Cocktail: The Stormbreaker

This drink like the book is all about things that shouldn't work together but somehow do - so naturally, I made a cocktail that sounds like a horrific idea on paper. Coconut whiskey? Um no, Lime and pineapple - more suspicious. But not unlike Braving the Storm - messy, emotional, and a little chaotic - against all odds this shit works! It's strong, sweet and a little unhinged which seems right on brand for us. 

Ingredients:

2 oz Beach Whiskey - Island Coconut flavor

3/4 oz fresh lime juice

3/4 oz pineapple juice

Club soda if you need to cut the strength - wimps!

Combine the Beach Whiskey, lime juice and pineapple juice in a shaker. Shake well. Strain the drink into a whiskey glass filled with ice. Top it off with a splash of club soda if you need to tone it down a bit.

A Devious Arrangement by J Wilde

Join Lynn, Kim and Jen as they discuss a fake relationship that turns very real, a hot MMC who is stalkery in an adorable way, and a plot that exists solely to justify why we had to climb a rope in gym class to pass middle school. Put on your favorite tierra and join us for the cocktails and laughs!

Signature Cocktail: The Polished Princess

We went with The Polished Princess as a nod to Bash’s ‘princess’ Anastasia, who isn’t nearly as innocent as she looks—and that’s exactly why he can’t stay away. This cocktail starts sweet, ends bold, and lives in that same tension of desire and deception. It's absolutely beautiful. 

Ingredients:

8 fresh cranberries, divided

3/4 ounce simple syrup

1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 pinch pumpkin spice

1 1/2 ounces vanilla vodka

1 large egg white

In a cocktail shaker, combine 5 cranberries, simple syrup, lemon juice, and pumpkin spice. Muddle well. Add the vanilla vodka and egg white and dry shake without the ice. Once thoroughly shaken add ice and shake again. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and add 3 floating cranberries for a beautiful garnish. 

 

Please note you can change out the primary liqueur for tequila, or gin as well.

Audacity by Elodie Hart

Join the cousins as we dive into Audacity—where the heroine is an executive assistant who is on call at all times and her boss believes “other duties as assigned” is a lifestyle choice. It’s bold, filthy, and wildly unapologetic, with boundaries being crossed faster than an unread calendar invite. Grab a drink and laugh with us, because this is what happens when ambition, chemistry, and audacity all hit “reply all.”

 

Signature Cocktail: The Priest and The Whore

A cocktail with equal parts devotion and temptation

Ingredients
The Priest (clean, crisp, righteous)

2 oz Audacity Vodka

1 oz fresh lemon juice

½ oz simple syrup

2 dashes orange bitters

The Whore (sweet, seductive, dangerous)

1 oz blackberry liqueur (like Chambord)

½ oz grenadine

Splash of ginger beer or soda for a little sparkle

Garnish

A lemon twist and a blackberry — because duality matters

Optional: a tiny sprig of thyme (for that “holy” aesthetic)

Directions

Shake the Priest:
Add Audacity Vodka, lemon juice, simple syrup, and bitters to a shaker with ice. Shake until it’s cold and clean.

Pour the Whore:
In the bottom of a chilled rocks glass, pour in the blackberry liqueur and grenadine to create a deep, sultry base.

Bring Them Together:
Slowly strain The Priest mix over the back of a spoon so it layers on top like a halo over sin.

Finish with a little sparkle:
Add a splash of ginger beer or soda to give it a playful lift.

Garnish:
Add your lemon twist (purity) and a blackberry (temptation) on a pick.