Fall is here! Do you hear that? That’s me, gallivanting through the fallen leaves in a pair of jeans that make my butt look fan-freaking-tastic. No more chub rub! No more sweating! This is my season!
It also means an uptick in my brunch-going, making boozy and fruity desserts (in our apartment, we make spiced boozy apples and cranberries on the stove and then pour it over a pound cake), and shrouding myself in puffy blankets while I’m home because my place is a hundred years old and holds onto the cold longer than my mother holds onto a grudge. (Ba-zing!)
This month’s drink I’m calling A Fond Farewell and it was bittersweet making it because the inspiration is Christina Lauren’s Beautiful. Elyse’s review of Beautiful Secret is what really tipped me over into reading Christina Lauren’s books and from then on, I was toast. I bought every book in their backlist and devoured them. Both Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings are amazing writers who do a great job capturing the emotions, awkwardness, and humor of falling in love. And while Beautiful is the finale in their Beautiful series, I cannot wait to see what’s next for them!
A Fond Farewell is a fall sangria filled with one of my favorite things to pair with alcohol: fruit. Part of the romance in Beautiful takes place at a winery, so a wine-based drink was a no-brainer. I also wanted something to incorporate different types of fruit, symbolizing all the amazing couples and characters that make an appearance in the book. The gang’s all here!
Also, sangria is meant to be shared with friends. The characters of the series are all connected in some way and not to be terribly sappy, Christina Lauren’s books are ones I want to share. I even got my boyfriend to read Sweet, Filthy Boy ( A | BN | K | G | AB | Au ) and overall, his opinion was pretty favorable.
So make a batch of this sangria, grab your books, and get your friends together.
We also have a giveaway from the lovely people at Gallery Books! There are two copies of Beautiful up for grabs!
Shopping list
Dry white wine
Tart cider or lambic
Club soda
Pears
Apples
Cranberries
Sugar
Proportions
750mL of wine (one bottle)
11 oz of cider
1/4 cup of sugar
Directions
- Pour wine and cider into pitcher.
- Add sugar and stir.
- Cut up fruit! I used two Anjou pears, two Honeycrisp apples, and half a bag of cranberries, leaving the skins on.
- At the very least, leave the sangria to sit overnight. Mine sat for about a week.
- When ready to serve, top your glass off with some club soda for some extra bubble.
Modifications and notes
- I’m definitely a white wine girl because red wine stains the ceramic of my braces and that’s not a good look. However, I should think this recipe would work for red wine as well.
- So adding the cider was a spontaneous decision. I originally wanted an apple lambic (lambics are amazing), but I couldn’t find it in stock. It may have been a seasonal thing. While at the store, there was a tasting going on for a black currant cider called May We Have You Attention Please by Artifact Cider Project. It’s a local cider and comes in 22oz bottles, so it may not be in your area. Any sort of cherry or raspberry based cider or lambic should work though given their tartness.
- To punch it up, I added a few shots of Calvados since I have plenty leftover from a previous recipe.
- The club soda isn’t necessary, but I love me some extra bubbles and fizziness.
Giveaway time!
We have two (2) physical copies of Beautiful to give away.
To enter, comment below with your favorite Christina Lauren couple! The giveaway will end Sunday, October 9, 2016 at noon, EST, so get your comments in before then!
Standard disclaimers apply. We are not being compensated for this giveaway. Void where prohibited. Open to US residents where permitted by applicable law. Must be over 18. Crying is definitely allowed, just don’t get any on the pages. Anything can count as a wineglass if you put your mind to it. Can be bribed with an invitation to a winery.
Best of luck, Bitchery!
UPDATE: Congratulations to our winners: Sandy and Cat C! Check your emails and thanks to everyone who commented!
Hanna and Will! They are so sweet and nerdy.
Another vote for Hanna and Will here though I also like Mia and Anselm.
Your sangria sounds delicious (even to this reader who doesn’t drink). I’d never heard of lambic, so I learned something today. And, I love blackcurrants, so now I’d like to try May We Have You Attention Please.
I’m casting my vote for Max & Sara. Or maybe it’s just the Stella men, because Niall was pretty awesome as well.
I’m pretty stoked to see where Christina & Lauren take us next. Though I still want my full length Not Joe story. That little snippet on the website isn’t enough.
I haven’t read her books before, so no fave couple … yet.
I haven’t read any Christina Lauren yet…I feel shame!
Chloe and Bennett
I’m actually reading my first Christina Lauren right now, Beautiful Bastard. Beautiful is all over the twitters and I was intrigued.
I haven’t read any Christina Lauren yet either, so I guess my favorite couple is “pears” and “cider.”
It’s always so hard to choose just one! Well, all right – if you insist… Lola and Oliver in “Dark, Wild Night”. Though I may have to re-read the whole lot just to be sure.
I love Ruby and Niall from Beautiful Secret – I love that he’s the one who is repressed and hasn’t had that much experience, while she’s so open and shows him the ropes. I can’t wait to read Beautiful although I’m also sad to see this series end.
Okay, so now I’m embarrassed that I don’t have a favorite Christina Lauren couple because I haven’t read them yet, but I’m grabbing them right now from the shelf. (I work in a library, so I can do that.)
My favorite couple from this post is apples and cranberries–I love those flavors together!
I have such a soft spot still for Ansel. I think it was the accent and his dirty ways. *SIGH* So Mia/Ansel all the way!
Hannah and Will!
This sounds delicious! And I have to say my favorite Christina Lauren couple will always be Ruby and Niall. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find good Beta male leads in romance? Niall pushes all of my buttons. ALL OF THEM. And I adore Ruby her, genuineness made her character so lovable.
I haven’t read her books yet, but I will if I win a copy, so….
I’m Canadian so out of the running for the give away but I love this series – Will and Hanna, and now Jensen and Pippa…and Oliver and Lola…lol. I could go in.
Hanna and Will for sure!
I really liked Max & Sara, though Hanna was a cutie, too.
Drink question: instead of sugar and club soda, could I just use Ginger Ale instead?
Okay I’m ducking so go ahead and throw things at me because I haven’t read any of them yet. I really want to but they are pricey and there are a bunch of them. I have been snagging then as they go on sale but I’m still several short. Hopefully I will start then soon! Winning this great giveaway will help with that goal.
Niall and Ruby are my favorite.
The original couple Bennet & Chloe!
Ruby and Niall are my favorite.
Hanna and Will for me!
Definitely Ruby and Niall. Their book was extremely well done.
Well, obviously, Christina and Lauren! (This approach actually worked for high school exams on the very rare occasion, when I hadn’t read the book(s): just go all out on the make-believe-ity and suck-up-to-ness and pray the teacher rewarded creativity above all). But I’ve been lurking around the Beautiful series for a few years and promise I’ll read them all (in order) if I win the final title.
@JocelynZombie: I don’t see why you couldn’t substitute ginger ale. It sounds like a tasty addition!
I haven’t read any of her books yet, but I checked them out on Amazon and the one that caught my eye the most was the story of Harlow and Finn!
none; never read this author
Mia and Ansel. Or maybe Harlow and Finn. You don’t see commercial fishermen heros much and Harlow makes no bones about enjoying sex and Finn.
Ah, Mia and Ansel! No, Max and Sara. Bennett and Chloe. Aargh!
i haven’t read any Christina Lauren so i can’t answer the question 🙁 but i’d love to win a copy so i can start formulating my answer!
Chloe and Bennett. I’ve read all the books save this one and though I enjoyed them all, I laughed hardest at the book with them. I’ve reserved the latest at the library and will be picking it up on Tuesday.
Oops, haven’t started reading them yet – I guess I need to.
Ansel and Mia
Ansel and Mia!
Mia and Anselm, definitely.
I’m team Max and Sara!
Will and Hanna. A girl getting a PhD biomedical engineering? Awesome. And Will? A PhD, tattoos, looks good in a suit and tie. I want my own Dr. Will Sumner.
This couple would be my first!