#WineWednesday Gran Marnier Rosé Spritz

Many thanks to those of you who dropped by for the chat last night! We had a blast and it was wonderful getting to know you!

So I’m trying to hold onto summer a little longer since it’s my favorite time of year and what’s better in the summer than a cooling wine spritzer. This recipe was adapted from one from Bon Apétit which called for the use of Aperol. By the way, if you haven’t tried an Aperol Spritz, please do so. I had one the other day for the first time and it was delicious.

But now, picture this. You out on the beach, reading a good book. Maybe even ONE SUMMER NIGHT while you sip your Gran Marnier Rosé Spritz!

Gran Marnier Rosé Spritz

3/4 cup mango nectar, chilled
1/4 cup Gran Marnier (You could also use Cointreau or Benedictine or Triple Sec – anything orange-flavored)
1 bottle sparkling Rosé or if you’d like, Moscato Asti, chilled
2 tsp sugar
Juice of one orange

Mix all the above in a pitcher and stir! Serve chilled and garnish with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry (only because I really like those! LOL) Or use lime wedges and berries as a garnish. You can also change out the Rosé with a nice prosecco. In fact, there are lots of tasty fruit-flavored proseccos out now that would work well in the recipe.

The Cowboy and the Rose Guest Blog with Tess Quinn

I’d like to welcome my dear friend and fellow author Tess Quinn! Tess (also writing as Nisha Sharma) is an award-winning author who was raised in the countryside of northeast, Pennsylvania. With very little to do in a town where the cow-human ratio was 2.5 to 1, Tess filled her spare time with eighties music, Bollywood movies, and a lot of reading. When she ran out of romances to read at her small town library, she started writing sequels to her favorites and she’s been writing ever since.

Tess is here to share her latest release with us and it’s a good one! Take a moment to read to check out this teaser and excerpt! For more information, you can visit Tess/Nisha at http://nisha-sharma.com/.

THE COWBOY AND THE ROSE

A bond from the past, desire steeped in magic, love forged in passion… Gabe Burdock has two weeks to bond his power with April Willow or lose his magic. As a witch, his control over the earth contributes to the success of his vineyard, and he’ll sacrifice anything to keep it…anything except his heart.To escape her abusive father’s control, April is ready to bond with Gabe, even if it means tying herself to a cowboy who claims he can’t love her. But when Gabe and April touch, their passion explodes, and their magical bond cannot be denied. Can they put aside their fears and risk everything for love? Or will two witches lose their chance at happiness?

EXCERPT

April tucked the blanket under her arms and cowered against the wall. Gabe was a man to be reckoned with. His green eyes were wild, the planes of his hard body highlighted in the dim light. He wore a small pair of boxers that left little to the imagination.
“April? What happened?”

“I’m sorry,” she stammered, confused by the overly concerned expression in his face. “I hate storms. The noise frightened me. I’m so sorry. I hate behaving so childishly.” She felt even more ridiculous for goggling at his incredibly bare chest. If she stopped shaking, she could count the definitions in his abs.

Gabe relaxed. “Are you okay now?”

All thoughts of the storm had slipped out of her mind the minute his beautiful body entered her room. “I’m fine,” she said with surprising control. “Thank you for coming.”

“No problem.” He turned to leave when the clock downstairs struck midnight. Her fingertips tingled and her skin flashed hot and cold. Even the storm quieted, as if waiting for the ominous music of time to finish its tune.

“It’s my birthday,” she whispered.

Gabe must have heard her because he whipped around. His face was so expressive. April could see the shock and panic written all over it. She knew he was afraid of the bonding ritual that he didn’t quite believe, and she was slightly amused as she watched the expressions play across his features.

“It’s okay,” she said, leaning back against the headboard. “I’ve read stories about bonding. They’re never clear about what happens directly after midnight.”