Friday Night Book, Wine + Vibe Pairings...

One of the greatest joys in life is getting a Friday night all to yourself. You know the kind I’m talking about - you’ve had a hard week, and by the time the weekend rolls around the thing you’re looking forward to most is some much-needed R&R.

For nights such as these, what better way thing to do than treat yourself to a page-turning romance book - paired with a glass bottle of delicious wine... and a vibe, of course.

If this sounds like the kind of night you need in your life, then read on for my list of recommended book, wine, and vibe pairings!

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood is a light-hearted, modern-day romance between Olive, a Ph.D. candidate, and Adam, a hotshot professor.

Adam and Olive are complete opposites in personality. Adam is surly and cynical, while Olive is quirky and fun - which makes for some genuine laugh-out-loud moments when they decide to enter into a fake relationship.

In terms of spice, this book is a bit of a slow burn - but you’ll be rewarded with a VERY detailed spice scene later on (I’m talking like… 30 pages of it… you’re welcome). Also, bonus points to this book for its healthy depictions of ongoing consent - and for showing how hot this can be!

Overall, The Love Hypothesis is an enjoyable take on ‘grumpy-meets-sunshine’ and the ‘fake relationship’ tropes. It can be a little bit cheesy at times, but sometimes a cheesy read is exactly what the [Ph.D.] doctor ordered!

Pair The Love Hypothesis with a glass of Gérard Bertrand Cote des Roses Rosé and Oh My’s Sucky Sucky vibe for the ultimate combo. As an optional extra, add a Go-To Skincare Transformazing Sheet Mask to really elevate the whole experience.

If you’re looking for something beyond the standard boy-meets-girl romance, then look no further than Kissing the Witch: Old Tales in New Skins by Emma Donoghue. This novel is a collection of 13 short stories, each a retelling of a classic fairytale.

The 13 short stories each have a feminist spin, featuring strong women and LGBTQI+ romance. Unlike traditional fairytales, the heroines are realistic and morally grey.

But despite the complex undertones of these stories, it is definitely still a page-turner! There’s an enchanting darkness to this book that makes you want to devour the entire thing in one sitting.

In regards to spice, Kissing the Witch is not ‘graphic’ in its depictions. But it perfectly balances giving some details, while leaving the rest to the imagination in the hottest of ways.

Overall, this novel is an excellent collection of short stories that I guarantee will be unlike anything else you’ve ever read!

Pair Kissing the Witch with a glass of Ministry of Clouds Tempranillo Grenache and Oh My’s Gemini Vibe for a truly mind-blowing combo. As an optional extra, add COSRX Ultimate Nourishing Rice Overnight Spa Mask.

If you’re looking for some dark romance smut, then add A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair to your reading list. This book is a steamy Greek Mythology retelling set in modern-day Athens.

The focus of the story is on the romance between Hades and Persephone - and since Hades is the god of the underworld, he makes for the ultimate dark and brooding love interest.

A Touch of Darkness contains A LOT of spice. Like… a lot (again, you’re welcome). My only qualm with the spice is that it initially plays into the whole virgin female / experienced male trope (which is usually a bit of a dealbreaker for me because it is just sooooo overdone in traditional romance - blergh) - BUT I will give this book a free pass because it doesn’t dwell on it too much.

Overall, A Touch of Darkness is an incredibly hot Greek Mythology retelling that I promise will have you blushing multiple times throughout!

Pair it with a glass of McWilliams’ MCW 660 Reserve Syrah and Oh My’s The Cumander Vibe for a night of pure self-indulgence. As an optional extra, treat yourself to a Lonvitalite 24k Gold and Collagen Eye Mask.

A Court of Mist and Fury is actually the second installment in Sarah J Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses series, but I’ve chosen to list the sequel rather than the first book because it is 1000x better and hotter (in my opinion).

Don’t get me wrong, the first book is still thoroughly enjoyable and has some good spicy scenes. But the really enjoyable spice begins in book 2 and - trust me - it’s worth the wait!

Essentially, these books are fairy p*rn with a plot. Yup, you read that right - fairy p*rn. But take my word for it when I say it is way hotter than it sounds. These aren’t lame Tinkerbell fairies we’re talking about… they’re much darker and more adult.

This series will make you laugh, cry, blush - and probably keep you up till 3 am because you simply can’t put them down. And even for my peeps out there who aren’t particularly into the fantasy genre, I’d still recommend giving these books a try! You might be surprised. Good spice knows no genre.

Pair A Court of Mist and Fury with some other reliably great choices, like a glass of Little Yering Pinot Noir and the classic Oh My Grapevibe. As an optional extra, throw in Drunk Elephant’s F-Balm Electrolyte Waterfacial Set.

Regardless of which pairing you choose, don’t forget the most important step to an enjoyable Friday night in…