My next book: PARTY OF TWO! Also, Serial Box news! And more cookies!
Hi friends! If you missed it, earlier this week I announced my next book, Party of Two, which comes out next summer. And I got to show you the cover!
I love it so much, and I hope you all love it too! (Careful readers will note there are slight changes to the cover from earlier this week, and I love them too!) Oh, did you want to know what it was about? Okay, here you go:
A chance meeting with a handsome stranger turns into a whirlwind affair that gets everyone talking.
Dating is the last thing on Olivia Monroe's mind when she moves to LA to start her own law firm. But when she meets a gorgeous man at a hotel bar and they spend the entire night flirting, she discovers too late that he is none other than hotshot junior senator Max Powell. Olivia has zero interest in dating a politician, but when a cake arrives at her office with the cutest message, she can't resist – it is chocolate cake, after all.
Olivia is surprised to find that Max is sweet, funny, and noble – not just some privileged white politician she assumed him to be. Because of Max's high profile job, they start seeing each other secretly, which leads to clandestine dates and silly disguises. But when they finally go public, the intense media scrutiny means people are now digging up her rocky past and criticizing her job, even her suitability as a trophy girlfriend. Olivia knows what she has with Max is something special, but is it strong enough to survive the heat of the spotlight?
It's out June 23, 2020! You can preorder Party of Two from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Indiebound, Apple Books, Google Play, or Kobo, and you can always order it from your local indie bookstore! And you can add it on Goodreads!
In other fun news, one of the other things I did this year was work on a series with Serial Box: it's called First Street, and the first episode comes out on the app on January 8, 2020. It's about four Supreme Court clerks, and everything that happens in their first few months at the Court. I worked with a bunch of other writers on it, and it was a blast to work on. I have a special discount code for my newsletter subscribers: use this url and you get 10% off the series! I hope you all love it!
And now, to cookies: if you're a chocolate person, you will love making and eating these cookies. They're easy to pull together, they make a lot, and the crackle makes them look very holiday, so they're perfect for holiday parties or gifts. Bake them this weekend, for friends and family, or just for yourself.
Oh, and here's a good cooking tip: a serrated knife makes chopping chocolate much easier!
Martha Stewart's Chocolate Crackle Cookies
Makes 5 dozen (so Martha says, but it all depends on how big you make them!)
(This is from Martha Stewart's Cookies, another great cookie book to buy or give!)
Ingredients:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces, 8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature*
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup whole milk
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup confectioners' sugar
*Sidenote: I read this great piece about the best way to soften butter this week; so helpful this time of year!
Instructions:
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water, stirring frequently (I have made the mistake before of not stirring it frequently and well, chocolate burns easily, and then you have to start all over again!). Set it aside. While the chocolate cools, Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In a mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar on medium until pale and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes, depending on your mixer and your butter). Mix in the eggs and vanilla, and then the melted chocolate. Reduce speed to low, and mix in the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the milk. Divide the dough into four equal logs, and wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, 2 hours (or a few days, depending on your timeline).
When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 F. Divide each log into sixteen balls. Roll each ball in granulated sugar, then in confectioners' sugar. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper (as a reminder, these parchment paper sheets are a godsend anytime of year, but especially during the holiday season). Bake until the surfaces crack, about 14 minutes (rotate the sheets halfway through -- I hate doing this, but it really does make a difference, the back of the oven is usually warmer than the front). Let cool and enjoy!
Happy cookie baking season!
Jasmine
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Buy The Wedding Date, The Proposal, The Wedding Party and Royal Holiday, and preorder Party of Two!