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5 Favorite Guilty Pleasures For Moms Who Need A Break

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This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

If you’re a mom, you deserve a break. In fact you deserve lots of breaks… preferably everyday. It is crazy how hard we moms work, looking after our families and often also paying the bills. I’m a single mom raising two girls and it is tough!

I work around the clock blogging to pay our bills, while also playing every role from chef to taxi driver for my daughters. So when Harlequin asked me to remind moms to relax with a romance novel, I agreed and decided to share five of my favorite guilty pleasures with you. This post is sponsored, which goes toward supporting my girls, so extra thanks for reading and sharing.

5 Favorite Guilty Pleasures

 

Taking time for yourself doesn’t have to be expensive, and it doesn’t even have to mean leaving the house. Since I’m a single, work at home mom, most of my relaxing has to be done at home and on a budget.

So if you want to take a break, even if you can’t hit the town for a girl’s night out…

Try one of these 5 favorite guilty pleasures…

  1. Sip a cocktail after bedtime.

    Once you get the kids in bed, mix yourself a strong cocktail or pour a glass of wine and sip it slowly while you savor the silence.

    I love mixing cocktails at home. I can feel like I’m indulging while also reminding myself I’m saving money by making it at home. Win. Win.

    My go-to cocktail is a cosmopolitan, but I love trying new drinks. I even have a Pinterest board to collect ideas and dream of all the cool cocktails I might make one day.
     

  2. Escape in a romance novel.

    Real life can get really dull. So break free… with a novel.

    You may be stuck in the house surrounded with dirty laundry, a ridiculous number of toys all over the floor, and a never ending to-do list, but you can sit down right in the middle of that mess and get lost in a good book.

    If you pick up a Harlequin novel, you can also bring a little romance back into your life.

    Whether you like an inspiring story of a sweet romance or a passionate love affair, you can find a Harlequin novel to rescue you from your daily chores.
     

  3. Indulge in top quality dark chocolate.

    Stash away the best dark chocolate you can find and when you need a moment to escape, sneak away from your kids and let the chocolate melt slowly in your mouth.

    And since we all know dark chocolate is full of antioxidants, you can ease your mind by googling all the health benefits.
     

  4. Go back in time as you listen to the music of your youth.

    I love that you can sneak this guilty pleasure in while your kids are fighting playing right next to you. Slip on some headphones and queue up a playlist of your favorite music from your favorite decade.

    Or if you need to block out the noise of your kids while you escape into your novel, put on some relaxing background music. I love to play Enya while I’m reading because it brings me back to the beach in Hawaii when I was 16 years old. It’s amazing how music can transport you to another time. I can so clearly remember listening to Enya on my yellow walkman in 1989 as I lay on the beach in Waikiki.

    Find the music that takes you back to your best memories.
     

  5. Breathe in the luxury of a lovely scented candle.

    My favorite time to enjoy a sweetly scented candle is while relaxing in the bathtub. If you can get your kids busy watching a movie, then head to the tub for some time to relax and let aromatherapy calm you down.

    This is, of course, the ideal time to pull out one of those romance novels.

For the ultimate in guilty pleasures, combine all of these together at once. Go ahead. You deserve it.

Harlequin Novel

#TeamCowboy or #TeamViking

Here’s a fun question from Harlequin…

If you were swept out of the monotony of adult life in a grand romantic gesture, would it be a Cowboy or a Viking who’d come to your rescue?

Here are two hilarious videos imagining what happens when Harlequin heroes go on real-life dates.

Watch the videos below and tweet out whether you are #TeamCowboy or #TeamViking?
(If you’re wondering my answer… I’m #TeamCowboy.)

Lunch with a Cowboy

Bowling with a Viking

Here are a couple tweets to make it easy for you — or use your own words — we just want to know which team you’re on.

Have you seen this funny @HarlequinBooks video? I’m #TeamCowboy – What are you?

Click To Tweet

OR

Have a laugh with this @HarlequinBooks video. I vote #TeamViking – What about you?

Click To Tweet

Make a Date With Harlequin

Harlequin Novel Categories

There are so many different types of novels… take a look and Try Harlequin

You can download 17 eBooks for FREE!!!

Harlequin Novels

Giveaway

Would you like to win a Harlequin Romance Novel Prize Pack?

The Romance prize pack is worth over $100 and will include:

A. One #TeamCowboy and one #TeamViking tshirt
B. A beautiful silk wrap by Citrus Silver with the word Romance stamped on it
C. 12 books from Harlequin including:

  1. Harlequin Blaze: Beyond Limits by Katherine Garbera
  2. Harlequin Historical: The Secret Marriage Pact by George Lee
  3. Special Edition: Charm School for Cowboy’s by Meg Maxwell
  4. Special Edition: Finding Our Forever by Brenda Novak
  5. Harlequin Presents: Blackmailed Down the Aisle by Louise Fuller
  6. Harlequin Intrigue: Lucas by Delores Fossen
  7. Romantic Suspense: Colton Undercover by Marie Ferrarella
  8. Western Romance: In the Rancher’s Arms by Trish Milburn
  9. Harlequin Romance: Miss Prim and the Maverick Millionaire by Nina Singh
  10. Love Inspired Suspense: False Security by Elizabeth Goddard
  11. Love Inspired: The Bull Rider’s Homecoming by Allie Pleiter
  12. Harlequin Desire: Pride and Pregnancy by Sarah M. Anderson

 

Pin it for Later

Bookworm Dream Date

 

5 Favorite Guilty Pleasures For Moms Who Need A Break

 

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Harlequin, but all opinions are my own.
Written by Susan Carraretto, co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom
Talk with me: @5minutesformom and Facebook.com/5minutesformom
Pin with me at pinterest.com/5minutesformom

Reader Interactions


125 Comments

  4. I LOVE reading romance novels! And my guilty pleasure is really good chocolate. My only problem is I don’t know when to stop..on the books and chocolate.

  6. Yes I love to read romance novels and my fave guilty pleasure is cheesecake

  8. Leave a comment letting us know if you like to read romance novels and what your favorite guilty pleasure is.

    I do not but several of my girlfriends read them.

    I do not feel guilty about my pleasures but in the spirit of the question I will say nude oil wrestling.

  9. Guilty of being a chocoholic! I believe chocolate is in its own foodgroup!
    Reading romance novels is one of my favourite pastimes!

  11. i do like to read romance novels. my guilty pleasure is entering sweepstakes.

  14. Who doesn’t love romance books????? I love them!!! Love my cowboys and billionaires

  16. My wife really enjoys reading them. Guilty pleasure is indulging with big bowl of chocolate ice cream

  17. Yes, I enjoy romantic novels. My favorite guilty pleasure is a sweet treat after the kids are in bed!

  20. I love bad boy romance novels the most but will read any romance novel. And shh don’t tell but I have a bedside table drawer full of chocolate candy. Especially hershey kisses.

  21. I love romance novels and my favorite guilty pleasure is soaking in a tub of warm water and reading a book. Thanks for the chance to win.

  23. Hi. I enjoy reading romance novels.

    My guilty pleasure is watching youtube vids on my phone, in bed.

  24. I enjoy a little romance thrown in. My favorite guilty pleasure is hot fudge cake.

  25. I like to read romance novels and my favorite guilty pleasure is a glass of red wine

  27. I love to read especially romance novels. My guilty pleasure would be erotica with sweet tea and some chocolate chip cookies

  29. I love to read romance novels. My guilty pleasure is Rockstar Energy drinks.

  30. Yes I do enjoy reading romance novels. My favorite guilty pleasure is ice cream

  31. I read them from time to time, just to escape, like my mother did. My guilty pleasure is watching The Bachelor! haha

  33. Yes I love romance novels and my guilty pleasure is hibachi and netflix!

  34. Me not so much, but my oldest daughter love to read them. My favorite guilty pleasure is eating boiled or broiled seafood such as blue crabs and crawfish.

  35. I love romance novels. My guilty pleasure is popcorn and listening to the BeeGees 🙂

  38. I would like to win this giveaway for my daughter who loves Romance Novels. My guilty pleasures are; reading murder mysteries and eating anything chocolate.

  39. I like to read especially in the summer and winter months. My guilty pleasure is as far as sweets is gummy bears.

  42. Yes I do love romance books, reading in general is my guilty pleasure.

  43. I do read romances, and they are one of my guilty pleasures… along with chocolates 🙂

  44. I love to read harlequin romance novels. My grandmother started me on them as a teenager and I am 46 and I have never stopped reading them. I love to read outside with a large sweet tea and a nice breeze.

  45. Reading anything and everything is my guilty pleasure. Also Riverdale, because I love ridiculous teen soaps.

  46. I used to read a lot of romance novels. My guilty pleasure is my chocolate!

  50. I like reading them and my guilty pleasure is reading them in the bathtub so nobody can interrupt me.

  52. I’ve really gotten back into reading romance novels the last year or so. My guilty pleasure is chocolate and almond butter, yum.

  54. I occasionally enjoy a good romance novel, though I have very little time to read in this season of my life. My favourite guilty pleasure has got to be good milk chocolate or truffles.

  58. i love reading romances and a good hamburger and french fries at midnight is the most quiltiest of pleasures

  60. I love romance novels. My guilty pleasure is enjoying a glass of wine while reading.

  61. I read daily. What is my guilty pleasure….probably a daily afternoon latte.

  62. Romance novels are my go to! And i can’t live without some dark chocolate!

  63. I love reading romance novels, and it is one of my (not so) guilty pleasures!

  64. My guilty pleasure…….taking time from everything else I need to get done to read!

  66. I read everyday, nighttime before I sleep and at least once during the day I try to sneek in 45 minutes of reading..
    My guilty pleasure is ice cream and chocolate.

  69. Yes, I love romance novels. I prefer them with a fair amount of mystery. Guilt pleasure is herb tea and dark chocolate.

  70. I do read romance novels of course . My guilty pleasure, sures I should say , as I have many . Though none of them cause guilt , If you enjoy something enjoy it .

  72. I do enjoy a good, well-written romance novel. My favourite guilty pleasure is having a glass of good, red wine in silence.

  74. Yes, I like to read romance novels. My favorite guilty pleasure is definitely chocolate.

  81. My guilty pleasures are binge-watching entire seasons of tv shows and reading romance novels. A great way to escape from daily life; no work and chores!

  83. I do love a good romance novel. My guilty pleasure is going to movies alone for a little me time.

  84. My guilty pleasure is taking a hot bubble bath and reading a good love story each night before bed

  91. I love to read romance novels, and now have to go to next city, as our library system does not carry them any more. I read them on transit to & from work. Also, when winding down at night – then I’ll have some chocolate or a drink !!

  92. Yes, I like to read romance novels! My favorite guilty pleasure is getting massages. Yes, please!

  94. I do like to read romantic novels. My guilty pleasure is my daily soap opera…General Hospital.

  95. I do like to read romance novels and my guilty pleasure has always been dark chocolate with nuts.

  99. I might just start up reading romance novels again. I love those videos–so funny!!!

  101. I like to read them some of the time, not always. My guilty pleasure is binge watching a lot of movies/tv drama and eating chips.

  102. Yes!!!!Love to read romance novels. My favorite guilty pleasure is to unwind with a glass or two of wine from my favourite local winery.

  103. I’m not a fan of romance novels myself (other than Nicholas Sparks) BUT my BFF Lorilei is and she would love this and her birthday is coming up soon. Thanks for the chance.

  104. I inherited a love of romance novels from my mom and it is definitely my guilty pleasure.

  105. I love reading, my favourite type would be suspense. But I love romance, my mother actually didn’t have a name picked out for me when i was born. My name came from The Harlequin Romance novel she was reading, I was named after a cheap nun

  107. I enjoy reading romance novels, especially gay romance .
    My guilty pleasure is ice cream.

  109. I do like to read romance novels and have been for more years than I can remember. Guilty pleasure is bad for me snacks.

  111. I do enjoy reading romance novels, just started recently. My favorite guilty pleasure is chocolate, of course 🙂

  113. I like reading all genres and it’s most delightful when the housework is done and I curl up and read.

  115. I absolutely enjoy reading romance novels as a fun little escape. Add a glass of wine to the mix and you’ve got my favourite guilty pleasure for after the kids go to bed!

  116. I enjoy reading romance novels since they transport me and give me an escape. My guilty indulgence is a pastry.

  119. I like to read romance novels and my favorite guilty pleasure is Ferrero Rocher chocolates. Thanks.

  120. I love romance novels but have not read any in a while! I’d love to win this. My favorite guilty pleasure is chooooocolaaaaaate! 😀 Thanks for the fun contest! #TeamCowboy

  121. Yes, I enjoy reading romance novels 🙂 My favorite guilty pleasure is enjoying a sweet treat while relaxing and watching a good show on TV.

  122. I love to read and I use to read a lot. I prefer mysteries but like different genres also. My guilty pleasure would be to have a cocktail while I’m reading before bedtime or at bedtime.

  124. Love to read romance novels. My favorite guilty pleasure is to elax reading a good book enjoying delicious chocolate! Thanks for the lovely opportunity 🙂