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On the Rocks
A heartwarming novel about friendship, family, and finding love in the Facebook Age-the perils, pitfalls, and dubious pleasures of being a modern young single woman—from Erin Duffy, the author of Bond Girl
Six months ago, Abby's life fell apart for all the world to see. Her longtime boyfriend-turned-fiancé, Ben, unceremoniously dumped her—on Facebook—while she was trying on dresses for the big day.
When the usual remedies—pints of Ben & Jerry's, sweatpants, and a comfy couch—fail to work their magic, her best friend, Grace, devises a plan to get Abby back on her game. She and Abby are going to spend the summer in Newport, in a quaint cottage by the sea, enjoying cool breezes, cocktails, and a crowd of gorgeous men.
But no matter how far away they go, Abby and Grace discover that in the era of social media—when everyone is preserving every little detail of their lives online—there is no real escape. Dating has never been easy. But now that the rules are more blurred than ever, how will they find true love? And even if they do, can romance stand a chance when a girl's every word and move can go viral with a single click?
Six months ago, Abby's life fell apart for all the world to see. Her longtime boyfriend-turned-fiancé, Ben, unceremoniously dumped her—on Facebook—while she was trying on dresses for the big day.
When the usual remedies—pints of Ben & Jerry's, sweatpants, and a comfy couch—fail to work their magic, her best friend, Grace, devises a plan to get Abby back on her game. She and Abby are going to spend the summer in Newport, in a quaint cottage by the sea, enjoying cool breezes, cocktails, and a crowd of gorgeous men.
But no matter how far away they go, Abby and Grace discover that in the era of social media—when everyone is preserving every little detail of their lives online—there is no real escape. Dating has never been easy. But now that the rules are more blurred than ever, how will they find true love? And even if they do, can romance stand a chance when a girl's every word and move can go viral with a single click?
320 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2014
199 people are currently reading
2057 people want to read
About the author
Erin Duffy
9 books196 followersErin Duffy graduated from Georgetown University in 2000 with a B.A. in English and worked on Wall Street, a career that inspired her first novel, Bond Girl. She lives in New York City with her husband (whom she met the old-fashioned way—in a bar).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 321 reviews
November 27, 2014
I only gave this novel a One-star review. The characters were not entertaining and rather annoying. I couldn't connect with any of them and it wasn't even a good beach read, I ended up skipping half the novel and reading the last chapter and understood everything. Meaning not much happened throughout the book
August 23, 2014
Really enjoyable. I found the characters relatable, loved the relationships between everyone--especially Bobby and Abby. I found moments to be humorous and found myself quite often saying how happy I am that I don't have to experience dating in this day and age! What a nightmare it seems to be!! I also think that the author did a good job of making me feel like I was right there experiencing everything in the story. I felt like I was enjoying the rest of my summer with the gang in Rhode Island and it wasn't a bad place to be.
February 22, 2019
3.5 stars, a good beachy chick lit book.
July 2, 2019
You might like this book if:
1. You are completely superficial and think the way people look and what they wear are the most important things about a person.
2. You’ve ever been so bitter and jealous and angry that your own relationship didn’t work out that you have jumped on your sister at her wedding dress fitting and ripped her dress off her because she had the gall to want to buy the same dress as you did.
3. You think all male school teachers are gay.
4. You are 30 years old but fight with your friends like you’re in middle school and throw shoes at them in anger.
5. Did I mention being completely superficial?
It’s a NO from me.
1. You are completely superficial and think the way people look and what they wear are the most important things about a person.
2. You’ve ever been so bitter and jealous and angry that your own relationship didn’t work out that you have jumped on your sister at her wedding dress fitting and ripped her dress off her because she had the gall to want to buy the same dress as you did.
3. You think all male school teachers are gay.
4. You are 30 years old but fight with your friends like you’re in middle school and throw shoes at them in anger.
5. Did I mention being completely superficial?
It’s a NO from me.
May 9, 2014
I'll get it out of the way. I was disappointed with Erin Duffy's new novel, "On The Rocks." I think it is because I liked her novel "Bond Girl" so much that I was so excited to read this new novel, and it was just...meh. It is the story of Abby, who gut dumped on Facebook while she was trying on her wedding dress. Nice premise, but it just moved so slowly after, and most of the characters in the novel were unlikeable that it was tough for me to engage. Plus, maybe the whole dumped-and-dating scenario no longer appeals to me, and not to mention that most of the characters were acting juvenile. (Or am I just getting old) I may have felt better if I was reading this at a beach somewhere. But I am nowhere near a body of water, and I felt the novel was tedious and a chore to get through.
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April 24, 2014
Erin Dufy's debut novel, Bond Girl, dropped the reader into the crazy Wall Street world of financial analysts. Through the eyes of her protagonist, fresh out of business school and working her first big job, we saw the insane hours, the misogynist attitudes of some of her colleagues and clients, and the crazy things that people did to blow off steam. It made my list as one of the Most Compelling Books of 2012.
Her new novel, On The Rocks, tells the story of Abby, a Boston Catholic school kindergarten teacher who finds out from a posting on Facebook that her fiancee has dumped her- while she was trying on wedding gowns. Abby falls completely apart, humiliated in front of her family and friends. She refuses to leave her apartment, and fills her refrigerator with pints of ice cream.
Abby's best friend Grace has a line on a summer rental in Newport, Rhode Island and sees this as a way for Abby to escape from Boston and get her life back on track. Grace will be there on the weekends, so she encourages Abby to look for a job and get back into the dating world.
Bobby is an unemployed lawyer who knows Grace, and along with his friend, Wolf, a German working on his English skills and trying to meet girls, they all hang out together. Bobby is a smart ass, but he is willing to be Abby's wingman, help her meet guys, and school her in the new ways of social media dating.
And boy does she need help. Grace is furious to discover that Abby's ex-fiance, who moved away and compared Abby to "a really, really comfortable sock that you've had forever and love, so you keep it, even though you know it's time to replace it," is texting Abby and Abby is answering him back.
Grace has her own problem; she is involved with a married lawyer at her firm who swears he is leaving his wife for her. Abby would like Grace to see other men, but it is not worth fighting over with Grace.
They get into a vicious fight one night in front of Bobby and he is shocked over the awful things they say to each other. (I was kind of shocked too.)
The characters here, as in Duffy's first book, are so well drawn, you feel like you know them. As I was reading On The Rocks, I felt like I was one of the group, hanging out with Abby, Grace, Bobby and Wolf on the beach, going to bars, eating seafood on the deck. Duffy has an uncanny ability to put the reader right there with them.
Bobby and Grace tell Abby that she is being too picky, and then to prove their point, Abby reels off a list of deal breakers.
"Well, I mean I don't think I could date a guy who chews with his mouth open. I have no patience for guys with bad table manners. I won't be able to handle anyone who eats like a Neanderthal. Oh, and he can't be a Jets fan. God, I could never date a Jets fan...And he needs to have good teeth. This day and age, there is no excuse for an overbite." I didn't care if Grace thought this was hypercritical. I like a nice smile. Sue me.
Duffy puts humor in this tale that made me laugh out loud. When Abby tried to restore some order to her life by organizing her apartment, going so far as to alphabetize her spice rack "so she could locate the cinnamon right next to the cloves should some sort of spontaneous bake-off erupt in my apartment", I chortled.
Abby's mom reminded me of the mother character in Carrie Fisher's novel, Postcards From The Edge, played memorably in the movie by Shirley McLaine. Her mother is devastated that the wedding has been called off because she couldn't wait for everyone to see how good she looked. She ends up wearing a bridal gown to her younger daughter's wedding, as if it was her own wedding. She is a piece of work.
Bobby is my favorite character in the novel. He seems to like Abby more than he lets on, but he does his best to set her up with other guys. He is funny, charming, a freeloader (always coming over for beer, food and cigarettes), but he seems to be a genuine good guy. Watching Abby and Bobby's budding friendship is one of the highlights of the novel.
On The Rocks is the perfect book to drop in your bag as you head for spring break or look forward to summers on the beach. I'd love to run into Abby, Bobby and the gang again in a future novel.
Her new novel, On The Rocks, tells the story of Abby, a Boston Catholic school kindergarten teacher who finds out from a posting on Facebook that her fiancee has dumped her- while she was trying on wedding gowns. Abby falls completely apart, humiliated in front of her family and friends. She refuses to leave her apartment, and fills her refrigerator with pints of ice cream.
Abby's best friend Grace has a line on a summer rental in Newport, Rhode Island and sees this as a way for Abby to escape from Boston and get her life back on track. Grace will be there on the weekends, so she encourages Abby to look for a job and get back into the dating world.
Bobby is an unemployed lawyer who knows Grace, and along with his friend, Wolf, a German working on his English skills and trying to meet girls, they all hang out together. Bobby is a smart ass, but he is willing to be Abby's wingman, help her meet guys, and school her in the new ways of social media dating.
And boy does she need help. Grace is furious to discover that Abby's ex-fiance, who moved away and compared Abby to "a really, really comfortable sock that you've had forever and love, so you keep it, even though you know it's time to replace it," is texting Abby and Abby is answering him back.
Grace has her own problem; she is involved with a married lawyer at her firm who swears he is leaving his wife for her. Abby would like Grace to see other men, but it is not worth fighting over with Grace.
They get into a vicious fight one night in front of Bobby and he is shocked over the awful things they say to each other. (I was kind of shocked too.)
The characters here, as in Duffy's first book, are so well drawn, you feel like you know them. As I was reading On The Rocks, I felt like I was one of the group, hanging out with Abby, Grace, Bobby and Wolf on the beach, going to bars, eating seafood on the deck. Duffy has an uncanny ability to put the reader right there with them.
Bobby and Grace tell Abby that she is being too picky, and then to prove their point, Abby reels off a list of deal breakers.
"Well, I mean I don't think I could date a guy who chews with his mouth open. I have no patience for guys with bad table manners. I won't be able to handle anyone who eats like a Neanderthal. Oh, and he can't be a Jets fan. God, I could never date a Jets fan...And he needs to have good teeth. This day and age, there is no excuse for an overbite." I didn't care if Grace thought this was hypercritical. I like a nice smile. Sue me.
Duffy puts humor in this tale that made me laugh out loud. When Abby tried to restore some order to her life by organizing her apartment, going so far as to alphabetize her spice rack "so she could locate the cinnamon right next to the cloves should some sort of spontaneous bake-off erupt in my apartment", I chortled.
Abby's mom reminded me of the mother character in Carrie Fisher's novel, Postcards From The Edge, played memorably in the movie by Shirley McLaine. Her mother is devastated that the wedding has been called off because she couldn't wait for everyone to see how good she looked. She ends up wearing a bridal gown to her younger daughter's wedding, as if it was her own wedding. She is a piece of work.
Bobby is my favorite character in the novel. He seems to like Abby more than he lets on, but he does his best to set her up with other guys. He is funny, charming, a freeloader (always coming over for beer, food and cigarettes), but he seems to be a genuine good guy. Watching Abby and Bobby's budding friendship is one of the highlights of the novel.
On The Rocks is the perfect book to drop in your bag as you head for spring break or look forward to summers on the beach. I'd love to run into Abby, Bobby and the gang again in a future novel.
October 13, 2017
A funny, bittersweet, yet heartwarming novel about friendship, family, and finding love in the Facebook age—not to mention the perils, pitfalls, and dubious pleasures of life as a modern young single woman—from Erin Duffy, the author of the acclaimed Bond Girl
Ever since she was a little girl, Abby Wilkes dreamed of her wedding, the day when she'd wear a pretty white dress and look like a princess. . . .
But that was before her life fell apart for the entire world to see. Her longtime boyfriend-turned-fiancé, Ben, unceremoniously dumped her—changing his status to single on Facebook—while she was trying on the most gorgeous Vera Wang dress for the big day.
Six months and twenty pounds later, the usual remedies—cupcakes, a freezer stocked with pints of Ben and Jerry's, sweatpants, and a comfy couch—haven't worked their magic. Worried about her best friend, Grace devises the perfect plan to get Abby back on her game. The two of them are going to escape sweltering Boston and its reminders of Ben and head to Newport for the summer. In a quaint rented cottage by the sea, the girls will enjoy cool breezes, cocktails, and crowds of gorgeous men.
But no matter which way they turn, Abby and Grace discover that in this era of social media—when seemingly everyone is preserving every last detail of their lives online and prying eyes are everywhere—there is no real escape. Truth to tell, dating has never been easy. But now that the rules have changed and the boundaries are blurred beyond recognition, will they ever find true love? And if they do, how can romance stand a chance when a girl's every word and move can go viral with a single click?
As the summer winds down to Labor Day, Abby will make some surprising discoveries—about love, men, friendship . . . and, most important, herself.
Great read. You couldn't wait to find out what Abby gets into next. 5 stars.
Ever since she was a little girl, Abby Wilkes dreamed of her wedding, the day when she'd wear a pretty white dress and look like a princess. . . .
But that was before her life fell apart for the entire world to see. Her longtime boyfriend-turned-fiancé, Ben, unceremoniously dumped her—changing his status to single on Facebook—while she was trying on the most gorgeous Vera Wang dress for the big day.
Six months and twenty pounds later, the usual remedies—cupcakes, a freezer stocked with pints of Ben and Jerry's, sweatpants, and a comfy couch—haven't worked their magic. Worried about her best friend, Grace devises the perfect plan to get Abby back on her game. The two of them are going to escape sweltering Boston and its reminders of Ben and head to Newport for the summer. In a quaint rented cottage by the sea, the girls will enjoy cool breezes, cocktails, and crowds of gorgeous men.
But no matter which way they turn, Abby and Grace discover that in this era of social media—when seemingly everyone is preserving every last detail of their lives online and prying eyes are everywhere—there is no real escape. Truth to tell, dating has never been easy. But now that the rules have changed and the boundaries are blurred beyond recognition, will they ever find true love? And if they do, how can romance stand a chance when a girl's every word and move can go viral with a single click?
As the summer winds down to Labor Day, Abby will make some surprising discoveries—about love, men, friendship . . . and, most important, herself.
Great read. You couldn't wait to find out what Abby gets into next. 5 stars.
July 8, 2014
Horrible dialogue. Stupid story. I expected more from her. Also? Predictable.
December 1, 2017
Loved this book. The main character is so relatable and I loved the ending.
August 20, 2017
On a good day, 2.5 stars.
I was disappointed by this book. I read Bond Girl after it came out five years ago and felt like the heroine in that novel was strong and capable. The premise to On the Rocks sounded like it would be an enjoyable beach read, but I couldn't get past a few things. I actually read the first 100 pages and had to put the book down for about a month and pick it back up when I was at the beach (the only place this might be worth reading).
1. After Abby's breakup with Ben, for the rest of the book, she complains about how fat she is. Pre-breakup she mentions weighing 110 pounds (why the author thinks this is an important fact other than to use as a comparison weight, I'm not sure). Post-breakup, Abby says she gains 20 pounds (which, admittedly, is a lot to gain in six months and is therefore worth a mention). Abby proceeds to complain about how fat she is for the entire book (with some digs from her friend and mother thrown in along the way. Now, if my math is correct, this mean after Abby's breakup, she WEIGHS 130 POUNDS. Can someone please tell me in what world is this fat? Yes, she might have gained some weight, and yes, that is going to make you feel bad about yourself. But, I felt like this was too much a focus of the book. I'm not trying to skinny shame anyone who is 130 pounds and feels bad about themselves, but this right here is why women have bad self esteem; we read a book that makes us feel like if we weight 130 pounds (or gasp, more than that), we are fat whales who don't deserve to live. The fact that a female author thinks this is okay is unbelievable to me, and almost made me quit reading the book. Strike one.
2. Abby is 31 years old but constantly talks about how old she is and how she's never going to get married. 1. 31 is not old and 2. who cares if you don't get married? Again, Duffy is making women feel like we need to get married in our 20s and if we don't, our life isn't worth living. No, thanks. Strike two.
I didn't like Bobby. And I thought Abby was SUPER judgmental. Even when she claims to be giving guys a chance, she's really not. When you go to a date thinking, even though this guy does this this and this, I'm still going to give him a chance because I'm desperate, that's not really giving him a chance.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Duffy is a skinny, married woman, because that's exactly what she writes like. I basically felt like she spent the entire book making Abby feel bad for being (to her at least) neither of those things, and I wasn't a fan. I guess you could say she learned something by the end of the novel, but I'm not really sure she did. Wouldn't recommend this one.
I was disappointed by this book. I read Bond Girl after it came out five years ago and felt like the heroine in that novel was strong and capable. The premise to On the Rocks sounded like it would be an enjoyable beach read, but I couldn't get past a few things. I actually read the first 100 pages and had to put the book down for about a month and pick it back up when I was at the beach (the only place this might be worth reading).
1. After Abby's breakup with Ben, for the rest of the book, she complains about how fat she is. Pre-breakup she mentions weighing 110 pounds (why the author thinks this is an important fact other than to use as a comparison weight, I'm not sure). Post-breakup, Abby says she gains 20 pounds (which, admittedly, is a lot to gain in six months and is therefore worth a mention). Abby proceeds to complain about how fat she is for the entire book (with some digs from her friend and mother thrown in along the way. Now, if my math is correct, this mean after Abby's breakup, she WEIGHS 130 POUNDS. Can someone please tell me in what world is this fat? Yes, she might have gained some weight, and yes, that is going to make you feel bad about yourself. But, I felt like this was too much a focus of the book. I'm not trying to skinny shame anyone who is 130 pounds and feels bad about themselves, but this right here is why women have bad self esteem; we read a book that makes us feel like if we weight 130 pounds (or gasp, more than that), we are fat whales who don't deserve to live. The fact that a female author thinks this is okay is unbelievable to me, and almost made me quit reading the book. Strike one.
2. Abby is 31 years old but constantly talks about how old she is and how she's never going to get married. 1. 31 is not old and 2. who cares if you don't get married? Again, Duffy is making women feel like we need to get married in our 20s and if we don't, our life isn't worth living. No, thanks. Strike two.
I didn't like Bobby. And I thought Abby was SUPER judgmental. Even when she claims to be giving guys a chance, she's really not. When you go to a date thinking, even though this guy does this this and this, I'm still going to give him a chance because I'm desperate, that's not really giving him a chance.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Duffy is a skinny, married woman, because that's exactly what she writes like. I basically felt like she spent the entire book making Abby feel bad for being (to her at least) neither of those things, and I wasn't a fan. I guess you could say she learned something by the end of the novel, but I'm not really sure she did. Wouldn't recommend this one.
June 12, 2014
Review Originally Posted:Traveling With T
Traveling With T won this book in a giveaway from William Morrow.
On The Rocks (synopsis)
“I Thought He Was The Love Of My Life…. And He Thought I Was A Sock”
Six months ago, Abby’s life fell apart for all the world to see. Her longtime boyfriend-turned-fiancé, Ben, unceremoniously dumped her-on Facebook-while she was trying on dresses for the big day.
When the usual remedies-pints of Ben & Jerry’s, sweatpants, and a comfy couch-fail to work their magic, her best friend, Grace, devises a plan to get Abby back on her game. She and Abby are going to spend the summer in Newport, in a quaint cottage by the sea, enjoying cool breezes, cocktails, and a crowd of gorgeous men.
But no matter how far away they go, Abby and Grace discover that in the era of social media-when everyone is preserving every little detail of their lives online-there is no real escape. Dating has never been easy. But now that the rules are more blurred than ever, how will they find true love? And even if they do, can romance stand a chance when a girl’s every word and move can go viral with a single click?
Traveling With T’s Thoughts:
This book, ON THE ROCKS, is funny. Fabulously funny! I mean sure, Abby is having problems- who wouldn’t after getting dumped via Facebook while in the middle of Vera Wang planning the happiest day of her life?
Erin Duffy walks the fine line between showing the reader the pain that Abby is going through and learning to move on. Abby also has several lines that are super-funny:
“That Bitch Stole My Snack Pack”
Seriously, that line made me snort my drink.
Abby’s thoughts on her and her mother’s relationship:
“All I wanted was for her to drive a minivan and watch Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman at night like everyone’s mom.”
Fun and fluffy- with a beautiful cover- ON THE ROCKS is more than just chick lit- it actually has a lesson at it’s core. While I thought for most of the book, I knew where Erin Duffy was taking the reader- she surprised me- she did not take the easy way out, the “happily ever after” way that I was expecting. Instead, she allowed her main character, Abby, to learn some valuable lessons- and a strong dose of empowerment (which I totally dig!)
Looking for a beach read? Needing something light and fun? Craving something with some humorous lines? Try ON THE ROCKS by Erin Duffy!
*Traveling With T won ON THE ROCKS from William Morrow. While not required to review this book, I enjoyed it so much and think readers of Traveling With T will as well, I decided to post a mini-review.
Happy Reading and Bookishly Yours,
T @ Traveling With T
Traveling With T won this book in a giveaway from William Morrow.
On The Rocks (synopsis)
“I Thought He Was The Love Of My Life…. And He Thought I Was A Sock”
Six months ago, Abby’s life fell apart for all the world to see. Her longtime boyfriend-turned-fiancé, Ben, unceremoniously dumped her-on Facebook-while she was trying on dresses for the big day.
When the usual remedies-pints of Ben & Jerry’s, sweatpants, and a comfy couch-fail to work their magic, her best friend, Grace, devises a plan to get Abby back on her game. She and Abby are going to spend the summer in Newport, in a quaint cottage by the sea, enjoying cool breezes, cocktails, and a crowd of gorgeous men.
But no matter how far away they go, Abby and Grace discover that in the era of social media-when everyone is preserving every little detail of their lives online-there is no real escape. Dating has never been easy. But now that the rules are more blurred than ever, how will they find true love? And even if they do, can romance stand a chance when a girl’s every word and move can go viral with a single click?
Traveling With T’s Thoughts:
This book, ON THE ROCKS, is funny. Fabulously funny! I mean sure, Abby is having problems- who wouldn’t after getting dumped via Facebook while in the middle of Vera Wang planning the happiest day of her life?
Erin Duffy walks the fine line between showing the reader the pain that Abby is going through and learning to move on. Abby also has several lines that are super-funny:
“That Bitch Stole My Snack Pack”
Seriously, that line made me snort my drink.
Abby’s thoughts on her and her mother’s relationship:
“All I wanted was for her to drive a minivan and watch Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman at night like everyone’s mom.”
Fun and fluffy- with a beautiful cover- ON THE ROCKS is more than just chick lit- it actually has a lesson at it’s core. While I thought for most of the book, I knew where Erin Duffy was taking the reader- she surprised me- she did not take the easy way out, the “happily ever after” way that I was expecting. Instead, she allowed her main character, Abby, to learn some valuable lessons- and a strong dose of empowerment (which I totally dig!)
Looking for a beach read? Needing something light and fun? Craving something with some humorous lines? Try ON THE ROCKS by Erin Duffy!
*Traveling With T won ON THE ROCKS from William Morrow. While not required to review this book, I enjoyed it so much and think readers of Traveling With T will as well, I decided to post a mini-review.
Happy Reading and Bookishly Yours,
T @ Traveling With T
January 2, 2014
After her fiance Ben very publicly dumps her on Facebook Abby retreats from both her social life and social networking, barely emerging from the comfort of her apartment, ice cream, and television binges. When her best friend Grace insists that she spend the summer with her in a rented cottage in Newport, Abby reluctantly agrees, if for no other reason than to placate Grace. With the help of Grace, an old classmate, and two new guy friends who remind Abby that good guys do exist, she takes steps to reclaim her life. Abby considers herself an old fashioned girl, but she quickly learns that, with social networking and internet stalking, the rules of the dating game have grown complicated... and utterly ridiculous. But Abby refuses to let social media and google searches rule her life. ON THE ROCKS is for every woman who's found herself on the wrong side of social media, in the aftermath of a bad breakup, or elbow deep in Ben & Jerry's when things fall apart and is determined to put things back together.
Though I've never been broken up with via social media of any type (thankfully!) I found it easy to relate to Abby and her disgust with how intertwined technology and relationships & dating have become. Though Abby's engagement ended with her ex's change of relationship status and his sudden move out-of-state, she still has a hard time separating herself from him. First, she finds herself Facebook stalking him, and, after deleting her account, she's still plagued by texts and emails he sporadically sends. Even though she knows she should be strong enough to ignore his attempts at contact, she's unable to simply delete the messages and is repeatedly pulled back in, even as he dates and moves on with his life. Then, when she finally breaks back into the dating scene, she finds she still can't escape the effects of constant communication and social media. Even if she's not using social media, a simple Google search reveals all sorts of personal information(and embarrassing photos of fashion mistakes past) and not having a Facebook page has a negative connotation of its own. It's pretty safe to say that most anyone can relate to Abby's struggles in one way or another.
I really liked Abby's relationship with the two guys she befriends while living in Newport. While both have flaws, they are, at heart, good guys that restore Abby's faith in men. Both are straight shooters and tell it like it, even when the truth doesn't cast them in the best light.
Abby's snark, the beach setting, and the honesty and humor of ON THE ROCKS makes it a perfect beach read.
Though I've never been broken up with via social media of any type (thankfully!) I found it easy to relate to Abby and her disgust with how intertwined technology and relationships & dating have become. Though Abby's engagement ended with her ex's change of relationship status and his sudden move out-of-state, she still has a hard time separating herself from him. First, she finds herself Facebook stalking him, and, after deleting her account, she's still plagued by texts and emails he sporadically sends. Even though she knows she should be strong enough to ignore his attempts at contact, she's unable to simply delete the messages and is repeatedly pulled back in, even as he dates and moves on with his life. Then, when she finally breaks back into the dating scene, she finds she still can't escape the effects of constant communication and social media. Even if she's not using social media, a simple Google search reveals all sorts of personal information(and embarrassing photos of fashion mistakes past) and not having a Facebook page has a negative connotation of its own. It's pretty safe to say that most anyone can relate to Abby's struggles in one way or another.
I really liked Abby's relationship with the two guys she befriends while living in Newport. While both have flaws, they are, at heart, good guys that restore Abby's faith in men. Both are straight shooters and tell it like it, even when the truth doesn't cast them in the best light.
Abby's snark, the beach setting, and the honesty and humor of ON THE ROCKS makes it a perfect beach read.
April 26, 2014
3.5 stars. When Abby is unceremoniously dumped by her seemingly perfect fiance on Facebook, she is pretty sure that her life is over and that she is never going to get over this rejection. Her friend Grace gets her to break out of her shell and spend the summer at the shore, where some old friends and some new ones too show her that she can stand on her own and that there are good guys out there that still exist. This is a fun read about picking yourself off the ground and letting you be the one that saves yourself.
This is the second book by Erin Duffy. I read the first one, "Bond Girl" and really enjoyed it. And a lot of the reasons that I enjoyed "Bond Girl" are present again in this book. The writing is nicely paced and the way that the characters are written is really realistic and definitely pulled me into the book.
Abby is definitely a character that grew on me as the book went on and I'm glad that I gave her a chance. At first, I didn't like that she was very woe-is-me and seemed to care more about what people thought of her break-up than the fact that she was broken up. At first she seemed more sad about not having all of the things that go along with a wedding than not having her fiance. As the book goes on and Abby gets stronger and more secure in herself, she also grows and changes a lot. Once she realizes that it is up to her to save herself, she becomes a character that you will enjoy.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It would be a perfect light read for the upcoming beach season!
This is the second book by Erin Duffy. I read the first one, "Bond Girl" and really enjoyed it. And a lot of the reasons that I enjoyed "Bond Girl" are present again in this book. The writing is nicely paced and the way that the characters are written is really realistic and definitely pulled me into the book.
Abby is definitely a character that grew on me as the book went on and I'm glad that I gave her a chance. At first, I didn't like that she was very woe-is-me and seemed to care more about what people thought of her break-up than the fact that she was broken up. At first she seemed more sad about not having all of the things that go along with a wedding than not having her fiance. As the book goes on and Abby gets stronger and more secure in herself, she also grows and changes a lot. Once she realizes that it is up to her to save herself, she becomes a character that you will enjoy.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It would be a perfect light read for the upcoming beach season!
November 20, 2015
So many "beach read" books tend to be shallow, fluffy, predictable and dumbed-down, however this book surprised me by being so much more than the average "beach read." This book was written intelligently, geared toward an older crowd (Abby is in her 30s, not straight out of college, which makes her more 3-dimensional with a career and having lived life as an adult for a while), and not bubble-gum sweet, based nicely in realistic believability. Abby, a 31-year-old Kindergarten teacher, is trying on wedding dresses when she finds out via her best friend Grace, who finds out via Facebook that her boyfriend of 10 years has changed his relationship status to Single. This is the least believable part of the book, by the way. Luckily, in the face of a humiliating break-up, Grace has a great opportunity to rent a beach house in Newport Beach for the summer and invites Abby to share it with her. Abby meets Grace's quirky ladies-man friend Bobby and his roommate from Germany, Wolf, and they quickly become a tight summer group who bar-hops and watches each others' backs. Although Bobby annoys Abby to no end, she eventually realizes what a loyal friend he is and sees him in a different light. The summer sees Abby go from a kicked puppy with little confidence to a strong single woman ready to face the dating world again. I never once rolled my eyes while reading this book, which says a lot for this genre. I truly enjoyed this grown-up version of a break-up beach read story and would recommend it to any of my girlfriends.
May 17, 2014
So imagine you're engaged. You're trying on wedding dresses and then you find out you've been dumped.
Via Facebook.
This is what happens to Abby. Her fiance Ben, changes his status to "single" on Facebook before letting her know in person that it's over.
Humiliated, Abby decides to go to the beach for the summer with her best friend Grace to help heal. There she meets new people: Wolf, a fun German who messes up American Idioms and Bobby, a skinny unemployed lawyer. She also goes on several (disastrous) dates. Will she find love again? Or will she give up on men?
I liked the book, but I wasn't a fan of Abby's friend Grace, who is dating a married man. Grace doesn't seem to realize that she's doing a bad thing, and Abby makes excuses for her, even saying crap like, "love isn't rational, and sometimes you can't choose it. It chooses you." Maybe this makes me a bad friend, but I couldn't tolerate a friend who went for a married dude, and I certainly wouldn't be spewing excuses. So no, I really couldn't sympathize with Grace, even when her married boyfriend's wife confronts her.
I did root for Abby, hoping that she'd finally get over Ben. And Ben, by the way, continues to text her, despite dumping her in a horrible manner.
This is a fantastic book to read on the beach and bonus, it takes place on the beach!
Via Facebook.
This is what happens to Abby. Her fiance Ben, changes his status to "single" on Facebook before letting her know in person that it's over.
Humiliated, Abby decides to go to the beach for the summer with her best friend Grace to help heal. There she meets new people: Wolf, a fun German who messes up American Idioms and Bobby, a skinny unemployed lawyer. She also goes on several (disastrous) dates. Will she find love again? Or will she give up on men?
I liked the book, but I wasn't a fan of Abby's friend Grace, who is dating a married man. Grace doesn't seem to realize that she's doing a bad thing, and Abby makes excuses for her, even saying crap like, "love isn't rational, and sometimes you can't choose it. It chooses you." Maybe this makes me a bad friend, but I couldn't tolerate a friend who went for a married dude, and I certainly wouldn't be spewing excuses. So no, I really couldn't sympathize with Grace, even when her married boyfriend's wife confronts her.
I did root for Abby, hoping that she'd finally get over Ben. And Ben, by the way, continues to text her, despite dumping her in a horrible manner.
This is a fantastic book to read on the beach and bonus, it takes place on the beach!
May 22, 2014
I hadn't actually planned to read this book after all. The plot seemed fairly uninteresting (no dentists, 80-year old obituary writers, men seeking their birth-father)and it was due back at the library with no chance of renewal. Doesn't that sound dark?
I foolishly left for a soccer match with no reading material last night and had only the books in the car that I'd meant to drop back off at the library on my way home. Picture books galore and one junior novel I'd already read and this book of Erin Duffy's. Very slim pickings but I thought I'd give it a try and see what happened.
It was interesting enough to finish. I did enjoy the flavour of the friendships her main character developed and there was a possibility of something clever happening so I read to the end. Nothing really rocked my world and it ended predictably. It was a 'nice' story but nothing remarkable. I'll pass it along to patrons as beach reading but only if there isn't anything else close at hand. Not a wonderful review but it really only should have 2 stars.
I foolishly left for a soccer match with no reading material last night and had only the books in the car that I'd meant to drop back off at the library on my way home. Picture books galore and one junior novel I'd already read and this book of Erin Duffy's. Very slim pickings but I thought I'd give it a try and see what happened.
It was interesting enough to finish. I did enjoy the flavour of the friendships her main character developed and there was a possibility of something clever happening so I read to the end. Nothing really rocked my world and it ended predictably. It was a 'nice' story but nothing remarkable. I'll pass it along to patrons as beach reading but only if there isn't anything else close at hand. Not a wonderful review but it really only should have 2 stars.
August 11, 2016
Abby is planning her future with Ben when she learns he called off their engagement... via Facebook. Abby spirals down a dark hole until her best friend Grace rescues her. Grace's solution: spend the summer in Newport, Rhode Island. Initially Abby resists, but soon realizes a change of scenery may be what she needs.
On the Rocks deals with the pain and self-discovery one faces after the breakup of a serious relationship. Told in Abby's voice, the reader will find it easy to connect with her. She's a flawed character, she admits this, and is determined to find love again. Duffy's second novel should not be overlooked.
On the Rocks deals with the pain and self-discovery one faces after the breakup of a serious relationship. Told in Abby's voice, the reader will find it easy to connect with her. She's a flawed character, she admits this, and is determined to find love again. Duffy's second novel should not be overlooked.
March 11, 2014
“After her fiance dumps her on Facebook, Abby retreats to her apartment until her best friend invites her to spend the summer in Newport. This book is for every woman who’s been determined to put things back together after finding herself on the wrong side of social media, in the aftermath of a bad breakup, or elbow deep in Ben & Jerry’s when things fall apart.”
Sara Grochowski, Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library, Alpena, MI
Sara Grochowski, Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library, Alpena, MI
May 21, 2014
An okay beach read. I really enjoyed her other, "Bond Girl," much more. I couldn't quite get a grasp on the protagonist in this one. She's take-no-prisoners with everyone except for her complete weasel of a fiance. Things didn't really add up there. But I loved the ending! It wasn't what one would expect, and when can you ever say that about fun chick lit?
January 3, 2016
This rom com focuses on three women in their thirties back in the dating lane after failed engagements, divorce and jilted affairs. It is set in 2014 in a summer beach town on the east coast of America. In this novel all love is unrequited and there is not so much as a kiss. I wish them better luck in a sequel.
April 30, 2014
If you are looking for a fun beach read, check this book out!
December 24, 2014
This is a cute book and it is fun to read but it isn't a great book.
February 10, 2015
Cute, quick, chic lit kind of read.
June 20, 2015
This was a fun beach read, not that I was on the beach. The book had its funny moments, but some of the scenes got a little long. It ended differently than I thought, which is always nice.
February 3, 2017
Light beach reads are always my favorite!
September 13, 2022
3.5-3.75 stars
September 19, 2017
The book begins with Abby finding out that her fiance is leaving her via his newly posted "Single" status on Facebook. It's a really interesting hook and I was excited to see what would happen in her life. Flash forward 6 months and 20 pounds later, Abby is depressed. I'm depressed too because the author mentions on nearly EVERY PAGE that Abby is heavier, Abby needs to lose weight, Abby has jiggly thighs now. It honestly ruined the book for me. *Rant starting
The first chapter tells us that Abby weighs 110 pounds. And that she gains 20 pounds. If you can't math, that means Abby now weighs 130 pounds. Completely not exaggerating, her weight and want to lose that 20 pounds is mentioned at least 50 times, if not more. I found that to be extremely depressing. For once, can a book about a woman rediscovering herself not be so focused on her ALREADY THIN body? The body-shaming mentality ruined any good plot for me, but don't worry, there wasn't that much to be ruined.
That's a bit harsh. I liked the premise. Moving to the beach, hanging with friends, checking out the dating scene. But the author tried so hard, so hard, to be really funny and the jokes fell flat almost every time. It was cringy at some parts. And the person she flirts with and gets closer to over the entirety of the book, she doesn't end up with. Which is okay in and of itself but it was the only thing that would have made this book worthwhile, so it was a major let-down for me.
*End Rant
The first chapter tells us that Abby weighs 110 pounds. And that she gains 20 pounds. If you can't math, that means Abby now weighs 130 pounds. Completely not exaggerating, her weight and want to lose that 20 pounds is mentioned at least 50 times, if not more. I found that to be extremely depressing. For once, can a book about a woman rediscovering herself not be so focused on her ALREADY THIN body? The body-shaming mentality ruined any good plot for me, but don't worry, there wasn't that much to be ruined.
That's a bit harsh. I liked the premise. Moving to the beach, hanging with friends, checking out the dating scene. But the author tried so hard, so hard, to be really funny and the jokes fell flat almost every time. It was cringy at some parts. And the person she flirts with and gets closer to over the entirety of the book, she doesn't end up with. Which is okay in and of itself but it was the only thing that would have made this book worthwhile, so it was a major let-down for me.
*End Rant
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2022
This book is an excellent read for the beach, a lazy day off, or after a break up. Abby Wilkes thinks she is on her way to becoming a wife who lives happily ever after. But in the middle of trying on wedding dresses and planning her future, she learns that her fiancé has informed the whole world via Facebook that the wedding is off. What follows is the emotional roller coaster of Abby nursing her broken heart, wallowing in self-pity, forcing herself against her will to put her life back together, and with the support of friends and a summer at the beach, becoming a new and better person that she didn’t know she had the strength to be. While the plot is fairly predictable, with her ex fiancé begging her to take him back just as she’s starting to get over him, Abby’s response wasn’t as predictable. At the point in the book where he begged her forgiveness, I wasn’t sure if she would fold and take him back immediately, tell him she needed to think about it, or tell him he is a loser that she never cares to see again. I did assume that Abby would end up meeting someone new at the beach who would be her perfect match and the moral of the story would be that if you have a broken heart, reluctantly nurse it during a summer at the beach where you’ll unexpectedly meet the real man of your dreams and ride off into the sunset together. But if Abby fell in love with anyone at the beach, it was herself. She grew into a stronger and more confident young woman who had no fear of facing the world alone and on her own terms. For anyone who knows the frustrations of failed relationships, the pressure to get married by a certain age, and the feelings of self doubt and fear that happen when you are that age and still single, this is a relatable and entertaining read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2024
I can't say this was my favorite book, I was looking for a romance and evidently it was not what I found. However what I did find was a book about an adult women navigating life being single and learning to be ok when she's alone. That in itself is more powerful than any romance book.
A lot of the critique I saw before starting the book is about how vain and gross the main character was as a person. Though I genuinely don't think they read the book. The whole point of her vanity and being flawed as a character was not only to highlight her problems but also watch her character development. It showed human problems and situations and I don't understand why that is an issue truly. Overall though I truly loved the book, the language used like "manorexic" evidently made me uncomfortable and although I get the character was vain it was kind of not needed for the plot so that's kind of my main reason for docking the rating.
A lot of the critique I saw before starting the book is about how vain and gross the main character was as a person. Though I genuinely don't think they read the book. The whole point of her vanity and being flawed as a character was not only to highlight her problems but also watch her character development. It showed human problems and situations and I don't understand why that is an issue truly. Overall though I truly loved the book, the language used like "manorexic" evidently made me uncomfortable and although I get the character was vain it was kind of not needed for the plot so that's kind of my main reason for docking the rating.
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