On the Rocks

by Nicole Hart

Defeated. Desperate for change. I knew I wouldn't find the answer in the bottom of a bottle but I walked into his bar anyway. An accidental meeting... The overwhelming urge to draw closer. I knew it was wrong. But the need was powerful. The gravitational pull too hard to resist. So we gave in to temptation. But life isn't simple and nothing worth fighting for coming easy.

Genres: Comics, Humor, Romance, Cartoon, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Contemporary Romance

230 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1971

About the author

Nicole Hart is a contemporary romance author with a new love for psychological thriller and mystery. She is a lover of words and storytelling. When she's not writing, she loves spending time with her husband and two kids. She's from the one red light town of Boyd, Texas and enjoys life on her old country road. She survives on coffee, sarcasm and old country music.

Reviews

[Jeannine Colette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pucker up, baby, because Nicole Hart has a delicious tale to wet your pallet with!!! I first got taste of Gage in "Whiskey Bent," a novella Nicole wrote for the A Secret Affair Anthology and I was addicted! Nicole's storyline is that of temptation, betrayal and fighting for what you want. Add in a sexy, tatted-up, bearded bartender, a splash of a full-figured heroine who is relatable, and fun and a pinch of ultra-hot love scenes, and you have a delicious cocktail best served shaken, not stirred : )

[Georgie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK!

I can't even pin point what it was about this one that I adored...ALL OF IT!

I loved it from the very start all the way through to the very end!

My love for this one didn't waiver once!

I have never read a book by Nicole Hart before but let me tell you....I am going to go back through her catalogue and get fucking acquainted with them!

Reese finally had the reason to make the escape from loveless marriage and an abusive husband...and with the strength of the connection she experiences with Gage, this is more than enough of a reason to move on towards her happily ever after.

(don't get me wrong - its ultimately the actions of her douchebag husband that end things between them...Gage is just like the sweetener at the end of the road).

Gage - oh god Gage - where do we even begin with you? Tattooed, bearded, possessive and fiercely protective of this beautiful woman he now considers as his.

This man was swoon worthy personified!

He was hot and so in love with Reese it was undeniable!

I loved these two!

His push to her pull -the perfect balance of two people meant to be together!

I LOVED IT!!!

I hated when I finished this book because I wanted this story to keep going!

There were dramas and their relationship was tested but these two stuck together and trusted in the depth of their connection to stand as one...to fight together!

This was a fast paced book but in saying that I don't feel like anything was missed in the instant draw these two felt for each other!

I literally could not put this one down until I had finished!

5 plus stars for this awesome fast read!!!!

[Stephie Walls · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish there'd been more! I first met Gage and Reese in Whiskey Bent and was dying for more of their story, this is the novella on steroids; and I still didn't get enough. There's a line in this book that I believe has to be the hottest line I've ever read but I'm not willing to spoil it for anyone else--you'll have to read it and thank me later. Women everywhere, who love the alpha male, will be sharing that scene with their partners begging for a hate f@&$!

I think one of my favorite parts about On the Rocks, and Whiskey Bent, is Ms. Hart's leading female. I love that an author had the courage to write a size twelve woman and a hot, alpha man, not be able to resist her--to love her fiercely, protect her at all costs, and believe beyond a shadow of a doubt--she's perfect. While Gage is far from perfect, he loves her flawlessly.

[Grey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The full story of Gage and Reese from Whiskey Bent, one of the 7 forbidden love novellas in A Secret Affair by 7 very talented ladies, who donated the proceeds to The Bookworm Box... Awesome cause, BTW!

I wasn't expecting this back story and liked the addition of Logan... would love to hear more about him...and Wesley too.

Super hot smut! 4 against the bar stars.

[Nancy Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first met Reese and Gage (Rock) in the Novella WHISKEY BENT in the anthology A SECRET AFFAIR. Reese was having a bad day, or make that a bad life. She arrived at the New York airport, but her luggage had not. Her dominating husband Ryan was burning up her phone, demanding to know just where she was, and why she hadn't called immediately upon arrival. Her best-friend Westley appeared and swept her away from the headaches of the airport. Freedom! It might be temporary, but she planned to soak it up. Wesley stopped in front of of a small building with a sign above the wooden door with the strange name Whiskey Bent. She walked in and seeing the bartender didn't know this moment would chance her entire life. They locked stares and she fell into a trance. Her eyes suddenly adjusted to his every perfect feature. His dirty blond hair stood on end, and he donned a matching beard. Ink started at the edge of his shoulders and continued over the corded muscles on his arms down to his knuckles. Those dark hunter green eyes, continued to stare at her. She later would learn his name was Gage, and he wasn't the one who was married. She was the one who was married, but definitely not happily.


Reese put up with her husband, even though it was a constant struggle, because he was all she
knew since she was sixteen. But a strange Facetime phone call, reveals that the controlling
husband was not being faithful. Her decision to change her life could now become a guilt free reality with one green-eyed bartender. A vision of “Happy Ever After” might be way too soon, as Gage has a “dangerous” past that just might have caught up with him.


If you liked reading Whiskey Bent in A Secret Affair, then make sure to read On the Rocks by
Nicole Hart.

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

On the Rocks deserves 10 out of 10 stars. I seriously devoured this book in one sitting and I already want to re-read it. This was my first book my Nicole Hart, even though I've had my eyes on The Hurricane. Too many books and not enough time they say. But when I started On the Rocks, I was instantly hooked. This book blew my mind in all the right ways.
Reese is anything but truly happy in her life. She loves her job and has great friends but her husband is her biggest downfall. He just sucks the life out of her. Away on a trip for work, she finds out not everything is what it seems and her life is about to be a whole lot more on the rocks.
And it all starts with Gage. As Reese is out with her friend one night, she happens to see him behind the bar. Instantly she feels a pull to him that terrifies her since after all...she is a married woman. Gage and her find an attraction they've both never known before but she doesn't live in New York, she lives in Texas and she's sadly with another man, even if he treats her like crap.
Will Reese finally find the courage to leave a man that verbally abuses her, to be with a man that owns her mind, body, and soul with just one look or will she throw all of that away to stick to her vows.
This book utterly blew me away and I can say, I am definitely reading all of Hart's books now. I very much enjoyed this book, while I read on the edge of my seat.

[Kristie Verdurmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well hello there mister bartender!

Any book that has sexual encounters with no names and really no words and a book that has the words "I need to fuck you like I hate you” is pretty much AMAZING! I mean who doesn't love dirty grittty hardcore sex, right?

I read Gage and Reese's story in the A Secret Affair anthology and was so excited to hear that Nicole was writing their story! This was awesome, way more in depth than I expected, the story took a turn I truly wasn't expecting which i love.

Reese turns out to be a kick ass chick and fits right into Gage's life. She accepts him for who he is including his past, and a lot of past he has.

When Gage's past comes back to get them, Gage is more than ready to protect his girl with everything he has and Reese will stun you with her bravery.

Loved it!

[Theresa Alberts · Rating 2 out of 5]

On the Rocks by Nicole Hart was a quick, easy story about a woman who finally goes after what she wants in life with a confidence that she did not have before. Finally able to stand up to her husband, Reese takes steps to end her marriage, something she should have done long ago and all of her actions were prompted by the pull she had to Rock and the feelings that developed. Rock had a past that he ran from many years ago. After falling for a woman for the first time since he could remember, his past comes back to haunt him and they are after Reese.

Unfortunately this book wasn't for me. It was too out there and far fetched. I wasn't able to connect with any of the characters and I felt like they needed more development.

2 stars

[Lauren Runow · Rating 5 out of 5]

We were teased with Gage and Reese's story in A Secret Affair box set where I fell in love with Gage and couldn't wait for their complete story. On the Rocks includes this little teaser so it was nice to be able to skim through to refresh my memory before diving in. Where Whiskey Bent was hot and steamy, On the Rocks was a story I had no idea was coming and I loved the surprise! The suspense kept me hooked and the story kept me glued with a big smile on my face at the end. If you like sexy, bearded guys this Books definitely for you!

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hot , Angst, Sexy, Mysterious,Forbidden what More do you Need? A lot Of Harts Heart and Sole that is what you need This Book is By Far My Favorite by This Author to Date I could Not put it down until the End, I loved everything about it I was addicted from the beginning and by the end I was so High I never want to come down ... definitely in my Re Read shelf

[Stacie Holt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finding ones own happiness and the price they'll pay to keep it... I never realized that the lengths one may go would be so captivating as well as sensual. This story grabbed me at page one and didn't let go until the perfect end... I'm so glad their love was with fighting for... magical; hot as hell; engrossing! Excellent

[Yvette F. · Rating 4 out of 5]

AHHmazing

Why must it end so soon!!!!! This was a little different for Nicole's usual writing but I absolutely LOVED IT!!! To see her evolve as a write is so amazing. I hope we get Logans story and I love that ending!!! ,

[Melissa, Book Boyfriend and Husband Make Three · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this story. Seeing the beginning of Reese and Gage's relationship in Whiskey Bent and knowing more was coming was hard to wait for but so very worth it.

[This Literary Life · Rating 5 out of 5]

. I didn't intend on reading this today, but fate had other plans. Holy hotness batman

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the first page, I was hooked. Loved Gage and all of his sexiness. Reese was so strong, the perfect heroine!! Fast paced, full of action and a whole lot of steamy hotness!!! I would definitely recommend this book to a friend!!

[Zuray yaruz7 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not at all what I was expecting. But I really liked it and enjoyed it.

[Sonya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved! Can't wait for Logan's story!

[Books Laid Bare · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75Stars
Nothing in life is perfect and for Reese, that was her reality…her professional life was what she wanted but privately she was living a lie, married to a man that neither deserved or respected her. Everything was as far from perfect as she could have ever imagined but could she finally find the strength to walk away?
Well a trip to New York might just be the catalyst she was looking for because it is while she is there on business and while spending time with her best friend that she meets Gage and despite the fact that she is still married, there is no denying the connection between the two of them.
I don’t condone cheating but in many ways, I think her husband was almost goading her into her situation. His apathy was something that she could have only ever stomached for so long.
Being in New York is good for Reese, it gives her a peace and a freedom to explore not only who she is but what she wants.
Gage might not have been who she was looking for but when she walked into his bar, there was a spark that couldn’t be denied. But is Gage the man for her?
Gage was his own man, a man that had long since left the misfortunes of the past behind him and focussed on being the guy he always wanted to be, his success is to be admired, especially when tempered with the details of his childhood. But when he sees Reese, there is no going back, this is a woman that he wants and he is willing to do what he must to get her…but just how hard will he have to try?
Well now is where the story sort of lost me a little.
They connected yes, but I wanted a little more than just the physical connection and I think I missed that. The book was fast, the characters were galloping a long at a fair pace but that didn’t mean that I didn’t want them to just slow down, take stock and evaluate. With the elements of suspense that I thought were superbly dotted throughout the storyline, I found myself waiting for the other shoe to fall half the time.
I didn’t get to take a good hard look at what else, other than the intimacy made them tick.
Gage was able to encourage Reese and support her as she moved on with her life and grew into the woman she wanted to be and I have to say that he was perfect for her in that respect but I wanted them to be able to show each other that they had the capacity to love each other and I didn’t the indication that they were willing to put how they really felt out there, emotionally there was a distance that I think frightened me. Reese had been through that before and I think I wanted to make sure that she wasn’t going to be heading down that route again.
I know I am probably reading too much into it but when you get involved with a character that has had one poor experience you want to make sure that they don’t follow the same path and while Gage was a million times better than her husband, I wanted Reese to happy and that meant for more than just the here and now and while I was happy that Gage was her guy, I wanted to be sure that he was always going to be her go to guy….yep, definitely looking at this to hard!
Well written and a quick pacey read, left me with questions but that probably says more about me than the author.
Would I recommend the book- yes!

[Colleen (The Book Lover Blog) · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the Rocks was another quick read that I was able to finish in just one sitting. I enjoyed the bit of suspense and drama, but the romance did not quite meet my expectations.

First of all, if you don’t like cheating in books AT ALL, not even a one-time thing, then this isn’t the story for you. I don’t read many books with cheating in them. I’m not offended or turned off by it; it’s just not really my thing. But I must say it didn’t bother me in this story one little bit. Reese’s husband was a total asshat who deserved a swift kick to the nuts! Seriously, I wanted to throat punch him!

What didn’t work for me in regards to Reese and Gage’s relationship was the fact that it did not feel developed enough for me to invest in it. I felt that their romance was built more on their sexual connection rather than on their emotional connection. I could feel the desire, passion and heat between them, but I couldn’t feel the love. I needed more in the emotion department.

I would still encourage you to read the book; it had a good story behind it. Sadly, I just didn’t feel the love connection.

[EscapeNBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

​4-4.5stars
On the Rocks by Author Nicole Hart is a new standalone romantic suspense story.

I read the beginning of this novel in a short story format included in A Secret Affair anthology. Gage and Reese had a very interesting introduction to one another. Although the situation was not idea, they had off-the-charts chemistry. It definitely sparked my interest and made me want to know more about these characters. Thankfully, that's what On the Rocks was set to showcase.

"Life...it's a funny thing. You never know where you'll end up or who you'll meet. But rest assured, it's always exactly what you need. When you need it."

On the Rocks begins with a riveting prologue that made me gasp and sweat. The story progressed in much of the same manner. It was intense and thrilling. There were moments of complete and utter shock, my mind needing extra moments to process what had just occurred. However, Author Nicole Hart balanced this out by layering the story with spice and heat that further fueled the need to read. It was a fast, suspenseful, and steamy story, bringing together two out-of-the-ordinary characters and giving them their happily ever after.

[Flirtatiously Fictitious Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Duuude!! Nicole popped my bearded man cherry!!

I have a confession. Every time I read a book and there is a man with a beard, I change it to a little extra scruff. I've never been a full on beard girl, but god. Damn. I"ll take Gage EXACTLY the way he is! Full on beard and all!
This book was soo good! I read the novella in A Secret Affair and loved the shiz out of it, but I had no idea where this story was going to go. Like, none. I loved everything about it!
Power, dominance, rage. And we all know, a true alpha loves to have a little extra somethin' somethin' to hold onto. ;) Loved how Reese was your average women, faults and self proclaimed flaws and all and Gage loved her all the more for it. You could feel him bringing out strengths in her she didn't know she had, making her realize she was so much more than she believed herself to be. Gah! gives me the chills thinking about it! I love how the love and awe of a man can make a woman shine brighter. Nothing changes about her, yet everything changes within her.
So, so good!
AND I NEED A LOGAN BOOK! LIKE, TOMORROW!!!

[Monique Tinline · Rating 5 out of 5]

 

From the minute I finished the anthology OF secret Affair in which a novella of this first appeared I was asking if there was more.  I was beyond excited when Nicole said a full length novel was on the way.

On the Rocks was a tale of love, the tattered up hot Bar owner Gage and the gorgeous Reese who was stuck in a controlling marriage. When these two met there connection was perfect and though some might not agree with Reese's decision, her husband was an ass so she was right to do what she did.

Though there romance may have been perfect,  hot, scorching and full of passion it wouldn't be complete without some drama of the past. 

Nicole has given us a book with 2 well rounded leads. I loved them both and hoping the ending gave us hope for more

[Terra Drynan-Werder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher for an honest review. This is the first book I have read written by Nicole Hart and I am hooked. I loved Gage and Reese's story and I hope that there might be more in the future, or atleast some updates in future books. My favourite thing about this story is how they are both strong and determined characters. Far too often the woman in a story just follows along with the man, but is timid, that is certainly not the case with Reese. My favourite line in the book is F&%K me like you hate me!! The book is well written and doesn't lack for hot sex scenes. I would definitely recommend this book to people who enjoy a well written book, with story characters and a happily ever after.

[Kelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very excited to read this full length book after falling in love with their story in the novella. I loved how Reese developed the courage to stand up to her ex but was disappointed that she returned to being more of a docile person when the relationship with Gage developed further. I was wanting more out of the book. I absolutely loved the story but wanted more drama with the villian. I thought for sure that there would be involvement with her family and ex and them being in danger, but was a little disappointed there. It could have been a longer book with more drama and I would have been over the moon!

[_bookswithhart_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The moment I started the prologue I knew I was hooked. When we meet Reese she is on a trip to New York for work and her husband constantly calls and is very controlling, she just wants a break and enjoy herself. Oh boy does she! Enter Gage the bar owner who can't seem to stay away from Reese. He has demons of his own but he wants Reese and he will do anything to protect her and have her. This was suspenseful and hot. Loved that it was dual points of view. I really enjoyed this book. This was my first book by this author and I look forward to other books.

[Marika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reese and Gage meets when Reese is in NY for work and she walks into Gage's bar...The attraction is instant.. Reese is still married but she wants out and Gage gives the final push..but life isn'T so easy and soon things start to happen, weird and kind of random..Until Gage comes clean about his past!
I loved Wesley, Reese's best friend, and I loved gage..He could be so sweet yet an animal when needed.
It was a quick read and the action happened late in the book..but I enjoyed and read it pretty quickly.
I loved the ending..It made me smile so big!

[Jeanette Oglesby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok. So I went into this one blind. I read the synopsis and was totally drawn in to it. On the Rocks is really good. I had not read any of the books in the series that Gage and Reese are mentioned in, I never felt lost at all. I now can't wait to go back and read that series to get more of Gage and Reese. I loved Gage and Reese's story. They both come from very different backgrounds, but are just made for one another. This was really good from start to finish and I would recommend this to anyone looking for that ex MC Bad Boy.

Happy Reading Everyone!!!

[BeautyandtheBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read a novella called Whiskey Bent in THE SECRET AFFAIR anthology. I knew I NEEDED more of the story! Nicole delivered with On the Rocks! It's a super sexy instalove story that will suck you in! You'll fall in love with Gage, a tattooed, bearded alpha sexpot, and Reese, a curvy beauty, just as fast! Sometimes you need to break away from the tearjerker and heavy books and read that over the top love story and this was it for me!

[Simone · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED this book , Gage you just can't help but fall in love with seriously he's the ultimate Alpha , love him and he learns Reese to truly see how she is and give her new confidence in herself .

It's a gripping story that has you hooked from first page til last , and I'm sure to do many and I mean many re - reads of this book

Well done Nicole another AMAZINGLY written book can't wait to see what's coming next

[Danielle Robbins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the full story of Gage and Reese. We first met them in Whiskey Bent in The Secret Affair, which was one of my favorites from the anthology.

This book drew me in and I could not put it down! I loved it!

I love love love Gage! He's so protective, sexy and all alpha. I loved how he was with Reese!

I loved Reese and I loved seeing her transformation through out the book!

This is a must read! One click this and you will not be disappointed!