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    On the Rocks
    On the Rocks
    On the Rocks
    Audiobook10 hours

    On the Rocks

    Written by Erin Duffy

    Narrated by Cyndi Shope

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    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.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateApr 22, 2014
    ISBN9780062205773
    On the Rocks
    Author

    Erin Duffy

    Erin Duffy graduated from Georgetown University in 2000 with a B.A. in English and went on to spend more than a decade working in fixed income sales on Wall Street. She currently lives in New York. Bond Girl is her first novel.

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    Reviews for On the Rocks

    3.5/5

    67 ratings15 reviews

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    • 3/5
      Light, kinda fun. I really disliked the reader's voices for each character. It made them sound even more shallow than they were written.
    • 4/5
      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, 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. Thank you for the copy via LibraryThing!
    • 3/5
      Social media can be a wonderful thing. It keeps us connected to family and friends we might not otherwise see or hear from very often. It is an easy way to connect and to share, the good, the sad, and the ever day stuff of our lives. But it can have a darker side too. Thanks to social media, we know when we are the only ones not invited to the party or when we missed a really fun time. We have a tangible measure of who our friends really are. But it can be even worse than that. Thanks to the relationship status on platforms like Facebook, we can have our hearts broken in public. The main character in Erin Duffy's newest novel, On the Rocks, has this very thing happen to her.Abby is trying on wedding dresses with her best friend Grace when Grace notices that Abby's fiance Ben has changed his relationship status to single. With one click of the mouse, her entire life changes, completely devastating her. Abby and Ben have been together for ten years. Their relationship is comfortable, in fact, Ben compares it to a comfy but tatty old sock you can't bring yourself to throw out. A work opportunity comes up for him, one that involves moving across the country, he takes a closer look at their spark-free relationship, and chooses to break things off before he leaves. But this decision comes out of the blue for Abby and she crumbles. She holes up in her apartment, watching tv, binging on ice cream, and wearing sweats. She's turned into a cliche. She also has to try and pull herself together to pretend pleasure for his younger sister's engagement and the run up to that wedding, which is unlikely to be cancelled, like her own was. Finally Grace has had enough and convinces Abby that she needs a change of scenery. As a kindergarten teacher, Abby's summers are free so she and Grace can rent a place in Newport Beach and try to break Abby out of her depression. The summer can also give Grace time to examine the future of her own relationship, an affair with a married colleague.Although Abby's not so sure she can get back into the dating world and just be Abby instead of being Abby and Ben (after all, she's still responding to Ben's texts to her), she agrees to try. With the help of a former classmate of Grace's, a currently unemployed smart alecky lawyer named Bobby, who offers to be her wingman, and his friend Wolf, a German caddy wanting to perfect his English, Abby might dip a toe back in the single girl pool. But once bitten, twice shy, and she's not going to do it with her technology intact, deleting her Facebook account. Abby has some truly hilarious attempts at dating but more importantly, she works on accepting friendships, with Bobby and Wolf as well as with Lara, the seemingly perfect woman whose shop she ends up working in and who went to her high school.The cover of this novel throws it firmly in the chick lit firmament but unlike many chick lit novels, finding a man will not make Abby whole or more complete. The novel is more firmly focused on the power and value of friendship and support than romantic love despite everyone urging Abby to date all the time. Abby is alternately vulnerable and a pain in the ass as she works through the death of her relationship and she comes to the knowledge that Ben wasn't wrong about the state of them and that she deserves to have more than just a comfortable and familiar, spark-free relationship. Bobby and Wolf are great supporting characters, adding levity to the story and calling Abby out on her moods. Grace has her own issues, the married boyfriend, which ultimately show Abby that she has to do more than mope about her own situation and be present for her friend. Having to come to terms with her younger sister's wedding and happiness, as well as recognizing and empathizing with Lara's deep despair are just two more ways that Abby's selfish self-absorption are challenged over her summer of healing. There is a lot of levity in the writing and the tone stays generally light and breezy. This is a quick read about the value of friendship with just enough quirky characters to balance out the inevitable heartbreaks. It may not stay with you long past closing the book but it's fun and frothy enough to be a perfect read when you have your toes buried in the sand and the sun shining overhead.
    • 4/5
      At first glance, I assumed this to be a typical chick lit novel and while it's definitely chick lit, it's not typical. The characters aren't the same ones you find in every single book in the same genre, they actually have some depth. As a knitter, I highly dislike the disparaging remarks about 30 somethings who knit (we're not crotchety old ladies!), but other than that, I'm highly pleased with this book.
    • 4/5
      On the Rocks is a light and fun read. The characters often said things that had me laughing out loud. I thought it was heading for a predictable ending, but I was pleasantly surprised.
    • 4/5
      Good beach read. Nothing really unique about this book, but it was worth reading and makes a good, light summer read. I didn't get invested in the main character until quite a bit into the book, but in the end I did care what happened to her and the book was worth finishing. It's a very quick read and it's about someone spending the summer at the beach, so it's really good if you're lounging around by the pool or at the beach in the summer.
    • 4/5
      A good summer fluff read about women and empowerment, but it takes a long way to get there. Basic premise: a woman needs to regroup and figure out her life so she goes to spend the summer on the beach. Enjoyable, but liked Bond Girl better.
    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed this book. Getting married in my 30's, I can relate to a lot of issues and uncertainties that Abby faced. This book held my attention and I was excited each time I was able to read. Great summer and beach read. I also agree with another reviewer - great ending in the fact that it was not a typical girlie book ending!
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this beach read very much. It's a romantic comedy that has a realistic ending which is a refreshing change. The main character, Abby, is dealing with a broken engagement. She goes to Newport beach for the Summer where she, her best friend, Grace, and two new guy friends help her heal. I like that the main character has a great sense of humor and finds strength that she didn't know she had. The author adds to the humor by cleverly penning funny chapter titles that represent the gist of what the chapter is about. The author also offers some interesting commentary on the problems that social media can cause people trying to find love. Overall, a fresh and funny novel.
    • 5/5
      This was the first book I had read from this author, but it definitely won't be the last. This book had the perfect combination of a good storyline, characters that were personable as well as realistic, and bits of humor all throughout. This is the perfect beach book..
    • 4/5
      Abby is a teacher who is in the middle of planning her wedding to her fiancé, Ben. She is trying on dresses with her best friend, Grace, who discovers that Ben has broken up with Abby on Facebook! Abby, of course, is shocked, mad, and very hurt. Grace decides that Abby needs a summer at the beach to help recover and get her mojo back. Abby reluctantly agrees...I read Erin Duffy's first book, Bond Girl, and really loved it....this one, not as much. I just couldn't quite get into this one. I liked Abby, but she wore on me. I did like the ending, however, not your typical chick lit ending.
    • 4/5
      On the Rocks by Erin DuffyThis story is about Abby and she's shopping with her best friend Grace for wedding dress. Problem is in today's society and the onslaught of Facebook she finds out her fiance is single before she finds out.So much of their lives are out in the world, on the net. Grace wants to get Abby out of her slump and they head to Newport, RI to spend the summer by the sea...Love the descriptions of the area as I live nearby and treasure my time at the sea.Hate to realize how much Facebook has played a life in some people's life as we tend to get away from it, being just a gossip column and so intrusive. Same with google searches to find out if the one you're dating, all about their past...Abby finds a part time job and meets up with other locals who drink nightly-to keep busy while Grace works in the city during the week.Funny at times to hear of the bachelorette parties at the bar and the dates Abby goes on. She continues to hear from Ben, her intended...Beginning of each chapter has a blurb/saying about something big in the chapter, that is usually very funny. Her sister gets married and that whole nightmare but she continues to date ...Enjoyed the author I will seek out her other works.I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
    • 5/5
      Really enjoyed this summer read about an engaged woman who is dumped on Facebook. After an appropriate mourning period, she spends a summer in Newport to rebuild her life. I liked the characters, dialogue and realistic ending.
    • 4/5
      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.
    • 5/5
      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.