On the Rocks

Can you imagine the shock and horror of your fiancé breaking off your engagement on Facebook? Cyndi Shope narrates Duffy's new summer beach listen with passion as Abby learns to date again after Ben dumps her. Of course, spending the summer in Newport helps. As Abby; her best friend, Grace; and their new friends, Bobby and Wolf, learn about the opposite sex, Shope portrays each character flawlessly, matching tone to situation and emotion. In the end, Abby picks herself up and dusts herself off while avoiding social media and inconsiderate men in her post-breakup summer. Shope skips the New England vowels, which is just fine for this perfect beach read. M.B.K. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine

February 15, 2014

With her second novel (after Bond Girl), Duffy succeeds again in bringing a fresh perspective to women's fiction for the thirtysomething set that is funny, relatable, and unpredictable. As she tries on wedding dresses for her big day, Abby learns via Facebook that her fiance has dumped her. In an effort to salvage her mental framework and her waistline after six months of wallowing in self-pity and pints of Ben & Jerry's ice cream, Abby and her best friend Grace leave Boston for a summer in Newport, RI. They both hope to rediscover themselves and enjoy a peaceful environment free from their stresses and the control their men have over their hearts and minds. This vacation proves to be a huge learning experience for Abby as she tries to date in a social media-saturated world that is not as private and untraceable as she once thought. VERDICT With its more realistic and modern ending, this engaging novel offers readers relaxing and light yet thoughtful summer escape. [Library marketing.]--Anne M. Miskewitch, Chicago P.L.

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2014
From Facebook to a walk-of-shame website, social media are ruining Abby Wilkes' love life. Every girl dreams of the perfect wedding with the perfect dress, and every girl worries a bit about being jilted at the altar. But Abby never suspected she'd be jilted at the Vera Wang store (while trying on that perfect dress) via Facebook. Since her own Facebook account is fairly quiet, Abby has to learn from her best friend, Grace, that her fiance, Ben, has changed his status to "single." Six months, 20 pounds and countless pints of ice cream later, Abby still can't get over Ben. He's not helping matters by texting her almost daily, apparently forgetting that she never wants to see him again. She's not helping matters, either, by responding to those texts. Grace knows it's time for an intervention. She proposes they take a house in Newport for the summer. Sandy beaches, cold drinks and lots of single people should help Abby get back on track. Grace herself could use a little time out of Boston, since her affair with a married colleague is getting a little sticky. Through Grace, Abby immediately meets Bobby, a gawky, unemployed attorney, who nominates himself Abby's dating coach, urging her to treat dating as a job. After all, dating has changed in the 12 years she's spent with Ben. Meanwhile, Abby's sister's wedding is approaching, which has inspired their mother to take time out of her rigorous Abby-critiquing schedule to buff and polish herself into glossy perfection. Duffy (Bond Girl, 2012) skillfully and humorously depicts the tribulations of re-entering the social scene, as well as the exhilaration of making new friends (despite some unnecessary fat-shaming). Ridiculous pickup lines, catastrophic dates, loyal girl (and boy) friends and sharp dialogue abound. A fun, light beach read that avoids the expected Cinderella ending.

COPYRIGHT(2014) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

March 15, 2014
Standing in front of a three-way mirror in the most gorgeous dress she's ever seen, Abby Wilkes finally feels like a bride-to-be. Then her fianc' sets his Facebook relationship status back to single. After storming out the of the bridal boutique and confronting her now ex-fianc', she heads back to her apartment and falls into the comforting arms of reality television and Ben & Jerry's ice cream. After quite a bit of wallowing, Abby accepts her best friend's offer to share a summer rental house because she knows a change of scenery could be helpful. The next few months bring plenty of sun, cheap drinks, and a complete overhaul in Abby's dating philosophy. This story of love in the time of Facebook follows Abby's journey from bereft dumpee to content single woman. Duffy's second novel is tenderly introspective, lacking the sharply pointed wit of her debut, Bond Girl (2012). Abby's attempts to navigate the ever-changing rules of dating are infinitely relatable and will prove to be an ideal beach read for fans of Elin Hilderbrand and Sarah Pekkanen.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)