On the Rocks by Riley Scott is a beachy femme/femme romance about two women who are determined not to fall in love.
Lennon Willis has a great life on paper. Her family is nearby, she has a supportive chosen family even closer, and she has a lovely apartment with her best friend/roommate, Grant. She’s also a well-known local bar owner with a thriving business. Despite all of that, her heart is in pieces from a break-up several months ago. In fact, much of the success from her bar is due to her heartbreak. Lennon pours herself into work or into bed with casual lovers to drown out her pain, but nothing seems to distract her for long. She’s sure she’ll feel better in time – after all, she’s got good alcohol and good friends, what more could she need? Certainly not a relationship. Lennon is sure she won’t be doing that again.
Alexandra “Alex” Daniels is new in town. Alex is freshly wounded from a disastrous ending to a relationship and although she’s not sure what the future holds, she’s hoping it’s better than the past. A million questions have followed her across the country. Why didn’t it work? Why doesn’t it ever work? After years of watering herself down for others, Alex wonders if she even knows herself anymore. In this small town, she has the chance to figure it out. Being on her own and completely alone could prove to be the perfect opportunity to explore who she is and what she’s made of without any distractions. But when Alex meets a beautiful woman in a bar, will a scorching one-night stand get in the way of her self discovery?
Lennon and Alex meet in dark, hazy bar, and the attraction is instant. They’re both clear that a one-nighter is all they can offer. After a night of intense passion, Lennon and Alex go their separate ways, To their surprise, they continue to bump into one another around town in one venue or another. Lennon and Alex are adamant that neither wants a relationship, but with each encounter their connection deepens.
Can two painfully broken hearts mend together and create something more, or will the no-strings-attached clause force them to self-destruct?
The Characters
Alex is like a bird who’s been set free. She’s unsure of what her limits should be, wary of her newfound freedom, but eager to see what the world holds for her. She’s not often afraid to speak her mind, and although she’s opinionated, she’s also open to new thoughts, opinions, and experiences. Alex is an artist and she’s given the perfect scenery in sunny Florida to create work aligned with her new life. I enjoyed seeing her explore the past and the present, but I often wished she would branch out a little more. Alex has an easygoing, gentle personality so it seems it should have been easy for her to float right into a group of friends in her new town.
Lennon is charming. She’s edgy, athletic, and charismatic. She’s the perfect bartender because she can chat with anyone and she’s got a knack for reading people. She’s great at offering people what they want to hear, but she’s not always able to support it in the end. So much of her past heartbreak spills into her current life. I found myself sad for Lennon a few times seeing the way she pushed Alex away because of a hurt from the past. Despite some of her decisions being poor, you can’t help but root for her.
The Writing Style
On the Rocks is written primarily in the perspectives of Lennon and Alex. The timing for each is on point and the transition is seamless. Although the ending came and tied up too quickly for me, the pacing throughout was nice.
One of the things I appreciated most about the writing of On the Rocks was the attention to detail. Riley Scott put extraordinary detail into the soundtrack of the story, the pop culture references, the specific drinks chosen, and the careful setting of the scene. I felt like I was finding surprise hidden gems throughout the entire book.
Pros And My Favourite Parts
I loved the music references throughout the story! My favorite part (spoiler?) was the Spotify list at the end of the book. Riley Scott put incredible thought into bringing this story into real life and I thoroughly appreciated the effort!
Cons And Heads Up
I got nothing!
The Conclusion
Yes, run for this book! On the Rocks by Riley Scott has romance, angst, and hot sex – everything to transport you into a sunny mini-vacation on the Gulf Coast!
TLDR (too long didn’t read)
On the Rocks by Riley Scott is a small town, femme/femme romance about two women who are determined not to fall in love, despite an intense connection that neither can deny. It’s the perfect summertime romance, I highly recommend!
Excerpt from On the Rocks by Riley Scott
Turning up the music another notch, she drowned out the thoughts. As much fun as it had been – and God, it had been fun – she needed to get the girl with the big blue eyes, large, round breasts, and playful curls out of her mind.
One night was fine. Anything more than that would be a mistake. Second encounters too often led to third and fourth ones. Before long, you could get yourself swept up in something. Damaged was no place to start something new.
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Bits and Bobs
- ISBN number: 9781642471830
- Publisher: Bella Books
- Riley Scott Online
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