Would you listen to On the Rocks again? Why?
I don't know, maybe. It's an enjoyable read, but I'm not sure it's one to have on repeat.
If you’ve listened to books by Ari McKay before, how does this one compare?
I haven't this was my first.
What does Michael Stellman bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
Energy.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
I did smile a few times, especially the necklace thing. That was a nice touch.
Any additional comments?
Mal and Aidan have been best friends for many years. They have shared the highs and lows life has thrown at them and they have no secrets. Well, aside from the little detail that Mal is in love with Aidan. Every year for birthdays and holidays, Mal brings Aidan a rock from wherever he happens to be on his latest trip for work, but this year he brings Aidan something a little bit different, something special.
Everything changes the night Mal and Aidan attend a Halloween themed Masquerade party and they are drawn to each other, not know who they are behind the masks. When the secret is revealed, Mal is hopeful that the passionate night they shared will lead to something more, something he has long held out hope for. But Aidan is used to being disappointed when he loves someone, so he pushes Mal away out of some sort of twisted self-preservation. When Aidan comes to terms with his own issues, will Mal still be there to help him pick up the pieces?
I had a few issues with this story when it was all said and done. First, if you’ve been best friends with someone for so many years, you are going to recognize that person regardless. So the whole not knowing each other when in costume aspect didn’t work for me. I also felt like I never got a real feel for Mal as a character. I’m not saying I disliked him or he was an unlikeable character, the opposite is true in fact. I just wish he’d had more character development in the story. I knew exactly what happened to Aidan and why he was so dead set on being in a relationship, a little more attention for Mal’s past would have been appreciated.
All that being said, Stellman really took the story and gave the characters a distinct voice with his narration. There were these little quirks in the story I enjoyed as well. The rocks Mal gives Aidan every year, and the special one this year in particular, how Aidan puts it on a chain to wear so he can keep a piece of Mal close when they are estranged, the case in his bedroom, the versatility in the characters. So while I had a couple issues with the storyline, overall I quite liked this book.
If you are a fan of short stories with a heart, characters that have to find their own way before they can be a couple and some pretty smexy make up sex, then you’ll probably enjoy this book as well.