Getting into character(s) with Erin Duffy...plus a book giveaway

Erin Duffy's debut novel, Bond Girl, made it onto Melissa A's 2012 favorites list. She's back now with her sophomore novel, On the Rocks, which is perfect for beach or poolside reading this summer. We have THREE copies for some lucky US readers (thanks to HarperCollins). Today, Erin is here to tell us her top five favorite chick lit characters. We're sure you'll agree with most, if not all, of her choices!

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Synopsis of On the Rocks:
Six months ago, Abby's life fell apart for the entire world to see. Her longtime boyfriend-turned-fiancé, Ben, unceremoniously dumped her—on Facebook—while she was trying on dresses for the big day.

When the usual remedies—multiple pints of Ben & Jerry's, sweatpants, and a comfy couch—fail to work their magic, her best friend, Grace, devises a plan to get Abby back on her game. She and Abby are going to escape Boston and its reminders of Ben and head to Newport for the summer. There, in a quaint rented cottage by the sea, the girls will enjoy cool breezes, cocktails, and crowds of gorgeous men.

But no matter where they go, Abby and Grace discover that in this era of social media—when seemingly everyone is preserving every last detail of their lives online—there is no real escape. Dating has never been easy. But now that the rules are more blurred than ever, how will they find true love? And even if they do, can romance stand a chance when a girl's every word and move can go viral with a single click? (Courtesy of Amazon.)

My top five favorite chick lit characters:

1. Bridget Jones. I will go out on a limb and say that she is one of my favorite characters ever. I love how she isn't perfect and she doesn't care. She is happy with who she is, loves to have a good time, and isn't afraid to stand up for herself. I think we all could learn a little something from Bridget and her attitude on life. Plus she gets herself into a pretty awesome love triangle. Go Bridget!

2. Miranda Priestley. I know, I know. How could she be one of my favorite characters when she's so evil? Well, that's exactly why! She's the character I love to hate the most. She's frigid, mean, distant, and downright nasty but she's got a killer wardrobe and a seriously powerful job. People respect her and she has risen to the top of her industry through hard work and perseverance, which is pretty cool. Fine, I don't want to have her over for dinner, but I would like to borrow a pair of shoes from her every now and then. Wouldn't you?

3. Rebecca Bloomwood. It's hard not to like someone who thinks that retail therapy is the answer to all of her problems. I certainly have tried it before, and even though it doesn't work, it's always fun to try! Rebecca is the quintessential "do as I say not as I do" girl, and it's great to know that I'm not alone in thinking that a new sweater is the fastest way to cure a myriad of problems. It certainly doesn't hurt!

4. Rachel White. I struggle with this one because I know people might think I've lost my mind, but I really do like her. Sometimes I think people end up in really awful situations and sure, maybe they make decisions that they regret down the road, but Rachel really loved Dex and her situation was complicated! I think Rachel shows how there are always two sides to every story and that even girls with good hearts and good intentions can screw up along the way. At the end of the day, she followed her heart. I give her credit for that, even though if she were my friend, I'd have strangled her with my bare hands.

5. Mark Darcy. I love how Mark Darcy proves that nice guys don't have to finish last. I also love how he's a little bit awkward, a little bit bizarre, and yet somehow I can't help but root for him. Plus, he loves Bridget despite the fact that she doesn't necessarily fit the stereotypes of what makes a woman beautiful, if anything, that's precisely what he loves most about her. Daniel Cleaver never had a chance!





Thanks to Erin for sharing her favorite characters with us and to HarperCollins for sharing her book with our readers!


How to win:  Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

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US only. Giveaway ends May 13th at midnight EST.