×

Alone

by E. J. Noyes

Half a million dollars will be Celeste Thorne’s reward for spending four years of her life in total isolation. No faces. No voices. No way to leave.

Since Celeste has never really worried about being alone, the generous paycheck she’ll receive for her participation in the solitary psychological experiment seems like easy money.

When she finds an injured hiker in the woods bordering her living compound, her strictly governed world is thrown into disarray. But even as she struggles with the morality of breaking the rules of the experiment, Celeste can’t deny her growing attraction to the kind and enigmatic Olivia Soldano. Still, how much can you really trust a stranger? And how much can you trust yourself when you know all the faces you’ve seen and voices you’ve heard for the past three years have only been your imagination?

But what’s real? Celeste’s reality may lie somewhere between the absolute truth and a carefully constructed deception.

Paperback

$18.95

In stock

eBook

$9.99

Genre Romance
Length 288 pages
Publication Date May 16, 2019
Publisher Bella Books
ISBN 9781642470475
Editor Cath Walker
Cover Designer Judith Fellows

Extras

GCLS Goldie Awards
Alone — Winner, Romantic Blend and Tee Corinne Award for Outstanding Cover Art.

FROM THE AUTHOR

"Whenever I’ve talked about my newest release, Alone, Ithink I’ve used some variation of It’s a bit weird. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a very proud writer parent who loves my weird child. But every time I tried to explain what the book is about, I failed because it’s hard to explain without giving away the entire plot. So I’ve been hand-wringingly mumbling some vague things and hoping people would indulge me and actually read it. Now, I ask for your indulgence one more time when I talk about The Weird One in a vague kind of way (for the last time, pinky promise).

I wrote Alone back to front to how I normally craft a novel. All of my novel ideas start as a random thought, which morphs into a very vague plot idea. Then that plot gets left behind in favour of more exciting things like fleshing out characters and dialogue and fun interactions until inevitably I have to come back to plot stuff. Ugh, plots are tricky when you don’t plan anything and just aren’t a lover of plots. I don’t like working out how to make one bit join to another bit, oh and remember five chapters ago when this happened and now it has to affect that thing, yeah, you messed that bit up, pal and now you gotta fix it but it can’t screw with that other Very Important Bit.

But with Alone, I (miraculously) had the plot idea from start to finish pretty much from the get-go, and all I had to do was walk it back and figure out what kind of people would be in that situation. Easy *knuckle crack* I just needed two ladies, right? And from there, I ran headfirst into my next issue—the majority of the novel had to be two characters in one location.

How do you make a book with the bare minimum amount of characters for a romance, and set mostly in one place, interesting? What do two strangers basically stuck in a house together under interesting circumstances have to talk about? And most importantly–how do you make them fall in love? Please imagine the Now Kiss meme because that was pretty much my writing process.

Doing great here, Author.

Obviously the easiest solution would have been to change the plot, but gosh darn it, I’d written myself into a hole and I didn’t care if I was tearing my hair out, I was stubbornly sticking to my ideas because I really really loved them! Welcome to Author Stubbornness 101, I’ll be your lecturer for this semester.

Eventually, as it always happens (thankfully), I wrote myself out of the hole. My characters cooperated. And suddenly I had a novel that’s kind of romance, kind of drama but not really drama drama and kind of a bit psychological but not in a thriller-ish way. What genre do you put that mouthful into? A Bit of a Weird Romance? I’m pretty sure bookstores don’t have a shelf for that one.

If you’ve read the blurb, you probably have an idea what Alone is about. And you know I can’t say too much without giving things away. You also know “it’s a bit weird, but good weird.” So, obviously, the logical thing is for you to grab a copy of Alone and read it, so you can fill in the gaps between my vague details. And then please come and chat with me about it because I’m bursting here, desperate to talk about this novel but having to be vague so I don’t blurt out everything like a kid telling their classmates that Santa isn’t real.

Oh. Oops."

—E. J. Noyes

Reviews

NetGalley
Reviewer@Large - E. J. Noyes is easily one of the most gifted writers pulling us into whatever world she creates making us live and feel every emotion with her characters. Definitely, loudly, vehemently recommended.

goodreads
Tiff’s Reviews - Alone is an absolutely stunning book. This book is not a 5-star, it is well above that. You don’t see books like this one very often. Truly a treasure and one that will stay with you long after the final page.

NetGalley
Diane W. - Rich in good characterization and storyline, 'ALONE' is a dazzling narration that offers an insightful and some meaningful perspectives on what is false or real when showing endearment to another while being enclosed from the outside world. Overall, the writing was well written, clever, poignant and it even tried to render a significant examination about a complicated relationship. A highly recommended book!

NetGalley
Bethany K. - For being one of my most anticipated books to read in 2019, this one sure had a lot of expectations to live up to! I can say with full authority that it met or exceeded every single hope that I had. Noyes has done it again, cementing her place as a “must-read” author. Alone lived up to all the hype, and is easily one of the best books of 2019!

goodreads
Lex Kent’s Reviews - There are only a handful of authors that I will drop everything to read as soon as a new book comes out, and Noyes is at the top of that list. It seems no matter what Noyes writes she doesn’t disappoint. I will eagerly be waiting for whatever she writes next.

goodreads
Pin’s Reviews - It is a kind of psychological romance with some dark undertones, but not dark in its essence. On the contrary, it is essentially positive and motivating. It is different and weird, but in a good way. It is emotional in a big way. We can be angry, afraid, ashamed, angsty, crazy and happy along with the protagonist Celeste. We can laugh and cry with her. We can even hear voices in our head. All of that we can experience in this eccentric romantic story thanks to the great imagination and great writing skills of the author.

C-Spot Reviews
A woman lives alone in a remote cabin for several years as part of a psychological experiment–until one day a lost hiker blunders into her compound. How will our heroine react? Was this chance meeting really an accident? When Olivia turns up, injured and needy, Celeste falls hard for her, until she starts to suspect that all is not as it seems. It’s an unsettling scenario, and Noyes does an excellent job in creating a sinister atmosphere, establishing Celeste’s naiveté and credulity and emphasising her vulnerability.

NetGalley
Cathie W. - Once again this author has been able to rip apart any semblance of common or formulaic lesfic romantic themes to come up with a story entirely unique. Beyond that is the depth of emotion between Celeste and Olivia that is built masterfully through Celeste’s first person POV that is just so intensely raw and visceral. There is a pervasive heaviness throughout the book and executing the story through Celeste’s first person POV captured a deep and lush emotionality that would have been filtered and dim otherwise.

Truly an exceptional study of the human psyche and emotions, this is a book I won’t ever forget.

NetGalley
R. Swier - This was the type of book that you want to read as fast as possible because it is that good, yet at the same time you want to savor every moment simply because it is that good. But ultimately, this book wasn’t just good, it was great. Very highly recommended!

NetGalley
Heather B. - Alone is a fantastic emotional book. The writing and characters are well developed. I would love to read more from this author.

NetGalley
Orla S. - I can honestly say I have never read anything like this book before, in a really positive way. My mind is still slightly blown from all the thoughts and ideas firing about my brain while I was reading Alone, so I really hope I can do it justice here and not just drool all over my laptop about how much I love it!>br>
I've read and loved E.J. Noyes other four books (I highly recommend them all), so I tried to savour Alone and not finish it inside one day but in the end I just couldn't wait and I stayed up until 03.30 to finish it. I just couldn't stay away.

To sum up, this book is incredible; I was completely swept up by both Celeste and Olivia, became utterly smitten with them, giggled, cried my eyes out at one stage, the whole shebang. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone, yes there's a lesfic romance element but it's also a brilliantly written novel on our human needs, strengths and weaknesses. I also love the way the author, through Celeste and Olivia explores concepts of truth vs reality.

Buy this book, you won't regret it. I got an ARC but I have already pre-ordered this book from Bella, these are not just idle words!

Oh yeah, massive thank you to E.J. Noyes for the correct use of the term "butterfly kisses"! :P

NetGalley
Carolyn M. - I cannot give this anything more than five stars, but damn I wish I could. I would give it 15.

NetGalley
Betty H. - There are only a few books out there so compelling they seem to take control of you and force you to read them as quickly as possible. You can’t put them down. You just want the world to go away and leave you alone until you can finish this story. Alone by E. J. Noyes is that book for me. This novel is absolutely wonderful.

NetGalley
Carol C. - All I can say is just WOW - the plot of this book is one I don't think I have come across and I have read A LOT of lesbian romances. This is not only a romance but a psychological roller-coaster ride that I want to ride again!

Kitty Kat’s Book Review Blog
…is an addictive and fascinating, romantic psychological story. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever read before. At times the story was disturbing. But there were heart-warming moments too and an overpowering intense love that was beautiful and sexy and affirming. I couldn’t put it down. Afterwards I felt the need to sit and process what I had just read–it was very special. Highly recommended.

NetGalley
Joc A. - This is a superb novel, from concept to execution. I sometimes struggle with characters in a vacuum because there’s not enough interaction but Noyes counteracted that brilliantly by bringing to life the influences in Celeste’s past.

This novel elicited so many emotions and responses from me. It’s clever, beautiful, sad, romantic, imaginative, humorous, unusual and completely engrossing.

Book received from Netgalley and Bella Books for an honest review.

NetGalley
Karen C. - Not only is this easily one of the best books of 2019, but it has worked its way onto my personal all-time top 10 list. There is not one formulaic thing going on, and it’s “unputdownable.”

NetGalley
Corrie K. - Alone by E. J. Noyes is without a doubt one of my top reads for 2019. What a fabulous book! Wow, wow, wow.

I won’t do a synopsis because I don’t want to spoil anything and if you read the blurb you’ll know enough going in. Buy the book, schedule some time (because you won’t be able to put it down once you start) and just enjoy the ride. It’s all perfect. The plot, the characters, the pacing, the dialogue, the sex, the twist (although I did guess that one). Noyes is just at the top of her game here.

Celeste Thorne and Olivia Soldano will stay with me for a good long while. It’s gripping, it’s dark and unsettling and it will break your heart but at the same time it’s also full of hope and love. This book will ruin you in a good way. Buy it now.

NetGalley
Stephanie D. - This book was an immersive experience that had me guessing what was real and what wasn't. I love this kind of book where the writing is so good that you can get completely lost in it.

The writing was great and the book flowed effortlessly. The character development was great as well. It is a page turner that I will definitely be recommending.

Customer Reviews

4 reviews for Alone – Paperback

  1. velvetlounger

    Absolutely loved this story. Really unusual concept, very well done. The emotional experience of the woman left alone for 4 years is intriguing, and her reaction to finally having contact, and then the big reveal is extremely well done. It’s a romance but far more than that it’s an exploration of our emotional needs and coping mechanisms. Well written, thought out and simply a great read.

  2. u097265

    I recall reading on an E.J. Noyes blog that she writes books as a hobby while holding down a full time job. How she managed to create Alone, which I will boldly call her Masterpiece, during her free hours is truly amazing.

    When I was introduced to the book synopsis a few months ago on the Bella Books website I knew immediately that I wanted to read Alone. When I began to read this psychological study / romance I was immediately carried away to the main character’s, Celeste’s world of being cutoff from civilization and human contact. As I read each word I seemed to feel each emotion that Celeste was feeling during her extended multi-year stay at the habitat. The pacing of the book is good and I did not want to stop reading once I started.

    I will admit that the book is highly emotional and raw feelings get exposed. It left md in tears on multiple occasions. I truly cherish every moment of reading this book and again I will state that this is E.J. Noyes Masterpiece. I highly recommend this publication to other readers.

    I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bella Books in exchange for an honest review. I feel very fortunate to have received this book prior to the publication date.

  3. Darlene

    Wow! E. J. did it again, another delicious, funny and thoughtful book! I have read all her books..I need more! Thanks Again!

  4. Tanya Z.

    Fantastic book: The story, character development, and the emotional and psychological development of Celeste is deep, realistic and relatable. Another standout is the technicality of this book: sentence construction, grammar, in other words prose. It is easy to understand and not pretentious but a WONDERFUL but now RARE experience to find an author that can write above the US 9th grade level. Sheer Literary prowess has been a rarity for many decades; this was a refreshing glass of moscato Asti on a hot afternoon. I read and enjoyed Ask, Tell but I see a tremendous growth of Ms. Noyes as an author in this book. I have ordered all her books and can’t wait for Pas de deux (I have done dressage). She writes a step above.

Add a review

More Titles

  • Alone by E. J. Noyes $9.99
  • Ask Me Again by E. J. Noyes $9.99
  • Ask, Tell by E. J. Noyes $9.99
  • Go Around by E. J. Noyes $9.99
  • Gold by E. J. Noyes $9.99
  • If I Don't Ask by E. J. Noyes $9.99