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A review by angieinbooks
Gold by E.J. Noyes
5.0
I’m long overdue a review for this book, so here goes.
I discovered EJ Noyes this year. And what a find her books have been! And when I say I discovered her books, I mean I read every book she has published to date (except for Turbulence which is literally next in queue to read) over a 5-week span in January and February, which was completely satisfying but also phenomenally stupid because now I have to wait for more. Please publish more, EJ Noyes!
Gold, Noyes’ 3rd novel, tells the story of Aspen Archer, a skier who’s as well know for her accomplishments in alpine skiing as she is for the career-ending injury she sustained during an incredible Olympic race. Gold picks up several years after the incident at a ski resort in Australia (I didn’t even know there were ski resorts in Australia), where Aspen spends the “southern season” giving private lessons to amateur skiers, which is how she meets Cate, a fellow American vacationing in Australia with her daughter, Gemma.
Aspen and Cate fall pretty quickly for each other, but it feels quite organic rather than Insta-Love-y. But it is quick. After all, Cate is on vacation. But Aspen wants to try for more. And Cate does too, but can they make it work? Can they overlook the age gap (Cate is 9 years older than Aspen), work through the distance, confront their baggage and demons in order to find a way to make it work?
The strength of this novel is the chemistry between Cate and Aspen, followed closely by their sheer determination—each separately—to fight for what they each need. What I love about most of the Noyes books I’ve read is that her characters actually communicate. And that’s not to say there isn’t weeping or gnashing of teeth, but I’m never screaming at her characters to “just tell her how you feel already!” because her characters usually do. Conflict always resides in things that feel real and not just for reasons of drama or plot.
I also really loved every character I met in this book. The scenes between Gemma and Aspen are some of my favorites. But Stacey, Hayley, Danielle and Melissa, Phoebe, and even Rachel add a lot to the story. And my biggest complaint in this novel is that Hayley (Aspen’s sister) and Danielle and Melissa (Cate’s best friends), in particular, disappear at the end of the story. And normally I would blame this on a lack of epilogue, but the ending here is pretty perfect. I just I missed seeing them at least one more time, especially after the way things play out.
And am I the only one who thinks Noyes intentionally leaves the door open to a follow up on this story. Perhaps 10 years into the future? I really want it. Like, who do I have to contact to make this happen? EJ Noyes, please make this happen!
I discovered EJ Noyes this year. And what a find her books have been! And when I say I discovered her books, I mean I read every book she has published to date (except for Turbulence which is literally next in queue to read) over a 5-week span in January and February, which was completely satisfying but also phenomenally stupid because now I have to wait for more. Please publish more, EJ Noyes!
Gold, Noyes’ 3rd novel, tells the story of Aspen Archer, a skier who’s as well know for her accomplishments in alpine skiing as she is for the career-ending injury she sustained during an incredible Olympic race. Gold picks up several years after the incident at a ski resort in Australia (I didn’t even know there were ski resorts in Australia), where Aspen spends the “southern season” giving private lessons to amateur skiers, which is how she meets Cate, a fellow American vacationing in Australia with her daughter, Gemma.
Aspen and Cate fall pretty quickly for each other, but it feels quite organic rather than Insta-Love-y. But it is quick. After all, Cate is on vacation. But Aspen wants to try for more. And Cate does too, but can they make it work? Can they overlook the age gap (Cate is 9 years older than Aspen), work through the distance, confront their baggage and demons in order to find a way to make it work?
The strength of this novel is the chemistry between Cate and Aspen, followed closely by their sheer determination—each separately—to fight for what they each need. What I love about most of the Noyes books I’ve read is that her characters actually communicate. And that’s not to say there isn’t weeping or gnashing of teeth, but I’m never screaming at her characters to “just tell her how you feel already!” because her characters usually do. Conflict always resides in things that feel real and not just for reasons of drama or plot.
I also really loved every character I met in this book. The scenes between Gemma and Aspen are some of my favorites. But Stacey, Hayley, Danielle and Melissa, Phoebe, and even Rachel add a lot to the story. And my biggest complaint in this novel is that Hayley (Aspen’s sister) and Danielle and Melissa (Cate’s best friends), in particular, disappear at the end of the story. And normally I would blame this on a lack of epilogue, but the ending here is pretty perfect. I just I missed seeing them at least one more time, especially after the way things play out.
And am I the only one who thinks Noyes intentionally leaves the door open to a follow up on this story. Perhaps 10 years into the future? I really want it. Like, who do I have to contact to make this happen? EJ Noyes, please make this happen!