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.br> 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.

Alone

Izza

Lucia Correa

5+ Stars for E.J. Noyes novel, Alone

What a way to start 2020 with a 5+ Star book! 

I actually bought this book when it first came out and it sat there on the top of my TBR list for months. I bought it because I’ve loved Noyes’ previous books but I hesitated for a long time because it sounded angsty and I don’t do angst. It was getting 5 Star reviews across the board – so I thought. OK, I’ll end 2019 with a great book. Well, I started on Dec 29th read a a few chapters but with traveling, finishing up reading my annual Holiday books and fanfics, it got pushed it aside. I didn’t pick it up until after the New Year. Don’t get me wrong – its not a hard book to get into, its just me wanting to read Christmas books and stories during the season. I finished it in 2 days, which is fast for me.

Celeste Thorne has volunteered to be in an experimental study in which she is totally alone – no direct human contact. If she lasts for 4 years, she’ll receive half a million dollars. The only contact she has is daily brief reports and requests via text messages to the “Controllers” and she keeps a daily log. A few months from the end of the study, Celeste finds an injured hiker, Olivia Soldana. Celeste brings her into her compound/home to nurse her injuries. Does she tell the Controllers she has compromised the experiment?

The book is told in the first person from Celeste’s point of view – we hear the voices that she hears in her mind, what she is feeling and how she is coping (or not) and we go along with her as she goes about her daily routine. What is real? What is just her imagination? It was very effective and very emotional. I actually teared up at one point. I did guess parts of the book early on, but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment.

Noyes is an incredible and unique writer. None of her books are like the other. The only exception is perhaps her first two books of her series Ask, Tell. You just never know what you are going to get when you read her books – other than it will be well written, there will probably be some sort of romance but most likely atypical, it could be a light book or heavy (like this one or Ask Me Again ) and in my case it will be a 5 Star book. I’m looking forward to her next book, this time a paranormal romance, Reaping the Benefits.

Jo H

So, this is an example of a somewhat predictable plot device that actually takes nothing away from my enjoyment of this book. It is a quiet, melancholy, atmospheric, and reflective story that is totally lacking in any level of excitement but that I felt down to my bones. It is also a story in two halves; During and After the experiment. I was somewhat surprised to be dropped 3+ years into Celeste's isolation from the first page, but it actually makes for a stronger character study that way I think. The backstory is added organically throughout that first half too so the reader is not left facing tons of exposition or wanting explanations at any point because none had been given.

Part one of the book, the "During The Experiment" phase (not named as such in the book, that is my own spin) is a study in the effect of total isolation and loneliness has on a mind, body and soul. How that can lead to a deep deep ache inside, make one question one's own mind and the feelings that emerge so rapidly when suddenly presented with another person after such a long period of being starved of human interaction let alone companionship. I actually related to Celeste heavily in that respect given the current state of the world, but she literally has had no one; no sight and not even the sound of another human (or even an animal) in over three years. She certainly has more strength in her than I could ever dream of having in the same situation, and how she managed to stay as sane (albeit displaying some signs of the loneliness manifesting in her head as a coping mechanism) as she did for as long as she did is beyond comprehension to me.

In part two of the book, the "After The Experiment" phase, I was impressed with how well Celeste appeared to adjust to real-life again. The healthy depiction of what she did after the initial week or so did appear to come a little too easy perhaps and she seemed to show no serious lingering effects of her time alone. Perhaps I'm nitpicking, but I would imagine it would take a bit longer to shake off the inherent feeling of what the isolation would have been like and becoming used to the loud sights and sounds of life again after hearing and seeing only yourself for such a long time. I was however happy for her that she kept herself busy and didn't wallow; she made sensible decisions to settle herself down somewhere she could call home (and it was a treat to see how she did that, and what it entailed) and create a full life for herself which allowed her to reflect on her actions towards Olivia once the truth came out. This then made her much more able to quickly move past those feelings of hurt and betrayal once she was faced with Olivia's presence again, which of course facilitated their reunion.

I have trouble with (view spoiler)[deception, especially identity (hide spoiler)] plots so it was hard for me early on to become invested in the romance between these two women, despite literally feeling the pining between them. However, the feelings between Celeste and Olivia are shown and the sex scenes are so beautifully written, that it's easy to forgive but yet again I'm not feeling the passion between them. I do wonder though that after a few similar experiences with FF romances if it's a 'me' thing because I don't feel attraction towards females, rather than the writing, and am feeling a tad frustrated about that. Anyway, all in all, this book is so beautifully written that despite being a slow 'slice of life' type in the second half still kept me both engaged, and invested in the romance in the end.

And as an aside, this book would make an excellent (but an indie not big-budget) movie because of it's haunting quality and minimal cast.

Alone

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