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Make or Break
Stephanie D’Arripe seems to have it all. Lead actor on an acclaimed cop drama, works with her best friend, great cat, great house, but…that’s about it. After a very public and very messy breakup, Steph thinks she might be ready to dip her toes into the love pool again. And who better to try a relationship with than the cute woman you flirt with at work? Of course, Steph will have to get over her fear of being hurt again if she wants anything more than flirtation.
Makeup Artist Harper Bell loves her job. Who wouldn’t when you get to work with your famous crush? Harper put Steph D’Arripe in the “just a dream” basket years ago, but when dream unexpectedly becomes reality, Harper discovers that mixing personal and work relationships isn’t as easy as she thought it would be.
Steph and Harper are about to find out that acting on attraction is the easy part. It’s everything that comes after that’s hard.
Makeup Artist Harper Bell loves her job. Who wouldn’t when you get to work with your famous crush? Harper put Steph D’Arripe in the “just a dream” basket years ago, but when dream unexpectedly becomes reality, Harper discovers that mixing personal and work relationships isn’t as easy as she thought it would be.
Steph and Harper are about to find out that acting on attraction is the easy part. It’s everything that comes after that’s hard.
386 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 28, 2025
38 people are currently reading
429 people want to read
About the author
E.J. Noyes
19 books1,981 followersE. J. Noyes is an Australian transplanted to New Zealand, which may be the awesomest thing to happen to her. She lives in the South Island with her wife and the world’s best and neediest cat, and is enjoying the change of temperature from her hot, humid homeland.
An avid but mediocre gamer, E. J. lives for skiing (which she is also mediocre at), enjoys arguing with her hair, pretending to be good at things, and working the fact she’s a best-selling and award-winning author into casual conversation.
If you want (very) sporadic emails about what E. J. is doing, you can sign up for the E. J. Noyesletter at: https://ejnoyesauthor.com/
An avid but mediocre gamer, E. J. lives for skiing (which she is also mediocre at), enjoys arguing with her hair, pretending to be good at things, and working the fact she’s a best-selling and award-winning author into casual conversation.
If you want (very) sporadic emails about what E. J. is doing, you can sign up for the E. J. Noyesletter at: https://ejnoyesauthor.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
July 26, 2025
4.5⭐️ This is a story about Steph an actor on a TV cop show. Harper is a make up artist working on the TV set. They both have had secret crushes on each other for the 6 years that they’ve worked together. Steph and her cop partner Laura are asked to play in a celebrity tennis match. Harper is going to be the judge of the match since she’s a past tennis player.
The first half of the book has them getting to know each other better with lots of flirting and fun banter. Each want a relationship but are afraid that the other just wants to be friends with benefits. This was my favorite part of the book. Noyes does a fantastic job developing the emotional feelings that they have for each other.
There’s some drama and angst over Steph‘a fame and social media exposure, she wants to protect Harper from it and that blows up and causes a big scene.
Each chapter is written in first person and alternates between characters. This totally lets you get into each character’s personality and thought process. Noyes writes some very hot scenes in this book, much more explicit than any of her other books that I’ve read.
Thanks to Bella Books for the chance to read and review this ARC.
The first half of the book has them getting to know each other better with lots of flirting and fun banter. Each want a relationship but are afraid that the other just wants to be friends with benefits. This was my favorite part of the book. Noyes does a fantastic job developing the emotional feelings that they have for each other.
There’s some drama and angst over Steph‘a fame and social media exposure, she wants to protect Harper from it and that blows up and causes a big scene.
Each chapter is written in first person and alternates between characters. This totally lets you get into each character’s personality and thought process. Noyes writes some very hot scenes in this book, much more explicit than any of her other books that I’ve read.
Thanks to Bella Books for the chance to read and review this ARC.
November 5, 2025
i think i've realized that i have different tiers for romance books. i've read a LOT over the last 6ish years (almost all sapphic) and i think i kinda have two tiers/vibes for ones that i enjoy. some (more rare) are Top Tier in that they hit on an emotional level that is very hard to describe. (in general, i always have a much more difficult time articulating when i like/enjoy something than i do when something either frusturates or doesn't work for me). and then there are ones that i enjoy, have a very good time with, maybe even really liked the characters, but just doesn't have that extra It factor that makes me want to scream like jenny slatter in drunk history about black holes and space.
this one is in that second tier, for me. i enjoyed it! (i love that it had both mcs povs! bc that is not ej noyes usual m.o. but it IS my prefrence 9/10 in romance novels). i liked both steph and harper as characters (slightly more partial to harper) and i found their dynamic fun and sweet. a good chunk of the first half of the novel is a slow flirty vibe that both of them are dancing around if the other has real feelings like them or not and it was a lot of fun. equally fun was when they actually get together. i liked the low angst of it all (sometimes you rlly crave that) and i almost always love stories set in hollywood, and this was no exception. i had a good time! i looooved that the audiobook came out at the same time as the novel, and i didn't have to wait months for it (bc i usually listen to noyes' books bc abby craden almost always makes the experience a little better). in general, i've noticed that i enjoy listening to romance novels more than reading them, it feels like a performance often adds to my enjoyment of it all--not always, but more often than not. abby is not who i would say is someone i would go to for accent work--it's just not her main strong suit, but she holds her own and is often decent enough not to take me out of the story and i enjoyed her southern drawl for harper for the most part, here. (though, anastasia whatley would have nailed it, i still think about her narration for haley cass's in the long run).
overall this was fun! it's not going among my favorites by ej noyes, but i love love love how much she often experiments with plot and genre and this is def higher up among the ones that have worked well for me and i rec it if you're looking for a fairly low angst flirty vibe.
this one is in that second tier, for me. i enjoyed it! (i love that it had both mcs povs! bc that is not ej noyes usual m.o. but it IS my prefrence 9/10 in romance novels). i liked both steph and harper as characters (slightly more partial to harper) and i found their dynamic fun and sweet. a good chunk of the first half of the novel is a slow flirty vibe that both of them are dancing around if the other has real feelings like them or not and it was a lot of fun. equally fun was when they actually get together. i liked the low angst of it all (sometimes you rlly crave that) and i almost always love stories set in hollywood, and this was no exception. i had a good time! i looooved that the audiobook came out at the same time as the novel, and i didn't have to wait months for it (bc i usually listen to noyes' books bc abby craden almost always makes the experience a little better). in general, i've noticed that i enjoy listening to romance novels more than reading them, it feels like a performance often adds to my enjoyment of it all--not always, but more often than not. abby is not who i would say is someone i would go to for accent work--it's just not her main strong suit, but she holds her own and is often decent enough not to take me out of the story and i enjoyed her southern drawl for harper for the most part, here. (though, anastasia whatley would have nailed it, i still think about her narration for haley cass's in the long run).
overall this was fun! it's not going among my favorites by ej noyes, but i love love love how much she often experiments with plot and genre and this is def higher up among the ones that have worked well for me and i rec it if you're looking for a fairly low angst flirty vibe.
September 28, 2025
2.25 stars
EJ Noyes is one of my favorite writers and I’m shocked to say this one felt phoned in to me. I kept waiting for something - anything - to happen and it never did. Even Abby Craden, also a favorite narrator, seemed rather bored.
It must be terribly challenging to keep up a very high level of quality after having written some of the best books in the genre. We can’t expect them all to be Alone, Ask,Tell or Turbulence and I don’t. But celeb romances are my favorite genre and if I couldn’t get excited about it, that says a lot.
I always look forward to new work from Noyes and know more great things are ahead. This one just didn’t work for me, sadly.
EJ Noyes is one of my favorite writers and I’m shocked to say this one felt phoned in to me. I kept waiting for something - anything - to happen and it never did. Even Abby Craden, also a favorite narrator, seemed rather bored.
It must be terribly challenging to keep up a very high level of quality after having written some of the best books in the genre. We can’t expect them all to be Alone, Ask,Tell or Turbulence and I don’t. But celeb romances are my favorite genre and if I couldn’t get excited about it, that says a lot.
I always look forward to new work from Noyes and know more great things are ahead. This one just didn’t work for me, sadly.
October 3, 2025
Make or Break was an easy, enjoyable read, but it didn’t completely win me over. I liked the setup — Steph, an actor on a cop show, and Harper, her make-up artist, finally acting on years of quiet crushes — and I enjoyed the everyday detail of them getting to know each other outside of work. The behind-the-scenes TV stuff and Harper’s friendships were nice touches too.
Where it fell a little short for me was in the chemistry. The supposed flirting often didn’t feel all that flirty, and I never quite got the build-up I wanted before they got together. For a book with such a fun premise, I expected more sparks in those early interactions.
That said, once the romance got going there were some strong moments, and the low-drama, character-focused vibe will definitely work for some readers. I liked it, just didn’t love it the way I’ve loved other Noyes books.
Many thanks to Bella Books for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
Where it fell a little short for me was in the chemistry. The supposed flirting often didn’t feel all that flirty, and I never quite got the build-up I wanted before they got together. For a book with such a fun premise, I expected more sparks in those early interactions.
That said, once the romance got going there were some strong moments, and the low-drama, character-focused vibe will definitely work for some readers. I liked it, just didn’t love it the way I’ve loved other Noyes books.
Many thanks to Bella Books for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
October 5, 2025
Sadly, this one was a miss for me. The characters are really likeable, and aside from wanting to guess what the other thinks at first, they have healthy conversations once they get together. The sex scenes are definitely steamy, and I really rooted for them. But I did not fall in love with them. There are no major tensions or plot twists. We follow them trying to build something, despite the downside of Steph's celebrity. There were a lot of detailed scenes about what they eat or simply their daily life. It's immersive, but reading entire scenes of Steph playing her part in her show didn’t hold my attention. I admit I really struggled at first to keep going. In between those scenes, I found very cute scenes that made their relationship go forward. This was a sweet, angst-free story, but it wasn't for me.
September 2, 2025
Make or Break is a low-angst, feel-good romance with two very likable leads - Steph, an actress recovering from a messy breakup, and Harper, the makeup artist who’s secretly had a crush on her for years. I loved how naturally their relationship developed.
Abby Craden’s narration was perfect as always. Her soft Southern accent for Harper added so much charm.
Highly recommended 👍
Abby Craden’s narration was perfect as always. Her soft Southern accent for Harper added so much charm.
Highly recommended 👍
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September 1, 2025Unfortunately this book was not for me. I look although forward to future E.J. Noyes stories. Glad it worked for some.
October 2, 2025
I usually love EJ Noyes’s books. Her Ask, Tell series is one of my all-time favorites, but Make or Break just didn’t land the same way for me.
Technically, it’s as well-written as you’d expect (Noyes is such a strong writer), but the plot itself was just 24 chapters of mild. Steph and Harper are both great main characters, they were fun, likable, and easy to root for, but the story itself is basically: I have a crush on my co-worker, I'm going to act on it, it goes well, and now we’re together. That’s… pretty much it.
There’s very little angst or conflict, which I know some readers actually love, but for me, it left things feeling flat. I just kept waiting for something more to grab me, and it never came.
Technically, it’s as well-written as you’d expect (Noyes is such a strong writer), but the plot itself was just 24 chapters of mild. Steph and Harper are both great main characters, they were fun, likable, and easy to root for, but the story itself is basically: I have a crush on my co-worker, I'm going to act on it, it goes well, and now we’re together. That’s… pretty much it.
There’s very little angst or conflict, which I know some readers actually love, but for me, it left things feeling flat. I just kept waiting for something more to grab me, and it never came.
September 22, 2025
I LOVE THIS BOOK! A FAVORITE! Stephanie is the leading actress in a cop show, her makeup artist is Harper. For 6 years they've flirted with each other. Steph has been paired with her costar Laura in a charity tennis match. But Steph isn't very good, so Harper volunteers' to help her. This broke the dam and they finally get together. A beautiful friends to lovers love story! More than 5 stars!
August 3, 2025
This book was so fun and sweet that it caught my heart from the start. I always love to read about a celebrity crush especially if an actress is involved and then to top that with amazing bantering, fun side characters, a really great story and dual POV’s and this was exactly the book I needed to read.
Steph is this TV star that now is on the 6th season of a TV show. She has just had a recent and very public breakup from a very shitty girlfriend she starts to look extra much at the cute make-up artist that she has been flirting with for years. Harper on the other hand has been crushing on Steph from the very beginning, but since she is a celebrity, she considers that just a dream since she is so out of her league.
Then things start to come together. Steph’s co-star Laura has just broken up with her most recent boyfriend and since they are a couple on the show rumours tend to start when they are both single Laura tells Steph that time for her to take the baton to date someone in public to stop speculations. When a charity tennis game come up and Steph cares how she will look when playing, not knowing how to really, Harper cannot avoid offering Steph some lessons despite that she of course panics about the whole thing, being in private with her big celebrity crush.
Everything so awkward and fun in their interactions, they are both so into each other, flirt so much without nothing coming of that so it is almost painful. When they get to know each other outside work they see each other in a completely new way so perhaps they can move this to something real. Some events occur that make it impossible for Harper to not kiss Steph, it feels so good after all the years of waiting and wanting to.
You would think all will move on smoothly and in some sense it does, they are so into each other, the chemistry between the two undeniable, they date and talk relationship status. Outside forces do however come in that potentially can destroy things between them. You never lose hope though that they will eventually work out all their respective issues since they are so perfect together.
I received a free ARC from Bella Books and I leave a review voluntarily.
August 27, 2025
This is a story about two women who have a crush on each other right from the start, or rather, years before. Harper, the makeup artist, doesn't think beyond that crush because she thinks she doesn't stand a chance with someone like Steph, a leading actress in a cop show. For Steph, the crush faded into the background during her relationship with another actor. They soon realize they're keeping tabs on each other, and the tension mounts.
I really liked the characters. The dynamic between them as well. Steph, despite her status as an actor, is still unsure how to approach Harper. And Harper, on the other hand, is unsure about interacting with Steph, who, besides being an attractive person and colleague, is also a celebrity with star status. While that uncertainty sometimes felt a bit awkward, it was also kind of sweet.
What wasn't sweet was their first time having sex. It was so fucking hot. And there was a spicy moment afterward, but it didn't dominate. It was mainly their growing love and respect for each other that took center stage.
I'm leaning towards 4.5⭐️, but since I have to round that to 5, I'm choosing 4+⭐️, which rounds to 4.
I really liked the characters. The dynamic between them as well. Steph, despite her status as an actor, is still unsure how to approach Harper. And Harper, on the other hand, is unsure about interacting with Steph, who, besides being an attractive person and colleague, is also a celebrity with star status. While that uncertainty sometimes felt a bit awkward, it was also kind of sweet.
What wasn't sweet was their first time having sex. It was so fucking hot. And there was a spicy moment afterward, but it didn't dominate. It was mainly their growing love and respect for each other that took center stage.
I'm leaning towards 4.5⭐️, but since I have to round that to 5, I'm choosing 4+⭐️, which rounds to 4.
September 18, 2025
(rounded up from 3.5)
This was cozy and low angst and a very easy read. The MCs are likeable, sweet and respectful and there is a fair amount of spice and a very tiny third act breakup. Not my favorite E J Noyes but certainly a solid one.
This was cozy and low angst and a very easy read. The MCs are likeable, sweet and respectful and there is a fair amount of spice and a very tiny third act breakup. Not my favorite E J Noyes but certainly a solid one.
August 23, 2025
I think I’ve read everything by EJ Noyes. Alone may be my favorite of all sapphic romances, but this may be the sexiest because of
the hot, off-the-charts chemistry between the two main characters, Stephanie D’Arripe and Harper Bell.
The story’s setting revolves around a TV police drama with lesbian costars. Steph and Laura are the TV actors. Harper had been the studio’s makeup artist for six years and always secretly lusted for Steph. The feeling was mutual, but they never wandered past the flirtations….until they did.
This sexy romance was so beautifully created by Noyes, enhanced by a great cast of side-characters. Two of the most important were Per, Steph’s gay roommate, and Laura, Steph’s co-star in the TV show. Uniquely, some dialogue from the TV drama was included in the story.
The couple faced some tough and unusual challenges in their new relationship, including common issues such as trust, but something unique was when AI entered into things and created a complicated mess. It’s always interesting to read how such situations are dealt with, and of course, this author excellently handled them all.
What sets E.J. Noyes’ writing apart for me is how she so masterfully sets the scenes and moods with her ability to weave in both clever humor and steamy love into a story. It is always a joy to read her books.
My special thanks to Bella Books for the arc.
AUDIOBOOK UPDATE: As much as I like Abby Craden, she does have some annoying voices that she uses from time to time. This book was such the case. The audiobook just changed my perspective and feelings about the book. The high-pitched voice, the quirky voice and the over-embellished gay male voice of Per’s boyfriend, Ben.
the hot, off-the-charts chemistry between the two main characters, Stephanie D’Arripe and Harper Bell.
The story’s setting revolves around a TV police drama with lesbian costars. Steph and Laura are the TV actors. Harper had been the studio’s makeup artist for six years and always secretly lusted for Steph. The feeling was mutual, but they never wandered past the flirtations….until they did.
This sexy romance was so beautifully created by Noyes, enhanced by a great cast of side-characters. Two of the most important were Per, Steph’s gay roommate, and Laura, Steph’s co-star in the TV show. Uniquely, some dialogue from the TV drama was included in the story.
The couple faced some tough and unusual challenges in their new relationship, including common issues such as trust, but something unique was when AI entered into things and created a complicated mess. It’s always interesting to read how such situations are dealt with, and of course, this author excellently handled them all.
What sets E.J. Noyes’ writing apart for me is how she so masterfully sets the scenes and moods with her ability to weave in both clever humor and steamy love into a story. It is always a joy to read her books.
My special thanks to Bella Books for the arc.
AUDIOBOOK UPDATE: As much as I like Abby Craden, she does have some annoying voices that she uses from time to time. This book was such the case. The audiobook just changed my perspective and feelings about the book. The high-pitched voice, the quirky voice and the over-embellished gay male voice of Per’s boyfriend, Ben.
August 23, 2025
A sweet, fun romance. Well written but If you’re looking for the next “Ask, Tell” or “Alone”, this isn’t it. It felt a bit lazy and sad to say, boring at times. My advice is to not compare it to any of Noyes’ other books and jut enjoy it for what it is.
October 27, 2025
A strong 3.9 ⭐ really. Think I’ve just read some books lately that have had me reeling (in the best way) and it makes it difficult to hit that 4.
This is a cute coming together for Steph and Harper. Low angst, there’s literally 1 couple fight. Their love for each precedes any actually actions being taken other than constant flirting for literal years.
The writing is consistent and both MCs have their own voices that make them distinct and their chemistry is pretty strong.
The ‘scenes’ are indeed high on the hotness scale, well written, not overly frequent but well placed due to both having to navigate such busy schedules. However, not getting a scene in a PRIVATE trailer on a tv set is kinda blasphemous- though it was implied.
This is a cute coming together for Steph and Harper. Low angst, there’s literally 1 couple fight. Their love for each precedes any actually actions being taken other than constant flirting for literal years.
The writing is consistent and both MCs have their own voices that make them distinct and their chemistry is pretty strong.
The ‘scenes’ are indeed high on the hotness scale, well written, not overly frequent but well placed due to both having to navigate such busy schedules. However, not getting a scene in a PRIVATE trailer on a tv set is kinda blasphemous- though it was implied.
December 23, 2025
I listened to the audiobook. Of course the narration was fantastic.
On the whole , I enjoyed the book. There were no dramas really with the two main characters that fell in love.
I just had one complaint; my only negative. I like for items to be completed. If you bring it up, you should finish it by the end of the story. In this case, there was one item brought up that was not completed. It had to do with some pictures on the Internet, so why make the drama? Did it do anything to advance the story? I don’t think so. This is just my opinion.
A easy breezy beautiful story in my opinion.
On the whole , I enjoyed the book. There were no dramas really with the two main characters that fell in love.
I just had one complaint; my only negative. I like for items to be completed. If you bring it up, you should finish it by the end of the story. In this case, there was one item brought up that was not completed. It had to do with some pictures on the Internet, so why make the drama? Did it do anything to advance the story? I don’t think so. This is just my opinion.
A easy breezy beautiful story in my opinion.
September 11, 2025
Another FAVORITE! I LOVE this book!A gorgeous slow burn HOT love story. An actress Steph and her make-up artist Harper have been flirting for 6 years.When a charity tennis match brings them together. You'll love it! 5 stars!
January 12, 2026
Very low angst warm-hearted story. Nice comfort read.
September 16, 2025
EJ Noyes is an amazing author. So many of her books connect with me on many different levels. Her writing style is amazing and each story is very well written... except 2 of her books: Pas de Deux and this book, make or break.
I will tell you exactly why that is: EJ Noyes writes lesbian love stories unlike most others. Her characters nearly never start off with hating or loathing one another. Instead they always have this cute attraction to one another right from the start and there is always so much sexual tension. How does she do that you may wonder? I'll tell you how, by writing from one person's point of view, and guess what this book doesn't do.
We get both of the characters constantly guessing and hoping that the other one likes them and half way through the book it gets tiring and frustrating very quickly because as the reader we know that both of the women really really like one another.
Definitely my least favourite Noyes book to date.
I will tell you exactly why that is: EJ Noyes writes lesbian love stories unlike most others. Her characters nearly never start off with hating or loathing one another. Instead they always have this cute attraction to one another right from the start and there is always so much sexual tension. How does she do that you may wonder? I'll tell you how, by writing from one person's point of view, and guess what this book doesn't do.
We get both of the characters constantly guessing and hoping that the other one likes them and half way through the book it gets tiring and frustrating very quickly because as the reader we know that both of the women really really like one another.
Definitely my least favourite Noyes book to date.
August 14, 2025
steph and make up artist harper have been dancing around their attraction for several years.... harper knew that steph was trying to get over a nasty break up
their working life was about to steal into their personal time when steph was volunteered to play in a charity tennis match with harper being the umpire
so when steph asked for some tennis lessons off harper why wouldnt see agree....
but as with things with famous people they were photos appearing online about steph and harper and it bought a whole heap of trouble on harper
but with that and the darker side of life spoiling their getting together it was always going to be rough until their truths were told
a very enjoyable read.....and the spice was nice....
their working life was about to steal into their personal time when steph was volunteered to play in a charity tennis match with harper being the umpire
so when steph asked for some tennis lessons off harper why wouldnt see agree....
but as with things with famous people they were photos appearing online about steph and harper and it bought a whole heap of trouble on harper
but with that and the darker side of life spoiling their getting together it was always going to be rough until their truths were told
a very enjoyable read.....and the spice was nice....
December 27, 2025
Nearly a 3.
This story settled into me as a slow burn. The angst however, is where my emotional experience twisted. Told through dual points of view, (which at times, I needed to remind myself whose POV it was), we learn about two women who’ve worked side by side for six years, sharing a solid, affectionate professional vibe that’s already rich with trust (the importance of a makeup artists’ work), familiarity, and unspoken desire. Their flirtatious dancing around each other, laced with charming banter and quiet knowing looks, creates their chemistry. I can always get behind the dance 😉.
The angst. There is a lot of it, and while high angst can be delicious when it sharpens longing, here it landed differently for me. Waiting until 41% of the book for their first kiss, “‘Oh, screw it.’ She gripped a fistful of my shirt and tugged me until I closed the gap between us…” (page 113), felt less like a satisfying slow burn and more like an exercise in endurance. One with more time outs as a result of frustration than emotional regulation. I’ve happily lingered in unresolved tension far longer than that in other romances, but this delay felt torturous in a way that dulled the payoff rather than heightening it. The yearning was present, but the emotional release didn’t quite balance the time spent waiting for it.
That said, those early chapters weren’t empty. In that long stretch before the kiss, character familiarity, emotional layering, and genuine chemistry became the heart of the story. But there is still so much more to know of them, and the rest of the book starts to uncover those stories. The stakes, their history, their fears, the sex – fire, etc.
One of the more painful arcs for me was the emergence of the familiar trio: self-doubt, self-sabotage, and the jump-to-conclusions spiral. When it surfaced, it felt like a well-worn romance reflex. It often pulled me out of the story. “Some deep breathing helped. Until more thoughts crept in. She hadn’t told me because she didn’t trust me. She hadn’t told me because I wasn’t good enough for her. I wasn’t enough for her…I wasn’t good enough for anyone.” (p. 218). Emotional intelligence is so sexy and when an author chooses that over self-sabotage it’s a winner. Not that the feelings weren’t valid, or that this isn’t a VERY realistic thing we find ourselves doing, but because the pattern was so recognizable it became a distraction. Almost a disappointment. Noise.
And yet, just as my patience thinned, the narrative would pivot. It was almost back to back. A few pages later, the character would name the self-sabotage for what it was, take accountability, and consciously redirect their behavior in a more constructive way. “Clarity is kindness” said by the MC’s throughout the book. I like this catch phrase so that self-awareness softened the frustration, it didn’t erase the cliché entirely, but it did restore some “feels." Watching a character recognize their own destructive patterns and choose differently does matter, and those moments brought the story back into balance for me. While the angst may not have landed in the way I personally wanted, and the insecurities played out in each character distracted me from emotional gravitas the connection between these two women feels real, tender, and deserving.
This story settled into me as a slow burn. The angst however, is where my emotional experience twisted. Told through dual points of view, (which at times, I needed to remind myself whose POV it was), we learn about two women who’ve worked side by side for six years, sharing a solid, affectionate professional vibe that’s already rich with trust (the importance of a makeup artists’ work), familiarity, and unspoken desire. Their flirtatious dancing around each other, laced with charming banter and quiet knowing looks, creates their chemistry. I can always get behind the dance 😉.
The angst. There is a lot of it, and while high angst can be delicious when it sharpens longing, here it landed differently for me. Waiting until 41% of the book for their first kiss, “‘Oh, screw it.’ She gripped a fistful of my shirt and tugged me until I closed the gap between us…” (page 113), felt less like a satisfying slow burn and more like an exercise in endurance. One with more time outs as a result of frustration than emotional regulation. I’ve happily lingered in unresolved tension far longer than that in other romances, but this delay felt torturous in a way that dulled the payoff rather than heightening it. The yearning was present, but the emotional release didn’t quite balance the time spent waiting for it.
That said, those early chapters weren’t empty. In that long stretch before the kiss, character familiarity, emotional layering, and genuine chemistry became the heart of the story. But there is still so much more to know of them, and the rest of the book starts to uncover those stories. The stakes, their history, their fears, the sex – fire, etc.
One of the more painful arcs for me was the emergence of the familiar trio: self-doubt, self-sabotage, and the jump-to-conclusions spiral. When it surfaced, it felt like a well-worn romance reflex. It often pulled me out of the story. “Some deep breathing helped. Until more thoughts crept in. She hadn’t told me because she didn’t trust me. She hadn’t told me because I wasn’t good enough for her. I wasn’t enough for her…I wasn’t good enough for anyone.” (p. 218). Emotional intelligence is so sexy and when an author chooses that over self-sabotage it’s a winner. Not that the feelings weren’t valid, or that this isn’t a VERY realistic thing we find ourselves doing, but because the pattern was so recognizable it became a distraction. Almost a disappointment. Noise.
And yet, just as my patience thinned, the narrative would pivot. It was almost back to back. A few pages later, the character would name the self-sabotage for what it was, take accountability, and consciously redirect their behavior in a more constructive way. “Clarity is kindness” said by the MC’s throughout the book. I like this catch phrase so that self-awareness softened the frustration, it didn’t erase the cliché entirely, but it did restore some “feels." Watching a character recognize their own destructive patterns and choose differently does matter, and those moments brought the story back into balance for me. While the angst may not have landed in the way I personally wanted, and the insecurities played out in each character distracted me from emotional gravitas the connection between these two women feels real, tender, and deserving.
October 9, 2025
4.25 stars
October 5, 2025
This was a lovely romance about two coworkers giving into years of attraction and developing a relationship. I really enjoys Noyes work especially how she uses dialogue between her characters. There was no major conflict in this which was refreshing and the conflict that did arise was worked out perfectly. I am loving this authors work!
September 10, 2025
It pains me to write this review because I am a huge E.J Noyes fan but I could not finish the book. It wasn’t bad or anything, it’s a good book, it’s just that nothing happened. I struggled to feel the chemistry between the main characters, mostly because when the book starts they are already into each other and flirting a lot. It just felt like reading about two people going to work and then going about their day and basically that’s it. I stopped around the 65% mark of the book, I might finish it later this year but I felt like if I had to be pulled in it would have happened a lot sooner.
I probably had huge expectations for the book being such a fan of the author.
But if you’re looking for a book with no angst or drama, just something to make you feel good then you found it!
I probably had huge expectations for the book being such a fan of the author.
But if you’re looking for a book with no angst or drama, just something to make you feel good then you found it!
August 7, 2025
Make or Break is a twenty-three-chapter book by E.J. Noyes that pretty much alternates chapters between the point of view of the two main characters, Stephanie (Steph) D’Arripe and Harper Bell. Steph is one of two female lead actors on a TV police show called North Precinct. She is romantically paired on the show with fellow actor, Laura. For six years Steph has been flirting with the TV show's makeup artist, Harper Bell. Several months ago Steph left a short-term relationship with her girlfriend at the time. So now Laura is encouraging Steph to take the leap and to ask Harper out since each enjoys flirting and witty banter with the other person. In fact, the first portion of the book is devoted to them flirting at work and in private as Harper, a former semi-professional tennis player agrees to help Steph prepare for a charity tennis match between North Precinct and the hospital drama that follows her show in Tuesday's lineup.
The book focuses a lot on Steph and Harper's daily lives at work and in private as they get to know each other better. Added into the mix is some social media photo drama that impacts Steph and inadvertently impacts Harper and her tenuous relationship with her family back in Georgia. In regard to their personal lives, Harper is saving for a home of her own and a trip to Europe. Therefore, she currently lives in a shared space apartment with her best friend, Per. Per is a part-time model and actor who is in a long-term relationship with his significant other, Ben. I thoroughly enjoyed the relationship between Harper and sweetheart, Per. He stood by her side through thick and thin and was available for Harper whenever she needed an ear and open arms. Per and more importantly Ben were also starstruck over Steph which added to the laughs whenever the two couples got together for North Precinct watch parties or other engagements.
Other enjoyable parts of the book included the behind-the-scenes views of creating a weekly police drama. Finally, the intimate scenes between Steph and Harper were laced with good communication, sizzling energy, and variety.
Overall, although this was not my favorite book from E.J. Noes, it was a solid book with memorable characters. 4.25 stars
I received an ARC from Bella Books in exchange for an honest review.
The book focuses a lot on Steph and Harper's daily lives at work and in private as they get to know each other better. Added into the mix is some social media photo drama that impacts Steph and inadvertently impacts Harper and her tenuous relationship with her family back in Georgia. In regard to their personal lives, Harper is saving for a home of her own and a trip to Europe. Therefore, she currently lives in a shared space apartment with her best friend, Per. Per is a part-time model and actor who is in a long-term relationship with his significant other, Ben. I thoroughly enjoyed the relationship between Harper and sweetheart, Per. He stood by her side through thick and thin and was available for Harper whenever she needed an ear and open arms. Per and more importantly Ben were also starstruck over Steph which added to the laughs whenever the two couples got together for North Precinct watch parties or other engagements.
Other enjoyable parts of the book included the behind-the-scenes views of creating a weekly police drama. Finally, the intimate scenes between Steph and Harper were laced with good communication, sizzling energy, and variety.
Overall, although this was not my favorite book from E.J. Noes, it was a solid book with memorable characters. 4.25 stars
I received an ARC from Bella Books in exchange for an honest review.
December 16, 2025
There is no one who can make Steph look as good on set as Harper does. Or is that look as good as Harper does? As the star of a hit cop drama noted for its queer content being given equal treatment and maybe even more beloved than the others she has even more reason to monitor herself. The press is everywhere. And after her last messy breakup she really doesn't want to deal with that crash again. If she's honest, maybe more than that, she doesn't think the potential baggage is fair to any potential partner.
Abbie, a girl from the south who dreams of seeing the world and is trying to pack in languages to prove it, has a life the exact opposite of the star she's been working on for six years. She lives low key in a shared apartment with her best friend and on occasion his boyfriend. She doesn't have the drive for the glitz and glamour of LA. Overall she's alright with where she is. Except she can't help but wonder if the lack of another in her life is her darn distracting crush on a certain coworker.
Brought together outside of work for a charity event, the two start dipping their toes into getting to know one another. Maybe even -getting to /know/ - each other.
“Make or Break” is as low drama as you can get while still maintaining some levels of plot tension. It's a gentle exploration of a relationship that has had its slow burn off screen while still pacing itself and not being entirely about sheet tangling. In some ways I feel like it was E.J. Noyes' own comfort writing project to focus on a coupling that's mostly about just starting out, communicating, and testing boundaries while also raising questions about the nature of the entertainment industry. Considering she just came off writing a trilogy that was non-stop international drama and spy work? Fair.
The author's character work and sense of balance of story to smut as well as the spice being written in a way that doesn't make me cringe will always make her work enjoyable. This isn't an exception. I just wasn't as invested into it as some of her other work. At the same time, it was also a perfect read for me in the moment as sometimes an experience that's on the pleasant side of fine is a great reset. A good time, but not at the top of an auto-buy author tier for me.
Abbie, a girl from the south who dreams of seeing the world and is trying to pack in languages to prove it, has a life the exact opposite of the star she's been working on for six years. She lives low key in a shared apartment with her best friend and on occasion his boyfriend. She doesn't have the drive for the glitz and glamour of LA. Overall she's alright with where she is. Except she can't help but wonder if the lack of another in her life is her darn distracting crush on a certain coworker.
Brought together outside of work for a charity event, the two start dipping their toes into getting to know one another. Maybe even -getting to /know/ - each other.
“Make or Break” is as low drama as you can get while still maintaining some levels of plot tension. It's a gentle exploration of a relationship that has had its slow burn off screen while still pacing itself and not being entirely about sheet tangling. In some ways I feel like it was E.J. Noyes' own comfort writing project to focus on a coupling that's mostly about just starting out, communicating, and testing boundaries while also raising questions about the nature of the entertainment industry. Considering she just came off writing a trilogy that was non-stop international drama and spy work? Fair.
The author's character work and sense of balance of story to smut as well as the spice being written in a way that doesn't make me cringe will always make her work enjoyable. This isn't an exception. I just wasn't as invested into it as some of her other work. At the same time, it was also a perfect read for me in the moment as sometimes an experience that's on the pleasant side of fine is a great reset. A good time, but not at the top of an auto-buy author tier for me.
September 29, 2025
I liked this novel a lot. It flowed easily and was well written. I will definitely be looking into this author more. There were a lot of different elements and subplots and characters woven together in this novel and the author did an excellent job of handling all these elements at once. I liked the protagonists, and I enjoyed the romance. Sometimes with celebrity novels I find that I can’t relate to the characters very much but thankfully that wasn’t the case this time around; probably because they didn’t particularly like all the attention and scrutiny and that felt relatable. This was a lot of fun, it was sweet, and thankfully just the right amount of frustrating without going overboard.
Rating: A- / 5-Stars
Highlights:
-Complete characters! Backstory and nuance and just generally well-developed. They didn’t show up from the void in order to have a romance.
-Side characters that added (considerably) to the novel and also felt like real people.
-I liked that the protagonists had crushes on each other (with mutual recreational-flirting!) for years prior to the novel. This established a solid base to build the romance from and eliminated any issues I have regarding timeline or “anything happening too fast” which can be annoying to me sometimes.
-The combo of actress and make up artist really works. Spending hours a day staring at each other closely for work? Yep.
-These characters did a lot of communicating. They also failed to communicate a lot, but in the end we got some great examples of what it takes to build a healthy relationship.
-This novel addressed how awful it can be to be a celebrity. This dynamic can be fun and interesting, and I think this novel used it well. It isn’t all glamor, and I like that this was shown.
-Nice spicy bits
Rating: A- / 5-Stars
Highlights:
-Complete characters! Backstory and nuance and just generally well-developed. They didn’t show up from the void in order to have a romance.
-Side characters that added (considerably) to the novel and also felt like real people.
-I liked that the protagonists had crushes on each other (with mutual recreational-flirting!) for years prior to the novel. This established a solid base to build the romance from and eliminated any issues I have regarding timeline or “anything happening too fast” which can be annoying to me sometimes.
-The combo of actress and make up artist really works. Spending hours a day staring at each other closely for work? Yep.
-These characters did a lot of communicating. They also failed to communicate a lot, but in the end we got some great examples of what it takes to build a healthy relationship.
-This novel addressed how awful it can be to be a celebrity. This dynamic can be fun and interesting, and I think this novel used it well. It isn’t all glamor, and I like that this was shown.
-Nice spicy bits
September 25, 2025
Stephanie D”Arripe is a lead actress on a popular cop drama series. It's been six months since she broke up with her girlfriend of less than a year. Her best friend and co-star encourages her to think about dating again and suggests head make up artist Harper Bell. Harper loves her work and enjoys getting to put make-up on her long time star crush. The two have been flirting since the show started six years ago. When Steph is asked to participate in a fund raising tennis event, Harper offers to help her prepare as she played in college. It may be the time to move beyond flirting.
Noye’s is always a must read for me with the majority of her books receiving five stars from me. I like that chapters alternate between both characters' POVs, allowing you to understand their thinking and emotions. I’ve read other books that incorporate scenes from a show being filmed and Noye’s does it flawlessly. Not too much or too little. It shows Steph being a professional, working to get things right and some of the tediousness of filming. The main part of the story takes place in just three weeks. So there is a lot of getting to know each other conversations and relying on their previous attraction as a building block. As a reader I missed seeing some of that flirting or chemistry building. Instead I had to accept that it happened. I like that both women communicate well, consent and check ins are sexy. The story is low angst with only a small misunderstanding happening between them. I enjoy the book and where it ends up.
Thank you to Bella Books and the author for the digital copy and I am leaving an honest review.
Noye’s is always a must read for me with the majority of her books receiving five stars from me. I like that chapters alternate between both characters' POVs, allowing you to understand their thinking and emotions. I’ve read other books that incorporate scenes from a show being filmed and Noye’s does it flawlessly. Not too much or too little. It shows Steph being a professional, working to get things right and some of the tediousness of filming. The main part of the story takes place in just three weeks. So there is a lot of getting to know each other conversations and relying on their previous attraction as a building block. As a reader I missed seeing some of that flirting or chemistry building. Instead I had to accept that it happened. I like that both women communicate well, consent and check ins are sexy. The story is low angst with only a small misunderstanding happening between them. I enjoy the book and where it ends up.
Thank you to Bella Books and the author for the digital copy and I am leaving an honest review.
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