Schuss

by E.J. Noyes

Stacey Evans wants only one thing: to be the best alpine ski racer she can be. Everything else—like her sweet and ultra-supportive best friend, and hot-but-vapid girlfriend—is just a bonus. Fresh from a medal at her first Olympics, Stacey knows she can only get better and is firmly focused on the future, and totally not thinking about how she’s kind of a little in love with that sweet, ultra-supportive best friend…
Gemma Archer has had a crush on Stacey from the moment she first saw her, but being her best friend is so amazing that she’s almost managed to push that crush aside. Almost. But even if Gemma finds the courage to tell Stacey how she really feels, there’s a mountain of obstacles to overcome—like the fact Gemma’s stepmom is Stacey’s coach (awkward) and Gemma will be going away to college in a few months. And most importantly…what if admitting how she feels ruins the best friendship she’s ever had?
Schuss brings back two beloved side characters from E. J. Noyes’ bestselling, award-winning novel Gold.
Genre: New Adult, Romance

Genres: Sports, Friends To Lovers, Romance, Audiobook, Lesbian, LGBT, Fiction

302 pages, Paperback

First published November 17, 2022

About the author

E. 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/

Reviews

[Diane Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Arc provided by both NetGalley and The Publisher (Bella Books) in exchange for a honest review'

**'Words in any story means something unless they have some kinda truth to them plus those same words should be used in telling a good story..'

4.5stars!
In 'SCHUSS' an additional or follow-up story to E.J.'s previously well written 'GOLD' book, Noyes cleverly and powerfully branch out into telling how the romance between Stacey and Gemma started -- from the very beginning through their ups, downs, close friendship, honesty, underlying intimate feelings and the surprising parental support of Aspen & Cate --- who's intuitiveness aided aside from readers getting a brief glimpse at how after being married for 3+ years their life was flourishing.
But this story was more focus on the development of young Love, trust, innocence, family, education, rigorous sports training, fail relationships etc. etc. etc.. while it's also largely well written from the first chapter and onward.
By the time readers finish this book, they will almost certainly be mesmerized by their (Stacey & Gemma) shared intimacies and feels as if they have a connection to their ever evolving romantic relationship. Furthermore, because of those few dramatic moments, they will also be enamored over 'SCHUSS's' delectable intricacies long after turning the last page.
Another highly recommended book from E.J. Noyes!

[Lex Kent · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 Stars. It’s Halloween eve right now and instead of ghosts, vampires, and witches, I’m thinking about skiing, Winter Olympics, and first real love, and that just shows the power of E.J. Noyes because there is no other author that could have made me abandoned my spooky movies and books, right before Halloween, to make me read a feel-good romance.

I was really excited to see that this was going to be a YA book. One of the things I love about Noyes is that she really mixes it up and tries all different genres and since YA is one of my favorites, I was all in. I also liked that this was a romance told in first person but 2 different POV. It’s a nice way to get to really know both main characters. I do want to point out that you can read this book as a standalone. However, this is a sequel to Noyes’ book Gold. If you read Gold first, you will get to know all the character a lot better, and I believe it will improve your reading experience. It is still a good book on its own, but the book is more meaningful if you know the whole history of all the characters, so it is up to you.

While I still think this is a YA book, it is on the New Adult side romantically. The characters are 18 and 20 and this is a best friends to lovers romance. The sex scenes are explicit, but also sweet and done in a way that is realistic for young love. There was some relationship angst, but it’s pretty mild overall and these two communicate more than most 35-year-olds do, so the romance is mostly feel-good.

While I liked everything I read, and I found that I flew through the book, I just found that it was missing something. MZ, mentioned this in her review too and I found that we were on the exact same wavelength here. Noyes, often adds these little twists or action scenes that you don’t expect, like what happened to Sab in Ask, Tell or what happened in Gold, and I found that I kept waiting for something to happen in this book, and I was disappointed when nothing else did. I know it could not copy the excitement of Gold, but with Stacey’s career, I just wish maybe we could have fast forwarded and added something more. It’s odd now because I feel like this series almost needs a third book for the next Winter Olympics

TLDR: This was a really nice YA book, it was just missing that spark it needed to push it over into a 5-star territory IMHO. The romance has only mild angst, but it fits much more in the New Adult category. You can read this as a standalone, but I would recommend reading Gold first to get a better enjoyment out of all the characters. It’s a Noyes book so it was still a lovely read, and she captured the feeling of first real love perfectly.

An ARC was given to me for an honest review.

[Della B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Noyes has offered us a sequel to her much loved novel, Gold and although I highly recommend reading Gold for its entertainment value, it is not necessary to understand Shuss. 

This is a new adult story told by twenty year old Stacey, an Olympic medal skier and her eighteen year old best friend Gemma who is the introverted daughter of her coach. We are given both their points of view to tell the story of first love.

I know that I will be in the minority but I could not get invested in Stacey or Gemma and their story. There was something off putting about their speaking voice. It was too childish for the serious content which resulted in a disconnect for me.

I am a huge fan of Noyes and understand this novel is not aimed for my age group. I am positive that younger readers will embrace this novel.

I received a free advance review copy from Bella Books through NetGalley. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[MZ · Rating 4 out of 5]

With high expectations I started the new E.J. Noyes novel Schuss. Just last week I reread the connected book Gold, which is one of my favorites of Noyes, but who am I kidding they are almost all favorites. So, I dropped everything else and immediately started reading Schuss and it was once again an excellent read.
The two MCs in this book are already introduced in Gold and get their own YA/NA romance. Luckily also Aspen and Cate, the two MCs in Gold also reappear in Schuss. The writing is of high quality as usual and if you’re looking for a sports themed low angst YA/NA book with sizzling chemistry, and yes, even some relatively steamy scenes for a YA/NA book, look no further.

This book can be read as a standalone, but if you’re planning on reading both then I recommend to read them in order as Schuss does contain some spoilers about Gold. Time wise this book is about three years after Gold with Gemma (18) now about to graduate from high school and start college, and Stacey (20) who has just won her first Olympic medal.

Stacey and Gemma are best friends and from page one it’s clear they both want to be more than that but are afraid of their friendship and how it could mess up so much more if it doesn’t work out due to their connection to Aspen (who’s Gemma’s mom and Stacey’s coach). I already indicated that for me the chemistry between them was the best aspect of the book, and ow all the pining. There is some great parenting too, go Aspen and Cate! I also loved reading about Stacey’s training. I don’t know what it is, but it’s so satisfying to read about people who drive themselves to their limits while realizing you’re being a total couch potato yourself in the same moment.

The romance is rather straightforward with typical YA/NA insecurities and some light drama. For my personal preferences I would have liked to see a little bit more happening. When I start a new book by Noyes I’m expecting something extra, a twist, some action, angst or drama, and while this book was an excellent read as always, it missed that extra factor for me that would make it 5 stars. But if you prefer a lighter book, this might very well be that 5-star read, so go check it out! Connected to the YA/NA trope the ending can be interpreted as HEA or HFN. I for one would like to read more about these two a couple years down the road.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Schuss” by E. J. Noyes is a YA/NA sequel to “Gold”. It follows Cate’s daughter Gemma, on her journey from best friends to girlfriends with Stacey. I would definitely recommend reading “Gold” beforehand just to get a feel for everyone, however it isn’t required and you won’t miss anything with this romance.

This is a sports romance along with best friends to lovers. While neither of those are my favorite, Noyes makes it work, per usual. Stacey has recently won an Olympic medal and Gemma is about to graduate high school and is preparing for college. They are in love with each other and have been for years but are afraid to admit it to each other. They both fear what it could mean for their friendship if things don’t work out and it’s even more complicated as Stacey skiing coach is Gemma’s stepmom.

I’ll be honest and say I almost didn’t finish this. Stacey is such an unlikable character to me for more than half that I was rooting against her being with Gemma. She has a girlfriend when this starts and she’s such a selfish asshole to her that I thought Gemma deserved better. It was later explained away as she was in love with Gemma and wasn’t invested in her relationship, but it just didn’t work for me. Luckily, once that relationship ended, she got better but it was almost too little too late for me.

Other than that, this was a pretty typical YA book. There was very mild angst even with a bunch of teenage drama thrown in. Not only are Gemma and Stacey having to navigate a new and different relationship but because of Stacey’s recent Olympic win, they have her celebrity status and social media to deal with. There are a lot of cute moments between them before and after they get together and I enjoyed those scenes quite a bit. However, my favorite scenes were the ones that included Aspen. I just love her and loved to see how she’s matured and taken to motherhood. I also loved the little updates about her relationship with Cate.

I’d be interested to read a sequel to this set after a few years when Gemma is done with college to see how their relationship plays out.

I received an ARC from Bella Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[pipsqueakreviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Young love.

I thought Gold was a solid book and was looking forward to this one as well because Stacy and Gemma were really cute kids, but after reading this, I find it hard to believe that they are suitable partners for each other at this age because they are very different people.

Gemma and Stacy are best friends who are in love with each other but are afraid to risk their friendship until one of them finally decides to make a move. Gemma is 18 and Stacy is 20 and that's only 2 years apart but their personalities, priorities and experiences are really different. Gemma is going to college whereas Stacy is working her way to the top of her pro ski racer career which takes up a lot of time, energy and sacrifices and while Gemma has been a supportive friend for a long time, I think it's different playing the role of girlfriend to a celebrity and she wasn't entirely cut out or ready for it. Gemma is too shy, sweet and innocent and Stacy doesn't really help to ease her in.

I have nothing against Stacy. She is an achiever and she also genuinely cares for Gemma. But I thought she's terrible to the women she dates. With the other women, her heart wasn't in it. And the truth is, to a much lesser extent, I find this to also be true when she's with Gemma though her insensitivity to Gemma's insecurities are totally unintentional. It helps that Gemma is surprisingly good at communicating her needs and discomfort and that Stacy listens and tries to do better. But to be honest, I don't think this is the right time for either of them to make a big commitment if we're aiming for the long haul.

That being said, they have a number of sweet moments together that I enjoyed. I'm also glad to see Aspen settling in so comfortably as a parent to Gemma. She and Cate make a good parenting team and it's heartwarming to see Gemma grow up well under her mothers' care.

I received an ARC from Bella Books through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️
If you've read Gold by E.J. Noyes, you already know the main protagonists of Schuss. After Gold tells the story of Aspen and Cate, Schuss is now the story of Cate's daughter Gemma, and Stacey the ski racer coached by Aspen. I definitely recommend reading the books in order. It's a wonderful book about young love, fluid, well-paced, and superbly written, as we've come to expect from this author.

The story takes place at the end of the ski race season in which Stacey won her first Olympic medal. Stacey is a successful athlete who likes nothing better than ski racing and winning if possible. She loves to interact with her fans and also likes to flirt a bit. She doesn't really have anything in common with her current girlfriend, who is mainly interested in Instagram posts with her, because her true feelings belong to her best friend Gemma. She enjoys the attention she gets, but often acts thoughtlessly and without thinking about the impact it can have, even on others. It makes her seem superficial, but I think that when you're suddenly in the public eye and being adored by fans is something that young people in particular have to learn to deal with and not take off. And Stacey has to learn exactly that, to stay grounded and take responsibility for all her actions.

Gemma is applying to different colleges to study film, she wants to be a documentary filmmaker one day and will soon start at a new place. Since she met Stacey three years ago, she has been crushing on her, even being in love with her, but she doesn't dare to admit her feelings for the same reasons as Stacey. This friendship, trust, and understanding of each other are too big to risk. At first sight, Gemma is the total opposite of Stacey, she is introverted, and 99% of the time she thinks first before she acts or reacts to something. She prefers to stay in the background, so the place behind the camera is exactly the right place for her. She is the best friend Stacey could ever ask for, supportive, and understanding of the little time they get to spend together besides the many trainings and absences during the season. But she needs to learn to stand up for herself and make Stacey aware of what she is doing with her acting and thoughtless flirting with everyone.

What makes them special is, although they are so different, they are also each other's safe haven, always being honest and open with each other - except about their real feelings. I really liked how the author puts their emotional worlds on paper and how the two young women interact with each other. They are absolutely not flawless, both have a lot to learn, but the love they share is real and exciting. The sex is surprisingly explicit but realistic and soulful.

And of course, Aspen and Cate have their part in the story as well. They are great and sensitive parents. Although Aspen doesn't have an easy role to interact with since she is Gemma's stepmom and Stacey's coach at the same time, she manages it brilliantly. My crush on both of them got refreshed.

What has been a Noyes trademark so far, bringing something unexpected into the story, is a bit missing here. There is minor drama and hurdles the two have to overcome, but on the whole, the story is devoid of surprising twists and turns. But I must also say that this is complaining on a high level, Noyes had simply spoiled us so far and this book is "only" very good and entertaining, not extraordinarily good.

Highly recommended YA/NA book.

[khi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Big fan of E.J Noyes, I enjoy almost all her books in one way or another. One thing that she always succeeds in is making me like stories that aren't usually told in my preferred styled.

First-person stories with ditsy inner monologues do not really fit into my library but somehow Noyes just sneaks in and always gives me a fine read.

Stacey is in love with her best friend Gemma and her best friend Gemma is in love with her. A very classic best-friends-to-lovers trope with little specialization but nevertheless, entertaining writing.

In terms of plot, as I've mentioned, Noyes didn't bring anything drastically new to the trope but she does give us playful entertaining characters and a truckload of awkward cuteness. I would go a little bit to say that the book may have added a nuance take to the trope with the inclusion of social media and such.

Now with characters, I gravitated more toward Gemma. She was a very caring and all-around wholesome character with good intentions. Stacey is not at that level, she makes a few questionable choices and didn't really take responsibility for her part in them. They had good chemistry together, though a few more scenes with them and solely that chemistry free from conflict and nervousness would've gone a long way in cementing my faith in that relationship. I find it hard to imagine them actually staying together outside where the story leaves us.

Overall, this book was a fine read though I was left feeling unsatisfied. At the end of the last chapter, I found myself legitimately taken aback by it being the last chapter.

Do I recommend it? Sure. It makes a fine short read if you're busy and don't have time to catch up on complicated plots.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for the honest review.

[Guerunche · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet coming of age book. I listened to Gold again in preparation for this, so Gemma was still just a child in my mind. Seeing her here as a high school senior with budding sexuality made me feel a little maternal. Like, "Oh my gosh - I don't know if I'm ready to see this yet" sort of thing. lol But whether we're ready or not, Gemma is growing up and she's been crazy about pro ski racer Stacey since she was a kid. Ah, young love. And in the age of social media. Ugh. Poor young people these days. Growing up could be really hard back in the day when I was growing up so having to navigate it now so publicly must be rough. Luckily for them, high school senior Gemma and 20 year old Stacey have strong adult figures in their lives to support and guide them along the way.

Sometimes I thought the young women were wise beyond their years - especially Gemma - and sometimes they were allowed to be kids with raging hormones.

I can't say I saw a story like this coming from Noyes, but I love that she keeps surprising us release after release. I'll always read whatever she puts out there, so bring it on whatever you'd like to write, EJ!

There were two bummers about the audiobook itself. Because Cate's voice was so fresh in my mind (I even wrote in a review about how wonderful and unique her voice was in Gold) narrator Abby Craden used Cate's voice for Aspen's in this release and it took time to adjust to that. I don't know that I ever quite did, really. In the rare instances that both Cate and Aspen were both speaking, they had very similar voices. But Aspen's voice in Gold was much different than this one and she was featured more prominently in this book than Cate was. And I was annoyed at Audible that the announcer at both the beginning and end mispronounced EJ's last name. With two syllables - NOY-ez. Instead of like "noise." I don't know why they didn't just allow Abby to introduce the book and do the end as well. Neither of those gripes are on EJ at all, but they grated. It's not good when an audiobook producer mispronounces an author's name. Come on, Audible! It's a rare misstep from Abby on the voice swap, though she did a great job otherwise on the book as usual. She's one of the best, in my view.

So if you go the audiobook route and haven't listened to Gold in a while, I wouldn't do a refresher on it. But do listen to this one.

[Lesbereading · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I say I woke up during the night thinking about this book, my under eye bags proved it. E.J. Noyes has this way of writing characters that you get completely absorbed into. When we were left with that Gemma and Stacey cliffhanger in Gold, I was hoping we’d get their story and it was phenomenal.

Aspen and Cate giving Gemma advice and then the maternal note…genius. Definitely won’t spoil anything in the note but it was mastery at its finest. Speaking of, I can’t recall a book I’ve read that included so much of the not so sexy parts around being intimate, no matter the ages of the MCs. It really shined a light on the reality of all of that and was beautifully done.

Then the skiing references that were woven in were superb. I won’t lie, I googled “Schuss” when the book title was revealed (I had forgotten about the bar name until I reread Gold prior to this) and the different ways it was used in this book, so good. Also, now I want to book a trip to go skiing for the first time.

To conclude this lengthy review: buy this book when it comes out on November 17, read this book and enjoy the schuss down.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Tere · Rating 2 out of 5]

I so wanted to love this. Gold is one of my favorite books. This one was one I struggled with. When I heard about it, I was hoping for one of those epic stories that take place over the span of years vs a few weeks while mains are 20 and 18yrs old. We new their origen story and was set for such fabulous angst. Instead we get a gf for Stacey that brought nothing but disruption to her strict schedule for not even sexual benefit. This seemed so out of place for such maturity exhibited by the mains. There was no ‘party’ phase to justify this on Stacey’s part. The largest conflicts for these mains were not addressed at all: incredibly challenging career with constant travel for Stacey along with going away to college for Gemma. In fact, I always wondered about the rigor of the season for Aspen and Cate (since Aspen travels as a coach). These would have helped Noyes shine with character development. To have the mains learn to be adults while juggling all this. How often do these relationships last? Some growth, understanding of things needed for happiness and sacrifices, perhaps a different stage in life are probably needed for me to buy this romance.

[Gaby LezReviewBooks]

Schuss by EJ Noyes, narrated by Abby Craden

You have to praise this author for writing different genres such as romance, paranormal, action, sports and now new adult. You know that when you get a book by EJ Noyes, you are going to read good quality Sapphic fiction. Having said that, for me personally, this wasn’t among her best.

Schuss (I love the title!) is the sequel of Gold, a traditional sports romance and one of my favourite books by this author. For this reason, I think that my level of expectation around this book was very high and maybe I’m being too demanding but I didn’t enjoy it as much as I hoped. I first read the book when it was released and now the audio version and even though Abby Craden makes each story better, it still wasn’t enough to wow me (I was also disappointed that Ms. Craden didn’t repeat the same voices for the main characters in Gold but I guess that it has to do more with a technical reason rather than an overlook on her part).

My main issue with the story is that I didn’t feel the connection between the mains, their chemistry wasn’t strong enough and the main conflict was a bit flimsy. However, take my review with a pinch of salt because this story has very good feedback from readers. It just didn’t do it for me.

* Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins

[emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

EJ Noyes has been a little hit or miss, for me. I heard so many ppl raving abt her and then the first couple of books I read I enjoyed, but didn’t love the way so many ppl seemed to—then I read a couple more, and enjoyed the hell out of them. She’s now a must read for me, but part of what I like and appreciate abt Noyes is how often she changes things up. She writes what she wants and takes big swings with the plots; they all RLLY differ in fun ways that I can rlly respect.

However… this one didn’t rlly do it for me. The first book, Gold, was one of those not favs for me, so I already was going into this less fond that I would have for a sequel to one of her other books (a pov of Olivia from Alone plsssssssss🤞🤞🤞). iirc, I wasn’t as fond of Aspen in book one, and found some of their romance a little clunky, but I actually liked Aspen in this one! Her scenes with Gemma especially were my fav. Similarly, to Gold, I found myself not liking Stacy, the skier, as much as I liked and connected with Gemma. So… rooting for them was hard. I think also… I’ve realized recently that friends to lovers is a trope that I only rlly like in very specific ways, and the way it played out here wasn’t quite it. Stacy has known abt Gemma’s crush on her since they became friends, YEARS AGO. and yet she is soooo touchy feely and kinda flirty, bc she also likes Gem, BUT, she has no plans to do anything abt it in the beginning, and the way that she acted with Gemma bothered me a little in that respect. It felt a lot like trying having your cake and eat it too, or whatever that phrase is. It didn’t endear me to her, and she already had a long way to go, bc kinda cocky sort of butch jock is not my type. Also, ngl, the nickname “Gemmy Gem” is AWFUL and felt sickeningly cutesy and childish, and with how much feeling too young/not adult enough was part of Gem’s arc, I was so surprised that Gemma never was like.. so I’m can you come up with a different nickname for me pls and thank. (Lol, my name is Emily. And if anyone ever called me Emmy Em in any regular or serious way I would simply leave immediately and never date them). So, Stacy had a lot going against her, personally, for me.

I liked Gemma quite a bit. I remember rlly liking her in book one, but I also was a little… she felt like a kid. I wonder why Noyes wanted to set their story with the two of them still pretty young. I might have enjoyed it more if they had been college age and this actually felt more like a New Adult book rather that pretty YA overall, what with Gem still being in high school. (I don’t have anything against YA, I used to read it almost exclusively not even that many years ago, but this felt slightly off and unsure if it wanted to be YA or NA, in some respects).

I think that Noyes is a good writer, and I respect how often she changes things up, and tries new things, and I’m RLLY glad that she seems to be using more dual povs in her books (bc that is DEF my preference in romance) but this one wasn’t rlly for me. Not terrible, but she’s done much better.

[Cherie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story about Olympic bronze medal skier Stacy and her best friend Gemma. Gemma’s mom Cate and her wife Aspen Archer who we met in Noyes’ book Gold, are back in this book. This is a YA book where both Stacy and Gemma have romantic feeling for each other and each are afraid to tell the other because they might lose their friendship.

This book had very mild angst and lots of teenage drama. I thought Gemma was a bit immature in her reactions to Stacy’s career obligations and celebrity status. But they were a cute couple and had great feels for each other.

ARC received from Net Galley for an honest and voluntary review.

[Laure · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of E. J. Noyes’ “Schuss’’ from Bella Books (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.
So, here it is !!! => My rating : 2.5⭐️

It’s not a secret that I usually appreciate a lot E. J. Noyes’ books. I’m totally fan of the “Ask, Tell” series & I deeply LOVED her novel 🏅 GOLD 🏅 in which teen Gemma and Stacey have been introduced.

I was curious about “Schuss” since it’s a “spin-off”/ sequel of “Gold” which is still one of my favorite stories. Despite me not being into late-teens/YA/ twenty-something characters, I thought that “knowing” the MCs would help me to connect with them… God !!! I was so wrong about that! I really wanted to love “Schuss” but I join the minority who didn’t fell head over heels for 20 YO Stacey and 18 YO Gemma. I couldn’t get invested in their relationship, at all. Whereas they were both smart kids in “Gold”, here, as young adults I thought they were totally immature, childish even. It was like reading a book about 2 different people than those we met previously & I felt totally DISconnected from both of them. As a matter of fact, I didn't really like either of their “grown-up” versions lacking of substance &, I confess that I almost DNF the book.

The least we can say is that I’ve been buried by an avalanche of disappointment about the MCs of this book but, even if I wouldn’t have minded having it way more important, at least I appreciated having a slight follow-up on Cate and Aspen’s relationship… And, like in “Ask Me Again”, I liked the switch from one MCs’ POV to the other each time we hit a new chapter …

[Jo reece · Rating 4 out of 5]

Schuss, is probably one of the most anticipated books of the year... And it wasn't half bad either. I enjoyed it....ill admit, no nothing about skiing, but didn't put me off. The book is engaging, with a great storyline, Slowburn and great characters.

I've given Schuss a 4 out of 5

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Schuss by E.J. Noyes is a novel I’ve been looking forward to. First, it’s written by one of my favorite authors. Second, it’s a continuation of another book by the same writer called Gold. I enjoy revisiting characters that I’ve come to love, and see their stories continue, and Schuss does exactly that.

The story takes place about four years after Gold ends. Gemma (Gem) Archer is now eighteen and a senior in high school. She also has a secret (or maybe not so secret) crush on her best friend Stacey Evens. Twenty-year-old Stacey is a professional alpine ski racer and a world cup and Olympic medalist. Her coach, Aspen Archer is Gemma’s stepmom. Stacey has a full life with training, skiing and the occasional girlfriend to keep her company off the skis. Maybe that girlfriend is also a way to keep her mind off the secret crush she has on her best friend Gemma. After all, falling in love with your coach’s daughter could cause huge problems professionally and personally.

This is an absolutely charming first-love, new-adult romance between characters that I had already bonded with. Seeing how they have grown and matured in the four years is a treat, and watching the two struggle with their feelings for each other just melted my heart. The setting of the novel is described perfectly. I know the author is an avid skier themselves, and I’m sure this helped with the setting. It feels very real to me, especially since we just got several inches of snow where I live, and the ski hill down the road is rapidly making snow so they can open early this season.

Schuss could be read as a standalone novel, but honestly, I think you should read both books together. They are wonderful stories, and I highly recommend them.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bella Books for an honest review.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't usually read New Adult romances, but because E. J. Noyes is one of my favorite authors and because I loved "Gold" a lot, it was a given for me to also read her new novel "Schuss" and I wasn't disappointed.

This was a very enjoyable best-friends-to-lovers romance with two lovely main characters. Gemma's and Stacey's friendship was so sweet and it felt authentic and believable that they went from BFFs to girlfriends.

I loved the ski theme and thought it was really cool that Gemma was into photography and videography like myself.

It was also very exciting to see Aspen again. I actually liked her even more now than in the last book and she and Cate were such wonderful parents!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stacy Evans is determined to be the best alpine skier in the world. Her life revolves around training with her coach, Aspen Archer and spending time with her best friend, Gemma Archer.  Oh, and hanging out with her girlfriend, Bree. Although, if she's honest with herself, Bree is not the first person she thinks of as she begins her day and she is absolutely not the person she closes her eyes and dreams about. Keeping her feelings under control is what's best to not risk losing the best friend she's ever had.

Gemma Archer is a senior in high school. She's preparing for graduation and then looking forward to film school. She lives with her mom, Cate and stepmother, Aspen. The two have the kind of relationship she wants for herself. If only she could find the courage to tell Stacy she wanted to be more than her best friend.

E.J. Noyes is one of my favorite authors. One of the many things I love about her writing is how effortlessly she moves between genres so I shouldn't have been surprised that she gave us a YA/NA novel that I became totally invested in.  Gold is one of my favorite books and I loved getting to see Cate and Aspen again and seeing how happy they still are. It's clear to both of them how deep Gemma and Stacy's feelings go and they are there for the girls as they try to navigate all of the feelings they have swirling around. 

E.J's books are usually incredibly hot but I enjoyed this book that was much more about the emotions that two young women feel and the fear that comes from those feelings. Schuss is sweet and filled with so much heart and I absolutely adored it. 

An ARC was received from Bella Books via NetGalley for an honest review. 

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think everyone who reads sapphic books knows and adores E. J. Noyes, so when there is a new release, even if it isn’t in something you usually read, you still pick it up and dive in. I’m not the biggest fan of YA and NA stories, and this is the latter. We follow the story of Gemma and Stacey, who we met as teens in Gold. I highly recommend reading that before reading this one, I even did a reread.

Gemma is Cate’s daughter and Aspen’s stepdaughter, Aspen coaches alpine skiing prodigy Stacey. Stacey is a bit of a typical jock, self centred, intensely focused on her sports career and image and maybe a bit superficial. Gemma is a sweet and studious kid, ok young woman, she’s been crushing on Stacey from the day they met. You can read about that in Gold, but get hints of it in Schuss. Now, as BFFs, they are crushing on each other but too chicken to do anything about it. It’s a journey of going from best friends to girlfriends.

There are parts of this that I really liked, but some things just don’t sit right with me. For example how quickly they adjust to being more than friends. Maybe it’s the age thing, maybe it’s what happens when you move out of best friend zone to girlfriend zone. I just had some issues with the ease of it all, that’s not to say it was all smooth sailing.

Best, but also most mortifying thing about this story? The list provided by Cate and Aspen, I laughed too loudly about that one…

As a Noyes fan I was happy to reconnect with some of my favourite characters, even though they just had minor roles in this story. Would I read this book if it were written by someone else? Maybe, because NA is ok sometimes and I like sports romances. Would I like it as much? Probably not, and that has everything to do with Noyes’s writing style. It really transports you to the scene, makes you part of it and the unique sense of humour always makes me laugh.
This won’t make my Noyes top 3, but it’s a good read nonetheless.

[Sleady · Rating 5 out of 5]

My most anticipated book of this year and thankfully it didn't disappoint.

[hubsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This first foray into YA territory by this author was remarkably done! I truly felt Ms. Noyes wrote these two young (18 and 20 respectively) females extremely well, it was 100% believable and somewhat nostalgic for me, taking me back to my own first relationship experience. While the story is so different than my own, I bet all of us could relate to that time in our lives in some way. 

We first met best friends Stacey and Gemma in Noyes' "Gold." Stacey is a competitive alpine racer (and protege of Gemma's step-mom Aspen) and as a 20 year old World Cup winner and Olympic medalist, she's cocky, confident, and loves being centre of attention. Most people in this situation and at this age would have these traits, I imagine. But she is also attentive and kind. Gemma is the opposite: shy, introverted, sweet, yet very mature....and in love with her best friend. We see how these two mould to each other's lives so well, they have a deep respect for one another and  admiration for their separate career/education paths. And we see their struggle with their feelings as they worry about whether expressing them will affect the amazing friendship they have built. I get it!

While this book is rather soft and lacking much action/excitement (though the chemistry and intimacy is pretty fun, and I loved that the awkwardness of sex was giggled about. So true and relatable, amiright?), it was still a joy to read because the writer is just that good. In true Noyes' style, communication takes centre stage, and after some drama ensued, that was very 21st century I might add, these young MCs did what most adults don't...they talked, they worked it out, a few minor missteps here and there but with gentle guidance from The Best Moms Ever Club (aka: Aspen and Cate), they remembered what made one another tick, what each needed to wade through these feelings and hurts, they were patient and they rose about. Applause all around.

Now if I could just change the author's perspective on snowboarders.......:) 

Solid 4.25 Ms. Noyes! Well done. 

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Winter sports, snow and ski slopes feature in this young adult romance with leads Stacey and Gemma. An accomplished skier, extrovert Stacey focuses on alpine ski racing and training to change the color of the medal she won at the last Winter Olympics. Gemma quiet and reserved will soon be off to college, film and photography her passion.
Best friends since childhood, we go through the roller coaster events in their lives. The tough training involved for a winter sports athlete, the intrusive spotlight, being there for each other (though Gemma fills that role more often than not). They both have feelings for the other and eventually those emotions are recognized and realized.
Communication aside, the relationship seemed a bit too angsty and lacking maturity and I questioned the prospect of a long-term HEA. Heated moments yes, but still just an okay read.

I rec'd a copy through Netgalley/Bella Books. My review is voluntary and unbiased.

[Ashlee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Schuss is a follow-up to the story told in Gold, one of my favorites by EJ Noyes. Gemma Archer and Stacey Evans are best friends who both want more from each other but are afraid to reveal their true feelings not wanting to jeopardize their friendship. They each are going through life's hurdles and being young adults trying to plan futures in uncertain circumstances makes it all the more complicated.
This was a great excuse to re-read Gold and get to know Gemma in a new light now that she's a bit older. These two are very mature for their age but also still growing up which made for some interesting interactions. I really loved revisiting Cate and Aspen and seeing them act as parental figures for both Gemma and Stacey. Throwing in Stacey's successful career as an alpine ski racer kept me entertained as she navigated the training, races and her blossoming celebrity. I always love books by EJ Noyes but this one was special in allowing us to get a glimpse of the future of some of our favorite characters and I'll be first in line if there are any more additions to the mix.

[MaxDisaster · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars
The story was good, the characters too and the writing, as usual, superb.

I'd just like to mention something:
Gemma is a insecure high school kid. That doesn't mean she's a bad character, not at all, but it adds to the drama. I'm mentioning it because I just can't understand why is Stacy being painted as the less emotionally mature one. While she might not be perfect (she's twenty, who is at that age) she's openly communicating throughout the whole book (if we ignore her unsaid love confession in the first half) and if she'd work a bit more on the delivery, she'd be damn close to perfect.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Schuss was probably my most anticipated novel of the year. When I first read Gold, I knew I wanted a Gemma/Stacey story (really, go read my review). So when I found out Noyes was writing this story, I basically short circuited. I even had an Apple Shortcut counting down the days, guys. I couldn't wait for this book.

In my review of Gold, when I mention a Gemma/Stacey story, I wanted it 10 years into the future, when Gemma is 23/24 and Stacey is well established as a skiing star. Noyes decided, instead, to take this only 4-5 years into the future when Gemma is 18 and on the verge of high school graduation, and Stacey is still in the up-and-coming stage of her career, where she's won world titles and even a bronze medal at her first Olympics, but she hasn't reached her full potential. It's an odd choice for the story since I'm interested in HEAs and, while I personally know successful couples who have been together since high school (and before), it's not the norm. So I was, admittedly, a little disappointed in this premise. But only a little disappointed. I knew I was going to gobble this up. And I did. I read it in its entirely yesterday. And I absolutely loved it. Is it perfect? No. But did it matter? No, not to me.

There are few tropes I like more than best friends-to-lovers and Schuss delivers on the premise. Gemma and Stacey click, despite being complete opposites. And they've clicked since they first met (hence my desire to see this pairing), but they were young--Gemma especially--and Gemma's stepmom, Aspen, is Stacey's coach and being best friends has always worked for them. And, yeah, it's basically common knowledge that Gemma has had a crush on Stacey for years (Gemma doesn't know it's common knowledge, but Stacey knows and her parents know), but what isn't commonly known is that crush is mutual. Stacey is struggling to keep her feelings for best friend under wraps because what they have--as friends--is perfect. Plus, she has a super hot girlfriend. Sure, she's not sure she likes her girlfriend and she doesn't spend her time thinking about her or wanting to hang out with her, but she's 20 and she's fine with casual.

In terms of plot there isn't much else going on, which should be points against it and probably normally would be, but I'm biased in this story's favour. The tension here comes from wondering when Gemma and Stacey will finally decide changing the parameters of their relationship is worth it. And, then, once they do, there's the tension of transitioning to this new and wonderful and sexy normal.

The story alternates between Stacey and Gemma in first -person perspectives. Gemma's chapters were the highlight for me. Probably because they're less ski-focussed and probably because it's with Gemma that we get moments with Aspen and Cate. Plus, Gemma has a maturity to her that's simply impressive. Stacey, who is two years older than Gemma, seems to lack a bit of that maturity, so she was harder for me latch onto. I'm sure it helps that we really got to know Gemma in Gold. But that honestly wasn't a huge issue for me.

I loved this. And I know I will be reading this again very soon. It doesn't get full marks because there's not much happening plot-wise and because I think it could have been a better story had it been set a little further into the future, but I'm not complaining. I will always be happy to spend time with these characters.

On a personal aside, I would have loved a scene with Haley, Aspen's sister, or Mel and Dani (and family), Cate's BFFs. I felt they disappeared at the end of Gold and that bummed me out because I loved all of them so much. It didn't happen, but it would have been nice.

[Henriette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet, low angst, new adult sports romance
Noyes is an accomplished writer with lots of accolades. Now she explores for the first time a romance at the intersection of young and new adult. I admit I was intrigued. At the start where we as readers get to know very quickly that the friends Stacey and Gemma are crushing (secretly of course) on each other, I wondered what the heck would unfold, since albeit the secrecy-trope everything was clear, the parents (we get a full dose of the couple of „Gold" - another wonderful romance) were great, school is fine. Hmm.
I should not have worried, because with Noyes (an Australian!) it should have been clear: no worries. A sweet, low angst sports romance unfolds. I surprisingly loved as a firm non-skier the splendid on and off-snow sports scenes, the insights in an athletes life and l loved as well to see how Gemma begins to make her own mark. The interactions between the main characters and Gemma’s parents / Stacey’s trainer were well done and completely natural (there was a scene with a lot of mirth - you will see when you read it, wink). However, Erin, Gemma’s friend, and her difficult home situation, Bree and minor accidents serve as a smoothly done counterpoint to all that sweetness. And there is a point when the transition from friendship to lovers needs a bit of adulting.
And this is where Noyes shows the masterful level of her craft: „sweet, low angst" is in my opinion one of the most difficult types of romance to write. It can get too syrupy, the story arc can get lost very easily and the story peters out to inane exchanges of „I love you“s, it may get too boring, the characters are sweet but totally flat, etc. Schuss excels where a lesser writer might stumble: The stories is an easy, smooth, engaging read which appeals as well to readers of new adult romances and with the side story about the parents to more mature readers.
I was in need of something without drama and angst. So Schuss hooked me from the start and then I had a wonderful ride down a blue piste with lots of wonderful vistas, glittering skies, fresh tracks without too difficult or uncomfortable turns and twists, some bumps near the bottom and with nice companions (waving to Aspen) on the way to the finish.

Thanks to netgalley and Bella Books for the ARC. The review is left voluntarily.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favourite book by Noyes but it ain’t too bad either.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars
Because of this book, I read Gold first and was delighted - 5 perfect stars. Schuss is a very good follow-up, although for me a little less compelling. Not so unputdownable like the brilliant preceding story. The younger leads in this one just didn't measure up to the older couple from Gold. Regardless of that this is a very good book with a nice plot and setting, which can easily be recommended to all fans of romance novels, especially YA/NA ones.
All in all I'm very happy with E.J. Noyes and am looking forward to read all other books written by her.
eARC via NetGalley

[Kexx · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sort of follow up to Gold which I loved. This scraped in as a 5* - it was too predicable, too coy, too obvious but loved the Cate / Aspen jive from Gold!