A second-chance celebrity romance with a stalker-thriller edge — an air marshal, her actress ex, forced back together at 30,000 feet and then under one roof.

If you love exes-to-lovers stories with real suspense woven in, Go Around by E.J. Noyes is a standout. Noyes is one of the most consistently praised authors in lesfic, and this Bella Books release pairs her signature emotional depth with a genuine page-turning threat.

Our take: This is a smart blend of two genres — a tender, mature second-chance romance and a taut romantic-suspense plot about a dangerous fan. The chemistry is excellent and the communication refreshingly adult. It occasionally circles the same relationship beats, but the stalker storyline keeps the momentum humming toward a genuinely tense climax.

The Evidence Scorecard

Here is what reviews across Amazon, Goodreads, and romance.io consistently reveal — the praise and the honest caveats.

★★★★½ Writing & Voice

Evidence:

• ✓ Reviewers repeatedly call Noyes “one of the best writers in the lesfic genre” and “a master at writing in first-person point of view.”
• ✓ A NetGalley editorial review praised her ability to “craft such emotional stories” with deep insight into her leads.
• ✓ Readers love the single, close first-person voice (Avery’s), which makes her interiority vivid.
• ✓ Because it’s Avery’s POV only, a few readers wished for more direct access to Elise’s side.

★★★★½ Dialogue & Banter

Evidence:

• ✓ Conversations are described as “real, raw, and deep with a little sarcasm and humor beneath the surface.”
• ✓ UK reviewers highlight “a lot of banter and laughter, as well as upset and soul searching.”
• ✓ The mature, honest communication between the leads is a frequently cited strength.
• ✓ Honest caveat: some felt the relationship talks “went around in circles” before the final resolution.

★★★★½ Chemistry & Romance

Evidence:

• ✓ “The chemistry between the two as well as the love they had for one another was palpable” — a representative Amazon verdict.
• ✓ Readers found the reconciliation “natural,” rooted in undeniable compatibility and missed friendship.
• ✓ The forced-proximity setup (Elise moving in for safety) reignites the spark convincingly.
• ✓ A few wanted a bit more grovel from Elise given she’s the one who left.

★★★★½ Heat

Evidence:

• ✓ romance.io rates steam 4/5 (explicit, open door) — genuinely spicy.
• ✓ Readers note “plenty of hot scenes” and “beautifully written” love scenes.
• ✓ The heat is emotionally charged, reflecting the leads’ long history together.
• ✓ Readers who prefer closed-door romance should be aware of the on-page content.

★★★★½ Emotion & Depth

Evidence:

• ✓ “This second chance love story had me crying and filled with hope” — a common emotional response.
• ✓ The closeted-actress conflict (Elise fearing her career if she comes out) gives the breakup real stakes.
• ✓ Noyes handles both women’s regret and hurt with equal weight, so Elise stays sympathetic.
• ✓ The bond with Avery’s dog Bennett adds warmth reviewers adored (“Bennett is a superhero!”).

★★★★½ Pacing

Evidence:

• ✓ “There was not a boring moment in this book” — the dual romance/thriller engine keeps pages turning.
• ✓ The stalker subplot is “omnipresent” and “really comes to life in the end” in a chaotic, gripping climax.
• ✓ One reader admitted reading faster and faster as tension ratcheted — “always a sign of a good page turner.”
• ✓ Honest caveat: a few found the middle a touch repetitive and the overall arc “predictable.”

★★★★½ Ending

Evidence:

• ✓ Delivers a satisfying HEA that resolves both the romance and the stalker threat.
• ✓ The suspense climax is singled out as a highlight — “the bookends of exciting action were chef’s kiss.”
• ✓ Readers felt getting the couple back together “felt natural” rather than forced.
• ✓ A low-angst resolution — great for some, a little too tidy for readers craving more drama.

★★★★½ Re-read & Comfort Value

Evidence:

• ✓ Multiple readers add it to their “re-read pile,” and Noyes’ books draw repeat reads generally.
• ✓ The Abby Craden audiobook is highly recommended (“Abby and EJ Noyes is a no brainer combo”).
• ✓ Easter-egg references to Noyes’ other books (e.g. Alone) delight returning fans.
• ✓ A dependable comfort read for second-chance and celebrity-romance lovers.

Quick Facts

Author	E.J. Noyes
Published	December 1, 2021 (Bella Books)
Length	319 pages
Steam Level	4/5 (explicit, open door)
Tropes	Second chance, exes to lovers, celebrity romance, forced proximity, romantic suspense
POV	Single POV (Avery), first person
Ending	HEA

You’ll Love This If…

• ✓ You want a second-chance romance with a genuine suspense subplot.
• ✓ Celebrity/closeted-star romances are your thing.
• ✓ You love mature, honest communication between leads (no third-act miscommunication trope).
• ✓ Forced proximity + exes reigniting an old spark is your catnip.
• ✓ You’re already an E.J. Noyes fan — or want a great place to start.

Avoid If…

• You dislike stalker/threat storylines (the suspense is central).
• You want high angst — this is a lower-angst, warmer read.
• Circular relationship conversations frustrate you.
• You prefer dual POV; this is Avery’s single first-person POV.

Book Synopsis

Federal Air Marshal Avery Weston is almost over her ex — award-winning actress and current It Girl Elise Hayes, who walked out on their relationship fifteen months ago. Then Elise is seated right next to her on a flight, and every ounce of hard-won emotional progress evaporates. The reunion turns dangerous fast when an overzealous fan targets Elise mid-air.

With a stalker still at large, Elise begs to stay with Avery until the threat is resolved — after all, no one knows Elise Hayes ever had a girlfriend. A few weeks under one roof reignites a spark that never really died, and Elise’s genuine regret makes Avery’s old resentments harder to hold. But love and chemistry weren’t enough the first time. If they’re going to land this relationship on the second approach, they’ll have to face everything that pulled them apart — and survive whoever is hunting Elise.

My Review

E.J. Noyes has a knack for making second chances feel earned, and Go Around is a great example — with the clever twist of bolting a romantic-suspense plot onto the reunion. The “meet-cute” is an air marshal recognizing her ex in the next seat right before a fan attacks mid-flight, and that hook sets the tone: this book is as much a page-turning thriller as it is a love story.

The heart of it is Avery and Elise relearning each other while a stalker looms. What I appreciated most is how adult it feels. These are two grown women who actually talk — about the closeting that ended them, about fame, about fear — instead of manufacturing drama through silence. Elise, who did the leaving, is written with enough regret and context that she stays sympathetic, and Avery’s guardedness feels real rather than stubborn.

It isn’t perfect. Because we’re locked in Avery’s single POV, Elise can feel slightly held at arm’s length, and a few of the reconciliation conversations do loop over the same ground before things finally click. It’s also lower on angst than some second-chance readers may want — one reviewer fairly called it “predictable.”

But the chemistry is excellent, the heat is well-earned, Avery’s dog Bennett is a scene-stealer, and the suspense climax genuinely had me reading faster. As a warm, smart, high-tension comfort read, it more than earns its 4.4.

Romance Profile

Pairing	F/F (Avery & Elise)
Central trope	Second chance / exes to lovers (celebrity romance)
Heat level	High (explicit, open door)
Conflict	Past breakup over closeting; a dangerous stalker
POV	Single POV (Avery), first person

Emotional Profile

• ✓ Tense — a real suspense thread runs throughout.
• ✓ Warm — mature, hopeful, low-angst reconciliation.
• ✓ Swoony — palpable chemistry and heat.
• ✓ Heartfelt — readers report crying and rooting hard for the couple.

Content Warnings

• Stalking and threats / third-party violence
• Queerphobia and closeting pressure (industry-driven)
• On-page physical assault (the mid-flight attack)
• References to past heartbreak / abandonment

Book DNA

Vibe	Tense, warm, swoony
Setting	Los Angeles & in-flight; a shared home under threat
Pace	Brisk, page-turning, suspense-driven
Comps	Harper Bliss celebrity romance; Rachel Lacey suspense
Best for	Readers who want reunion romance plus a thriller edge

Similar Books You Might Enjoy

• Then & Now by Monica McCallan — a beloved dual-timeline second-chance reunion.
• Forget Me Not by Alyson Derrick — emotional second-chance love story.
• Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun — reunited exes and a slow road back.
• Count Your Lucky Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur — friends reunited with cozy warmth.
• Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake — sharp, heartfelt sapphic romance.

For more like this, browse our full guide to Sapphic Second Chance Romance Books, and for more books with a thriller edge, don’t miss our Lesbian Romantic Suspense roundup.

About the Author

E.J. Noyes is a best-selling, award-winning Australian-born author now living in New Zealand with her wife and cat. Widely regarded as one of the strongest voices in contemporary lesfic, she’s known for emotionally intense, first-person romances including Alone, Gold, Turbulence, and the Ask Tell series. Her next Bella Books novel, Crash Into You, is on the way.

Read more E.J. Noyes reviews →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Go Around a sapphic romance?

Yes. It is an F/F second-chance romance between Federal Air Marshal Avery Weston and actress Elise Hayes, exes who reconnect after a 15-month breakup.

Does Go Around have a happy ending?

Yes, it delivers a full HEA. Both the romance and the stalker storyline are resolved, and readers describe getting the couple back together as feeling natural and earned.

How steamy is Go Around?

It is steamy. romance.io rates it 4/5 (explicit, open door), with several well-written on-page love scenes.

Is Go Around a romantic suspense?

Yes, it blends genres. Alongside the reunion romance, a dangerous stalker targeting Elise drives an ongoing suspense plot that peaks in a tense climax.

Is Go Around a standalone?

Yes, it is a complete standalone with its own HEA. It contains fun Easter-egg references to other E.J. Noyes books, but you don’t need to read them first.

Is it single or dual POV?

Single POV, first person, told entirely from Avery’s perspective, though Elise’s emotions and struggle come through clearly.

Why did Avery and Elise break up?

Elise ended things fifteen months earlier out of fear that publicly coming out would derail her acting career. That closeting conflict is at the core of their second-chance arc.

Who will enjoy Go Around most?

Fans of second-chance and celebrity romances, forced proximity, mature communication, and romance with a genuine thriller edge — and anyone who loves E.J. Noyes.

Final Verdict

Go Around is a smart, satisfying mash-up of second-chance celebrity romance and romantic suspense. E.J. Noyes gives us palpable chemistry, grown-up communication, and a stalker plot that keeps the pages flying. It runs a little low on angst and occasionally circles the same relationship beats, but the emotional payoff and the tense climax more than make up for it. For reunion-romance and suspense fans alike, it’s absolutely worth reading — a strong 4.4 / 5.

Where to Buy

Buy Go Around on Amazon

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