Following my heart, one book at a time...
About the series:
Three angels are sent down to bring good to the world: Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany, a teenage girl who is the least experienced of the trio. But she is the most human, and when she is romantically drawn to a mortal boy, the angels fear she will not be strong enough to save anyone—especially herself—from the Dark Forces.
Is love a great enough power against evil?
Noah (5th Street)
Whoa! I think I’ve been missing out. Is this what the author of the popular “Moreno brothers” series writes?!! While I realize this one isn’t from that series, I’d just like to say if the Morenos are anything like “Noah”, I am in for some fun!
I’m a little red-faced to admit this, but the cover sold it right off the bat! After a few fantastic *fighter/boxer/UFC* romance reads, I’ve been searching for more. I love these “rough-around-the edges” heroes. The strong, silent types. I saw this announced by my author friend (thanks Tina!!) and it was an immediate buy for me. And judging this book by it’s cover worked out great, ’cause by the time I hit the middle, I knew I was truly loving it! I *pre-squee’d* on Facebook. Yep. I know, I know… I’m trying to abstain from doing that, now. ‘Cause there were a few occasions where I’ve felt the need to take my *squee* back when the book didn’t turn out to be all that. But THIS one, I already knew was a sure thing.
Maryse’s Book Blog: I think it’s safe to say I’m SO into this one, and I doubt that will change now —> I LOVE NOAH!!!!!! (Elizabeth’s Reyes’s Noah – the boxer guy). OMG I’m in it 50-something percent and am HOOKED. Forced myself to go to sleep at 5am!! Now, it’s “typical” and all of that, but there’s just something about how she wrote him, and the little issues, and the temptation, and the resistance. It ALL works, I’m FEELING it, and I LOVE ’em. HIM.
Krystal: i lovedddd Noah by elizabeth reyes!!!!!!!!!!!!! can’t wait till the next one comes out !!!
Maryse’s Book Blog: Me too. NOW I have a crush again!!
Sandra: Noah was just what we girls needed….seriously.
Michelle: I’m reading Noah now love it!
Gitte: I LOVE this book!!!! Just what I needed!
Corrina: Finished it last night, couldn’t put it down. Didn’t know I’d like it as much as I did, due to the age diff 🙂 But low and behold I loved it!!!
Melanie: I really loved Noah. I ended up staying up all night to read it in one sitting. Definitely looking forward to the next on in this series.
Nancy : Oh my…looks like you girls have helped me find my next reading material. Thank you!!
I’ve been whining for the last few weeks about my lack of book-guy crushes lately. I mean, lots of *almosts* but I haven’t been really connecting to any of ’em… except for NOAH!!!! FINALLY!!! *phew* I was starting to get a little antsy here. And of course THE guy that would pull me outta my funk would be a boxer. Mind you, he’s a bit young, but I just pretended he wasn’t. 
Hey! I can! It’s my reading time, and I’ll pretend if I want to! 😉
I know “officially” (as per the synopsis) the biggest problem the main potential couple faced was the age difference, but there were plenty of other valid reasons for their issues that I just sorta… shrugged off the age issue. In reality (at least to me), it barely mattered considering they were both in their 20’s anyway, but in this case, to the heroine, it was definitely an issue.
So what’s it about? Late 20’s Veronica, slightly overweight and seriously depressed after the recent death of her mother, is encouraged by her best friend, to come out of her self-induced prison.
Not only did her mother’s death drain her physically, it had also taken her spirit. She was no longer the vibrant young woman full of goals and ambitions she once had been.
They decide first, to work off that extra weight. At the gym (where they have free passes), Veronica (Roni) meets Noah, her trainer. Noah and his crew don’t think much of the girls at first (just average nice, older women and all that). But what makes them stand out is that this is mostly an all-guy gym for boxers in training.
“So they’re women. What’s the big deal? He smirked. “You might even score.”
Noah still glared at him. “Ha, ha,” They both looked old enough to have been married for years. “They’re probably in here to lose weight from the last kid they had.”
And as Veronica keeps coming back to continue her work-outs, Noah and her forge a friendship. Noah is proud of her progress, and Roni is smitten.
And then… Noah’s roof has issues, and he needs a temporary place to stay. Well… what do you know! Veronica has TWO spare bedrooms!! Of all the luck! LOL! Ahhhh and it just keeps getting better from here on out.
“I have two spare bedrooms in my home. You’re more than welcome to stay in one until you get your roof patched up.” Noah was speechless but made sure she didn’t notice how shocked he was about her offer. He remembered how horrified she’d been when she found out how old he was.
Now, I’m not saying that this is my new favorite (those are hard to beat because they had me in an emotional uproar). What I am saying is that this has a good chance of making my best of 2012 list. While the story may have been “done before” and have the usual relationship struggles, the author did this one just right. I believed the heroine’s concerns when it came to falling for Noah (he’s gorgeous, much younger, surrounded by groupies because he’s an up and coming boxer etc etc…). I didn’t doubt her for a minute.
And his reactions to her? Authentic. His tentative behavior, and yet still rushing to mark his territory. His jealousy issues. THEIR jealousy issues. His friends, her friends… there’s life outside of “them”, but their entourage only served to help intensity their situation. In a good way, or bad way? I won’t say. Just that it all fits.
“I know everything tastes better with whip cream.”
His eyes widened and he stopped chewing but the smirk was still there. “Is that right?”
“Sure does!” What was she doing? This wasn’t playful this was flirting, something she’d always done so naturally. She needed to stop.
“Even the salty stuff?”
“Especially the salty stuff.” Too much! Too much!
That wiped the smirk right off his face and his dark eyes stared at her now.
Hehe. Yeah.
4 stars!! 4.5 stars?? Hrmmm… maybe 😉
When I mentioned having read Moreno brother book #1 (which was YA – young adult), Jamie adamantly told me:
“Oh Maryse….you MUST continue! The adult Moreno Brothers are soooo yummy and alpha to the bone! My favorite is Romero. He is a foul mouthed bad boy that will have you laughing your butt off. Oh, and Sal’s book…oh, oh and Alex!!!! They are all good. Even Sofie’s is good but the boys books are my favorite. Not YA at all. *blush* … Ladies SERIOUSLY, if you loved Noah, you have GOT to read The Moreno Brothers!!! SO GOOD!”
Alpha bad boys, huh? Jamie… you said the magic words! 😉
Christian Grey of the Fifty Shades of Grey sensation, has officially made the big time. With all of the latest media attention, it looks like he’s found a whole new slew of readers, and “Fifty Fanatics”. As popular as this series already was, and as die-hard as we are, we knew it was only a matter of time before Christian would soon become everyone’s obsession. Being on the NY Times best sellers list, book clubs discovering and devouring this series, and spreading the word… we knew he’d be HUGE. It’s inevitable. Christian can only be destined for greatness. A Master of the Universe, indeed.
But, of course… we feel like he’s “ours” don’t we? It feels like we found him first.
Jamie: I am so happy for Grey, but is it weird that i feel jealous sharing him with the world??? lol i thought he was my little secret!! lol
Penny: Lol, Christians gone mainstream…
Valerie: Hate sharing MY Fifty. 😉 But, alas…mustn’t be greedy.
Makes me giggle, because the “Master of The Universe” (MOTU) readers, before the series was retitled “Fifty Shades” probably think the same about us.
Krista: I used to read MOTU when it was being put up one chapter at a time and I’ve read the Fifty books. There were a few small changes but from what I remember it’s mostly the same, except for the names. 100% of the overall plot is the same.
And with that possessiveness comes elation and excitement with all of the latest attention he’s getting. But what about his detractors? I was disheartened when I realized that the majority of his critics hadn’t even bothered to read the book, and were proud to boast such a thing.
The media articles and videos were stirring up some serious reactions in our Facebook group…
Chris: not sure what to think about THAT review…ugh :(. Dr. Drew was saying negative things about the book but did not read and any of them PLUS he is a guy! duh!! I dont care what anyone thinks….I thought her books are steamy and fantastic. Hopefully, the review will peak curiosity and more people with buy the books. No such thing as bad publicity ;).
Jamie: Ok, I am not sure I like the way that story was told. I mean, WTH…they act like the story is that Christian abducted Ana and robbed her of her virginity while beating the crap out of her. I feel bad for EL James b/c they made her out to be some sort of sick story teller instead of the genius she is! How dare they bag on our Fifty!!! LOL!!!
Maryse’s Book Blog: *sigh* I need to blog about this… ASAP.
Brandie: I think you do Maryse. It feels like our little world has been infiltrated;)
Brandy: OHH NOO that is one of my all time favorite books. I LOVED it. But you have to be open minded to understand it and the whole BDSM lifestyle if you are close minded you just won’t get it. But like with everything you will have people that love it and hate it.
Ashley: Dr. Drew admitted that he hadn’t even read the books, so was he even allowed to give an opinion????
Jackie: Just watched it. I’m actually annoyed. Not one of them mentioned how Fifty develops through the books. They made it all seem like he beat her senseless and she gets off on it. There was no recognition of how disturbed he was and how he fought so hard for ‘more’…
How can one possibly understand what a book is about, and grasp it’s meaning, if they haven’t even bothered to read it? Under normal circumstances, opposing sides to an issue have at least some knowledge and comprehension of said issue and can properly and thoroughly debate it. How can one expect to give an unbiased professional opinion without knowing the actual subject matter at hand. A quick briefing/cliff notes version of the series was enough to come up with an opposing argument?
*hrmph* I think not. Because, in this case, the opposition’s “briefing” seems to have been related to a few key-words that swayed them to an obvious and biased decision. This book wasn’t about that. It was about so much more.
But, I may be digging too deep. I can’t help but wonder if I’m playing right into a reaction as intended upon, by said media hype. In fact, this was likely just a simple case of “Okay so everyone loves the book?… Who can we get to say it’s bad?”, inciting arguments and forcing defenders to come out and do their thing. A surefire way to keep the segment interesting and the buzz going. Either way, I think the opposition copped out with an easy, quick and possibly overused “social issues” argument that seems to fit the book genre, without having to have done the actual homework.
So, fine, I cant help myself. I’ll play. I’ll defend it:
I would like to point out that just because the sexual content and BDSM nature is prominent in the series, that is not what these books are about. The “sex-spin” the media ran with made these books out to be hardcore, trashy, bedroom fodder.
You guys missed the point.
This series is about so much more than that. In fact, while I recall there being plenty of sex, and sure, some uncomfortable intimacy issues explored, the actual heart of the story easily outshines the “sex-factor”. Easily. Sure it’s steamy, it’s exciting, and it’s daring. But why we loved this book so much, and why we connected to it so deeply, is that we saw someone broken struggling to become whole again. We experienced and struggled with each moment, each tentative boundary broken and repaired. We cried in pain, and we rejoiced in the self-discovery and healing of the main characters. This author didn’t simply give us formulaic “shiny on the outside” book, that we could read, enjoy and easily forget. She gave us an amazing story that is deep, intense, and at times shocking. She invited us all the way in, making this series unforgettable.
And THAT, my fellow readers, is what this series is about.
Interested in the series? Of COURSE you are!! With all of this buzz, ya gotta be dying to try it 😉 —> E.L. James – Fifty Shades Trilogy Reading Order
Here are my book reviews, however for those new to the series, I recommend only reading the first review, so as not to spoil the following books:
There’s been a lot of media attention these days concerning this somewhat controversial, romance/erotica series. It seems some of the *buzz* words, articles and recent tv segments have many wondering if this series is for them.
I’ve received some inquiries, and thought I’d feature an email, that I answered. I’m here to help, and hopefully this post does just that!
Dear Maryse,
I am hearing alot about the book “Fifty Shades of Grey” I have some questions to ask you because I noticed it on your website.
- Is it a romance book?
- The Today show says it has a similarity to the “Twilight” series is it similar to the “Twilight” Series?
- In your opinion, is it worth buying?
- What is it about that’s making people say things like “It saved my marriage”?
Thanks,Gail
Hi Gail.
“Is it a romance book?”: It IS a romance trilogy, however it has a harder feel to it as it explores elements of BDSM. The main gorgeous, rich and affluent “hero” has had a terrible past and deals with it by being a “Dom” and having a willing “sub” female in his life. It’s all about control, but he doesn’t get emotionally close to the women in his life. He maintains a physical relationship, but will not allow himself to love or be loved. But… he eventually meets a young, sweet, possibly naive girl, who intrigues him, and she pretty much puts his lifestyle into a tailspin. His closely guarded heart and the control he masters over every aspect of his life, teeters once he meets her.
“Is it similar to the “Twilight” Series?”: It isn’t at all like Twilight (well… I didn’t recognize Twilight in it when I first read it). But it did start off as twilight fan fiction (before it became the Fifty Shades Trilogy, it used to be called “Master of the Universe). Not at all the same story, no paranormal twists, or anything of the sort. I would say the only recognizable elements are the strong, silent hero that feels he is a danger to the sweet naive girl, pushes her away, but can’t stay away. That’s about it.
“Is it worth buying?”: I LOVED this series, so in my personal opinion, absolutely! I’m still searching for another book or series that can match it. I read it obsessively without putting it down, lived every emotion, and it kept me on the edge of my seat. Is it for everyone? Maybe not, but if the reader is willing to keep an open mind regarding some of the “harder” aspects of the main character’s intimacy issues and preferences, I am certain they will be captivated and swept away.
People saying “it saved my marriage”? No clue, on that. I suppose the sexual elements explored in the book might intrigue some who are willing to explore things in their own personal life as a couple.
Sure, the subject matter might make some nervous, but overall (and most importantly), I’d say this book is mostly about personal growth, and healing. Limits and personal boundaries tested and occasionally not respected for both the hero and heroine. This, however, is all part of the growth process, at least, in the aspect that this novel is written.
Here are my book reviews (but I’d recommend only reading the first review, so as not to spoil the remainder of the trilogy) in case you decide to read it.
Again, it’s not for everyone, I suppose (due to the harder elements that are explored) but 99% of the people who have read it with me, or after me (at least those who have contacted me to let me know) have loved it. Even those that I suspected might not.
I hope that helps!!
