Noah (5th Street #1) Review

Veronica Cruz has been through hell and back. After disconnecting with the world two years ago to be at the side of her dying mother, she’s left alone, unemployed, overweight, and feeling a decade older than her twenty-eight years. When her best friend coaxes her into joining the local gym to ditch her depression and rejuvenate her life, she meets Noah. Assigned to help Veronica lose weight, Noah is everything she expected a young trainer to be—perfectly chiseled, supportive and motivating. Add to that, he’s incredibly sexy. He’s everything she’s ever looked for in a man. What she least expected was for him to fall for her, but he has. There's just one glaring problem: Noah is eight years younger.

Noah Quintanilla has his eye on a boxing title—someday. Down for a few months with an injury, his maintenance-boy pay at 5th Street Gym won't cut it. He’s finally given the opportunity to train. The catch? His trainee is an out-of-shape woman with a free week pass. Taking on the challenge, Noah stumbles into one of the closest friendships he’s ever known, and before he knows it, he’s in love. But Veronica’s not having it—the age difference is too much. Their platonic relationship means having to watch her date other men—something that would make him crazy. Believing he's the man for her, Noah sets out to prove that age is but an illusion, and there's more to him than just a number.
I’ve been on an adult contemporary romance kick lately and I do love me some reasonably priced kindle books!  This is a series that came highly recommended by a friend and I decided to give it a go as I trust her opinion.  I’m so glad I did as I loved the book and pretty much couldn’t put it down.

Veronica (Roni) has taken care of her sick mother for a few years and now that she’s passed away, Roni is alone. Her boyfriend at the time couldn’t deal so he left her, right when she needed him the most.   She lost her social life and pretty much lost herself, gaining about forty pounds in the process.  THANK GOD she still has her best friend Nellie who practically drags her to the 5th Street gym to work out with a personal trainer as it’s time to get her life back on track!  Enter Noah.  He’s been desperate for a chance to prove to the boss that he can train someone and Veronica is probably going to be his biggest challenge. With just the right amount of encouragement and motivation, they become friends but the lines start blurring when she finds out that he’s sleeping at the gym during some stormy weather and invites him to stay with her.  Sparks are flying but there’s one problem...Roni is eight years older than Noah.  What follows is a battle mostly with herself – mind vs. heart but which one is going to win?

I really enjoyed Roni as a character and I can relate to a lot of her decision making.  I do admire her hard work and determination at the gym as I hate going to the gym but perhaps if I had a sexy personal trainer in the form of Noah, I might look forward to going!  

Noah is an orphan and a very mature twenty year old with goals and drive.   He is a boxer and he rides a motorcycle.  He’s damn near perfect but I understand Roni’s reservations and to be perfectly honest, I probably would have done exactly the same things as she does but damn, he is something.
The ending of the book surprised me a little but I can understand the reasons behind particular decisions being made, they just wouldn’t be *MY* decisions.  All in all, I loved the book and am looking forward to carrying on with the rest of the series where Noah’s 5th Street friends all take a turn to step into the spotlight.

Noah was published on 1st March, 2012.  To find out more about Elizabeth Reyes and her books, please click here to visit her website.