Shooting .357s is like learning how to eat pizza with hot peppers on it, it's an acquired taste. But, once you get a feel for 'em, boy, are you ever hooked!
I have two "dedicated" .357s, a Smith & Wesson 28-2 6" and a 27-3 4". These guns never see .38 specials. They get fed a steady diet of 158 gr. .357s with an occasional helping of 125 gr. .357s thrown in for the fun of it.
Both of these revolvers, being massive, handle the recoil easily. My wife, who is no fan of pain, fires 158 gr. magnums from my 28 without a problem. She loves it, so much so, that I sometimes have to pry it from her hands in order to fire a group or two.
As for flash and noise, all part of the fun
Seriously, however, I would suggest rubber grips as a buffer against recoil. My 28 is presently fitted with Pachmayr finger grooves and these work especially well with magnum rounds.