Fifty Shades Freed by EL James

Fifty Shades #3

            This is the third book in this series. While I enjoyed the first two books [Fifty Shades Darker, Fifty Shades of Grey], I didn't think they lived up to the hype. And, I've got to say I don't think any of them deserve a months-long rid e on the New York Times Best Seller list. However they are definitely fun reads. Once again the email correspondence between Ana and Christian is very entertaining.

            The story picks up as they are getting married and honeymooning in various European hot spots. They have an exhausting amount of sex, but they are young and honeymooning, so I guess that is to be expected. Once they return home it's time to get back to work.

           
            The pressures of Ana's publishing job increase, her schedule becomes increasingly hectic and birth control slips her mind. She discovers, much to her horror, that she is pregnant. An ultrasound shows her a tiny blip that her Ob/gyn indicates is the fetus. She immediately feels protective and loving toward her Little Blip, but dreads telling Christian. Much drama ensues.

            Unsettling things continue to happen and security around the entire Grey family is tightened. At one point, an attempt is made to abduct Ana, but is foiled. The bad guy goes to jail but is bailed out by an unknown benefactor. While out, he manages to successfully abduct Christian's sister. Ana saves the day and gets to shoot the bad guy in the knee. What fun!

            The bad guy is arrested again, and all slides back into a normal routine. The book ends with Ana and Christian at their newly renovated home, living happily ever after. The last several chapters are almost like outtakes at the end of a movie, but reveal some rather interesting aspects to Christian's story. My favorite is the first encounter between the two at the interview in Christian's office. It is told entirely from Christian's point of view and is both enlightening and entertaining.

            I think this series is a pretty good one. It gets points in my book for being fun and entertaining. 

                                                                                         

Fifty Shades Darker by EL James

          Fifty Shades #2

          The plot thickens. This book is quite obviously written as the bridge between the first and last parts of a planned trilogy. The story of Ana and Christian continues.  As the very existence of a second book requires, they do get back together.  True love must conquer, after all.

          Their separation has caused both of them to reconsider their positions. Ana determines she is intrigued by certain aspect of Christian’s lifestyle and hopes she can accommodate some of his less violent needs. Christian, on the other hand, is so appalled and devastated by Ana’s leaving that he decides to abandon the lifestyle altogether so they can be together.

          The two of them continue to work on the compromises necessary for any relationship, and their email correspondence, while not as prolific as in the first book, continues to be one of the highlights of the story.

          Christian has difficulty controlling his “stalker” tendencies where Ana is concerned. He chooses to buy out the company she works for. And when her boss make inappropriate advances on her, has the man summarily fired. Ana is immediately moved into her former boss’s position after only days as his assistant. Has Christian traded BDSM for nepotism?

          Ana remains concerned that, despite his protests to the contrary, Christian has “needs” that she will never be able to meet. She is worried enough to make a visit to Christians psychiatrist to get his take on the matter. He assures her, with Christian’s permission, that her leaving jolted Christian into realizing his needs were really choices and he could change them.

          Ana finally meets “Mrs. Robinson” and continues to find her vile and pedophilic. At a Grey family gathering a confrontation between she and Ana is overheard by Christian’s mother, prompting mom to throw the woman out. Perhaps Christian gets his protective instincts from his mother?

          At any rate, the relationship moves along. Christian and Ana become engaged. All seems headed straight for happily ever after…

…but there’s a third book coming along.

 

Fifty Shades of Grey by E L James

          Fifty Shades #1

          So, I must admit, I was very excited when I got the email from the library saying Fifty Shades of Grey was available for download to my Kindle. There has been so much hype about the books. They have been on the best seller list for months. I couldn’t wait to find out what all the fuss was about. I just hoped there was something else there besides kinky sex.

          I was well aware that the book would fall somewhere in the range of erotic to pornographic. (This is definitely not for the under eighteen crowd.)  And, to be perfectly honest, most media that falls along that spectrum bores me to tears.  I am not necessarily turned on by other people having sex. Don’t get me wrong. I have no problem reading about other people having sex, but I expect other things to go on besides just sex or you lose me.

          And, Fifty Shades of Grey delivers. Most of the sex is actually pretty tame, although there are several scenes that get pretty far off the beaten path. But there is much more than sex going on here. We get to read about two people with wildly divergent ideas about the perfect relationship attempting to find common ground, and making progress toward each other.

          I really enjoyed the email exchanges between the two main characters. They are witty and well written.  And, I spent quite a bit of time laughing out loud while reading them.  Those exchanges helped bridge the gap between Ana’s desire to have conversations and talk about things as they go along, and Christian’s wanting the relationship all laid out ahead of time in written contract form.

          I liked that both parties were willing to compromise and try doing things the way the other one wanted. They both worked hard to try to create a relationship that worked for both of them.  But in the end Christian’s control issues, and sexual proclivities proved too much for Ana to accept.

          I think she absolutely made the right decision to walk away from Christian. She was correct. He needed to get his head on straight.  I can only assume that she goes back to him in book two.  I don’t think it’s a good decision, but the idea that love conquers all is a staple of literature.

          I really enjoyed this book.  The characters are well written and fully realized. Seattle may not be the most exciting city in the world, but these characters don’t spend a lot of time outside. I was intrigued by the idea that a British writer would set the novels there, though. I’m looking forward to reading book two, Fifty Shades Darker, when it’s my turn at the library.