Author: E L James
Series: Fifty Shades
Publisher: The Writers Coffee Shop Publishing House
Published: May 2011
552 pages

When literature student Anastasia Steele is drafted to interview the successful young entrepreneur Christian Grey for her campus magazine, she finds him attractive, enigmatic and intimidating. Convinced their meeting went badly, she tries to put Grey out of her mind – until he happens to turn up at the out-of-town hardware store where she works part-time.

The unworldly, innocent Ana is shocked to realize she wants this man, and when he warns her to keep her distance it only makes her more desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her – but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success – his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving adoptive family – Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a passionate, physical and daring affair, Ana learns more about her own dark desires, as well as the Christian Grey hidden away from public scrutiny.

Can their relationship transcend physical passion? Will Ana find it in herself to submit to the self-indulgent Master? And if she does, will she still love what she finds?

Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever

So you may have heard about the hype surrounding this series. This of course is the Fifty Shades series by E L James. Its all over the charts, its on the TV, in the news, everyone is talking about it. And well, I just wanted to see for myself what all the fuss was about.

And now I know. Christian Grey. THAT’s what all the fuss is about. Of course the story is compelling, interesting and different… but what it all boils down to is this unbelievably dominant, swoon worthy, deliciously hot alpha male character. He really is something else.

The theme of this book (as you must have heard!) is very adult. It tells the story of Anastasia Steel, a young woman finishing college who through an unlikely coincidence ends up interviewing Christian Grey, multi millionaire entrepreneur, for her college paper. Sparks fly instantly and the story goes on from there. Only Christian isn’t your average romantic… oh no no, his relationships come with a contract! And a.. a’ hem… ‘playroom’..

Anastasia isn’t sure she wants to get into a relationship like that.. but can’t seem to stay away from Christian and his kinky ways.

To say this book is hot is an understatement. Seriously, don’t make the mistake of reading this whilst on public transport like I did… I all but had to huddle around my kindle to make sure no one could see over my shoulder! I was sort of expecting this aspect of the story, but what I wasn’t expecting was the depth of the relationship that begins to unfold between Ana and Christian. Christian obviously has issues. Big ones. His dislike of being touched and his need to control is something that Ana tries to get to the bottom of many times and this sometimes caused arguments and tears.

I liked that she never gave up the whole way through. She chipped away at him a little at a time gradually getting him to open up a bit about his past and why he is the way he is.

Another thing that I liked was the emails. Whenever Christian and Ana are not together they email each other… and all these emails form part of the book. Let me just say – this was pure brilliance! These are what made me really fall in love with this book (other than Christian that is). They were witty, clever, entertaining, funny and just a great way to move the story along. I was very very impressed with how this was done.

I am definitely now jumping on the Fifty bandwagon. Fifty Shades of Grey has become my guilty pleasure. Ok the writing style might seem slightly amateur to begin with but you sure do forget about that once the story starts to grab you.. and then.. there’s no turning back. I loved this book