My sister read this series after hearing about it on The View. She couldn't put it down even though it's erotica which she's not fond of. Anyone read it? What she tells me about it doesn't sound very good. Not so much erotica as odd. She's says it's full of angst.

I read the entire series before it was mentioned in the lamestream media. I loved the first one the most.
Its not erotica, its romance w/light bdsm and there is a hea in the last book.

I'm surprised the View is so influential. I don't watch that and would never buy a book reccommended by those twits.

I downloaded a sample chapter...read it a few weeks ago, nothing jumped out at me that it was anything special... besides I'm not going to pay $10 for the e-version...

The funny thing it was mentioned on a morning news program here just this morning, that it was the most downloaded book at the moment..... what! a romance/erotic novel. Mind you no mention the genre the book was, just that it was popular... eye roll!

I think it just proves that the majority of people can't make a choice in life without having it justified by someone on TV! "Oh they said it was good...someone on TV, well then I'd BETTER read it!" oh please! My reaction is the opposite, I generally avoid if EVERYONE is reading it.... bahahahaha!

Unless the "everyone" are the peeps on this board. ;)

I've read them all too like erika - before there was any buzz around them. My friend Susan mentioned the series to me because it was initially about Edward & Bella from Twilight and called "Master of the Universe" in FanFiction.

The same author who wrote them in FanFiction made some minor changes when the books went into print; she's a British author named E.L. James.

Was it one of the hardest series for me to read? I would say definitely the first book was for me (had never read BDSM before), but the evolution of the relationship between Christian and Ana is amazing and like erika posted, it has a wonderful HEA :D

Dr. Drew talked about it on his show last week and he was clueless - thank goodness there were women on his panel, including his wife, who understand what female erotic fantasy is all about. One of female panelists said that it had a great epilogue - she is so right!

I've read some really hostile reaction to this series on another board. I've never read such vitriol heaped on a romance by romance readers. Its left me puzzled when some post they don't think this book deserves the attention its getting?! Never saw that response when Nora Roberts, Julie Garwood and Iris Johansen got their books made into movies!!!

I just finshed book 1 and its still fresh in my mind. Let me tell you i read all kinds of roamnce erotica love Kresly Cole and most ebooks from Elluras cave.
I am NOT prude when it comes to reading.

I dont enjoy bdsm or whatever it is, at all its not a turn on. and Im not talking about fluffy handcuffs and playful spanking either. that I dont mind.

That said iiwent in not knowing exactly what to expect. Like you i read good and bad.

here is my take.

Ill be honest when i got a few chapters in, i was feeling ILL yes my stomach was cramping because i was worried how this was going to be done, was i going to want to throw the kindle across the room.

NO. It was so well done. let me first say
The Heroine and hero are wonderful. I loved them Ill be honest though at first i was so worried that I didnt immediately shine to either one.

Letme just say this is the darkest hero i have ever read. dark and broken. but it is so well written. the story is just so weell written. not at first no, give it a few chapters to warm up.

and its funny too, a few times i was laughing out loud. read their emails to each other very cute.

yes there is hot sex, i wouldnt call it erotica though. it IS a romance. there is alot of that, alot of flirting and playfulness. and alpha male.

i really loved this book and i hope to like book 2 and 3 just as much.

LOL!!! What did the twits on the View say about the book anyway? I hate to say this, but I wouldn't read anything any of them would recommend. I almost find it hard to believe they even discussed a book!

Teri--On the odd occasion my channel surfing has touched on ABC and 'The View', the ladies there sounded how I imagine a panicked hen-house would if a wolf was lurking outside the door!

HR

I've never been tempted to watch.

I wonder tho how this book got so much attention when other romances have been as popular.
Perhaps famous women read the various romance boards and this book was more memorable?!!

I don't like erotica or bsdm but I do like the BDB books. I really need a love story and HEA, do you think I will like Shades of Grey?

First off you wont know it not when you first start but its a HUGE love story.

really really. book2 and mostly book3 really confirms this in every way.

the bondage thing plays mostly into book1 and it has to thats all I say. but thats not what the book is about/ Its really secondary or even further on down.

The hero is just a really broken dark man, who needs to come to terms wtih his past to accept his future.

I highly recomment at least read book 1.

Book 2 is about 2 very much in love people trying to learn the word compromise. I was most frustrated wtih book 2.

Book 3 is better and its about settling in and moving on.

here girls this is the best review that i could come up with so you get the picture about this book.

This is the love story of Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey. Christian is such a complex character. You love him and hate him at the same time and it's really confusing. He's the ultimate alpha male, bad boy with a very dark and disturbing desire to inflict pain. He literally gets off on it. He meets and falls for Anastasia. When they meet she is an innocent college student and happens to still be a virgin. This is their love story and its deeply disturbing. Our boy Christian has some serious demons and its making Ana think long and hard about their relationship. This is not your typical boy meets girl let's date and fall in love romance. He wants to dominate her and he wants her submissive. He comes up with a contract that he wants her to sign. She's torn between her love for him and her fear of him. She wants to know why he is so Fifty Shades of "f'd" up. She wants to get to the bottom of what happened in his past to make him need this type of relationship and why he hates to be touched.

He introduces her to the "dark side" of his sexual habits and in his desire to keep her and make her happy, tries for the "vanilla relationship" she desires. Will Ana embrace Christian's dark side or will it be more than she can handle? The way he makes love to her is so erotic, steamy, sexy and scary all at the same time.

I know it does not sound like it, but there is a real love story there. Ana brings out feelings in Christian that he has never felt with anyone else. As crazy as it sounds

Riley - like I posted before, the first book was hard for me because I've never read BDSM before; am glad that I was able to handle the "oh my gosh" moments in book one.

Love the effect that Ana had on Christian - he started the series like an unemotional robot who inside is really a lost boy trying to find his way. She surprises him constantly and you start to see his emotions come to life. Their relationship is a work in progress, but wow - what a journey they experienced together. There are some challenges along their journey, but it only made their commitment to stay together stronger.

The type of HEA they had was so unexpected and amazing; loved it!

I believe this book got the attention after it was mentioned in Publishers Weekly. I'm guessing not to many self published former fanfict is mentioned there.

Is this a romance(w/HEA like Julie Garwood) or love story(like Nicolas Sparks books)?

And am I to understand that for whatever reason the media is now telling us that a romance is a great thing. Did I miss something here? Correct me if I am wrong; but have we(romance readers) not known this for years. Have we(romance readers) not been slammed, called uneducated, and unrealistic when it comes to love and romance for years by these same people. And now, now because of this book all of a sudden romance is brilliant. Can someone please explain this to me.

I am not hating on this book I don't even know what it is about, all I am saying is they are not telling us anything new. Romance readers have known how great romance novels are for decades.

To be honest though I doubt I would read it just because of the hoopla in the media about it. I will listen to romance readers advice on romance books, like on this board. But, I am not one to follow everyone else. I like to walk my own path, at my own pace.

yes Nell its a LOVE story of Romance. very much so, nearly epic - by book 3.
More like Garwood (though id never read her) and not fatalistic like Nicholas Sparks.

They DO get a large HEA. Im sure some will cry or have tears intheir eyes because its so sweet (i know that I did)

If it was recommended on The View that's enough to keep me from reading it! Can't stand those women!!