Book #46 - Fifty Shades of Grey (Fifty Shades #1)

Fifty Shades of Grey (Fifty Shades #1), E. L. James
514 pages
romance, erotica
Started 4/18/12
Finished 4/20/12
5 STARS

To be honest, I'm not quite sure where to begin with this one. I finished Fifty Shades of Grey nearly a week ago, and I'm still swirling it around in my head, trying to wrap my brain around the complexity that is Fifty Shades. I do know that I loved it. I mean, looooooooooooved it. And, I don't entirely get why. This book isn't normally my thing. It's sexy, kinky, and there's not a single vampire, werewolf, shifter or faery in sight. Let me break it down - maybe it will help my scattered thoughts come together.

Ana Steele is ready to graduate from college when she unexpectedly meets rich, beautiful Christian Grey. He is inexplicably drawn to her, which compels him to invite her into a part of his life. Ana is equally attracted to Christian, so she reluctantly yet happily accepts. He intrigues her and excites her and makes her feel things she has never felt before. As she grows closer to him, and even falls in love with him, she learns what a wonderful, but flawed man Christian is. It breaks her heart, and she hopes that her love will be enough to save him from himself.

This is most definitely an adult book. With a capital 'A.' The sex was a little distracting at first - it's all spelled out, and Christian's into some pretty crazy stuff. But, once you get past the kinky stuff, what you're left with is a really good love story. You have a man who, through no fault of his own, considers himself so abhorrent, so awful, so tainted, that he is not worthy of anyone's love. And then he meets this girl. This innocent, beautiful, sometimes cranky headstrong girl who gets under his skin in a way that no one else ever has before. He starts to have these...emotions...and he has absolutely no idea what to do with them. His cool, calm, collected self is thrown for a loop. He's wonderful and romantic one moment, and angry and aloof the next. Ana doesn't know what to do with this man that has become the center of her universe. Feelings that intense are bound to cause angst and strife. Right?