Book #48 - Fifty Shades Freed (Fifty Shades #3)

Fifty Shades Freed (Fifty Shades #3), E. L. James
456 pages
romance, erotica
Started 4/23/12
Finished 4/25/12
5 STARS

The last book in the Fifty Shades series was equally as exciting, funny, sad, romantic and hot as the first two. I was so happy to see that James didn't fall off her game and botch the last book like Stephenie Meyer did with Breaking Dawn. As much as I enjoyed the Twilight books, I have to say it - this fan fict series is better than the original inspiration.

Again - I have to caution those that haven't read Freed that there WILL be spoilers below. It's impossible to talk about this book without giving away key plot points from the first and second books. Consider yourselves warned.

I was a bit bothered that the beginning starts six weeks after the conclusion of the second book. Although we do revisit much of that time through Ana's memories, it's just not the same as experiencing it firsthand. And I so enjoyed the masquerade ball in the second book - I would've loved to read more about Ana's and Christian's wedding as it happened. But, that doesn't make the fact that they actually bit the bullet and got married any less sweet.

And, thankfully, their being married didn't water down any of the tension between them. Christian is still trying to control every aspect of his life (including his wife), and Ana is still trying to maintain some semblance of self in the face of such intensity. I'm glad that the "I Dos" didn't magically fix the problems in their relationship. Anyone who's married knows that getting married sometimes complicates things even further. And, there's still a psycho out there trying to kill or kidnap Ana, Ana still has insecurities about Christian's many exes (and one, in particular), and Christian's past keeps getting in the way. Needless to say, these two have lots to work out.

But, the love they have for each other is palpable and exciting and real and utterly, heartbreakingly romantic. It's what kept me turning the pages long after I should've gone to bed. The last 50 pages or so are the absolute best of the entire book. I read them three times before I could consider myself "done." As a whole, this series is the most fulfilling one I've ever read. It's definitely one that will get read often. The writing is smart and funny. The characters are deep and complex and interesting. The sex is hot, yet not cheap and corny (and, that's really hard to do). I couldn't have asked for a better break from my life for a week.