Freed: Fifty Shades Freed as Told by Christian

This Book Is A Deep & Emotional Read As Christian’s Character Digs Deeper To Overcome The Emotional Damage That Has Prevented Him From Living A Normal Life. Anastasia’s Safety Becomes An Obsession As He Recognizes That Her Life May Be In Danger. Yes, This Is A Steamy Story. Christian & Anastasia Have Incredible Chemistry & Those Scenes Burn Up The Pages. But They Also Serve To Bring The Couple Closer, & Due To Their Dark Nature, They Promote Trust & Deepen Intimacy. That Carries Over Into The Rest Of The Story – And There Really Is A Story Here, Despite The Hype. The Characters Are Complex & Real, Even If The Story Itself Is A Fantasy. Christian May Be Dictatorial & Brash, But This Tells The Story Of A Boy & Teen Who Suffered From Abuse & Grew Into A Man Whose Self Worth Had Been Beaten Down.ABOUT THE FIFTY SHADES AS TOLD BY CHRISTIAN SERIES:This book is absolutely a must read for fans. It is colossal – and tells so much more than Anastasia’s story. A lot takes place here between the proposal and the wedding, which occurs one quarter of the way through the book. There are new scenes between Christian and his father, as readers finally get a look at their falling out before the wedding. Several scenes include Christian’s brother Elliot, and it is nice to see the two of them one on one. This book shows Anastasia making good on her promise to go to church. Elliot throws Christian a bachelor party to remember. This story pulls in more characters, and here we get to know how Christian feels about them all. From the changing relationship between him and his employees to Jose Rodriguez and Ethan Kavanagh. This book really adds to Christian and Anastasia’s story.Everyone is familiar with the Fifty Shades of Grey series. That is Anastasia Steele’s story. This is the third book in the series that tells the Fifty Shades of Grey story from the male point of view: this is Christian Grey’s story. Whether you have read the first series makes no difference here. It is essentially the same story, but here the reader gets to discover more about Christian, who is a far more fascinating character than Anastasia. Her story is captivating – makes no mistake – but hers is more of a dark coming of age story. Unlike Anastasia, Christian has a past – one that is out of the ordinary in almost every respect. He has demons. Combined with the power he has amassed, that makes him dangerous, especially to someone like Anastasia. Anastasia’s story has her finding her own power and her own voice when she finds herself swept into a whirlwind relationship with a dark and powerful man. Christian’s story obviously goes further to shed light on what he is feeling throughout Anastasia’s story, and it doesn’t disappoint. Christian is a broken and misunderstood man who believes himself both incapable and undeserving of love until an unassuming college senior stumbles into his office and has him rethinking all the rules in his well-ordered world.Christian’s character is broken and compelling, and his story is well worth reading even if you already know Anastasia’s. This book picks up after Christian’s formal proposal at the tail end of his birthday party. For fans, book two in Anastasia’s story ended just a little after this story begins. This is a happy time for the couple, whose short relationship has seen big highs and lows.For the naysayers, just keep in mind while reading that this is a fantasy. There are certainly many happily married real-life couples that meet and marry in record-breaking time, and there are likewise real-life billionaires who are entitled to their own happy stories. There are also people that are healed by the love of someone special in their life. But this doesn’t pretend to be more than a fantasy – a love story.Anastasia walking out on Christian in book one changed his life. It forced him to begin a process of earnestly confronting his demons and considering the possibility that he might be capable of a normal vanilla relationship. In book two, he began in earnest to win back her affections. He still has a lot to learn, however, as he works through the kinks (no pun intended).Yes, this is a steamy story. Christian and Anastasia have incredible chemistry and those scenes burn up the pages. Those scenes serve to bring the couple closer, and due to their dark nature, they serve to promote trust and deepen intimacy. That carries over into the rest of the story. And there really is a story here, despite the hype. The characters are complex and real, even if the story itself is a fantasy. Christian is a young billionaire and leads a life most could never attain. In that respect their story is a modern version of the classic fairy tales, such as a modern Cinderella story – or perhaps Beauty and the Beast would be more appropriate. But even if it were scaled down and Christian’s success moderated, the dynamics between him and Anastasia would still make for a great story.FROM GREY: FIFTY SHADES AS TOLD BY CHRISTIANThe first book in this series takes place between May 9, 2011 and June 9, 2011.Christian Grey, twenty-seven, has a lot of rules. Rules keep his world safe and afford him the control he craves. He is CEO of Grey Enterprises Holding, Inc., the Seattle-based company he started after graduating from Harvard. He devotes himself to his work, and it has paid off well. He owes it to his discipline and drive – and that he owes to Elena. Without her he probably would have ended up like his mother – a druggie who overdosed when he was just four. He has horrible memories of those days, and the nightmares still haunt him. He barely spoke for a long time afterward, even after being adopted by his parents, Carrick and Grace. Despite all the support of his parents, Christian struggled with anger as a child. He was heading down an ugly road until Elena entered his life at age fifteen.Elena introduced Christian to the BDSM lifestyle. Following her rules helped him channel his anger and gave him the ability to focus on goals. He stayed with her five years before spreading his wings. He works long hours and doesn’t have much down time, but in addition to flying and boating, he enjoys unwinding with a sub in his playroom. It is a secret pleasure – and he intends to keep it that way. His family hasn’t a clue – he has never brought a girl home before; Elliot thinks he is a monk. Christian has since gone through many submissives over the years. He always enters into contractual agreements with the women so there are never any misunderstandings. It is the only kind of relationship he is capable of, and once the women want more from him he cuts ties. Susannah was his latest, and that ended about two months ago.Christian is feeling restless and in need of a diversion when Miss Anastasia Steele stumbles into his office on an uneventful Monday. She is there to interview him for the WSU student newspaper, as he is giving the upcoming commence address. She is uncoordinated and lacks good fashion sense, and is someone he would normally dismiss, but something about her fascinates him. He finds humor where he would usually be irritated, and he sees possibility even though he knows he has no business pursuing her. Christian has never pursued a woman before – Elena has always helped him find a new sub. By the time Miss Steele bumbles through the interview, though, he is entirely lost to her unassuming beauty and klutzy charm.As the couple tentatively moves forward, Christian hopes to establish boundaries and rules, bringing Anastasia into his world. She is open to trying new things but doesn’t hide the fact that she wants more. She wants a relationship. Christian knows he is holding back on her. She wants him to open up, but he only really shares with Dr. Flynn – and of course Elena. He has secrets that he cannot share with Anastasia because they would scare her away, and he is too selfish to let her go. This story ends in a cliffhanger, but it is one of hope.FROM DARKER: FIFTY SHADES DARKER AS TOLD BY CHRISTIANThis book takes place between Jun 9.2011 and Jun 18, 2011.Christian is more determined than ever to win Anastasia back. After speaking with Dr. Flynn and considerable self-reflection, he has a plan. He had hoped to win her over to his lifestyle, but that had been a colossal mistake. Ms. Steele, he learned, does not enjoy nor does she understand the mindset involved in severe punishments. Christian thought he needed that until she left, but now he will have her any way he can. He has discovered that he wants her more than he needs the safety of his playroom and the punishments he so enjoys administering. And most significantly, he wants more with her, too. He will do whatever it takes to keep her by his side.The couple works on building a vanilla relationship, but that is easier said than done. Christian remains a man that craves control in his life, and learning to let go is difficult for him. Anastasia is challenging, yet he enjoys the challenge (when he isn’t angry). But even as they begin to find happiness again, there are obstacles that threaten the couple. Leila Reed, his former sub, remains on the loose after her attempted suicide in his home. In her current state, Christian cannot be certain that she won’t cause further harm to herself or others – including Ana. And letting Anastasia go to work at her new job is hard enough for Christian to stomach, control freak that he is, but learning that her boss at SIP has a history of going through assistants is troubling. Christian has his eye the editor, but Jack Hyde doesn’t seem easily intimidated. Elena, too, seems insistent on making herself relevant at a most inconvenient time given Anastasia’s animosity towards her. Christian and Anastasia’s confusing relationship is thus further complicated, pushing them into situations they aren’t prepared to face just as they go public. Their relationship is put to the test over a very short period of time. This book has a happy for now ending, but there are still some rather unsettling questions that remain to be answered.IN THIS BOOK:This book takes place between June 19, 2011 and September 21, 2011.Christian is at the top of world after proposing to Anastasia. After an emotional week – dealing with Leila, firing Jack, and surviving a helicopter crash – his birthday had reduced all that to insignificance, despite all the drama with Elena and his mother. But that bubble is quickly burst when he and Anastasia leave the boathouse. His father, always his harshest critic, has some words for him, and it seems the two don’t see eye to eye. Christian still sees Elena as a positive force in his life, and his father couldn’t disagree more. Carrick suggests Christian isn’t ready for marriage, and some of those words make an impression, sending him back to Dr. Flynn for answers. Flynn contends that Christian essentially skipped his adolescence and is now learning the lessons he missed earlier in life, but that alone does little to ease his insecurities. Christian may have made tremendous progress since meeting Anastasis, but he still has a lot to learn about relationships.Christian deals with the emotional fallout with his parents over their discovery of his past with Elena while also facing the very real possibility of danger. Leila may be getting therapy now, but Christian continues to worry about her progress and the potential threat she poses to Anastasia and himself. But the biggest concern brewing is the crash of Charlie Tango. It looks like his helicopter may have been sabotaged. He and his team are soon hard at work looking for suspects while the investigation into the cause of the crash continues. Anastasia’s safety become almost an obsession as Christian recognizes that her life may be in danger. His overbearing ways only lead to more problems for the couple.All this takes place while planning a quick wedding. Christian and Anastasia do finally tie the knot, and their honeymoon is epic, but the story doesn’t stop there. They still face challenges as they adjust to married life, and some of their biggest challenges yet remain. Christian still has women in his life that would love to interfere with his newfound happiness. His past is a problem. But perhaps the biggest challenge to his happiness is himself. Christian repeatedly gets in his own way, sabotaging his happiness. There are tears along his journey, but he finally earns his happy ending.Christian’s story is dark, but it humanizes his brokenness. It is different than Anastasia’s story in that it takes the reader into his world, showing several of his nightmares and flashes of memory. Some of those reflect back on his childhood in Detroit, before he was adopted. Some are reflections of his childhood with the Greys, and there is a little with Elena and his submissives, too. There are also some scenes about his business dealings, giving a look at the confident and put-together man that has achieved so much success professionally. That view of him stands in stark contrast to the unsure man who fears opening himself up and becoming vulnerable. There are some fabulous scenes with Dr. John Flynn that shed more light on Christian’s inner fears, contrasting them with Flynn’s sound encouragement. This story goes further into showing Christian’s relationship with his family, and that glimpse is worthwhile. The biggest bonus found in Christian’s story is simply getting to know his character intimately. In Anastasia’s story, it takes time to unravel his tragic past and the abuse he suffered. Here, readers get to see how he reflects back on those times and how it impacts his life. There are several things that he kept from Anastasia, and in reading this it explains a lot of his behavior and decisions.This book is a deep and emotional read as Christian’s character digs deeper to overcome the emotional damage that has prevented him from living a normal life. He has embraced his new life with Anastasia and is committed to facing the challenges. He is devoted to keeping them safe in the face of danger. He and Anastasia build new dreams together, and together they bring them into reality. Christian Grey has become a household name. He represents the quintessential broken and reclusive billionaire who is incapable of a standard relationship or love. He lives a very private life – which had been necessary to keep his BDSM lifestyle under wraps. Christian may be dictatorial and brash, but this tells the story of a boy and teen who suffered from abuse and grew into a man whose self worth had been beaten down. His anger never left him; he just channels it into his work and his rules. He hides his vulnerability from the world, too afraid to open himself up to more pain. His story is wonderfully written. The plot is somewhat complex. The characters are carefully crafted and three dimensional. They feel very real. The story is written in first person in Christian’s POV. I rate this book five full stars.

I started this book back in June, right after release. I got to about 45% and put it down. Yes, I was enjoying it but maybe my head wasn't in the right space at the time and I figured I'd go back after a couple of days and finish. Well, here it is 6 months later and I finally got back to it. And let me tell you: my reading experience was so much enjoyable and I truly loved being back with Christian and Ana. Again, I think EL James has hit her sweet spot with writing in a male POV. And perhaps it's because my love of Christian Grey can be all-consuming but getting inside his very complicated mind is like nothing else I've ever read and it was once again a very intense ride.Mirroring, of course, the original Fifty Shades Freed, this newly-married version of CG has a real sweetness about him. His disbelief that a woman like Ana could not only love him but decide to become his wife continues to surprise him at every turn. Getting pivotal scenes in his POV really gave this entire storyline the bits of extra I was always curious about and James did not disappoint. Christian's continued worry about the safety of Ana and always wanting to be the master of his universe can be trying but she really does get him, loving him fiercely and all of his fifty shades.It was certainly a bit wistful to see Christian come to grips with his deceased mother and how his very early years shaped the man he is today. He and Ana clearly have quite the whirlwind life, trying hard to deal with Jack Hyde and the whys of his diabolical actions, while settling into marriage after only knowing each other for a short time. But in true Christian fashion, his brain is working at 1000 miles a minute, truly as capable as Grace tells him, and it was quite amazing at all he is able to do within a 24 hour period.But in the end, it's Ana who will always be front and center in his life, and all he does to not only protect her but love her that is at the center of this book and story. Their 'battles' for power are a delight to watch and this newly-wedded version of Christian clearly has found his soulmate and determined sparring partner who won't let him get away with anything. And he's finally ok with that. Not to mention his match in the bedroom as well keeping those fires burning hot as they simply cannot get enough of each other. Yeah, I enjoyed those scenes again very much.Christian's change of heart in all matters of love, marriage, and control is like seeing a rebirth of sorts for this extraordinary man. Getting to see his POV gave me a new perspective into many of the actions he took as well as all the generosity he bestows on those who he cherishes even if it's all in a day's work. This is a man with many layers and I'm thrilled I was able to peel back some of them and be reminded of just why I fell for him all those years ago.This is a very lengthy book and although there isn't anything I would have edited out, I did skim a bit at times just to get to the parts I have been waiting for, for so long now. James did a great job in relaying Christian's thoughts, hopes, dreams, and even some nightmares, and I feel as if this is the true love letter to her fans who will never get enough of this wonderfully frustrating yet wildly irresistible man.A must-read for the Grey faithful, I'm both sad and satisfied this journey is over. You never forget your first real book boyfriend and Christian Grey will always be at the top of my list no matter how many years go by. Laters, baby.

This was a great read. I loved Fifty Shades of Grey but actually think this set was much better. (If that’s possible). Hated for it to end. We’ll written and kept me coming back for more. Did not want to put these books down.

It’s very interesting seeing the other side. Things that are happening but weren’t aware of. I was very pulled into this story.

I love how Christian tell his side of the story, his side of the romance was just as deep as the original, it shows how he wants to be in control though Anna do put him in his place sometimes, Christian has a temper and it is with anyone who mess with his family and especially Anna, Sex, love romance, it is still all in this book but Christian tells you more, I love all 6 books

Where do I start. I've waited so long for this book to come out and I can't explain how brilliant it was. E L James thank you for being such an amazing author.I have loved all the books of fifty shades but this last book tops them all.I absolutely loved it and all of you that are fans of fifty shades are going to love it.I felt sorry for my poor husband and son as I didn't put this book down and read early hours in the night.The characters were all brilliant in this book but Elena wow what can I say about her, I loved that you got to hear more about her but I really can not stand her.This is a book I will read again and again so thank you for bringing so much joy and happiness in the final book that was told by Christian.

I'm really struggling with this book. Its written from Christians view but a big factor the author has missed was in the film when they were leaving the wedding reception Anna left wearing a white 2 piece suit and her hair was down. Yet according to Christian he had her keep her wedding dress on, and her hair still in the bun. In his words whilst in the bedroom of the plane he removes the hair pins and her hair falls down around her shoulders? After removing her wedding dress? Very contradictory and thus really making this read not realistic. I've found I'm skimming pages because it's so boring and repetitive. Normally I can't put a book down, however I'm finding it easier to put this book down rather than to continue reading. Such a shame as I'd been really looking forward to this

It was great to finally read this book from Christian's point of view. It explains what he was thinking when he learned of Ana's pregnancy and the kidnapping. It proved that there is always two sides to every story and that he was really struggling but that he loved And so much he would do anything for her. Well worth reading.

Amazing!!

This novel filled my heart with glee. It was everything I had hoped for and more. I never wanted it to end.Nine years ago this month, I first discovered Ana & Christian and ever since then their story has had a special place in my heart, so to get another book from Christian’s POV made me giddy with happiness.Freed flowed perfectly from the end of Darker, giving the reader brand new chapters to devour. I was once again in Christian Grey heaven. Brand new scenes and more delightful emails to enjoy (I pretty much swooned my way through those). Throughout most of this story, I found myself with a huge grin on my face and laughing out loud at Christian’s sense of humour. Just like the previous books, this one gave me all the feels and I have to say that reading some of the more emotional scenes felt even more heartbreaking from Christian’s perspective. I’m not ashamed to say that I felt a little teary in some parts. It was once again an eye opening experience, discovering Christian’s true thoughts and feelings. He is such a beautiful man. And then to finish off was the most gorgeous epilogue. By the time I had turned the final page my heart was full and I felt even more in love with Christian & Ana, which I didn’t think was possible.In my opinion, if you loved the Fifty Shades Series, reading these books told from Christian’s outlook are a must. I have adored every single one and after finishing Freed, I feel a reread of the entire series is due. I just can’t get enough of Mr & Mrs Grey and I secretly hope that maybe one day in the future EL James will gift us with another book or even a novella. Hell, I’d be happy with even a new paragraph. I’m always greedy for more when it comes to Fifty Shades.Freed exceeded my expectations. It was absolute perfection from the get-go. I will now be jumping straight into the audiobook and watching the movies again. I’m obsessed and I don’t care one bit! Thank you, EL James, for giving us so much more. What a journey it has been.