Freed (Fifty Shades as Told by Christian 3) by EL James-review

Posted on August 8, 2021 by Sandy

Freed (Fifty Shades as Told by Christian 3) by EL James-review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 1, 2021

You are cordially invited to the wedding of the decade, when Christian Grey will make Anastasia Steele his wife. But is he really husband material? His dad is unsure, his brother wants to organise one helluva bachelor party, and his fiancée won’t vow to obey…

And marriage brings its own challenges. Their passion for each other burns hotter and deeper than ever, but Ana’s defiant spirit continues to stir Christian’s darkest fears and tests his need for control. As old rivalries and resentments endanger them both, one misjudgement threatens to tear them apart.

Can Christian overcome the nightmares of his childhood and the torments of his youth, and save himself? And once he’s discovered the truth of his origins, can he find forgiveness and accept Ana’s unconditional love?

Can Christian finally be freed?

•••••••

REVIEW:FREED is the third and final instalment in EL James’ contemporary, adult FIFTY SHADES AS TOLD BY CHRISTIAN erotic, BDSM romance trilogy told by Christian Grey.

Told from first person point of view (Christian) using present day and memories from the past, FREED focuses on Christian Grey-his feelings, his emotions, his need for control, and his desperate attempts to protect the woman he loves.

For readers and followers of the Fifty Shades of Grey series, FREED and FIFTY SHADES AS TOLD BY CHRISTIAN reveals a deeper side to the man many have grown to love or hate. We are up close and personal with his need and rationale for control; his heart breaking earlier years with a crack-addicted mother, and the grooming of an adolescent and impressionable young man to become a dominant with a sadistic nature.

FREED acknowledges Christian’s somewhat embattled relationship with his adoptive parents Carrick and Grace, and his inability to recall anything about the missing months while in the care of social services. While Christian is a man obsessed about our heroine Ana Steele, he is also a man struggling with the demons from his past that continue to control his present including his ongoing and unhealthy ‘friendship’ with Mrs. Robinson, a relationship from which he battles to let go.

FREED is a detailed, complex and long story line that reveals so much more about Christian Grey than was ever revealed in the original series including plenty of information about his work, and his need to amass a corporate empire. There is supplementary plotline not found in the original series release, as well as some additional content only found in the movie adaptation but now added to ‘enhance’ the story for interest and familiarity. FREED is an edgy and dramatic addition to Christian Grey’s POV.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed By Sandy

Freed (Steel Brothers Saga 18) by Helen Hardt-Review tour

Posted on July 3, 2021 by Sandy

Freed (Steel Brothers Saga 18) by Helen Hardt-Review tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 29, 2021

When you hit rock bottom, there’s nowhere to go…

Dale Steel has spent his life running from the horror of his past, so he’s completely unprepared for horror to follow him into the present. But that’s exactly what it’s done. His only hope is his love for Ashley White, so he grabs hold with both hands, determined to escape his bleak existence.

Ashley is so in love she can’t see straight. Dale—and the thrall he holds over her—has given her a new outlook on sex and relationships, and she’s all in. Things are finally falling into place.

But Ashley and Dale’s troubles are far from over. An untimely death disrupts their hopes at happiness, followed by a phone call that leaves Dale even more grief-stricken. He must make an important decision. Two roads lie in front of him, but only one will free him.

••••••

REVIEW:Take a deep breath before you plunge into this masterpiece because once you start, you will not be able to stop! Freed is book 18 in the Steel Brothers Saga by Helen Hardt. As always with any series, reading it in order is recommended, with Freed I do think the author gives enough back story that you won’t be lost if you read it as a standalone, but that being said, you’ll want to go back and read it in order.

The entirety of The Steel Sage is fantastic, and that continues with Dale and Ashley’s adventure into the unknown. Dale has demons, ones that he struggles with from his past, Ashley has her own battle scars from her childhood, but doesn’t let it control her life now. Two people that you wouldn’t think would need each other end of being their own saving Grace.

Without spoiling all the goodness to come from this read, be prepared to want to scream every five seconds as well. The book is so well written, the emotion, the feeling, the pain and twists of the plot will suck any reader under. For parts of Freed, Dale was dangling off a cliff, and even with the shoddy things he said and did to Ashley, she was the only one to talk him down from that edge. There were times, even as I read it, I wasn’t sure what was going to happen next!

Five star review from me, Freed is a tantalizing read that is sure to keep its readers on their toes, and better yet, coming back for more.

Previous reviews
Ravenous
Insatiable
Fate
Legacy
Descent
Awakened
Cherished

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sarah

Havent started the series?

Books 1-4 are currently FREE in an ebook boxset

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#1 New York Times, #1 USA Today, and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author Helen Hardt’s passion for the written word began with the books her mother read to her at bedtime. She wrote her first story at age six and hasn’t stopped since. In addition to being an award-winning author of romantic fiction, she’s a mother, an attorney, a black belt in Taekwondo, a grammar geek, an appreciator of fine red wine, and a lover of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. She writes from her home in Colorado, where she lives with her family. Helen loves to hear from readers.

Freed (Rosewood Bay #3) by Carly Phillips-Review Tour

Posted on July 18, 2018 by Sandy

FREED ( Rosewood Bay #3) by Carly Phillips-Review Tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 10, 2018

Fall for the missing Ward sister…

Juliette Collins is privileged and isolated from the world by her over-protective father. She thinks she knows the truth about her history until a file on her father’s computer reveals she has sisters she never knew about. A family she’s never met. Betrayed, she realizes there’s a life waiting for her outside the walls of her daddy’s New York City penthouse and Juliet is determined to live it. Against her father’s wishes, she heads to a small beach community to meet her siblings… and finds herself way out of her depth instead.

In the personal protection business, Braden Clark thinks nothing of taking on a job to watch over a city girl in town for the summer. If her father wants to know his daughter is safe, it’s no problem and an easy way of earning a paycheck. Except Braden doesn’t count on falling for the sheltered Juliette. Watching her experience her firsts, getting an apartment, finding a job, meeting up with her lost sisters, soon Braden’s brand of protection becomes a little too personal. He’s mixing business with pleasure and lying to a woman he’s coming to care deeply about.

Sexual attraction burns bright between them and Braden is by her side as she finds herself, her family, and what it means to love… but what happens when she discovers his secret? That he’s been paid to watch over her all along?

••••••••••••••

REVIEW: FREED is the third instalment in Carly Phillips’ contemporary, adult ROSEWOOD BAY romance series focusing on the Ward sisters. This is missing Ward sister twenty-six year old Juliette Collins, and private investigator Braden Clark’s story line. FREED can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Juliette and Braden) FREED follows Juliette Collins, the missing Ward sibling, as she searches for the sisters she knew nothing about. Raised by her over-protective father, following the death of her mother, Juliette has been sheltered her entire life until the day she reads her father’s file about her ‘not so dead’ mother, and the daughters (Juliette’s sisters) he abandoned years before. Heading to Rosewood Bay to meet Phoebe and Halley Ward, Juliette is unaware that her father, New York City investment banker Andrew Collins, has hired a private investigator to report back on the daughter of whom he is desperate to return home. Enter Braden Clark, former police officer and PI, and the man with whom Juliette will fall in love. What ensues is the building relationship between Juliette and Braden, and the fall-out when Juliette learns the truth about her father’s ongoing betrayal, and the lie of omission by Braden Clark.

FREED is a story of betrayal, secrets and lies. From the proverbial frying pan into the fire, Juliette Collins discovers that the men in her life cannot be trusted. Naïve and isolated from the basic experiences of life Juliette Collins embarks on a bucket-list of activities beginning with the introduction to the sisters she never knew. Braden Clark struggles in the face of his father’s ever—increasing Alzheimer’s disease, a disease that is quickly destroying the man he once was. Falling for Juliette Collins was never in the plans but meeting the awkward, innocent and beautiful Juliette gave Braden a hope for a happily ever after.

The relationship between Juliette and Braden is off-limits due to the fact that Braden has been hired to spy on our heroine, reporting back to the father who has broken her heart. The attraction between Juliette and Braden is immediate but Braden’s pursuit of Juliette is an ongoing mix-up of signals for our story line heroine. The romance is fun, flirty and spicy. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

The wonderful secondary and supporting characters include Juliette’s sisters Phoebe (and Jake), Hally (and Kane) as well as the local florist Andrea ‘Andi’ Harmon; Juliette, Phoebe and Hally’s father Andrew; Braden’s struggling father Jonathan Clark, and their neighbor Lucy Mulligan. Andi and Kyle’s story line is next in DREAM, a departure from the Ward sister story lines.

FREED continues to focus on the daughter’s of New York City investment banker Andrew Collins, a man who abandoned his eldest children, and left them to suffer with a drug-addicted mother. Raised in the child-welfare system, Phoebe and Hally have battled the stigma of desertion, betrayal, and drug abuse to find their happily ever after without the aid of neglectful parents. FREED is an encouraging story of independence, with animated and playful characters. The struggle was limited to the lies and deception directed towards our story line heroine; the conflict resolution was a little too neat and clean for this reader.

Reading Order and previous Reviews
Fearless
Breathe
Freed

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

After a successful fifteen-year career with various New York publishing houses, and over 40 sexy contemporary romance novels published, N.Y. Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Carly Phillips is now an Indie author who writes to her own expectations and that of her readers. She continues the tradition of hot men and strong women and plans to publish many more sizzling stories. Carly lives in Purchase, NY with her family, two nearly adult daughters and two crazy dogs who star on her Facebook Fan Page and website. She’s a writer, a knitter of sorts, a wife, and a mom. In addition, she’s a Twitter and Internet junkie and is always around to interact with her readers.