Mary J. Taverne

Many people in life talk about wanting to achieve something. So many people have lofty goals, dreams, and aspirations, but not many people follow through with realizing them. And, in fact, many people move further and further away from them with each passing day. Life can be convoluted at times. Sometimes, we're merely in reactionary mode and we lose sight of what we're aiming for. We're so busy responding to external stimuli, that we forget about the goals that are important to us, and we slip back into our negative patterns of behavior.

On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge.

When unworldly student Anastasia Steele first encountered the driven and dazzling young entrepreneur Christian Grey it sparked a sensual affair that changed both of their lives irrevocably. Shocked, intrigued, and, ultimately, repelled by Christian’s singular erotic tastes, Ana demands a deeper commitment. Determined to keep her, Christian agrees.