The new Fifty Shades of Grey book has finally been released and fans are freaking out

The new Fifty Shades of Grey book is out—and fans have some pretty strong thoughts to share on it. 

The highly anticipated E.L. James's Freed: Fifty Shades Freed as Told by Christian, does exactly what it says on the tin, inviting readers into the mind of the broody businessman as he grapples with the milestone of marriage. Released on June 1st, it marks the third installment of the Retold by Christian series and the sixth addition to the Fifty Shades of Grey franchise. If you're still a bit unsure if it's for you, here's everything you need to know about Fifty Shades Freed. 

James delighted fans with news of her latest book in a teasing Instagram post last March: ‘SAVE THE DATE!! Freed (Fifty Shades Freed as told by Christian) will be with you in North America and the UK on June 1, 2021. Pre-orders will be available shortly at your favorite retailer. Dates for other territories to follow.’ 

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She went on to state, “I am thrilled to announce the publication date for Freed. This story has been a labor of love, one that my readers have been eagerly awaiting. For me, just as for Anastasia Steele, Christian is a challenging, infuriating, and endlessly fascinating character. Living in his head is exhausting, but I got to explore aspects of his life in Freed that we only glimpsed in the original trilogy, and to follow his emotional growth in response to Ana’s love and compassion."

James wasn't the only one excited about the new book. Fifty Shades of Grey fans were quick to share their joy at a fresh batch of Christian Grey material, posting their grateful responses beneath her announcement. 

"I don’t think anyone understands how excited I am for this," one devout reader wrote. 

"As soon as I found out, that pre-order button was hit," another follower commented. 

What are people saying about Fifty Shades Freed as Told by Christian? 

Freed: Fifty Shades Freed As Told by Christian has only been out a few days, but it's already garnered some pretty strong reactions. While some folks have given it rave reviews, others have questioned the author's literary choices. 

Warning now—there are some (mild) spoilers ahead. 

Famously, Fifty Shades of Grey was originally published as Twilight fan fiction before it underwent a major rewrite to become the series known and loved today. Coincidentally, in 2020, Stephenie Meyer also released a spin-off novel from the Twilight Saga titled Midnight Sun. Meyer’s novel also focused on a book from the original series but from the lead male’s perspective.

The original series of Fifty Shades of Grey was a resounding success, and the film adaptation of the series was also a box office smash. The first film made over $570 million worldwide, the second made $381 million and the final film made $371 million. The anticipation for this new novel is extremely high, and fans cannot wait until Summer 2021.