My guilty pleasure...Yes, I've read all three books, and although it's been a number of years since I cracked open the paperback versions, I do remember that they opened up a whole new world of erotic fantasies. I believe this is true for many women, and thus the benefit of such a series (the critical reviews notwithstanding). A story that can inspire women to invigorate their own sexuality and push beyond conventional boundaries is something to celebrate.

Some aspects of the story could be considered disturbing, one of which is the violation of the rather unsuspecting, naive, virgin heroine. While studies show that sexual submission for the purpose of pleasure is a prevalent fantasy for women, the domination and pain inflicted in this story may push the boundaries of our comfort zone.

And why must the heroine be barely out of college? As a 'woman of a certain age' (and representative of the average age of women who tended to read this series), I take issue with the stereotypical notion that erotica has to be portrayed by the very young. So, as an author, when I wrote my novel "Bound for Barcelona - Breaking Free, The Journey," I used the inspiration gained by this series and applied it to a mature character. A woman who has the experience to freely and knowingly, consent to a sexy power exchange. The result is a wildly passionate, steamy romance - minus the disturbing dominance factors. I hope that it will serve to validate the potential for women of any age to explore their sexual fantasies.Bound for Barcelona