New Review - Fifty Shames of Earl Grey: A Parody by Fanny Merkin a.k.a. Andrew Shaffer

I have to admit, I started this novel with a great deal of apprehension.  After reading the entire Fifty Shades trilogy, I must confess, I was underwhelmed and mad at the same time.  I had lost countless hours reading it, hours in my life I can never get back.  When I received this book from my Net Galley request, I was wary but I was so glad to discover I was wrong and it was worth the read.

The main characters are Ana Steal, a naive college student and Walmart cashier who meets Earl Grey, a young billionaire with his own secrets or his "Fifty Shames" among them being his man-crush on Tom Cruise and his love for shopping in Walmart.  From the beginning, hilarity ensues.  The novel parallels many of the main highlights of the original novel but with amusing twists.

The author did an excellent job of skewing the themes of the original book but taking them and creating new scenarios.  I laughed throughout most of the book especially when names from the original "Twilight" and "Fifty Shades" were tossed in the story, reminding you that this was meant to be a joke.  There are also many cultural references that add to the humor and most readers will recognize the movies or songs that get mentioned along the way.

The novel was very enjoyable and while reading the "Fifty Shades" trilogy might increase your enjoyment, I don't feel it was necessary to really enjoy this book.  For a good laugh, I would definitely recommend "Fifty Shames".