Yes. I read such smut as a tween/teen. My mom was strict and didn’t let us watch PG-13 movies until we were 13 or R until around 15 or 16, but we could read any book we wanted.

Anonymous wrote:My parents -- who have pretty highbrow taste in books--had all of Judith Krantz's books for some reason. And I read them all! I recently re-read Scruples and was shocked by how graphic the sex scenes are!

I read everything in middle school, including VC Andrews, but Judith Krantz is the one who really sticks out. Those were some graphic sex scenes!

There’s was also a guy whose name I can’t remember, and it’s bugging me… Kind of a thriller writer, had one about mind control and one about a kidnapped-and-replaced First Lady. I think he was very popular for a while (70s? 80s?) but is never mentioned anymore and now I can’t remember his name. Anyway, lots of sex there too.

My parents had no idea what I was reading and didn’t care. It was one of the better activities I could get up to as a latchkey kid. I checked them all out from the public library on my kids’ card, ha!

I read "Flowers in the Attic" at age 7. I can't remember the exact age I was for the other books, but it was before middle school.

I read them secretly. My parents had no idea but would have been embarrassed if they knew.

My parents openly told me I could read anything I wanted to when I was reading the Marquis de Sade the summer between my freshman and sophomore year of high school. My mom did say she was relieved I stopped reading Danielle Steele novels because they were embarrassingly bad. 😂

I read them all and the Clan of the Cave Bear series. Totally crazy!!!

Read them in the 80's when I was a teen -- they were pretty much a must-read for awhile.

My mom never censored my reading.

YES!!! That was my absolute favorite reading as a young teen.

...Until she died. The books written by her family are just not good.

Anonymous wrote:Of course. My parents aren't idiots that want book banning or moderate what we read and I would never do that to my children.

I love parents who do this. Their daughters and sons usually have those pesky babies around 15 or 16. The dumbing down of youth. Oh boy such great parentling.

This is not true and is such a silly statement. I'm fine with my kids reading whatever, but you just sound ridiculous to make such a claim. Banning FITA or the equivalent does not lead to teenage pregnancy (nor does allowing uncensored reading prevent it).

Anonymous wrote:I started reading John Saul’s books when I was in 5th grade. Scared the bejeezus out of myself and loved it. Parents paid too little attention to have any idea what I was reading.

He's the GOAT

Anonymous wrote:I read them all. My Mother had no idea what I was reading. I was also reading Stephen King and James Herbert in my early teens. I’m not a psychopath.

Same, but swap James Herbert for Dean Koontz. I think my mom knew, she just didn’t care.

My parents -- who have pretty highbrow taste in books--had all of Judith Krantz's books for some reason. And I read them all! I recently re-read Scruples and was shocked by how graphic the sex scenes are!

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Anonymous wrote:I read them all. My Mother had no idea what I was reading. I was also reading Stephen King and James Herbert in my early teens. I’m not a psychopath.

+1

My parents didn't "let" me read anything. I don't think they had any clue what I was reading at any given time. Everything I read, I got from the library or passed along from a friend.

My parents weren't paying attention to what I was reading either - it's so funny because it's not like now where you can just discreetly read on a Kindle. Those covers didn't hide much! And for sure I read VC Andrews - plus Wifey, and a lot of other very provocative books. The only thing I remember my parents objecting to was Sweet Valley High, now that I think of it.

LOL, what was objectionable about Sweet Valley High?

My mom thought they were trashy and not serious enough! I wonder if she remembers that. I will have to ask. Why didn't they ever get made into movies, I wonder?

There was a TV series - your parent probably found a way to block at your house. Unnecessary trivia fact of the day - Cole Hauser's (from Yellowstone) wife played one of the twins. No monitoring at my house - harlequin, Jackie Collins, Lace, Princess Daisy, Danielle Steele, VC Andrews, The Clan of the Cave Bear, etc. I will occasionally still read a harlequin if I have 45 minutes to spare and want to zone out - I recognize that the are all essentially the same book, but sometimes I just want an easy/quick read (I read plenty of other things as well). I assume that some of the teen fantasy stories my DD is reading are just as explicit, but I don't monitor.

Lace was such a good book!

Sweet Valley High must have been on the news or in some article; seems to have been zeroed in on by boomer parents back then.

No SWH or Dungeons and Dragons!

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Anonymous wrote:I read them all. My Mother had no idea what I was reading. I was also reading Stephen King and James Herbert in my early teens. I’m not a psychopath.

+1

My parents didn't "let" me read anything. I don't think they had any clue what I was reading at any given time. Everything I read, I got from the library or passed along from a friend.

My parents weren't paying attention to what I was reading either - it's so funny because it's not like now where you can just discreetly read on a Kindle. Those covers didn't hide much! And for sure I read VC Andrews - plus Wifey, and a lot of other very provocative books. The only thing I remember my parents objecting to was Sweet Valley High, now that I think of it.

LOL, what was objectionable about Sweet Valley High?

My mom thought they were trashy and not serious enough! I wonder if she remembers that. I will have to ask. Why didn't they ever get made into movies, I wonder?

There was a TV series - your parent probably found a way to block at your house. Unnecessary trivia fact of the day - Cole Hauser's (from Yellowstone) wife played one of the twins. No monitoring at my house - harlequin, Jackie Collins, Lace, Princess Daisy, Danielle Steele, VC Andrews, The Clan of the Cave Bear, etc. I will occasionally still read a harlequin if I have 45 minutes to spare and want to zone out - I recognize that the are all essentially the same book, but sometimes I just want an easy/quick read (I read plenty of other things as well). I assume that some of the teen fantasy stories my DD is reading are just as explicit, but I don't monitor.