Funny, I was just thinking of Emergence a few days ago. Not sure why. But I recall being annoyed at how everyone seems to turn out to be a Homo Superior (or whatever they call it) by the end — particularly sensei, who first noticed the new species, and yet somehow didn't notice that he had one of the most obvious traits of them (disease resistance)?!? The main character's narration even tried to hang a lampshade on that, but it still didn't work for me.

I didn't recall that anyone wanted to sleep with her except the kind of lecherous Adam, though — and it was appropriate that he'd want to. Nor do I recall there being pedophilia in there.

I'll take your word for it that there are, though — I don't really think I need to go back and re-read that thing again. Note that it's not in my "used-to-be cherished" category; just in the category of "books that I remember having read, a long, long time ago".

For "things I'm embarrassed at ever having liked", I'd have to say Piers Anthony. Both the early Xanth novels and the first few Incarnations of Immortality. (I also read some other stuff of his that wasn't as near-and-dear to my heart, and which I therefore don't have to be quite so embarrassed about.) His prose style! It's sooo bad!