Author: Anna David
Publisher: Harper
ISBN: 978-0-06-166918-7        

Click Here To Purchase Bought: A Novel

According to Anna David, Bought: A Novel only exists because several years ago she was assigned an investigative feature concerning high-class prostitution in Hollywood. David goes onto to inform us that after six months of infiltrating this world her eyes were seriously opened. As a result of her astute investigative reporting, David has crafted a believable novel re-creating the high impact resulting from relationships between people from different backgrounds and moral beliefs.

The protagonist of Bought: A Novel, Emma Swanson, is stuck in a mundane job of trying to gather from Hollywood celebrities printable juicy quotes while she waits outside of various events on a press line. She tries to convince herself that she is only doing this because she believes it will lead to her being a feature writer. However, after two years on the job with a slew of rejections concerning her feature story ideas, Emma begins to wonder if she will ever land the job of her dreams. Emma also entertains hopes of landing a high power boyfriend who could introduce her into the Hollywood social side from the inside where she would attain some respect. She believes that she has found her true love with Matt whom she is obsessed with, however, unfortunately, he dumps her after sleeping with her.   

Our story continues when Emma bumps into Matt at a baby shower and he is with a beautiful woman at his side, Jessica Morrison. As it turns out, Jessica is a high-class prostitute or as Emma’s friend Brooke describes her, a “yuppie prostitute” who is Matt’s temporary girlfriend. Moreover, according to Brooke, she is not a kept woman because she has more than one client, and you can’t call her a hooker because rather than accepting money she accepts gifts.  Brooke further states: “she’s like the date who hangs out for as long as you want her to, or the girlfriend who will go away at your word.”

After discussing Jessica with her friends, Emma discovers that each one of her clients must sign a contract setting out exactly what they will be bartering in exchange for her services. All of this sounds ridiculous to Emma who can’t believe that these men, who can have anyone without paying for sex, would want to become involved with Jessica. However, she is reminded that it is not so much the sex they are paying for but rather for Jessica to leave.

It doesn’t take long for Emma to figure out that writing a feature article for her magazine Substance focusing on a new kind of kept woman would be her ticket into an interesting new writing career.  And she is determined to see it happen even if it means parking herself indefinitely at Starbucks where Jessica hangs out. Now, if she could only befriend Jessica and find out what makes her tick as well as what is really going on in the world of high-class Hollywood prostitution, she has it made.

David has a way of crafting intriguing moments that engender conflicting and unexpected emotions. This is clearly in evidence with her two main characters Emma and Jessica as both play off one another. They may be from two different worlds, but both strive for some kind of self-satisfaction, while not always being truthful to themselves or the people whom they are involved with. Rationalization for their unorthodox behavior becomes the norm.

Although Bought: A Novel is chick lit, it nevertheless is something to muse over as it does present several thought provoking themes that revolve around the complexities of human character and interpersonal relationships.  

David has written for the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Playboy, Details and many other publications. She is also a sex-and-relationship expert on G4’s Attack of the Show and is a regular guest on Fox News’s Red Eye. She has appeared on the Today show, Hannity & Colmes, CNN’s Showbiz Tonight, MTV.E! and VH1. David has also authored a previous novel, Party Girl.

 Click Here To Purchase Bought: A Novel