NO SHELF CONTROL

Title: How Was it for You? Stories from a Sex Worker

Author: Eve Smith

Publisher: Pan MacMillan

Publication Date: June, 2024

Genre: Memoir

Pages: 310

My Rating: ★★★★☆

As someone who is completely for the decriminalisation of prostitution, I was excited to read Eve’s story. I love the clever book cover and it definitely drew me in.

The book has a non linear timeline, which was a bit confusing at first, but the short and engaging chapters were easy to get through.

Eve talks honestly and openly about her experiences with different types of work; brothels, being a dominatrix and also “normal” jobs. She shares some insight on her bosses, customers, working environments and her colleagues/other working girls.

I really wanted to like Eve, but unfortunately, she came across as quite bitter, jealous, greedy and judgemental. She seemed to look down on those working minimum wage jobs and even other sex workers and came across as quite hypocritical in places. Her bitterness towards those with money and anyone in a position of authority took away from the story I think she wanted to tell.

The turning point for me was when she spoke of the 14 year old girl answering the phones. She just “walked away”, why didn’t she call the police? Why didn’t she get that girl some help?

Eve comes across as someone who is bright and hard working but seemingly chose to surround herself with untrustworthy people and an awful lot of drugs. Whilst she claims to not have a problem with them, she sure seems to do a lot of cocaine, and if £300 a day isn’t enough to live on, I’m really not sure we’ve heard the full story here.

She discloses trauma from her past and her difficult relationship with her parents, which unfortunately, plays in to the narrative she’s trying to deny; that girls often end up in the sex industry due to poor life experiences.

Alongside her sex stories, we hear of her pregnancy and follow her experiences into motherhood. It was interesting to read how she navigated working and pregnancy.

Thank you Eve for sharing your story, I wish you all the best with your daughter and the future.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for my advanced copy.