For an interesting take on the topic of legalized prostitution including reasons for choosing to work as a sex worker, the impact on relationships, and entrenched bias in society, see Harper Bliss' "Pink Bean Series" volumes 7-9.
If you are interested in a summary of the novels, see the spoilers:
Volume 7, "Love Without Limits", only briefly touches on the sex trade, introducing one character who is a sex worker and another who frequently uses escort services. Volume 8 focuses on the character who frequently uses escort services during a particularly trying time in her life. Complicating matters, the escort service has to send a replacement escort because her "usual" escort has retired. The story delves into the different ways escorts can help people with personal problems they don't feel comfortable exposing to co-workers and friends but need help dealing with none the less. (One might think this is what therapists are for, but hey, they cost about the same and one probably leads to considerably less drug use... and it's not the prostitute!) It also deals with the concept of falling in love with your client, which is an age-old trope, but then deals with how one goes about dating a FORMER client when they no longer purchase your services but you are continuing to work as a sex worker because you have goals and don't want to take a hand-out from your new girlfriend in order to achieve them. Volume 9 deals with life as a retired sex worker and dealing with bias against the sex trade in both interpersonal relationships and business relationships. The novels are set in Australia. They are part of a series, but reading the previous books in the series is not usually necessary to enjoy each volume. The main character of a volume is frequently introduced in a prior volume of the series, though, so it's not a bad idea to read them all... and they're quite good. In particular, Volume 7 might be easier to understand if one reads an earlier volume in the series, Volume 3: "Everything Between Us" which is the story of how the two main characters in Volume 7 start their relationship, while Volume 7 is the story of how they continue on in their relationship and begin to open the relationship up while maintaining their commitment to each other. It's probably one of the more controversial of the novels in the series. (One of the characters is a firm "non-monogamist", which doesn't mean she cheats. There is this thing called consent. But she does have a history of not having relationships last. I found it interesting that Ms. Bliss chose to never use the term "polyamory" in her writing, but after reading two volumes of novels about the character, I understand that it is not the correct term. The character doesn't fall in love with multiple people, she merely believes that sex is something that can be enjoyed independent of romantic love and it is unhealthy to stifle those types of feelings. One might say that she probably had not felt real romantic love for anyone prior to meeting the other main character in these novels. Not particularly something I understand, but it is different from polyamory as I understand it as well.
.jpg?1544180736)
