Trashy Novel

Trashy Novel by Ana Otis unquestionably wins this season's "Jackie" award for the most brazen and fearless first sentence: "Thwack, thwack, thwack was the sound Paul's bare pelvis made as it connected again and again with the hairy backside of the homeless man." Uhm ... ick! This definitely doesn't sound like literature, and that's probably the point. The crazy-quilt of a story revolves around Arianna, a talented and tormented artist and budding lesbian; the aforementioned Paul, her on again, off again closeted boyfriend with the secret sexual obsession for homeless men; Danny, Paul's long-suffering, but limber, personal trainer buddy; and Elliott, the former all-star athlete and current cocaine-addicted executive and his wife, Daphne, who--just to cycle back and connect all the dots--is furtively in love with Arianna. The author ably serves up a heady stew of witty repartee and agile drama.