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The Hop
From the author of Thin Girls, a page-turning feminist novel that tells the story of how a poor girl coming of age in rural New Zealand grows to be a sex icon, the face of a movement, and a mother, all at the same time.
Kate Burns grows up wanting attention from her Ma, but her Ma wants only money and Kate learns how to get both. She and her childhood friend, Lacey, run kissing lessons for cash in the janitor’s closet of Fenbrook High, and, just like that, they find themselves in the sex work industry. When Ma dies, Kate discovers that the men her Ma was always inviting over to their home were, in fact, clients. Ma was no stranger to sex work either.
Following in Ma’s footsteps, Kate heads to Nevada where she picks up a job at America’s largest and most successful brothel: The Hop. In her new life as a Bunny, Kate searches for an identity she can perform—the other Bunnies include a goth, a housewife, a hippy, a rebel, all of them acting their archetype flawlessly. She befriends Betty, a trans woman who is a Bunny for kicks rather than cash; Mia, who is marketed as The Asian Persuasion; Dakota and Rain, who are ex-dominatrixes and newly in love. Kate becomes Lady Lane. Lady quickly becomes a bestselling Bunny and the owner Daddy’s favorite at this high-class establishment. But when ten street workers are killed in a nearby city, just bodies with no names, Lady joins her sister Bunnies in mourning and begins to see things in a new light.
Lady’s success breeds scandal and unwanted fame, deeply affecting her, transforming her life and The Hop forever. Diana Clarke’s provocative second novel is subversive in the very best way, an unforgettable work of fiction with a feminist message that couldn’t be more important.
Kate Burns grows up wanting attention from her Ma, but her Ma wants only money and Kate learns how to get both. She and her childhood friend, Lacey, run kissing lessons for cash in the janitor’s closet of Fenbrook High, and, just like that, they find themselves in the sex work industry. When Ma dies, Kate discovers that the men her Ma was always inviting over to their home were, in fact, clients. Ma was no stranger to sex work either.
Following in Ma’s footsteps, Kate heads to Nevada where she picks up a job at America’s largest and most successful brothel: The Hop. In her new life as a Bunny, Kate searches for an identity she can perform—the other Bunnies include a goth, a housewife, a hippy, a rebel, all of them acting their archetype flawlessly. She befriends Betty, a trans woman who is a Bunny for kicks rather than cash; Mia, who is marketed as The Asian Persuasion; Dakota and Rain, who are ex-dominatrixes and newly in love. Kate becomes Lady Lane. Lady quickly becomes a bestselling Bunny and the owner Daddy’s favorite at this high-class establishment. But when ten street workers are killed in a nearby city, just bodies with no names, Lady joins her sister Bunnies in mourning and begins to see things in a new light.
Lady’s success breeds scandal and unwanted fame, deeply affecting her, transforming her life and The Hop forever. Diana Clarke’s provocative second novel is subversive in the very best way, an unforgettable work of fiction with a feminist message that couldn’t be more important.
528 pages, Hardcover
First published June 7, 2022
101 people are currently reading
8568 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 465 reviews
April 10, 2025
"..do you just consider sex work to be selling the body because you think a woman’s value is tied to her virginity?”
this is an INCREDIBLE novel that offers a raw, compassionate, and deeply human look into the world of sex work. it’s a compelling reminder of why sex work should be decriminalised and destigmatised. and the sisterhood and love throughout!!!!! ugh i can’t recommend this book enough.
this is an INCREDIBLE novel that offers a raw, compassionate, and deeply human look into the world of sex work. it’s a compelling reminder of why sex work should be decriminalised and destigmatised. and the sisterhood and love throughout!!!!! ugh i can’t recommend this book enough.
August 27, 2022
I’ve been reading a lot this summer, and I’ve run across some gems. The Hop is definitely at the top of my list. I absolutely adored Thin Girls, Diana Clarke’s debut, and if it’s possible, The Hop surpassed that adoration.
About the book: “From the author of Thin Girls, a page-turning feminist novel that tells the story of how a poor girl coming of age in rural New Zealand grows to be a sex icon, the face of a movement, and a mother, all at the same time.”
I know it’s over 500 pages, but some pages are only one paragraph, and the story moves super fast, so it never feels long. In fact, I would have read 500 more pages with these characters. Also, the main character is an exotic dancer turned sex worker, and The Hop quite literally bares it all. Diana Clarke does not skim across the top, and that depth adds to the story. Even though it was fiction, I wanted to google Kate Burns because I just knew she was real. It turns out she and the other characters in the book were based on hundreds of interviews with sex workers completed by Diana Clarke as research for the book. The structure of the story feels nakedly personal, which adds to that authenticity, as the reader hears directly from Kate, as well as those around her.
The story begins with Kate living with her in rural New Zealand, barely making ends meet. Their relationship is unusual but always full of love with a strong bond. Eventually, Kate lands in Nevada on the doorstep of a legal brothel called The Hop. She becomes Lady Lane. With her new role comes scandal and fame she never seeks.
I gained insight I didn’t from Lady Lane and her fellow Bunnies, and for that I am grateful. Diana Clarke has this way of immersing you in a story and challenging your thinking.
Unforgettable characters I cherished, an edgy, bold, empowering, compulsively readable, memorable story. I LOVED IT. Definitely one of my books of summer, if not my top book.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
About the book: “From the author of Thin Girls, a page-turning feminist novel that tells the story of how a poor girl coming of age in rural New Zealand grows to be a sex icon, the face of a movement, and a mother, all at the same time.”
I know it’s over 500 pages, but some pages are only one paragraph, and the story moves super fast, so it never feels long. In fact, I would have read 500 more pages with these characters. Also, the main character is an exotic dancer turned sex worker, and The Hop quite literally bares it all. Diana Clarke does not skim across the top, and that depth adds to the story. Even though it was fiction, I wanted to google Kate Burns because I just knew she was real. It turns out she and the other characters in the book were based on hundreds of interviews with sex workers completed by Diana Clarke as research for the book. The structure of the story feels nakedly personal, which adds to that authenticity, as the reader hears directly from Kate, as well as those around her.
The story begins with Kate living with her in rural New Zealand, barely making ends meet. Their relationship is unusual but always full of love with a strong bond. Eventually, Kate lands in Nevada on the doorstep of a legal brothel called The Hop. She becomes Lady Lane. With her new role comes scandal and fame she never seeks.
I gained insight I didn’t from Lady Lane and her fellow Bunnies, and for that I am grateful. Diana Clarke has this way of immersing you in a story and challenging your thinking.
Unforgettable characters I cherished, an edgy, bold, empowering, compulsively readable, memorable story. I LOVED IT. Definitely one of my books of summer, if not my top book.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
December 11, 2021
wow what a great book 10/10 no notes perfect novel
September 13, 2022
”..do you just consider sex work to be selling the body because you think a woman’s value is tied to her virginity?”
If The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo was about the sex work industry.
I could not put this book down once I picked it up, I was sucked in immediately. Jeez, Diana Clarke is really not afraid to go for the gritty topics and talk about large struggles women deal with. This book made me less deeply uncomfortable than the debut Thin Girls, but that’s kind of how it goes when certain subject matter resonates with you. Anyway, if you’re going to read a feminist book about the industry and you don’t like your stories to wrap with the bleakest possible endings (there is enough dark content throughout to avoid that and still have a big emotional impact), I’d recommend this book.
*also I appreciate the diversity and the genuinely cute gay relationships. There is a grim lens on a lot of the content obviously, but it wasn’t about the miseries faced in gay relationships, which I appreciate. The couples were sweet. The men were more on the periphery (except the villainous Daddy) and were all garbage and that was part of the point, which is fine with me tbh
If The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo was about the sex work industry.
I could not put this book down once I picked it up, I was sucked in immediately. Jeez, Diana Clarke is really not afraid to go for the gritty topics and talk about large struggles women deal with. This book made me less deeply uncomfortable than the debut Thin Girls, but that’s kind of how it goes when certain subject matter resonates with you. Anyway, if you’re going to read a feminist book about the industry and you don’t like your stories to wrap with the bleakest possible endings (there is enough dark content throughout to avoid that and still have a big emotional impact), I’d recommend this book.
*also I appreciate the diversity and the genuinely cute gay relationships. There is a grim lens on a lot of the content obviously, but it wasn’t about the miseries faced in gay relationships, which I appreciate. The couples were sweet. The men were more on the periphery (except the villainous Daddy) and were all garbage and that was part of the point, which is fine with me tbh
November 4, 2022
crazy how the whole premise of this book completely collapses when you consider that the reason prostituted women are murdered isn't because "sex workers" are some uniquely oppressed class but because WOMEN are an oppressed class forced to get fucking raped so we don't starve el oh el. but goodreads is full of self-hating women so hence the high rating. i swear to fucking god i think Roxanne Gay is a fed getting paid to undercut the feminist movement because this book seriously reads like propaganda for the wealthy white author's self-flaggelating, ignorant, Twitter and Tik Tok informed views, views which fall apart even under the scrutiny of the "narrative" she builds wherein all characters are just thinly veiled voiceboxes for said views and really have no personality outside of that. it just reads as a massive narcissistic cloutgrab and a "fuck you" to any women who have ever suffered the dystopian and dehumanizing horror of having to have sex for money. literally this book is the reason we do not and never will have a female president, because wealthy women in power like this author are seriously chanting in the streets for their right to be bought and sold as products instead of asking why we're viewed as products in the first place. like there's a reason that like every woman who actually has to work the streets and survives comes out a radfem lmfao. but maybe i'm one of the evillllll feminists this book talks about. lol. also lmao at all the bits in this book that are like 'oh white women who get fucked up the ass by a chainsaw by their boyfriend get to make the NEWS when it happens to THEM' as if that's some kind of privilege and as if it doesn't often result in further dehumanization and torture like men calling the grieving family to tell them they're jerking off on pictures of the dead daughter. but whatever this white woman says white women don't bleed i guess, she's woke guys! she's one of the good ones!
anyway girl idk who he is but he isn't gonna text you back and you don't get to demand respect when you don't respect yourself. fuck this woman-hating ignorant narcissistic bullshit and i hope no woman ever has to be raped for money ever in her life and only has sex when she really wants to. since you made politics your whole "fiction" book i'm just gonna say it here: the small percentage of "sex workers" who actually like what they do need to stfu and get a real job because 99.99% of the women in their "industry" are there against their will and are traumatized, underaged, and using hard drugs just to get through the day and want nothing more than to get the fuck out. if those women's feelings of violation are less important than your cute little fantasy than you're an actual narcissist who has no concern for others' suffering. and you're just a bad person. like if this whole giant class of people are screaming that they are dying and getting raped and you're like "idk i have fun tho :^) i'm different :^)" and you create a whole movement designed just to silence the suffering victims then you are a monster and you hate women. genuinely wish this author the worst bro. and of COURSE her debut is the subtle brag of "i had an eating disorder" fake deep shit like??? we do not really need another anorexia book we really don't. we know you're skinny and hot and will always be skinny and hot because you hate yourself even though you're perfect. why are you in an MFA if you have no creativity beyond that. anyone with a wattpad account can write about a girl with anorexia.
honestly i hope she reads this review and it makes her feel like shit. she SHOULD feel like shit for writing something this harmful and ignorant. bye.
anyway girl idk who he is but he isn't gonna text you back and you don't get to demand respect when you don't respect yourself. fuck this woman-hating ignorant narcissistic bullshit and i hope no woman ever has to be raped for money ever in her life and only has sex when she really wants to. since you made politics your whole "fiction" book i'm just gonna say it here: the small percentage of "sex workers" who actually like what they do need to stfu and get a real job because 99.99% of the women in their "industry" are there against their will and are traumatized, underaged, and using hard drugs just to get through the day and want nothing more than to get the fuck out. if those women's feelings of violation are less important than your cute little fantasy than you're an actual narcissist who has no concern for others' suffering. and you're just a bad person. like if this whole giant class of people are screaming that they are dying and getting raped and you're like "idk i have fun tho :^) i'm different :^)" and you create a whole movement designed just to silence the suffering victims then you are a monster and you hate women. genuinely wish this author the worst bro. and of COURSE her debut is the subtle brag of "i had an eating disorder" fake deep shit like??? we do not really need another anorexia book we really don't. we know you're skinny and hot and will always be skinny and hot because you hate yourself even though you're perfect. why are you in an MFA if you have no creativity beyond that. anyone with a wattpad account can write about a girl with anorexia.
honestly i hope she reads this review and it makes her feel like shit. she SHOULD feel like shit for writing something this harmful and ignorant. bye.
March 9, 2023
holy shit a book about sex work that doesn’t involve violent rape! this was really wonderful, and the ending was so satisfying. i just wish it had a mixture of a different form instead of being like an interview the entire time. i feel like moments of pure prose would have enhanced it. final thoughts: GOOD FOR HER!!!
January 23, 2023
Maybe like 3.5
July 27, 2023
LEGALIZE & DECRIMINALIZE SEX WORK. SUPPORT SEX WORKERS & DANCERS. GET WITH THE FUCKING PROGRAM.
I have truly done *nothing* but read this all day. I was CAPTIVATED. This is an amazing story that is so interesting, heart wrenching, thought-provoking, & full of love & support. The sex workers depicted in this book were so nuanced & unique & real - they’re people, not just hot, sexy dolls.
Through Kate we see the ups & downs of sex work but you also see how this is a career, how this is work that makes people feel appreciated & full. They’re exploring their interests, fostering relationships, curing loneliness, etc. I loved her & Ma’s relationship, the highs & lows. This all felt so real to me & it wasn’t glamorous or glorifying, it was just as is. Clarke says I’m her acknowledgments she talked to so many workers & I think that really shows in the characters
I cannot recommend this enough, I am absolutely infatuated.
I have truly done *nothing* but read this all day. I was CAPTIVATED. This is an amazing story that is so interesting, heart wrenching, thought-provoking, & full of love & support. The sex workers depicted in this book were so nuanced & unique & real - they’re people, not just hot, sexy dolls.
Through Kate we see the ups & downs of sex work but you also see how this is a career, how this is work that makes people feel appreciated & full. They’re exploring their interests, fostering relationships, curing loneliness, etc. I loved her & Ma’s relationship, the highs & lows. This all felt so real to me & it wasn’t glamorous or glorifying, it was just as is. Clarke says I’m her acknowledgments she talked to so many workers & I think that really shows in the characters
I cannot recommend this enough, I am absolutely infatuated.
July 13, 2022
*4.5 stars
check content warnings !!!
This was such a phenomenal, captivating read. This story is presented in the form of a tell-all interview (think of Evelyn Hugo or Daisy Jones), which is my absolute favorite type of book. It examines the formative years of a young New Zealander girl as she grows up to navigate the sex industry. It's really refreshing, has a powerful message, and is unlike anything I've previously read. Overall, a thrilling and memorable novel.
Also would recommend to anyone who is in a slump–this should suck you right out of it 👍🏼
check content warnings !!!
This was such a phenomenal, captivating read. This story is presented in the form of a tell-all interview (think of Evelyn Hugo or Daisy Jones), which is my absolute favorite type of book. It examines the formative years of a young New Zealander girl as she grows up to navigate the sex industry. It's really refreshing, has a powerful message, and is unlike anything I've previously read. Overall, a thrilling and memorable novel.
Also would recommend to anyone who is in a slump–this should suck you right out of it 👍🏼
October 19, 2022
I absolutely LOVED the first half of this book. The character development was so strong and interesting. I devoured it. Once the lead character arrived at The Hop, it was like a different book entirely. The second half of the story felt rushed, unsure and ultimately unfinished. Even the voice of the lead felt so different.. in the first half of the book she was confident, self sufficient, scrappy, then all of a sudden she became hollow, insecure, weak and clueless. There were interesting plot twists foreshadowed then never explored (the pink, the resets???) things that were never explained but could have added so much to the story. The last 75 pages felt rushed and not cohesive with the beginning of the book. I wish it could have been twice as long and that the author had really taken the same care in closing the story as she did opening it up. I loved the idea, but by the end I just felt sad that it fell so flat.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2022
The Hop is so much more than just another fiction story about a brothel!!!!!!!! I was hesitant about reading it at first because of the title but once I started I could not put it down!!!!!! This is a fascinating story about sex worker's, their lives, their work, & the way they take their lives back from their boss. It is an inspiring story that no one will be able to resist.
March 1, 2024
4.5 stars rounded up to 5. This book is 500+ pages and I loved every minute of it, feel like I could have read another 500! This was a wonderful cast of characters with a story written very much in the style of Daisy Jones & the Six; I loved the retrospective, the changing POV, and the exploration of sex work and what it means to safely explore this as a career path. Highly recommend this one!
May 13, 2022
The Hop by Diana Clarke. Thanks to @harperbooks for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In rural New Zealand Kate Burns always wanted attention from her mother, but her ma had her boyfriends. Kate and her friend Lacey create a kissing club at school to teach boys how to make moves. As Kate comes of age, she begins stripping and then moves to a legal brothel, The Hop. There she meets her fellow bunnies who become like sisters, as a murderer is targeting local street walkers.
After Thin Girls and now this, I will forever read anything that Diana Clarke writes. This book was incredible! Definitely will be a contender for my favorite book of 2022. I loved how the entire story made a case for legalizing sex work. The reader’s deep connection with the main character helps to destigmatize sex work and show that many women choose the industry. This was an amazing coming of age story that turned into a young woman, female empowerment story. This one is fairly long, but the chapters are extremely short (often 1-2 pages) and it flies by, almost reading as a diary since it’s in multiple first person accounts… as if being narrated for a purpose (and keep reading, you’ll find out!)
“I wondered if, if you did it long enough, you became the performance; the performance became you.”
“Society sees women on a sliding scale from human to body, and most people see strippers as a body on a stage to be bought.”
The Hop comes out 6/7.
In rural New Zealand Kate Burns always wanted attention from her mother, but her ma had her boyfriends. Kate and her friend Lacey create a kissing club at school to teach boys how to make moves. As Kate comes of age, she begins stripping and then moves to a legal brothel, The Hop. There she meets her fellow bunnies who become like sisters, as a murderer is targeting local street walkers.
After Thin Girls and now this, I will forever read anything that Diana Clarke writes. This book was incredible! Definitely will be a contender for my favorite book of 2022. I loved how the entire story made a case for legalizing sex work. The reader’s deep connection with the main character helps to destigmatize sex work and show that many women choose the industry. This was an amazing coming of age story that turned into a young woman, female empowerment story. This one is fairly long, but the chapters are extremely short (often 1-2 pages) and it flies by, almost reading as a diary since it’s in multiple first person accounts… as if being narrated for a purpose (and keep reading, you’ll find out!)
“I wondered if, if you did it long enough, you became the performance; the performance became you.”
“Society sees women on a sliding scale from human to body, and most people see strippers as a body on a stage to be bought.”
The Hop comes out 6/7.
January 28, 2023
when i say i need this book more than air when i say most anticipated when i say most likely life-changing when i say underrated when i say this is for the edie sedgwick's and the sharon tate's when i say PUT THIS ON YOUR HOT GIRL SUMMER READS LISTS!
February 24, 2023
This was a fantastic page turner. The way Clarke manages the multiple perspectives here was masterful, and this thought provoking look at the sex work industry as a whole is something that I can tell was handled with so much care and empathy.
Kate was a compelling lens to see the story through, who I never knew if I could trust, but I was always for. Who would you become when you’ve been given a narrative your entire life? And what happens when you realize that you can change it, if you want? Agency and choice are at the center of this book, and that is what makes it so powerful.
To this day, people are dying as a result of their profession, and we as a society need to do more to help. Not everyone is a damsel to be saved, but everyone does deserve to live with respect and dignity.
Kate was a compelling lens to see the story through, who I never knew if I could trust, but I was always for. Who would you become when you’ve been given a narrative your entire life? And what happens when you realize that you can change it, if you want? Agency and choice are at the center of this book, and that is what makes it so powerful.
To this day, people are dying as a result of their profession, and we as a society need to do more to help. Not everyone is a damsel to be saved, but everyone does deserve to live with respect and dignity.
July 16, 2022
Everyone needs to read this book! It’s like the writing style of Daisy Jones and the Six but about sex workers. It even highlights the privilege Kate Burns had as a sex worker, it highlights trans, native, black, Asian sex workers as well. It raises the conversation of legalizing sex work and making it safe for sex workers. Probably my favorite book of the year.
TW: sexual assault, rape (not on page but mentioned), trauma, child abuse, murder (just mentioned), slut shaming, racism, fetishization
TW: sexual assault, rape (not on page but mentioned), trauma, child abuse, murder (just mentioned), slut shaming, racism, fetishization
August 8, 2025
I knew within the first 3 pages that I was going to love this.
September 9, 2022
4.5 Stars
See more on my Bookstagram: Shelf.Inspiration Instagram
💕🎀The Hop🎀💕
Kate Burns grows up wanting attention from her Ma, but her Ma wants only money and Kate learns how to get both. She and her childhood friend, Lacey, run kissing lessons for cash in the janitor’s closet of Fenbrook High, and, just like that, they find themselves in the sex work industry. When Ma dies, Kate discovers that the men her Ma was always inviting over to their home were, in fact, clients. Ma was no stranger to sex work either. Following in Ma’s footsteps, Kate heads to Nevada where she picks up a job at America’s largest and most successful brothel: The Hop. In her new life as a Bunny, Kate searches for an identity she can perform—the other Bunnies include a goth, a housewife, a hippy, a rebel, all of them acting their archetype flawlessly. She befriends Betty, a trans woman who is a Bunny for kicks rather than cash; Mia, who is marketed as The Asian Persuasion; Dakota and Rain, who are ex-dominatrixes and newly in love. Kate becomes Lady Lane. Lady quickly becomes a bestselling Bunny and the owner Daddy’s favorite at this high-class establishment. But when ten street workers are killed in a nearby city, just bodies with no names, Lady joins her sister Bunnies in mourning and begins to see things in a new light.
I am back from vacation and ready to get back to regular posting! I read this book before my trip, and I really enjoyed it! It follows a woman named Kate throughout her childhood and into her adulthood where she ends up working at a brothel. The story is told through multiple perspectives in almost a long-form interview style and told from vignettes. This allows the reader to get a clear picture of Kate, and see her life from all different perspectives. I also enjoyed the commentary about sex work, and felt that it was not sensationalized in the story. I definitely recommend this book if you are interested!
See more on my Bookstagram: Shelf.Inspiration Instagram
💕🎀The Hop🎀💕
Kate Burns grows up wanting attention from her Ma, but her Ma wants only money and Kate learns how to get both. She and her childhood friend, Lacey, run kissing lessons for cash in the janitor’s closet of Fenbrook High, and, just like that, they find themselves in the sex work industry. When Ma dies, Kate discovers that the men her Ma was always inviting over to their home were, in fact, clients. Ma was no stranger to sex work either. Following in Ma’s footsteps, Kate heads to Nevada where she picks up a job at America’s largest and most successful brothel: The Hop. In her new life as a Bunny, Kate searches for an identity she can perform—the other Bunnies include a goth, a housewife, a hippy, a rebel, all of them acting their archetype flawlessly. She befriends Betty, a trans woman who is a Bunny for kicks rather than cash; Mia, who is marketed as The Asian Persuasion; Dakota and Rain, who are ex-dominatrixes and newly in love. Kate becomes Lady Lane. Lady quickly becomes a bestselling Bunny and the owner Daddy’s favorite at this high-class establishment. But when ten street workers are killed in a nearby city, just bodies with no names, Lady joins her sister Bunnies in mourning and begins to see things in a new light.
I am back from vacation and ready to get back to regular posting! I read this book before my trip, and I really enjoyed it! It follows a woman named Kate throughout her childhood and into her adulthood where she ends up working at a brothel. The story is told through multiple perspectives in almost a long-form interview style and told from vignettes. This allows the reader to get a clear picture of Kate, and see her life from all different perspectives. I also enjoyed the commentary about sex work, and felt that it was not sensationalized in the story. I definitely recommend this book if you are interested!
February 15, 2023
I finally finished my first audio book of 2023. I am usually listening to more audio than reading physical copies of books but so far this first month that didn’t seem to be the case. While I seemingly took my time on this one it was worth it. It was narrated by Taryn Ryan, Olivia Mackenzie-Smith, Adam Verner, Laura Petersen and Carolina Hoyos. This cast was a perfect fit for this story. They did an amazing job. I often think our audio casts don’t get the credit they deserve. Part way through 2022 I made an effort to acknowledge narrators in my reviews and intend to hit that 100% of the time in 2023.
Beware of triggers on this one.
This one is in the interview style of a TJR book and it worked so well for this story and all the characters. I choose this book because I expected to like it but I ended up enjoying it so much more than I anticipated.
It is described as “ … a page-turning feminist novel that tells the story of how a poor girl coming of age in rural New Zealand grows to be a sex icon, the face of a movement, and a mother, all at the same time.” And I think that is the perfect description. It is also noted in the GR synopsis that “Diana Clarke’s provocative second novel is subversive in the very best way, an unforgettable work of fiction with a feminist message that couldn’t be more important.” and this is where the emphasis should be! I was surprised at how impactful the message ended up being in the end.
This book has a great cast of characters who each bring their own elements to the story. I’m sure it won’t be for everyone but I really enjoyed it.
Beware of triggers on this one.
This one is in the interview style of a TJR book and it worked so well for this story and all the characters. I choose this book because I expected to like it but I ended up enjoying it so much more than I anticipated.
It is described as “ … a page-turning feminist novel that tells the story of how a poor girl coming of age in rural New Zealand grows to be a sex icon, the face of a movement, and a mother, all at the same time.” And I think that is the perfect description. It is also noted in the GR synopsis that “Diana Clarke’s provocative second novel is subversive in the very best way, an unforgettable work of fiction with a feminist message that couldn’t be more important.” and this is where the emphasis should be! I was surprised at how impactful the message ended up being in the end.
This book has a great cast of characters who each bring their own elements to the story. I’m sure it won’t be for everyone but I really enjoyed it.
July 31, 2022
I’d been trying to find a local author to attend the book club I organise for a while, and luckily happened upon Diana who not only did I go to school with, but also had a new release (being ‘The Hop’) which coincided perfectly with her attending.
When I researched what her book was about, I admit that I was a little apprehensive as both contemporary and NZ fiction can be a bit hit and miss for me.
However, I can say I wholeheartedly enjoyed this book! It’s easy to get in to, is fast-paced due to the interview-style of the chapters, touches on multiple themes (the main one being the rights of sex workers) and I felt like I really got to know and understand the characters.
The main character in the book is Kate Burns, who grew up in rural New Zealand. She had a difficult upbringing but never felt as though she was missing out due to the close relationship she had with Ma. She finds herself starting a business with her friend, Lacey, at school, where they teach boys how to kiss and eventually they branch out into other sexual acts.
We follow Kate through her childhood, teenage years and eventually how she ends up at the Hop, one of a few legal brothels in the US.
Kate and the other “bunnies” must work hard to meet sales targets, otherwise they run the risk of ending up working on the streets - very high risk in normal times but especially so as there was a serial killer targeting prostitutes on the loose.
Parts of the book did make me feel uneasy at times, e.g. the customer who acted out his pedophilic fantasy. But there were a lot of uplifting moments, especially as one of the other main themes was female-empowerment, brought out through the strong sisterhood amongst the “bunnies”.
There were some comments in our discussion around how a lot of the terminology was Americanised (e.g. the dairy was called the convenience store), which we learnt was due to the copyrighting process, to appeal more to the US customer base.
The Hop is a great way to learn about the sex industry and challenge preconceived ideas about it. The fact that shocked me the most was how there are only 21 legal brothels in the USA (all of them in Nevada), despite estimates between 1 - 2 million sex workers in the country. Also, a lot of the brothel owners don’t want prostitution to be legalised as that would increase competition and therefore potentially reduce their own profitability.
What I really appreciated though, was learning today that Diana had interviewed around 300 sex workers as part of her research for this book, and the majority of the Hop is based on real workers and their experiences in the sex industry.
When I researched what her book was about, I admit that I was a little apprehensive as both contemporary and NZ fiction can be a bit hit and miss for me.
However, I can say I wholeheartedly enjoyed this book! It’s easy to get in to, is fast-paced due to the interview-style of the chapters, touches on multiple themes (the main one being the rights of sex workers) and I felt like I really got to know and understand the characters.
The main character in the book is Kate Burns, who grew up in rural New Zealand. She had a difficult upbringing but never felt as though she was missing out due to the close relationship she had with Ma. She finds herself starting a business with her friend, Lacey, at school, where they teach boys how to kiss and eventually they branch out into other sexual acts.
We follow Kate through her childhood, teenage years and eventually how she ends up at the Hop, one of a few legal brothels in the US.
Kate and the other “bunnies” must work hard to meet sales targets, otherwise they run the risk of ending up working on the streets - very high risk in normal times but especially so as there was a serial killer targeting prostitutes on the loose.
Parts of the book did make me feel uneasy at times, e.g. the customer who acted out his pedophilic fantasy. But there were a lot of uplifting moments, especially as one of the other main themes was female-empowerment, brought out through the strong sisterhood amongst the “bunnies”.
There were some comments in our discussion around how a lot of the terminology was Americanised (e.g. the dairy was called the convenience store), which we learnt was due to the copyrighting process, to appeal more to the US customer base.
The Hop is a great way to learn about the sex industry and challenge preconceived ideas about it. The fact that shocked me the most was how there are only 21 legal brothels in the USA (all of them in Nevada), despite estimates between 1 - 2 million sex workers in the country. Also, a lot of the brothel owners don’t want prostitution to be legalised as that would increase competition and therefore potentially reduce their own profitability.
What I really appreciated though, was learning today that Diana had interviewed around 300 sex workers as part of her research for this book, and the majority of the Hop is based on real workers and their experiences in the sex industry.
March 4, 2025
4.5 Tina if you’re seeing this you did great picking the book
March 21, 2025
I loved this. It covered such tough real topics with a great story along with it. Legalize sex work!
June 10, 2022
4.5🌟
Who is the real Lady Lane? She's been on the cover of Vogue, she's beautiful and sexy, and everyone wants to know about her past.
Told through individual accounts: friends, employers, co-workers, clients, etc., we learn how Lady Lane (aka Kate Burns) rose from a poor girl to a famous sex worker to become the face of a feminist movement then.
Growing up in New Zealand, Kate starts a kissing service at her school, earning cash to teach the kids the ways of foreplay. From there, she lands in a strip club, then flies halfway across the world to Nevada to work for a brothel called The Hop.
While the book is centered around the sex industry, I was engrossed with the characters, which, by the way, there are some great ones in here. The format is that of an interview or "documentary," as Kate's best friend, co-workers, bosses, clients, and others all have a say in how things went down. We hear from Kate as well, which gives a well-rounded perspective.
There are some strong statements on race and feminism tucked in here. But when I closed the book, I was more moved by Kate's (Lady Lane) relationship with her mother, the desire to be authentic, and the longing to have something meaningful in her life.
Part coming-of-age, part empowerment story with friendships as a great bonus - 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦!
Thank you to @harperbooks for this gifted copy.
Who is the real Lady Lane? She's been on the cover of Vogue, she's beautiful and sexy, and everyone wants to know about her past.
Told through individual accounts: friends, employers, co-workers, clients, etc., we learn how Lady Lane (aka Kate Burns) rose from a poor girl to a famous sex worker to become the face of a feminist movement then.
Growing up in New Zealand, Kate starts a kissing service at her school, earning cash to teach the kids the ways of foreplay. From there, she lands in a strip club, then flies halfway across the world to Nevada to work for a brothel called The Hop.
While the book is centered around the sex industry, I was engrossed with the characters, which, by the way, there are some great ones in here. The format is that of an interview or "documentary," as Kate's best friend, co-workers, bosses, clients, and others all have a say in how things went down. We hear from Kate as well, which gives a well-rounded perspective.
There are some strong statements on race and feminism tucked in here. But when I closed the book, I was more moved by Kate's (Lady Lane) relationship with her mother, the desire to be authentic, and the longing to have something meaningful in her life.
Part coming-of-age, part empowerment story with friendships as a great bonus - 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦!
Thank you to @harperbooks for this gifted copy.
May 14, 2023
Didn't love the mockumentary format of this book, especially because often the talking heads were just there to say the most expected, generic things that didn't help move the story along. The protagonist is at times unbelievably naive to the point of making the story seem unbelievable, plus we kept getting told over and over how she's so DIFFERENT and MAGICAL and BETTER but then I wasn't seeing a single shred of evidence to make me believe it. I was not a fan of the direction the book takes in the second half, though I liked the ultimate message it strives for about the criminalization and stigmatization of sex work.
2/5
2/5
May 23, 2023
Could not put this book down. Gripping perspective on sisterhood and feminism with a surprising ending. Loved.
October 31, 2022
4.5⭐ on 🎧
NC-17 because this a sex worker book. Check the content warnings!!
This book lived up to the hype and is absolutely phenomenal on audiobook (similar to Daisy Jones and the Six). An absolutely important book to read and be able to understand sex workers and why they choose the lifestyle rather than judging people. Diana Clarke did her homework here so well and truly brought Lady Lane and her friends and family to life. There were some predictable moments and I was worried I wouldn't love the ending, but this book just worked. If you love a good audiobook and want to learn more about a topic that tends to be taboo, read this book.
NC-17 because this a sex worker book. Check the content warnings!!
This book lived up to the hype and is absolutely phenomenal on audiobook (similar to Daisy Jones and the Six). An absolutely important book to read and be able to understand sex workers and why they choose the lifestyle rather than judging people. Diana Clarke did her homework here so well and truly brought Lady Lane and her friends and family to life. There were some predictable moments and I was worried I wouldn't love the ending, but this book just worked. If you love a good audiobook and want to learn more about a topic that tends to be taboo, read this book.
March 6, 2025
Loved the characters loved the sisterhood loved the message
May 23, 2022
The Hop is the second novel by Diana Clarke, out June 2022. I loved Clarke’s debut, Thin Girls, a novel about body image and toxic cultural expectations.
🐇The Premise🐇
Lady Lane née Kate grows up poor in rural New Zealand with her Ma. Kate and her best friend Lacy run a business showing their schoolmates how to kiss and sometimes more. Then enters the world of stripping…and sometimes more. Following tragedy and a need for a different life, Kate heads to Las Vegas to the Hop, a legal brothel where she meets a host of other sex workers called Bunnies. Kate later watches her life blow up with fame and attention she never really wanted.
✨My Thoughts✨
This book is told in alternating perspectives much like Daisy Jones. We hear from Kate, her friends, outside sources and so on. I love this kind of format and though this book is hefty at over 500 pages it’s quick because of the short passages. Though the book touches on sex work it’s not at all exploitative. We don’t get hard core details of the sex Kate is having nor of the Bunnies. There’s a feminist slant here and Kate’s perspective caught me off guard at first, but I came to respect her perspective. Some of my favorite quotes in the book surround those messages.
“We taught those boys consent. At a time when boys could only find physical touch through a tackle at their weekly game…”
“Women are always feeling responsible for the actions of bad men.”
“I didn’t want to leave, but sometimes you have to do things you don’t want to do in order to get the things you need.”
Kate’s relationship with her Ma was also beautifully done, detailed and heartbreaking.
To be sure, this book touches on dark subjects, but it is compulsively readable and sure spark great conversations. Get this one on your radar for June!
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5/5 stars)
Thank you @harperbooks for the advanced copy of #thehop.
🐇The Premise🐇
Lady Lane née Kate grows up poor in rural New Zealand with her Ma. Kate and her best friend Lacy run a business showing their schoolmates how to kiss and sometimes more. Then enters the world of stripping…and sometimes more. Following tragedy and a need for a different life, Kate heads to Las Vegas to the Hop, a legal brothel where she meets a host of other sex workers called Bunnies. Kate later watches her life blow up with fame and attention she never really wanted.
✨My Thoughts✨
This book is told in alternating perspectives much like Daisy Jones. We hear from Kate, her friends, outside sources and so on. I love this kind of format and though this book is hefty at over 500 pages it’s quick because of the short passages. Though the book touches on sex work it’s not at all exploitative. We don’t get hard core details of the sex Kate is having nor of the Bunnies. There’s a feminist slant here and Kate’s perspective caught me off guard at first, but I came to respect her perspective. Some of my favorite quotes in the book surround those messages.
“We taught those boys consent. At a time when boys could only find physical touch through a tackle at their weekly game…”
“Women are always feeling responsible for the actions of bad men.”
“I didn’t want to leave, but sometimes you have to do things you don’t want to do in order to get the things you need.”
Kate’s relationship with her Ma was also beautifully done, detailed and heartbreaking.
To be sure, this book touches on dark subjects, but it is compulsively readable and sure spark great conversations. Get this one on your radar for June!
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5/5 stars)
Thank you @harperbooks for the advanced copy of #thehop.
August 2, 2022
This nontraditional narrative of a nontraditional icon in the world of Nevada brothels makes for a deliciously fierce, Feminist, and satisfying read.
✨ Utterly Unique
🕶 Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous
💨 Propulsive
🏳️🌈 LGBTQIA+ Experience
THE HOP: In the not so distant future, a woman rises to a level of unparalleled fame overnight. Unlike many pop icons, who sell their bodies like commodities, Lady Lane sells her body as a literal commodity. Lady brings the world of (legal) sex work to the limelight when she joins The Hop - an elusive club in the desert that caters to fantasies unimaginable. Shortly after she arrives, the young, scrappy, fearless New Zealand girl Kate Burns becomes Lady Lane, and draws a little too much attention to herself -- and her peers -- in the wake of a series of mysterious disappearances and a reckless evening with a customer.
Lane's story is chronicled in oral history form in THE HOP. Picture Daisy Jones, but with a few more prostitutes. Fully proud, delightfully queer, and altogether feisty, a motley cast of characters come together to explain how one country gal could change this maligned industry.
I had zero expectations and limited awareness of THE HOP before cracking the spine on my copy of this new release. What started as a perusal of the first few pages ended just days later as I blew through this 500-page tale (don't worry, the chapters are short and often just tiny clips). Author Diana Clarke's narrative style is unique, gripping, and keeps you turning those pages. The characters are fleshed-out and full-on. The plot is packed with twists and WTF moments. The ending veers into idealistic, but the ride is believable and buoyant. This novel totally caught me by surprise. I think you'll enjoy the ride as much as I did.
Thanks Harper Books for my gifted early copy!
✨ Utterly Unique
🕶 Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous
💨 Propulsive
🏳️🌈 LGBTQIA+ Experience
THE HOP: In the not so distant future, a woman rises to a level of unparalleled fame overnight. Unlike many pop icons, who sell their bodies like commodities, Lady Lane sells her body as a literal commodity. Lady brings the world of (legal) sex work to the limelight when she joins The Hop - an elusive club in the desert that caters to fantasies unimaginable. Shortly after she arrives, the young, scrappy, fearless New Zealand girl Kate Burns becomes Lady Lane, and draws a little too much attention to herself -- and her peers -- in the wake of a series of mysterious disappearances and a reckless evening with a customer.
Lane's story is chronicled in oral history form in THE HOP. Picture Daisy Jones, but with a few more prostitutes. Fully proud, delightfully queer, and altogether feisty, a motley cast of characters come together to explain how one country gal could change this maligned industry.
I had zero expectations and limited awareness of THE HOP before cracking the spine on my copy of this new release. What started as a perusal of the first few pages ended just days later as I blew through this 500-page tale (don't worry, the chapters are short and often just tiny clips). Author Diana Clarke's narrative style is unique, gripping, and keeps you turning those pages. The characters are fleshed-out and full-on. The plot is packed with twists and WTF moments. The ending veers into idealistic, but the ride is believable and buoyant. This novel totally caught me by surprise. I think you'll enjoy the ride as much as I did.
Thanks Harper Books for my gifted early copy!
May 8, 2022
There are great bits here, but in some ways The Hop is less than the sum of its parts. Kate/Lady is certainly a compelling character, but I kept waiting for her to take ownership over her past, life, and choices, and in many ways this did not materialize. Other characters are interesting, but don't quite get enough time to shine.
The interview-style narration worked very well in some instances - certain short chapters used the format to great effect, cutting to the core of that character's feelings or perspective in that moment. Other times, the limited scope undermined character relationships.
Reading this during the Roe v. Wade leak made it hit harder, and I don't want to downplay the importance of the topic and themes of The Hop. If nothing else, it is a great conversation starter with a lot of heart.
The interview-style narration worked very well in some instances - certain short chapters used the format to great effect, cutting to the core of that character's feelings or perspective in that moment. Other times, the limited scope undermined character relationships.
Reading this during the Roe v. Wade leak made it hit harder, and I don't want to downplay the importance of the topic and themes of The Hop. If nothing else, it is a great conversation starter with a lot of heart.
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