The Fidelity Files

By Desiree Marie Belmarez, Special to the Rocky

Published June 5, 2008 at 6:30 p.m.

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* Fiction. By Jessica Brody. St. Martin's Griffin, $13.95. Grade: B

Plot in a nutshell: Sex, lies, deceit and the need to know who is faithful and who is not guide Jennifer Hunter to assume the alias "Ashlyn" and uncover the cheating husbands of Los Angeles.

As a woman with friends, family and a job as an investment banker, Jennifer appears to have it all. But underneath her polished exterior, she carries the baggage of her father's affairs, along with the lewd behavior of married colleagues, which motivates her to leave her job and perform "fidelity inspections" for L.A.'s elite.

Bursting with young, rich entrepreneurs, L.A. also has its share of suspecting wives who will pay just about anything to learn exactly what goes on during those late-night office meetings. Jennifer offers an initial meeting in the wife's home, where she explains that she will never - under any circumstance - sleep with the man she's been hired to test. She then collects all the information needed to become the perfect fling and promises to deliver the results - pass or fail - immediately following the test.

There's only one problem: The people in her everyday life don't know her true occupation, and Jennifer goes to great lengths to make sure they never find out.

But after an exposed adulterer creates a Web site that reveals "Ashlyn" and threatens to destroy her career and every relationship she has built, Jennifer must find a way to keep news of her secret profession from spreading while trying to maintain a semi-functional romantic life.

Sample of prose: During an initial consultation with a client: " 'So there is no actual intercourse, then?'

" 'No,' I confirmed. 'It's intention-based business only.'

" 'And do you make exceptions to that rule?' she asked, almost eagerly."

Pros: Brody weaves in examples we've watched unfold on network news of politicians and their scandalous affairs, such as the recent Eliot Spitzer escapades. She also adds a twist that almost has you feeling sympathetic for the men who fail the fidelity test. (For fun, try calling the phone number listed in the book, 1-866-348-0430, and visiting the Web site, dontfallforthetrap.com, to see what happens.)

Cons: Brody's repetitive use of certain phrases, such as "for all intents and purposes," makes the story drag at times. She also avoids using specific descriptive details, relying on vague phrases such as an "Hispanic accent" or a "Dolce & Gabbana blouse."

Final word: Brody takes a typical talk show topic and spins it into a sexy plot with a main character every woman would like to have on speed dial. Despite its flaws, her story is a great read for anyone who has ever had suspicions about her (in)significant other.

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