Bought and Paid For: A Jan Phillips Novel [Paperback]

Michael Halfhill (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 18, 2004

Eighteen year old Jan Phillips is on his own now and heading into Philadelphia hoping to survive on money he can make from johns who frequent the city's "Tenderloin District". Still a virgin and not even that sure about his own sexuality, he has no idea of how to go about the business of prostitution and what impact it may have on his life. Tim Morris is waiting-waiting for Jan. From his thirteenth floor apartment in the elegant Saint Roi apartment building, Tim watches Jan on the street below. He decides that they will meet. Their meeting takes them on an adventure through the dark realms of international politics and their relationship-a relationship, formed from a devil's bargain and based on desperation and fear.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Michael Halfhill was born in the 1940?s isolation of rural Appalachia. Michael now lives in northern Delaware with his companion where he continues writing.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse (January 18, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595304907
• ISBN-13: 978-0595304905
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,332,656 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Review of Bought and Paid For by Cheri, January 12, 2005

By 

Cheri Crystal (Eastern United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bought and Paid For: A Jan Phillips Novel (Paperback)

Bought and Paid For by Michael Halfhill is about a boy on the cusp of his eighteenth birthday. Jan Phillips has recently completed high school at Saint Dominic's Academy under the tutelage of Father Sobinski, and his impoverished mother wants him to get a job. Joy Phillips has six mouths to feed and feels it's time her eldest son pulls his own weight. Having been given an ultimatum, Jan goes out in search of work, but comes up empty handed.

Jan first hears about the "Tenderloin District" in Philadelphia from a friend who confides in him that he goes there and makes money by having sex with old men. Having been sheltered by his mother and Father Sobinski his whole life, Jan is repulsed when his friend suggests that with his good looks he could make a fortune.

With his mentor Father Sobinski relocated to Rome, and his mother kicking him out of the nest, Jan sees no alternative than to try to make money the way his friend suggested. Jan sets off in search of work. He leaves his row house in Kensington, and takes the bus to the "Mary-Go-Round" in Center City where sex can be bought.

The extremely wealthy, handsome, and charismatic Tim Morris, notices and takes an interest in the beautiful blond boy, who he dubs Goldilocks. Tim keeps an eye on Jan from his penthouse window, which conveniently overlooks the Tenderloin District. Tim notices that Jan hasn't made any money so decides to meet the boy.

After listening to Jan's story and impressing the poor boy with his wealth, Tim makes him a business proposition. "Your mother needs money and she has you, I have money and I want you. It would be a simple exchange." Should Jan try to convince his mother to sell him, her own son? Jan is not yet aware of his own sexuality, having lived his life in a social-sexual vacuum. "Jan has been taught all his life that...he would be damned for being queer."

Bought and Paid For is multi-dimensional fiction at its best. There is the romantic layer that details the love that develops between Jan, who falls in love with his moody mentor Tim. Jan is a complex character who is not just another pretty boy--he's smart too. As the story unfolds, you learn why Tim behaves the way he does and why he finds love and intimacy so scary.

A truly wonderful character is Mrs. Santos, Tim's trustworthy housekeeper, confidant, and friend. She does more than cook delectable meals and run the household, she has a wisdom that gets Tim though his emotional rough spots. Mrs. Santos becomes a surrogate mother to Jan once he moves in with Tim.

Another layer deals with the espionage aspect of the story as the characters find themselves in sticky and dangerous situations. The reader discovers that Tim is grooming Jan for clandestine international activities of the Mundus Society-but for what purpose? You have to read the book to find out.

Michael Halfhill is a talented storyteller. In Bought and Paid For, using third person narration, Halfhill captures the reader from the minute the first word is read. The intriguing, suspenseful, and sometimes disturbing story of Jan Phillips and Tim Morris goes way beyond an older man falling for a much younger, impressionable boy. Finding out what Tim really wants from Jan is part of what keeps the reader engrossed in the story. The other part is living vicariously through Jan as Tim teaches him about a world he has only read about in books.

Aside from any moral judgments about this book, I thoroughly enjoyed it and was enamored with Jan and Tim. Some may be offended by the age difference and circumstances leading to Tim's capture of Jan's heart, but others might see the relationship as that of two consenting adults who fall in love. Halfhill makes us root for the characters despite what's deemed morally unacceptable. Bought and Paid For has everything from romance, love, sex, religion, politics, prostitution, family, society, and morality issues to international intrigue. I give my highest praise and five stars plus for the first effort by Michael Halfhill. I eagerly await the sequel Scimitar.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Male version of "Pretty Woman" + "My Fair Lady" + some 007!, May 1, 2004

By 

Bob Lind "camelwest" (Phoenix, AZ United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

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This review is from: Bought and Paid For: A Jan Phillips Novel (Paperback)

Jan Phillips is an 18 year old recent high school grad, who heads to Philadelphia after being thrown out of his small town PA home by his widowed mother, who can't afford to care for him anymore. He heard from other boys that good looking, masculine guys can earn money hustling in the Tenderloin district in the city, which he decides to try, although he is still a virgin and not even sure of his own sexuality.

On his first night hustling, Jan has the good fortune to attract the attention of Tim Morris, who lives in a luxury apartment overlooking the hustling area. He is attracted to Jan more than just sexually, but sees in him the possibility of a protege for his secret work as an attorney and head of the US branch of an international activist cartel. He "grooms" Jan, helping him through an exploration of his sexuality, making him into the perfect boytoy for his needs, but also teaching him manners and about culture, areas in which the small town boy was lacking. With the help of his able assistant/bodyguard, Han, Tim buys a pledge of non-interference from Jan's mother, after which Tim and Jan embark on a dangerous journey to Europe. Over time, the reader sees their relationship develop, from one based on opportunity and desperation, to one of mutual trust, love, and purpose.

Very original, and I enjoyed it quite a bit.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, May 19, 2006

By 

S. Gadingan "Sheanla" (CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bought and Paid For: A Jan Phillips Novel (Paperback)

I bought this book because many of those who have read it gave it such a good review. I don't know if there is a difference between the digital version to the hardcopy but it was such a disappointment. I think the whole story would have been good if more detail was put into it but how it was written would probably be at a 6 grade reading level. So many misplaced words, as well as spelling mistakes, such as THE was spelled with THEY. Those could have been easily corrected. It was just frustrating. The whole idea about MUNDUS, which Tim is part of, was vague and wasn't very clear. Not a lot of detail was put into it. The idea of a secret society working to better the world could have been a great part of the story, but so little was explained about it or how it truly functions. It just seemed so redundant. One problem comes up and there's an easy solution. Another problem pops up and another easy solution.

It's not that I was expecting a lot but my god, this was just horribly written. It's sad that it could have turned into something great if only more detail was put into it.

For those looking for an easy read that is not so complicated. Then this is for you. But if you're looking for something more complex then I wouldn't recommend it. I don't recommend this to anyone at all.