She hires a manager, Tony Blake, to run her club, but it is understood that his job security is dependent on him satisfying her sexual demands.

When Fontaine is faced with Benjamin divorcing her and Tony double-crossing and leaving her to set up his own club she puts the wheels in motion to turn the tables.

British romance novelist Barbara Cartland condemned the book as "Filthy, disgusting and unnecessary", though it soon made the bestseller lists like Collins' previous novel.

[1] Over a decade later book jackets of many of Collin's titles, including The Stud, featured art by the English commercial artist, Adrian Chesterman.

Both films were successful, and led to Aaron Spelling casting Collins as Alexis Carrington for the primetime soap opera Dynasty.