L.A. Candy
Encyclopedia
L.A. Candy is a young-adult novel
written by American
author
Lauren Conrad
. The novel was first released as a hardcover
on June 16, 2009. The book is one of a three book series
about Jane Roberts. She moves to Hollywood, works at Fiona Chen's events company, and eventually gets her own reality show
, which is called L.A. Candy. It features the ups and downs of Jane's life, and three other girls' lives.
The book was listed on The New York Times
Bestseller list on June 26, 2009. Conrad stated in an interview "I wanted this book to be like my life, being signed on to The Hills" she said "It also tells of what it was like during The Hills, some stories are basically behind the scenes on The Hills ... being hooked up with wires and stuff"
She is the novel's central character as well as the main star of L.A. Candy. Jane is a 19-year-old girl who moves to Los Angeles
at the beginning of the novel with her best friend Scarlett and works for Fiona Chen Events Management. She acquired the job through the help of her mother. Her mother knew Fiona in college. The producer of an upcoming reality series discovered Jane and Scarlett at Les Deux Nightclub and the girls were thrilled with the idea of starring on the show. They wanted a taste of the Hollywood lifestyle. After breaking up with her long term boyfriend, Caleb, Jane falls for Braden. Braden objects to appearing on television because he is an aspiring actor. After sleeping with him while dating his best friend, Jesse, she finds pictures of her and Braden together on the Internet. The novel ends with Scarlett finding out she has gone with Madison to a discreet location as an attempt to escape the paparazzi
.
Scarlett Harp:
Jane's best friend, who also stars in L.A. Candy. She is hesitant to join the show, but she decides to for Jane's sake. As the novel develops, Scarlett finds her friendship with Jane disappearing as Jane becomes distracted with the Hollywood lifestyle. Although feeling distant from her once best friend, Scarlett looks out for her best friend. Her abrasive personality and stunning looks makes her a favorite on the show to begin with, but she later tries to avoid the camera as much as she can. She dislikes being on the show as it interrupts her education at a highly reviewed college
where she studies Philosophy
. Jane does not notice Scarlett's judgemental remarks about Madison. When Scarlett finds out that it was Madison who supplied the pictures to a publisher of a magazine called Gossip, she will stop at nothing to put Madison in her place.
Madison Parker:
A power hungry socialite who also stars in L.A. Candy, and will stop at nothing to get the main role and fame. She was initially portrayed as a wealthy blonde bombshell but soon, she was shown in her true colors. She hired a photographer to take pictures of Jane sleeping with Braden in order to get her to quit the show. After Veronica puts them online, she manipulates Jane. Jane is oblivious to the truth and went to a discreet location in Mexico with no cell phone reception.
Gaby Garcia:
A cast member on L.A. Candy. She is fun, bubbly, and slightly bitchy. She is described by the girls as a dim-witted yet kind, loyal person. She becomes close friends with Madison, Jane, and Scarlett. She plays up to the cameras whenever they want her to.
Creator and producer of the show L.A. Candy.
Dana:
Producer for L.A. Candy.
Fiona Chen:
Jane and Hannah's boss. She can be caring, but also quite brutal.
Hannah Stratton:
Jane's co-worker, described by Jane as one of her closest friends. She has no problems being in front of the camera.
Braden James:
Jane's crush and very good friend.
Jesse Edwards:
Braden's best friend since childhood. He is also a Lothario who Jane dates, despite his past with women, drugs and alcohol.
Diego Nieri:
A close friend of Jane and Scarlett's who works for Gossip. He meets Jane and Scarlett early on in the book and introduces them to the Hollywood scene. He works for Veronica but did not know Madison's betrayal or the controversial pictures of Jane.
Veronica Bliss:
Diego's boss at Gossip magazine , publishes the pictures of Jane and Braden together.
Caleb Hunt:
Jane's ex-boyfriend who breaks up with her after struggling with a long-distance relationship. He was Jane's first long-term boyfriend.
Liam Ferguson:
A cameraman for the show who later becomes Scarlett's first true love.
Anna Payne:
A Hollywood celebrity who is extremely rude to Jane and Scarlett. After their success with fame, Anna is kind to the girls.
Cammy:
A girl at Scarlet's college, who tries to befriend her in hopes of her 15 minutes of fame.
Deb:
A personal trainer and later Scarlett's friend once Jane moves out.
Derek:
A married man whom Madison is secretly sleeping with. She is living in his secret penthouse.
Paolo:
A guy the producers set up with Jane, whom Jane believes she had no chemistry with.
Willow:
Braden's on-again off-again girlfriend.
Chelsea: A girl Scarlett meets at college, that has a love for literature and has no interest in fame and cameras.
Lacie: Jane's 16-year-old sister.
Nora: Jane's 14-year-old sister.
Maryanne Roberts: Jane's mother
Dr. Harp: Scarlett's father, who is a plastic surgeon.
Dr. Harp: Scarlett's mother, who is a therapist.
Naveen: Scarlett's old crush, who she find's hard to resist, while dating Liam.
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
written by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
Lauren Conrad
Lauren Conrad
Lauren Katherine Conrad is an American television personality, celebutante, and fashion designer. She came to prominence with her starring roles on the MTV reality series Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County and its spin-off series, The Hills, which at one point followed her personal and...
. The novel was first released as a hardcover
Hardcover
A hardcover, hardback or hardbound is a book bound with rigid protective covers...
on June 16, 2009. The book is one of a three book series
Book series
A book series is a sequence of books having certain characteristics in common that are formally identified together as a group. Book series can be organized in different ways, such as written by the same author, or marketed as a group by their publisher....
about Jane Roberts. She moves to Hollywood, works at Fiona Chen's events company, and eventually gets her own reality show
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
, which is called L.A. Candy. It features the ups and downs of Jane's life, and three other girls' lives.
The book was listed on The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
Bestseller list on June 26, 2009. Conrad stated in an interview "I wanted this book to be like my life, being signed on to The Hills" she said "It also tells of what it was like during The Hills, some stories are basically behind the scenes on The Hills ... being hooked up with wires and stuff"
Main Characters
Jane Roberts:She is the novel's central character as well as the main star of L.A. Candy. Jane is a 19-year-old girl who moves to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
at the beginning of the novel with her best friend Scarlett and works for Fiona Chen Events Management. She acquired the job through the help of her mother. Her mother knew Fiona in college. The producer of an upcoming reality series discovered Jane and Scarlett at Les Deux Nightclub and the girls were thrilled with the idea of starring on the show. They wanted a taste of the Hollywood lifestyle. After breaking up with her long term boyfriend, Caleb, Jane falls for Braden. Braden objects to appearing on television because he is an aspiring actor. After sleeping with him while dating his best friend, Jesse, she finds pictures of her and Braden together on the Internet. The novel ends with Scarlett finding out she has gone with Madison to a discreet location as an attempt to escape the paparazzi
Paparazzi
Paparazzi is an Italian term used to refer to photojournalists who specialize in candid photography of celebrities, politicians, and other prominent people...
.
Scarlett Harp:
Jane's best friend, who also stars in L.A. Candy. She is hesitant to join the show, but she decides to for Jane's sake. As the novel develops, Scarlett finds her friendship with Jane disappearing as Jane becomes distracted with the Hollywood lifestyle. Although feeling distant from her once best friend, Scarlett looks out for her best friend. Her abrasive personality and stunning looks makes her a favorite on the show to begin with, but she later tries to avoid the camera as much as she can. She dislikes being on the show as it interrupts her education at a highly reviewed college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
where she studies Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
. Jane does not notice Scarlett's judgemental remarks about Madison. When Scarlett finds out that it was Madison who supplied the pictures to a publisher of a magazine called Gossip, she will stop at nothing to put Madison in her place.
Madison Parker:
A power hungry socialite who also stars in L.A. Candy, and will stop at nothing to get the main role and fame. She was initially portrayed as a wealthy blonde bombshell but soon, she was shown in her true colors. She hired a photographer to take pictures of Jane sleeping with Braden in order to get her to quit the show. After Veronica puts them online, she manipulates Jane. Jane is oblivious to the truth and went to a discreet location in Mexico with no cell phone reception.
Gaby Garcia:
A cast member on L.A. Candy. She is fun, bubbly, and slightly bitchy. She is described by the girls as a dim-witted yet kind, loyal person. She becomes close friends with Madison, Jane, and Scarlett. She plays up to the cameras whenever they want her to.
Minor Characters
Trevor Lord:Creator and producer of the show L.A. Candy.
Dana:
Producer for L.A. Candy.
Fiona Chen:
Jane and Hannah's boss. She can be caring, but also quite brutal.
Hannah Stratton:
Jane's co-worker, described by Jane as one of her closest friends. She has no problems being in front of the camera.
Braden James:
Jane's crush and very good friend.
Jesse Edwards:
Braden's best friend since childhood. He is also a Lothario who Jane dates, despite his past with women, drugs and alcohol.
Diego Nieri:
A close friend of Jane and Scarlett's who works for Gossip. He meets Jane and Scarlett early on in the book and introduces them to the Hollywood scene. He works for Veronica but did not know Madison's betrayal or the controversial pictures of Jane.
Veronica Bliss:
Diego's boss at Gossip magazine , publishes the pictures of Jane and Braden together.
Caleb Hunt:
Jane's ex-boyfriend who breaks up with her after struggling with a long-distance relationship. He was Jane's first long-term boyfriend.
Liam Ferguson:
A cameraman for the show who later becomes Scarlett's first true love.
Anna Payne:
A Hollywood celebrity who is extremely rude to Jane and Scarlett. After their success with fame, Anna is kind to the girls.
Cammy:
A girl at Scarlet's college, who tries to befriend her in hopes of her 15 minutes of fame.
Deb:
A personal trainer and later Scarlett's friend once Jane moves out.
Derek:
A married man whom Madison is secretly sleeping with. She is living in his secret penthouse.
Paolo:
A guy the producers set up with Jane, whom Jane believes she had no chemistry with.
Willow:
Braden's on-again off-again girlfriend.
Chelsea: A girl Scarlett meets at college, that has a love for literature and has no interest in fame and cameras.
Lacie: Jane's 16-year-old sister.
Nora: Jane's 14-year-old sister.
Maryanne Roberts: Jane's mother
Dr. Harp: Scarlett's father, who is a plastic surgeon.
Dr. Harp: Scarlett's mother, who is a therapist.
Naveen: Scarlett's old crush, who she find's hard to resist, while dating Liam.