May-December Souls — Marissa Monteilh

Mariah Pijeaux is about to turn the big 4-0. Although she has always dreamed of becoming a broadcast journalist, she is working as a temporary assistant in Hollywood. She is a tall, striking mother of three with a honeysuckle complexion and a funky hairdo. Physically addicted to her boyfriend, Kareem Washington, an ex-professional basketball player wit the charm and charisma of a politician, Mariah yearns for a more emotionally satisfying relationship. She wants to break free from Kareem's narcissistic patterns, yet his skill at manipulating her mind and body make her feel stuck and controlled. She even attends local relationship seminars in an attempt to escape from her self-defeating patterns in relationships. And then she meets Malik Tolliver. He is a tall, dark man who just happens to be twenty-one years old. She tries to resist his charm but is immediately drawn to him. This one, she hopes, will be different.