Ella

Asha's life is no fairytale, by any stretch of the imagination. There was no kind, generous father to care for and protect her from the Vegas that exists beyond the glitz and glamour of The Strip. No wise, doting mother to look over and guide her, passing down essential lessons and leading her to the right path. And certainly, no Prince Charming just around the corner, ready to rescue her from working late nights to cover steadily mounting bills.

When 26-year-old Reese accepts a position as a grad assistant, she has no idea an unpleasant encounter with a student will lead to the discovery of what she calls "the trifecta": fine, intellectual, and a little bit rude - three qualities she finds irresistible in a man. She has no intention of doing anything with that discovery. But everybody knows what happens to best laid plans. Jason is a grown man. He's at Blakewood State University to finish his degree and move on. The last thing he's interested in is the female population on campus...Reese might be a notable exception.

Fallon is the definition of a woman with her “ish” together. Flourishing business, a home of her own in a new city, a relationship on the verge of marriage, and the opportunity to create a life that looks exactly as she wants it. She’s ready, and willing, to embark on a new adventure. She just didn’t expect to have to do it on her own. Business is great, but the home? A total mess. The relationship? Dead in the water. The “new adventure”? Looking more like a disaster. Until Sean.

Gabrielle Wilson has the perfect life: a Beverly Hills mansion, a loving family, and a massively successful PR firm. When her father admits that an affair he had years before resulted in a daughter, Gabrielle is shocked, but is actually happy. Could this be the sister she has been praying for all her life? Keisha Jones' life is a struggle. Her late mother worked on the streets, and school was its own nightmare. When Gabrielle offers to fly Keisha out of Arkansas to meet the family, Keisha instantly agrees.

Nolan McClain is the smart one, the driven one, the one who goes for what he wants, meticulously plans his steps, and thinks he has his life all mapped out...until he lays eyes on Bridgette Turner. Bridgette Turner is just as driven and focused as Nolan, but when her past comes back to haunt her, she finds herself knocked off balance and all her hard work in jeopardy. What Nolan feels for her is real, but Bridgette is skeptical. Will she let him show her his heart?

NBA player Leland McClain, the baby of the McClain family, is tall, handsome, talented...and spoiled. He's a man who gets what he wants, and what he wants is the lovely Kimberly Hampton. Kim Hampton is the director of a community center, a woman who lives to help others while trying to forget a troubling past. As far as she's concerned, a relationship with any man is a horrible idea. But a relationship with Leland McClain? That's just out of the question. He has to have her. She is undeniably attracted to him. But will she lower her guard and let him hold her?

Trying to put past hurts behind you is hard when your ex is a fool, but buoyed by child support and alimony, Jo Walker is moving forward with her life, pursuing a career, raising her little girl, and trying to live in peace. She believes she has all the bases covered in her world. But what about her heart? Rap legend Everett "Big South" McClain is divorced, too, knows all about failed relationships, and has relegated his love life to casual connections rather than pursuing something real. That is, until he lays eyes on Jo.

Outspoken and more than capable of backing up her words, loan officer, Denise Buhari, is finally back on her feet after years of rebuilding her life following a horrible marriage and divorce. But just when she is ready to head into a future she's sure will be bright, the rug is pulled out from under her again.

Marlee Harper is the perfect girlfriend. She's definitely had enough practice by dating her NFL-star boyfriend for the last 10 years. But when she discovers he has been tackling other women on the sly, she vows to never date an athlete again. There's just one problem: Gavin Pope, the new hotshot quarterback and a fling from the past, has Marlee in his sights.

Newlyweds Celestial and Roy are the embodiment of both the American Dream and the New South. He is a young executive, and she is an artist on the brink of an exciting career. But as they settle into the routine of their life together, they are ripped apart by circumstances neither could have imagined. Roy is arrested and sentenced to 12 years for a crime Celestial knows he didn't commit. Though fiercely independent, Celestial finds herself bereft and unmoored, taking comfort in Andre, her childhood friend, and best man at their wedding.