Book excerpt: May Jameson has never fully approved of the questionable things her mother does to subsidize her income. That’s why, when her mother encourages her to date a much older man from a family of means, May is torn. Her desire to lead a positive life is at odds with her mother’s advice, but also with the physical desire she feels for this older man. Her best friend’s warning against an affair has the opposite reaction, and May begins a relationship even though she knows she doesn’t really love him. May must make some tough decisions, because although she wants to do right, she is feeling the need to do wrong. Her role models add to her confusion, with some offering real opportunities for jobs and education, while others are caught up in drugs, gambling, and the illegal sale of alcohol. Will she fall into the same trap that holds her mother back from living her best life, or will she ignore that advice and follow her own path to success? May thinks beyond the life she’s been born into, but can she achieve what she sees in her mind?