Phyliss Price fell in love, bought what she thought would be a family home, became pregnant, her man ran off, she lost her job and now she struggles as a single mother. How much different is her situation from the woman living next door? Not very, because each of the five women living at the end of the cul de sac on Hill Lane are entangled in an enslaving humiliating relationship with the same person, Sam systematic provider of funds, housing, and medical coverage. Through the writings of her memoirs Phyllis employs flashbacks and subtle weaving of conversations with her four African-American friends to explain the hurt and humiliation experienced in the presence of Sam who is seen as the heavy observance of a jealous lover. Rayne Moore 18, and the youngest member of the group, is a mother of a young son and lives with an older man. Frankie Duz, home schools her children and baby sits on the side and Jenny Needs husband left her for her cousin. She is a parent of four children and a teacher in the public schools. At four o’clock in the evening on a daily basis the women get together at Phyllis’ house to watch Oprah, eat snacks and discuss the events of their day. They call it their ‘Stress Bashin’ Session’. During one of these sessions, Phyliss is coaxed into hooking up with Sam. After filling mounds of paper and waiting for hours she is rejected. Feeling humiliated and unwanted Phyllis returns home and dauntlessly struggles to keep her finances. Just as she is sinking into the red and the job is about to play out, Tone'ya Knowes a divorced mother of two daughters, left an abusive relationship and now attends college in the hope of starting a nursing career is the group’s know-it-all. She explains the slight deceptions that are necessary to become one of Sam’s privileged.