Sartaj Singh
Directed by Tailiah Breon, ‘Terry McMillan Presents: Tempted by Love’ follows a renowned chef falling for a man twenty years younger and experiencing the challenges that come with it. Living in Europe, Ava (Garcelle Beauvais) is a world-class chef who has been single for some time. When she flies home to South Carolina in order to look after her aging aunt (Donna Biscoe), she is picked up by a good-looking driver in his twenties named Luke (Vaughn W. Hebron).
In the short time they are together, Ava and Luke feel an undeniable spark between them. They talk about mutual interests in food and family, developing a passionate connection. Even though she seems to have found the perfect recipe for love, Ava realizes that Luke has much more to see and experience while she has to make the best decision for her relationships and career. The Lifetime romance explores the complexities of finding love beyond one’s age group and raises questions about the real-world origins of its story.
Tempted by Love is Likely Inspired by ‘How Stella Got Her Groove Back’
‘Tempted by Love’ takes story elements from Terry McMillan’s work, particularly her novel ‘How Stella Got Her Groove Back,’ and adapts it to film with Tamara Gregory penning the script. McMillan is a celebrated author who rose to fame in the 1990s and is known for her narratives revolving around the lives and romances of African American women. Her books have been adapted into feature films as well, including ‘How Stella Got Her Groove Back,’ and ‘Waiting to Exhale,’ which starred Lela Rochon and Loretta Devine, who reunited in ‘Tempted by Love.’
‘How Stella Got Her Groove Back,’ McMillan’s 2004 bestselling novel, introduces us to the titular character in her forties. A successful investment analyst and a caring single mother, Stella perfectly manages everything in her life. The only thing missing is someone she can share her bed with. When she takes a spontaneous trip to Jamaica, she finds herself falling for an attractive Jamaican man twenty years her junior and begins to reassess the way she has been living her life. There are several parallels between the Lifetime film and the 2004 novel, including the central plot of a successful older African American woman’s romance with a younger man and a side plot regarding an ill friend.
‘How Stella Got Her Groove Back’ is Loosely Based on McMillan’s Own Romance
At the time McMillan wrote the book, the romance described in it was considered quite taboo. The story channels the author’s own energy and young-at-heart attitude. Her protagonists embody her spirit of wanting a lot more out of life and not feeling old. Additionally, her romance with her ex-husband of Jamaican origin, Jonathan Plummer, was her inspiration for ‘How Stella Got Her Groove Back,’ as she was 47 at the time she met him and he was 24. After ten years together, in 2005, Jonathan Plummer came out as gay, and the couple even appeared on ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ to discuss the high-drama affair.
‘Tempted by Love’ is among a series of titles for Lifetime branded under McMillan’s name, celebrating 40 years of the network with her stories of Black women making the most of their lives. “As women, we can be messy. We can be complicated. We can be so many things,” said McMillan in a statement. “Life is never tied up in a bow so it’s thrilling to be back in business with Lifetime who allows women to tell our own stories in an authentic way.” With ‘How Stella Got Her Groove Back’ finding inspiration in the author’s own romance, we can say that ‘Tempted by Love,’ a work likely inspired by it, is also loosely based on true events of McMillan’s life.
Read More: Stalked by My Amish Boyfriend: Is the Lifetime Movie Based on a True Story?
