I fell in love with my sugar daddy – he’s 30 years older and has taught me so much

A WOMAN who fell in love with a sugar daddy more than 30 years her senior has revealed the biggest challenges in an age gap relationship.

Nova Hawthorne, 29, has been with partner James, 63, for five years after meeting online without any expectation of real love.

The model, from Melbourne, Australia, enjoyed their arrangement as she was showered with gifts and made to feel special.

Their situation quickly evolved as she developed feelings too and decided they were more than just an arrangement.

But that doesn’t mean they don’t have their differences due to being at different stages of life.

Nova said: “The best thing about dating an older man is he’s just that – a man, not a boy. He’s calm (or mostly calm, at least when he’s not complaining about the traffic) and wise, and doesn’t play games.

“He has a lot of life experience, as well as great knowledge of business which he shares with me through a type of mentor relationship.

“So much information that I just never would have known I needed, and I would not have been able to get from my family.

“Aside from money that James has given me when we were in a sugar relationship, it’s the knowledge base he has shared, the ability to help me grow a business which will set me up for my future.

“The knowledge is the most powerful thing he has given me, as I now have to confidence and ability to look after myself, to share information with peers, and to completely take care of my family.”

She added: “We’re very much in love, and have a great domestic life together, but there’s no escaping the fact we’re at different stages of our lives – James has built and nearly finished his career, whereas I’m in a dynamic phase of building mine, so of course there’s a different energy around those things.

“I don’t think this is exclusive to having an age-gap relationship, but I’m a very active and adventurous person, and I like sharing that with people.

“When James and I go away I want to do wild things like canyoning, go scuba diving, take long hikes up mountains at sunrise.

“And to be honest, sometimes James doesn’t feel that is his thing.

“Maybe his body says ‘no I’d rather relax at the pool today’ but he always encourages me to take part in opportunities like that.

“He encourages me to go for it, and I don’t mind undertaking solo adventures, I always make friends where I go.

“We aren’t insecure that we don’t do every single thing together, we have our own lives and interests outside of each other.

“I think that is what makes a good strong relationship, being your own person first.”