Love Comes at Twilight: A Love Story for Seniors is based on my experience of playing bridge on the Internet, meeting a man (now 82), beginning a correspondence with him, and, after two years of courtship, yearning to meet him in person. The novel is a sweet love story between aging seniors Carol Bradley and Ellis Thompson, counterpointed by a woman’s group which, like a Greek chorus, reflects the trials, tribulations and triumphs of aging.
One of the major complications is that Ellis, a Southern gentleman, has been estranged from his wife for 30 years; intimacy in the marriage ended because of her illness (rheumatoid arthritis, surgeries, and, ultimately, Alzheimer’s).
Being raised in the virtues of duty and honor, Ellis stays on to become a reluctant caregiver. Another woman, Beth, a long-time friend, becomes a surrogate wife; she is an alcoholic.
Kay Mehl Miller
Both Carol and Ellis are lonely people who work out their needs and longings long distance. Both have chronic illnesses. He is the sicker of the two. Carol is grieving the loss of her husband and is a busy published writer.
Lest you think the story might be banal, there is in it lots of humor, insights, and, of course, sex. The kicker is: will they meet in person? Does love triumph? Is it possible to fall in and enjoy love at advanced ages?
Purchase at Amazon.com or email the author.
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