Stage Seven

A Novel

Barbara Gordon is a self-reliant, divorced mom, brilliant at managing her life with lists and spreadsheets. Lately, though, the demands of a teenage daughter, a manipulative sister, and a mother with worsening Alzheimer’s are more than she can handle. Then Barbara meets Jack, an appealing older man married to a late-stage dementia patient who no longer knows him. Jack and Barbara hold the power to make each other happy...but only if Barbara can break her long cycle of romantic abstinence.

Funny, sad, and heartwarming, Stage Seven is about two people caught between love and duty, and the risks we take when we commit our hearts to family, friends, and lovers alike.

©2021 Ruth F. Stevens (P)2021 Ruth F. Stevens

A great summer read!

This story is a touching, loving tribute to the people and families who know the heartbreak of AD, loss and divorce. It is funny and well written with great descriptions of Providence, and other scenes that will stick with me for a long time.

Exceptional Narration.

Such an intricately woven story, blending the seriousness of Alzheimer's with an unexpected love story. Beautifully written, the tone was overall uplifting and also funny. Anyone touched by this cruel disease will find comfort and even hope in these pages. Carolyn Cook, a seasoned narrator provided the perfect balance for holding my rapt attention.