Charlene Reviews - Tho' It Were Ten Thousand Miles: A Love Story by William H. A. Williams

ISBN #: 978-1456794972

Page Count: 300

Copyright: September 2007

Publisher: AuthorHouse Publishing

Synopsis:

Seamus O'Rouke's obsession with a girl he discovers on YouTube turns into love when Fiona MacKenzie turns up on his Midwestern campus. While the sixty-five-year-old Irishman's pursuit of this twenty-year-old folk singer is against all reason, rhyme does play its role. Seamus is adept at wielding poetry, as well as music, art, gourmet meals and fine wine, in his campaign for the heart of his green-eyed auburn-haired beauty.

Fiona is haunted by the earlier death of her Scottish father and by the resulting loneliness, which she tries to hide beneath her usually self-confident exterior. She tries to keep from being overwhelmed by Seamus' larger-than-life personality. Gradually, however, her skeptical common sense gives way before the onslaught of this unreconstructed Irish Romantic.

During their brief months together, this age-crossed pair discovers that romance is a tightrope strung between incomprehension and farce. As told through a his/her dual narrative, these two head-strong and highly articulate individuals continuously collide, often comically, as they struggle to comprehend the nature of their love. In spite of moments of often bawdy comedy, questions of love, age, loss and death thread their way through the story. As Fiona observes, "What strange ways love has of going about her business."

Charlene Reviews:

65-year-old Seamus is captivated by a face in a video. Fiona, all of 20, is a student and sings folk songs. It is her face that Seamus obsesses over until one day they fatefully meet. At first, Fiona struggles with what this older gentleman would want with her, but eventually, he wins her over through their shared love of music. As they become more involved, a winter/spring romance begins, and their lives become intertwined. As she spends her days in Seamus' company, Fiona learns more about herself, and how the loss of her father defined her. Through his poetry, patience, and persistence, Seamus helps her love and grow, and through Fiona's youth, and exuberance, Seamus finds new life.

This unforgettable tale of an unlikely love story left me wanting more. I knew as soon as I cracked the spine, I was in for a treat! A bit put-off at first by the narrative and yes, the age difference made me wonder, but it is written eloquently. Not one to read much in the way of "love stories," I was soon swept away by the romanticism of Seamus. Loaded with Irish lore, music, and poetry, it spoke to my hopelessly romantic side. I think most women would agree that we could all use a little "Seamus" in our lives.

Mr. Williams handled the age difference with humor and dignity. I believe my favorite sentence, "love has its own ways of expressing itself, and it is pointless to question them," may very well sum up the entire book. If you judge the book by its cover story, you may miss a bittersweet journey of love that will, personally, haunt me for quite a while.

Absolutely one of my top reads of 2011!