The Lumby Lines

The Lumby Lines

Gail Fraser

Series or Stand Alone: The Lumby series, book one

Release Date: May 2007

Publisher: NAL

Pages: 336

Author Site: http://www.lumbybooks.com/

My Rating: 4/5

Source: Received from FSB Associates for review

Synopsis [from fsbmedia.com]:

Nestled in the Northwest is a quaint little town that its quirky residents are proud to call home. With charming shops lining its one main thoroughfare, Lumby has the oldest apple tree in the county and the smallest bank in the state. And though it's hours from the nearest big city, you'll always find Lumby close to your heart ...

Nearly destroyed by fire, Montis Abbey remains a ruin on the outskirts of Lumby. Once home to a resourceful order of monks, it stands abandoned, surrounded by its overgrown orchards. Then Mark and Pam Walker, a vacationing couple from the East Coast, stumble upon it -- and upon the answer to their prayers. Leaving behind their hectic lives to restore the monastery and turn it into an inn is a dream come true.

But some residents of Lumby take a while to warm up to outsiders. One of them is irascible William Beezer, owner of The Lumby Lines -- the newspaper "worth the paper it's printed on." At every turn, he tries to hinder the Walkers' efforts. The couple soon learns that for every citizen like William, there are many more willing to lend a hand, and that Lumby isn't just a place -- it's a way of life.

Review:

I wasn't going into THE LUMBY LINES with many expectations. The synopsis sound decent at best and I had never heard of Gail Fraser before. I enjoy working with the people with FSB Associates however, and am always happy to receive a query through the email. And it's at these times, when I dont' expect a book to be much, that I'm overjoyed to find a sweet little gem of a read in the most unexpected places!!

THE LUMBY LINES isn't a ground-breaking novel, however I was so surprised by how much I ended up really enjoying the book. It's simply a lovely, cozy little read that will definitely leave any reader with warm fuzzies after they close the back cover. The town of Lumby itself is a character all it's own with the inhabitants fiercely loyal and protective. When an east-coast couple discover a new path to their lives while on a vaction, they end up buying a deserted abbey that was burned down many years ago. Determined to rebuild Montis Abbey into a bed and breakfast, Mark and Pam Walker discover the true magic of Lumby.

I'll definitely be continuing on with all Lumby-connected books. And although everything seems to always work out in the end (which was a little too unrealistic for me) it was nice to escape into such a warm and loving world that Gail has created. I highly recommend this charming book to anyone who is in the mood to laugh and become attached to some really great characters!