The Lumby Lines by Gail Fraser

Synopsis from the back of the book:

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- its a way of life.

My thoughts:

This first installment in the Lumby series introduces us to the main characters in the town of Lumby. Only a few of them are mentioned in the synopsis. The title comes from the name of the small town newspaper which provides several blurbs in the novel.

There are several appearances by the town "mascot", Hank. You'll have to read the story to find out how he gained his status. The story has a little bit of everything. You have romance, intrigue and humor. There is also plenty of small town gossip. The authors husband does the artwork for the books and it is fantastic.

It is a easy and very entertaining read. I thoroughly enjoyed this installment in the Lumby series. I would recommend the story to anyone who likes a pleasant read that will draw you in. You might even learn a thing or two. You can't go wrong when there are recipes at the end as well.

You might also check out the website http://www.lumbybooks.com/. It has some fun info about the series.


Disclaimer: I received my copy of The Lumby Lines from the publicist for my honest review. This did not affect my review in any way. Thank you Caitlin for introducing me to a great author!