What Garrison Keillor did for Lake Wobegon, Gail Fraser has done for Lumby in this delightfully touching new novel. An engaging cast of characters ...
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Jan 10, 2012
Jennifer
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From My Blog...[return]Somewhere in the Pacific Northwest lies the quaint town of Lumby with its eccentric inhabitants and a nearby burned-out Monastery. A typical morning may consist of the bank president phoning the sheriff's office to complain about discovering goats locked in the vault consuming thousands of dollars or an over-zealous reporter hoping to find a scoop. So begins The Lumby Lines by Gail Fraser, the first in her Lumby series. Things become livelier in the town of Lumby when Mark
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Mar 01, 2011
Holly (2 Kids and Tired)
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Disappointing. I could not finish it. I'd seen it compared to Jan Karon's Mitford series and I loved those books. This was like a flat, pale attempt at imitation, and one that tried too hard. While I've seen these characters described as quirky, I saw very little character development and nothing to make me care about them. I think what was most difficult for me was the strange mix of tenses. It wasn't a first person narrative, but the mix of tenses was odd and incredibly distracting.
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Jan 05, 2011
Joyce
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Located 10 hours east of Seatle, most likely in Montana, Lumby is just about everyone’s dream small town. Quaint, filled with eccentric people and drug-and crime-free (well, depending on whether or not you classify a “borrowed” potbelly pig flying through the air from attached balloons as crime), it’s a lovely place. So, it doesn’t come as a surprise when Mark and Pam Walker from Virginia, “down-Easters,” fall in love with the place and decide to turn an abandoned monastery into an inn.
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Aug 12, 2010
Jennifer
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What an adorable book! Truly! This was a cute, feel good, warm hearted story, which is something I don't read very often. I don't know why, I just don't. Maybe because most of them sound trite. This one didn't.
Mark and Pam Walker decide to chuck it all and follow their dream, which is something I can support. (I would do mine tomorrow if I could.) They love and support each other, and are all around good decent people. Normal people if you will.
The town of Lumby is what o More...
Mark and Pam Walker decide to chuck it all and follow their dream, which is something I can support. (I would do mine tomorrow if I could.) They love and support each other, and are all around good decent people. Normal people if you will.
The town of Lumby is what o More...
Mar 15, 2010
Cheryl
rated it:
Married couple, Mark and Pam Walker is on their vacation, when they stumble upon the small town of Lumby. It is in Lumby that the Walkers discover their dream come true. There was an abbey, Montis Abbey that burned down a long time ago. The abbey is nestled on a bunch of land that overlooks an orchard. The Walkers purchase the abbey. They decide to turn it into a bed and breakfast. They people of Lumby are excited to have new life in the old abbey. Well most people are excited. William Beezer, o
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Mar 06, 2010
Lydia
rated it:
If you've ever lived in a small town The Lumby Lines will seem pretty familiar to you. If you've never lived in a small town, The Lumby Lines might just make you wish you did.
The bulk of this story is about a young couple, Mark and Pam Walker, who move from the East Coast to a little town named Lumby. They find Montis Abbey, a ruin that was destroyed by a fire years before and work on restoring it.
This book had me reaching for a cup of tea and snuggling under a blanket, More...
The bulk of this story is about a young couple, Mark and Pam Walker, who move from the East Coast to a little town named Lumby. They find Montis Abbey, a ruin that was destroyed by a fire years before and work on restoring it.
This book had me reaching for a cup of tea and snuggling under a blanket, More...
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May 08, 2010
Patty
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Oh my! I think I want to move to Lumby!
In some ways I think I did.
What a fun and delightful book full of some of the quirkiest characters I have ever met. I didn't want to leave...
Pam and Mark Walker would vacation in Lumby and loved the feeling of peace that they found there. On one trip they discover the burned out Montis Abbey and decide to buy it, refurbish it and open it as an Inn. But small towns are not always welcoming to newcomers and they face some challenges along th More...
In some ways I think I did.
What a fun and delightful book full of some of the quirkiest characters I have ever met. I didn't want to leave...
Pam and Mark Walker would vacation in Lumby and loved the feeling of peace that they found there. On one trip they discover the burned out Montis Abbey and decide to buy it, refurbish it and open it as an Inn. But small towns are not always welcoming to newcomers and they face some challenges along th More...
Apr 01, 2010
Theresa
rated it:
What a lovely book! The story takes place in Lumby which reminded me of a modern day Mayberry. The folks are friendly, but suspicious of outsiders until they prove they are worthy of being accepted. (How realistic of small town life that is.) The sheriff and members of the community could be anyone of any small town. I know I can see some of those Lumby residents in my own neighborhood. I find the people and the mischievousness that happens in Lumby to be quite realistic.
I really enj More...
I really enj More...
Apr 18, 2010
Teresa
rated it:
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 re More...
Sep 11, 2010
Staci
rated it:
1. Words to describe the book: comfortable, funny, touching, quirky
2. Location or characters you met:
* The town of Lumby: I want to live there!! The description of Lumby and the front cover just makes me want to be there. This town is alive and a vibrant character in this story.
* Mark and Pam Walker : They're a couple who has it all and risk it for their dream life. I liked them both immensely and could see myself being friends with them.
* The monk More...
2. Location or characters you met:
* The town of Lumby: I want to live there!! The description of Lumby and the front cover just makes me want to be there. This town is alive and a vibrant character in this story.
* Mark and Pam Walker : They're a couple who has it all and risk it for their dream life. I liked them both immensely and could see myself being friends with them.
* The monk More...
May 01, 2009
Elaine
rated it: 
Noteworthy news in Lumby might be a car meeting up with a deer. A telephone call to the sheriff could be a moose in someone's yard or perhaps 2 goats dining on paper money in a bank vault .
Outsiders are not easily welcomed, get blamed for things that the townspeople don't like, and the townspeople don't like the idea that out-of-towners are taking over Montis Abbey to restore it and make a hotel out of it. Folks are spreading gossip without knowing what's going on. Someone's even More...
Outsiders are not easily welcomed, get blamed for things that the townspeople don't like, and the townspeople don't like the idea that out-of-towners are taking over Montis Abbey to restore it and make a hotel out of it. Folks are spreading gossip without knowing what's going on. Someone's even More...
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May 18, 2010
Bookworm
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The Lumby Lines is first in a series of five books. Lumby is a cozy little town, whose local newspaper 'The Lumby Lines', reports all the goings on of the community and its residents.
Montis Abbey was once a monastery, but has since been destroyed by a fire. While on vacation, Mark and Pamela Walker stumble upon the previous monastery. They decide to make a break from their hectic lives and purchase the Abbey. They plan on restoring it and turning it into an Inn.
As Pam and Mark are h More...
Montis Abbey was once a monastery, but has since been destroyed by a fire. While on vacation, Mark and Pamela Walker stumble upon the previous monastery. They decide to make a break from their hectic lives and purchase the Abbey. They plan on restoring it and turning it into an Inn.
As Pam and Mark are h More...
Sep 12, 2010
Cameling
rated it:
I want to live in Lumby. It's a small town with a population of about 4,200 and a strong sense of community. It's a town with quirkiness and a resident metal flamingo, named Hank, who currently resides outside the Montis Abbey .... and somewhat always dressed in the dark by an unknown person, in the most charming or the most bizarre attire.
The Montis Abbey is an abandoned monastery destroyed by 2 fires. A couple from Virginia fall in love with the place and decide to buy it, move to More...
The Montis Abbey is an abandoned monastery destroyed by 2 fires. A couple from Virginia fall in love with the place and decide to buy it, move to More...
Mar 21, 2010
Mishel
rated it:
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 ho More...
THE LUMBY LINES isn't a ground-breaking novel, however I was so surprised by ho More...
Feb 21, 2010
Caitlin
rated it:
If I could, I would give this book 2.5 stars. It was an enjoyable rural read whose episodic adventures made it perfect for bedtime reading. It resembles Jan Karon's work in its plucky, helpful-neighbor, small-town way. It turns out you can do anything with a can-do attitude and forgiveness can serve as a panacea. Ultimately the lower rating came down to Fraser's writing style. Dialogue could be stilted, events sometimes felt trite or contrived, and realism seemed to be irrelevant as some of
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Jul 06, 2010
LeeAnne
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This is a quiet, well-written little book that looks at the intertwining lives in a small, quirky town in the Pacific Northwest. It reminded me quite a bit of Karon or Binchy. Little mysteries percolate to the top and are serendipitously resolved. Love is quiet and deep. Kindesses are done for the sake of being kind. The book is warm and thoughtful without being preachy or judgemental about the frailties of the human condition. Oh! There is a good bit of humor and outright absurdity as well.
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Sep 06, 2010
Nicole
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This adorable book offers up a charming narrative about the entertaining small-town happenings of Lumby. There were a lot of well-developed and likable characters – my favorite being Brooke, the architect for Montis Inn and best friends to the Inn’s owners Pam and Mark. Admittedly, this book lacks substance and the problems of nearly all of Lumby’s residents are quickly (and annoyingly) resolved. Still, this book offers a sweet, charming narrative, which is nice escape from real life. If yo
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Aug 13, 2010
Diana
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Taken from my blog.
The change of voice from a teen to an adult was something that I had been looking for a while, just to see how it would be like. I have to say that I enjoyed reading this book for a change.
The Lumby Lines is fun read that follows the story of Mark and Pam Walker. They are a couple that are looking for something different than the lives that they have lived up to that point. They have to choose if they really want to give up that life and then they have More...
The change of voice from a teen to an adult was something that I had been looking for a while, just to see how it would be like. I have to say that I enjoyed reading this book for a change.
The Lumby Lines is fun read that follows the story of Mark and Pam Walker. They are a couple that are looking for something different than the lives that they have lived up to that point. They have to choose if they really want to give up that life and then they have More...
May 19, 2010
Athira
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There is a discussion question at the end of the book mentioning about readers who want to escape to Lumby soon as they finish the book, since it appears to be a place where life is easier, people are more honest and communities are closer. I don't know about you, but I'm ready to go to Lumby.
I think...
When The Lumby Lines begins, Simon Dixon, the sheriff, has just entered his office to hear of 3 complaints: some kids have been catapulting chickens over goalposts; a woman compl More...
I think...
When The Lumby Lines begins, Simon Dixon, the sheriff, has just entered his office to hear of 3 complaints: some kids have been catapulting chickens over goalposts; a woman compl More...
Aug 18, 2010
LynnB
rated it:
Mark and Pam Walker are on their vacation when they stumble upon the small town of Lumby in the Northwest US, presumably Washington. Lumby has an abbey, Montis Abbey, nestled on land that overlooks an orchard and a lake. The Walkers decide to turn the Abbey into a bed and breakfast and we follow them each day on that reconstruction and as they meet the rest of the town. I like the characters, especially Hank, the pink flamingo who dresses for each day and/or event. (Who is dressing him? No on
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Aug 30, 2008
Teri
rated it:
As I am a fairly new client of our Regional library's Outreach Program and our Outreach Coordinator looks around for books for me to read, I noticed two weeks ago, the first three books in this most delightful series on my online account, so looked them up, as I'd never heard of them or the author. I just finished this first of hopefully many volumes of this wonderful quirky ficticious small town of Lumby, Washington. This first volume is the story of Mark and Pam Walker, who move from Virginia
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Dec 27, 2011
Marlo
rated it:
I picked this up based on a recommendation by What Should I Read Next website because I liked the Mitford Series. There is no comparison. While the Mitford characters are charming and interesting, these characters and the story line fall flat. I wound up skimming through much of it just so I could finish the story. The most interesting character is a pink plastic flamingo, if that tells you anything.
Apr 21, 2010
Angela
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I found The Lumby Lines to be an incredibly enjoyable story. The characters were interesting and often quirky. Although I only learned bits and pieces of some of their stories in this book, I can tell there is much more to discover. I really enjoyed how Fraser wove in the description of the town, the sections of the newspaper, and the background on the characters right along with the main plot of restoring Montis Abbey. Although it took me a little time to get used to the jumps between these
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Aug 30, 2011
Melee
rated it:
Though I tried not to, it's hard not to compare this book (and the other Lumby books, presumably) to Jan Karon's Mitford series. And, well, this book is the dyed sugar-water to Mitford's 100% fruit juice. There was very little characterization and, quite frankly, I got bored. It's a pleasant enough read, I suppose, but hardly the best in the small-town genre.
Aug 22, 2009
Pat
rated it:
No No No Characters are cardboard cutouts - no personality. I felt I was seeing a version of the TV ad about the kid at school. Joe did this, Jane did that, Harry did this etc etc.
My original comments was:A sweet quiet story of an imaginary town in the NW of the US. Think Mitford without the annoying pastor. Good summer relaxation.
My original comments was:A sweet quiet story of an imaginary town in the NW of the US. Think Mitford without the annoying pastor. Good summer relaxation.
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Jan 01, 2011
An easy going, pleasant, humorous look at small town life. The story follows different people in the town, and I enjoyed the couple restoring and renovating the monastery into an inn. I would love to do something like that!
Humor is very subtle, which makes it enjoyable.
Humor is very subtle, which makes it enjoyable.
Jan 10, 2012
Danielle
rated it:
Okay, but quite slow. And I just can't get into "historical" details of roads, buildings, etc that are invented! As always, though, I found I liked the parts that furthered plot/relationships. The others in the series are the same way.
Jan 02, 2012
Virginia
rated it:
I love this series. Quirky, funny, and human. My mom thinks the illustrator is related to my grandmother Marie Poulin but this in no way swayed my opinion, it did make her read them and she loved them as well.
Mar 06, 2010
Annie
rated it:
Pleasant but slow. A little too syrupy sweet for me. I won't read the rest of the series. But there were some great recipes at the back of the book that I'm going to try. If the dishes turn out well I'll let you know.
Apr 04, 2010
Eldon
rated it:
Uh huh, stayed up 'till 3:30 to finish this one. Good thing it was large print! I understand I missed out on pictures of Hank though. :(
Now quit reading this and go read The Lumby Lines for yourself. Start early, you'll be up a long time!
Now quit reading this and go read The Lumby Lines for yourself. Start early, you'll be up a long time!
