Saturday, August 21, 2010

The Lumby Lines

by Gail Fraser
New York: New American Library (a division of Penguin Books), 2007, 2005.

Mark and Pam Walker are vacationing in the Northwest, discussing where they want to go next in life. Mark's ready to retire from the corporate world; Pam's not so sure. Then, the couple comes across a monastery that was shut down and damaged in a fire. They decide to move from Virginia to the small town of Lumby to renovate the monastery and turn it into an inn.

This is a gentle read focusing on character - and there are some quirky ones at that! I found it pleasant and entertaining, especially enjoying the details of renovation. Descriptions of Hank, the flamingo that's given an appropriate wardrobe for what's going on at various points in the story, and news clippings from the local paper, the eponymous Lumby Lines infuse the narrative with humor.

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