THE PROMISE OF LUMBY: REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY ENDED
THE PROMISE OF LUMBY
BY GAIL FRASER

ABOUT THE BOOK:

When their beloved veterinarian decides to retire, Lumby's residents turn a curious eye to a stranger, Dr. Tom Candor, who steps up to the responsibilities, hangs his shingle and is soon embraced by the town. But when one distrusting journalist digs too deep and reveals Tom's past, Lumby turns its cold back. Only after Dr. Candor leaves with one of their most beloved residents do the townsfolk pause and consider the consequences of its actions: after all, who will care for Hank if he falls ill? While some residents concoct the wildest of schemes to charm the vet back, Pam and Mark Walker respond to the Montis Inn being unexpectedly thrown into the limelight. And in Franklin, the monks of Saint Cross Abbey face their own temptations from an unexpected proposition by a group of religious vintners, the Sisters of St. Amand who have vine roots and cases of award-winning wine in tow.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Gail and her husband, artist Art Poulin, are building their own Lumby on Lazy Goose Farm in rural upstate New York. Featured in several magazines and newspapers, Lazy Goose is a 40-acre gentleman's farm that is demarcated by a 200-year old stone wall, and has views of the Catskills, Adirondack and Vermont mountains. They share their lives with Yoda (a kind and gentle German Shepherd from New Skete Monastery), Emma, Camille and several other two- and four-legged barn friends. Art spends his days in the studio while Gail writes in her library, overlooking their pond. Gail is also an avid stoneware potter, gardener and cook and enjoys tending to their orchard (recently decimated by the deer) and bee hives most every morning.

REVIEW:

The title of Gail Fraser’s fourth contribution to the Lumby Series, THE PROMISE OF LUMBY, has numerous implications. Where as THE LUMBY LINES was about connections to the town newspaper, STEALING LUMBY involved a theft, and LUMBY’S BOUNTY relates to a hot-air balloon, this title reveals nothing but rather is indicative of this multi-themed novel. Rather than the usual one main plot and several supporting sub-plots that Fraser writes, I believe THE PROMISE OF LUMBY has three strong themes.

One relates to the every growing success of Pam and Mark Walker’s Montis Inn Bed and Breakfast and how they individually are coping with it and problems with the kitchen staff. Their relationship with featured character Mackenzie McGuire is entertaining and well done. Mac is a 40ish-year-old contractor who is dealing with an almost grown son who wants to be older than he is. Her relationship with a new doctor in town makes for an enticingly interesting part of the story.

The second theme deals with the brothers at Saint Cross Abbey and the remarkably, steadily growing success of their economic venture. And lastly is what I like to refer to as the “animal theme” (sorry Hank). Between regulars of Lumby like Hank, the pink plastic flamingo, Howard the moose, and Isabella who is Jeremiah Abram’s horse, there seems to be an influx of new animals to the area. In Sheriff Dixon’s published official complaints report, for example, in just one day there is a goat stampede, an elk that drank the hot cider stand dry, a large flock of “thousands” of homing pigeons landing on a car, a horse being mistaken for a large coyote and getting shot in the rear, and that doesn’t even count the missing dinosaur bone found, or that Hank and a mannequin are loitering around the Sporting Goods Store! It is no wonder a major part of the story revolves around Dr. Tom Candor, the new veterinarian coming to town following Dr. Ellen Campbell’s retirement. This man, however, has a past that is somewhat subject to suspect.

These well-developed, captivating characters and Fraser’s exceptionally vivid details provide a setting that we all wish we could visit at some point in time. Things move quickly in the stories and as I read, the novels appear to be even more appealing and polished. I imagine the fact that I have read all four novels in a row has helped me to feel like an official citizen of Lumby, or at least one that knows what’s going on as soon as the story starts and yet, each book would make for an enjoyable stand-alone novel. I can’t thank Gail Fraser enough for this delightful escape she created for me as I spent time in her ingeniously imagined Lumby. I hope you will join me in living in Lumby for a while and then we can all wait with great anticipation for the fifth book in the series due out this summer.

GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO CAITLIN AND GOOD PEOPLE AT
FSB ASSOCIATES AND AUTHOR GAIL FRASER,
I HAVE THE ENTIRE SET OF THE FIRST
FOUR BOOKS TO GIVE AWAY. HERE IS WHAT
YOU NEED TO DO TO WIN THE SET...AND
POSSIBLY THE NEW BOOK WHEN IT COMES
OUT THIS SUMMER IN JULY!

--U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES
---INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
IN CASE YOU WIN!
--ALL COMMENTS MUST BE SEPARATE TO
COUNT AS MORE THAN ONE!

HOW TO ENTER:
The last 4 days, and tomorrow, you
will have learned all about the four books
in the series individually and be able
to gather entries for the entire set.

FIRST
You MUST GO AND ENTER HERE
to be eligible to win
the set of four LUMBY books.

SECOND
You MUST ENTER EACH DAY for
the four books to be eligible for
the set. You only HAVE to enter
the "MANDATORY ENTRY" parts
but can gain more chances with
the bonus entry questions.

THE LUMBY LINES, the first
book, can be found here in case
you missed that one!

STEALING LUMBY, the second
book, can be found here in case
you missed that one!

THE LUMBY BOUNTY, the third
book, can be found here, in case
you missed that one!

Here goes for this 4th book...

+1 ENTRY-MANDATORY: COMMENT ON WHAT YOU THINK, OR FOUND INTERESTING, ABOUT THIS FOURTH LUMBY BOOK FROM READING THE SYNOPSIS AND MY REVIEW

+1 MORE ENTRY: TELL ME OF ALL 4 BOOKS, IF YOU COULD HAVE ONLY ONE, WHICH ONE WOULD IT BE AND WHY

+1 MORE ENTRY: BECOME A FAN OF MY FAN PAGE ON FACEBOOK BY CLICKING ON THE FACEBOOK FAN PAGE BADGE IN THE LEFT COLUMN OR BY CLICKING HERE (OFTEN FACEBOOK FANS GET ADDITIONAL BONUS ENTRIES AND FIND OUT THROUGH MY FAN PAGE--HINT, HINT!)

+1 MORE ENTRY: IN THE PROMISE OF LUMBY THE STORY REVOLVES MOSTLY AROUND THE VETERINARIAN AND THE MONKS. IF YOU HAD TO CHOOSE TO BE ONE OF THOSE FOR YOUR LIFE'S WORK, WHICH WOULD IT BE AND WHY?

GIVEAWAY ENDS AT
6 PM, EST, APRIL 25!

GOOD LUCK

BONUS!!!!

IF THERE ARE 200 OR MORE QUALIFIED
ENTRIES TO WIN THE SET, I WILL
PERSONALLY PURCHASE A SECOND
SET TO GIVE AWAY!