Review: Lumby on the Air by Gail Fraser

In 2007 Gail Fraser’s first novel The Lumby Lines was published and the Lumby series was born. This July, the fifth book in the Lumby series will be released. I had the pleasure of reading Lumby on the Air but hadn’t read the earlier books in the series. Gail’s website does specifically say you don’t need to read the books in order, but it’s recommended. I unfortunately had no time to read the first four books before I started Lumby on the Air, but I know now that I will happily read them at some point in the future. Lumby on the Air is delightful fun, an airy book with a family-style feel, just like Lumby itself.

Lumby on the Air centers around Mark and Pam Walker as they are about to host a family reunion in celebration of their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary and vow renewal. As Mark and Pam’s family members converge on the little mountainside town of Lumby, personalities clash and long-standing issues collide, all making for an entertaining and intriguing week in the Walker’s life.

I didn’t quite know what to expect from this book, it’s not something I would normally pick up while perusing bookshelves, but I am so glad I read Lumby on the Air. At times it does lack the finesse I like to see from good writers, but I can overlook  that for it’s better qualities. Lumby on the Air is simply a fun book, a wonderfully light read, about the quirks in every family, and the pulse of a small town set aside from corporate America; a town where neighbors are people who always come to your aid, regardless of how far away they may actually live.

Lumby on the Air was refreshing to read in the way I imagine visiting the actual town of Lumby would refresh me from city-living. It’s nice to be reminded that there can still be places where people help each other instead of living a single-minded existence where we only worry about ourselves. Most of Gail Fraser’s characters come to life on the page, and I feel like I know Pam and Mark and the people of Lumby. Small parts of the book are disconnected; Mark’s sixteen-year-old niece Jessica is somewhat unrealistic because her personality and issues are over the top, but in general, each character was well-formed and amusing. Even the town mascot Hank, a plastic-pink flamingo (well, to be honest, I didn’t get his character, but I have a feeling he’ll be in the other books).

If you’re looking for a nice summer read that you can relax with and not think too hard about, Lumby on the Air is perfect for the beach and bright weather.

4 stars

(I received an advance copy of this book for review)