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The Tumble Inn
Tired of their high school teaching jobs and discouraged by their failed attempts at conceiving a child, Mark and Fran Finley decide they need a change in their lives. Abruptly, they leave their friends and family in suburban New Jersey to begin anew as innkeepers on a secluded lake in the Adirondack Mountains. There they muddle through their first season at the inn, serving barely edible dinners to guests, stranding themselves in chest-deep snowdrifts, and somehow, miraculously, amid swarms of ravenous black flies, conceiving a child, a girl they name Nat. Years later, when Mark and Fran are nearing middle age and Nat is a troubled teenager, Mark's life is ripped apart, forever changed, and he must choose between returning to his old home in New Jersey or trying to rebuild what is left of his life and family in the place of his greatest joy anddeepest sorrow.
The Tumble Inn is a moving drama about home and about the fragility and resilience of love.
The Tumble Inn is a moving drama about home and about the fragility and resilience of love.
- GenresFiction
176 pages, Paperback
First published September 11, 2014
3 people are currently reading
688 people want to read
About the author
William Loizeaux
9 books9 followersWilliam (Bill) Loizeaux’s third middle-grade children’s novel Into the Wind is forthcoming in March, 2021. Inspired by a feisty aunt who loved painting and sailing, the book is about an unlikely friendship between a ten-year-old boy and an elderly woman.
Bill is an award-winning author of books for children and adults, as well as stories and essays. His children’s novel Wings received the 2006 ASPCA Henry Bergh Award and was the 2006 Golden Kite Honor Book for Fiction. His memoir Anna: A Daughter’s Life was a New York Times Notable Book, and his novel The Tumble Inn was the grand prize winner at the 2015 New York Book Festival. He has been writer-in-residence at Johns Hopkins and Boston University. He lives with his wife in Washington DC.
Bill is an award-winning author of books for children and adults, as well as stories and essays. His children’s novel Wings received the 2006 ASPCA Henry Bergh Award and was the 2006 Golden Kite Honor Book for Fiction. His memoir Anna: A Daughter’s Life was a New York Times Notable Book, and his novel The Tumble Inn was the grand prize winner at the 2015 New York Book Festival. He has been writer-in-residence at Johns Hopkins and Boston University. He lives with his wife in Washington DC.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
September 24, 2014
Mark and Fran Finley are 30-something New Jersey school teachers who are ready for a change of pace. Giving their teaching jobs the old heave-ho, they head for the Adirondack Mountains where they hire on to manage and maintain an old-fashioned inn. Housing bird watchers, leaf peepers, and other various and sundry clientele, struggling with everything from moving piles of snow to plumbing repairs, Mark and Fran slowly learn the ins and outs of innkeeping. Although Mark has never been particularly handy, he can learn by doing and that is what happens in this pleasant, low-key, slice of life story. Dealing with broken things and fixing them. As it turns out, that can include people, too.
This was a first-reads giveaway, thank you. A nice story, but a little on the tame side for me.
This was a first-reads giveaway, thank you. A nice story, but a little on the tame side for me.
September 9, 2014
I received a copy of this book for an honest review
Two things before we start:
1.) I live about an hour north of Syracuse University who published this book. SU is a great school and I go there for lots of basketball games.
2.) The Adirondack Mountains are about an hour north of where I live and we have a camp up there. Star Lake, if you must know. This book takes place in the Adirondack Mountains
I took those two things into account before entering to win an ARC of this book. I am familiar with the Adirondacks and had faith that SU would publish only the best. I not only wanted to like this book, I thought that I would.
The first person narration is my least favorite POV. I almost never like the narrator and I didn’t like him in this one. To be honest, his name is said maybe twice in the entire book so I don’t even know what it is. Maybe Mark? I can’t remember.
He seems to mention how thin his wife is every time I turn around though. Her slender arms, her narrow face, how hard her pregnancy was because she was so thin, how even after her pregnancy and with her age she remained thin. Great, so you’re fascinated with thin women. Read ya loud and clear. (Look, I don’t have an issue with her being thin, or him appreciating her great figure. I have an issue with it constantly being brought up- with how important it seemed that that point be made.)
I also hated the way the narrator described his daughter. It seemed weird and unnatural. I don’t know if it was the verbiage being used or just the overall impression of his relationship with her, but it gave me a weird feeling.
The first part of this book was brutal to get through. It wasn’t the story, it was the words. I was tripping over them. I couldn’t get over how overly descriptive it was. I am a huge Stephen King fan and there are many people who say he is too descriptive- well, I tell ya what, read the first 30 pages of this book and tell me how you feel after that. It felt like the writer was writing how he thought a writer should write rather than developing his own style. It was like at a certain point the story took over and he just wrote- which is how it should be done. It went really well for a while and then would slip back into the wordiness and I would be taken out of the story.
I realize this is an unedited edition so my rating is based mostly on the story being told. Some of it is based on the writing itself though- it has to be. I really wasn’t wowed by the story. It lacked something; I’m just not quite sure what. I think it would have been better told from a different POV and if the writer had known what he was going for. It lacked direction. I felt as the book was on the verge of hitting some major nerves, but then it would taper off and be ruined with a bad line.
Overall I think the story needed to be developed more and the words needed to be edited down. I would most likely recommend this to someone who is a writer so that they could take tips on what not to do. I know that sounds harsh, but honestly, I wanted to take a red pen through a solid 65% of this book. I confess myself disappointed. Better luck next time, Mr. Loizeaux.
Two things before we start:
1.) I live about an hour north of Syracuse University who published this book. SU is a great school and I go there for lots of basketball games.
2.) The Adirondack Mountains are about an hour north of where I live and we have a camp up there. Star Lake, if you must know. This book takes place in the Adirondack Mountains
I took those two things into account before entering to win an ARC of this book. I am familiar with the Adirondacks and had faith that SU would publish only the best. I not only wanted to like this book, I thought that I would.
The first person narration is my least favorite POV. I almost never like the narrator and I didn’t like him in this one. To be honest, his name is said maybe twice in the entire book so I don’t even know what it is. Maybe Mark? I can’t remember.
He seems to mention how thin his wife is every time I turn around though. Her slender arms, her narrow face, how hard her pregnancy was because she was so thin, how even after her pregnancy and with her age she remained thin. Great, so you’re fascinated with thin women. Read ya loud and clear. (Look, I don’t have an issue with her being thin, or him appreciating her great figure. I have an issue with it constantly being brought up- with how important it seemed that that point be made.)
I also hated the way the narrator described his daughter. It seemed weird and unnatural. I don’t know if it was the verbiage being used or just the overall impression of his relationship with her, but it gave me a weird feeling.
The first part of this book was brutal to get through. It wasn’t the story, it was the words. I was tripping over them. I couldn’t get over how overly descriptive it was. I am a huge Stephen King fan and there are many people who say he is too descriptive- well, I tell ya what, read the first 30 pages of this book and tell me how you feel after that. It felt like the writer was writing how he thought a writer should write rather than developing his own style. It was like at a certain point the story took over and he just wrote- which is how it should be done. It went really well for a while and then would slip back into the wordiness and I would be taken out of the story.
I realize this is an unedited edition so my rating is based mostly on the story being told. Some of it is based on the writing itself though- it has to be. I really wasn’t wowed by the story. It lacked something; I’m just not quite sure what. I think it would have been better told from a different POV and if the writer had known what he was going for. It lacked direction. I felt as the book was on the verge of hitting some major nerves, but then it would taper off and be ruined with a bad line.
Overall I think the story needed to be developed more and the words needed to be edited down. I would most likely recommend this to someone who is a writer so that they could take tips on what not to do. I know that sounds harsh, but honestly, I wanted to take a red pen through a solid 65% of this book. I confess myself disappointed. Better luck next time, Mr. Loizeaux.
August 17, 2014
I won The Tumble Inn in a Goodreads Giveway. I entered the giveway because the setting in the book is The Adirondack Mountains which are not far from where I live.
The Finley's are a couple from New Jersey who were fed up with their crappy teaching jobs and their less than stellar apartment. On a whim, Fran answers an ad that is looking for a couple who wanted to be inn keepers in The Adirondack Mountains located in New York. Mark and Fran drive up thinking that getting the job is extremely unlikely, however in the middle of the interview Mark saves one of the men who owns the inn from choking on a grape and wind up getting the job as inn keepers. Mark and Fran, not exactly inn keepers, learn the ups and downs of keeping a place like this a float.
During their first year Fran winds up pregnant and gives birth one frigid February day in the middle of an ice storm under the table in the kitchen. The story continues on for the next 17 years of Fran and Mark working at the inn with their daughter, Natalie.
You get to read about their trials and tribulations that the family goes through while trying to etch out a life deep in the Adirondack Mountains. I was able to really get into the story and feel for the characters. I was in tears at one point and was sure that the incident that occurs was going to tear the family apart forever.
The Finley's are a couple from New Jersey who were fed up with their crappy teaching jobs and their less than stellar apartment. On a whim, Fran answers an ad that is looking for a couple who wanted to be inn keepers in The Adirondack Mountains located in New York. Mark and Fran drive up thinking that getting the job is extremely unlikely, however in the middle of the interview Mark saves one of the men who owns the inn from choking on a grape and wind up getting the job as inn keepers. Mark and Fran, not exactly inn keepers, learn the ups and downs of keeping a place like this a float.
During their first year Fran winds up pregnant and gives birth one frigid February day in the middle of an ice storm under the table in the kitchen. The story continues on for the next 17 years of Fran and Mark working at the inn with their daughter, Natalie.
You get to read about their trials and tribulations that the family goes through while trying to etch out a life deep in the Adirondack Mountains. I was able to really get into the story and feel for the characters. I was in tears at one point and was sure that the incident that occurs was going to tear the family apart forever.
August 5, 2014
Ok where do I begin with the book, have to say not my favorite book. The storyline was ok, I felt instead of reading a fiction book, I felt like I was reading a poorly written diary or journal, with so much detail it seemed to me a book on details more then a story. I kept waiting for a part to say "and then" "and than". The book did deal with tough things like them having a hard time getting pregnant, a job they don't like, telling a fib to try to get another job. But over all it just felt that it was a journal being written.
I was given a copy of this book for my honest review from netgalley
I was given a copy of this book for my honest review from netgalley
January 5, 2015
This book has some raw emotion in it that will have the reader feeling the pain of the characters. The story was subtle and sweet initially then it veered into an unexpected and very emotionally-charged segment. It was very well-written and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
I received an e-copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an e-copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
August 9, 2019
My husband and I picked this book out while on vacation in the Adirondacks in the same area where the setting of this fictional book takes place. That made it even more interesting to us. The author kept you intrigued throughout the book with not knowing what was going to happen next. I hope this author continues to write more novels as he has superb creative writing skills in my and my husbands opinions.
September 4, 2021
This is a very well written and capturing story. I gave it only 3 stars because of how the story left me feeling…but perhaps that is a testament to how well the story is written.
November 18, 2014
I received this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.
The Tumble Inn follows the life of Mark and Fran Finley, two high school teachers from New Jersey.
Mark and Fran feel they've become stuck in their teaching jobs but don't quite know what to do about how they're feeling.
They'd been trying to conceive a child for five years with no success.
Their lives are not what they envisioned.
Fran replies to an ad in the newspaper for an innkeepers position in the Adirondack Mountains. She embellishes quite a bit about her and Mark's qualifications. Mark isn't as fascinated as Fran is about the possibility of this new vocation, especially because he knows they don't have the experience the innkeepers job entails. When Fran receives a call that the Board of Directors of The Tumble Inn
want to meet with them, they head up North and so begins the journey of a new adventure for the Finleys.
Although they don't have the experience, they learn through trial and error about the operations of running the inn. They become proficient innkeepers and continue operating the inn for the next twenty years.
There are many ups and downs, new experiences, life-changing and tragic happenings throughout the book.
This heartwarming story is an encouragment to those looking to make a lifestyle change and to gain the courage to try something outside their comfort zone.
The Tumble Inn follows the life of Mark and Fran Finley, two high school teachers from New Jersey.
Mark and Fran feel they've become stuck in their teaching jobs but don't quite know what to do about how they're feeling.
They'd been trying to conceive a child for five years with no success.
Their lives are not what they envisioned.
Fran replies to an ad in the newspaper for an innkeepers position in the Adirondack Mountains. She embellishes quite a bit about her and Mark's qualifications. Mark isn't as fascinated as Fran is about the possibility of this new vocation, especially because he knows they don't have the experience the innkeepers job entails. When Fran receives a call that the Board of Directors of The Tumble Inn
want to meet with them, they head up North and so begins the journey of a new adventure for the Finleys.
Although they don't have the experience, they learn through trial and error about the operations of running the inn. They become proficient innkeepers and continue operating the inn for the next twenty years.
There are many ups and downs, new experiences, life-changing and tragic happenings throughout the book.
This heartwarming story is an encouragment to those looking to make a lifestyle change and to gain the courage to try something outside their comfort zone.
December 8, 2014
**I was able to get a copy of this book through a first reads giveaway**
This book didn't grab me right away in the beginning. The second half definitely got me and I wanted to read through it. The book took a turn I wasn't expecting at all. I thought the book was about a struggling marriage and a couple trying to renew their relationship and try to have a baby. It turned into something much more than that and I can't say anything more without spoiling the book.
I liked the author's way of writing. It was very descriptive without being boring and some of the descriptions were beautiful, I felt like I was in the Adirondacks. This was a short read at only 166 pages, however the proofed finished version may end up being longer.
This book didn't grab me right away in the beginning. The second half definitely got me and I wanted to read through it. The book took a turn I wasn't expecting at all. I thought the book was about a struggling marriage and a couple trying to renew their relationship and try to have a baby. It turned into something much more than that and I can't say anything more without spoiling the book.
I liked the author's way of writing. It was very descriptive without being boring and some of the descriptions were beautiful, I felt like I was in the Adirondacks. This was a short read at only 166 pages, however the proofed finished version may end up being longer.
August 10, 2014
I received this title as an ARC through Net Galley. It was a sweet and quick read that examines the "what if" of spontaneously venturing into something completely unknown and then living and dealing with heartbreak. I enjoyed this book and think it is just the right length for the type of story it tells.
September 12, 2014
I won this book. Thank you. Enjoyed Frans character as she was willing to take a chance on something different. She and Mark were great companions and the fact that the choice they made to change careers ultimately changed the course in life. Don't put off until tomorrow what you can enjoy today. Good easy read.
September 15, 2014
Very good book.I really enjoyed it.
March 29, 2025
Wow, talk about mixed book reviews, this is definitely one! It started out so slow, I gave up on it on twice. But I am glad that I finally returned to finish it. In the first 2/3 of the book the story just covers Mark and Fran quitting their NJ school teacher jobs and rather abruptly moving away from friends and family and security. They take the jobs of being caretakers and hosts of a small inn in the NY Adirondack Mountains, even though they have no experience doing anything required of them. Slowly, very slowly, they learn to fix broken things and to keep the inn running smoothly enough. And more importantly to them, they finally conceive a very wanted child, Natalie.
The writing style was very interesting to me. (One reviewer complained that it was like reading someone's journal.) There was a lot of reading about nature and the changing seasons and very specific outdoor details. I kind of liked that.
Finally in the last third of the book something actually happens, and that incident changes everything. It was very emotional and has stayed with me, so that is why I upped my rating of this book from 2 to 4 stars. It became a story that changed from dealing with a decrepit falling apart inn to a story about what it means to be a family. And to not only fixing things, but also fixing broken people, as one reviewer said. Maybe give this one a try.
The writing style was very interesting to me. (One reviewer complained that it was like reading someone's journal.) There was a lot of reading about nature and the changing seasons and very specific outdoor details. I kind of liked that.
Finally in the last third of the book something actually happens, and that incident changes everything. It was very emotional and has stayed with me, so that is why I upped my rating of this book from 2 to 4 stars. It became a story that changed from dealing with a decrepit falling apart inn to a story about what it means to be a family. And to not only fixing things, but also fixing broken people, as one reviewer said. Maybe give this one a try.
June 25, 2020
A bit different - enjoyable read but don't be fooled by the gentle start - it has its darker moments!
June 18, 2024
This book brought me to tears.
August 16, 2015
Synopsis:
Tired of their high school teaching jobs and discouraged by their failed attempts at conceiving a child, Mark and Fran Finley decide they need a change in their lives. Abruptly, they leave their friends and family in suburban New Jersey to begin anew as innkeepers on a secluded lake in the Adirondack Mountains. There they muddle through their first season at the inn, serving barely edible dinners to guests, stranding themselves in chest-deep snowdrifts, and somehow, miraculously, amid swarms of ravenous black flies, conceiving a child, a girl they name Nat. Years later, when Mark and Fran are nearing middle age and Nat is a troubled teenager, Mark's life is ripped apart, forever changed, and he must choose between returning to his old home in New Jersey or trying to rebuild what is left of his life and family in the place of his greatest joy and deepest sorrow.
The Tumble Inn is a moving drama about home and about the fragility and resilience of love. (Goodreads)
Review:
Mark and Fran Finley have had enough of their teaching jobs and the direction their lives are taking. They have been trying to have a child with no luck and they realize something needs to change. With all the stress and unhappiness they are experiencing, their marriage is beginning to struggle. When Fran sees an ad for innkeepers in the Adirondack Mountains, she replies to that ad and they set out on the journey of their lives. Although they have no prior knowledge of being innkeepers they land the position and find themselves struggling with their new jobs. This book is an account of the many ups and downs they experience in their new lives.
The characters are well developed and realistic. They have good qualities and they also had negative traits, but don’t we all. I enjoyed reading about their relationship and the struggles they had through the years.
This book was humorous and heart wrenching and everything in between. Reading about their struggles with running the inn, especially during the first year, had me smiling. Reading about their struggles to conceive a child made me very sad. I enjoyed having that roller coaster of emotions while reading the story.
The writing style flowed smoothly and the book was an easy read. The author is very descriptive in his writing style and a lot of the time I felt like I was right there, seeing the action for myself. But I also felt that, at times, there was too much description and I found myself skimming pages. This is only my opinion and other readers may feel like there was the perfect amount of description given.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading contemporary fiction. If you enjoy a book that takes you on a wide emotional journey, then you should read this book.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and Syracuse University Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Tired of their high school teaching jobs and discouraged by their failed attempts at conceiving a child, Mark and Fran Finley decide they need a change in their lives. Abruptly, they leave their friends and family in suburban New Jersey to begin anew as innkeepers on a secluded lake in the Adirondack Mountains. There they muddle through their first season at the inn, serving barely edible dinners to guests, stranding themselves in chest-deep snowdrifts, and somehow, miraculously, amid swarms of ravenous black flies, conceiving a child, a girl they name Nat. Years later, when Mark and Fran are nearing middle age and Nat is a troubled teenager, Mark's life is ripped apart, forever changed, and he must choose between returning to his old home in New Jersey or trying to rebuild what is left of his life and family in the place of his greatest joy and deepest sorrow.
The Tumble Inn is a moving drama about home and about the fragility and resilience of love. (Goodreads)
Review:
Mark and Fran Finley have had enough of their teaching jobs and the direction their lives are taking. They have been trying to have a child with no luck and they realize something needs to change. With all the stress and unhappiness they are experiencing, their marriage is beginning to struggle. When Fran sees an ad for innkeepers in the Adirondack Mountains, she replies to that ad and they set out on the journey of their lives. Although they have no prior knowledge of being innkeepers they land the position and find themselves struggling with their new jobs. This book is an account of the many ups and downs they experience in their new lives.
The characters are well developed and realistic. They have good qualities and they also had negative traits, but don’t we all. I enjoyed reading about their relationship and the struggles they had through the years.
This book was humorous and heart wrenching and everything in between. Reading about their struggles with running the inn, especially during the first year, had me smiling. Reading about their struggles to conceive a child made me very sad. I enjoyed having that roller coaster of emotions while reading the story.
The writing style flowed smoothly and the book was an easy read. The author is very descriptive in his writing style and a lot of the time I felt like I was right there, seeing the action for myself. But I also felt that, at times, there was too much description and I found myself skimming pages. This is only my opinion and other readers may feel like there was the perfect amount of description given.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading contemporary fiction. If you enjoy a book that takes you on a wide emotional journey, then you should read this book.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and Syracuse University Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
August 30, 2014
The Tumble Inn by William Loizeaux is a poignant tale of love, hope, and loss. It is the first book that I have read by this author and I would pick another one of his books up because I enjoyed this one so much. The Tumble Inn is Mark and Fran’s story. I will not forget these characters because there is a special place in my heart for them.
Mark and Fran had a good life but they were tired of the hum drum of everyday life. They loved their students and most of their co-workers but something is lacking. They have been trying to have a child but they have not been successful. It has been wearing on their relationship and both of them need a change of pace. When Fran sees an ad to be the caretakers at The Tumble Inn she thinks it might be what they are looking for. She calls the number and finds out the information that they need. Mark reluctantly agrees to try for the position even though he didn’t think they would get it. Much to his surprise they are hired and move there right away. They find a rhythm after a while and they settle in. They continue to try to conceive and don’t have much luck at first. Then they conceive a daughter and their lives couldn’t be better. Many years later tragedy hits and rocks turns Mark and their daughter Nat’s lives forever. Can the two of them recover? Or will they need outside help?
The Tumble Inn was a very emotional read for me. It was well worth reading Mark and Fran’s story. I liked Fran and Mark’s characters a lot because they were a very loving couple. I can totally identify with their struggles. I was overjoyed for them when they finally conceived. I could totally identify Nat and her struggles as well. I was a bit rebellious like she was. I found the characters believable and enjoyed each of them because they were all unique and contributed to the story well. There are some things that broke my heart and some things that I wish didn’t happen but then the story wouldn’t be the same. I would recommend The Tumble Inn to anyone who enjoys contemporary stories with some romance weaved into the pages.
Mark and Fran had a good life but they were tired of the hum drum of everyday life. They loved their students and most of their co-workers but something is lacking. They have been trying to have a child but they have not been successful. It has been wearing on their relationship and both of them need a change of pace. When Fran sees an ad to be the caretakers at The Tumble Inn she thinks it might be what they are looking for. She calls the number and finds out the information that they need. Mark reluctantly agrees to try for the position even though he didn’t think they would get it. Much to his surprise they are hired and move there right away. They find a rhythm after a while and they settle in. They continue to try to conceive and don’t have much luck at first. Then they conceive a daughter and their lives couldn’t be better. Many years later tragedy hits and rocks turns Mark and their daughter Nat’s lives forever. Can the two of them recover? Or will they need outside help?
The Tumble Inn was a very emotional read for me. It was well worth reading Mark and Fran’s story. I liked Fran and Mark’s characters a lot because they were a very loving couple. I can totally identify with their struggles. I was overjoyed for them when they finally conceived. I could totally identify Nat and her struggles as well. I was a bit rebellious like she was. I found the characters believable and enjoyed each of them because they were all unique and contributed to the story well. There are some things that broke my heart and some things that I wish didn’t happen but then the story wouldn’t be the same. I would recommend The Tumble Inn to anyone who enjoys contemporary stories with some romance weaved into the pages.
August 21, 2014
Originally posted at: A Girl that Likes Books
I asked and received this book through NetGalley for free. This review is not sponsored nor influenced in anyway. The book is expected to be published on September 15, 2014
First Impressions
This was the first Galley I ever got from NetGalley. It took me a bit to start it since I had several books from the library in queue and then some of the Galleys I asked for had earlier publication dates. So I finally got to it this week and I am glad I finally got to it. While it wasn't the type of book I usually go for it was a pleasant, light read with a bit of drama.
Final thoughts
This is a sweet story about how life can change. Is the story of the Finley's a couple of high school teachers that decide to give this up and become innkeepers in the Adirondack Mountains. Over there, they finally become parents, something that had been elusive for them before. Years go by and at the same time that they are dealing with their baby daughter Nathalie becoming a teenager, tragedy strikes and Mark has to learn, once again, how to deal with change.
The book is described as a drama, and it certainly has its fair share of sad moments. It is very descriptive of what life can be, including routines. However sometimes it felt, to me anyway, to descriptive in a way that it didn't give more to the story. One thing that I liked very much is that it felt like the person was sitting next to me, telling me his story, rambling a bit sometimes even. But when the rambling goes on for too long, it disconnects you from the whole story.
I have to say I thought the conclusion of the story felt a bit bland...in general I would compare it to a Hallmark movie, you know it is going to be sad, there will be a lesson to be learned but if you tune out for a while and come back to it is not a big deal. It is definitely not a book for me to fall in love with, but I know people who would enjoy it.
I asked and received this book through NetGalley for free. This review is not sponsored nor influenced in anyway. The book is expected to be published on September 15, 2014
First Impressions
This was the first Galley I ever got from NetGalley. It took me a bit to start it since I had several books from the library in queue and then some of the Galleys I asked for had earlier publication dates. So I finally got to it this week and I am glad I finally got to it. While it wasn't the type of book I usually go for it was a pleasant, light read with a bit of drama.
Final thoughts
This is a sweet story about how life can change. Is the story of the Finley's a couple of high school teachers that decide to give this up and become innkeepers in the Adirondack Mountains. Over there, they finally become parents, something that had been elusive for them before. Years go by and at the same time that they are dealing with their baby daughter Nathalie becoming a teenager, tragedy strikes and Mark has to learn, once again, how to deal with change.
The book is described as a drama, and it certainly has its fair share of sad moments. It is very descriptive of what life can be, including routines. However sometimes it felt, to me anyway, to descriptive in a way that it didn't give more to the story. One thing that I liked very much is that it felt like the person was sitting next to me, telling me his story, rambling a bit sometimes even. But when the rambling goes on for too long, it disconnects you from the whole story.
I have to say I thought the conclusion of the story felt a bit bland...in general I would compare it to a Hallmark movie, you know it is going to be sad, there will be a lesson to be learned but if you tune out for a while and come back to it is not a big deal. It is definitely not a book for me to fall in love with, but I know people who would enjoy it.
November 16, 2014
Originally reviewed at Novel Escapes
The Tumble Inn’s cover grabbed me and drew me in but unfortunately it had to sit there on my book shelf for a month or so before I was finally able to read it. The story (though sometimes slowly paced) drew me in immediately, as the cover had done.
I’ve read a few reviews that were frustrated about the pace of the novel and although I agree that it perhaps had a bit too much description and not a huge amount of “action” I found it fitting for the location and pace of life I would expect from a seasonal destination point. The main characters Mark and Fran were often struggling with new situations and the first person narrative from the perspective of Mark made the novel reflective at times, but I found his thoughts on their lives interesting nonetheless. He seemed lost and out of his depth not only with the inn but also later with their daughter, this made him endearing to me and I noticed his feeling towards his wife and child much more than if we had had the story told from another point of view. It would have been an entirely different novel with another’s angle but for me, less authentic. I did occasionally wish though that we had more time exploring their roles as innkeepers with the visitors and not just the endless jobs required of keeping the place upright during the winter months. I think we could have gleaned more insight into Mark and Fran’s personalities through interactions with other people and with less description of the surroundings and weather.
The dramatic events towards the end of the story were difficult but William Loizeaux made me believe that Mark’s feelings were genuinely honest. I could imagine many men experiencing the same sense of bewilderment and confusion when facing the new lives they had to lead together. My lingering feeling of The Tumble Inn a few weeks on is still positive and I enjoyed the novel.
Thank you to Syracuse University Press for our review copy. All opinions are our own.
The Tumble Inn’s cover grabbed me and drew me in but unfortunately it had to sit there on my book shelf for a month or so before I was finally able to read it. The story (though sometimes slowly paced) drew me in immediately, as the cover had done.
I’ve read a few reviews that were frustrated about the pace of the novel and although I agree that it perhaps had a bit too much description and not a huge amount of “action” I found it fitting for the location and pace of life I would expect from a seasonal destination point. The main characters Mark and Fran were often struggling with new situations and the first person narrative from the perspective of Mark made the novel reflective at times, but I found his thoughts on their lives interesting nonetheless. He seemed lost and out of his depth not only with the inn but also later with their daughter, this made him endearing to me and I noticed his feeling towards his wife and child much more than if we had had the story told from another point of view. It would have been an entirely different novel with another’s angle but for me, less authentic. I did occasionally wish though that we had more time exploring their roles as innkeepers with the visitors and not just the endless jobs required of keeping the place upright during the winter months. I think we could have gleaned more insight into Mark and Fran’s personalities through interactions with other people and with less description of the surroundings and weather.
The dramatic events towards the end of the story were difficult but William Loizeaux made me believe that Mark’s feelings were genuinely honest. I could imagine many men experiencing the same sense of bewilderment and confusion when facing the new lives they had to lead together. My lingering feeling of The Tumble Inn a few weeks on is still positive and I enjoyed the novel.
Thank you to Syracuse University Press for our review copy. All opinions are our own.
September 18, 2014
Tumble Inn reads much like a journal but in reality is a story of a life journey. The story is told by husband, Mark, who is married to Fran. The couple are going through the motions of responsible adults who teach school but feel that something is missing. Seeing an advertisement for innkeepers at a lake many miles away, Fran fudges a bit on a resume for them and they find themselves thrown into a lifestyle that is both overwhelming and a bit out of their league. The couple, before and after landing the job, experience great disappointments as month after month finds Fran without child. Suffice it to say that a child does eventually come their way, but it seemed that much of the child's life was skipped over and ignored. The book is a short 166 pages, but had the author given the same attention to the child as he did to the parents, it could have been a 366 page book with a better understanding of the family's relationship. In less than 5 pages she went from a baby to a teenager. I know the story was about taking risks, stepping outside of your comfort zone, finding strength within, overcoming adversities and finding what makes a home, but the story seemed a bit rushed at times.
I felt the author did a beautiful job of painting the serene, tranquil feel of the lakeside lodge in his descriptive style of writing. I am a reader who likes visuals and this author supplied that and more. I loved the openness this couple had and the courage it must take to make such a leap of faith in changing the direction of your life. The fact that the author did not make it an easy transition for the couple, made it all the more realistic. After reading this I'm not sure that I am willing to give up my career to run a lakeside lodge (or follow some other out-of-character whim), but the peaceful setting and friendly atmosphere described on the pages between this book's cover, sure makes me want to make a weekend reservation.
I felt the author did a beautiful job of painting the serene, tranquil feel of the lakeside lodge in his descriptive style of writing. I am a reader who likes visuals and this author supplied that and more. I loved the openness this couple had and the courage it must take to make such a leap of faith in changing the direction of your life. The fact that the author did not make it an easy transition for the couple, made it all the more realistic. After reading this I'm not sure that I am willing to give up my career to run a lakeside lodge (or follow some other out-of-character whim), but the peaceful setting and friendly atmosphere described on the pages between this book's cover, sure makes me want to make a weekend reservation.
October 27, 2014
I'd like to thank Syracuse University Press for the ARC via NetGalley.
To what extent can we gather our lives' strings into our own hands and pave our own way to happiness? How do we cope with the countless what ifs that crop up with every step we take? Is absence magnetic?
This is a great read detailing the consequences of a couple's life-changing decision to sever their ties with everything they'd been used to and set out into the unknown. It's richly descriptive, warm, and moving; a study in humanity that maps out the journey of the characters with all the highs and lows on their way. The excitement of an enterprise offering a brand new start, the idyll of family coziness away from the pitfalls (and perks) of urban existence until something happens that calls into question that one decision made years ago...
The book's greatest strength lies in the emotional landscapes and depths explored. The choice of narrative point of view is rather sly - as a narrator, Mark allows us a solid glimpse into the psychology of the other characters, even though it's through his perspective - we get so much material on them, that it's easy to fail to appreciate Mark as a character, because he somehow fades into the background next to headstrong Fran and the interest that the reader takes in Nat, as a new player on the stage.
As to the writing itself, it seems neat, controlled, and practiced, so I could detect the craft of a professional writer without any background reading.
The passages that gently encourage an analogy between the litany of things that need fixing in the inn and the way his inner world starts to crumble.
All in all, a wondrously evocative novel that may leave the impression little is going on at first, until you delve beneath the surface.
To what extent can we gather our lives' strings into our own hands and pave our own way to happiness? How do we cope with the countless what ifs that crop up with every step we take? Is absence magnetic?
This is a great read detailing the consequences of a couple's life-changing decision to sever their ties with everything they'd been used to and set out into the unknown. It's richly descriptive, warm, and moving; a study in humanity that maps out the journey of the characters with all the highs and lows on their way. The excitement of an enterprise offering a brand new start, the idyll of family coziness away from the pitfalls (and perks) of urban existence until something happens that calls into question that one decision made years ago...
The book's greatest strength lies in the emotional landscapes and depths explored. The choice of narrative point of view is rather sly - as a narrator, Mark allows us a solid glimpse into the psychology of the other characters, even though it's through his perspective - we get so much material on them, that it's easy to fail to appreciate Mark as a character, because he somehow fades into the background next to headstrong Fran and the interest that the reader takes in Nat, as a new player on the stage.
As to the writing itself, it seems neat, controlled, and practiced, so I could detect the craft of a professional writer without any background reading.
The passages that gently encourage an analogy between the litany of things that need fixing in the inn and the way his inner world starts to crumble.
All in all, a wondrously evocative novel that may leave the impression little is going on at first, until you delve beneath the surface.
August 29, 2014
**I received a copy of this book from Goodreads First Reads in exchange for an honest review.**
Tired of their high school teaching jobs and discouraged by their failed attempts at conceiving a child, Mark and Fran Finley decide they need a change in their lives. Abruptly, they leave their friends and family in suburban New Jersey to begin anew as innkeepers on a secluded lake in the Adirondack Mountains. There they muddle through their first season at the inn, serving barely edible dinners to guests, stranding themselves in chest-deep snowdrifts, and somehow, miraculously, amid swarms of ravenous black flies, conceiving a child, a girl they name Nat. Years later, when Mark and Fran are nearing middle age and Nat is a troubled teenager, Mark's life is ripped apart, forever changed, and he must choose between returning to his old home in New Jersey or trying to rebuild what is left of his life and family in the place of his greatest joy and deepest sorrow.
I enjoyed the story the writer told, although not necessarily the way he told it. I would have preferred less description of the environment, and more stories about the family and their life. It seemed there were years which were completely skipped over, years where I am sure there could have been events to discuss.
Over all, a very realistic look at a family and the ups and downs of life.
Tired of their high school teaching jobs and discouraged by their failed attempts at conceiving a child, Mark and Fran Finley decide they need a change in their lives. Abruptly, they leave their friends and family in suburban New Jersey to begin anew as innkeepers on a secluded lake in the Adirondack Mountains. There they muddle through their first season at the inn, serving barely edible dinners to guests, stranding themselves in chest-deep snowdrifts, and somehow, miraculously, amid swarms of ravenous black flies, conceiving a child, a girl they name Nat. Years later, when Mark and Fran are nearing middle age and Nat is a troubled teenager, Mark's life is ripped apart, forever changed, and he must choose between returning to his old home in New Jersey or trying to rebuild what is left of his life and family in the place of his greatest joy and deepest sorrow.
I enjoyed the story the writer told, although not necessarily the way he told it. I would have preferred less description of the environment, and more stories about the family and their life. It seemed there were years which were completely skipped over, years where I am sure there could have been events to discuss.
Over all, a very realistic look at a family and the ups and downs of life.
November 1, 2014
I received this book via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
I have to say that I didn't expect much when I first began... It didn't grab me at all. I'm happy to say that my opinion changed completely by the end of the book. This is a well-written book.. Lovingly written, I'd say. Having grown up in Syracuse, NY, and having spent countless weekends camping in the Adirondacks or visiting family in the "north country", I can also attest to the fact that the author got it exactly right~His characterization of the place, the people, is spot on! And last but not least, it is just a lovely story. This is a trivial matter, but I wish the cover were different, more colorful, less sepia, less obvious.... An atmospheric shot of the lake and woods, maybe? The cover (which we should not, of course, judge a book by), did, in fact, make me expect a less than high quality read. Lesson learned, because boy was I wrong.
Simply put, this is a beautifully told story, set in the most beautiful place in the world. This isn't a book that screams for attention. It's a beautiful, quiet, human story. You should get a copy, curl up on the sofa while winter heads this way, and just enjoy the unfurling of the lives of the good people who live between the cover of this book.
I have to say that I didn't expect much when I first began... It didn't grab me at all. I'm happy to say that my opinion changed completely by the end of the book. This is a well-written book.. Lovingly written, I'd say. Having grown up in Syracuse, NY, and having spent countless weekends camping in the Adirondacks or visiting family in the "north country", I can also attest to the fact that the author got it exactly right~His characterization of the place, the people, is spot on! And last but not least, it is just a lovely story. This is a trivial matter, but I wish the cover were different, more colorful, less sepia, less obvious.... An atmospheric shot of the lake and woods, maybe? The cover (which we should not, of course, judge a book by), did, in fact, make me expect a less than high quality read. Lesson learned, because boy was I wrong.
Simply put, this is a beautifully told story, set in the most beautiful place in the world. This isn't a book that screams for attention. It's a beautiful, quiet, human story. You should get a copy, curl up on the sofa while winter heads this way, and just enjoy the unfurling of the lives of the good people who live between the cover of this book.
December 3, 2014
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. William Loizeaux's The Tumble Inn is a touching story that is told in a warm and sensitive style. I didn't know what to expect when I started reading this book. We are introduced to Mark and Fran Finley who are teachers in New Jersey. Abruptly, they decide to leave their jobs to become innkeepers in the Adirondack Mountains. Mark narrates the story as we join him on his journey into a new beginning. The reader gets a sense that this is not an ordinary story, but in the early pages, there is no hint of the future. We simply enjoy the easy style and soft spoken text. But life is not perfect and neither are people, so things happen as they do to all families. Loizeaux's characters are realistic and I felt as though I were living their ups and downs with them. To say more would give away too much, so I will just say that I urge you to read this if you can.
July 6, 2014
When Fran sent a letter of application for a job as the innkeepers of the Tumble Inn in the Adirondacks, she had no idea that she and her husband, Mark, were embarking on an adventure of a lifetime. They were both high school teachers in NJ and tired of their jobs. They had also been trying to start a family with no luck for over 5 years. So the prospect of running an inn seemed like a good move to Fran. Mark was not as enthusiastic about the job but did take the job when it was offered by the board of directors. For the next 20 years they lived and worked in the mountains and learned to love the area. In that time they experienced many changes, some wonderful and some tragic.
This is a memorable story that may encourage others to change their lifestyles and try something they have never done before.
This is a memorable story that may encourage others to change their lifestyles and try something they have never done before.
November 18, 2014
I admit it- I chose this book TOTALLY based on the cover. Look at it- so peaceful, adirondack chair right on the lake, a little sepia tone. The summary intrigued me too- pretty much turning in your boring life to do something so different and challenging- so exciting. I loved journeying through the first few years at the Tumble Inn with Mark and Fran. This was the fasted and lightest part of the book. When their child, Nat, becomes a teenager, the story slows down and becomes a little deeper. Then tragedy strikes this small family and the pain and sadness seeps through to the reader. I finished this book quickly, as the story moves fast at first, and the writing is very smooth. Though not exactly what I was expecting- something a little lighter, like an early Tom Hanks movie?-I would definitely recommend this.
December 30, 2014
I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway. The cover stated, "Advanced Proof[;] Uncorrected".I gave this book three stars because of the author's ability to described landscapes, light play, seasonal changes, etc. However, he did not tell me what makes the Adirondacks special. I live in another "mountain state" and never feel really at home unless surrounded by big rolling hills and mountains. Our mountains in WV are special. I wanted to know the Adirondacks' special magic and what makes them different from the mountains I live in. Worse, however, was the author's inability to make me care for the characters. So much could have been done in character development, especially the guests and the folks who live year round near the Tumble Inn. Because I frankly didn't come to know the characters, the emotions described left me feeling cold and unmoved.
October 14, 2014
I received this book as a freebie in exchange for my honest review. This was a sweet book about a couple, Mark and Fran, and their choices and adventures in the Adirondack mountains as inn keepers. The main characters were well developed and I really felt I knew them. I felt I didn't know the other main character, Nat, as much since not much time was give to developing her, her whole childhood happened in two pages. The majority about her was as a sullen teenager.
Sometimes the descriptions of the environment was a little wordy, but yet I didn't "learn" anything about the mountain flora or fauna.
The ending was appropriate and gave closure and was not rushed, my pet peeve in books, having a good story and then tying up all the loose ends in three or so pages. All in all it was a good book and fairly fast read.
Sometimes the descriptions of the environment was a little wordy, but yet I didn't "learn" anything about the mountain flora or fauna.
The ending was appropriate and gave closure and was not rushed, my pet peeve in books, having a good story and then tying up all the loose ends in three or so pages. All in all it was a good book and fairly fast read.
November 21, 2014
I received this as a Goodreads first reads book.
I was happy to win because I was immediately interested in the story of two New Jersey suburbanites who chuck it all to go become innkeepers for a B&B in the Adirondacks. But the book could do with some editing, especially in the first half. While I can understand the need for describing the beauty and remoteness of the Adirondacks, some of the sentences seemed to me like the author was trying too hard to use as many adjectives as possible. I also am not a fan of foreshadowing, which was slipped in here and there with little "had I known then..." statements in the first-person narrative. The book would be better served to edit those out and just let the reader be shocked by what unfolds later in the story.
But overall I did enjoy reading this story.
I was happy to win because I was immediately interested in the story of two New Jersey suburbanites who chuck it all to go become innkeepers for a B&B in the Adirondacks. But the book could do with some editing, especially in the first half. While I can understand the need for describing the beauty and remoteness of the Adirondacks, some of the sentences seemed to me like the author was trying too hard to use as many adjectives as possible. I also am not a fan of foreshadowing, which was slipped in here and there with little "had I known then..." statements in the first-person narrative. The book would be better served to edit those out and just let the reader be shocked by what unfolds later in the story.
But overall I did enjoy reading this story.
October 4, 2014
I won this book as part of a giveaway. This is a story about the chances a family takes and the devastating effect a death has on a family. The first half of the book was centered around the characters' choice to move to an inn and their attempts to have a family. This half was a great build up to what could have told some great stories in the second half - the trials of raising a little girl, goofy guests that stay at the inn. The second half centered around the death of one of the main characters. I felt as if this half was a lot of description, but not a lot of feeling. I couldn't feel the same ache that the characters' were written as having. This was the only criticism I had of this book - I couldn't 't fully connect with the emotions of the characters. Otherwise, great idea for a story - brave and bold characters, and the author paid a lot of attention to detail.
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