Set in 19th-century England, "The Trumbles" is a historical romantic comedy about the eavesdropping adventures of a quirky family. The Trumbles have a habit of listening in on other people's conversations, which leads them to many misconceptions. When they accidentally overhear conversations not intended for them, it sets off a chain of comedic events and misunderstandings.
"The Trumbles" is a delightful blend of romance, comedy, and historical fiction, with a colorful cast of characters and plenty of surprises along the way.
Lilly began writing this book as part of National Novel-Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), and she enjoyed the process so much that she kept on going until she had a story that made sense and characters she loved. Jane Austen's life was cut too short, and in the spirit of her novels the idea for "The Trumbles" was born. Lilly even had the privilege of traveling to England several times to see the places Ms. Austen was born, spent her time, and died; on one of those trips to Bath, England, Lilly saw a tragically stooping man who inspired the character of Mr. Grey, and a ridiculously chatty woman whom Lilly was trapped riding in a van with for hours, who inspired the character of Mrs. Trumble (particularly in her hatred of riding in carriages).
In homage to her two favorite authors, the hero of the story was named Charles Austen. The inspiration for most of the characters Lilly drew from real life, giving them silly names from people she has known. The inspiration for Camden came from the street of the same name in Bath.