Hallie Reads: the shop down the lane | book review + giveaway

16 May 2025

the shop down the lane | book review + giveaway

about the book

Leslie Gould delights in this sweet and humorous Amish romance reminiscent of The Shop Around the Corner and You’ve Got Mail.

Lois Yoder has always found solace in the quiet life of Paradise, Pennsylvania, where she manages a gift shop that reflects her Amish community’s simple values. Her tranquil world is upended when Moses Lantz, a former Amishman turned Mennonite and the man who broke her heart, buys the shop with ambitious plans to transform it into a tourist hub–a move that Lois fiercely opposes.

Seeking a distraction, Lois joins a bird watchers’ circle letter under an alias. But unknown to her, Moses does the same at the urging of a friend. While their correspondence blossoms into a tender romance, the enmity between Lois and Moses in real life only intensifies. Can they overcome their animosity and embrace the love they’ve found through their letters, or will their stubborn hearts keep them apart forever?

This heartwarming Amish romance includes themes of bird watching, correspondence by letters, enemies to lovers, and family secrets for readers of Beverly Lewis, Wanda E. Brunstetter, and Shelley Shepard Gray.

publisher: bethany house

release date: may 6, 2025

review

an amish romance with you've got mail vibes!

lois yoder and moses lantz have a complicated past, so when he buys the shop she manages (and starts making changes), there's some obvious animosity and friction. still, through a mutual love of birding, they wind up as pen pals (both with aliases) and get to know one another again without any biases. but when the truth comes out, will they be able to move on from the hurt and conflict?

the shop down the lane is a sweet story—though it was frustrating to read, at times, knowing lois and moses would get along splendidly if they just talked about what happened and how they felt. of course, they both have other concerns challenging them, more to think about than rekindling an old romance, and their story, overall, progressed in a way that made sense.

lovers of amish romance are sure to love this start to leslie gould's new series, letters from lancaster county.

i received a complimentary copy from the publisher. i was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions i have expressed are my own.

considerations:
—language: none
—spice: kisses only
—faith: amish community, mentions of God
—content: controlling family member, alzheimer's disease, adoption, mentions of loss of parent, car accident, and drinking

about the author

Leslie Gould is a Christy Award-winning and #1 bestselling author of more than 48 novels, including four Lancaster County Amish series. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history and an MFA in creative writing. She enjoys church history, research trips, and hiking in the Pacific Northwest. She and her husband live in Portland, Oregon, and have four adult children and two grandchildren.

Connect with Leslie by visiting lesliegould.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email updates.

giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card and a print copy of The Shop Down the Lane!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight May 13, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 20, 2025. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

tour schedule

justread publicity tours