The Shop Down the Lane

Author: Leslie Gould
Genre: Amish Romance
Series: Letters From Lancaster County #1
Pages: 352
Release Date: May 6, 2025
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers

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?

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Reviewer: Elizabeth Eckmeyer

Leslie Gould does it again with an excellent romance! The story is engaging from beginning to end. There is added suspense and real life hardships mixed with a little mystery. 

Lois Yoder has always been a lover of birds and family. After the death of her parents, she has found the perfect job at Paradise Found selling bird items. She is missing one thing in her life—romance. After Moses Lantz broke her heart, it ended any hope of finding someone. 

Moses Lantz became a businessman after his dad passes away. His mother developed dementia, and he had to place her in a care home. After buying Paradise Found and working with Lois, he begins to question himself and his life. Everything changes when he joins a bird lover’s penmanship group. 

This story is a parallel to You’ve Got Mail. A sweet and challenging story of finding the right person and settling down in life. This story has some twists and turns and so many sweet moments. It’s a must read. 

A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Bethany House Publishers through Interviews & Reviews via NetGalley. All opinions are mine alone.

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Reviewer: Laura J. Davis

The Shop Down the Lane by Leslie Gould is an Amish romance that bird watchers will delight in.

Lois Yoder is on her own and living above the gift shop she has worked in for some time. All the customers love her, and she enjoys her life in Paradise, Pennsylvania, until her boss sells the shop to an ex-boyfriend who broke her heart. 

Moses Lantz, who bought the shop, didn’t realize that Lois came with it, and her attitude toward him immediately put him off. They both have a past with each other and grudges, which makes things a little tricky when they have to work together.

Both escape by applying to a birdwatcher’s circle letter anonymously. Under their pen names, they fall in love, but in real life, the animosity between them is so thick you could cut it with a knife. 

While the relationship between Jane (Lois’ pen-name) and Menno (Moses’ pen-name) was sweet, when it came time for the big reveal, everything for me just fell flat. I enjoyed the bird information and the helpful hints to life and relationships in the circle letter and saw how these hints were helping both characters to grow. However, I felt the characters’ rapidly rekindled feelings were unrealistic, given the author’s extended depiction of their animosity.  

While this book was reminiscent of You’ve Got Mail, if the author had lessened the hate and had more of a build-up to the change in feelings the characters had for one another, I think I would have given this five stars. 

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Bethany House Publishers through NetGalley for my honest review.

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