The Shop Down the Lane

Gould (By Evening’s Light) puts a contemporary Amish spin on the pen pal romance trope in her delightful latest. Twenty-five-year-old Lois Yoder loves her job at Pennsylvania gift shop Paradise Found, until she discovers that the store’s new landlord is none other than Moses Lantz. Five years ago, Moses broke her heart when their budding romance came to an abrupt halt because of a misunderstanding. After a hostile reunion, they both assume that she won’t be working at Paradise Found for much longer. Unbeknownst to one another, they each join a letter-writing club for bird watchers under a pseudonym and strike up a lively correspondence that quickly takes a personal turn. But when Moses discovers “Jane” is actually Lois, he doesn’t show up at their planned meeting, leaving her humiliated, and struggling to trust that God will help her find a new place to live and work. Gould expertly builds the relationship between her leads, blending gently comedic moments with emotional depth as the pair’s irritation with one another slowly gives way to genuine affection. This is sure to satisfy Gould’s fans. (May)