The Shop Down the Lane - Letters from Lancaster County 1 - by Leslie Gould

 

About the book:

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, former Amish man 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 birdwatchers' 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?

My review:

This was an interesting story with hints of You've Got Mail as two people who don't get along in real life were drawn to each other through anonymous letters.  The difference in this story, however, was that Lois and Moses share a history and that's why they don't get along.  The story was a bit slow for me and I'm not into birding so I wasn't as interested in those details.  I found it interesting to see how Lois was going to deal with her brother and her bishop and the pressure to move back to her brother's community and marry a man there.  I also liked seeing the relationships and interactions she had in the community.  I was a little frustrated when I found out the details of their past as I thought Moses, especially, really dropped the ball and some of the choices he made even now made me shake my head.  Because of those I had a hard time rooting for them.  I really felt for Lois and all she'd been through in her life.  There was a hint of romance and I felt that got wrapped up a little too quickly and easily.  You'd probably enjoy this story if you like Amish stories or birding.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author.  I was not compensated for this review.  All opinions are my own.