The Bookseller’s Promise

Written by Beth Wiseman

Narrated by Lauren Berst

In the first novel of Beth Wiseman’s Amish Bookstore series, a rare, old book may hold answers to a present-day romance.

Yvonne Wilson makes the trek from Texas to Indiana with just one goal in mind: to convince Amishman Jake Lantz to sell her client a rare book from his collection. But Jake is as strong-willed as Yvonne. On the eve of his grandfather’s death, Jake vowed never to sell the book, and he intends to keep that promise. But he can’t say more than that, having never read it and not knowing why it was so dear to his grossdaadi.

Eva Graber has loved Jake since he hired her to work in his bookstore years ago, but he doesn’t seem to notice she’s blossomed into a beautiful woman. When Yvonne shows up and seems like she might turn Jake’s eye, Eva suggests she and Jake should read the book together to find out what’s so special about it.

What happens after that surprises them all, and the book leads the trio deep into mysterious questions about life and death, love and loss, and the impenetrable purposes of God.

• Sweet contemporary Amish romance
• Part of the Amish Bookstore series
  • Book 1: The Bookseller's Promise
  • Book 2: The Story of Love
  • Book 3: Hopefully Ever After
• Book length: 80,000 words

• Language: English
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Release date: Apr 19, 2022
• ISBN: 9780310365556

Beth Wiseman

Bestselling and award-winning author Beth Wiseman has sold over two million books. She is the recipient of the coveted Holt Medallion, is a two-time Carol Award winner, and has won the Inspirational Reader's Choice Award three times. Her books have been on various bestseller lists, including CBA, ECPA, Christianbook, and Publishers Weekly. Beth and her husband are empty nesters enjoying country life in south-central Texas. Visit her online at BethWiseman.com; Facebook: @AuthorBethWiseman; Twitter: @BethWiseman; Instagram: @bethwisemanauthor

Reviews for The Bookseller’s Promise

[Angela · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I absolutely LOVED this story!! I can't wait to continue on with the series!!

[maydacat_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Jake owns and runs a bookstore with the help of his employee, Eva. Both are Amish. Yvonne is “English” and a rare book finder. She has been hired to locate a very rare and old book, one that Jake indeed owns. And though she has offered a ridiculous amount of money for it, he won’t sell. His grandfather had extracted a promise from Jake that he would never sell it. Jake hasn’t read it, either, so he doesn’t understand its importance; he only knows he can’t break a promise. This is the crux of the story. These three main characters work well together, and all are equally important to the story. Each has his and her own storyline, and all are quite interesting. There is a bit of mystery about the book, about its origin and significance. This is a very well crafted and written story, another great offering by a talented author.

[kris_anderson-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Yvonne Wilson is a book broker, and she is trying to get Jake Lantz to sell her a rare volume. Jake made a promise to his grandfather that he would never sell the book. Yvonne travels to Montgomery, Indiana to convince Jake to sell her the book. Yvonne does not know how anyone can resist $100,000. Yvonne is engaged to marry Trevor in a few months, but she finds herself attracted to the handsome Amish bookseller. She can tell, though, that his employee, Eva is in love with him. Yvonne’s visit along with the rare book is about to change all of their lives. The Bookseller’s Promise by Beth Wiseman is a heartwarming Amish tale. It is the beginning of The Amish Bookstore Novels. This novel is well-written with realistic, developed characters. The story is told from three points-of-view: Eva, Jake, and Yvonne (the Englischer). I like that we get to see things from each of their perspectives, but it does lead to some repetition. I liked this unique Amish novel. It is not your standard Amish romance. Family and faith play a big role in the story. It is important to pray and rely on God. He is there for us in the tough times and the good. Yvonne was raised by her aunt and uncle who are unbelievers. Yvonne does not believe in heaven which surprises Jake and Eva. I liked following Yvonne as she spent time in Montgomery and got to know people. Yvonne is in for a surprising journey. The romance was sweet and amusing at times. It is a clean story with the only PDA being a few kisses. It was interesting learning about the special book that Yvonne’s client desires. I enjoyed the epilogue which paves the way for The Story of Love. I cannot wait to read the next chapter in these characters lives. The Bookseller’s Promise is a touching story with a treasured tome, wedding worries, an unexpected trip, a clamorous client, a bouncy buggy ride, an astounding accident, an extraordinary revelation, and a gracious God.

[harley0326 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have read many books from this author, but in my opinion this is her best one . In this new series the authors delivers a powerful look at friendship, forgiveness and how God works in our lives. I settled in to read a few chapters and found myself reading until I finished the book. The story captivated me by the friendship that formed between two Amish people and an English woman.

In the story we meet Yvonne who has been sent on a mission to purchase a very rare book from Jake. She is so sure she can close the deal that her confidence is overflowing. Now isn’t it funny how God will find a way to teach us a lesson in the things that we are struggling with. Yvonne has a lot at stake to purchase this book but she doesn’t know that Jake can not be persuaded in any way.

Meeting Jake was a joy because he is very humble and his faith is strong. I enjoyed reading about the bookstore he inherited and how much it means to him to keep everything the same. Now if he could just keep that pesky woman from Texas to stop bothering him about a very special book, his life would be simpler. I admire that he was determined to keep his promise to his grandfather and no amount of money would convince him to sale. As an Amish he lives a simple life and his word is everything. The book intrigued me and I wanted to know who wrote it and why it was never to be sold.

Now for my favorite character who happens to be Eva. There is something special about her with her sweet smile, and a way about her that makes everyone feel at ease. She works hard at the bookstore with Jake and everyone knows that she has feelings for him. Well everyone except Jake. There are some fun moments between the two which made me smile as they dance around their feelings for each other. When Yvonne shows up at the bookstore, Eva feels a tinge of jealousy. She knows that God doesn’t want her to be jealous but her insecurity whispers untruths to her.

I loved how the author brought these three people together in a story where a woman who doubts God finds answers that help her through a very difficult situation. It was so nice to see a relationship develop between two very special people who rely on God to direct their path.

I can’t overlook a very emotional scene with Yvonne. This part of the story made me cry as I didn’t expect what happened. The author does an excellent job of bringing Yvonne from great heartache to a place where God could heal her heart. Eva and Jake reach out to Yvonne to comfort her which makes her realize that their friendship has changed her in many ways. Grief is hard and it has no time limit. Yvonne turns to her friends for support and finds not only compassion but God’s unconditional love.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and the author. The review is my own opinion.

[ladyofthelodge · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"The Bookseller's Promise" leads readers on a journey through hope and heartbreak, as well as lost and found loves. English and Amish worlds collide in this novel about a mysterious book and those who seek to own it. The subplots of romance between both Amish and English couples add interest to this novel by a well-known and loved author of Amish fiction.

When book broker Yvonne cannot convince Amish bookseller Jake to sell her a rare book, no matter how much money she offers, Yvonne determines to visit him in person to plead her case. While she is gone on her book buying trip, her fiance Trevor embarks on a business trip. Both look forward to their upcoming wedding. Yvonne's arrival at Jake's bookstore results in some tense and also hilarious moments, as Jake and Yvonne try to come to some agreement about the rare book Yvonne seeks to purchase.

Eva works in the bookstore with Jake, but desires to become more than his employee. When Jake refuses to see her as the lovely young woman who wants to win his heart, Eva determines to move on to date another Amish man.

Yvonne and Eva become fast friends and share secrets and romantic plans for their futures. When tragedy strikes, Yvonne must confront her own beliefs, with some help from Jake's mysterious book.

This book is set in Montgomery, Indiana. The establishments mentioned exist, adding authenticity to the events in this novel. As an Indiana resident, I was excited to read about places familiar to me. I appreciate the author's attention to detail. I hope this is just the first in a new series, as the stage has been set for the further adventures of characters who appeared in this book.

Themes include struggles with faith, loss of loved ones, joys and trials of relationships, and the differences between the Amish and non-Amish cultures. The characters are well-developed and realistic. The Christian message in this sweet and clean novel is overt. Readers who enjoy books about Amish people and culture will also enjoy the twists and turns of this story.

I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

[sonja.hoeke.nish7358 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book. I loved the connections between the various characters in the book and some unexpected scenes that happened. Yes, this was a very engaging book and it is hard to put this one down. Have to keep reading to see what's next, because you can't be too certain!

I enjoyed the Christian themes throughout and the character growth. The characters were well-developed and the non-Amish character, Yvonne was an important part of the story. Their exchanges were very believable and the storyline was new and fresh. I would have to say, this book is a winner. Can't wait for the next in the series!

I received an e-book copy from NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.