By The Book

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for The Unexpected Caller by Shelley Shepard Gray, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About The Book

Title: The Unexpected Caller
Series: The Amish Widows Club #1
Author: Shelley Shepard Gray
Publisher: Revell
Release Date: July 7, 2026
Genre: Amish Fiction / Contemporary / Romance

She finds sisterhood in the Amish Widows Club–but will she risk loving again?

Leanna Mast never imagined she’d be a widow at forty-one, but it seems God had other plans. After mourning her husband for a year, she realizes it’s time to start living again. But her community expects her to remarry, and after living on her own, she’s not eager to start cooking and cleaning in another man’s home.

When she’s invited to join the Amish Widows Club, she discovers a place of belonging she didn’t even know she needed. In this group of women who support each other through sharing books, stories, and companionship, Leanna immediately feels welcome. She’s sure her life as a widow will bring her the fulfillment she craves . . . until handsome, kind Evan Keim comes calling. As their relationship deepens, her heart becomes involved. But how could she possibly leave the widows club for a dream that might be too good to be true?

New York Times bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray skillfully draws readers into an endearing and delightful Amish community of friendship during widowhood and a second chance at love.

Excerpt

She was so tired of being nice. No, that wasn’t true, Leanna Mast decided. She liked being nice. She was a nice person. She was just tired of being nice to the string of men who had started calling on her on Sunday afternoons. Most of them she’d known all her life. Some were old enough to be her father. None of them were husband material.

Though, if she was being honest, the fault was probably hers.

The problem was that she’d already been married once and had no desire to be married again. Ever. So this constant parade of suitors was neither desired nor asked for. They’d just started appearing at her doorstep one year and one month after Willis died.

When the first one had shown up, she’d been so surprised, her good manners had taken over her personal preferences. Instead of politely sending the man home, she offered him kaffi and a slice of the almond cream- cheese bread she’d made that morning. When he asked for a second slice, she gave it grudgingly. She really hadn’t wanted to give him any of her favorite afternoon treat in the first place.

“This is mighty gut bread,” he’d said with his mouth full.

“Danke.” She’d said the word while staring at her hands clenched in her lap.

“You are a modest woman. Not only can you cook and clean, but you are shy too.”

When she lifted her chin to meet his gaze, she’d seen true appreciation there.

She’d bitten the inside of her lip so she wouldn’t ask him to leave.

Unfortunately, that little decision with her first caller had created quite a stir among the single men in the area. Next thing she knew, men started coming around all the time. She’d had to start baking cookies, pies, and bread every morning just to keep up with their hearty appetites.

It was annoying. And exhausting.

Because she was ninety-nine percent sure that she didn’t want to be another man’s wife. The only reason to consider such a thing would be to have a baby. At long last. Even though the doctor had promised that there was nothing wrong with her, she and Willis had never been blessed with a child in their nineteen years of marriage.

However, if she ever did decide to get married again, it would not be to the man currently sitting on her couch. Zeke Detweiler was too brash and too bossy. Plus, he stared at her chest too much. Did he think she wouldn’t notice?

Then, to make matters worse, he’d been her husband’s boss. Leanna hadn’t liked Zeke when Willis was alive and she liked him even less now. Unfortunately, that didn’t mean she could ask him to leave before his hour was up.

She’d learned that a widow, no matter what her age, was expected to be kind and proper. And demure.

Since she still had eighteen minutes to go, she gestured to his empty coffee cup. “Would you care for some more kaffi, Zeke?”

“I would.” His gaze drifted over her again when she started to bend down to pick up his cup and saucer. “You are over forty now, jah?”

“I am forty- one.”

“That’s a gut age, I think. Not too young. Not too old.” He crossed his legs. “You could still have a babe.” His eyes narrowed. “You could, jah?”

“I suppose so.”

“Hmm,” said Zeke.

Gritting her teeth, Leanna forced her expression to remain calm. 

“I’ll be right back,” she murmured.

“Don’t forget that I like two teaspoons of sugar,” he said.

“I would never forget that, Zeke.” He needed all the sweetness he could get.

Only when she reached the privacy of her kitchen did Leanna press her hands to her eyes. Tears were threatening. She needed to fight them back before Zeke noticed. She’d learned that most of these later-in-life suitors looked for weaknesses. Flaws. They could be used as ammunition to make her feel like she shouldn’t be alone anymore.

Or, perhaps, simply to make themselves feel better.

Shelley Shepard Gray, The Unexpected Caller

Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, © 2026. Used by permission

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Baker Publishing | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Bookshop | BookBub

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $50 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight July 6, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on July 13, 2026. 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.

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Tags: Amish fiction, contemporary romance fiction, Shelley Shepard Gray