Welcome to the Blog Tour for When They Met Again by Leslie Gould, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Title: When They Met Again
Series: Letters from Lancaster County
Author: Leslie Gould
Publisher: Bethany House
Release Date: March 17, 2026
Genre: Fiction / Romance / Amish / Contemporary
A gently humorous just friends romance from Leslie Gould, threaded with heart-deep characters and the timeless traditions of simple Amish life.
It's love at first sight for Adam Slaybaugh, yet while Joanna Grebel finds him attractive and is intrigued when he declares his interest, she's less certain of the potential for a romantic future together. Instead, she proposes they be "just friends," but Adam's not willing to settle for anything less than a romantic relationship. In response, he leaves Lancaster County for Florida, and soon after, Joanna begins courting Jacob Byer--someone she deems a much more suitable match.
When Adam returns to Lancaster County years later to pursue a career in his grandparents' successful home renovation business, he finds Joanna suffering from a broken heart. Misunderstandings and matchmaking schemes begin a tender journey of healing and romance--but is Adam's love enough to finally win Joanna over?
For readers of Beverly Lewis, Wanda E. Brunstetter, and Shelley Shepard Gray, a sweet Amish romance with matchmaking grandmas and themes of enemies to lovers, he falls first, and love at first sight versus "just friends."
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Baker Publishing Group | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | Bookshop | BookBub
More in This Series
About the Author
Leslie Gould is a Christy Award-winning and #1 bestselling author of more than fifty novels, including multiple Amish fiction series. She holds a bachelor's degree in history and an MFA in creative writing. She enjoys church history, research trips, and hiking in the Pacific Northwest. She and her husband live in Portland, Oregon, and have four adult children and two grandchildren. Learn more at LeslieGould.com.
My Thoughts
When They Met Again by Leslie Gould is an engaging narrative. Leslie Gould demonstrates a commendable writing
style throughout the work. Her
stories are engaging, readable, and feature well-developed characters. I like
the relationship Joanna had with her grandmother, Mammi Lu. They were friends as well as grandmother and
granddaughter. Mammi Lu and her three
friends were a hoot. I enjoyed hearing
about their antics while they were on their rumspringa. I also valued the portrayal of the characters
as imperfect individuals, each facing their own challenges.
 |
| My favorite book! |
I liked the classics that were featured in
the story (Women is my favorite).
I was surprised that Adam read the stories (few men are willing to read
Jane Austen). The romance between Joanna
and Adam progressed slowly, but it gave them a chance to get to know each other
and become friends first. The Amish are
known for their strong communal bonds, providing mutual support during both
prosperous and challenging times. There
was only one thing that I found odd in the story, and it was Joanna’s reaction
to the letters Adam left her. It was out
of character for such an insightful and caring individual. The second book in the Letters from Lancaster County series was truly heartwarming, and I found When They Met Again to be
thoroughly enjoyable.
Excerpt
The moment the ladybug landed on her arm, Joanna Grebel decided she wouldn’t go to her cousin’s wedding after all. She’d been cutting flowers for the bride, but now she couldn’t seem to move. Why had she thought going away for a night was a good idea?
The sound of a vehicle approached, and she turned toward it. A van slowed as it came up the driveway, and the passenger window lowered as Ike Slaybaugh called out, “Joanna! Get your grandparents. We have a long drive ahead of us.” His silver beard blew in the wind.
As the van stopped, the side door swung open and a dark-h aired boy—young man, rather—jumped down. It was Adam Slaybaugh, Ike’s grandson. He wore a blue shirt, black pants, and no hat. His wavy hair was too long. He was new to the community, but her friend Mandy already had a crush on him.
Mammi Lu stepped onto the back porch carrying a basket of food. “Joanna, grab your bag.” Adam started toward the house, asking Mammi Lu if he could help.
“Denki. The bags are in the kitchen.” Mammi nodded toward the door, where Dawdi Marcus struggled to come through the screen door with his bag and Mammi’s.
Joanna brushed the ladybug against the columbine. Then she added the flowers— dianthus, lupine, and baptisia— to the ones in the bucket and carried it and the clippers out the gate and to the back porch. Dawdi Marcus hadn’t made it through the door yet, but it wouldn’t do for her to take one of the bags. Instead Adam hurried past her, brushing his hand against Joanna’s arm as he did.
“Sorry.” He grinned as he sped by.
She rubbed her arm. He took both bags from her grandfather.
Mammi Lu waited at the bottom of the steps as the men continued on to the van. Again, she said, “Grab your bag.” Joanna loved her grandparents’ place with its garden, red barn, and two-s tory house with a wraparound back porch. She told her grandmother, “I’m not leaving.” “Why do you want to stay?” Joanna shrugged.
“I don’t think you should.”
“Why?” Joanna was nineteen. And more than trustworthy.
“Your father wouldn’t approve.”
“He’s in Maine.”
Mammi’s eyes shone. “Emily is expecting you.”
“She won’t notice if I’m not there.” They hadn’t seen each other for several years. Mammi’s expression softened. “Joanna.” Her voice was just above a whisper. “I can’t let you stay here alone. Please grab your bag.” Joanna shifted her gaze toward the van. Ike and Becky Slaybaugh stood beside it. They and Adam and Dawdi all waited in a semicircle, watching her. She turned her attention to Mammi Lu, locking eyes with her. “I can ask Mandy to spend the night.” Mammi shook her head. “Both stoves are cold, I promise. Dawdi and I each checked. And I know you did too—several times.” Joanna’s face warmed. Was she that obvious?
“We do our best to make sure our home is safe,” Mammi Lu said, “but then we have to trust the Lord.” Joanna took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and then handed the bucket of flowers to her grandmother. “I’ll get my bag.” She sat in the back of the van, ignoring the chatter and laughter of the others as they left Strasburg Township. Too anxious to read the book she’d brought, she stared at Becky’s snow-white bun right in front of her. It was so white—as pure as her bleached Kapp— that it looked as if she used a rinse on her hair, but Joanna knew that couldn’t be true. When they stopped for a picnic dinner at a park a couple of hours later, Adam sat across from Joanna and said, “So how are you related to Noah?”
“Noah?”
Adam smiled. “The groom.”
“Oh.” Joanna frowned. “I’m not. Emily is my cousin.”
“First?”
“Second.” She paused. “Maybe third. They left Lancaster County a few years ago.” Joanna wanted to retrieve her Buch from her bag and read, but Adam kept talking. There was something endearing about his chatter, in an annoying sort of way. “I’ve known Noah since we were kids, when I moved to Spartansburg.” Joanna forced a smile. Adam asked, “Do you live close to your grandparents?” Joanna answered, “I live with them.”
He leaned closer. “I’m living with my grandparents too, as of two weeks ago.” Joanna already knew that. Becky and Ike lived a half mile away. Mammi and Becky had been best friends since they were girls.
Soon they were back on the road, and Joanna fell asleep. Three hours later they arrived in Spartansburg, near both the Ohio and New York borders. The Englisch middle- aged driver, whose name was Nick, dropped Joanna and her grandparents off at a relative’s farm first.
“See you tomorrow,” Adam called out from the van. Mammi turned toward Joanna as they walked to the front door. “He’s such a nice young man, don’t you think?” Joanna forced a smile. “He and Mandy are interested in each other.” Mammi narrowed her eyes. “Really?”
Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will receive a $25 B&N gift card plus a copy of The Shop Down the Lane and When They Met Again!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight March 16, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on March 23, 2026. Winners 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.
Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.
Enter Giveaway
When They Met Again can be obtained from Amazon*. The first book in the Letters from Lancaster County series is The Shop Down the Lane. The third book in the Letters from Lancaster County series is A Second Chance to Remember and it will be out on October 20 (you can preorder it now). If you follow Leslie Gould on Amazon, they will notify you when she has a new book release.
Thank you for dropping by today. I will return on Tuesday, March 24 with Murder Unshelved by Vannetta Chapman. It is the debut of A Stitches, Perks, & Pages Cozy Mystery series. I am off to search for my Easter decorations. It is time to decorate the front yard with cute bunnies and chicks. Don't forget to enter the giveaway. I hope that you have a wonderful weekend. Take care and Happy Reading!
Kris
The
Avid Reader
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*I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book. I am not required to leave a review. The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.
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