When They Met Again JustRead Tour {book review and giveaway}
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
Excerpt 1
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?”
Excerpt 2
Mandy and Miriam’s grandfather, Daniel, was the bishop of their district, and he and Elaine were hosting the ice cream social.
Joanna noticed a stranger—a man— who was tall, muscular, and handsome with sandy hair and deep brown eyes.
She didn’t recognize him, and she tried not to stare.
After the singing, the guys took turns cranking the ice cream freezer and showing off their muscles. The stranger had a five o’clock shadow and appeared a few years older than most of the Youngie. As they all stood around in groups eating the ice cream, Caleb introduced him to Joanna and Mandy. “This is Jacob Byer,” he said. Miriam stepped into the circle. Caleb continued. “Jacob is new to our—”
“Hallo!” Miriam said, interrupting Caleb. “Welcome to Strasburg Township.”
Jacob took a step backward but then smiled. “Denki. And who are you?”
“Miriam.” She grinned and then swept her hand toward Mandy. “This is my twin.” She nodded toward Joanna. “And our friend Joanna.”
Forcing herself to be outgoing, Joanna asked Jacob, “Where are you from?”
“Ohio. Holmes County.” Jacob took a step closer to Joanna. He towered over her, even though she was five eight. “I have an uncle who lives here. Enoch Byer.”
Joanna spoke as confidently as she could. “Are you visiting Lancaster County or do you plan to stay?”
Jacob’s eyes twinkled as his gaze met hers. “I’m staying.”
Someone called out, “Joanna!” She turned. Adam sauntered toward them. “Are you ready to leave?” She wasn’t.
“I hope I’ll see you soon.” Jacob gave her a charming smile that left her feeling flustered. Miriam was now standing beside him.
Joanna gave Jacob, and everyone, a wave and turned around slowly. She didn’t want to hurry and make Jacob think she was courting Adam. Nor did she want to go too slowly and risk having Adam say something embarrassing in front of Jacob. Her heart beat faster. Perhaps she hadn’t met the right person yet—until now.
On the way home as Adam chatted away about the ice cream, about Mandy and Caleb, and about his grandparents’ business that he was excited to learn, Joanna thought about Jacob. About how tall he was. And how handsome with his square jaw and deep brown eyes. And his charming smile.
Compared to Adam, who seemed to be an open book, Jacob was quiet and mysterious. She couldn’t stop thinking about him.
When they reached Mammi Lu’s, Joanna thanked Adam for the ride and started to open the buggy door.
“Wait!” Adam set the brake and jumped to the ground. “I need to do that for you.”
Joanna waited, a little impatiently. When Adam appeared at her door he extended his hand to her as he grinned.
She took his hand and jumped down. “Denki.” She started toward the back door. Mammi Lu had left a battery- operated lantern hanging to light her way.
“Wait,” he said again but not as enthusiastically as before. “Aren’t you going to ask me to stay? Lemonade on the porch? Maybe a cookie.”
Joanna turned toward him at the bottom of the steps. “I’m tired. From the trip and everything.”
“Oh.” He took off his hat and ran his hand through his dark hair. “I wanted to talk about the trip. About sitting in the back of the van together. Don’t tell me you didn’t feel something.”
Annoyed, Joanna said, “I didn’t feel anything.” But she had. Although it paled when compared with what she was feeling for Jacob.
His face fell. “Well, I’ll see you tomorrow. At the office, right? You’re coming by to talk to Mammi about a job.”
“Jah.” Joanna momentarily regretted not asking him to stay. But not enough to change her mind.
“See you tomorrow.” If she got the job, she and Adam would have a chance to get to know each other. Perhaps she’d want to court him eventually— unless Jacob Byer asked her out first.
My Thoughts
Amish fiction is one of my favorite genres, so I usually fit in a few throughout the year. When They Met Again is the second book in the "Letters from Lancaster County" series, and the first one I have read. It seems like it might work as a stand alone.
It's a bit interesting how Joanna is determined she doesn't want anyone to court her, even when Adam is trying to persuade her. But then Jacob comes along...From there, the story takes a few twists and turns.
If you enjoy Amish fiction with a bit of romance, you'll want to add this one to your TBR list.
I received a complimentary copy. These opinions are my own.
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.
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.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
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