Book Review: When They Met Again by Leslie Gould

I could not put this book down! Now, if you look at my Goodreads history, you might not believe that’s true, but it takes me awhile to read a book. I like to savor them, like premium chocolate. And this was definitely extra special.

About the Book

Cover of "When They Met Again" by Leslie Gould. A woman in a white bonnet and purple dress sits at an outdoor cafe table, evoking a warm, nostalgic feel.

When They Met Again by Leslie Gould
Series: Letters from Lancaster County
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.”

My Review and Reflections

This is a clean, slow burn at its best. Sometimes to the point that I wanted to just yell out, “is this really going to happen?!?” The story centers on Joanna and Adam, and while it was love at first sight for Adam, Joanna wanted more. She longed for a deeper relationship like she saw with her grandparents. That really set the tone for the book, one whose eyes were always open to love and another who needed time to see what the relationship could be.

Character Highlights

Joanna really wanted to feel a deeper connection to someone, so she was entirely turned off when Adam asked to court her at their first meeting. I could really appreciate the need to develop a solid friendship before moving forward and really liked that about her. Or at least I did until she met Jacob. Sometimes, even when we have the best of intentions, we’re swayed by good looks and charisma, and that’s exactly what happened to Joanna. It was quite a long journey before she started realizing just how misguided she really was. This also made her human. We like to believe that because of Amish culture that they look deeper, but at the end of the day, regardless of religion or how we are raised, we are all flawed human beings that need a nudge in the right direction sometimes.

Adam clearly had just the opposite reaction.He truly believes in love at first sight, and for him, it is Joanna. Although he does have a tendency to run away when he doesn’t get his way, which really makes it hard for someone to reciprocate feelings. But being a hard worker and wanting to please his grandparents, he finds himself back at home, and back in front of Joanna. Despite the running, he always felt the same for Joanna. His commitment and deep love for someone who did not feel the same for him made my heart go out to him. Now the grandparents, that’s where things get really fun. Hearing from them, especially Adam’s grandmother, Becky, really made the book and kept it flowing. Becky seemed like she was a wild one with a tendency to teeter on the lines of proper Amish ways. But it helps her to see things in a new and fresh way.

“Her heart lurched a little. Adam made her feel warm from beeing seen and cold from being exposed. All at the same time.”

p. 135

Now the grandparents, that’s where things get really fun. Hearing from them, especially Adam’s grandmother, Becky, really made the book and kept it flowing. Becky seemed like she was a wild one with a tendency to teeter on the lines of proper Amish ways. But it helps her to see things in a new and fresh way.

Story Impact

This story felt complete and whole, like you are getting everyone’s entire history, because of the extended timeframe it covered. The emotions came through in a way that made you feel connected to every character written. One of the strongest elements was the sense of family, both biological and found. The relationships, especially those between the grandparents, showed that family can be so much more. It also highlighted the fact that when you take your time with love, and are patient, what comes out at the end can last a lifetime or more.

Why Read This

If you love shedding happy tears at the end of the book, you will want to grab this book (and some tissue) and start reading now. A clever, thoughtful, read with subtle faith elements. Overall, a book I could see myself picking up again.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the author. All 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.

I will need the patience of Adam to wait until October to read this book. And I’m not sure I have that in me. Sometimes it’s a good thing when time flies.