Southern Gal Loves to Read

Monday, March 16, 2026

Love at First Sight . . . or Second Sight . . . or whenever? -- When They Met Again

When They Met Again JustRead Blog Tour

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."

My Review

Leslie Gould ‘s When They Met Again was another delightful Amish story from an author whose work I have enjoyed several times. The book is written around an ongoing love story -- or maybe several -- worked into the pages, but at some points figuring out how things will work out is anyone’s guess. Joanna and Adam both have so many directions to go and decisions to make, and finding the right ones certainly makes their lives complicated. Family and friend connections add important and challenging pieces to the puzzle.

There are places where it seems parts of the story are a little disjointed, and the jumping from one element to another can be a little hard to follow. But that causes very little distraction to the story and keeps the many characters and situations moving along to the resolution.

I would recommend When They Met Again to true fans of Amish fiction. I have not had an opportunity to read the other books in this series but would love to enjoy those in the future.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are my own opinion.

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.

Enter Giveaway

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Monday, October 20, 2025

A Little Amish, A Little Mennonite, A Little English -- A Hidden Hope

About the Book

Book: A Hidden Hope

Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher
Genre: Amish Fiction
Release Date: October 7, 2025

Supervising two newly minted medical residents might be the toughest challenge Ruth “Dok” Stoltzfus has ever faced. Wren Baker, sharp and ambitious, graduated at the top of medical school with a hidden agenda in tow. Charlie King, at the bottom of the class, is determined to succeed–though Dok isn’t convinced he’s got what it takes. Then there’s traveling nurse Evie Miller, whose quiet love for Charlie doesn’t go unnoticed, especially by Wren.

Boarding at Windmill Farm, the trio struggles to balance modern medicine with plain living. Between medical emergencies, cultural misunderstandings, and brewing romantic tensions, Dok finds herself juggling far more than she bargained for. Soon the stage is set in the small Amish community of Stoney Ridge for plenty of professional and personal complications.

Click here to get your copy.

My Thoughts

Suzanne Woods Fisher is an Amish author whose books I have enjoyed reading for many years now. Her stories are great, her characters are fun to know and usually have quite a story to tell. If you are familiar with her Amish books, you probably won't be surprised to find yourself in the familiar setting of Stoney Ridge with "friends" you have gotten to know as you have visited that location before.

A Hidden Hope has more than one story line going with a variety of characters, but they all fit together as varied pieces off the same puzzle. There are those, of course, who are Amish or who have backgrounds in that culture. There are those with Mennonite connections. And there are those who find themselves in an Amish community with no previous knowledge at all of Plain lifestyles. Each of them has their own personal and/or professional challenges to work out and lots of lessons -- with some surprises -- to learn along the way. There are even some twists that you may or may not pick up on until the story nears its end!

I highly recommend A Hidden Hope to fans of great Amish fiction. Thanks to Celebrate Lit for providing a copy of the book. I am happy to share my own thoughts in this review.

About the Author

Suzanne Woods Fisher is a Christy finalist, a Carol and Selah winner, a two-time ECPA Book of the Year finalist, and Publishers Weekly and ECPA bestselling author of more than forty books. Her genres include contemporary and historical romances and Amish fiction. Suzanne and her husband live in a small town in northern California. Most friends act a little nervous around her because they usually wind up in one of her novels. She has four grown children and enough grandchildren to keep her young.

More from Suzanne

The Kitchen Garden by Suzanne Woods Fisher

“Gardening is a way of showing that you believe in tomorrow.” Amish proverb

Whenever I visit my Amish friends, I always make a point of wandering out

to their vegetable gardens to see what’s growing. Their gardens, usually not far from the kitchen, are bigger than most people’s backyards. Gardens, for the Amish, are a family affair. Husbands help their wives ready the soil and add the homebrewed fertilizer (ahem, manure), children help their moms plant, weed, and harvest.

Like so many parts of the Plain life, their value of the home

garden—for the sake of nutrition, for sustenance, for well-being—is a wonderful example to those of us who weren’t farm-raised. They’ve been living a sustainable life filled with fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables for over four hundred years. The rest of us are just catching on.

One Amish mom told me a story about her daughter, the youngest of seven. “This girl was a born worrier. Whenever she started on her worry loop, I would send her out to weed in the garden. When she came back in, her worries were gone. There’s just something about weeding that helps a soul settle down.”

I could expand that thought a little further. There’s just something about gardening that helps a soul settle down.

So, it’s late on Saturday and I just wrapped up a very long week. I spoke at three book events and finished the first draft (the drafty-draft) of a novel. I can’t stop thinking about the novel. Is it a mess? As tired as I am, tonight I don’t think I’ve got one more word in me—not to speak, not to write. I’m spent! Done. My husband is out for the evening, so I had a few hours alone at home to relax.

What did I do?

I planted in my garden: lettuce and radishes and carrots. As I dug in the spongy soil, I could feel my soul settle. Worry and exhaustion slipped away as I scattered seeds into furrows. Little by little, that wonderful God-given sense of re-creation returned. Tomorrow, I would write again. Time spent in my little garden does that for me. It renews me and gives me a hope for the future.

Or, at the very least, a good salad.

Overnight Blueberry French Toast

On a sunny July morning, we were served this breakfast dish at an Amish friend’s home and my husband couldn’t stop talking about it. You might be shocked at the amount of eggs, but don’t skimp! It’s worth every bite.

12 slices bread cut in 1” cubes
8 oz. cream cheese cut in ¾” cubes

1 ½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries
12 eggs
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 cups milk

Place half the bread cubes in a 9×13 baking dish. Top with cream cheese blueberries and the remaining bread. Beat eggs, syrup and milk and pour evenly over bread. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until well done.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 7

The Avid Reader, October 7

Maureen’s Musings, October 8

Life on Chickadee Lane, October 8

Simple Harvest Reads, October 9 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 10

Devoted To Hope, October 10

lakesidelivingsite, October 11

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 12

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 12

Jeanette’s Thoughts, October 13

Mary Hake, October 13

She Lives To Read, October 14

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 15

Empowermoms, October 15

Texas Book-aholic, October 16

Blossom and Blessings, October 16

Vicky Sluiter, October 17

Little Homeschool on the Prairie , October 17

For Him and My Family, October 18

Holly’s Book Corner, October 18

Cover Lover Book Review, October 19

Blogging With Carol, October 20

Southern Gal Loves to Read, October 20

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Suzanne is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway!

Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/3d270/a-hidden-hope-celebration-tour-giveaway

Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Fascinating Romantic Adventure in a National Park -- Capture the Moment

About the Book

Book: Capture the Moment

Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release date: May 6, 2025

Kate Cunningham is facing the opportunity of a lifetime. As a zoo photographer, she’s spent years photographing animals in carefully controlled environments, but now National Geographic has dangled an irresistible prize: If Kate can snag a unique photo of a legendary bear in Grand Teton National Park, they just might publish it. It’s the kind of challenge Kate has been waiting for, and she’s eager to prove herself in the wild.

With more enthusiasm than experience, Kate soon realizes that capturing an image of this bear isn’t as simple as she hoped. Fortunately, she crosses paths with Grant Cooper, a seasonal park ranger who knows the terrain–and the bears–better than anyone. His tracking skills could be exactly what Kate needs to succeed, and it doesn’t hurt that he’s easy on the eyes. But they’re not the only ones with an interest in the park’s most famous bear. And his motives are far from innocent.

My Thoughts

I first "met" Suzanne Woods Fisher through her Amish books, which I really enjoyed. But she has proven to be every bit as skilled in writing other genres as well. Capture the Moment is a very well-written and engaging story with a fresh plot line and setting and an interesting cast of characters.

The main thread of the story features Kate's attempts and adventures as she tries to get the perfect photo of a famous bear in Grand Teton National Park. But there are lots of twists and turns -- some pretty big twists, in fact -- as she encounters park rangers, eager and not-so-eager teenagers, and other folks who both help and stand in her way of reaching her goal. Those characters add questions and challenges, as well as interesting surprises to her endeavors. They all play compelling roles in the story and keep interest level high from page to page. It is obvious that the author has done her research on the national park, which also helps the reader feel very much present in the setting.

I highgly recommend Capture the Moment to fans of contemporary Christian romance. As this is the beginning of a new series, I look forward to seeing what other national parks Suzanne will take us to visit with her compelling story telling.

Thanks to Celebrate Lit for providing a copy of the book. I am happy to share my own thoughts in this review.

About the Author

Suzanne Woods Fisher is a Christy finalist, a Carol and Selah winner, a two-time ECPA Book of the Year finalist, and Publishers Weekly and ECPA bestselling author of more than forty books. Her genres include contemporary and historical romances, Amish romance, and women’s fiction. She and her husband live in a small town in California. Most friends act a little nervous around Suzanne because they usually wind up in one of her novels. She has four grown children and enough grandchildren to keep her young.

More from Suzanne

A Spark that Lit a Story -- By Suzanne Woods Fisher

Inspiration can strike in the most unexpected places—like a gift shop in Grand Teton National Park. While browsing, I struck up a conversation with a college student who had never set foot outside Alabama until her mom dropped her off for a summer job in the park. One minute, she was home in the Deep South; the next, she was surrounded by towering peaks and moose crossings. Talk about a culture shock.

That conversation lit a spark that eventually became my National Parks Summers series. I couldn’t stop thinking about the fascinating mix of people who work seasonally in national parks. You’ve got fresh-faced college kids on their first big adventure, retirees finally living their bucket-list dreams, and everyone in between. These parks aren’t just natural wonders—they’re crossroads for people from all walks of life, all chasing something unique.

In Capture the Moment, I wanted to explore what happens when people and landscapes collide. Kate Cunningham, a determined zoo photographer, swaps enclosures for the wilds of Grand Teton, chasing an elusive bear and her own sense of purpose. Along the way, Kate meets Grant Cooper, a rugged park ranger with a knack for tracking and a talent for keeping her on her toes.

National parks are more than just beautiful backdrops—they’re places where people find themselves, lose themselves, and sometimes stumble into something extraordinary.

Maybe even love.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, May 22

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, May 22

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, May 22

By the Book, May 23

Carla’s Book Crush, May 23

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 24

Devoted To Hope, May 24

Book Looks by Lisa, May 25

Texas Book-aholic, May 25

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 26

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 26