Review: "Then and Now" by Julia Jarrett

Then and Now by Julia Jarrett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"Then and Now" by Julia Jarrett is the fifth and final book of the Dogwood Cove series, but it works well as a standalone.

Serena Matheson and Leo Talbot were high school sweethearts who thought they were destined to be together forever, but Serena suddenly ended their relationship after learning that her parents, who seemed to have the perfect marriage, were divorcing. Twenty years later, they're unexpectedly brought back together when single dad Leo takes a new job as the deputy chief of police in the small town of Dogwood Cove, where Serena, a retired professional ballerina, owns a dance studio. Their feelings for each other are still very much alive, but so is Serena's fear that love doesn't last. Can Leo convince her that true love is worth taking a risk?

Serena went through a lot in this book, and I couldn't help but empathize with her. As if her former high school sweetheart showing up out of the blue with his 3-year-old daughter in tow weren't enough, she was facing financial difficulties with her dance studio as well as the prospect of getting back in touch with her father again for the first time since her parents' divorce. That's a lot for anyone to handle, but fortunately for Serena, she had her friends in Dogwood Cove to lean on. The found family aspect of this series has just been incredible, and it's probably the part I'm going to miss the most. The way Serena, Paige, Mila, Summer, Ashley and the rest (not to mention their significant others) supported and encouraged each other was so sweet. The addition of the Donnelly family in this book was a pleasant surprise, and I'm looking forward to getting to know them better in Jarrett's next series, which will also be set in Dogwood Cove.

Serena and Leo were a delightful couple, and I was rooting for them the whole way despite the challenges they faced. Things were awkward between them at first, but I appreciated that they talked through what had happened between them in the past relatively early in the story and didn't try to fight their attraction for too long. That's not to say it was smooth sailing from there, given Serena's relationship fears and the complications for Leo of dating as a single father, but I could tell how important it was to both of them to try and make it work. Serena's relationship with Leo's daughter Violet was also super cute, and it was great to see the way they came together as a family in the end.

Overall, "Then and Now" was my favorite book of the Dogwood Cove series, and I highly recommend it for all contemporary romance fans. I look forward to Jarrett's next release.

*Review copy provided by the author. All opinions expressed are my own.

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