Book Review: Dandelion Serenade by Lori Soard
Julie’s Note: If you are on Facebook, it’s my custom to share my posts and tag the book author to promote their work. I’m currently not able to access Facebook. I filed an appeal and am waiting. It would be amazing if you could share this post. Thank you!
Dandelion Serenade is the latest installment in the Dogwoord Creek Matchmakers series. They are small-town romances based in Tennesee, and they release every other month through 2026. Lori Soard started it off with Chasing Snowflakes. Joann Durgin followed up with An Early Spring. Lisa Prysock released Love in Bloom, and now Lori is back. Other authors include Leah Atwood, Robin Bayne, Dawn Kinzer, and me. My first release, Clean Sweep, will be available November 1.
About Dandelion Serenade:
Lauren Juniper and Nathan Brickner were once inseparable. Summers by the creek, winters sledding, and dandelion wishes made from childhood dreams. He wanted to chase the world. She chose the gentle allure of the town that had always known her.
Eight years ago, Nathan left Dogwood Creek chasing after adventure. Lauren stayed behind, building a life rooted in her vintage flower shop. Suddenly, he’s back—no longer the boy who once brought her dandelions to wish on, but a successful bridge engineer leading the town’s project to replace the old stone bridge that has always been the heart of their community.
To the town, it’s progress.
To Lauren, it’s personal. Her grandparents got engaged on that bridge!
As she fights to keep the charm the bridge has always had, she finds herself face-to-face with the man who broke her heart—and still knows exactly how to make it skip a beat. Nathan sees safety and innovation. Lauren sees memory and meaning. But somewhere in the clash of old and new, the spark between them flickers to life once more.
Like dandelion wishes caught on the wind, can they gather the scattered seeds of love and rebuild the trust they lost, or are some hearts too withered to open again?
A heartfelt story of second chances, small-town charm, and the wishes we never stop making.
Julie’s Review:
I confess, when I learned Lauren was going to have her own story, the reader in me rejoiced. She’s one of the Dogwood Creek Matchmakers, so she knows the “Pray-book,” so to speak. But when Nathan returns, it seems like everyone in town wants Lauren and Nathan together. Except for Lauren.
I’m a sucker for second-chance romance, and Lori did a tremendous job building their past without dwelling on it. We understand Lauren’s heartbreak and Nathan’s efforts to win her back. The bridge is a fragile character just as Lauren is. It’s Dogwood Creek history. It’s part of Lauren’s family. It’s part of her and Nathan’s past. And now it’s Nathan’s job. I loved the conflict the bridge brought to them both.
This story is as fresh as a summer bouquet. It’s full of colorful characters, moments, and of course, dandelions. The matchmakers are a delight and truly want God’s best for Lauren. I enjoyed Dandelion Serenade so much I read it in one sitting.
I highly recommend Dandelion Serenade by Lori Soard.
