What a wonderful story of a woman following the path her heart has forged to find her place in the sun. Three caring women will join to care for a former employer in his last days, easing his mind and body as death draws near. This emotionally charged story brings Lily through to find her life forever changed as she assumes custody of her niece. She discovers that she's much stronger than she would have believed.

The Desert Flowers - Lily. I love this collection of books by Judith Keim. There is romance, kindness and love in these stories.

The Desert Flowers: Lily is the second book in the Desert Sage Inn series and let's just say all the issues I had with the first book are all gone here. Moreover, Lily was one of the characters whose story I was interested in reading about and it does not disappoint. The story moves at a consistent pace and although this book is predominantly about Lily, we get all three Desert Flowers POVs like in the previous book. Lily encounters a personal tragedy and finds a new love and family amidst her role as one of Alec Thurston's Desert Flowers.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Wild Quail Publishing and the author Judith Keim for the e-Arc of the book.

The Desert Flowers—Lily is the second book in the new Desert Sage Inn series by Judith Keim. Alec Thurston had dedicated his life to developing his Desert Sage Inn, located near Palm Springs, and the memory of his wife and unborn child who were lost in a fire. Through the years he has developed a beautiful resort with many amenities. He has also cultivated strong feelings for three different ladies.

When Alec is diagnosed with an untreatable cancer and has decisions to make about his estate and legacy, he contacts the three women and asks for their help. As he was never anything but kind to each of them, they put their lives on hold and return to the resort to help him with a transition to the buyers of the resort.

Lily Weaver was hired as a personal assistant to Alec some years ago. They had developed a close relationship and when it became too close Alec found her a good job in Phoenix and severed ties. Although Lily had hoped for a different outcome, she has no hard feelings since Alec had been straight forward in the beginning telling Lily he would never marry again and would break off any relationship that became too close.

Lily’s special skills as a legal secretary are put to work as she is paired with disabled Gulf War veteran and attorney Brian Walden, who specializes in consulting with businesses making acquisitions. He is attorney for The Blaise Group and is working to fulfill the demands of the Armstrong brothers while meeting the criteria set forth by Alec Thurston.

In this second book in the series, we see each woman continue in her own journey and view the new beginnings of their lives even as they must take this tearful path as they slowly lose a dear friend. Lily is highlighted in this edition. As Lily and Brian connect on more than a business level, the reader is brought in to their developing relationship and the curves they field in a few short months.


This is a very well written book with well developed and likable main characters. It was interesting and enlightening to watch this saga continue to unfold. I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!

Second in the series Desert Flowers, wish I had known there was a first one and tried to read it first, but I'll go back
Lily is one of three old lovers of Alec, who is dying of cancer. He has asked the three of them to help him with the sale/conversion of his hotels. After Lily comes to California, she really loves it there and wants to move there permanently. She has never married and has a condo in New York to sell. She does have qualms about leaving her sister and niece behind, but moves forward with her plans. Not long after she has been in California, she returns to New York to sell her condo, finding it occupied by her sister's boyfriend. She soon boots him and has to clean the condo so it is in sellable condition again. I won't give away too much of the plot, but this becomes a major focus of the book. The sister and her worthless boyfriend, their innocent 3 year old daughter. I must confess I was more interested in the plot earlier in the book and kind of lost interest as it progressed.
Although the book is titled Lily, there are several chapters entitled Rose and Willow the other three of the Desert Flowers. Each plays a part in the layout of the storyline. This is an interesting book, just seems to lag a little about midpoint. I have already received the third in this series through NetGalley and will be reading it soon as well.
I received an ARC from NetGalley but this is my honest review.

I liked this book. The book invoked many emotions such as laughing, smiling, and at times crying. Lily loves her family and supports them thru bad choices and the impact on family and surrounding people. Lily meets Brian and has to overcome the past to plan for a future with biological and extended families.
Spoiler – this book deals with domestic violence.
*I received this book free from Netgalley for an honest review. *

I am loving "The Desert Sage Inn" series. This is the second book of Alec's desert flowers and Lily's story. Lily did not have a great childhood. Her mother "wished she never had children" therefore, Lily was left taking care of herself and her sister, Monica. Brian is a wounded warrior who has not let his now disability curtail his abilities in any way. When they meet through the sale of Alec's hotel, they work together well. Both are hit with whammies and together, each supporting the other, they make it work. From tragedy comes new beginnings. Another great story by Judith Keim. Thanks to Ms. Keim, Wild Quail Publishing, and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review this great book. Cannot wait to read Willow's story next.

The Desert Flowers - Lily by Judith Keim is the second in the Desert Flower series. Lily Weaver is a lawyer in New York state but soon finds herself returning to Palm Desert, CA at the request of a man she had once loved, Alec Thurston. He is dying of cancer and is trying to make arrangements for the transition of his boutique desert hotel as it passes to new owners. Lily leaves the law firm and her family to relocate so she can use her legal and organizational skills as Alec prepares for the transfer of his company.
Alec has asked three very special women from his past to assist him. Lily regrets having to leave her sister and niece, but she hopes to convince them to join her there. She enjoys the company of the other two women, Rose and Willow as they work together in this project.
The new hotel chain that is planning to purchase the hotel has sent a representative to help with the transition. Lily meets Brian Walden on her morning run and they become friends. Brian is a war veteran with his own problems and painful past.
I enjoyed reading this book and this series very much. I am looking forward to the third book.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

“Lily” is the 2nd book in Judith Keim’s Desert Flower Series.
I was so excited to get to know Lily better. Each of these stories is only going to make me care more deeply about these women!
I can always count on Judith Keim to deliver a story to my door that will take me on a vacation where I meet people I fall in love with in a place I want to visit! Her stories feel so very familiar, simply because she writes with such heart!
I look forward to Willow arriving in February, 2022! Judith’s books are always a hit!
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

#NetGalley #TheWriteReview #JudithKeim #Lily

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary digital copy of Desert Flowers – Lily by Judith Keim. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this novel. My opinions are my own, and nothing has influenced my rating.

Desert Flowers – Lily is another well written women’s fiction book by Ms. Keim. The pacing pulled me in from the first page to the last. The author’s descriptions of the setting also helped to keep me engaged.

Lily Weaver is the female protagonist, and she is a strong character, which she shows throughout the story. Her love for her misguided sister is unconditional, and her protectiveness for her adorable niece is touching. When she meets the hero, I enjoyed her willingness to let it play out.

Brian Walton is the hero, and he has many of the qualities I want in a male lead. When he learns he has a son, he accepts the responsibility, although he’d never wanted to become a father. He’s a man I could admire.

The romance between Lily and Brian goes smoothly, both accept the other as they are, not trying to change them. While there are very few conflicts for them to overcome, I enjoyed their love story.

The central theme of this novel is the strong bound between Lily and her sister. No matter that her sister keeps making bad decisions, she never truly deserts her, even though she does attempt to use tough love. I could feel her heartbreak when Monica makes the final decision to meet her abusive ex which ultimately leaves her three-year-old motherless. Lily shows her strength when she readily accepts custody for her niece.

The willingness of Lily and Brian to work together as a team as they form a family for his son and her niece is heartwarming. Other readers may find the lack of true conflict less than what they enjoy, I liked the low angst between them and felt it showed the chance of an abiding love that would stand the test of time no matter what fate or life had for them.

If you enjoy women’s fiction with a strong romantic element with engaging characters, then you will love Desert Flowers – Lily as much as I did. Ms. Keim always delivers a novel that is sure to grab me from the start. Happy reading!

Lily is the second book in the Desert Flowers trilogy from Judith Keim, and you really should read the irst book in the series (Rose) before picking this one up. Told from the viewpoints of all 3 main characters (Rose, Lily, and Willow), this book focuses on Lily's story a bit more, but it is a continuation of a 3 part storyline. I love the way the 3 main characters, who have not known each other prior to Alec bringing them back to the hotel, have become a family.

Lily is finding herself settling in at the Desert Sage Hotel, and also finding a second job outside the hotel. Her attraction to Brian finally is starting to blossom, but she needs to return back to the East Coast to wrap up loose ends. While she is there, she finds her sister's ex has been inhabiting her condo, and trying to work his way back into Monica's life, and drag her back into a toxic relationship with him. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but Lily faces some tough challenges trying to help her sister, and Brian also experiences some upheaval in his personal life. This series is definitely not a light read, but it is filled with love and connection, and hope shines through.

I am definitely looking forward to Willow's story and seeing how this Trilogy wraps up.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Another delightful time spent with the Desert Flowers. While Lily may be the main focus of this book, the other two ladies are very much a part. Lots going on in Lily's life. Family troubles, new man, new job, and so much more. A charming and emotional series. I look forward to reading Willow's tale.

A story about birth families and families of the heart, affections, friendship and love, “The Desert Flowers - Lily”, by Judith Keim (Wild Quail Publishing), features a wounded hero well adapted and very comfortable in his skin.
I liked the honesty between Brian and Lily, the fact they talk and communicate, although in the end I thought the romance lacked tension and chemistry. They’re both older and successful adults and it was nice to watch them interact and reach their HEA.
There’s almost no drama between them and the obstacles they have to overcome are external.
As this wasn’t a classic romance, but more a story about the Desert Flowers, in which I wasn’t that invested, the romance between Brian and Lily seemed to happen too easily and was wrapped up too quickly while they were dealing with some serious issues life kept throwing at them.
The wounded hero is a bit undeveloped; we get to know more about him as a newly discovered father or a devoted son than about his inner self or him as a lover/partner. As for the disability representation it was sometimes a bit vague.
I felt the story was very long and the details about the hospitality business didn’t really grab my interest.
I also find the premise – Alec and the “desert flowers” – a bit forced.

Thank you NetGalley, Judith Keim and Wild Quail Publishing for the copy of The Desert Flowers- Lily. This is my personal review.
Lily, Rose and Willow are three sisters who are helping Alec with the transition of his hotel.
The sisters are all at various stages in their lives but willing come together to help Alec with the transition of the Desert Sage Inn.
There are so many layers to each sister and this book focuses on Lily.
Judith Keim has given us a book that makes you feel you are there with them all.
The characters are so well written, and the story unfolds in a beautiful way.

There are 3 books in this series and this is the second one. I didn't read the first book and I feel like I missed alot because I didn't. This is supposed to be Lilly's book, but you get chapters that are told from Willow or Rose's POV, that was a bit confusing. Since this is Lilly's book, I will base my review on that.
First, I like that Lilly is older and not some 20 something, she has history with Alec who she has left her life in New York to help. The book hints that her life in New York was not all that great, but you are not told. She loves her sister Monica and niece Izzy, but I felt that because of the issues with her childhood, she enabled Monica. Just my opinion. Lily is in CA to help Alec, who is dying, sell his hotel and she meets Brian. This is where I have issue with this book. Lily and Brian have one "date" that turns into a work thing. They then just casually say hi and sometimes run together. The next time Brian asked her out, you get the feeling that sometime has pasted, they have dinner at his place and then they have sex. and are in love. She wants kids, he doesn't, but they are in love? Right.
I am sorry, but I just don't buy it.

Lily is one of the Desert Flowers, along with Rose and Willow. Three strong women who came back to help Alec, who is dying of cancer. The women are going to help him make sure his legacy, the Desert Sage Inn, stays the way it is. He is selling to another hotel group.
Brian is part of the transition team for the hotel group that wants to buy the Desert Sage Inn. Brian and Lily build a friendship, and then they start to fall in love. As they are starting to fall in love, Brian's never has wanted kids and thinks he is too old now. Lily never thought she could have kids and never tried. But life always has a way of doing what it wants, and Brian, finds out he has a son from a former girlfriend that he knew nothing about. The boy's mother contacted him to tell him when she found out she was dying. Lily and Brian decided he needed to go see his son and get to know him, in the hopes he would want to come and live with them. While he is doing that, Lily's sister passes away in an automobile accident, and her sister had signed papers that she wanted Lily to raise her daughter. Lily, if something happened to her. Lily decided that she would raise her 3-year-old niece, and together they would create a family.
Judith Keim always writes about people who are real, with connections, like in this story. Three strong, independent women came together and chose to work together, be there not only for Alex but for each other too. But, they are living like we are in a life, that has struggles, overworked, busy, and while they are making plans, life makes plans for them, and they have to deal with what life has given them. What else can you do, you figure things out and take the first step to the new life you have.

Lily is a strong woman. She raised her younger sister when their alcoholic mother couldn't and helped Monica with the birth and care of Monica's daughter. When she finds out her old love and mentor, Alec, is dying of cancer and asks for her help, she leaves New York for Palm Dessert to help him with the sale and transition of his hotel. At the Desert Sage Inn, Lily meets the other Desert Flowers: Rose and Willow. They are all focused on helping Alec with his final wishes and become fast friends. Lily also meets Brian, working for the hotel buyers and helping with the transition to the new owners. Sometimes, love, at first sight, takes a while to show itself as Brian and Lily find each other. They both end up facing some major personal struggles and find themselves leaning on each other for comfort and support.
I enjoyed getting to know the Desert Flowers, and although I have not read book one of this series, I had no trouble following along. I am looking forward to reading book three, Willow's story. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader's copy.

This book was so good! This is Lily’s story and picks up a bit after the first one. We catch up with everyone we’ve come to know. Lily is dealing with her sister and her new love interest. For a second book in the series it’s just as good as the first one. I can’t wait to read the next one!
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy