The Desert Flowers - Rose

Alec Thurston is dying of cancer and he asks Rose, who he had a six-year relationship, Lily who had been his assistant, and Willow who was like a daughter to him to come to oversee the sale of his hotel, the Desert Sage Inn. As the women arrive, they are independent, smart women.
This is Rose's story, the first in this series. Alec had Rose working beside Hank who she knew she wouldn't like because of his reputation. But Alec tells her to give Hank a chance so she does. They decide they might want to date but one of his grown daughters is set against her father dating. We discover how competent Rose, Lily, and Willow is in presenting the Desert Sage Inn to the hotel that wants to buy it. The agreement was the hotel would keep the inn unique. The three women worked together, presented the plans, and when they discovered the hotel didn't want it to stay the same as it was, they came up with a plan that would give the hotel owners a reason to keep the inn the way it is.
It was nice to have a book that shows us that women can work together, see the strengths they each have, be happy that by working together they can accomplish the many tasks they must do, and it wasn't a competition. As I wrote about not making it a competition, one thing in the book stuck out for me. When Alec had a trainer come every morning to take them hiking, running, swimming, as a team working together, the trainer took them to high school. The women were going to race high school runners. When the women asked what the rules were, the trainer says, once up and once back on the track and the team with all 3 runners back first is the winner. The women got together and devised their plan so when the trainer said go, all three of the women ran at once. The girls at first said they cheated but they explained what the rules were and it didn't say one at a time they ran, it was the first team with all three back to the finish line won. Then they asked the women to come to school and talk about empowering women. Wouldn't it be nice to have women empowering each other, working together, and realizing the different strengths they each have and how they can blend them together and succeed? The first book of this new series is showing us that it can happen.
Judith Keim, has created a wonderful new series for women.

This was a quick start to what is going to be an enjoyable series. We meet Rose, Lily and Willow who all come together to help a dear friend Alec with the sale of his hotel. The characters were likeable and I can’t wait to see where this series goes. Definitely recommend
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy

I received this book as an ARC via NetGalley.

Judith Keim likes to weave a story through a series of books and this one fits that bill.

The Desert Flowers - Rose is the story of Alec Thurston - a hotelier that is dying from cancer. He has called 3 women from his past back into his life to help him settle the affairs of his inn. He does not want the uniqueness of his inn to be diminished or lessened when the new owners take over.

This story is about Rose - one of the women he calls to help him. Rose has always felt like she does not deserve love. She was an oops baby and her parents did not know how to handle her inquisitive nature. Rose had a 6 year relationship with Alec before they ended it as Alec would never marry. Rather than continuing down a path where there was no marriage, the relationship ended.

Rose now needs to help Alec with making sure that his wishes are carried out once he is gone. Rose is paired up with Hank and sparks fly. But, will his daughter's get in the way of them being together in a personal sense? Will the job get in the way?

I cannot wait for the 2nd book to come out later this year!

I enjoyed reading this book. It had everything.sadness happiness and hope. There is a good story and the characters were all different. It was nice to see the three women become friends and I cannot wait until the next book.

This book is well written, and leaves you wanting more of this story. Rose, Lilly and Willow like to have fun, but they are also very competent in the jobs they’ve been assigned. It’s fun to watch them grow in confidence, and become friends and confidants. Saving The Desert Sage Inn from becoming just another hotel is a common goal. They help and support each other with the work it involves. This is a good story, and I recommend it to anyone liking romance. I am looking forward to the next books in the series to find out what happens with Lilly and Willow, along with the inn. I received an arc of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Desert Flowers - Rose (The Desert Sage Inn Series Book 1) by Judith Keim is an exciting new series! Three strangers that have a connection to Alec Thurston are brought together for an incredibly special project. His life is lived mostly alone due to the death of his young wife and their unborn child in a house fire years ago. He made a promise he would never remarry because he felt such guilt and sorrow at her death. Now, Alec has a brief time to live and set plans in motion for three important women in his life to come to California. Alec owns a luxury resort hotel named The Desert Sage Inn and wants the three women to represent him as he prepares to sell the hotel.
Rose arrives at Alec's home to discover she will be joined by two other women. This worries her for a bit, but she cares so deeply for Alec until she agrees to help make the transition of this hotel as successful as possible. She and Alec had lived together for six years and have stayed friends. Rose has her own business and also runs a successful blog that generates income.
Lily has been working extremely long hours for a law firm. She has never married after her breakup with Alec several years ago. She has never gotten over her feelings for him and wants to do whatever he needs to help him have peace about his hotel. She meets the other two women and soon feels a kinship with them that she never expected.
Willow is grieved to learn Alec is unwell and has limited time remaining. She is happy to return to the Desert Sage Inn where her parents have been employed for years. Alec had treated her with kindness as she grew up and he encouraged her to learn about the hotel industry. When she attended Cornell, Willow majored in hotel management and business. Willow remembers Rose and Lily from years past when they each lived with Alec. She is worried about how they will accept her as a business equal due to her age.
I enjoyed reading about the friendships and camaraderie among the three women. It was a delight to read of their problem-solving and dedication to making the sale and transition of the hotel exactly as Alec has planned. The three women are a force to be reckoned with as they use their knowledge and experience to meet the prospective buyers and present Alec's legacy for the future of the hotel.
Publication Date January 28, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I can’t wait for the rest of the books in the series to come out. I have loved getting to know the characters in this book. There is so much positivity, acceptance and friendship. I was drawn in from the first page of the book and it never disappointed me.

I loved this story of the Desert Flowers- Rose. This book is about Alec who brings in 3 ladies that he has been friends with into the transition of selling the Desert Inn. Rose, Lily and Willow the desert flowers. The book includes all of them but focuses on Rose and so we know that this is a series because there are still 2 more. This is a VERY GOOD READ.

Alec Thurston has had a special, but different, relationship with three women since his wife died. Rose, whose story is mainly about with the first book in the series, had the longest relationship. When Alec is diagnosed with cancer, he decides to sell his hotel, one that has been built with love and care with regards to the guests. He brings in what he calls his "desert flowers" since the women's names are Rose, Lily, and Willow. All three women are invited to Alec's home, unbeknownst to the other. They are a team of women who are to help oversee the sale of the hotel without losing the charm. Rose is paired up with Hank, from the buyers side. He has a reputation and Rose does not want to like him. As they work together and learn more about each other, both have to decide whether it is worth taking a chance. I loved this book about discovery in strength and what you can accomplish if you work together. The first book in the series is awesome and cannot wait to read the next. Judith Keim knows how to draw you in, keep you there until the end, and leave wanting the next book immediately. Thanks for Ms. Keim, Wild Quail Publishing, and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I thought about giving this book 4 stars instead of 5, because I absolutely hate cliff hangars. I realized that would be unfair to the author because she neatly tied up a portion of the story. The novel is fantastic. Each of the characters are so loveable, likeable, and just plain human. Once again Judith Keim makes the scenery so believable that it draws you in and you feel not only the heat and cold, but all the desert sights and sounds. Beware, if you begin it, be prepared to read it straight through. You won't want to put it down. One has to know what happens to each of the Desert Flowers. I want more, NOW!!!!

The Desert Flowers—Rose is the first 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.

Rose Macklin had come to the resort as an event director and she and Alec became quite close. However, he had warned Rose from the beginning that he would never marry again and that if things got too serious he would break it off, which is exactly what he did. However, Rose harbors no ill will and is there to support her friend.

Lily Weaver was hired a few years later as a personal assistant to Alec. They, too, developed a close relationship and when it became too close Alec found her a good job in Phoenix and severed ties. Again, although Lily had hoped for a different outcome, she has no hard feelings.

Willow Sanchez is Alec’s relation by marriage, the daughter of his wife’s cousin, and somewhat of a protege to Alec. Because of him she attended the Cornell School of Hotel Administration. She then went on to teach at Boston University in the School of Hospitality.

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.

This story, Rose’s story, takes place at the beginning of the transition process. While Alec is ailing, he is in good spirits and has many good days. The first order of business is to unite the women in a sisterhood with dedication to making Alec’s goals become reality. Rose is put to work addressing PR issues with her counterpart from the Blaise Hotel Group, the buyers, former football player Hank Bowers. 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 consulting with businesses making acquisitions. Willow is paired with her college nemesis, Brent Armstrong, an entitled, chauvinistic, demeaning menace who thinks he can say and do whatever he wants. However, Willow is much stronger and much more accomplished since she was an underclassman at Cornell and is determined to not let him get to her.

In this first of a series, we see each woman come into her own and view new beginnings even as they must take this tearful journey as they slowly lose a dear friend. This is a very well written book with well developed and likable main characters. It was interesting and enlightening as the first portion of this saga unfolded. I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!