The Desert Flowers - Lily

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

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.

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.

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.