Book excerpt: The power of love and the strength of women working together are proved once again. Three women: Rose Macklin; Lily Weaver; and Willow Sanchez, are asked to help Alec Thurston, owner of the Desert Sage Inn, with the sale of his resort as he’s dying. He’s beloved by all three women of different ages and backgrounds for different reasons. Each comes to Palm Desert, California, unaware the other two women will be there. They gamely join forces to help him, lovingly accepting his nickname for them—The Desert Flowers. Each woman has different challenges she must face in order to move forward, and as she struggles, she’s left to wonder if finding love for each of them is part of Alec’s secret plan. And when they and Juanita Sanchez, Alec’s long-time housekeeper, share a special Christmas with Ivy Barrett and her son, Benjy, they all believe this is something that Alec might have wanted all along. This is a series for those who love reading about strong women coming together to help each other and someone they love. Be sure to read all the books in the series—The Desert Flowers-Rose, The Desert Flowers-Lily, The Desert Flowers-Willow, and Mistletoe and Holly. Another of Judith Keim’s series celebrating love and families, strong women meeting challenges, and clean women’s fiction with a touch of romance—beach reads for all ages with a touch of humor, satisfying twists, and happy endings. Be sure to check out her other delightful books and series that readers adore.