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Flower in the Desert

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Left for dead in the middle of the vast, wild Grand Canyon, Ruby Lucas is losing the battle to survive. After days without food and very little water, Ruby’s time is running out. Just as it looks like all is lost, a tall, dark stranger might be her only hope…

When Native American tracker Jase Rivers is called in by the FBI to help find a missing woman in the canyon, he doesn’t have much hope he’ll find her alive. However, as Jase quickly finds out, lovely and vibrant Ruby is full of surprises.

Ruby will have to rely on Jase if she wants to make it out of the canyon alive, but stoic, unflappable Jase doesn’t realize how much he’ll come to rely on Ruby as well. This unlikely couple might find that something beautiful can grow and flourish where least expected…

Flower in the Desert is a hot and steamy standalone novella complete with HEA.

130 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 22, 2014

13 people are currently reading
134 people want to read

About the author

Lavender Parker

9 books98 followers
Lavender Parker is an avid reader of romance novels and erotica. Having grown tired of the predictable and often white-washed mainstream romance novels available, she decided to try her hand at writing the kind of stories she wanted to read. Lavender's hot heroes and heroines come in all shades and all ethnicities! She recently completed her first novel in the St. James Family series, Kiss of Ice.

Lavender currently lives with her long-term boyfriend and slightly neurotic dog in the colorful New York City borough of Queens. When on break from her day job in reality television, she also likes to write screenplays and produce low-budget films.


Contact Lavender Parker:
email: parker.lavender@gmail.com
twitter: @lavender_parker
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lavenderparker

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5 stars
74 (25%)
4 stars
103 (36%)
3 stars
79 (27%)
2 stars
23 (8%)
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6 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
Profile Image for Jill Sorenson.
Author 42 books458 followers
August 22, 2014
Hello, sexy. Where have you been all my life?

This book just sort of dropped into my lap on Amazon while I was looking for other stuff. Outdoorsy survival romance + people of color (TWO people of color! TWO!) + awesome 70s porn-style cover = get in my kindle. I've been trying to read more diverse stories and this one really clicked. The writing is good, not quite perfect, but I can't recall any specific errors. No typos or glaring mistakes. Plenty of f-bombs. I appreciate that. I also appreciated the non-stereotypical, not-fetishy? character portrayals. There were no mystical Native American moments for the hero. The heroine is African American, smart and down to earth. The hero likes her ass in a normal, horny guy way. They are a natural fit, with sexy banter and great chemistry.

A couple of quibbles. Jason loses his backpack in one questionable scene, and I wasn't quite sold on his conflict about commitment. But I really liked the characters, survival elements, graphic language and hot sex. A touching romance with a strong start and a satisfying finish. 4.5
Profile Image for Musings of A Romance Junkie.
311 reviews92 followers
July 28, 2014
This book started out really well: action-packed and edge-of-your-seat what's gonna happen next. But (spoiler) after the rescue, it fell flat for me. The male lead had issues that were never really discussed. He was this tortured soul who tried in earnest to resist the female lead, but why? The 2nd half of the book was just filled with annoying back and forth, will he or won't he until he got a clue at the very end...
Profile Image for KBeautiful1.
690 reviews66 followers
March 20, 2015
This was a great story by author Lavender Parker

Ruby Lucas who is now divorced from her husband went out to a lunch he invited her too. It was good because they were finally getting along, what she didn't bank on was waking up in a locked car trunk in the desert.

When Ruby realizes what has happened to her it becomes a fight of survival because she has two small children, her parents and her brother. So she need to live but how in the world is she going to get out of this situation. And where is her ex-husband?

Jase Rivers is a Native American tracker and he does it best. He is given this case which at first he was about to pass on it but once her background came through something within moved and made him determined to find Ruby whether dead or alive and bring her home to her family. Jase is a man that likes to work alone, he doesn't have time for the bureaucracy that is the FBI, Police or the CIA. He rather get in to get the job done because he realizes every second counts especially when a person is missing. So with a late start Jase sets out into the Grand Canyon to find Ruby.

What made this story so amazing is that Ruby is the one who was lost in the desert but it becomes Jase who gets lost when he finds Ruby. He realizes that she is a fighter with fire and with them desperate and fighting to get out of the desert in the mean time Jase loses his heart to this woman he finds so incredibly beautiful, even with her weight loss and disheveled look. He has found a heart that beats just as strong as his does. And he has to get Ruby out before thinking about anything else. But once they make it out of the desert what will that mean for them?

This story finds love, courage and determination. A woman that refuses to give up and accept no for an answer and a man who has ran for too long, and want to stop running. Can these two people realize that their hearts are only meant to beat for the other? Or will the stubbornness and fear win out?

Take a ride along with Jase and Ruby, their story is one you will not forget. Bravo author Lavender Parker on writing this amazing story and having us fall in love with these two.

Well Until My Next Review Ciao Bellas!

Profile Image for Cait.
2,713 reviews4 followers
June 22, 2020
Ripped Bodice Bingo 2020: Accidentally In The Wilderness

The first two thirds of this were so much better than the last third. Why did Jase suddenly not want to be with Ruby? This was another one of those novella's where I think the relationship suffered for it being a novella - you needed more time with them both.
Profile Image for SuperWendy.
1,099 reviews266 followers
January 21, 2018
I liked this, but didn't love it. Good solid suspense. Liked the hero. Liked the heroine. Felt like the story was "too big" for novella format. Also, the hero, after rescuing the heroine, has a moment of incompetency that was shoehorned in (I suspect) to ratchet up suspense. Instead? It just makes him look incompetent in his job. I've read better. I've read worse. Basically the very definition of an OK read.
Profile Image for Mstcat.
155 reviews58 followers
August 30, 2014
I am super excited about sharing my review of Flower in the Desert with all of you. This is surprisingly the first book that I've personally had the pleasure of reading by author Lavender Parker. So what made me pick up this one? There was just something about that cover and the title that just caught my attention. It's just that simple. And of course it didn't hurt that it was only $0.99! I one-clicked it and I am so glad that I did! I really didn't plan to read the entirety of this book when I downloaded it. I was just a bit curious since my trigger finger didn't give me time to read the sample first. Once I started reading I found Flower in the Desert to be a very engaging and exciting book that I just kept on reading until the end. Lets just say that I really enjoyed it.  But I'm jumping ahead of myself...

What it is About: Someone has locked Ruby, a mother of two and a divorcee, in the trunk of her car. This is where the story starts right from page one.  She she can't remember exactly how she got there, but she knows she's going to die if she can't get out of the trunk, and once she does she only discovers that she's abandoned  in the desert that will also kill her.  Jase is a Native-American man who helps track missing persons. He's brought on the case of helping find the missing Ruby and is drawn to the photo of the smiling woman. When finding her isn't as simple as he'd hoped he is determined to do just that - find her even if it is only her body. When Ruby does meet Jase it is an uphill battle to make it from the desert with the both of them alive. But with danger and death looming an attraction and caring begins to bloom. Is it real or is it just the threat of death and the deadly desert?

The Good: I really liked both Jase and Ruby. He's the silent, strong, brooding loner whose attraction to Ruby seemed natural and believable. He isn't going to give up until he finds her and when he does he's just as determined to get her to safety before it is too late. The thing is, he wasn't written over-the-top and his loyalty even when he wanted to seem aloof just got to me. The author wrote this man so that his appeal was effortless and his determination = sexy! I also loved that he's Native American. That was a big plus for me! Let's see more diversity in IR romance! Ruby was also a darned determined character. From the beginning she isn't going to lay down and die. She's a fighter and a survivor and she goes through the gauntlet with Jase. Basically, I really liked the beginning of the book. It was captivating and I cared what happened to these two. After such an intense and action-packed first half, the second half lags somewhat; however, this in no way decreases the likability of the story. The concerns that the hero has after they are rescued are concerns that I think anyone would and should naturally have.

The Bad: Although I really liked this book there were a few things that were frustrating for me as a reader. Although I found Jase's concerns natural and believable, it was also frustrating. I wish he would have been more open with her because she was pretty open with him (almost too much) about how she felt. It would also have been nice to get to know Jase a bit better. That would have gone a long way to completely explain why he lived the way that he did, thought the way he did about himself, and it would have made the story even richer for me because Ruby would have known him as more than her hero, but also as a man. There were also a some unanswered questions. I needed to know the true reason why she was left to die, for example. It was never really clarified for me. Yes we're told who did it (I don't want to give anything away, but it is easily figured out early on), but not why it was done. There are other unanswered questions that I can't express here on my review without giving away what some might consider spoilers, but I think they are questions that any reader other than myself may have

My Final Thoughts: Go out and purchase a Flower in the Desert! You really won't be disappointed. It is well written and exciting. You have great characters, danger and undeniable attraction.This is a book that makes complete use of its 130 or so pages.  Although it is not a long story, you don't feel as if you've been short changed at all. In fact, in the land of mediocre stories, too few pages, and overpriced ebooks, you'll feel like you've robbed the author after reading such a complete story for only $0.99.
I'm giving Flower in the Desert a rating of 3.5 out of 5. (I only took away a half a rating point because of the unanswered questions.)
Profile Image for Mspraise50.
1,597 reviews65 followers
August 7, 2014
Lavender Parker is an author that I enjoy reading and this book was no different.

Right away the story caught my attention because it was about survival, beating the odds in an environment that could easily kill you.

The connection that Jase feels for Ruby just by looking at her photo and searching for her was intriguing to me. When Jase and Ruby finally meet and the subsequent relationship that develops during and after the rescue was intense. I loved that the story was mainly about the couple and their feelings/emotions and insecurities about their relationship. I did enjoy the dialogue between the two the way the communicated with each other.

I am surprised the book is described as a Novella as there was 130 pages to this story. I enjoyed the read.
Profile Image for Dancechica.
175 reviews5 followers
June 6, 2016
This was an interracial romance between an African American woman stranded in the Grand Canyon and a Native American tracker who helps find her. I liked the first half of the book much better than the second. Ruby and Jace’s display of smarts, humor and mutual attraction as they worked together to survive in the canyon was great. Unfortunately, the relationship development didn’t continue well once they returned to normal life. I wanted to see them continue to build on the bond forged in the canyon, but instead the couple had issues getting together for largely contrived reasons. I still enjoyed the book but I wasn’t as engaged during the second half. That said, I liked the writing enough to read more by this author.
Profile Image for Deena.
540 reviews11 followers
July 28, 2014
Ok, so this is supposed to be a novella, but it felt like a full length novel! I felt like we were given enough information on both Jase and Ruby to have a good feel for both characters. The story pulled me in from Page 1 and held my attention to the end. Good storyline, interesting characters, and lots of heat.

This is the fourth book I've read by Lavender Parker and I've enjoyed each one. So glad I found her!
Profile Image for Black Butterfly.
2,630 reviews39 followers
August 27, 2014
RUBY & JASON MEET UNDER EXTREMLY UNSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES, THEY HAVE TO RELY ON EACH OTHER TO SURVIVE. I REALLY ENJOYED THIS, THE STORY LINE WAS DIFFERENT AND BELIEVABLE AND SO ROMANTIC. I ONLY WISH MORE HAD BEEN TOLD ABOUT SOME OF THE MINOR CHARACTERS. VERY SWEET-HOTT-STEAMY-SMOKIN' HOT READ THOUGH. ;D
Profile Image for Rachel.
379 reviews7 followers
July 24, 2019
I liked this but I wish I liked it more. The characters were solid, the writing was good, but I found myself a bit frustrated with the pacing at times. I don't have too many complaints with this book, other than I wish we were given an explicit reason as to why the heroine was left in the trunk of her car to die, and why the heroine's son was distant toward her after her harrowing rescue. Those two things aside, this is worth a read. Just prepare yourself for the we-can't-be-together-although-there's-no-reason-why-we-can't-be trope that's thrown in to extend the b plot.
Profile Image for CLorraine.
1,765 reviews19 followers
October 29, 2021
Finding Love in Dry Places

When Ruby is left for dead in the desert by her estranged husband Jase helps the authorities search for this vibrant woman, if only yo bring her body home. Miraculously, he finds her and working together they make it to safety. But once they are back in the real world will they be able to resist the feelings they have developed? I loved this story!
Profile Image for Dudi.
409 reviews1 follower
April 15, 2023
I was really invested into this story. It details a mother of young children trying to survive in the wilderness after suffering an attempt on her life and betrayal. I love the dynamic between Ruby and Jase.
683 reviews5 followers
January 4, 2025
Fire

I love books with a strong heroine and strong men who appreciate them. This is a slow burn but the stoking is well worth it.
Profile Image for M.J..
373 reviews23 followers
September 15, 2014
In Flower in the Desert, we start in the trunk of a car. Ruby Lucas, wakes up in the trunk of her car with no idea how she got there, the last thing she remembers is going to dinner with her estranged husband. Desperate to survive to see her two children again, she franticly works to get out of the trunk and succeeds. Now out of the trunk, she finds herself stranded in the Grand Canyon. After days with no help in site and tired of waiting Ruby fears all hope lost, but what she doesn’t know is that Native Tracker Jason ”Jase” Rivers is on the case. Jase get the job of tracking the lost young mother and from the 1st moment he sees Ruby picture she becomes more than just another case. Jase know all too well how unforgiving the Canyon can be & he is determined to find her even if his fears are realized. Just when he is about to give up he finds her but they are not out danger and they still have to make it out of the canyon alive.
This was great story of love and adventure. The story while not unique was written really well and kept me interested. The romance did begin rather quickly but that was to be expected. When two people are stranded together for days and go thru dangerous situations together they do tend to form a bond. The only real issue I had with this story was Arnell, Ruby’s husband. I would have like to have seen more of him and to know why he did what he did to Ruby. That was never really explained in the book so you never really got to understand what his motivation was. I would have like some dialogue between the two as well as Ruby’s son Brandon. I really believe the story would have benefited from more of these two characters, all in a still a really good book.
Profile Image for Romance Novels in Color.
347 reviews247 followers
November 5, 2014
Flowers in the Desert tells the story of a woman left for dead in the Grand Canyon, wondering if she will survive the ordeal.

Ruby Lucas finds herself in the middle of the Grand Canyon with no hope of rescue, until Jase Rivers comes on the scene. Jase is an FBI tracker and believes he will not find Ruby alive after so many days in the canyon. He is surprised by Ruby’s resilience and the strong attraction he feels toward her. As these two embark on a journey to get back to civilization, they must rely on each other while understanding and embracing the mutual attraction between them.

The storyline was sound but at times did not flow and stay engaging. Once Jase locates Ruby, the events that occur, while in the desert, were dangerous but at times predictable and unrealistic. The author did a fine job with character development and showing the heroine and hero’s determination to be rescued. Ruby’s character displayed her vibrancy as well as her inner strength to survive her current situation. Jase’s character portrayed that of a man determined to locate Ruby at all cost. They realize their circumstances allow them to depend on each other for survival and recognize the attraction. They don’t act on that attraction while in the desert, but once the kidnapper has been identified and arrested, Ruby decides to follow her heart and locate Jase to see if the attraction was real or just an emotional need to connect with someone because of a traumatic event.

Overall, this book was an okay read.

-Reviewed by: Deborah
Profile Image for --karen Green-berry.
558 reviews14 followers
August 11, 2014
Jase & Ruby- BRAB Online Book Club

Jason"Jase" Rivers and Ruby Rose Lucas met under unfortunate circumstances. When her estranged husband kidnapped her and left her for dead in the desert. Jase, native American tracker, was one of the people assigned to try and find her.

The minute he saw her picture, he developed a strong connection to her. His perseverance paid off and they found themselves stranded after he found her. During that time, a strong attraction grew between them, while Ruby wanted to pursue it, Jase didn't.

It was a pleasant novel, even though I found it predictable, I enjoyed their story.
Profile Image for Kelly .
406 reviews10 followers
August 20, 2014
Very good!

Very good!

I rooted for Ruby to be saved and Jase did not let me down! I loved the immediate chemistry between the two...he was the tough silent type and she was his complete opposite. In more than one way, they saved each other and that's always the HEA I look for in a romance novel; kudos to the author!
Profile Image for Genney Blass.
1,314 reviews27 followers
October 30, 2014
Jase Rivers, Native American, Sexy ass Hell, yum. Ruby, wow, what she went through, crazy. From the moment I read the summary I had to read this story. It was great, had controversy, action, but I wanted more. Jase, even though he was sexy, he was a stubborn, stubborn ass. But it was a great book.
341 reviews3 followers
March 15, 2015
I was little disappointment by this book. It lacked the heat and connection I am used to from Parker. The MCs fell in love under an extreme circumstance that I think took away from the legitimacy of their love. If they were not stranded in the desert, would they even care? IDK, I don't think so. This one was skip for me but I do still love Ms. Parker.
Profile Image for Valerie.
259 reviews7 followers
December 21, 2014
Very Pleasantly Surprised

This is the first book I've read by Lavender Parker. I t was great! Loved the way the book started...it had me hooked from the beginning. I also loved how "real" the characters felt. Can't wait to read another book from this author!
25 reviews
September 17, 2014
FLOWER IN THE DESERT

Awesome book Jace was off the hook. Book.was a good read. .The characters were believable I will be reading more books by Ms Parker
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews

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