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Sway with the Wind: A Prequel Novella
Anne searches for peace while her heart searches for love.
After a tragic accident kills her parents in 1959, eleven-year-old Anne is sent to live with her grandpa on his ranch in the remote desert community of Lovejoy, a place that’s never brought her love nor joy. She struggles to adapt to her new reality where she has no place in the world, isolated in a town of dust devils, Joshua trees, and tumbleweeds, iconic of the old Westerns. She finds solace when she uncovers the magnificent beauty of the desert on the ranch.
When developers come to town seeking to build a lake and rename the community Lake Los Angeles, her grandpa sees the outsiders as just that—outsiders who are challenging his way of life. His lead ranch hand thinks it’s time to sell the homestead to encourage land development. Anne is stuck in the middle with only Steve, the ranch hand’s son on her side.
Can Anne find peace amidst the desert winds of change, and will love find her along the way?
This is a standalone prequel novella to the Desert of Dreams Series.national award-winning authorslow-burn enemies to lovers sweet small-town romancehistorical events of the 1960scomplicated relationshipsa compelling coming-of-age storyopener to the seriesbuilding resilience to overcome trauma
After a tragic accident kills her parents in 1959, eleven-year-old Anne is sent to live with her grandpa on his ranch in the remote desert community of Lovejoy, a place that’s never brought her love nor joy. She struggles to adapt to her new reality where she has no place in the world, isolated in a town of dust devils, Joshua trees, and tumbleweeds, iconic of the old Westerns. She finds solace when she uncovers the magnificent beauty of the desert on the ranch.
When developers come to town seeking to build a lake and rename the community Lake Los Angeles, her grandpa sees the outsiders as just that—outsiders who are challenging his way of life. His lead ranch hand thinks it’s time to sell the homestead to encourage land development. Anne is stuck in the middle with only Steve, the ranch hand’s son on her side.
Can Anne find peace amidst the desert winds of change, and will love find her along the way?
This is a standalone prequel novella to the Desert of Dreams Series.national award-winning authorslow-burn enemies to lovers sweet small-town romancehistorical events of the 1960scomplicated relationshipsa compelling coming-of-age storyopener to the seriesbuilding resilience to overcome trauma
155 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 2, 2026
This was a beautiful story of working through grief and losses.
Anne loses her parents in an accident, and gets sent to live with her grandfather, many miles away from her home in Las Angeles. Her other grandparents, while closer, are considerably older, and do not think they can take on the responsibility of raising a young person.
She is angry at the world and for a long time chooses not to even try to fit in. it is through a chance early morning encounter with her grandfather that she realises the loss of his daughter (her mother) has impacted him, too.
change does not happen all at once, but in small increments she begins to take on more responsibilities in the ranch. she still harbours a dislike for the place, and still wants to be back to her childhood home.
it is not until much later that she realises that she really has nothing left there to revisit.
emotionally, this is a compelling story of working through not only grief, but so many other things that arise because of circumstances that are not something chosen by oneself.
Anne loses her parents in an accident, and gets sent to live with her grandfather, many miles away from her home in Las Angeles. Her other grandparents, while closer, are considerably older, and do not think they can take on the responsibility of raising a young person.
She is angry at the world and for a long time chooses not to even try to fit in. it is through a chance early morning encounter with her grandfather that she realises the loss of his daughter (her mother) has impacted him, too.
change does not happen all at once, but in small increments she begins to take on more responsibilities in the ranch. she still harbours a dislike for the place, and still wants to be back to her childhood home.
it is not until much later that she realises that she really has nothing left there to revisit.
emotionally, this is a compelling story of working through not only grief, but so many other things that arise because of circumstances that are not something chosen by oneself.
March 1, 2026
A poignant narrative
Anne, left an orphan at the age of eleven, is moved from her luxurious home across the country to live with her grandfather on a dust, windblown ranch in the Mojave Desert. Resentment and anger results in years of self-isolation and self-induced misery…until she finally realises the gift she has been given.
The author’s descriptions of the desert conditions, Grandpa’s covert manner in demonstrating his feelings, Anne’s life on the ranch, and the encounters she experiences as she matures results in an engrossing book which, although recommended for young readers, is nevertheless thought-provoking for adults of all ages.
I received a free promotional copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Anne, left an orphan at the age of eleven, is moved from her luxurious home across the country to live with her grandfather on a dust, windblown ranch in the Mojave Desert. Resentment and anger results in years of self-isolation and self-induced misery…until she finally realises the gift she has been given.
The author’s descriptions of the desert conditions, Grandpa’s covert manner in demonstrating his feelings, Anne’s life on the ranch, and the encounters she experiences as she matures results in an engrossing book which, although recommended for young readers, is nevertheless thought-provoking for adults of all ages.
I received a free promotional copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Sway with the Wind was another good one! I enjoyed the ending. Your description of characters is really great. Your description of the Antelope Valley winds is spot on! History of the area was enlightening. Can't wait to read the next one.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews