Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book
Rate this book
From USA Today bestselling author Suzanne Halliday comes a small town, single dad, friends-to-lovers romance about finding love when you least expect it.

Mabel had a good life in New York, but she often dreamt of returning to her Arizona roots. Deciding to follow her desert dreams, she took a leap of faith and returned home. Her decision came at the perfect time to take a job in the small town of Bendover as the manager of the Flamingo Motel.

Things got even better when she met the engineer in charge of the project. The sexy single dad was the perfect combination of smart, hot, and funny.

The survivor of a hellscape marriage, Ian and his two kids were temporarily in Bendover for his job. The motel’s newly hired manager enchanted him, and before long, the two formed a work friendship.

It didn’t take long for things to turn steamy, but Ian’s presence in Arizona wasn’t meant to last forever.

They felt the pull to one another, but there was more to consider than an attraction.

Can Mabel and Ian find a way to have it all, or is their desert dream just a mirage?

400 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 5, 2022

123 people are currently reading
113 people want to read

About the author

Suzanne Halliday

50 books835 followers
USA Today Bestselling Author of military romance and contemporary fiction

I'm a lifelong reader of romance, and a busy storyteller with more than 2 million words in print. If you're looking for a new book boyfriend or a good time with laughter and sizzle, check out my catalog of books.

Warning: HAPPILY EVER AFTER GUARANTEED

You can find me all over social media as @suzannehalliday

Currently enjoying desert life in southern Nevada #VegasStrong

PROUD mother of USA Today Bestselling Author, Ella Fox.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
225 (66%)
4 stars
70 (20%)
3 stars
37 (10%)
2 stars
5 (1%)
1 star
2 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
Profile Image for Melanie Moreland.
Author 77 books5,477 followers
May 5, 2022
Single dad Ian and free spirit Mabel were destined for each other. Mabel needed to find her place–the one that felt like home. Ian needed the chance to find out what real love was and to trust again. Witty banter, a lovely storyline of growth for both characters and some wonderful moments of love, strength and resilience rounded out this great read!
Profile Image for Jo Adams.
345 reviews4 followers
May 5, 2022
Absolutely beautiful

Yes! Part of the coming home series, we find ourselves back in Bendove,Arizona!
Mabel was born and raised Arizona girl until the sad passing of her father,she and her mom moved to New York,where over the next 14 years she slowly felt like she was dying in the big city,making a life changing decision to move back to the desert.
Staying in her best friends RV,shes giving the opportunity to work for a new motel that's being built by some big investors in a funny place called Bendover!

Ian is a single dad to 2 young children and lands in his sisters place in sedona Arizona,working for a new project on a motel that's part on the up and coming town of Bendover.
Not sure what the future holds for him and his kids,leaving his hometown after his wife up and left him and their children.

Is it fate? That 2 people from each coast end up in the Justice land?

For those who haven't read the justice brothers & family,I highly recommend it! It's well worth it! And not forgetting the wilde sisters!

This mish mash of people who land in this wonderful town most certainly draw you in and leave you wanting much more!
2,510 reviews16 followers
April 23, 2022
I’m not sure what’s better new characters or being back in Bendover! Wow. I loved seeing the Flamingo motel coming to life. Seeing old favourites and meeting more new ones was a real joy. Mabel and Ian had so much to overcome it was a real ‘journey’ to watch them navigate tricky waters. Leftover heartache and loss makes for a hesitant couple to start with. What I also loved was there wasn’t angst for angst sake in this book. Nothing dragged it down. The littles as well were amazing. Such characters all of them. I’m wondering if we have another future couple in the next generation…who knows eh! Definitely contenders to add to Junior justice. A thoroughly memorable story of Coming Home and finding your place. Wonderful book.
Profile Image for Toi.
4,248 reviews
April 23, 2022
Once again this author has done it again, you get sucked in from the beginning and you continue to read while ignoring everything around you - I want to go stay at The Flamingo and enjoy the amenities - you’ll fall in love with Ian and Mabel. I loved how we got to see characters from other books and to meet the new ones.

This was an awesome read.
Profile Image for Susan.
18 reviews1 follower
May 4, 2022
I am so happy to have read this book. It's a fun, charming, witty and engaging story. Everything we have come to know about Suzanne's writing skills.

I love Ian and Mabel. Both strong and independent and they get stronger together. I love that they discover that home is a place and who you are with.

Profile Image for Jessie Collins.
222 reviews3 followers
April 25, 2022
Desert Dreams
Suzanne Halliday

Mabel Richmond was going HOME! This Arizona refugee was moving back to her desert roots. New York was only a temporary stop on her life journey. She and her Mom had to come to New York after her father died. They needed family, and family was in New York. But Mable needed a change of scenery, a job managing a new motel was right up alley! Her roots were calling her!

Ian Turner, cutting edge engineer extraordinaire, had landed a job helping design a new environmentally friendly boutique new motel, being built in Bendover, Arizona. The Flamingo Motel, was being built close to his sister Sadie’s home in Sedona. This was all well and good since Ian is a single Dad with a 4yr old son and 18month old daughter. Ian needed family too!

Ian and Mable meet at work. Soon though the sexy single engineer had the hots for this enchantingly molten manager! Their platonic friendship slowly turned into a burning inferno! But was it a real thing? Or just a temporary dalliance?

Set in fictional Bendover, Arizona, where Suzanne Halliday setup a world of mystery, romance, orneriness, alpha males vs alpha females, antics, partying, healing, action, adventure, mayhem all rolled around the Justice Agency Universe, a group of former military special forces along with their families. Desert Dreams gives us another glimpse of how Bendover is growing and changing as life goes on in the Justice World. While this is a stand alone book, I highly recommend starting with Redeeming Justice, Broken Justice and Fixing Justice to understand the people and settings. Suzanne has developed a great world to get lost in!
Profile Image for Jeanette Jessen.
141 reviews1 follower
May 4, 2022
Sometimes whether you want to or NOT you have to leave the only home you've ever known to heal and gather your "super powers". Mabel experiences an unwanted family dynamic change that takes her to a polar opposite of what she has ever known. She wants to go home and she does! With lots of per chances and fateful steps to include the stars aligning in all the right places, she ends up in our beloved "Family Justice" (series by this author and a must read!") Bendover, Arizona. Never did she ever expect to come home to Ian with the bonus of his "littles" Logan and Keely. I could write another paragraph on the love this author put into these characters. So much care and the beautiful souls that surround this entire book. It truly melted my heart into a puddle of goo. I was left smiling, crying and laughing til the very end. Dang it Suzanne! You get me! I am hoping Vic ends up somewhere in the series, this would be Ian's bestie that seems a bit off kilter with his life at the moment. There is Monty who is Mabel's right-hand that must have his story too. As I stated already in my review - there are characters I am so excited about in this story. Beautful dialogue with fantastic sexy times. Mabel and Ian make their falling in love wonderful and genuine. I love how Mabel controls the narrative in her workplace and pulls no punches. Her superpower by the way is being a natural MOM. She nurtures and knows how to love. This story resonated with me because I know what it was like to leave home and come back stronger and healed. Nice job Ms. Halliday!!!
Profile Image for A.
789 reviews
April 30, 2022
Desert Dreams is one of my favorite books that I have read this year! I really loved this sexy, heartwarming story about soul mates that meet on their journey to start a new phase of their lives. I was mesmerized by the story from the beginning, and I did not want to put it down. Ian and Mabel’s love story was so beautiful, and their chemistry was incendiary. Their witty interactions with all of their friends( and each other) were tremendous entertaining. Suzanne Halliday’s words painted a beautiful picture, and I felt like I was part of the story. Mabel and Ian were both hired to work on building the new Flamingo hotel in Bendover. Their pull towards each other is too strong to resist. They build a strong bond as they work together. The whole Flamingo crew is a lot of fun. It was fascinating to see all of the Justice crew through new eyes. Familiar characters blended with new ones to create a rip roaring good time. I cannot wait to see what will happen next in the charming, quirky town of Bendover!
Profile Image for Heather Fudge.
50 reviews1 follower
May 4, 2022
Desert Dreams is a wonderful book. Ian and Mabel's story is outstanding. He is a single dad working to build a wonderful life for himself and his two children. He's looking to plant some permanent roots and Bendover, AZ just needs to give him the perfect opening to do just that. Mabel was born in Arizona but life lead her to New York for her teens and twenties. She is yearning to get back and live her life on her terms. A chance opportunity to help open a new hotel sets her on a path to her happliy ever after. Ian is hired to help construct The Flamingo. The chemistry between the two of them is immediately off the charts. They just "get" each other from the very start. They are flirty and simply love to be in one another's company. Their relationship grows throughout the project and their story was just a joy to read.

Mabel and Ian are great additions to the world of Bendover, Arizona. This is the perfect additional side story within the Justice Brothers/Family Justice series by Suzanne Halliday.
Profile Image for Cyndi Vogel.
86 reviews
May 3, 2022
OMG can we keep Ian, Mabel, the kids, the sisters hell all of them so belong in Bendover! This book is overflowing with love and laughter with short visits with so many of our favorites. The fates had a great time bringing Ian and Mable into the same space and having their story unfold so wonderfully from the first meet, to the friends, to falling in love all while working together at this amazing jobsite. All I can say is I want more plus is this your first wading into the Bendover world of Justice I think if you loved it as much as me you should run, don't walk and dig in to this world from the start!!! You wont be sorry!!!!
Profile Image for Rebecca.
314 reviews5 followers
May 8, 2022
Absolutely love this authors books and how the members of Family Justice have popped into Ian and Mabel’s story.

Drae is acting on behalf of the Justice Family to set up a new hotel complex, that is environmentally friendly and hits the justice branding.

Ian is engineer who specialises in environmental issues and this hotel is based all around these factors. Mabel was employed to then manage the complex going forward but her skills, design and enthusiasm blows them all away.

Ian is a single dad who has been left burnt from his ex and Mabel is the first person he has interest in since, is this just a one time thing or will they be able to stay together once the project has been completed.

A fun packed book throughout, no spoilers in this as it deserves to be read and enjoyed as you turn each page
Profile Image for Jennie Fortna.
2,540 reviews29 followers
May 11, 2022
ARC for honest review with no compensation Received from Prolific

Desert Dreams is a standalone book by Suzanne Halliday, another well written story that takes us back to Bendover.

Ian, single dad is in Bendover for his job but feels like he and his kids belong. He meets the hotel manager, Mabel and sparks fly, some drama, see old friends from Bendover and so much more.

If you haven’t read any books by Ms. Halliday you are totally missing out on these fabulous stories!
340 reviews2 followers
May 8, 2022
Love love loved it!

This was such a fun read. Just enough drama to keep things interesting, but not a mail biter. The characters are lovely and relatable. I had a great time reading about Mabel and Ian. Ms Halliday knocked it out of the park. Superbly written.

The Justice crew played cameo roles, but in a way that you don’t have to know about the series for the cameos to make sense within the story. It was fun to see them described from a third person viewpoint.
Profile Image for Penni.
82 reviews13 followers
May 6, 2022
A great read

Suzanne Halliday,s world of Bendover just got a lot bigger.
New people, intermingled with familiar faces open up an entire new series
Ian and Mabel are the perfect lead in to what, I hope, will be a lot more books staged in our favorite AZ town.
Well done, Suzanne. Well done indeed.
Profile Image for Eileen Friel.
155 reviews1 follower
May 5, 2022
I loved Desert Dreams by Suzanne Halliday. Mabel is coming home to Arizona after moving away as a teenager. It has always called to her and the only place that she's truly felt at home.
Ian is a single dad and is looking for a home for him and his kids. He finds it in Arizona. Maybe it's coincidence or maybe it's fate that they find each other at the Flamingo Motel in Bendover. Although this book is a standalone it is an intersection of Ms Halliday's Justice Brothers/Family, Wilde Sisters and House of Bishop series as characters from those series make guest appearances.

Desert Dreams has wonderful and relatable characters and as always with this author, witty word play. The Flamingo Motel ends up a kitschy, retro destination spot where I'd love to vacation. This book has all the feels. It is funny, sexy, warm and has the perfect HEA. I highly recommend it.
Profile Image for Laura G.
194 reviews6 followers
May 2, 2022
Loved the new characters, seeing some of my old favorites & being back in Bendover. It was awesome to meet new people as well as see the Flamingo rise from the ground up. Can't help but fall for single dad Ian Turner & his adorable kids as well as Mabel. Loved the instant chemistry between them & to see if flourish into something special. You can't help but fall in love with them as well as this whole story & every other story & character related to Bendover. Once again Suzanne has out did herself leaving me wanting more of these new characters as well as my old favorites. Hope the stories of my favorite people in Bendover never ends.
5 reviews
May 3, 2022
Such a great story of how Ian and Mabel were destined to be together in one of my favorite places, Bendover! I loved seeing the Bendover regulars from a different point of view and seeing how Ian and Mabel came to love the town too.

I absolutely love the Justice series but it was a fun change of pace to read about “normal people” in this book. I could relate to their everyday activities and issues. I’m hoping these characters might pop up in future books too!

Suzanne is such an incredible storyteller and this book was a pleasure to read...and will be fun to read again!
Profile Image for Tricia.
28 reviews
May 5, 2022
I couldn't put this book down!! This book sucked me in with a story of a woman moving back to the Southwest to what she considered her home and then came hot divorce father of two, a soon to be kick-butt awesome hotel and well-meaning families and new/old friends and you have a great story that leaves you smiling and happy!
23 reviews1 follower
May 9, 2022
My favorite author! Her stories are laugh out loud funny. I find myself using quotes from this book. If you haven't read other books from Suzanne you need to start at the beginning and become addicted like so many of us.

I need to find my way to Bendover. I feel like I have a lot of friends there. It was good to catch up with many of them again.
Profile Image for Kristin.
35 reviews9 followers
May 7, 2022
Simply Perfect! Ian & Mabel's story checked all the boxes for me. I love the way they both came together at a time when they were trying to find themselves. Factor in all the little catch up moments with Justice and I was happy giving up on sleep so I could finish the book!
Profile Image for Sian Bulpin.
599 reviews3 followers
May 12, 2022
Glorious.

Going in a second time.. Will review better. on the other side.

Mabel and Ian's story is a beauty.
And one you won't put down
50 reviews
May 9, 2022
Another WIN!!

I love anything written by Halliday!! I was pleasantly surprised that this was a spin off that had just the right amount of Team Justice included so as not to overwhelm this new story. My only “neg” feedback is that the ending was super rushed. I’m up for a long Halliday book but taking me down a meandering path to then tell me to run the last mile was disappointing. By 98% I was worried this was going to be a cliffhanger. Denver was the clincher but it was so glossed over. There wasn’t enough time to really paint the picture of the business partner drama b/c it was introduced so late in book. So much happened at the very end that it had to be written like journal entries, minimizing several significant events. I felt some of the middle story could have been shortened to give fair coverage to the end result if someone felt the book always already too long. Do I regret reading this? NEVER!!! Totally recommend and hope that Frankie gets her story as well!!!
810 reviews2 followers
May 9, 2022
More please!

Wow!
Excellent beginning for more Bendover, AZ novels!
I totally want to be Mabel when I grow up! She was such an amazing character, so !multi-dimensional!
Ian, laid back dad, perfect for this woman who seemed to be 24 hr completely in control, and did it all!with pizzazz!
Frankly, Ms. Halliday, I expected nothing less than a story that immersed me. As usual, you absolutely delivered!
I loved!

Karen
Profile Image for Allena.
1,447 reviews
May 12, 2022
So happy to be back in Bendover. I loved this couple and how they came to be.

Good storyline, low drama, interesting characters and visits from well loved characters.
22 reviews
May 6, 2022
Oh Sooo Good!

If you're looking for a good book, Suzanne like always delivers with this book. Great story with characters that you root for. While not necessary to have read any of Suzanne other books, it was nice to see some of Bendover's own show up in Desert Dreams. If you want a great series of books with great characters that are woven through her books, you can't go wrong with purchasing this book or any of her other books.
23 reviews
May 8, 2022
Summer vacation in Bendover

I always enjoy Suzannes books. This is a feel goo
romp about following your dreams. Cameos from our Justice friends just add to the story. If this is your first book from Suzanne, jump both feet first into Justice. You won't regret it.
7 reviews
May 6, 2022
More please

I hope we see more of these people in the justice books.
It great when new characters fit so beautifully.
Profile Image for Darcy.
14.4k reviews543 followers
May 9, 2022
This was a fun one, set in the Justice world with the characters popping in and out. It was interesting to see them from a different perspective.

This book takes off of the last Justice book where the dream of the hotel came up, this one revolves around bringing the hotel to life. I liked seeing all these new faces in Bendover, watching all of them becoming charmed by the town and what the Justice guys were doing.

Ian was interesting, a wary single dad, not looking for anything. Mabel was needing a change in her life and on a lark she went to see about the job at the hotel. I loved seeing these two do their jobs in bringing the hotel to life, loved them dancing around their attraction and then giving into the attraction and how everyone in their lives chimed in. It wasn't easy, both had baggage to work through, but their attraction was enough that it made them want to work through the problems. Things got really sticky towards the end, but it also solidified what everyone wanted, to be a family.

I look forward to reading more of these side tales in Bendover, to seeing the town grow and be as unusual as Justice is.
Profile Image for Marie.
1,420 reviews
May 29, 2025
5 stars for Desert Dreams by Suzanne Halliday

What an excellent read. Could not put it down. Cant go wrong with a Suzanne Halliday book. So loved reading about Mabel and Ian. Loved the snippets about Family Justice in this book and can't wait for that book. Mabel and Ian will fit right in with Family Justice. I love Mabel and her spirit and her joie de vivre. Ian ain't shabby either. This storyline totally rocked it. Can't wait for the next instalment of Coming Home Series. A great way to find soon to be favorite authors.
Profile Image for Jeanette Hartlove.
32 reviews1 follower
May 10, 2022
Awesome tidbit of the happening town of Bendover

Can't wait for more developing stories of the growing town of Bend over with hopefully featuring tidbits of Frankie finding love and vic,s righting college wrongs .oh thE possibilities for the oil town of justice and the new joint endeavors of family justice Bishops Phoenix and the still in creative stage VBS.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.