In the desert of Arizona, Bee and Sydelle become unlikely friends
Far away from her father’s fraudulent schemes in Pennsylvania, 22-year-old Bee Wells now works for an Arizona real estate company developing the world’s first pandemic-proof community. When Bee’s boss sends her to befriend Sydelle Hammer, 92, whose family has ranched on the land adjacent to the planned community for 150 years, the two strike up a friendship. But Bee soon discovers that both her boss and an environmental activist are cooking up shady deals to acquire the ranch. When Sydelle has a mini-stroke, the scavengers start to circle. Disgusted, Bee is compelled to defend her friend. At a crossroads, she must take a stand about the best way forward for the land, for Sydelle–and for herself.
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Reviews:
Phoenix’s ranching roots collide with competing visions of its future in this gripping tale of land, legacy, and desert grit. With sharply drawn characters and heartfelt nods to the places locals hold dear, it reveals what it takes to survive—and thrive—under the Sonoran sun. Sheila Grinell shows us that the desert doesn’t forget, and neither do the people who love it.
–Kate Gallego, Mayor, City of Phoenix
Sheila Grinell’s novel, the first in a series set in the modern-day Sonoran desert, follows Bee Wells’ journey as she navigates personal and professional challenges. Sheila’s writing is compelling and sophisticated, a pleasure to read, and introduces the reader to places and situations that are cross-cultural and stimulating. Filled with authentic and memorable characters, Promise in the Desert celebrates Bee’s evolution into a fully actualized woman,and we can look forward to more of her adventures in future iterations of Sonoran Stories.
– Patricia Grady Cox, author of Chasm Creek and Hellgate, historical novels set in the Arizona Territory
In Promise in the Desert, author Sheila Grinell paints a strong sense of place for this drama set in urban Phoenix. The themes of friendship, familial legacy, and loyalty weave throughout as the young Bee Wells must weigh her employer's hidden motives for a large swath of undeveloped land against her growing respect for the land's owner.
-- Katrina Shawver, author of Henry – A Polish Swimmer’s True Story of Friendship from Auschwitz to America
Bee Wells arrives in Phoenix alone and naïve with a dream of creating a new way to live in the desert. She discovers a friendship that helps her succeed beyond her wildest dreams. This coming-of-age story combines adventure and romance with the ecosystem of this unique desert.
-- Pam Hait, author of Day Trips from Phoenix, Tucson & Flagstaff (14th edition)