Dare to Dream

<h1 class=ql-align-center><strong>A powerful stirring tale of resilience and fortitude.</strong></h1><h1 class=ql-align-center></h1><h3 class=ql-align-center><strong><em>- BookLife Prize</em></strong></h3><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>Some stories don't just entertain-they remind you who you were.</strong></p><p></p><p></p><p>After her parents' divorce Kiara is uprooted to a desolate desert town trapped among tumbleweeds windstorms and long stretches of emptiness.</p><p></p><p>Without love to hold on to she drifts through life trying to please everyone-her mother who can't show affection; her brother who barely hides contempt; and friends who aren't what they seem.</p><p></p><p>To become the woman she needs to be Kiara must escape the town that's suffocating her. Leaving means learning to stand on her own trusting herself and walking away from the things she's terrified of losing.</p><p></p><p><strong>There's a bigger world out there-if she dares to reach for it before the opportunity slips away.</strong></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>Book one in the<em> Desert of Dreams Series</em> - standalone stories connected by friendship place and the courage to become.</strong></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>This novel is perfect for readers who love:</strong></p><p></p><ul><li>Tender character-driven coming-of-age stories that stay with you</li><li>Nostalgic 1980s-1990s settings and small-town desert life</li><li>Emotional journeys about family belonging and resilience</li><li>Slow-burn small-town romance woven into personal growth</li><li>Quiet bittersweet moments that linger long after the last page</li></ul><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><h2><strong>EDITORIAL REVIEWS</strong></h2><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>A poignant coming-of-age equal parts heartbreaking and inspiring.</strong></p><p></p><p><em>- Publishers Weekly BookLife</em></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>a wonderful coming-of-age story ... a powerful and very worthy read.</strong></p><p></p><p>- Jamie Michele for<em> Readers' Favorite</em> (5-Star Review)</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>...a heartfelt tale of resilience and hope...</strong></p><p></p><p><em>- Publishers Weekly BookLife</em></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>... a treasure trove of thought-provoking insights...</strong></p><p></p><p>- D. Donovan Sr. Reviewer <em>Midwest Book Review</em></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>About the Author: </strong></p><p></p><p><strong>By award-winning author Amanda LaPera</strong> whose books have earned<em> Readers' Favorite </em>5-star reviews and <em>BookLife Prize IBPA Benjamin Franklin</em> and<em> IAN Book-of-the-Year </em>Awards recognition.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><em>Content Warning: Different books in the Desert of Dreams Series address sensitive but important topics which may include bullying and peer pressure; troubled sibling relationships; struggling friendships and romantic relationships; divorce; religion; racism and classism; historical events of the late 1980s and 1990s; death; neglect and abuse (physical emotional and/or sexual); trauma (generational and situational); drugs alcohol and sex; teen pregnancy; abortion; and mental illness including depression suicidal ideation PTSD and anxiety.</em></p>