DESERT OF DREAMS SERIES

“Dare to Dream…paints a raw and unfiltered picture of how treacherous adolescence can be… a heartfelt tale of resilience and hope.”

— Publishers Weekly BookLife

“Dare to Dream...a wonderful coming-of-age story…a thoughtful tale of personal agency and identity through amazing, emotional settings makes LaPera’s novel a powerful and very worthy read.”

— Jamie Michele for Readers’ Favorite (5-Star Review)

“Dare to Dream... filled with moments of daring, realization, transformation... a treasure trove of thought-provoking insights wound into one young adult’s certainty that, despite what life circumstances hands her, she will not only survive, but grow.”

— D. Donovan, Sr. Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

“Reach for Hope…is a standalone story that will attract new audiences as well as prior fans… compelling, realistic, and thought-provoking. Librarians seeking series titles… will find Reach for Hope an exceptional draw that outlines new growth experiences from interpersonal connections… [readers] seeking evocative, compelling reading will find Carolyn’s story thoroughly absorbing.”

— D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

DARE TO DREAM (Desert of Dreams Series, book 1)

Two facts about Lake Los Angeles: one, there’s no lake, and, two, it’s nowhere near Los Angeles. That’s where Kiara ends up after her parents’ divorce—in the middle of nowhere—a land of Joshua trees, dust devils, and tumbleweeds. 

Kiara’s mom calls it affordable housing; Kiara calls it hell.

At a one-room schoolhouse alongside the dry lakebed, she meets Cole, a brilliant green-eyed boy, the first spark of joy in the vast emptiness of the Mojave Desert—a place without sidewalks or streetlights. He’s her friend, but could he be more?
Kiara feels forgotten and alone as she parents herself and her younger brother. Growing up in the 1980s and 90s, she loathes the world she’s thrown into, a maze of double-crossing girls, mixed messages from guys, friends laden with trauma, and a single mom who always slams her door and cries. 

When combat-boot wearing Carolyn shows up on the scene, Kiara doesn’t know what to think. Who can she trust if she can’t even trust herself?

There is a life beyond the desert. In her heart, she knows it. 

Can she dare to dream a way out?

YOUNG ADULT COMING-OF-AGE (standalone novel)

REACH FOR HOPE (Desert of Dreams Series Book 2) by Amanda LaPera

To be released March 3, 2026

Carolyn was taught to fear God, but the only being she ever feared was her dad. When her father moves the family out to the desolate town of Lake Los Angeles, she’s torn from the protection of her uncle and feels isolated.

What matters most to her is shielding her two younger brothers, Charlie and Chris, from the harsh desert life—scorching heat, unforgiving terrain, and deadly creatures—and from her military dad, brutal commander of both wife and kids.

After a bloody incident at school reveals she has no one to count on for help, Carolyn learns that she must look out for herself, because no one else will. With her combat boots and tough exterior, she pushes everyone away, including the girls who befriend her and the boy who pursues her. Behind the walls she has built to protect herself from all of her pain, can she learn to trust again?

Used to being silenced, Carolyn must find the power to stand up for herself, so that she can stand up to her dad. 

A brighter future is out there. Can she reach for hope long enough to find it?