My Review
This story taking place in the early twentieth century Ecuador is inspired by the real-life history of the coastal town known as the birthplace of cacao.
Highly anticipated this book is a real standout in historical fiction.
A married young woman inherits a cacao plantation located in Ecuador and with a lifetime of the knowledge of chocolate making from her grandmother she is excited to open a chocolate shop in her native country of Spain. Not everyone is happy with her inheritance of the plantation though and is out to get her. Danger follows her days though when not she is killed but mistakenly her husband. Living in fear and in disguise as her husband in public can she stay safe and convince others she is her husband while she investigates the truth. Sometimes what you find is not what you’re looking for but dark secrets instead that come to life.
While the pressure is off her as a female with the expectations to be meek and just obey, danger lurks around every corner as she learns the identity of her enemy.
Very intriguing read that I had a hard time putting down.
Pub Date 28 Dec 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
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GoodReads Synopsis
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As a child in Spain, Puri always knew her passion for chocolate was inherited from her father. But it’s not until his death that she learns of something else she’s inherited—a cocoa estate in Vinces, Ecuador, a town nicknamed “París Chiquito.” Eager to claim her birthright and filled with hope for a new life after the devastation of World War I, she and her husband Cristóbal set out across the Atlantic Ocean. But it soon becomes clear someone is angered by Puri’s claim to the estate…
When a mercenary sent to murder her aboard the ship accidentally kills Cristóbal instead, Puri dons her husband’s clothes and assumes his identity, hoping to stay safe while she searches for the truth of her father’s legacy in Ecuador. Though freed from the rules that women are expected to follow, Puri confronts other challenges at the estate—newfound siblings, hidden affairs, and her father’s dark secrets. Then there are the dangers awakened by her attraction to an enigmatic man as she tries to learn the identity of an enemy who is still at large, threatening the future she is determined to claim…
Perfect for fans of Julia Alvarez and Silvia Moreno-Garcia, this exhilarating novel transports you to the lush tropical landscape of 1920s Ecuador, blending family drama, dangerous mystery, and the real-life history of the coastal town known as the “birthplace of cacao.”
About The Author
Lorena Hughes is the award-winning author of The Spanish Daughter and The Sisters of Alameda Street. Born and raised in Ecuador, she moved to the United States when she was eighteen to study fine arts and mass communication & journalism. Publishers Weekly has called her work “as addictive as chocolate” and The Washington Post deems it “imaginative historical drama filled with sibling rivalry and betrayals.” The Spanish Daughter is an Amazon Editors’ Pick and a Publishers Marketplace Buzz Books Selection.
For more info, please visit: http://www.lorena-hughes.com
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