Puri is a chocolatier looking for the father of her son. But that man, Martin Sabater, was allegedly killed during a fundraising gala for the high school where he met friends Farid, Camila and Lucas. Dressed as a nun, Puri goes on a mission to Martin's former hacienda, which is now a hospital. She puts herself at risk to discover the truth about the man she loved. And she becomes involved in several different family dramas.
While the setting in South America is unique, I spent most of this book trying to figure out its genre. Is it a romance? Mystery? Drama?
And I almost quit reading at various points. The multiple plot lines, characters and time periods didn't mesh well.
Also, the ending included plenty of adventure along with more questions about the characters and plot.

There were so many good parts of the book that I'm not sure I know what to write about specifically! Overall, really thoughtful and descriptive. Loved the way that the story was told and the characters that made the pages come to life.

I loved the era and the setting of this novel. It is rich in historical detail and very captivating, with a well crafted plot.
Many thanks to Kensington and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Set in Cali in 1925, this story follows Purification (Puri) as she travels to Columbia to find Martin Sabater, who supplies cacao for her chocolate shop. On the way, her car is approached by bandits but she dons a nun's habit and barely escapes. Upon arrival at Martin's hacienda, she finds that it has been turned over to Martin's childhood friend, Dr Farid Manzur, who made it into a hospital during the cholera epidemic following an earthquake. She continues to help out as Sor Puri while investigating clues about Martin, who disappeared 3 months prior - on the night of a fundraising gala held at his hacienda.
Another childhood friend of Martin's is Lucas Ferreira, who is a patient in the hospital with a broken leg after an accident on a ladder. He is the photographer who was at the gala - and is also curious about what happened to Martin. The third perspective in the story is that of Sor Camila, Farid Manzur's sister, who entered the convent after getting pregnant.
The author wove the three stories together to make an intriguing story, with an intricately developed plot of family secrets, mystery and cover ups. The story alternates between the characters teen years, the gala, and present day. At times it was a little confusing, but overall, I thought that it was a well developed story with a believable ending.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Kensington publishers and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.

A return to the characters from The Spanish Daughter, this time focusing more on Martin's story. Puri has traveled to Colombia in hopes of finding out why Martin has not supplied her cacao beans for her chocolate store as he usually does. Her travels coincide with an earthquake that has disrupted the region and leads to Puri presenting herself as a nun when she finally reaches Martin's cacao plantation. There she discovers that Martin is declared dead and Martin's friend Farid appears to have taken over the plantation and turned the hacienda into a hospital, which is currently full of cholera patients. Puri is sure there is more to the story and continues her disguise as nun to help out at the hospital and investigate when she can. The more she learns, the more she sees how complicated Martin's history was. Overall, a mystery involving family secrets and a past that will not be hidden. The setting is very descriptive and the characters were well-developed. Though it can be read as a standalone, reading The Spanish Daughter will give more context for the various characters and relationships mentioned throughout the book.

I am once again enchanted by the colorful, mysterious world built by Lorena Hughes. I loved The Spanish Daughter when I got it with #OUABC, so I knew The Queen of the Valley would continue that epic storytelling. Building on the character of Puri as she investigates Martin’s disappearance by pretending to be a nun, this book fills in the mystery man Martin’s story. He was so intriguing in the first book, I was so excited to pick up where we left off. The mystery was multifaceted, and I enjoyed experiencing another immigrant family’s stories and dynamics as well. It’s not often the story of Palestinian immigrants to Latin America is explored like this, and I enjoyed the mix and similarities of culture.

My first book by author Lorena Hughes, but not my last. Colombia during the Kali earthquake of 1925 finds Maria Purificacion “Puri” de Lafont y Toledo searching for her cocoa supplier who has disappeared from his plantation. Excellent descriptions of Colombia and a good plot make this one of my best reads this year. Definitely worth the read.

3.75⭐

Set in Columbia in 1925, during the Cali earthquake, the narrative of The Queen of Valley follows Maria Purificacion “Puri” de Lafont y Toledo as she travels to Colombia in search of Martin Sabater, with whom she shared history and who was her cacao supplier for her chocolate business. Martin owned his own cacao plantation and was in contact with Puri until recently. Martin’s most recent correspondence has Puri concerned for his wellbeing and when she arrives at his hacienda in the aftermath of an earthquake, barely escaping being attacked by miscreants on the way, she comes to know that Martin disappeared on the night of a fundraising gala held at his residence three months ago and is presumed dead. Puri, posing as a nun, finds a position helping take care of patients amid a cholera outbreak while she searches for clues that could lead her to the truth behind Martin’s disappearance. His hacienda has been converted into a hospital run by his childhood friend Dr. Farid Manzur, whose sister Sor Camila, a nun, is working as a nurse in the hospital. Another childhood friend of Martin’s, photographer Lucas Ferreira is also present on the premises, curious about what happened to Martin and on a personal quest for answers to questions about his own family history. The narrative follows Lucas, Puri and Camila as they try to make sense of what happened to Martin.

I really enjoyed The Spanish Daughter by Lorena Hughes and was eager to meet Puri and Martin once again and see how their story continued. The Queen of the Valley by Lorena Hughes Is a well-written novel. I enjoyed the setting and the suspenseful vibe. Combining elements of historical fiction with family drama and an intricately plotted mystery set amid the Cali earthquake of 1925, I found this to be an engrossing read. Presented from the perspectives of Lucas, Puri and Camila, the author deftly weaves past and present timelines into a well-rounded narrative. The pacing is a tad uneven but not so much that messes with the flow of the story., The mystery behind Martin’s disappearance was well crafted but with so many subplots and storylines in the mix, I thought the narrative got a tad convoluted which did detract from the overall reading experience and left me with some questions at the end. Overall, while I enjoyed the story, I did not find it as compelling as The Spanish Daughter.

Though this novel can be read as a standalone, I would recommend reading The Spanish Daughter before picking this one up to fully appreciate Puri and Martin’s backstory.

Many thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

In The Spanish Daughter, readers were introduced to Puri, a young woman from southern Spain with a newfound family in Ecuador. During the course of that mystery, we also met Martin Sabater, a man who went on to father a child with Puri (unbeknownst to him). Now, five years later, Martin is living in Colombia with a successful cacao plantation. He and Puri correspond regularly and do business together. But when Martin suddenly stops responding to her letters and sending her product, Puri decides to investigate. Upon arriving in Colombia, she learns that Martin has gone missing… and may have been murdered. But who did it? And why?

As with the previous book, The Queen of the Valley follows three different point-of-view characters. In addition to Puri, we also get into the heads of Martin’s childhood friend Lucas and his teenage sweetheart Camila. Though they’re all in their 30s now, events from the past may have played a big role in the current mystery surrounding Martin. Who were his friends, truly? Who may have developed a grudge against him, one great enough to harm him?

Between the three characters, we learn where they’re each at now as well as what went on some fifteen years earlier. Who were Martin, Lucas, Farid, and Camila as teenagers? Who are they now? This is the kind of web that unfolds slowly, and what may seem mundane at first can turn out to be vital clues. At the center of it all is Martin, a charming and confident man who’s hard not to like, but who also made plenty of mistakes and broke a lot of hearts.

I enjoyed the setting of Colombia in 1925. Readers get a sense of the country and culture as it was 100 years ago, and the frequent inclusion of words in Spanish adds to the immersive quality. I understand Spanish pretty well, but readers who don’t speak the language will likely be able to figure out most of it by context clues. History of the time also converges with the story, both with the massive earthquake in Cali and the cholera outbreak.

Though I don’t want to spoil the ending, I will just say that the way things turn out had an emotional impact on me. There’s tenderness and hope, grief and sorrow… and a glimmer of where our characters may go next.

If you enjoyed The Spanish Daughter, you’ll surely love The Queen of the Valley just as much. However, this book also works as a standalone. I’m enjoying these historical mysteries set in South America, and I hope we get to see Puri solve more puzzles in future books.

I was a fan of The Spanish Daughter and looked forward to reading this followup to that tale but...I found myself confused as to who was who and why Puri cared about Martin, beyond the fact that he was her cacao supplier. This starts in the early 1900s when Puri, who owns chocolate shops, among other things, goes to find Martin, who has gone missing, and is caught by an earthquake and its aftermath. She takes a habit from a nun when men harass her and makes her way to Martin's hacienda, who has been turned into a hospital of sorts. It's there she meets Lucas, a photographer, and Camila, a nurse who was in love with Martin. I wonder if I had tried this without having read the first book would have been easier because I would not have been spending my time striving to remember what happened in the first book (there are small references sprinkled all throughout). I ultimately, to be honest, put this down after clicking to the end to see what happened. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Over to others.

With rich storytelling set in 1925 Columbia, The Queen of Valley takes the reader back in time following a group of friends from a prestigious high school to their lives as adults as they find themselves at a Hacienda that is owned by one of the friends, Martin Sabater. Martin had disappeared during a fund raiser for the school and this event helps cause a chain reaction that makes up the evolving tale.

Martin had bought the old Hacienda and became a cacao farmer. He was involved with selling his cacao to Camilla, a widower who also happened to have his child. Martin, being a ladies' man had many women he cultivated, which caused serious problems from his other friends, who for their own reasons held strong feelings about Martin. One being the doctor running the hospital Farid, and Lucas who came to photograph the event.
Innocently, Camilla heads to the Hacienda, as she had stopped hearing from Martin, and is in need of his cacao. She gets caught up in a horrible accident and ends up at the Hacienda as it was turned into a hospital by one of the friends during a Cholera outbreak. There are nuns at the hospital, and she is able to stay on and pretend to be a worker. She is not the only one pretending.
The story switches backward and forward as we learn more details about our characters, their families, and even the great earthquake that happens during the story. The writing is tight, and often the book reads like a good mystery always with a little clue to keep you going. I think it is light historical fiction, but overall it is an enjoyable read and gives the reader a great sense of how varied the people of Columbia are and how life used to be.

I just finished reading The Queen of the Valley, the sequel to The Spanish Daughter. As I loved The Spanish Daughter very much last year (it was a 5 star read) I had very high hopes for The Queen of the Valley and I have to say, the book lived up to those! It not only comes with an incredibly pretty cover, but the plot is complicated enough to keep the reader guessing while still being accessible and somewhat easy to follow. It is an excellent 4.5 star read for me.

Puri, the main character of this book, alongside Lucas and Camilla, is still my favourite character in these two books and I enjoyed very much to have seen her grow since the first book. Camilla is a huge surprise for me concerning character development. I don't want to spoil the book for anyone, so I won't say why that is, but she is a great part of the plot. Lucas, for me, could have been slightly more distinct in his characteristics, but that did not spoil the book in any way.

All in all this book takes the reader on a fascinating trip to 1920s Columbia and with it's interesting plot involving cacao plantations, a cholera epidemic, an earthquake and questionable circumstances around Puri's friend Martin's death keeps the reader guessing and interested up to the last page of the Epilogue. Thank you to Lorena for writing this book and to Kensington Books for publishing it. I do hope this won't be the last book involving Puri as a main character, as I would 100% read more about her and her life in Ecuador and Colombia!

(A review will also be published on my instagram account @anns.book.chronicles as well as Goodreads on pub day.)

It all comes down to Martín. How do each of these different characters relate to him and how do their lives intertwine? A really well-thought out mystery that I could not put down! I had to find out where each plot string was going. This novel is a continuation of the story Lorena Hughes introduced in The Spanish Daughter but you don't have to have read it to enjoy the story or figure out the characters are.

Fate is a combination of choice and chance. But a determined soul creates a fuller life from the ashes.

Lorena Hughes creates a worldwind of adventure and intrigue in The Queen of the Valley. Although this one can be read as a standalone, seek out her novel The Spanish Daughter which introduces us to these multi-faceted characters.

Traveling alone, Puri faces many hardships as she leaves Ecuador for Valle del Cauca in Columbia. Originally from Spain, Puri knows her experiences have been measured in miles. She became a widow after leaving Sevilla. Her five year old son, Cristobal, remains in Ecuador with family. Puri is on a mission.

Her destination is a cacao plantation near El Paraiso. Puri owns a fine chocolate store in Ecuador where she is renowned for her delicacies. She is under contract with Martin Sabater, a successful cacao exporter. But word has reached her that Martin has gone missing after a gala held one evening at the plantation. The stories of Martin's fate are back and forth with details. Puri is determined to locate Martin. They've had deeply held secrets from the past.

Fate steps in as Puri gets closer to the plantation. Traveling in a rented car in 1925 will take you on back roads with bandits awaiting your arrival. And add to that the heavy tremors of an earthquake that destroyed homes and roads in Cali. Puri barely makes it to the plantation. She disguises herself as a nun in order to find out more information on Martin.

A cholera epidemic breaks out and Puri finds herself assisting at the local hospital. One of the last persons to see Martin was Dr. Farid Manzur. Puri, known as Sor Puri now, moves about the hospital. The cast of characters involved in multiple cover-ups is well done by Lorena Hughes.

The Queen of the Valley is infused with so many hidden secrets. Each individual has a connection to Martin in a particular way......and not all of them are aboveboard. The storyline is intense with humans and nature clashing continuously. And Puri? She'll keep you guessing......

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Kensington Books and to Lorena Hughes for the opportunity.

3.5 stars rounded up.

The Queen of the Valley is told in alternative timelines between Puri, Lucas, and Sor Camila. I enjoyed this format as we come to understand how and why things unfolded as they did. All the characters are well-written and developed, but I was most invested in Puri’s POV as I was able to connect with her the most.

The premise of this book is very unique. I enjoyed reading about the vivid backdrop of Colombia and appreciated the way the author mixed the Spanish and English languages into the story. It felt very authentic but still allowed the story to be easily read and understood.

While I enjoyed reading this story, the pacing of the story felt like it needed to be more balanced. The story's first half felt fast, slowed in the middle, and ended at warp speed, feeling rushed. By the end of the book, I was so invested in the characters that I wanted a bit more.

I haven’t seen this book being marketed as a sequel, but this is a sequel to The Spanish Daughter. Having read both books, The Queen of the Valley can easily be read as a standalone book.

You'll enjoy The Queen of the Valley if you like historical fiction, family dramas, and books packed with secrets and betrayals. Fans of The Spanish Daughter will love seeing familiar characters return.

Trigger Warning: There is a brief attempted sexual assault (just a few sentences).

A vivid, intense story set in Colombia in the 1920s.
The book begins with a big gala trying to raise funds, which is a pinnacle for the story.
Three narrators, Camila, Puri & Lucas have short snappy chapters which bounce from period to period, starting early 1900s, and going up to 1925.
We learn how they are interconnected.
There might be a murder, there might be cheating, there might be theft.
I have not yet read anything by Lorena, but this really is a stellar book. It sucks you in, and paints a beautiful and vivid landscape. The three narrators are all very well developed and layered. I would highly recommend this book to anyone. Ok I didn’t realize this was a sequel to “the Spanish daughter” until I read the acknowledgments, apparently it’s a great stand alone book as well.