An important and well written piece of historical fiction, the book is told in dual timelines. Nikki is summoned by her grandmother to her North Carolina home. Nikki’s mother has been estranged from Mama Rita, so Nikki has not had the exposure to her grandmother to know the story of her family. Her family’s roots were based in the kingdom known as Happy Land, formed in 1873 when a group of freed former slaves left South Carolina and the Klan threats, to form their own community in North Carolina. Led by the Montgomery brothers and Luella, the community developed a self contained economy, with the hope to be free of the threats that faced them. Both stories will capture you with the characters, and important issues that are dealt with masterfully. Highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

A gorgeous story about a community of formerly enslaved people who created their own kingdom and elected their own king and queen in Appalachia post-Emancipation. Dolen Perkins-Valdez knows how to put the past in conversation with the present in engaging ways. I love the historical and contemporary plot lines in equal measure.

This was such a beautiful story about resilience, family history, and honoring those who came before. Nikki’s mother and her grandmother, Mother Rita, had a falling out decades ago, so Nikki is surprised when her grandmother requests she visit. Nikki travels to North Carolina and learns about the history of the land Mother Rita still lives on today.

I was so surprised to learn that Happy Land is inspired by a real place! The history of the Kingdom of the Happy Land is one that more people should know. Happy Land is told from two POVs in different timelines, with Nikki in the present day and Luella, her ancestor and the Queen of the kingdom, set during the Reconstruction Era. As Nikki learns about the history of the Kingdom and her family’s role in its founding, she also develops a relationship with the grandmother she has never known and must figure out how to save the home she has lived in her whole life. Luella’s POV focuses on life after slavery and the community she builds for her family and others. While I loved reading both POVs, I especially loved Luella’s timeline and the founding of the Kingdom of Happy Land. You can tell the author did her research with how much care she put into telling this story.

I don’t read much historical fiction, but I loved this author’s writing so much I will be checking out her debut. Thank you to Berkley for a review copy.

Thank you to Berkeley publishing for the arc.
This book is beautifully written. It really makes you think about your own history as told to you by your grandparents and realizing what your ancestors have often gone through. It reminded me about learning about our history, really guide the decisions that we make as we go forward as well. It’s a book that makes you think and is thought privokibg as well.

**Many thanks to Berkley and Dolen Perkins-Valdez for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley!**

"Some people look for a beautiful place, others make a place beautiful." - Hazrat Inayan Khan

While some were content to wait for the kingdom promised to them 'someday'...they knew that now was the time to claim a kingdom they could call their own...

Nikki doesn't quite understand the how and why of her mother and grandmother's long term estrangement...and the mystery has been eating at her for years. Her grandmother, better known to her as Mother Rita, has been absent for her life for some time due to the family strife, and Nikki has always been curious what could have transpired to lead to such a divide...but she is FINALLY about the learn the truth. Mother Rita invites Nikki to North Carolina, and when she arrives, she has no idea that the sign "Lovejoy Lane" means so much more than a simple marker of her family's land. What Ruth then begins to reveal is not just the origin of the family estrangement, but a story of bravery, love, and determination that will take her all the way back to the 1800s...and a very important ancestor, Queen Luella.

The Appalachian Hills were more than a respite for the formerly enslaved...they became a new place to call home. Along with hundreds of others, Luella made the brave journey away from the pain and degradation they had endured and decided to create a lasting legacy of their own. In homage to the kingdoms of Africa and their OWN ancestors, this group created a "Happy Land": a kingdom they could claim for themselves, and Luella becomes appointed as Queen with her husband, William, as the Happy Land's king. Although this setup seems idyllic, their path is far from straightforward, and Luella has to deal with conflict, abandonment, and a tangle of complicated emotions that leaves her questioning who and what she loves. On top of that, the group has to keep a hold on their Happy Land and the way of life they hope to keep, with obstacles continually mounting against them...and the land becoming increasingly difficult to keep in their grasp.

As past and present converge and this sacred land once again comes not only into question, but under threat of being lost forever, can Nikki and her family preserve and protect this important part of their heritage? Or will laws and inheritance rules tear away not only generational wealth, but the newly formed bond between granddaughter and grandmother that just might help to heal the deep wounds of the past?

This is the second book I've read this year about generational wealth and its effects in the black community this year (the first being Charmaine Wilkerson's Good Dirt), and my first read from Dolen Perkins-Valdez, so with these factors in mind, I was a bit worried about this read feeling a bit repetitive, redundant, or stale. I am thrilled to say that this book was not only different, but was a breath of fresh air by comparison, imbued with a firm sense of grounded, accessible, and easy-to-read storytelling that got me IMMERSED in the Happy Land...and not wanting to leave!

When it comes to historical fiction and a dual timeline, this can often be a pain point for me as a reader. So often it feels like an author gives SUCH preference to one timeline over the other (and let's face it, this is normally the 'past' timeline - it IS called historical fiction, after all) that there is a true lack of balance and not always the most cohesive connections. Oftentimes it can even feel jarring after several chapters to suddenly be bounced back to present day, and almost remove the reader from the experience of the past and all of the world-building taking place. But in Happy Land, Perkins-Valdez has JUST the right touch - we never spend too long in the past OR the present all in one go. The breaks feel natural, much the way they do in the film version of Titanic, for example - we stay enraptured by Rose's past while remaining invested in the present. The stakes are high, and it's easy to become emotionally invested in the future of Mother Rita and Nikki's nascent relationship, built on such fragile and uncertain shared ground.

Perkins-Valdez's characters also help sell the message - we become enmeshed in Luella's journey and the difficult decisions she faces, practically from page one, and the heavy weight of carrying the kingdom on her shoulders despite her uncertainty and a lack of TRUE decision making power. Without giving anything away, Luella has to balance being thrust into a position she isn't quite ready for and often has to face most of her most challenging moments alone. This coupled with Nikki's discoveries and Mother Rita's journey toward acceptance of her complicated past and hope for her future. With both of these women fighting for the legacy, the ghosts of the past help to fuel their inner fire.

Another bright spot for this particular novel is that unlike in Good Dirt, I felt more connected to these characters and their determination to keep their land, and felt I was better able to understand the story this time after having had a prior introduction to the issues surrounding heirs' property and the subsequent loss of generational wealth, In many black families, heirs' property, where land is passed down through generations without clear legal title, can lead to disputes and forced sales, eroding wealth. In many cases, probates did not clear, and led to a gap in wealth between these families and wealthy families that unfortunately survives generations and affects families even today. While it is odd to have two contemporaries writing about the same topic to some extent, this perhaps points to a gap in knowledge that NEEDS to be shouted from the rooftops, and both Wilkerson and Perkins-Valdez clearly did their research and made what could be a complicated topic to explain very accessible.

And while this book may refer to a very specific Happy Land, it could also be said that with these strong, resilient, and beautiful souls, they could find a way to be Happy....no matter where they might Land.

4 stars

Happy Land is a historical fiction inspired by actual Kingdoms established for African Americans freed from slavery. A place for them to create a life of their own on their own land.

A powerful story about the determination of formerly enslaved people to provide a legacy for their families despite continued racism in this country. The Census of Agricultural data conservatively estimates African Americans lost over $326 billion in land wealth between 1910 - 1997. This novel also shares the key roles the Black church played in politics in the beginning of the Black vote. Churches were meeting places for the community to learn about candidates and issues on the ballots to better their quality of life.

A thoughtfully written novel of the ways in which systematic racism has affected African Americans in this country while spotlighting the strength and resilience of a people that will never give up without a fight.

Happy Land is a modern-day masterpiece with compelling storytelling and beautiful prose. Those who have read Take My Hand are already aware that author Dolen Perkins-Valdez is a literary force and an integral, much-needed voice in our current political landscape. (And anytime, really.)

It’s about familial legacy, community, and sacrifice, featuring strong female characters and a part of history that we all should have learned about in school.

I will read all of the things that Perkins-Valdez writes and greatly appreciate the experience.

Happy Land is ideal for readers who enjoy emotionally resonant, multi-generational historical novels that explore themes of family legacy and resilience against the backdrop of African American history

There was once a time where there was an existence of an African Kingdom in the United States. This community was built in the Appalachian mountains by former slaves, and they called it the Kingdom of the Happy Land. Told from the perspective of Queen Luella, we learn how they started their own school, treasury, political system, and how they purchased many acres of land in order to prosper from their hard work.

Flash forward to present time, and Nikki is called to visit her estranged grandmother, Mother Rita. Nikki learns about the secrets of her family history, including how this land was basically stolen out from under her family, and how this caused a falling out between Mother Rita and Nikki's mother. Her grandmother urges Nikki to take action and claim back what is rightfully theirs.

"Some history came down from a mother's whisper"

This Book! I devoured it, it was so rich in a story that I didn't even know existed. Generations of a family can carry so much untold history, and it is so important that those stories get passed on. The author did a fantastic job describing just how easily land, worth millions of dollars in present time, could be stolen out from under these African American families. This book is the best reminder of why I love historical fiction.

An intergenerational story where a woman learns the incredible story of a real-life American Kingdom and her family's ties to it.
Nikki's grandmother calls out of the blue with an urgent request for Nikki to come see her in the western hills of North Carolina. Nikki's mother and grandmother haven't spoken in years and Nikki is determined to find out why. But instead her grandmother tells her a story of a kingdom on the mountain and of her great-great-great grandmother who was its queen.
Nikki learns about the Kingdom of the Happy Land and the lives of those who lived there. She learns of her family's secrets and how this land is her legacy. A legacy she must learn to protect before it's stolen away.
What a beautiful cover!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

✨ Review ✨ Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

A story of love, family, freedom, race, and land ownership

Thanks to Berkley and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

Nikki goes to visit her grandmother in western NC, only to learn about her ancestors’ history in this land. Her grandmother, Mother Rita, runs a small flower farm there, which Nikki's never visited because of the strained relationship between her mom and grandma. As she starts learning about this land and their people, Nikki's understanding of her grandmother and their ancestor grows.

The story jumps between Nikki in the present day and her ancestors, recently freed from slavery, who formed a community called Happy Land to live away from the violence that marked the Reconstruction era. The book is based on a real-life community with the same name, that formed as a kingdom, with a queen and king that governed. Learning about this kingdom, even the parts that were speculation, was truly a joy. I can't believe I'd never heard of this before.

I appreciated this also for its honest depictions of race and power in both the past and present -- the racial violence and economic disadvantages of the formerly enslaved folks and the types of legal manipulation used to wrest land from black landowners today. This book is a powerful look at these issues across 150+ years.

Not least, this is one of my favorite covers of 2025 so far - it's absolutely gorgeous!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: historical fiction
Setting: western North Carolina
Pub Date: April 2025

Read this if you like:
⭕️ historical fiction
⭕️ topics of race and landownership
⭕️ flowers and the natural world
⭕️ multi POV/timeline books

I've heard a little bit about The Kingdom of the Happy Land before but this was my first time actually diving in. I loved learning about the people especially Queen Luella. We love a scandalous queen! I knew I was getting historical fiction based on a true story but I didn't know that I would get a little romance too. I loved that. I also thoroughly enjoyed the contemporary fiction storyline. It's generational story that happens way too often. I would highly recommend this one. I'll also be reading Dolen Perkins-Valdez's backlist for sure!

Rating: 4.5/ 5 stars

4.5 stars - This was a beautiful story, rich in history and deeply compelling. I knew some of the very broad strokes of communities that were created and land being stolen, but this was my first real introduction to the topic and while sad and heartbreaking at times, this was a heartfelt, interesting, and compelling story to read. All the characters were so fascinating, I liked the dual timeline aspect, and I thought the writing style was engaging. The middle was a bit slow for me, but I still really liked the story and I'm happy I read this.

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for the eARC - all opinions are my own!

HAPPY LAND by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

Happy Land was one of my most anticipated books of the year, so it pains me to deliver anything less than a stellar review. Like its predecessor, Happy Land is also inspired by true events. This dual-timeline story is a fictionalized account of the real-life "Kingdom of the Happy Land," an intentional community established by formerly enslaved Black Americans in the late 19th century.

I am fascinated by intentional communities, and found that aspect so interesting! I was inspired and deeply moved by the tenacity and resilience of the kingdomfolk! And I'm endlessly grateful that Perkins-Valdez shed much-needed light on this little-known piece of U.S. history.

That said, after experiencing the brilliance of Take My Hand, Happy Land fell a bit short of my high expectations. It felt like a missed opportunity to go deeper, and to do more. The writing itself felt overly simple, and I craved the same depth the author delivered in Take My Hand. Additionally, certain aspects within the modern timeline felt unnecessary. Keep in mind that I read this with my eyes, and perhaps the audiobook would've been a better fit. Either way, I am clearly an outlier in my opinion because it's receiving overwhelmingly positive reviews, so I'd still recommend it. 💕

Thank you Berkley Pub for my gifted copies 💗

I had a little trouble connecting with this one at the start. I’m not really sure why, but when I put it down, I wasn’t grabbing to pick it back up. But both sides of the story grew on me. It slowly grabbed me and didn’t let me go.

I flopped back and forth on which timeline I liked more. I ended up a little triggered by the current one where Nikki is visiting Mother Rita and getting to know her again. It’s a powerful story about family. But Queen Luella’s strength, courage and resilience moved me.

It’s a celebration of women and black history. How the past roles up into the future. And a reminder of what some have gone through and the unfairness it involved.

Bahni Turpin and Ashley J Hobbs did an excellent job of bringing both timelines to life. They embodied the heart and emotion of the book.

What an incredible book! I listened to the audiobook and it was superb narration! And the cover art is the best.
It's powerful, heartbreaking, and full of hope, shedding light on an important part of history that many people may not know about.
Happy Land is a deeply moving and beautifully written novel that is quite the unforgettable story.

Special thanks to the author & @berkleypub for my gifted copy ‼️

Set at the backdrop of the Reconstruction era this book was inspired by the true story of a Black community created by formerly enslaved people fleeing South Carolina in hopes of a better life. Dolen sheds light on a kingdom not often spoken of in American history and few are able to recall its true origins. Happy Land was a place where the people could live in peace, experience freedom, & build a community where their people could thrive.

But what happens when you have no knowledge of your history or the value of the ground you walk upon? You end up like Nikki and her mother unconvinced that you could be a descendant of royalty let alone an heir to property worth millions. Maybe you’re like Luella and know that land ownership is a far greater reward when you understand the power it possesses. That is until you make a deal with a crook and he shows you why you shouldn’t have trusted him in the first place.

I truly enjoyed reading this book. The author wove the timelines together so well and added her own personal perspective based off research of Happy Land’s origin. At certain points you can’t discern fact from fiction which I loved. I read Vanessa Miller’s book The American Queen last year so I felt like I already knew these characters and reading this only heightened the connection. Exploring themes that delve deeper into heirs property, family ties, ancestry, the importance of having a will, the roots of systemic racism in land ownership, and financial disparities. Dolen has such a unique approach to historical fiction and the way she tells her stories to draws readers into a time period we’ve never been is unmatched.

She even went as far as shaking up the kingdom with a little drama and all I can say is she delivered. From uncovering the truth about the loss of the land, Luella’s ties to William and Robert, the influence Luella’s father had over her, and the tension with Mother Rita and her family made this book remarkably compelling. If you haven’t read yet I highly recommend you add it your TBR!

Rating: 4.5/5⭐️

4.25 Overall
Another wonderful historical fiction novel. It is clear that the author researched the real-life American Kingdom to bring an authentic feeling story of the life of Queen Luella.
This book has a dual timeline. In the present time, a descendant of Luella, Nikki, is learning the history of her family while trying to save a part of her family's history. The second timeline follows Queen Luella, her life, and her struggles to save her family.
I enjoyed the historical parts of the novel more than the modern storyline. But both storylines come together nicely and are well written.
I look forward to reading more from this author.
Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for the eARC!

Yes…I am crying. Happy Land is a beautiful book that really brought me into the past post emancipation. The focus on Luella and the resilience and strength of black women was beyond touching. I loved how you could tell Dolen did extensive research on this topic and how wonderfully she weaved fiction into history. My mother loves studying black history and I bought this book for her on publication day because I knew she would love it too.

Happy Land is about the kingdom of Happy Land where black people created a kingdom in the Carolinas after being freed after the Civil War. William and Louella were named King and Queen of Happy Land, and now their descendant, Mother Rita is recounting the story to her granddaughter, Veronica/Nikki. Mother Rita is a fierce defender of her right to live on the land, even when there are some trying to lay claim to it.
It is a beautiful story of people who know that owning land is an important way to establish yourself and build wealth.
I loved it and I will continue to read everything Dolen Perkins-Valdez writes!