This was my first time reading Dolen Perkins-Valdez's work, and Happy Land was such a beautiful story. My favorite genre is historical fiction, so I knew I was in for a treat when I read the description and all of the great reviews. I especially love when I can learn something new, and that's what happened with this book and the fascinating information I learned about the African Kingdoms. This story had so many incredible characters, including Queen Luella, Mother Rita, and Nikki. I look forward to reading more of Valdez's work, and I would highly recommend Happy Land to everyone.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this book.
Happy Land follows a grandmother, a granddaughter, and their ancestor, who was the leader of Happy Land. This was a land where Black people could be free and prosper.
The timelines switch from the present day to the 1800s, following the matriarchs of the family. In the present day, Nikki is visiting her sick grandmother, who is dying. She is trying to learn all she can about her family heritage and where she came from. She's learning that she is Black royalty because her great-great-great-great-grandmother was the queen of Happy Land, a community that was in North and South Carolina.
This is a book that focuses on Land Ownership and the theft of land from Black people in America.

This book had themes of family, land ownership, resilience, and grief.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to people who enjoy multigenerational stories about Black women.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an early edition of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I previously loved Dolen Perkins-Valdez's Take My Hand, so when I saw Happy Land I had to put the request in to read it early. By the end of the novel, I'm not sure it quite hit the same high marks for me as Take My Hand did, but it was still a fascinating, well-constructed novel.

The alternating perspectives of this book create a rich depth to all of its layers, tying in multiple timelines to ultimately tell the story of the Happy Land. The book spans generations but ties together so well. You can't help but find a way to relate to each of the character's because the author builds them with simple, but descriptive writing, that gives you a clear picture of who they are and where they are going.

Equal parts heart-breaking, historical, resilient, and emotional, Happy Land is a solid read with a lot of depth.

Losing land is always such a tough topic to read / discuss, however, I could not put this one down! So many important lessons and topics are discussed in this book.

I was given an advanced reader copy of this title by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book particularly the writing style which drew me in from page 1. Highly Recommend!

Told in a dual timeline narrative, this novel brings to light a little-known historical event of the Reconstruction South. A group of former slaves leave the post civil was violence in South Carolina to travel to a place in the Appalachian Mountains for refuge and to built a new life. The new community they establish is named 'Happy Land'. Although the common historical narrative has been that they left from Mississippi, Perkins-Valdez's research points to their origins in SC. In the 19th century storyline, the group arrives at the plantation of the widow Serepta Davis whose former slave labor force is gone. Her plantation is falling in ruin, so the group make an agreement to work for her in exchange for the use of her land. They take up residence in her former slave cabins, clear the land, and begin building their own homes. Luella marries William Montgomery. The couple are named as king and queen of Happy Land. With their motto, "all for one and one for all", everyone works according to their skills and capability to contribute to a common treasury. This money is then distributed as needed, ensuring all are cared for. In the contemporary storyline, Nikki, a forty-year-old woman is summoned by her grandmother whose home is on the land of the former Happy Land. She knows nothing of her family's past, and subsequently learns that she is descended from Luella. For a woman with no anchor or sense of direction in her life, this changes her. Although the dual timeline is overused, I can see why it was used in this narrative. I much preferred the historical narrative. I recently read The American Queen which covered the same topic of the Happy Land, but it was told chronologically strictly in the 19th century. I found this a far more engaging read. If I hadn't read that first, I may have had a higher opinion of this book. Anyone who approaches this book first will love it.

Thanks to @berkleypub @dolenperkinsvaldez and @netgalley for my early copy!

The happy dance I did when I got my approval email from NetGalley for HAPPY LAND, the newest by Dolen Perkins-Valdez 💃🏻

I read and loved Take My Hand back in 2023 and was beyond excited when I saw the news about HAPPY LAND. I adore Perkins-Valdez’s writing and the characters she crafts. HAPPY LAND was no exception when it comes to beautiful storytelling and characters that creep their way into your heart.

Historical fiction not only opens a door to the past, but it also encourages empathy and educates the reader about little known events and people. I had never heard of the African Kingdoms created by previously enslaved people after the Civil War. The hardships they faced after becoming free did not stop. It just took on another name.

What I loved most about HAPPY LAND is the joy we learned about within The Kingdom and for its citizens. Queen Luella was a force to be reckoned with and definitely fit to be a Queen. Nikki’s journey of discovery was powerful and emotional. Mother Rita, what a woman!

This story was magical and beautiful. Do yourself a favor and pick it up! I mean, look at this stunning cover!!!

Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez is about 3 generations of African American women going through the setting of belonging and identity. If you love a cultural book with history, this is the one for you. While these are not my first go to books, I wanted to embrace this book fully and really enjoyed it! It's about love and connections in the "Happy Land". This is an eye opening read and makes you appreciate the struggles of those around you and those who came before you.

The author of TAKE MY HAND is back with her 2025 release, another moving, heart-wrenching, and poignant exploration of an ugly side of American history but with a message of hope, grit, and the importance of familial bonds.

HAPPY LAND is an expertly researched and crafted exploration of life in post-Civil War Appalachia, inspired by memories of African kingdoms — yes, kingdoms in the U.S. I loved this multigenerational story that traverses time and place to uncover the infuriating realities so many African Americans had to endure in the years following emancipation. It’s a reminder that while enslaved people were “free,” they weren’t free from the many ways white people tried (and often succeeded) in keeping their power in whatever ways they could — in this example, through landownership.

I loved the characters and the setting — if you’ve read TAKE MY HAND, you know Dolen is skilled at bringing her characters and setting to life, and HAPPY LAND is no different. At the core of the story is a strained family dynamic, and I felt so deeply for our MC, Nikki, and everything she was navigating with her family while trying to be a good mom and make it day by day. Mother Rita was so endearing to me, too—she truly jumped from the pages. And the setting details for the kingdom were some of my favorite passages I’ve read this year.

Fans of historical fiction and those who appreciate stories of lesser-known pieces of our nation’s history, this one is for you.

I loved this book from the very beginning! It takes place in my family’s home town which made me that much more intrigued. A great historical fiction about Black rights to own land and the struggles we face across generations.

I had no idea the Kingdom of Happy Land even existed—and that’s the brilliance of historical fiction: it brings to light the stories that deserve to be told. In Happy Land, Dolen Perkins-Valdez’s meticulous research and vivid storytelling had me diving down a Google rabbit hole to learn more.

The dual POV—between Nikki (present day) and her great-great-grandmother Queen Luella (past)—works beautifully to unravel a multigenerational legacy. Through their voices, we see how Black families built communities and resisted erasure, only to be met with systemic injustice. The novel powerfully explores how white power structures manipulated Black landowners, deepening racial and economic divides that still resonate.

🎧Narration Note: I absolutely loved both narrators. Their performances were so compelling, I found myself unwilling to take out my earbuds. The audiobook vividly brings this fascinating history to life.

👍 Final Verdict: Deeply moving, educational, and engrossing read. I highly recommend it to anyone who values untold history, generational storytelling, and masterful writing.

Perkins-Valdez’s storytelling is absolutely captivating. I’m in awe of the way she brings lesser-known moments in African American history to life with such care and depth. Happy Land shines a light on stories that often go untold, and I found myself fully immersed from beginning to end. She’s completely sparked my curiosity—I’ll definitely be reading more about the real history behind Happy Land and diving deeper into her other work.

A massive thank you to both NetGalley, and Berkley Publishing for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

Firstly - let me mention this cover. The colors are beautiful, the woman is absolutely breathtaking, I love the font, everything about this cover is just truly gorgeous and well done!

Secondly, WOW, this story! It was beautifully written, not quite as engaging as the author's other work, but still beautiful. It quietly draws you in and it just builds - by the end I just felt completely unraveled and raw in the best possible way. The beginning was tricky and complicated - there were so many characters and I was trying to figure out who everyone was and what was the point of the story. But that ending... such a deeply moving and incredible slow-paced story with captivating characters and history.

This is a generational story inspired by a real African Kingdom and the secrets that Nikki (the FMC, and great-great-great granddaughter of Queen Luella) is able to uncover brings just so much to light. My emotions were all over the place - there was anger and frustration, sorrow and hope, and grief - so much grief, and the dual timelines really was able to bring it all into the present.

Truly one for lovers of historical fiction, especially if you love the Civil War time period then you will truly love this one!

Thank you so much to @Berkleypub for the gifted e-arc. #Berkleypartner

This was a beautiful and enlightening tale of family, history, and legacy. This story is told in dual time lines, with Luella’s POV in the 1800s and Nicki POV in present day.

Luella’s POV explored and showcased how she came to be Queen of a kingdom and how herself, her husband and the community built it from scratch. They were proud people who believed in themselves and the power of what they could do. I absolutely loved reading Luella’s perspective. Not only did we get a history lesson, but also a glimpse into her initially complicated love life with her first husband as well as how distance and time can put a strain on a family. I loved to see how everything came together and they worked together as a family.

Nicki’s POV is present day as she goes to visit a grandmother that she barely knows. Her grandmother needs help and has summoned her. It is here, where Nicki is able to learn about her history and the importance of legacy and land ownership.

Unfortunately for Black Americans, many of the details of our history was lost. This book helped reinforce and solidify how much of a blessing it is to know your family history.

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.