This is a story of tradition. This is a story of family. This is a story of community. This is a story of forgiveness. This is a story of secrets. This is a story of the past and the present. The past meets the present through Land, Nikki is in a season of uncertainty. Her life will change as she navigates this season and learn of her family’s past and navigates her future. If you love a dual time line and multi generational story that is full of history, family and a little drama and a lot of secrets then I recommend you read this book.

This started off a bit slow, and I wasn’t sure if it was going to be for me. But when the story really got going, I couldn’t put it down.

Told in dual timelines, we follow Veronica (Nikki) as she visits her estranged grandmother in Henderson County, North Carolina. Her grandmother tells her the story of the Kingdom of Happy Land, from which they are descended. A group of freed slaves escaping the KKK and other forms of intimidation in South Carolina flee to the Blue Ridge Mountains in 1873. From there, we follow Luella, The Queen of Happy Land as both timelines go through ups and downs and legal battles, while both citing the importance of land ownership.

I am always fascinated by history, especially learning about something I had never heard of before. This takes place very close to where I live, so it was extra fun to read about these places. This story was heartwarming. Both timelines were enjoyable, as we learn about this kingdom and the oral history passed down from mother to daughter. I think this is a very important read. It focuses some on the after effects of slavery, but it also focuses on the joy these people found. There are some tough moments, but there’s plenty of happy ones to be found in Happy Land!

I did not want to give a star rating for this book as I chose to stop reading at the 20% mark. I was extremely interested in reading this book after reading a book published last year about Happy Land. Prior to these two books I never heard of Happy Land and was eager to learn more.

The decision to dnf was a personal one. I just didn’t like the creative direction of the book. I know there isn’t much to go off of information wise when it comes to Happy Land and a lot of the story about Luella and her family has to be filled in by the author. I just didn’t prefer the way this one was told. Thank you for the opportunity to read a advance copy.

3.5 stars, rounded up
Happy Land is an historical fiction that tackles the idea of “intentional Black communities”. These communities developed after the Civil War as a way for Blacks to govern themselves. This story is based on one community that actually existed in western North Carolina from 1873-1919.
Told using the dual timeline method, we learn how the community came to be founded in the Reconstruction era and then the status of the property in the current day. Nikki has come to visit her grandmother in the North Carolina hills near Hendersonville. Her grandmother and mother had a falling out years ago, so Nikki knows little about her grandmother or her heritage. Her grandmother, Mother Rita, seeks to remedy that. But she’s a prickly old woman and doesn’t share information on any terms but her own.
I adored Take My Hand, Perkins-Valdez’s prior book. This one didn’t grab me in quite the same way.
As is too often the case, I was way more engaged in the historical story than the present day. Luella was a way more interesting character than Nikki could hope to be. And I never felt I got a solid grasp on the rift between Mother Rita and her daughter. I did appreciate that in both storylines, the land was as much a character as the people. Perkins-Valdez did an excellent job of making me feel I was walking the land right along with the characters.
The Happy Land community really existed and was founded on the idea of pooled wealth. I enjoyed seeing how the residents were able to work together for the betterment of the community. The present day storyline hinges on the problem of heirs property, which occurs when an estate fails to clear probate. It’s seen as a major historical problem in the lack of generational wealth among blacks.
The book fulfilled my hope of teaching me something new. I was aware of the heirs property predicament thanks to another book, What You Leave Behind (not a book I recommend however) but not the idea of intentional Black communities. But it lacked the spark to truly engage me.
My thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for an advance copy of this book.

What a moving book! I had no idea there was a kingdom in the mountains of the Carolinas, but I loved reading this story about it. The current and past points of view were equally compelling.

Thank you, publisher, for the eGalley!

This book was such a pleasant surprise for me. I loved how rich the history was. It was atmospheric, with beautiful storytelling.

I especially loved Luella’s POV and cherished the time we got with Nikki and Mother Rita.


I will be picking up the author's backlist!

4.5 stars

Take My Hand is one of my favorite audiobooks so receiving this was exciting! I loved it so much. Her writing just completely draws you in and you feel for all her characters.

Every so often, a writer captivates you so completely that you want to tell the world. Dolen Perkins-Valdez is that kind of author. After loving Take My Hand, I was thrilled to read her upcoming novel (April 8, 2025), Happy Land. This heartwarming, fact-based story follows former slaves who, after the Civil War, settled outside Hendersonville, NC, on a mountain they called The Kingdom of the Happy Land. With a dual timeline—Luella Montgomery in 1882 and her present-day descendants fighting to preserve their land—the novel showcases resilient, well-drawn characters. I love historical fiction that uncovers forgotten events and sends you searching for the truth. This book does exactly that, with powerful women at its heart.

I absolutely loved Dolen Perkins-Valdez's last book so I was highly anticipating reading this one. It did not disappoint. We learn of the Lovejoy family. The land that was worked on and owned by the Kingdom with Queen Luella and King William in North Carolina after the Civil War. We move forward in time to their descendants fighting to keep the land. A part of history I never of and found very interesting. Highly recommend.

I found it a joy to read Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez and learn about this kingdom that I'd not heard of before. Historical fiction told in two timelines, and I found both to be rewarding. (It did help that there was a modern-day character who was a librarian!)

My eyes were opened as I imagined what life was like for those fleeing such hardship and settling in this land and becoming independent. Such proud people. Such adaptive people. Such love.
I'd recommend this as an introductory read for those who, like me, had no knowledge of Happy Land and want to learn more! I'm going to check out the author's website and see what else I can find.

My local book group will be reading another novel by this author, Take My Hand, in a month or two, and I am sure we will have plenty to discuss. I will likely also recommend my group add Happy Land to their TBR list this year!

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance ebook. All opinions here are my own.

This story was both heartbreaking and redemptive as it details the lasting impact of enslavement on Black families, the loss of generational wealth through exploitation, and the need for connection through friends and family.

This is also a Story of self discovery and finding one’s place in the world. Told in a split-time format, it was interesting to see some of the parallels in Queen Luella's and Nikki’s lives. Both women lived and made decisions based on
What would happen to others and not necessarily
What was best for them. In the end, Queen Luella's choices gave Nikki freedom.

The side characters were well written and equally well developed. My favorite was Maddie Mae, mother Rita's best friend. She just seemed so real... Like an auntie.

I enjoyed the budding romance between Nikki and Bryan, the librarian, and like to think they got married. I want to believe that Nikki and her daughter resolved their issues and found some measure of happiness.

I received this as an advance copy for a fair review. First, and most interestingly, the topic is an unknown part of our history: a black settlement known as " The Kingdom of the Happy Land." This actual "black communal society" existed in Western North Carolina during Reconstruction. Not much is actually known as most of it has vanished, but it's possibility "reflects on a curious story of a Black Appalachian utopia" as Danielle Dukin writes in her webpage, "A Black Kingdom in postbellum Appalachia." But this premise is intriguing.

Valdez starts her book in present day with a fictional relative of the founders of this kingdom going to visit her grandmother, Mother Rita. Mother Rita has called Nikki "home" as she needs help staying on her land and since Nikki is a real estate agent, Mother Rita believes Nikki can help her. The book then switches to the past with the founding "queen," Luella Bobo, of Happy Land telling her story of how this kingdom came to be. Alternating between past and present, the interlocking stories have a similar theme: achieving ownership of the land and evading unscrupulous provocateurs, though this is a lighter theme compared to the stories of two women discovering what they are capable of doing and achieving.

I enjoyed the modern story a bit more than the story of the founding of Happy Land because of the legal aspects involved in Mother Rita getting her land back. While Luella's story was essential, I just didn't resonate as well with it.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read as well as an opportunity to learn more about black history.

As she's done in her previous books, Perkins-Valdez again dives into lesser-explored history that deserves to be better known, this time the little known history of the kingdom founded by freedpeople in the 1870s along the NC/SC border. A contemporary storyline contributes to the sense that the past isn't dead, it isn't even past. Stirring and beautifully written.

Dolen Perkins-Valdez has written another stunning novel in Happy Land. The story follows the Lovejoy family of women as the timeline moves between present day and the time of the Kingdom of the Happy Land. I enjoyed both sides of the story and was especially interested to learn that the story was based on actual historical facts. These are strong women who want nothing more than to restore the land of the Kindgom and allow future generations to thrive there. Characters are well-developed and you’ll find yourself rooting for them right to the very satisfying end.

When you pick up a Dolen Perkins-Valdez book, you know you are in for something special. She will weave a remarkable story that threads historical events into a beautiful narrative that sticks with you. I had never heard of post-Civil War Black communities and kingdoms. She shared her knowledge, mixed in with descriptive writing to teach me something new. It even sparked me to do more research into the topic.

Every once in awhile, a writer comes along that impresses you so much that you want to tell the world to read her books. Dolen Perkins-Valdez is that kind of author. Having read and loved "Take My Hand", I was so excited to get a chance to read her new book "Happy Land" that will be published April 8, 2025. I'm sitting here with a smile because this was a heartwarming story based on an actual event. After the end of the Civil War, former slaves settled outside Hendersonville, NC on a mountain they called The Kingdom of the Happy Land. This dual timeline story of Luella Montgomery in 1882 and her present day ancestors as they struggle to preserve the land that has been in their family for generations. Exceptionally well drawn characters are recognizable in their strength, determination and human fragility as they work together to build and hold on to what is theirs. I love historical fiction that teaches you about events you knew nothing about - and sends you searching the internet to verify that yes, this really happened. This book does that with wonderfully strong resilent women at the forefront of this novel. A satisfying read that would make a wonderful choice for reading groups. I want to thank NetGalley and Berkley Publishers for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Really enjoyed this one - will be buying for my store. Explores a part of American history I doubt many have heard about and raises really good questions about reparations, land ownership, and what justice looks like.

I love this book and Historical Fiction. I felt so many emotions and so much pride reading this book. I didn't know that this was based on a true story and that makes it even better. Wow. This book made me want to go start a garden and also go find out more about who I come from. A beautiful story about legacy, land ownership and the ancestors that paved the way for us.

This is my second book that I've read by this author and she did not disappoint. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone.

Dolmen Perkins-Valdez’s historical fiction book, “Happy Land,” embraces a people, land, and culture unknown to many. The story unfolds when Mother Rita calls on her granddaughter for help in keeping her land. Through her grandmother, Victoria discovers the story of an established Kingdom of Happy Land, its kings and queen, and how it came to be. She learns of its struggles to endure and why the land means so much to her grandmother.
The book appealed to me because the story revolves around family (present and past) conflict and resolution. In addition, it started me on a search to learn more of this kingdom that was!

I loved this story about a little piece of history that I had heard nothing about! Another reason why historical fiction is my favorite genre.. entertainment with the added value of educating myself. :). I loved the way the author went back and forth between decades and characters to tell the story of Happy Land and all of the characters involved.