The Spanish Daughter: A Gripping Historical Novel Perfect for Book Clubs (Puri's Travels)
"An engrossing, suspenseful family saga filled with unpredictable twists and turns." --Chanel Cleeton, New York Times bestselling author of Next Year in Havana "With an equal mix of historical fiction, dramatic family conflict, and mystery, this tale should please fans of Christina Baker Kline, Lisa Wingate, and Kate Quinn." --Booklist The Washington Post Books to Read Now Ms. Magazine Reads for the Rest of Us Bustle Most Anticipated Books PopSugar Best Books BiblioLifestyle Most Anticipated Historical Fiction Books Book Riot Book Recommendations Finer Things Book Lover Gifts They'll Actually Love 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."
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... "A lush Ecuadoran cacao plantation is the setting for this imaginative historical drama filled with sibling rivalry and betrayals. Threaded throughout this dramatic family saga are descriptions of cocoa-making that will leave your mouth watering for chocolate." - The Washington Post "A sweepingly elegant historical novel." - Ms. Magazine "A lushly written story of bittersweet family secrets and betrayals." --Andrea Penrose, author of Murder at the Royal Botanic Gardens "Passionate and suspenseful, The Spanish Daughter is a satisfying historical mystery set in a lush tropical land." --Foreword Reviews STARRED REVIEW "Engrossing...As addictive as chocolate." --Publishers Weekly "Richly captivating." --Woman's World "A fascinating historical."--PopSugar
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... "A lush Ecuadoran cacao plantation is the setting for this imaginative historical drama filled with sibling rivalry and betrayals. Threaded throughout this dramatic family saga are descriptions of cocoa-making that will leave your mouth watering for chocolate." - The Washington Post "A sweepingly elegant historical novel." - Ms. Magazine "A lushly written story of bittersweet family secrets and betrayals." --Andrea Penrose, author of Murder at the Royal Botanic Gardens "Passionate and suspenseful, The Spanish Daughter is a satisfying historical mystery set in a lush tropical land." --Foreword Reviews STARRED REVIEW "Engrossing...As addictive as chocolate." --Publishers Weekly "Richly captivating." --Woman's World "A fascinating historical."--PopSugar
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Community Reviews
Story: 3 stars; More of a mystery than history. While Hughes was inspired by true events (the cocoa bean grinder and women dressing as men), I didn't buy it the main character passing for a man.
Writing: 3 stars; the writing wasn't exceptional, nor was it distracting.
Characters: 3 stars; while there are several different characters in this book, the only one that you get to know well is the main character, and she is inexplicably independent and worldly and bossy and fearless with very few morals - where does she get all that? The writer tries to pass it off as her playing a man, but she is this way long before she embarks on the journey. The other characters are given the lightest of treatment and are cliché.
Learning: 1 star; When I read HF, I really expect to learn something - it doesn't have to be as detailed as nonfiction, but it would be nice to finish the book and feel that it was just another story set at a different time and place. I learned a little bit about cocoa, that's it.
Ending: 3 stars; as endings go, this was ok. You got an idea of where all the characters were at, and nothing was left hanging.
Entertainment: 3 stars - a nice beach read, no stress. I would neither recommend it nor steer you away from it.
Writing: 3 stars; the writing wasn't exceptional, nor was it distracting.
Characters: 3 stars; while there are several different characters in this book, the only one that you get to know well is the main character, and she is inexplicably independent and worldly and bossy and fearless with very few morals - where does she get all that? The writer tries to pass it off as her playing a man, but she is this way long before she embarks on the journey. The other characters are given the lightest of treatment and are cliché.
Learning: 1 star; When I read HF, I really expect to learn something - it doesn't have to be as detailed as nonfiction, but it would be nice to finish the book and feel that it was just another story set at a different time and place. I learned a little bit about cocoa, that's it.
Ending: 3 stars; as endings go, this was ok. You got an idea of where all the characters were at, and nothing was left hanging.
Entertainment: 3 stars - a nice beach read, no stress. I would neither recommend it nor steer you away from it.
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