I loved this book from the first page to the last and want everyone to read it!

In this dual timeline, Nikki (present time) is summoned from D.C. to North Carolina by her estranged grandmother, Mother Rita for an unknown reason. Before she'll tell Nikki why, Mother Rita insists that Nikki learn about her ancestors, specifically her great-great-great grandmother and their history with the physical land in N.C., once known as the Kingdom of Happy Land.

As with most dual timelines, I liked the present time but loved the past. Without giving any spoilers (this part is in the book description), I'm in awe of the men, women and children who came out of slavery physically and emotionally beaten and broken, and had the wherewithal to create new lives. Happy Land provides stunning insight into a real group of freedpeople who established their own community. The characters' connection and linkage to the land was beautifully told and so impactful.

This is my first Dolen Perkins-Valdez book (although truth be told, Take My Hand has been on my TBR for two years). Her writing is so lovely and easy, and flows nicely between timelines, a testament to her talent as that can easily feel choppy and messy but doesn't get even close here. The imagery is so vivid and clear I can picture every scene. The author's note gives more details on the community she based the book on, and I immediately began looking it up to learn more. She also touches on Blacks having their land wealth taken from them, which has true far-reaching and devastating impacts.

I would highly recommend Happy Land!

TY to BookBrowse and NetGalley for the digital ARC! I'll absolutely be buying a physical copy when it's released.

Sarah impulsively boards a plane to Ireland, where she lands at a small and maybe mysterious cottage. She is drawn to a perhaps magical tree with local history and finds the diary of a young woman, Anna, written 100 years in the past. Time jumps explore life for Anna, her meeting and relationship with American Harold, and the local lore in 1910. With Anna's help, Harold explores the idea of fairies and magic in Ireland. As Sarah reads the diary, she finds more in common with Anna, and explores her own pain and grief as she invests in, and learns to trust herself.

I loved this book from start to finish. The author's writing flows so easily and is beautiful without being superfluous or overwhelming. She provides just the right about of verbiage to allow the imagery to come through naturally. Everywhere she takes us, everyone we meet, you feel like you are there.

While mostly predictable, this book was so lovely and wonderful. Absolute 5 stars!