First published 2025
Nikki Berry receives an unexpected call from her estranged grandmother Rita, summoning her to the North Carolina hills after years of separation. When Nikki arrives, Rita reveals a family secret that changes everything Nikki thought she knew about her heritage. Her ancestor Luella, once enslaved, became queen of the Kingdom of the Happy Land, a place that sounds impossible but was real. This American Kingdom has vanished from history, leaving only whispers and legends buried in the mountains. As Nikki learns more about Luella's story and the lost kingdom, she uncovers family secrets that have been hidden for generations. The truth about the Happy Land threatens to disappear forever, like so many other pieces of Black history that have been erased or stolen. Nikki faces a choice that will determine whether her family's remarkable legacy survives or becomes another lost chapter in America's past.
Genres: literary-fiction, american-fiction, historical-fiction, african-american, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, lyrical, mysterious, thought-provoking
Tropes: estranged-reunion, found-family, generational-discovery, hidden-legacy
Setting: North Carolina, Kingdom of the Happy Land, America
Period: 19th-century, 21st-century
384 pages · Paperback · Berkley
Content warnings: racism, slavery