The Spanish Daughter

By: Lorena Hughes

Narrated by: Frankie Corzo

Length: 9 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

“An engrossing, suspenseful family saga filled with unpredictable twists and turns.” (Chanel Cleeton, New York Times best-selling 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)

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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 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)

©2021 Lorena Hughes (P)2021 Recorded Books

A rather stupid story but I kept listening anyway.

Sometimes I like to listen to a not particularly well-written yet somewhat entertaining book and this was one of them. The reader was quite good and successfully portrayed various voices and accents. Her Spanish pronunciation was quite good. I only noticed one mispronounced word and that was in English. I don’t know how accurately the cacao business in the early 20th century is described.

so much potential, smothered in drama

I was hoping for details about cacao. Got a soap opera though the mystery wasn't bad.

interesting 🤔

very interesting story with plenty of plot twists to make your emotions go for a ride.

Disappointing in the end

Interesting setting, good but somewhat simplistic gender politics. As a chocolate lover, I was hoping to learn more about cacao production, but this part of the novel was superficial. Cumbayah ending is more suitable to YA readers than to full adults. I found the first two-thirds interesting, but the promise was not fulfilled.

interesting, but not a favorite

Melodramatic in parts, but overall an interesting story. Narrator was good. Learned about cacao, and enjoyed that.

interesting story

This book kept my attention with a unique story line. I enjoyed the central American accents and Spanish pronunciation.

Great listen!

Loved this story, the reading, the ending, everything! I would highly recommend this book! Wonderful!

Slow start and at times whiny

Puri leaves Spain for Ecuador to claim her father's shared inheritance. Along the way, she is attacked, and her husband is killed. To discover which of her siblings hired the killer, she impersonates her husband, telling the family that it was she who died. As she tries to unravel the mystery, the disguised Puri enjoys the freedoms awarded to men. Slowly, the story unfolds., but with so much whining and tears, the story dragged.

Couldn’t Put the book Down

Many great stories in one book. Love, suspense, murder, twists and turns to keep in interested. Great read!

Great Narration

Frankie Corzo really brings this interesting story to life. Her performance is everything one would hope for in an audio book. The story would be better with more descriptions of the setting and places the main character goes.