The Night We Became Strangers
  • Published: 4 November 2025
  • ISBN: 9781496752451
  • Imprint: Kensington
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 336
  • RRP: $39.99
Categories:

The Night We Became Strangers

  • Lorena Hughes
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An immersive, historical novel based on true events: In 1938, Orson Welles’s legendary radio dramatization of H.G. Wells’s novel The War of the Worlds terrified Americans into believing Martians were invading. Eleven years later, an Ecuadorian radio station adapted the show—with catastrophic consequences. Now, two young journalists are determined to uncover what really happened to their families that night--even as secrets endanger their future.

An immersive, historical novel based on true events: In 1938, Orson Welles’s legendary radio dramatization of H.G. Wells’s novel The War of the Worlds terrified Americans into believing Martians were invading. Eleven years later, an Ecuadorian radio station adapted the show—with catastrophic consequences. Now, two young journalists are determined to uncover what really happened to their families that night--even as secrets endanger their future.

1957: Aspiring photojournalist Valeria Anzures returns to her hometown of Quito with a secret purpose: to discover the truth about how her parents really died. The disastrous 1949 War of the Worlds show caused a mob to torch her family's radio station—and the newspaper run by their closest friends, the Monteros. The tragedy shattered the families’ relationship—and left the station on precarious financial ground. Now, expected to save her family’s legacy through an arranged marriage, Valeria will risk everything to find out the truth. Even if it means allying with the man she's always loved—but who now treats her like a stranger.

For Matías Montero, the scars of that night run deep. He saved his mother but blames himself for not rescuing his father. As a journalist, he views Valeria as a rival. Still, they’re both on the same mission.  Perhaps, together, they can unearth the past their families and friends would rather remain buried.

Valeria and Matías soon find trusting each other is as dangerous as the attraction they can't resist. Between their families’ mutual hatred, duplicitous witnesses, and insidious lies, and ruthless manipulations, exposing the real story will put their future on the line—and ignite revelations no one saw coming.
  • Published: 4 November 2025
  • ISBN: 9781496752451
  • Imprint: Kensington
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 336
  • RRP: $39.99
Categories:

Praise for The Night We Became Strangers

Praise for Lorena Hughes:

“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 on The Spanish Daughter

“An engrossing, suspenseful family saga filled with unpredictable twists and turns.” —Chanel Cleeton, New York Times bestselling author of Next Year in Havana on The Spanish Daughter


“Told in the alternating viewpoints of three protagonists, this novel by Ecuador-born-and-raised Hughes paints a vivid picture of 1920s Ecuador and Colombia…This book will appeal to readers who enjoy family conflict, historical details, and the exploration of lost love.” —Library Journal on The Queen of the Valley


“A juicy potboiler with a palpable sense of history.” —Kirkus Reviews on The Queen of the Valley

“A sweepingly elegant historical novel.” —Ms. Magazine on The Spanish Daughter

“Passionate and suspenseful, The Spanish Daughter is a satisfying historical mystery set in a lush tropical land.” —Foreword Reviews, STARRED REVIEW for The Spanish Daughter

“A tale as rich and complex as the finest chocolate.” —Marisel Vera, author of The Taste of Sugar on The Queen of the Valley

“The many story lines connect the past and the present, and all converge to create a satisfying conclusion while cultural and historical facts reflecting this time and place are both clues and red herrings in Puri’s search. But it’s the wide range of engaging characters that will pull in most readers. For fans of historical fiction and works by Christina Baker Kline and Lisa Wingate.” —Booklist on The Queen of the Valley

“Betrayal, secrets, and chocolate fuel this transporting page turner from Lorena Hughes. Set amid the early 20th-century cacao boom, the novel gently comments on the confines of gender, while asking if goodness is innate or learned.” —Christian Science Monitor on The Spanish Daughter

“Richly captivating.” —Woman’s World on The Spanish Daughter

“Riveting…filled with rich imagery (and rich chocolate!), this story about a woman who never gives up on her dreams had me hooked from the start.” —First for Women on The Spanish Daughter

“A fascinating historical mystery.” —PopSugar on The Spanish Daughter

“An engrossing mystery/romance set in early 20th-century Ecuador and Spain… Fans of historicals will appreciate the descriptions of dress, local foods and customs, social stratification, and the cacao industry, a source of an economic boom and bust in early 20th-century Ecuador… As addictive as chocolate, this ends on a modern and satisfying note.” —Publishers Weekly on The Spanish Daughter

“Hughes portrays a small cast of characters while providing whodunit suspense and lots of background information on cacao plantations and insights into the way social classes are embodied in the production of chocolate. 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 on The Spanish Daughter