The story of a silent exodus

HarperCollins, 2026

Domingo Arsuaga, a sailor from Lekeitio, emigrates—without a word to say—to the American West, where he will become a shepherd. But loneliness and isolation are no good companions. On a friend’s advice, he asks for a wife from his homeland. Valentina Alzola, a young cook who dreams of a home of her own, agrees to cross the seas, knowing that the letters she has received were not written by her pastor. With a trunk containing the mended sheets of Princess Zita of Bourbon, she sets sail for New York with a hopeful heart and the fear of meeting the man who has sworn eternal love to her. She knows nothing of America, nor does she dare to imagine what awaits her.

Elena Moreno Scheredre returns with a compelling novel about the emigration of Basques who left the coast of Biscay for Idaho, Nevada, and Utah. A moving tale about the essence of nostalgia and courage, and an unforgettable love story against all odds.