Frida's Cook

by Florencia Etcheves

This colorful, emotive historical debut whisks us to the home of Frida Kahlo, where food, art, and love weave together an unforgettable story of friendship and loyalty, with a bright Coyoacán as a vivid background.

A hidden painting. A buried past. A legacy waiting to be uncovered.

Mexico City, 1939: Young and determined Nayeli Cruz flees from her Oaxaca home to arrive in Mexico City with neither friends nor prospects. Alone and armed only with her sharp wit and extraordinary talent in the kitchen, she finds herself in front of La Caza Azul, the home of Frida Kahlo. As she begins work as the artist’s cook, Nayeli is pulled into Frida’s world of pain, passion, and defiance. But it isn’t long before amid the vibrant tapestry of flavors, scents, and colors, the two women form a deep bond—one that will shape the course of Nayeli’s life and leave behind a secret buried in art.

Buenos Aires, Present Paloma, Nayeli’s granddaughter, stumbles upon a mysterious painting depicting her grandmother as a young woman. The artist’s identity is unknown, but the artwork’s existence threatens to unravel long-held family secrets. As Paloma delves into her grandmother’s past, she uncovers a tale of passion, betrayal, and resilience that challenges everything she thought she knew about the one woman who raised her.

A lyrical and timeless portrait of the human side of one of the world’s most famous painters, Frida’s Cook celebrates the power of female friendship, art, and love.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Adult Fiction

368 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication March 10, 2026

About the author

Escritora y periodista, Florencia Etcheves ha trabajado como especialista policial de los informativos de El Trece, siendo ganadora de premios como el de Mejor Labor Periodística Femenina en los Premios Martín Fierro. Hizo sus estudios secundarios en el Instituto de Lenguas Vivas y egresó en el año 1989. Al siguiente año ingresó a TEA para estudiar periodismo y se recibió en el año 1993.
En 2012, la editorial Planeta publicó la primera novela policial de Florencia Etcheves, titulada La virgen en tus ojos. A partir del éxito comercial y de crítica de su primera ficción, en 2014 se publicó su segunda novela La hija del campeón.

Reviews

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This historical novel explores the character of Frida Kahlo and her fascination with Tehuanas – indigenous women from Oaxaca, renowned for their strong matriarchal society and vibrant traditional attire – famously adapted by Frida.

Nayeli Cruz is a fictional character who represents Tehuanas.

In 1939, young Nayeli Cruz arrives in Mexico City, after fleeing from her Oaxaca home per her older sister’s insistence, who took on the burden of getting married, but wanted a different life for her younger sister. Nayeli’s fate leads her to La Caza Azul, the home of Frida Kahlo. Frida finds a constant connection with the lost girl standing in her garden and takes her under her patronage. Nayeli becomes Frida’s cook, through Nayeli’s cooking and Frida’s artistry; both women form a deep bond.

In present time, Buenos Aires, Paloma - Nayeli’s granddaughter – explores a mystery. After the death of her grandmother, Paloma is given a key which leads her to a painting depicting her grandmother as a young woman. This leads Paloma to uncover her grandmother’s past. The past of a woman she thought she knew as she raised her but it turns out she didn’t know the most passionate tale of her grandmother’s.

Personally, I prefer past story without any modern twist, and I felt a stronger connection with the past story.

This historical fiction reflects well Frida’s passion, resilience and her independence. The senses of smell and taste awaken with Nayeli’s cooking. The descriptions of places give strong sense of surroundings. The customs and beliefs are rich part of the storytelling. Overall, it is a fascinating story and beautifully presented.

Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Courtney Holcomb · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is a hidden treasure—a true gem with wonderful storytelling and writing.

Actual Rating 6 Stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I highly recommend the book, especially for people who love stories set in Mexico. 🇲🇽💜

[Chelsea Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an absolute gem! From the first page, I was enthralled. Florencia Etcheves crafted a novel that is at once a love letter to food, art, and female resilience. I absolutely adore Friday Kahlo and was so excited for this book, even more so by the fact I was not disappointed!

I appreciated the rich sense of place and sensory detail- the reader is transported to different cities and places that felt alive. The descriptions of cooking and food weren't just background, they were woven into the characters' identities.

The characters were complex and and sympathetic. The female characters were strong and the way everything is brought together was exquisite.

The way art and history were woven into fiction... oh my gosh. Etcheves was able to blend real historical figures with fictional ones. It felt so realistic and felt like that is what it could have been like to live in Frida's house.

I cannot recommend Frida's Cook enough! I am so grateful I was able to receive an ARC from Net Galley and the publisher, because this was absolute perfection!

[Kendra Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I'm a huge fan of Friday Khalo, so I was immediately intrigued by the description of the story. I'm so glad that the actual story exceeded my expectations.

A dual timeline story that revolves around the mystery of a forgotten painting, secrets, and the true story of Nayeli Cruz. I loved how while Frida is a huge personality (in fiction and in history), the focus of Nayeli is not lost in her game fame and larger than life presence. Both timelines are filled with mystery and uncovered pieces of a story as Paloma (granddaughter of Nayeli) is trying to piece together the life story of her grandmother.

While much of the focus is on this mysterious painting at one point, it is the story that is the true gem. As quoted in the book, "The story is worth more than the painting. The story is the true work of art."

[Jill Dobbe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun novel that takes readers to Mexico and Buenos Aires during the years of famous artists, Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. Although fictional, the book is made more intriguing by historical accounts. Casa Azul, Frida Kahlo's home in Mexico City, is now a museum dedicated to her life.

Kahlo and Rivera are world-renowned artists. Reading about their lives, fictional and not, drew me to this book. It is an entertaining read that kept me engaged until the very end, despite the ending being somewhat abrupt.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for this ARC.

[Laurel Kristick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting premise with two timelines connected by Nayeli and her granddaughter Paloma. The past, with Nayeli and Frida Kahlo, was the much more engaging part of the book. The present, with Paloma adjusting to the death of her beloved grandmother and investigating a mysterious painting of her grandmother, was much less interesting, even with the crime caper that was inserted into the plot.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing the eARC for an honest review.

[Mabel Neri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book. Frieda Cook delivers a colorful story, the writing style is not the best but if you life something simple this is the perfect read for you.

[Zeke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, enjoyable historical fiction. I love stories about art. What’s more romantic than Frida Kahlo’s eccentricity across Mexico and Argentina?