Next Year in Havana

(3.5, rounding up) Better than The Summer Wives, not as good as The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, if we're placing this on a scale of historical fiction I've read this year. This feels like a book that should be made into a movie (or miniseries, especially considering there are more books coming) - that's not an insult at all, but this is so sweeping and decade-spanning and full of beautiful scenery and dresses and mansions that it feels like something for a prestige cable channel to air. As usual in things like this, I found the historical characters more interesting than the present-day ones, though as the stories started to converge near the end, I found myself getting more invested in Marisol. The history of Cuba was also interesting, and not something I knew very much about before reading this. As beach-style reads go, this is a solid choice and it will probably make you want to eat ropa vieja. Or have a rum cocktail.

This uses a story structure that seems to be very popular in historical fiction: parallel storylines, where a woman now is learning about an earlier woman's life. It's not my favourite trope.

This is my second book by Chanel Cleeton, I read Last Train to Key West last year. This one wasn't quite as good for me, though there were many things I liked. I preferred Elisa's story over Marisol's. But, the perspective of a person returning to their family's homeland, and finding it changed from the stories, and still having a lot of home was interesting.

I like C C's writing style, and I own a couple of her other books, I'll gladly read more.

Wow! I absolutely love this book. I was expecting a romance novel, but I was surprised by how much historical fiction is involved in this story. I learned a great deal about Cuba that I didn't already know, so that makes this book a great historical fiction read for me.

The book has two storylines that take place in different time periods. In present day, Marisol is returning to Havana to spread her grandmother's ashes in her homeland. In the 1958 timeline, Marisol's grandmother Elisa, then a young woman, is living through the revolution that leads to Fidel Castro's reign in Cuba. Marisol's visit to Cuba is eye opening for her. She learns much about the still tumultuous political climate in Cuba after Castro's death while also discovering the truth about Elisa's romance with a revolutionary.

Both storylines involve a romance. For me, the romance from the past storyline is more interesting and engaging. Elisa's relationship is both inspiring and heartbreaking. Marisol's romance in the present day timeline develops a bit quickly for my likely. It feels less authentic. However, it is through that relationship that the reader learns a lot about the current climate of Cuba.

My favorite part of this book is the history that it teaches. There is a lot to learn from the events depicted in this story. I appreciate that it is written by someone whose family lived through some of the events described in the book. After reading this story, I want to research more about Cuba's history.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I didn't expect to love it as much as I do. I would highly recommend it any reader who enjoys historical fiction and wants to learn a bit more about Cuba's culture and history.

The premise was inspired, an original engaging and inspiring story of hope. At some points in the book, I couldn't put it down, but in others...I skimmed. I felt the main characters ruminated excessively. At points the Cuban history felt redundant, the ending petered out. A terrific story but I thought the pacing could have been much crisper.