Next year in Havana

Historical fiction set in the period just before Castro took over control of Cuba. Told from the POV of a Sugar Baron’s daughter named Eliza who feel in love with a revolutionary and then was forced to live in exile in Miami with her family. In present day, Eliza’s granddaughter travels back to Cuba to fulfill her grandmother wish and spread her ashes in Cuba and discovers a whole new side of her family that she never knew about.

Havana being where my Abuela was raised and forced to flee to Miami as well, this story had me emotional throughout the whole book. I visited Cuba after my Abuela’s death and my visited her hometown and even the church she was baptized in. So this was a very beautiful read for me. I got to see Varadero, take the drive from Varadero to Havana. I visited the Malecon and flew out of the Jose Marti Airport. So it was so easy for me to picture it.

Leah Diaz 

Historical fiction set in the period just before Castro took over control of Cuba. Told from the POV of a Sugar Baron’s daughter named Eliza who feel in love with a revolutionary and then was forced to live in exile in Miami with her family. In present day, Eliza’s granddaughter travels back to Cuba to fulfill her grandmother wish and spread her ashes in Cuba and discovers a whole new side of her family that she never knew about.

Havana being where my Abuela was raised and forced to flee to Miami as well, this story had me emotional throughout the whole book. I visited Cuba after my Abuela’s death and my visited her hometown and even the church she was baptized in. So this was a very beautiful read for me. I got to see Varadero, take the drive from Varadero to Havana. I visited the Malecon and flew out of the Jose Marti Airport. So it was so easy for me to picture it.

Moth

A great book that gives you a look into Cuba, how it was before and how it is now. Come for the romance stay for the history and the reality that things are more complicated then they seem.

Sofia Nunes

“Havana is like a woman who was grand once and has fallen on hard times, and yet hints of her former brilliance remain, traces of an era since passed, a photograph faded by time and circumstance, its edges crumbling to dust.”

This was a book with a gorgeous cover art, four characters that overlapped without much personality and a lot of repetitive dialogue about a city that doesn't get a chance to display its beauty. I'm so sad because I really thought I would've got a chance to see old Havana, but they just talk politics and nothing really meaningful happens for almost 400 pages :(

Jantien 

** spoiler alert **
           Ahhhh Cuba. I have always loved Spanish speaking countries and their history. This book really hit home.
Two women falling in love with two men who are very passionate about something they believe in, and their love overcoming their differences in opinion. Beautifully written.
It does not make you want to travel to Cuba however, purely because of all the violence and censorship.

Gisela Ayala 

"What does it say about a place that people will risk certain death to leave it?" 

After reading this book my heart is nostalgic for a country I have no connection to, and it breaks for those that do. Chanel Cleeton wrote a loving story during two turbulent times in the history of Cuba. Although, after reading this book it's hard not to say that the times in between have been a complete disaster, a crime against humanity. 

I absolutely adore historical fiction with all my heart and enjoy when authors write dates and facts into books so that you can know when and where things are happening. Cleeton does this in a brilliant way. She gives us the facts without taking away the emotional context of the story. If anything it only adds to the drama of the story and keeps had my heart racing trying to determine the outcome (even though we know what happened in history). As a reader, you learn everything you need to know and more to understand the circumstances that Marisol finds herself in while traveling to the land her grandmother was exiled from. 

The book goes back and forth between Marisol's grandmother, Elisa's point of view to Marisol's (in the present), and it was interesting to say just how alike the two women from different time periods, are. Their actions mirrored each other, without them even realizing it. 

I'm an advocate for historical fiction. I truly believe when you put the emotional context into historic events, people understand, people empathize. For anyone not versed in the Cuban Revolution or in the precarious relationship the United States has with Cuba, this is definitely a good book to read. And for my romance gals, there is plenty of swoon-worthy moments as well. 

"Do we all dare to hope for more? Of course."

Cheri McElroy

This was a lovely novel. I enjoyed the parallel stories of Marisol and her grandmother, Elisa. I loved learning more about the people of Cuba during the time of the 1959 revolution. My two negatives are the insta love Marisol finds with Luis and the tendency the author has to lapse into lecturing during her characters conversations. Overall, I did enjoy the characters and the story.

courtney garrison

This was the most breathtaking book I’ve ever read. I saw a few bloggers bragging about this one and did a buddy read with Destiny from Howling Libraries. I was blown away by the beautiful writing and descriptiveness in the book. The author had such a way with words that left you wanting more from each chapter.

Marisol is a young woman in 2017 living in Miami. She finds through her grandmothers will that she is in charge of spreading her grandmother’s ashes in Cuba. Marisol gets to see where her Grandmother grew up, her best friend and nanny that took care of her. Marisol also sees the impact that Fidel has left on Cuba and why her Grandmothers family fled all those years ago.

Elisa grew up in the 50’s as a teenager in Cuba. Elisa’s family is extremely wealthy and lives a very privileged life in Cuba. Elisa’s father works under the current President Barista, but people are revolting and Fidel’s revolution has started and growing fast. with so much falling apart around her, Elisa and her family are forced to flee the country for safety and refuge in Miami. Elisa hopes to one day return to Cuba.

I want to start by saying the description does not do this book justice. I went into this book knowing nothing. I usually don’t get into historical fiction, but the writing in this was beautiful. The way the author described Havana and Cuba was so beautiful. You couldn’t help but be pulled in by her way with words.

You switch back and forth between Elisa in the 50’s and Marisol in 2017. Both sides are filled with so much love and heartbreak. The author put them together so well, I couldn’t stop wanting more of each chapter.

My absolute favorite aspect of this book was how much love there was, all the different types of love you could give throughout your life. Love for a lover. Love for your family. Love for friends. Love for your country. It showed all the different ways we love each other. I didn’t expect so much loyalty to a country that wasn’t in turn loyal to them.

The second aspect I enjoyed was how Marisol came to realize that her life in Miami was so privileged and that she took that for granted. When she found out that Cubans did not have access to social media she thought oh there life is so much better to not have to obsess over a photo and how many likes it gets. But the more she thought the more she realized it was freedom taken from them. That the people back on in the U.S. had the freedom to choose whether or not they wanted to make social media accounts. Whereas with the Cubans did not get a choice, the choice was made for them.

Overall I love this book and gave it five stars. I loved every minute of getting to read this book. You will feel all the emotions throughout the book. I bawled at quite a few scenes. I hope you all get the chance to read this beauty. I can not wait to see where Cleeton takes the next book When We Left Cuba.

Favorite Quotes – 

“To be in exile is to have the things you love most in the world – the air you breath, the earth you walk upon – taken from you. They exist on the other side of a wall – there and not – unaltered by time and circumstance, preserved in a perfect memory in a land of dreams.” 

“… but the older you get, the more you learn to appreciate the moments’ life gives you. Getting them certainly isn’t a given, and I feel blessed to have carved out a life here where I could be happy even if it wasn’t quite the happiness I envisioned if the things I dreamed of never quite came to pass.” 

“Life is too short to be unhappy to play it safe. To do what is expected of you rather than follow your heart” 

“You speak as though politics is its own separate entity,” he says. “As though it isn’t in the air around us, as though every single part of us isn’t political. How can you dismiss something that is so fundamental to the integrity of who we are as a people, as a country? How can you dismiss something that directly affects the lives of so many?” 

“That’s the thing about death—even when you think someone is gone, glimpses of them remain in those they loved and left behind.” 

“At the end of the day, the only thing you have left is what you stand for. If I said nothing, if I did nothing, I could not live with myself. I would not be a man. This is the position I choose to take, and for better or worse, I will accept the consequences of my actions.”

Barbara Williford

After the death of her Cuban born grandmother, Marisol is tasked with the responsibility of returning to their family’s mother country and scatter the ashes. In this quest, she discovers her family’s heritage, their struggle with dictator regimes, love and family secrets that shatters Marisol’s reality. A wonderful story enriched in Cuban history, the struggles of the country through our decades and ultimately love of family, country and romance.

Skye Sherman

I liked this book more than I thought I would. There was more of a mystery element to it than I expected. I feel like I learned a lot about Cuba and felt happy with the resolution of the book because it was believable (albeit frustrating!!!!). I enjoyed the story even if the writing/romance element seemed a bit melodramatic at times (not a big romance reader). Still, it was an overall pretty good. Not amazing, maybe not super memorable, but good. (And also I think the family in the novel is based off of a real family here in Palm Beach which made it extra fascinating for me—loved reading the local element!)

Robin M Cabana

I cried many times reading this book. I’m the daughter of a Cuban exile and have recently lost family and friends who connected me to Cuba. I enjoyed the story, especially Elisa’s narrative, and the presentation of the different Cubas: the reality of those who stayed vs the memories and hopes of those who left. I enjoyed the descriptions of the country, the different perspectives in history, and the trip to an area where my family lived. 

I know a lot of people are raving about this book, but I had issues with the writing. I struggled with the dialogue, especially in Marisol’s chapters, and almost didn’t want to finish the book. I know many, many people with the last name Perez, and none of them stress how important or dangerous that is. There’s a scene at the end of the book featuring one of the aunts, and I liked her so much I wished she was a main character. She seemed more vibrant than anyone else in the story so I’m wondering if she’ll be the subject of another story.

Aundreya Rich

A powerful story of a country full of hope for a better life.

I have realized that I know very little of the struggles of other countries and the hand America can play in them.

Cuba and it’s people were in a revolutionary war full of hopefully people that their voices would be heard and they would experience true freedom.
To this day it still does not exist.

Elisa and Marisol take you through the 50’s and current time of the struggles of Cuban people that stayed and left and love that was lost and found.


Some moments this story seemed to drag on with details that may seem irrelevant, however the passion, history and love story kept me wanting more.


A definite must read if you love historical fiction and the power of passion for what you believe in.

Julia

BEAUTIFUL book about love, loss, and family loyalty. 10/10 recommend and wish I could read it again.

I had heard plenty of people sing the praises of this book. Bloggers whose opinions I trust convinced me I should buy a copy. In fact, I treated myself to a copy when I was in New York and still I waited. I wish I hadn't but I had to wait to read this when the moment was right for me. I fell out of love for reading for a little while last year and so I needed to wait when I had a love for reading and would give this book the respect it deserves. I'm glad I read it when I did. It was such a powerful read and I couldn't read my eyes away from a single on of the pages. I spend through each page and cannot wait to read the next book but refused to read the sample for it because otherwise it would be a long wait for it's release where I would want to read nothing else.

Is it too soon to claim this book as a favourite of 2019?

Becky

Laura Yaneth Martinez

this story was absolutely beautiful. it's one of those books that stays with you forever. the discussion on country, love, identity was so powerful. the history of Cuba interlaced with the narrative was engrossing and saddening. as an immigrant, i connected so much with this book- the politics andv privilege were so devastatingly laid out. ughhh so many quotes and amazing moments. the audiobook was a lovely listen- english is hard and this review is weridly written- i just don't know what to say, just finished drying my eyes

Jessica Williamson

4.5 Stars

This was so much more than I expected it to be.

I shake my head, understanding what was missing before, why I couldn't come up with a final resting place that felt right. It wasn't a place; it was a person.

This book was picked by my local bookstore as the book club pick for January. I'm writing this review after our meeting and discussion.

I knew from the first few chapters that this book was going to hurt me, and by the Gods, did it ever. In the beginning, I was more interested in Marisol's story than Elisa's but as the book went on that changed and Elisa's story ended up just slaughtering my heart. 

Even just from a historical aspect, I learned so much about Cuba. I never realized they were under a dictator prior to Fidel. I also was unaware of the part the US played in the horrible happenings to the Cuban people as a whole. It was just a really interesting view of the world.

I will say, without the modern-day romance, it probably would have rated higher but it was just pretty MEH. 

Cover -4; Character - 4; Plot -4; Pace - 4; Writing -5; Enjoyment - 4; cry - 1

Olivera Mitić

Ovde mi se najviše dopala Kuba. Ovo ostalo ništa spektakularno. Klasičan ljubić.

Heather Harrington

In Havana, 1958, Elisa Perez is a 19-year old Cuban socialite. Her father is a well-known sugar baron, who has done everything in his power to keep Elisa and her sister's sheltered from the political unrest that runs rampant in Havana. Despite her father's best interests, Elisa finds herself falling for a passionate revolutionary, and she must keep their relationship a secret for both their sake.

In 2017, Marisol Ferrera is a Cuban-American living in Miami who has grown up hearing stories about her grandmother Elisa's lavish life in Cuba before their family had to flee due to the revolution. After her grandmother passes, her last wish is for Marisol to scatter her ashes back in her homeland. Once Marisol arrives in Havana, she learns that there's more to Cuba than the stories her grandmother told her.

This book was absolutely beautiful. Cleeton's writing transports you and makes you feel as if you're actually in Cuba watching this all unfold. I knew bits and pieces about the revolution, but nothing to the extent of where this story goes. No part in this story is sugar-coated, and it was so eye opening and heartbreaking. I loved the dual timelines/perspectives, and how you really get the full picture of what Elisa's and Marisol's family went through. That was my favorite part of this, the family ties. The loyalty and love woven throughout this was so great. I also think the romances were nice and not too over the top. Being part Cuban myself, and getting the opportunity to visit Havana and discover family I didn't know, made this book hit so close to home that much more. If you're looking to get swept up in a story, this is definitely it.

Maria Eugenia Espinal

After the death of her beloved grandmother, Marisol Ferrera, a Cuban-American woman, travels to Havana, where she discovers the roots of her identity. This story is told from alternating points of views: Elisa, as a young adult living in the late 1950’s in Havana, and Marisol, her granddaughter traveling for the first time to Cuba in 2017. I really enjoyed how the author was able to capture with so much detail the “then” and “now” of Cuba. As a reader, I could feel like I was walking down the streets with the characters discovering the secrets of Marisol’s family. It is a story about history, culture, family, and ultimately, love. •

I give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ •

This is one of my favorite quotes from the book: “I’m forever caught between two languages. I learned Spanish before anything else, grew up speaking both languages at home and at school. In my most vulnerable moments, the ones when I feel things most deeply, when I hope, when I fear, when I love, it’s the Spanish that comes to me first.” •

Leelynn Brady

“Life is too short to be unhappy, to play it safe. To do what is expected of you rather than follow your heart".


I don't know what took me so long to review this book since I couldn't stop talking about it while I was listening to it. I even told my mom about it and recommended it to her. Then someone told me that she wrote a sequel to this book from Beatriz's perspective and I flipped out. I absolutely fell in love with this book, and both Elisa and Marisol while they told their stories about Cuba, and what happened to them while they were there.

One of my favorite things about this book was that it seamlessly transferred us back and forth between Elisa's Cuba and Marisol's Cuba. While it may seem like the years between the two don't always have a big affect on how a country changes, it was important to note that the Cuba that Marisol grew up learning about was completely different from the Cuba that she actually went to see, and even more different from the Cuba that Elisa and the entire Perez family lived and left back when Fidel Castro took control. I felt for Elisa so much dealing with the revolution and the war, being in the heart of it and being personally affected by it due to her family's status. All of the Perez family felt it, and suffered in some shape or form for being associated with the corrupt ruler of Cuba - not Fidel but someone just as bad. Elisa was only nineteen years old when this was going on, part of a wealthy Cuban family that was sheltered from what was really going on. She had to grow up extremely fast, and leaving her country behind was probably the beginning of her new journey in life.

Marisol on the other hand is going to Cuba for the first time, with the intent of finding the perfect spot for her Grandmother Elisa to rest in peace. Unfortunately, Elisa (the one and the same) never did get to go back to Cuba like they promised, so spreading her ashes in her home will have to honor her dream. From there, Marisol is learning that the Cuba that she learned about growing up is not the same, and despite the death of Fidel Castro and the political unrest not nearly the same as it was during her grandmother's time, it is still dangerous for a Cuban-American girl to start asking questions. Especially if they find out which family she came from. Can she survive knowing that this isn't what she was expecting? Can she make it out of Cuba alive?

Elisa and Marisol are both strong women, so proud of their Cuban heritage and not afraid of showing it. They also know who they are, who they want to be, and even if their lives didn't always follow in the path of their family's images of them, they stood up for themselves in some aspect. I loved hearing about how Elisa would tell Marisol about Cuba, and I loved how Marisol knew about certain places in Cuba that Elisa loved to see when she lived there, like the Malecon. I felt love for both of them, and I felt like both of their stories were just wonderful.

I keep saying that I don't usually read historical fiction adult books, and yet here's another one that ended up reading and loving. I may end up buying this book so I can go back and revisit Cuba from Elisa's and Marisol's eyes. I can't wait to see what Beatriz was up to during the Cuban Revolution, as I feel like she was one character that didn't get enough "screen time". To have a whole novel dedicated to her is a dream come true. I highly recommend this book, even if you think historical fiction isn't your thing. You may be surprised at what you find.

Angelyna Mintz 

Elize van Heerden

I really wanted to like this book, there is nothing wrong with the writing, the characters were likeable, but it took forever for the story to actually kick-off, in my case, it took me so long to finish reading the book and I wanted to give up so many times. 
In the end, I am glad a finished it.

Find this review and more at 
  kimberlyfaye reads.


Y'all. This book. If I'm totally honest, I wasn't sure I would ever read Next Year in Havana, even though Chanel Cleeton is one of my favorite authors. I didn't think historical fiction was something I would be interested in. Fast forward to 2019, when I did my first roll for Romanceopoly and it landed on Memory Lane. I had to pick a historical fiction to read. I didn't hesitate before deciding to give this one a shot. It was AMAZING. Next Year in Havana was responsible for one of my biggest book hangovers in my entire reading history. (And I've been reading for a long time, y'all.)

I've been sitting on this review for ages now because I don't think there's anything I can say that hasn't been said before. Or that will do this gorgeous book justice. When I began reading Next Year in Havana, I did it via audiobook. I thought maybe that would help me remain interested in the story if it started to drag. What in the world was I thinking? This story drag? No freaking way. I was so desperate for my next opportunity to get more of Elisa and Marisol that I was almost looking forward to my commute. It finally hit a point where I had to give up listening because I just couldn't wait. Also, I was about 99% sure this book was going to wind up in me crying ALL THE TEARS on public transportation.

Turns out that was a solid life choice. Before this book was over, I was doing the full-on ugly cry. I'm talking shoulder-shaking sobs and all. Everything about Next Year in Havana did things to my heart. The romances, the family relationships, the history of Cuba itself. I can barely talk about this book without getting tears in my eyes. Yes there was sadness, but there was also hope and beauty. (By the way, totally tearing up while writing this review, in case you were curious.) I could talk about my feelings about Next Year in Havana for hours and not say the same thing twice. But, I won't waste your time with that.

Next Year in Havana will be on my top 10 of 2019 here in a few months. I hate that I waited so long to read it, but I'm also happy I did so when When We Left Cuba is just around the corner. I need to know more of Beatriz. You can tell when an author is in love with story she's telling. There's not a doubt in my mind Chanel felt this for Elisa and Pablo, Marisol and Luis. The love shined through on every page. If you've been holding off on reading this one for some reason, stop. Read it. You won't be sorry.

I received a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Favorite Quotes:

That’s the thing about death—even when you think someone is gone, glimpses of them remain in those they loved and left behind.

To be in exile is to have the things you love most in the world - the air you breath, the earth you walk upon - taken from you. They exist on the other side of a wall - there and not - unaltered by time and circumstance, preserved in a perfect memory in a land of dreams.

“Life is too short to be unhappy to play it safe. To do what is expected of you rather than follow your heart.”

Havana is like a woman who was grand once and has fallen on hard times, and yet hints of her former brilliance remain, traces of an era since passed, a photograph faded by time and circumstance, its edges crumbling to dust.

We are silk and lace, and beneath them we are steel.

Southern Today Gone Tomorrow

Written by Chanel Cleeton, Next Year in Havana brings to lights something that, despite the Netflix version of One Day at a Time, I don't think about much. And that is those who fled Cuba after their revolution.

This novel has characters that are well rounded and so real. And, they don't get the happy endings that they want, but they make their lives work as is. They have fantastic romances, at a price. And some of them are separated, thinking that one day they will return home and get to see their loved ones, only to be terribly wrong.

Next Year in Havana was chosen for my local book club book, and this is a really great novel for that setting. There is a lot to discuss in it, and overall it was just a pleasure to read, despite the sadness and heartache throughout.

Highly recommend to anyone who is fan of contemporary fiction. Again, well written with strong characters and an interesting story. The only warning with this novel would have to be that it does have multiple narrators and has two timelines 50ish years apart.

Next year in Havana

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