Chanel Cleeton

"At the end of the nineteenth century, three revolutionary women fight for freedom in ... Chanel Cleeton's ... novel inspired by real-life events and the true story of a legendary Cuban woman--Evangelina Cisneros--who changed the course of history"--

The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba

Patricia Nelson

I truly enjoyed this story about three women in different circumstances and locations but all connected in some way to the struggles in Cuba in 1896-1898. Evangelista is a beautiful woman who is unjustly imprisoned in Cuba. Marina is a wife, mother, and revolutionary who longs for freedom for her country. Grace is a young woman in New York City who finds herself writing articles for Hearst in the midst of a competition between Pulitzer and Hearst for the readership of the city. All three women are strong and stay true to themselves through challenges large and small. This is the second book I've read by this author and it is very well written and brings you right into the story and keeps you there. I learned a lot about what happened with Cuba, Spain, and the U.S. during this time period - things I probably should have learned long ago. Highly recommend!
Favorite quote: (Grace speaking of Evangelista, p 135) "She is indeed lovely, and still, it seems insulting almost in the face of all she has endured to remark upon her beauty as though it is her defining characteristic, to consign her to hues and angles rather than the strength of her character and spirit”.

Kristen Claiborn

After the previous book in this series blew me away, this one just blew. Ok, that’s not fair (or nice). I mentioned before how much I was looking forward to reading the stories of the other sisters, so I *hoped* this book would go back to the Perez sisters from the first two books. Alas, it was not to be. Instead, the best book of the series was followed by my least favorite. 
	These women seemed even farther removed from the original Perez sisters, so it was more difficult for me to be invested in this story. This is more my problem than the book’s problem. With book #3, I was able to completely see the book as a singular book and then “judge” it as such. I wasn’t able to do that with this one. I wanted the Perez sisters and didn’t get them, so I held a grudge while I was reading this (sorry Chanel Cleeton). 
	It’s not a terrible story (stories?). It is also about more than one woman who’s lives intertwine throughout the book. Each woman is fascinating, strong, capable and determined. Each has to place their well-being in the hands of others (men) and eventually their lives are ok. I felt like this book lasted longer than it needed to. There were times I had to put it down and read something else (or even, GASP, clean something) because I got a little bored. These women didn’t come across AS capable, which made the whole thing a bit disappointing. Because it was also more difficult to tie this group in with the original sisters, it just fell a little flat for me.

Sven Test

I might have been born a lady, but we are remade in times of war.

When I read this was a story inspired by real-life events, I knew I was going to be hooked, but I had no idea it would truly pull me in and leave me gasping for more.

In 1896, Evangelina Cisneros is unrightfully incarcerated after trying to defend herself against the advances of Colonel Berriz. The officials thought this was Evangelina's ploy to attempt to free prisoners, which is why she's taken to a prison for women, one of the worst jails in Cuba.

In New York, we have Grace, a woman with dreams of making it big at a newspaper firm. Hearst from the Journal gives her an opportunity to be a stunt reporter. It is here she finds out about what's going on in Cuba, how there are many Americans who sympathize with the Cubans, and how Evangelina, a very attractive woman who was wrongfully jailed, could be the key to free Cuba from Spain.

I cannot think of a place I'd rather be than sitting among a group of women plotting revolution.

Chanel Cleeton keeps demonstrating how intricate her writing is. She really depicts the life of a woman, a Cuban one at that, during the late 1890's━it's hostile and alarming. While describing this much needed story so eloquently, Cleeton had me almost biting my nails in anxiousness over the need for survival these characters had. I felt like I was right alongside them in their fight to free Cuba, Evangelina, and the prisoners. There were so many sacrifices that had to be made and my heart broke every single time.

If you saw something you didn't like in the world, you should do what you could to change it.

Once again, Chanel Cleeton didn't disappoint and showed just how amazing she is at story-telling, world-building, and making the reader feel as if they were a part of the story.

Sharon Steinman

This book did not disappoint. The story is based on three strong female characters who are living in the end of the 19th century - Marina, Grace, and Evangelina. It includes the rivalry between two local papers run by Joseph Pulizer (New York World) and William Randal Hearst (New York Journal) and the desire to become the biggest newspaper and take over the market share. 

Evangelina's character is based on someone real that lived in Cuba in the late 1890s and her story begins when she is living on the Isles of Pines with her father as they have been banished. Evangelina is approached by Col. Berriz who tries to provide her an opportunity for freedom for her family if she is willing to give up her honour. Evangelina refuses and is sent to Casa de Recogidas, in Havana.

Grace Harrington, lives in New York, and has dreams of becoming a journalist during a time when women are expected to be housewives. Grace battles with the expectations of society to become her own person and pursue her own passions of being a journalist. 

Marina is from the affluent Perez family who goes against the grain by falling in love with a farm hand and leaves her family to be with her true Mateo.

These women's lives intersect as the story unfolds. Historical fictions are on my favourite genres as there's an opportunity to learn more about things that have happened in the past. This book didn't disappoint and covered many actual events and individuals - Evangelina's story and the circulation battle between the two New York papers. All the books in this series are great and don't need to be read in the order that they are written.

Gretchen Gomez

Genesis (@whisperingchapters)

I might have been born a lady, but we are remade in times of war.

When I read this was a story inspired by real-life events, I knew I was going to be hooked, but I had no idea it would truly pull me in and leave me gasping for more.

In 1896, Evangelina Cisneros is unrightfully incarcerated after trying to defend herself against the advances of Colonel Berriz. The officials thought this was Evangelina's ploy to attempt to free prisoners, which is why she's taken to a prison for women, one of the worst jails in Cuba.

In New York, we have Grace, a woman with dreams of making it big at a newspaper firm. Hearst from the Journal gives her an opportunity to be a stunt reporter. It is here she finds out about what's going on in Cuba, how there are many Americans who sympathize with the Cubans, and how Evangelina, a very attractive woman who was wrongfully jailed, could be the key to free Cuba from Spain.

I cannot think of a place I'd rather be than sitting among a group of women plotting revolution.

Chanel Cleeton keeps demonstrating how intricate her writing is. She really depicts the life of a woman, a Cuban one at that, during the late 1890's━it's hostile and alarming. While describing this much needed story so eloquently, Cleeton had me almost biting my nails in anxiousness over the need for survival these characters had. I felt like I was right alongside them in their fight to free Cuba, Evangelina, and the prisoners. There were so many sacrifices that had to be made and my heart broke every single time. 

If you saw something you didn't like in the world, you should do what you could to change it.

Once again, Chanel Cleeton didn't disappoint and showed just how amazing she is at story-telling, world-building, and making the reader feel as if they were a part of the story.
--
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The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba

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