Next Year in Havana

I was swept away from the first page of this incredible story! Next Year in Havana tells the story of a family in exile, of a people who are torn between country and family, between freedom and oppression, between hope and despair. Every page of this book is filled with passion...whether it is the passion between lovers, or the passion one has for their country...I could feel the passion and love deep inside me. There is so much to love about this book. The characters are so richly-layered, so unique, and they were written about in such a way that I felt their emotions, their loves, their passions, as if they were my own. Cuba is such an integral part of this book, from the days of the revolution that put Castro into power, to present-day Cuba which is still striving for freedom and equality. The author wrote so eloquently about this country, that I felt as if I were there, walking along its beautiful beaches, through the noisy, colorful streets of Havana. This novel is a wonderful blend of historical facts and fiction, educating readers through a passionate, compelling, heartfelt story.

Review: NEXT YEAR IN HAVANA by Chanel Cleeton
Publication Date: February 6, 2018
Genre: Historical / Women’s Fiction
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Cori
Rated 5 Stars

NEXT YEAR IN HAVANA is the book I’m going to be telling all my friends, all my relatives, random people on the street and anyone else who will listen to me, to read this year! I absolutely loved it! The characters, the story, the setting, the imagery and all the other little aspects Chanel Cleeton put into this book, made it something beautiful and epic. The present day story is told by Marisol when she travels to Cuba to spread her grandmother, Elisa’s ashes. Then we also get Elisa’s story in Cuba in the 1950s. I don’t want to go into details about the plot because it has some surprises I don’t want to ruin. Their stories will live with me for a long while. I truly loved this book and will be recommending it to everyone. Pour a glass of wine, set some music and curl up with this book. You’ll enjoy it.

*Review copy provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review.

In, Next Year in Havana we are introduced to Marisol and Elisa. Elisa is one of five children to wealthy parents who owned a sugar plantation in Cuba before they had to flee to America. Marisol is the granddaughter of Elisa who now lives in Florida with her family. Together they tell the story of their​ family and how they fled Cuba after the revolution. At the start of the story,​ Marisol goes back to Cuba to find a resting place for her grandmother's, Elisa, ashes. Elisa is the one who filled Marisol with stories of her families life in Cuba before, during, and after the revolution. While in Cuba Marisol embarks on a ​journey that uncovers some deep family secrets and I feel she figures out who she really is​ after all her family lost their home and country. This story goes back and forth between past (Elisa) and present (Marisol). I thoroughly​ enjoyed this story, however,​ one part that didn't seem realistic to me was how fast certain characters​ fell in love but then again I am not an expert on love. Other than that you will not be disappointed​ with this story. It's​ full of love for family and country, bravery, ​and secrets​.

Next Year in Havana is told in dual time periods. Elisa Perez tells her story from the 1950’s Cuba and Marisol Ferrera, Elisa’s granddaughter, tells of the 2017 Cuba. Many years separate their stories, things have changed, things have stayed the same, and there is so much of Marisol’s family history to be discovered while in Cuba.

I have never been to Cuba and have no ties to Cuba. Yet, while I was reading the book I felt like I was there. I could picture Havana, see the beautiful water, and feel the struggles of the Cuba people. I could also imagine Marisol’s awe at going to a country that she had only heard stories about yet it still played such a huge part of her life. Her entire family history centered on and around Cuba and now she was there.

Next Year in Havana is an emotional story that tells so much history and family stories. There is hope, love, and strength in family. It is early in 2018 but this is definitely going to be on my favorite reads of 2018 .

Next Year in Havana is a riveting tale that sweeps you into a country ravished by rebellion, oppression, economic instability, and political upheaval, and a populace that's confused, disappointed, angry and struggling with self-identity, patriotism, and a lack of freedom and rights.

The story is set in Cuba during both the late 1950s, as well as present day and is full of mystique, familial drama, heartbreak, secrets, deception, history, culture, courage, loss, self-discovery, hope, and romance.

The prose is eloquent and vivid. The characters are multi-layered, sympathetic, and torn. And the plot is well crafted and uses a past/present style to unravel all the motivations, personalities, and relationships within it.

Next Year in Havana is the perfect blend of historical facts, intriguing fiction, and palpable emotion. It's a beautifully written story that is nostalgic, heartbreaking, fascinating and sweet and highlights Cleeton's passion for her familial heritage.

This book is an amazing story that is told in dual time lines. In Cuba with Elisa in the late 1950's-1960's and in 2017 with Marisol visiting her beloved grandmother's Cuba. Elisa and her family fled Cuba once Fidel took power in Cuba. Marisol visits Cuba in 2017 as Fidel is no longer in power and she has a mission for her grandmother. The suffering of the Cuban people is astounding to Marisol. Her Grandmother has told her stories of her homeland but what Marisol encounters is not the Cuba her grandmother told her about. I didn't know anything of Cuba history and I learned a lot reading this book. It took extreme courage to leave your homeland and extreme courage if you stayed. I loved the characters in the book with Elisa being my favorite. The descriptions in the book make in seem as if you are actually in Cuba. I loved this beautiful book. It is a story of family and love, of hope and suffering. I received an ARC of this book and all opinions are my own.

I read this one for the Reese Witherspoon Book Club - and all I can say is, wow. She sure knows how to pick them!

I was absolutely enthralled with the way the author wove together the two narratives - the back-and-forth between Elisa and Marisol was just perfect!

In addition, the author brought Cuba to life using both the perspective of Elisa (who lived there all her life) and Marisol (who was discovering the magic all along). Thus leaving me with a desperate need to visit it myself.

Now, the book was a bit slow in the beginning but don't let that dissuade you. It really picks up towards the middle - and that ending was on fire. I just couldn't put it down!

Excuse me, I need to check out everything this author has ever written!

While reading Next Year in Havana one bookish quote came to my mind: "Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested." Well, dear readers, Next Year in Havana falls into the latter. I absolutely ate this book up! I typically get nauseated when I read in the car, but we were taking a trip to Florida and I just couldn't wait to read it. Once I started the first page, I could not stop. I devoured the entire thing before we even reached our destination!

Next Year in Havana is an absolute gem of a novel! Family secrets, danger, romance, food, music, and Cuban history all combine to make for an unforgettable read. I will never forget Elisa and Marisol and I had a particularly deep connection with Beatriz, who I am thrilled to hear will have her own book next year!

I cannot recommend this novel enough. It is absolute perfection! Bravo to Chanel Cleeton...she did her family proud!

Being the daughter of immigrant parents this book intrigued me. I got to see and read about Cuba through Elisa's eyes-(Marisol's grandmother) which was in the past and through Marisol's eyes-the present.

Right from the first chapter I felt as I was there in that time frame with Elisa and I could feel the emotions she herself was going through. I also got to picture what many of us may never ever see.

With the fall of Cuba's current dictator, Marisol has hopes that things will be different but is surprised when she travels and sees how mistaken she is. She didn't expect to find herself drawn to someone that has connections to her family's past....this totally threw me off.

There were so many layers to this story it and it helped me to see and learn something from a country that's so close yet so far away. A beautiful story of faith, love and looking towards the future. Kara~4 Stars

As someone curious about Cuban history and culture, I hoped to find a work of fiction that would capture my imagination and inform me. Chanel Cleeton’s book does that and much more, laying bare the pain of Cuban exiles and those who remained, voluntarily or involuntarily. I purchased the Blackstone Audi CD version if this marvelous work and found it riveting. While there are plenty of historical fiction tales constructed as two interwoven timelines, this is one of the very best, done with literary skill, seamlessly weaving the plots of granddaughter and grandmother.

Descriptions of the landscape, the existential angst of living in a totalitarian state, and the grinding poverty and despair of living a life devoid of hope for a better future are told in gorgeous, heartbreaking prose. The characters are believable, relatable, and courageous. The plot is credible, revealed through dialogue, letters, and family observations to provide a range of perspectives.

I hope to see this transformed into a movie. Until then, I recommend this book for anyone interested in Cuba or in family stories where strong female protagonists face and overcome daunting challenges.

NEXT YEAR IN HAVANA by Chanel Cleeton - Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing for providing my free copy - all opinions are my own.

There are many reasons why I love this book but one very important one is Cuba. I have a dream to travel to many countries and I love when authors take you to a place you’ve never been. Cleeton's vivid descriptions of the scenery and culture of Cuba are breathtaking. Also, I should mention the intense connection Cleeton has to Cuba as her own grandparents fled after Castro’s revolution. Her background and historical knowledge are very apparent in the book and make you appreciate the story even more.

This is a love story from Marisol to her grandmother, Elisa, and the discovery of the fascinating life she lived. Elisa left Cuba in 1959 with her family when she was nineteen. The story starts off with Marisol fulfilling her grandmother’s wish to spread her ashes in Cuba after she passes away. The chapters alternate between Elisa in 1959 and Marisol in 2017. It is very interesting to learn about Elisa’s life from both perspectives, and from different times. The writing is beautiful and flows at a pace that made me forget what was going on around me.

At the brink of the revolution, Elisa meets and falls in love with a revolutionary and has to keep her relationship a secret. Chapter by chapter, details of Elisa’s life unfold, not only from her perspective but from Marisol’s eyes as well. I enjoyed both perspectives equally as they each offer something unique and I especially cherished seeing Cuba through Marisol as she puts together the pieces of her grandmother’s past.

This story is captivating, interesting, mysterious, romantic, and the imagery is just beautiful! I really appreciate this book shining a spotlight on Cuba, its politics, and its people. Highly recommended!

I rate this gorgeous book 4.5 / 5 stars!

Great read. I'm traveling to Cuba soon and will be looking for all the places in this beautifully written novel. Marisol travels to her family's country of origin, Cuba, to spread her grandmother's ashes. What she finds is the Perez homeland stuck in time, beautiful, and dangerous. Family treasures and secrets have been buried in the old elite neighborhood. When her great grandparents fled Cuba, they left a grand mansion, friends, and a way of life they might never see again. But, Marisol's grandmother also left a forbidden lover, giving up hope that any of her family would ever know Pablo. It's a timely story of immigrants and exiles and what they leave behind. I'm waiting to read more about this family and Beatriz in. When we Left Cuba. Great read!

Miami born Marisol knows that her grandparents fled Cuba as Castro came into power. After the death of Elisa, her grandmother, Marisol travels to Cuba fulfills a promise to scatter her ashes back home. Alternating with Marisol's journey, is Elisa's tale. Born into a wealthy family, Elisa's family is caught between a growing revolution determined to overthrow the status quo. When Elisa falls in love with a revolutionary, every belief and thought she grew up with is challenged.

This was a well written and engaging story. Both points of view were interesting and kept my attention. Marisol's love story was a bit predictable, but it mirrored Elisa's story nicely. I loved reading and learning about the Cuba revolution. I look forward to reading more books from this author.

Gorgeous,gorgeous cover! I was so happy to get to read the ARC of this book. It told such a poignant story of the Perez family, focusing on Elisa not yet out of her teens during the tumultuous rise of Fidel Castro. We find out the Perez family flees to Miami as exiles, at the beginning of the story, but we are taken back to hear the details of the story,when Elisa's grand-daughter Marisol goes back to Havana to spread Elisa's ashes after her death. The two time lines blended seamlessly as the story of Elisa's elicit romance in 1958 Havana comes to light and we see Havana today through Marisol's eyes as she chases her grandmother's ghost to piece together the story she never knew. Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read and review the ARC. All opinions are my own.
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What a brilliant book! I absolutely loved Next Year in Havana. Thank you Chanel for writing a story that was able to transport me back in time, to the Cuba my own parents and grandparents left behind, to the stories I grew up listening to. Family, love, sacrifice, mystery, angst and hope filled the pages of a stellar five star read. I’m a proud Cuban-American woman living in Miami. My parents experienced a very similar life in Cuba and came to Miami in 1967. You’ve brought the true essence of being Cuban to the pages of a spectacular book with your story of Elisa in Cuba and modern day Marisol visiting Cuba. Luis ❤️.

I’ve already recommended Next Year in Havana to all my Cuban American friends/book club members and recommend it to anyone who believes in love and hope.

Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton

Because I was a teacher in Miami for over 30 years, I was thrilled to win an Advance Reader Copy of Next Year in Havana. The book fulfilled my expectations, because my many students of Cuban descent had told me about similar situations. I recognized the local references and was fascinated with the descriptions of Havana, both in the past and in the present.
The plot twists were intriguing, the characters and events seemed real, and the text flowed smoothly. I really enjoyed the double story line, the various mysteries, the family dynamics, and the evident authenticity of people and geography.
I recommend Next Year in Havana highly, not just for my Cuban-American friends, but for all who enjoy well-written fiction, both historical and contemporary.

Being a Cuban exile I love to read any book set in Cuba. I was pleasantly surprised to figure out that this book is more historical fiction. However, it is still a romance story - between the Cuban people and their country. The story of Cuban families ripped away from their homes and the story of the those that stayed and the sacrifices made by both.

Cleeton does a masterful job encapsulating the history of Cuba from the 1950’s to the present and how it has affected both the people that supported Castro and those that didn’t. Having recently visited Cuba, partly to return my mother’s ashes, I can attest that Cleeton captured very well the bittersweetness of returning to a country so much changed and yet so much the same. Wondering if you can truly be Cuban if you haven’t experienced the hardships of those that stayed. I love how she truly conveys the essence of the Cuban people … proud and forever hopeful. I found myself highlighting several passages, exclaiming “Yes, yes!”

I highly recommend this book if you want an insight into Cuba and its people as part of an interesting and well told story. I immensely enjoyed this book and look forward to others in this storyline.

I received an advanced copy of this book from First to Read. All opinions are my own.

4.5 Stars. This was one of my most anticipated releases of 2018, and it did not disappoint. I savored this novel of family secrets, star-crossed lovers, and self-discovery amidst the chaotic, paranoid culture of revolution. The Cuba portrayed here is an island of contradictions. Beautiful, evocative descriptions of an island paradise and its proud inhabitants interspersed with moments of horror and acts of war. Decadent wealth and privilege coexisting alongside destitute poverty. A generation of genteel young scholars who become radicalized, whose ideals and hopes for the future manifest in acts of terror and guerilla warfare. Families torn apart by conflict and new relationships born in uncertainty. But above all, this is the story of two women who discover in very different ways what it means to be Cuban.

Elisa Perez, a sheltered, naive society girl living under the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista, longing for something more out of life, falls in love with a revolutionary fighting against everything Elisa's family represents: "the haves" who prosper under a corrupt government while the "have nots" live in poverty, the wealthy who benefit from Batista's patronage, though for many his favor was a double-edged sword. Faced with the truth of this dichotomy in Cuba, and her family's role in it, and the ideals her beloved is fighting for, Elisa is compelled to question her life as she knows it and how she fits into this new idea of Cuba that is coming closer to fruition one bloody battle at a time.

Decades later, her granddaughter Marisol Ferrara, visiting a land still under the Castro dictatorship, comes to realize that Cuba is a contrast of the very best of her grandmother's cherished memories and an ugly and dangerous environment where one wrong word can still land a person in jail...or worse. Where beautiful beach resorts and historic homes recall a bygone time when food wasn't scarce and people were free to follow their dreams. The more she sees of the island and her people, the more she is captivated. And yet the more she wishes she belonged there, the more she realizes she never will. And just when she finds a true romance of her own, a connection that fills her with hope for the future, she is harshly reminded that she is not in America, that the freedom to live one's life as one chooses is rarely granted in Cuba.

My biggest worry when I picked up this book was that Castro and Guevara would be romanticized, but that is not the case. It's heartbreaking in hindsight to watch the Cuban people trade one type of dictator for another, and I had not realized how their revolution mirrored many aspects of the French Revolution. I had not realized the cost of America's presence in Cuba, nor the extent of how the Cuban people suffer under American policy for the sins of their rulers. I think Ms. Cleeton does a fantastic job of never depicting anything in stark black-and-white terms, presenting a well-rounded portrait of this country of contradictions, of why people made the choices they made and continue to make. The pride of the people who stayed and their resentment of those who fled, the risks they take in the name of a free Cuba; the sense of belonging many exiles have never found in their new homes, always longing to return to their homeland, the hatred they feel for the Castro regime, the guilt they feel for having gotten away. I marked over a dozen passages that really spoke to me, that I thought so eloquently expressed.

"Ninety miles. Ninety miles separate Cuba from Key West, the southernmost tip of the United States. Ninety miles that might as well be infinite...How many people on both sides of the water have stared across the ocean, yearning for something they can't have—a family member, a lost love, the country where they were born, the soil where they took their first steps, the air they first breathed?"

For me, this was story was like stepping into a new world, one we don't often get to experience so intimately. And woven into this immersive, eye-opening world is a very emotional story of two young women whose hearts are broken by their love for their homeland and their inability to save it. From quiet moments of poetic contemplation to heart-pounding moments of danger, I loved the way Marisol's journey paralleled her grandmother's and kept me in suspense until the last pages.

Though I didn't think it was entirely perfect—I thought the pacing lagged in a few places, and it probably could have been a few pages shorter; there's a ton of introspection that grows a bit repetitive, though that is where many wonderful observations are found—the beauty of the writing, the emotions this story evoked, and the new eyes it has given me through which to view Cuba transcend those little quibbles. This is the best sort of historical fiction—transporting, entertaining, and emotionally satisfying storytelling that is educational and thought-provoking. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction with romantic elements. I'm thrilled to see a companion novel is forthcoming.

I highly recommend this entertaining read. Marisol takes off for Cuba with her grandmother's ashes and finds herself on a family "roots" quest. Her grandmother and her parents were forced to flee the incoming regime in the late 1950's, They were wealthy sugar industry owners. The story of grandma's love of her life and the discovery of the identity of Marisol's mother's biological father make for a great story line. Marisol falls for her own "bad" boy and has to make difficult choices. My thanks to the author and the Penguin First to Read program for a complimentary copy.

This is such a phenomenal book. Full of passion, characters that seemed so real, and so much history about Cuba that from the very first pages it pulls you in and you just don't want to leave it for a second. I loved the dual timelines told by Elisa in the late 1950's and by her granddaughter, Marisol, in the present. Both timeliness were riveting and moving with a surprise twist towards the end. The details and descriptions of Cuba were beautifully written. I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more by Chanel Cleeton.

I received an advance review copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Next Year in Havana is an epic and compelling story. It is so unique and so different from anything that I’ve read from this author to date. Now, I will be the first to admit that I struggle with the Historical Romance genre, but I am so glad that I decided to give this book a chance. I had no idea what to expect and just loved getting swept up in this story.

Next Year in Havana is so incredibly unique and is told in dual timelines. That’s right dual timelines. It was so incredibly gripping. I was hooked from page one and was unable to put it down. I couldn’t get enough of the story. This book was just so unexpected. My emotions were all over the place as I was taken on the most amazing journey. This story was so much more than I ever anticipated.

Next Year in Havana is well written, full of heart and history. It was everything I could have asked for in a Historical Romance. I loved getting lost and consumed by this book. It is an unforgettable story of love, loss, heartache, courage and family. It is so powerful and is so much more than I ever expected. I am blown away by the story that this author has written.

The contemporary/historical dual storylines is one that's been popular ​of late, and for good reason. I love seeing the parallel stories, set worlds and years apart. That's exactly what Cleeton gives us here. She also let me ​experience a ​time and place completely unknown to me. The novel is heavy in Cuba's political history, but​ it felt necessary and presented in such a way that it depicted the passion and obstacles of her characters. Cleeton's way with words also adds to the atmosphere and honesty of this story. The following was one of my favorite passages (from an uncorrected proof), though the novel is lush with similar beautiful, authentic writing.

​Perhaps I fell in love with him while walking on the Malecón. Or maybe it was at the party, or a few minutes ago when he spoke of his dreams for Cuba. Or maybe this is merely a precursor to love, an emotion singularly difficult to identify by name when you’ve yet to experience it; maybe there are stages to it, like the moment when you wade into the ocean, right before the waves crash over your head.

I received a galley in exchange for an honest review.

Marisol Ferrara was raised by her late grandmother, Elisa, who immigrated from Cuba in the 1950’s. Her grandmother’s dying wish was to have her ashes scattered in her native Havana. Marisol works as a freelance journalist in Miami and will use this opportunity to write a piece on tourism in Cuba. She embarks on this journey with the goal of finding a location with symbolic importance to her grandmother.

Marisol arrives in Cuba and sets out to learn all that she can about her grandmother’s family. She begins to trace Elisa’s life with help from her grandmother’s childhood friend. Ana gives her a box containing her grandmother's letters and this provides most of the clues to Elisa’s past. These include secret love letters detailing her teenage romance with a young revolutionary. Marisol begins to appreciate the amazing life her grandmother lived and the sacrifices her family made to keep them together.

This novel by Chanel Cleeton is one of my favorite reads over the last year. It is a very engaging story with a great mix of romance and history. I look forward to the sequel scheduled for 2019.

I was swept away from the first page of this incredible story! Next Year in Havana tells the story of a family in exile, of a people who are torn between country and family, between freedom and oppression, between hope and despair. Every page of this book is filled with passion...whether it is the passion between lovers, or the passion one has for their country...I could feel the passion and love deep inside me. There is so much to love about this book. The characters are so richly-layered, so unique, and they were written about in such a way that I felt their emotions, their loves, their passions, as if they were my own. Cuba is such an integral part of this book, from the days of the revolution that put Castro into power, to present-day Cuba which is still striving for freedom and equality. The author wrote so eloquently about this country, that I felt as if I were there, walking along its beautiful beaches, through the noisy, colorful streets of Havana. This novel is a wonderful blend of historical facts and fiction, educating readers through a passionate, compelling, heartfelt story.

Review: NEXT YEAR IN HAVANA by Chanel Cleeton
Publication Date: February 6, 2018
Genre: Historical / Women’s Fiction
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Cori
Rated 5 Stars

NEXT YEAR IN HAVANA is the book I’m going to be telling all my friends, all my relatives, random people on the street and anyone else who will listen to me, to read this year! I absolutely loved it! The characters, the story, the setting, the imagery and all the other little aspects Chanel Cleeton put into this book, made it something beautiful and epic. The present day story is told by Marisol when she travels to Cuba to spread her grandmother, Elisa’s ashes. Then we also get Elisa’s story in Cuba in the 1950s. I don’t want to go into details about the plot because it has some surprises I don’t want to ruin. Their stories will live with me for a long while. I truly loved this book and will be recommending it to everyone. Pour a glass of wine, set some music and curl up with this book. You’ll enjoy it.

*Review copy provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review.

In, Next Year in Havana we are introduced to Marisol and Elisa. Elisa is one of five children to wealthy parents who owned a sugar plantation in Cuba before they had to flee to America. Marisol is the granddaughter of Elisa who now lives in Florida with her family. Together they tell the story of their​ family and how they fled Cuba after the revolution. At the start of the story,​ Marisol goes back to Cuba to find a resting place for her grandmother's, Elisa, ashes. Elisa is the one who filled Marisol with stories of her families life in Cuba before, during, and after the revolution. While in Cuba Marisol embarks on a ​journey that uncovers some deep family secrets and I feel she figures out who she really is​ after all her family lost their home and country. This story goes back and forth between past (Elisa) and present (Marisol). I thoroughly​ enjoyed this story, however,​ one part that didn't seem realistic to me was how fast certain characters​ fell in love but then again I am not an expert on love. Other than that you will not be disappointed​ with this story. It's​ full of love for family and country, bravery, ​and secrets​.

Next Year in Havana is told in dual time periods. Elisa Perez tells her story from the 1950’s Cuba and Marisol Ferrera, Elisa’s granddaughter, tells of the 2017 Cuba. Many years separate their stories, things have changed, things have stayed the same, and there is so much of Marisol’s family history to be discovered while in Cuba.

I have never been to Cuba and have no ties to Cuba. Yet, while I was reading the book I felt like I was there. I could picture Havana, see the beautiful water, and feel the struggles of the Cuba people. I could also imagine Marisol’s awe at going to a country that she had only heard stories about yet it still played such a huge part of her life. Her entire family history centered on and around Cuba and now she was there.

Next Year in Havana is an emotional story that tells so much history and family stories. There is hope, love, and strength in family. It is early in 2018 but this is definitely going to be on my favorite reads of 2018 .

Next Year in Havana is a riveting tale that sweeps you into a country ravished by rebellion, oppression, economic instability, and political upheaval, and a populace that's confused, disappointed, angry and struggling with self-identity, patriotism, and a lack of freedom and rights.

The story is set in Cuba during both the late 1950s, as well as present day and is full of mystique, familial drama, heartbreak, secrets, deception, history, culture, courage, loss, self-discovery, hope, and romance.

The prose is eloquent and vivid. The characters are multi-layered, sympathetic, and torn. And the plot is well crafted and uses a past/present style to unravel all the motivations, personalities, and relationships within it.

Next Year in Havana is the perfect blend of historical facts, intriguing fiction, and palpable emotion. It's a beautifully written story that is nostalgic, heartbreaking, fascinating and sweet and highlights Cleeton's passion for her familial heritage.

This book is an amazing story that is told in dual time lines. In Cuba with Elisa in the late 1950's-1960's and in 2017 with Marisol visiting her beloved grandmother's Cuba. Elisa and her family fled Cuba once Fidel took power in Cuba. Marisol visits Cuba in 2017 as Fidel is no longer in power and she has a mission for her grandmother. The suffering of the Cuban people is astounding to Marisol. Her Grandmother has told her stories of her homeland but what Marisol encounters is not the Cuba her grandmother told her about. I didn't know anything of Cuba history and I learned a lot reading this book. It took extreme courage to leave your homeland and extreme courage if you stayed. I loved the characters in the book with Elisa being my favorite. The descriptions in the book make in seem as if you are actually in Cuba. I loved this beautiful book. It is a story of family and love, of hope and suffering. I received an ARC of this book and all opinions are my own.

I read this one for the Reese Witherspoon Book Club - and all I can say is, wow. She sure knows how to pick them!

I was absolutely enthralled with the way the author wove together the two narratives - the back-and-forth between Elisa and Marisol was just perfect!

In addition, the author brought Cuba to life using both the perspective of Elisa (who lived there all her life) and Marisol (who was discovering the magic all along). Thus leaving me with a desperate need to visit it myself.

Now, the book was a bit slow in the beginning but don't let that dissuade you. It really picks up towards the middle - and that ending was on fire. I just couldn't put it down!

Excuse me, I need to check out everything this author has ever written!

While reading Next Year in Havana one bookish quote came to my mind: "Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested." Well, dear readers, Next Year in Havana falls into the latter. I absolutely ate this book up! I typically get nauseated when I read in the car, but we were taking a trip to Florida and I just couldn't wait to read it. Once I started the first page, I could not stop. I devoured the entire thing before we even reached our destination!

Next Year in Havana is an absolute gem of a novel! Family secrets, danger, romance, food, music, and Cuban history all combine to make for an unforgettable read. I will never forget Elisa and Marisol and I had a particularly deep connection with Beatriz, who I am thrilled to hear will have her own book next year!

I cannot recommend this novel enough. It is absolute perfection! Bravo to Chanel Cleeton...she did her family proud!

Being the daughter of immigrant parents this book intrigued me. I got to see and read about Cuba through Elisa's eyes-(Marisol's grandmother) which was in the past and through Marisol's eyes-the present.

Right from the first chapter I felt as I was there in that time frame with Elisa and I could feel the emotions she herself was going through. I also got to picture what many of us may never ever see.

With the fall of Cuba's current dictator, Marisol has hopes that things will be different but is surprised when she travels and sees how mistaken she is. She didn't expect to find herself drawn to someone that has connections to her family's past....this totally threw me off.

There were so many layers to this story it and it helped me to see and learn something from a country that's so close yet so far away. A beautiful story of faith, love and looking towards the future. Kara~4 Stars

What a book to start off my 2018! Next Year in Havana is a spellbinding tale told from two points of view, and times in history. Present day journalist Marisol has traveled to Cuba to spread her beloved grandmother, Elisa’s, ashes. Elisa was like a mother to Marisol and told her all her tales of growing up in Cuba- romanticism at its best. When she then travels to Cuba, Marisol is unprepared for the contrast between her grandmother’s Pre-Fidel, Batista Cuba, to the Post-Fidel Cuba she finds herself in. There is beauty in this story and in the history of Cuba’s heart. When you revisit history, you are sure to stumble upon secrets you never knew were there.

Discovering a grandmother she thought she knew, Marisol learns the truth and finds she is more like her grandmother than she ever could have possibly imagined.

I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All Opinions are my Own.

As someone curious about Cuban history and culture, I hoped to find a work of fiction that would capture my imagination and inform me. Chanel Cleeton’s book does that and much more, laying bare the pain of Cuban exiles and those who remained, voluntarily or involuntarily. I purchased the Blackstone Audi CD version if this marvelous work and found it riveting. While there are plenty of historical fiction tales constructed as two interwoven timelines, this is one of the very best, done with literary skill, seamlessly weaving the plots of granddaughter and grandmother.

Descriptions of the landscape, the existential angst of living in a totalitarian state, and the grinding poverty and despair of living a life devoid of hope for a better future are told in gorgeous, heartbreaking prose. The characters are believable, relatable, and courageous. The plot is credible, revealed through dialogue, letters, and family observations to provide a range of perspectives.

I hope to see this transformed into a movie. Until then, I recommend this book for anyone interested in Cuba or in family stories where strong female protagonists face and overcome daunting challenges.

NEXT YEAR IN HAVANA by Chanel Cleeton - Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing for providing my free copy - all opinions are my own.

There are many reasons why I love this book but one very important one is Cuba. I have a dream to travel to many countries and I love when authors take you to a place you’ve never been. Cleeton's vivid descriptions of the scenery and culture of Cuba are breathtaking. Also, I should mention the intense connection Cleeton has to Cuba as her own grandparents fled after Castro’s revolution. Her background and historical knowledge are very apparent in the book and make you appreciate the story even more.

This is a love story from Marisol to her grandmother, Elisa, and the discovery of the fascinating life she lived. Elisa left Cuba in 1959 with her family when she was nineteen. The story starts off with Marisol fulfilling her grandmother’s wish to spread her ashes in Cuba after she passes away. The chapters alternate between Elisa in 1959 and Marisol in 2017. It is very interesting to learn about Elisa’s life from both perspectives, and from different times. The writing is beautiful and flows at a pace that made me forget what was going on around me.

At the brink of the revolution, Elisa meets and falls in love with a revolutionary and has to keep her relationship a secret. Chapter by chapter, details of Elisa’s life unfold, not only from her perspective but from Marisol’s eyes as well. I enjoyed both perspectives equally as they each offer something unique and I especially cherished seeing Cuba through Marisol as she puts together the pieces of her grandmother’s past.

This story is captivating, interesting, mysterious, romantic, and the imagery is just beautiful! I really appreciate this book shining a spotlight on Cuba, its politics, and its people. Highly recommended!

I rate this gorgeous book 4.5 / 5 stars!

Great read. I'm traveling to Cuba soon and will be looking for all the places in this beautifully written novel. Marisol travels to her family's country of origin, Cuba, to spread her grandmother's ashes. What she finds is the Perez homeland stuck in time, beautiful, and dangerous. Family treasures and secrets have been buried in the old elite neighborhood. When her great grandparents fled Cuba, they left a grand mansion, friends, and a way of life they might never see again. But, Marisol's grandmother also left a forbidden lover, giving up hope that any of her family would ever know Pablo. It's a timely story of immigrants and exiles and what they leave behind. I'm waiting to read more about this family and Beatriz in. When we Left Cuba. Great read!

Miami born Marisol knows that her grandparents fled Cuba as Castro came into power. After the death of Elisa, her grandmother, Marisol travels to Cuba fulfills a promise to scatter her ashes back home. Alternating with Marisol's journey, is Elisa's tale. Born into a wealthy family, Elisa's family is caught between a growing revolution determined to overthrow the status quo. When Elisa falls in love with a revolutionary, every belief and thought she grew up with is challenged.

This was a well written and engaging story. Both points of view were interesting and kept my attention. Marisol's love story was a bit predictable, but it mirrored Elisa's story nicely. I loved reading and learning about the Cuba revolution. I look forward to reading more books from this author.

Gorgeous,gorgeous cover! I was so happy to get to read the ARC of this book. It told such a poignant story of the Perez family, focusing on Elisa not yet out of her teens during the tumultuous rise of Fidel Castro. We find out the Perez family flees to Miami as exiles, at the beginning of the story, but we are taken back to hear the details of the story,when Elisa's grand-daughter Marisol goes back to Havana to spread Elisa's ashes after her death. The two time lines blended seamlessly as the story of Elisa's elicit romance in 1958 Havana comes to light and we see Havana today through Marisol's eyes as she chases her grandmother's ghost to piece together the story she never knew. Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read and review the ARC. All opinions are my own.
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What a brilliant book! I absolutely loved Next Year in Havana. Thank you Chanel for writing a story that was able to transport me back in time, to the Cuba my own parents and grandparents left behind, to the stories I grew up listening to. Family, love, sacrifice, mystery, angst and hope filled the pages of a stellar five star read. I’m a proud Cuban-American woman living in Miami. My parents experienced a very similar life in Cuba and came to Miami in 1967. You’ve brought the true essence of being Cuban to the pages of a spectacular book with your story of Elisa in Cuba and modern day Marisol visiting Cuba. Luis ❤️.

I’ve already recommended Next Year in Havana to all my Cuban American friends/book club members and recommend it to anyone who believes in love and hope.

Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton

Because I was a teacher in Miami for over 30 years, I was thrilled to win an Advance Reader Copy of Next Year in Havana. The book fulfilled my expectations, because my many students of Cuban descent had told me about similar situations. I recognized the local references and was fascinated with the descriptions of Havana, both in the past and in the present.
The plot twists were intriguing, the characters and events seemed real, and the text flowed smoothly. I really enjoyed the double story line, the various mysteries, the family dynamics, and the evident authenticity of people and geography.
I recommend Next Year in Havana highly, not just for my Cuban-American friends, but for all who enjoy well-written fiction, both historical and contemporary.

Already familiar with this author's work in her contemporary military romance trilogy, I was intrigued by this latest project with its blend of historical fiction, women's fiction, and star-crossed romance. With a setting like modern Cuba and the Cuba of the late fifties, I was well aware this would be a bittersweet story to savor.

Next Year in Havana tells the tale of Elisa Perez in the waning years of 1950's Cuba and of her granddaughter, Marisol Ferrara in the present day. Their stories are told in first person point of view as the book flips back and forth between them.

Elisa's story pulled me in more deeply, I admit. I think it was the danger of living daily with a revolution coming closer and closer and Elisa's family being on the wrong side of the wave's swell. During this time, she falls in love and with someone she should not. Pablo is a revolutionary and holds with ideology that she does not share and she definitely doesn't hold with the extreme ways the revolutionaries are willing to get what they want. And yet, they are in love in the stormy last days of Batista's corrupt government, the strengthening angry sounds and voices of revolution, and talk of her family fleeing to America.

And, paralleling Elisa's story is Marisol seeing the result of Castro's revolution, the deprivations and fear most Cubans live with even after Castro's death, and her own first real encounter with love while she is following the trail of her grandmother's past. Marisol's story is gentler and more introspective. I liked it, but was not exactly riveted until after the half-way point when the twists happened and things got a whole lot more exciting for her.

The historical and cultural setting along with the way the characters fit in these settings seemed quite authentic to me. It was my first real encounter with a book centered in Cuba and about Cubans and Cuban Americans. I felt it was balanced in how it looks on the present and the past by offering up more than one outlook which is my favorite way to experience historical fiction. It is a complex situation and not to be treated in stark black and white just as the characters were thinking and take actions that were not simple.

There is romance- glorious, painful circumspect romance for both women. Both were a first encounter attraction. Elisa's was a gradual build to love after several fleeting encounters. Marisol fell hard and fast. I bought it because I think their family connections, her reason for the visit and similar interests made the quick transition to love easier to believe. I also think it all worked because in my mind, Marisol's romance with Luis was the second chance that her grandmother and Pablo never got.

Though this was a bittersweet romantic story, I feel that the reader should think of it more along the lines of historical and modern women's fiction. It's the story of Cuba told from the lives of the cast of characters. It is introspective and thoughtful with a few moments of suspense. Its about discovery and growth. I felt this book's impact from page one. I was touched emotionally, but also it appealed to my mind. It's a book that will challenge its readers, but also deliver a beautiful story. I think historical fiction fans and those who enjoy reading about other people and cultures and times with a good dose of romance are the best matches.

When I read the synopsis of Next Year in Havana, I had no idea this book would affect me as much as it did. It was beautifully written, very educational without it being too much, romantic, heartbreaking, emotional, and also heartwarming and hopeful. This book was so much better than I expected. At times it brought a smile to my face but other times I was teary-eyed and trying not to cry even more. This novel alternates between Elisa Perez's life in Cuba in 1958-1959 and her granddaughter Marisol Ferrera's trip to Cuba in 2017. Both stories were beautiful and I loved seeing the similarities between them. Marisol grew up hearing stories about Cuba and wants to see the country herself. But the current state isn't the same as it was back when Elisa was still living there.

"I walk down these streets, and I look out to the sea, and I want to feel as though I belong here, but I'm a visitor here, a guest in my own country."

My heart broke for Elisa and what she had to go through, I was glad to see her develop into such a strong character. The bond between her and Marisol was beautiful, and I was sad to learn that she passed away. While I was reading about Marisol traveling around Cuba, it felt like I was with her seeing the same things. Chanel has a very beautiful way of writing and engaging the reader. I also adored all the side characters, and they played an important role. I really enjoyed learning about what happened in Cuba, I am a huge history lover and always want to learn more. This book definitely has woken a interest about Cuba in me, and I will definitely read more books about the country. The author did a great job in not going too much into detail about what happened to the country, but summarized it in a very fluent and easy to understand manner. I didn't want this book to end, but unfortunately every book has an ending. Some stories you just want it to go on forever, this story was one of them.

So incredibly bad I picked this up after a recommendation from a good friend. It really was a powerful read that opened my eyes in so many ways. Truly a beautifully written story that was easy to get caught up in. I can't wait to read the companion novel when it comes out.

What incredible imagery this author created. I was just a few chapters in and already had the urge to google Havana, Cuba trying to find the homes being described in 1958. This was a very unique book for me. Full of Cuban politics and flashing back and forth in time between two couples. One in 1958 and one in present time. Elisa and Pablo. Marisol and Luis. Grandmother and granddaughter. Their lives so different but so similar when they meet the love of their life. I can't get over how the author was able to bring both their stories to life in the way that she did. The struggles in Cuba that just seems so helpless in both times. The type of men they both fell in love with and their struggle with doing right by their country over personal wants. This book was more than a romance book. It was also a history lesson, a cultural lesson through the eyes of two very strong women and their men. Don't judge me but I'm not a fan of politics or history so the fact that the author had me mesmerized is no small feat. This book did not end on a cliffhanger but I also felt it wasn't over. I'm hoping this means she plans to write more. ARC provided by NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this book. It is written in two different time periods. It has romance, a bit of mystery, and just enough tension to keep you reading. In addition, I knew nothing about the history of Cuba. I loved what I learned.

‘Next Year in Havana’is a beautifully written story brimming with rich and vivid descriptions of Havana. The author has done an excellent job educating the reader about the past and current struggles of those who call Cuba home. I admit that I did not have a great amount of knowledge of Cuban history and I really enjoyed this aspect of the story.
Marisol travels to Cuba to fulfill her grandmother, Elisa’s, last wish and scatter her ashes on the land that she had always hoped to return to after being exiled sixty years earlier.
Marisol had been raised by her grandmother and she thought she knew her better than anyone. The trip to Cuba led Marisol to uncover some secrets about her grandmother. I also enjoyed this aspect of the story as it kept me intrigued.
Elisa’s portions of the story take place during 1958 and 1959 while Marisol’s portions of the story take place in 2017. I enjoyed how the author showed you the Cuba of the past and the Cuba of the present.
The writing is very descriptive and you feel as if you are visiting Havana along with Marisol.

I have enjoy reading it so very much. It brings back memories of stories I was told by my father growing up. The descriptions of the food and cafecito you can just smell and taste. The Malecón, the waves, the people it just makes you feel that you’re there.
I highly recommend this book. It’s a story that will make you yurn what it use to be and the prospect of what can come next.
I enjoyed reading this book very much!
Love the cover!

Cleeton's effortless prose and vivid descriptions of both present-day and historic Cuba drew me right into NEXT YEAR IN HAVANA. This story taught me about twentieth-century Cuban history while also providing romance and intrigue. If you're going to pick a book based on its gorgeous cover, let this be the one - NEXT YEAR IN HAVANA will not disappoint!

This beautifully written book told from two points of view at two different time periods held my interest until the end. I loved learning about Cuba, a place that has been held captive by its dictators for decades. Especially since I knew nothing of its history before. That, plus two love stories...what could be better?

Thank you for the Advance Reader Copy I won on Goodreads!

Chanel's mix of historical fiction and romance as well as family and heritage is completely flawless! I connected with her characters on such a deep level that after reading this, I want to plan a trip to Cuba!

This book is very well-written and gives an exceptional picture of life in Cuba before and after Fidel. The author brings her characters to life, her descriptions create pictures in your mind. Read this story, you will not be disappointed.

I simply adored this novel and could not put it down. Cleeton does a wonderful job of bringing Cuba, yesterday and today, to life. Her writing is both intimate and informative and I haven't been able to stop thinking or talking about it. BRAVO!!!

I was drawn in immediately to a world in which I was unfamiliar. Cleeton successfully marries history, love, and suspense in a tale that is sure to be a hit! And the cover...everyone is talking about the cover...Love it!

Fascinating read. I was transformed through the past during Cuban unrest. Ultimately I believe Elisa and her family and Luis made the right descision to leave Cuba behind with only their memories and experiences.

I’m having trouble putting words to my thoughts right now, and the tears streaming down my face don’t help, but that was fantastic. Not at all what I was expecting when I started, yet everything I wanted to read. And then some.

If I had to describe this in one word it would be “Unputdownable”.

Elisa and Marisol’s timelines weave together a seamless glimpse into the past—a history we don’t get in our American textbooks—with present day in a heart-achingly romantic, and emotionally engulfing story of love, loss, family, and what it really means to be free.

This reads like a love letter to Cuba, it’s beautiful scenery, it’s people, and it’s complicated history.

Read it.

I received an advance review copy from NetGalley. To say that I loved this book is an understatement. I truly wish that I could give her more than five stars because this book is absolutely breathtaking and spectacular. She brought to life the stories that I heard growing up from my aunt and laid them out in a story that I positively savored. It's taunt and emotional. It's absolutely unputdownable and a must be read for everyone who loves beautiful and well told stories. Can't wait to see what she writes next. Very well done Chanel Cleeton. Order this book right away and then forget about everything else that needs to be done because once you start reading you will not put this book down. Happy reading!

A beautiful story of love and loss. If you are planning a trip to Cuba, or just wat to understand the history of our neighbor country, this story provides much historical as well as contemporary context.

So, so good. Bought it on a whim and I’m so glad I did. It makes me want to go rob cuba and follow in Marisol’s footsteeps. This book is lovely and the love story happens fast but true. Anyway, can’t wait for the sequel. You should definitely pick this one up, though.

Chanel Cleeton’s Next Year in Havana, is like a treasure chest, each chapter revealing another layer of gems. The novel’s protagonist, Marisol, travels to Cuba to scatter her grandmother, Eliza’s, ashes. She discovers Eliza’s deeply hidden secrets, and the tragedies that led to her exile to the United States. I found my heart breaking at the conditions Cubans faced under the regimes of Batista and Castro. Fascination, turmoil, heartbreak, and hope are emotions that Cleeton evoked from this reader. I eagerly await Cleeton’s next work about the mysterious character, Beatriz.

I was sucked in from the first page to the last and now I have put visiting Cuba on my bucket list. I fell in love with each character throughout the story.
In the end love and family are all that matters!

I really enjoyed this book and that she didn’t just romanticize the whole Cuban experience. Cuba is a wreck but use to be a jewel and that’s how everyone in Florida remembers her. Can’t wait to read the next book!

I’m having trouble putting words to my thoughts right now, and the tears streaming down my face don’t help, but that was fantastic. Not at all what I was expecting when I started, yet everything I wanted to read. And then some.

If I had to describe this in one word it would be “Unputdownable”.

Elisa and Marisol’s timelines weave together a seamless glimpse into the past—a history we don’t get in our American textbooks—with present day in a heart-achingly romantic, and emotionally engulfing story of love, loss, family, and what it really means to be free.

This reads like a love letter to Cuba, it’s beautiful scenery, it’s people, and it’s complicated history.

Read it.

I received an advance review copy from NetGalley. To say that I loved this book is an understatement. I truly wish that I could give her more than five stars because this book is absolutely breathtaking and spectacular. She brought to life the stories that I heard growing up from my aunt and laid them out in a story that I positively savored. It's taunt and emotional. It's absolutely unputdownable and a must be read for everyone who loves beautiful and well told stories. Can't wait to see what she writes next. Very well done Chanel Cleeton. Order this book right away and then forget about everything else that needs to be done because once you start reading you will not put this book down. Happy reading!

A beautiful story of love and loss. If you are planning a trip to Cuba, or just wat to understand the history of our neighbor country, this story provides much historical as well as contemporary context.

So, so good. Bought it on a whim and I’m so glad I did. It makes me want to go rob cuba and follow in Marisol’s footsteeps. This book is lovely and the love story happens fast but true. Anyway, can’t wait for the sequel. You should definitely pick this one up, though.

Chanel Cleeton’s Next Year in Havana, is like a treasure chest, each chapter revealing another layer of gems. The novel’s protagonist, Marisol, travels to Cuba to scatter her grandmother, Eliza’s, ashes. She discovers Eliza’s deeply hidden secrets, and the tragedies that led to her exile to the United States. I found my heart breaking at the conditions Cubans faced under the regimes of Batista and Castro. Fascination, turmoil, heartbreak, and hope are emotions that Cleeton evoked from this reader. I eagerly await Cleeton’s next work about the mysterious character, Beatriz.

I was sucked in from the first page to the last and now I have put visiting Cuba on my bucket list. I fell in love with each character throughout the story.
In the end love and family are all that matters!

I really enjoyed this book and that she didn’t just romanticize the whole Cuban experience. Cuba is a wreck but use to be a jewel and that’s how everyone in Florida remembers her. Can’t wait to read the next book!

The characters in this novel are very thoroughly developed. The story mixes the history of Cuba with family drama and a romance or two thrown in. It all works beautifully together. It was a book I couldn't put down.

3.8 An interesting visit to a world unknown to me. Nicely written with likeable characters. I did however find the story a bit slow and over explained. I also found the ending abrupt . Overall an enjoyable, enlightening read.

I was excited to start this book because I was a fan of books Reese Witherspoon had recommended in the past. This one was a disappointment. Kind of boring and though I haven’t read a Harlaquin I think it’s proably similar. I purchased it through Audible and the reader was very dull with little inflection which made the story even more mundane.

For me, the worst kinds of books are those that disappoint.

Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton promised an intriguing glimpse into the mystery of Havana, that forbidden place that’s been sequestered by corrupt government and untouched by big brand corporate America, indeed isolated in what would seem to be an alternate time. Cleeton endeavors to juxtapose the social and political tensions during the Batista era and the 1959 revolution with the everyday struggles facing present-day Cubans. She positions her main character, Marisol in such a way as to hold up a mirror to Americans and Cuban-Americans alike to show our privilege in living here, as well as our impact on Cuban life. Marisol is a Cuban-American writer whose wealthy family escaped to Miami just after the rise of Fidel. Upon the death of her grandmother, Elisa, Marisol is charged with smuggling her ashes back into Cuba, as her dying wish is to be scattered in the land she loved.

The story unfolds in an alternating narrative between Elisa’s young adulthood in 1959 Cuba, and Marisol’s first visit to the land of her childhood fantasies. Elisa and her sisters are considered the ‘sugarcane princesses’ due to their family’s wealth in the sugar industry, and their days are filled with parties, shopping, and fancy dinners. There are no surprises in this novel, except to Marisol, who did not expect to uncover a secret love affair between Elisa and a revolutionary named Pablo. Unsurprisingly, Cleeton attempts to draw parallel plots, thus Marisol also falls in love with a revolutionary – Luis.

Unfortunately, the fragments of good writing are so sparse, so few and far between, that this work hardly has legs to stand on. Using the present tense may have been the wrong choice for a debut author who hasn’t yet figured out how to engage her readers with captivating descriptions that merge atmosphere, action, and dialog. To entice her audience and hold our attentions, Cleeton needed to approach her characters’ worlds with a wider view, which a past tense narration could have achieved. Both Luis and Pablo are characters created for the sole purpose of relaying Cuba’s history, the former being a history professor and the latter a lawyer. Ultimately, this device led to pages upon pages of pedantic, repetitive dialog stalling the action, and leading Cleeton to fall into that show don’t tell writing trap. Thus, Cleeton struggles to bring tension into her narrative, and instead the moments that should be stifled with urgency fall flat, such as when Elisa and her family flee Cuba or when Luis is captured and tortured by the government. In short, Cleeton shouldn’t have to tell us that Marisol is “filled with excitement,” but rather Marisol’s feelings should be evident by the words she chooses to describe her environment, and by the specific things she notices, thinks, and speaks.

In both plot and dialog, Next Year in Havana is riddled with clichés and awkward sentences. Cleeton’s descriptive limitations are apparent from page one, where she describes Beatriz, Elisa’s sister and Cleeton’s most overdone character: “it’s as though the entire airport holds its collective breath. She’s the beauty in the family and she knows it.” Even as Marisol comments on her anticipation of the journey that lies ahead, Cleeton describes it as “venturing into murky waters and uncharted territory,” a description we’ve all read before. She focuses so much on the mundane, feeling the need to account for every detail including the X-ray machines at the airport and Marisol pulling her sunglasses out of her purse, all while glossing over and merely summarizing the most interesting parts of the story. For instance, what was Marisol’s reaction to her grandmother’s last request? As readers, we want to see this unfold step-by-step and feel the character’s emotions with her.

There are particular moments where you can tell Cleeton is a debut author by her inability to streamline her thoughts: “His initials are embroidered on the corner of the handkerchief [. . .] and I have no doubt his grandmother painstakingly embroidered his initials.” Then there are those moments when you can tell Cleeton has used a thesaurus to vary her word choice, for instance, using ‘novel’ instead of ‘new’: “I have the novel experience of seeing true shock on my father’s face.” She also draws a poorly-planned metaphor between Luis’ family home and animal experimentation as Marisol remarks, “The contrast between the vivisected home he shares with his wife, mother, and grandmother, and the tourists’ domain is stark.” Cleeton also tries a little too hard to incorporate the classics: “If helplessness is my Scylla, then the solution is most definitely Charybdis.” Some character’s thoughts are even written to remind readers that we are reading, rather than letting us fully immerse ourselves in the characters’ thoughts by actually using ellipses: “that sounds . . . Romantic.” Further, the sole purpose of the last chapter, which feels out of place and completely inappropriate, is to introduce Cleeton’s second novel, which sounds doubly melodramatic.

All in all, as a writer Cleeton should have been able to entice us with Elisa’s seemingly magical life and make us sympathize with her innocence and vulnerability – she’s trapped in a world that she doesn’t necessarily agree with, but still guiltily enjoys it. We don’t feel that as readers though, it’s really difficult to sympathize with her and we don’t really understand why Pablo loves her other than the fact that she’s beautiful. Similarly, we don’t know why Luis takes a fancy with Marisol, he is appalled when learning she thought he was still married when he held her hand, so would he really fall in love with someone willing to advance on a married man? We should have been allowed to feel Marisol’s complex emotions, the pain mixed with wonder, lift up off the page simultaneously. We should have been let into Marisol’s true feelings about meeting her biological grandfather, whom she feels comfortable naming as such from the moment she sees him.

It’s clear the publisher intended to capitalize on Cuba as a trend and rushed the publication of Cleeton’s work, and though this historical drama is intended to appeal to a commercial audience, being commercial and well written are not mutually exclusive outcomes. We need look no further than Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale for proof of that. Next Year in Havana had great potential to be a beautiful debut, but, instead, it remains a mere draft and leaves its readers unsatisfied.

I was hopeful this book would shed some truth on how a few wealthy Cubans sold out their country. Yet again, another soppy boo-hoo story of rich Cubans loosing out. Shame on you for perpetuating this narrative that the Cuban rich are to be pitied. How about the fact that most of Cuban land and companies were truly owned by foreigners, mostly Americans—what a sell out. And that there were so many poor suffering on account of a few sell out families like yours. How can you write such nonsense!