Next Year in Havana is a love story. It’s not just a romantic story of people falling in love, it’s a story about one’s love of country, culture, history, and family. Chanel Cleeton delivered a fascinating first book to The Cuba Saga series.

A historical fiction novel that alternates between Havana 1958 and 2017. 19-year-old Elisa Perez lives a wealthy lifestyle in 1958 Havana when she meets a revolutionary man and begins a forbidden relationship. Decades later, Elisa’s granddaughter, Marisol, travels to Havana to scatter her grandmother’s remains in her birth country. Marisol stays with her great aunt and family while deciding where to leave her grandmother’s remains. As Marisol experiences Havana and learns about the Cuban culture and political climate, she constantly examines her own identity. She uncovers her grandmother’s secrets, which ironically parallel her own transformation.

Chanel builds the novel with the political events of Cuba in each of the time periods. The history of Cuba’s politics is interesting. The heart of the novel is the lives of these two women and the courageous decisions they must make. I loved this book and it leaves me intrigued and excited to read the series. And what about that book cover? I absolutely love it! It’s incredibly gorgeous!

I purchased Next Year in Havana with my Audible membership. Narration by Kyla Garcia and Frankie Maria Corzo made for a wonderful listening experience.

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