This book was amazing. I loved the history intertwined with a love story and a mystery. Phenomenal.

This was my first encounter with Chanel Cleeton’s work but I will be keeping an eye out for her books in the future. Next Year in Havana was a beautiful story of two women from the same family but different generations. I enjoyed reading about Elisa and Marisol and their experiences in Havana at different points in history: one during the rise of Castro and one just after his death. Both characters are very strong women who are portrayed in a fantastic way. I also enjoyed the Perez family in Elisa’s story and Luis’ family in Marisol’s story. What a great book!

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!

Starting this book, I didn’t know much about the history of Cuba or even its culture. Chanel Cleeton makes sure that you are going to pick up so many pieces of Cuba along the way of reading the book. Alternating between Marisol’s POV — the present — as well as Elisa‘s POV, as a reader, you are instantly drawn into two worlds. One, the one of Marisol, seems to be carefree and somewhat melancholic. As a member of the Perez family, she never had much to worry about; it isn’t until her grandmother’s death however that she is catapulted back into her family’s history. Traveling back to Cuba, a place she only knows from stories, she can finally see the country of her dreams for herself — only to realize that there are so many layers of Cuba.
Something that really surprised me was the author’s realistic approach to the situation in present Cuba, as well as the political undertone to the book. Chanel Cleeton draws a perfect picture of the many facets of Cuba, vividly painting its lush, lively culture and twisted history, and she sure did an amazing job in making the setting as authentic as possible.

Through the eyes of Marisol, we learn that things we take for granted such as freedom of speech and the freedom to travel, or even just hot water are suddenly turned into banalities by the government. The author doesn’t hold back to describe the country’s tumultuous past and presence, but she doesn’t hold back to describe its beauty and opulent history either. Instead of downgrading and straight-out condemning the changes in the country since the Revolution, she sheds light on the different sides to the political situation in Cuba. Quite from what I expected from the story, the reader will eventually understand that for some people the changes have indeed been overdue; for the most part however the Revolution has been horrific, tearing friends and families apart.

Along her way, Marisol meets many new people, with everyone adding his own story to the thick storyline. Although only side characters, everyone has an important story to tell which makes the book even more interesting. By the end of the book it doesn’t feel as if you have read a story about two characters only; it feels more like a love song to Cuba put together by many different people, a sad, melancholic but hopeful song.

Needless to say, the second plotline with Elisa was almost too heartbreaking to read. Set against the backdrop of the Cuban Revolution, Cleeton plays a lot with foreshadowing. Passionate, tragic and hopeful, it is as if the relationship between Elisa and her lover is mirroring Cuba’s situation itself. It all makes Next Year in Havana an extraordinary, outstanding and poetic book.

Next Year in Havana is a homage to the Cuban people and the Cuban history, a celebration to everybody who ever had to leave his country. It’s a story about resilience, family bonds and hope for a better life. Something that you will understand by the end of the book is probably the soul of the Cuban people — being proud of your heritage and never ever bowing down, no matter what circumstances.

The author did an amazing job interweaving the two storylines together, even giving little hints on what the future might hold for Cuba. With her strong and at times almost lyrical writing, you will not fall for only one but with both storylines. It’s a beautifully written book and definitely worth all the stars.

Being a huge fan of Chanel Cleeton, I was so excited to get an early copy of this book. From the cover alone, I knew it was going to be special….and boy, was I right. It was truly incredible.

Rich in history, both for one particular family and Cuba itself, this book weaves past and present with beautiful candor. In this story we follow a woman on her journey to find out about her past and her family’s history in Cuba right around the time of the revolution. That journey weaves the present with the past. We get to live alongside her grandmother when Cuba was in turmoil as our heroine visits Cuba and walks in her grandmother’s footsteps. It’s that dual storyline that made this book so amazing. Uncovering the past of one woman while seeing it through the eyes of another was just so special.

I also have to admit that I learned a lot about history while reading this book. Learning something while being entertained so thoroughly is a feat for any author and a talent that I truly admire.

A beautiful story about past and present, I know you’ll love this book as much as I did! Thank you, Ms. Cleeton, for a remarkable read!

Next Year In Havana by Chanel Cleeton is one of the historical fiction releases I’ve been most excited about, and not only because of the stunning cover. I knew from following the author in various places online that this story is a labor of love for her because it is based at least in part on her own family’s exile from Cuba in 1967 (you can read more about it on Chanel’s website). I could 100% tell that the author was extra-invested in making sure this story was perfect, because it was so well-done and I felt so many things while I read.

I love the Perez family – in particular, the Perez sisters. Right away, in the beginning, I felt for them because of their forced exit from their home. They very clearly don’t understand the depth of this exile. They don’t know whether this exile will be temporary or permanent, and they are having to leave nearly everything that they have behind. Even though they relocate and establish themselves in America, they are profoundly affected by this. I love the interactions of the sisters and their personalities. In particular, Beatriz is really something. (I’m very excited to see that more of her story will be published in 2019 in When We Left Cuba.)

I also love Marisol. I could immediately relate to her because she opens her story grieving the recent loss of her grandmother. Marisol’s grandmother Elisa Perez practically raised her. Marisol lived with her and learned the good things in life from her. Elisa made sure to talk to Marisol about Cuba all the time; she told her stories about the places and people from her home and she cooked her the traditional foods. Marisol considers herself Cuban. Elisa’s wish was that after she died, she wanted Marisol to return her ashes to Cuba.

The story is told in two POV’s – Elisa and Marisol – and I loved them both. I think I may have liked Marisol’s a little bit more, but that’s probably because I felt a little bit more connected with her because of how much she loved her grandmother and because she was grieving her loss, and I find myself in that same situation (several years after I’ve lost my grandmother, who I also lived with). I loved Elisa’s POV for different reasons: she taught me so much about the Cuban culture and the history of this time period, neither of which I know much about.

A couple of things:

>I feel like this story made it easy for me to visualize the difference in financial status in 1950’s-Cuba and present-day-Cuba. The Perez family was a wealthy family in Havana when the book opens in the 1950’s because they own a very successful sugar business. The author paints the picture of how the city changes over time through Marisol’s visit to Cuba; her remarks and inner thoughts suggest that she can tell that the city and homes and cars used to be well-kept, but that the city and its people have been unable to make repairs and updates as needed because everyone’s financial situations are just not what they used to be.
>This isn’t strictly a romance book – this is a story of exile and the heartbreak that goes along with leaving everything behind, and then a return of sorts. The romances that do occur happen under unusual circumstances and are strained from the beginning. They are passionate in that every emotion is real and valid and it seems like the added stresses of each respective situation makes the romance a little more. But there is some heartache involved (from a reading perspective) in knowing what these relationships must endure if they are to make it, and wondering if that is even a possibility.

I loved so much about this book, but for me the best and biggest part is the connection that Marisol had with her grandmother Elisa. Marisol’s grief felt like a living thing to me and was not a downer in the story, but it resonated with me so deeply that it made me cry in more than one instance. Every single thing about Marisol’s thought process and the way that she felt about her grandmother made me FEEL THINGS. Like, a lot.

I loved this one. So much. I loved the culture and the history, and I loved the Perez family. I can’t wait to hear more from Beatriz in her book. I loved the time spent with Elisa and Marisol. I loved the opportunity to quietly and privately relive my own feelings about my grandmother thru Marisol – that was so unexpected and just so wonderful.

Every now and then, a book comes along that I feel like I’m probably going to like, but is so unexpected, and Next Year In Havana was absolutely one of them.

I have mixed feelings on this one. I loved parts & I disliked others. I loved Elise’s story... the struggles she faced in a changing Cuba were heartbreaking. I really had a vague knowledge of Cubas tumultuous past & present, so I really found that part very interesting. At the same time, I enjoyed learning more about Cuba’s struggles it felt over done in Marisol’s story. The sentiments became very repetitive which made me lose interest & start skimming. Marisol & Luis’s relationship was another aspect I didn’t like. It seemed forced and tried to hard to mirror Elise’s story. All in all not a bad story overall and I would look forward to reading more novels.about Cuba. 3.5 stars.

This is such a <i>pretty</i>, multifaceted book. Really, the cover perfectly captures the feeling of the whole story.

This isn't a complaint (although it's going to sound like one): honestly, I wasn't necessarily into either of the romantic relationships that much—I started liking the one and not the other, and then totally switched in the end—but I'm not much of a romantic soul either, so that doesn't mean much. But the details, setting, and utter passion of the book? They're so captivating that I didn't need to be sold on the romance. Really, the whole romantic struggle is with the Cuba: the falling in love, the will-they-or-won't-they, the angst, and everything, and it works so well. At first, I didn't like the time hops that much because I preferred the historical setting to the modern one, and in the end, I was so glad they were included because they really brought everything together so it becomes this epic, complicated, decades long love saga with Cuba and Cubans, both at home and abroad.

<b>tl;dr review</b>: Cuba/Cubans is my new OTP, angst and all.

This is a beautifully written book. Filled with longing, love and the cuban culture. Am loving everything about this book.

Elisa Perez has always dreamt of returning to Cuba after the revolution. Her and many others who have left for exile in America were waiting for the day that Castro would no longer have control of their beautiful country so they could make their way home. The day has finally arrived, but Elisa Perez never had the chance to witness it.

Finally making it onto Cuban soil after many years of her grandmother’s stories, Marisol Ferrera is both excited and saddened that she does not get to experience Cuba with her grandmother as Elisa passed away recently. But she wants to fulfill her grandmother’s dying wish and that is to spread her ashes in Cuba. One problem, Elisa never told Marisol where she wants her ashes spread and as Marisol debates where would be the best place to lay her grandmother to rest, she comes to discover a lot of hidden family secrets since the revolution.

Oh gosh, this book. My first dive into this authors work and I do not regret it. This. Was. Fantastic. Slow moving at first yes, this book took a bit to get into, but once I was fully invested, I absolutely adored it!

This is told in two different time lines. We get to see how Marisol fairs in modern day Cuba, uncovering secrets about her grandmother that she was never told as well as possibly falling in love. Plus, we get to experience Cuba in the 1958 and how the revolution happened as well as Elisa Perez beautifully poignant story.

I loved Elisa’s story, it was beautiful and heartbreaking and I found myself more invested in her romance over Marisols. As Elisa accidentally falls in love with a revolutionary called Pablo, her family is sitting pretty, but scared of what will happen to their country. Coming from a wealthy family, Elisa is a daughter of a sugar baron and her father a huge supporter of Batista. When Batista escapes Cuba after losing the war to the revolutionaries, Elisa’s world is completely shaken and thrown upside down.

The twist in the end totally shattered my heart. I felt that it was coming as everything started to unravel, but I still felt unprepared. Cleeton is such a fantastic writer and storyteller and does such a wonderful job at weaving Cuban history into the storyline. I felt like I learned a bit more about Cuba and what the country was before the revolution. I also felt sad that it isn’t what it use to be after years under Castro’s rule.

The way Cleeton writes about the passion Cuban’s feel for their country in this book is both overwhelming and emotional as evident in the current timeline with Marisol and Luis. Luis is Ana’s grandson. Ana is Elisa’s best friend who stayed in Cuba despite the revolution and it is through their families hardships and passion due we witness the struggle and perseverance of families in Cuba.

There isn’t much negatives about this book. The slow pace aside at points, I do feel like the book could have been shortened just a tad bit at some spots. Also, I wasn’t sure how I felt about such a clean ending with Luis and Marisol, it just felt a tad bit too convenient for me to be believable.

Overall though, this was a great historical fiction with a mix of romance. The story that was told was interesting and the romance between Elisa and Pablo was just so heartbreaking.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author, herself a Cuban-American, effortlessly incorporates Cuba's past and present situations as she goes back and forth between Elisa's escape from 1959 Cuba and Marisol's 2017 return. Not knowing much about Cuba's history, I was immediately drawn in by the lush descriptions of the land, the mixed feelings and frustrations about Castro's rise to power and eventual dictatorship, and the parallel love stories as Elisa and Marisol both fall in revolutionaries in their current times. The bravery and courage shown by many of the main characters in their quest to protect their loved ones was truly admirable and inspiring. All in all, a must read!

A good book compels you to keep reading. A great book insists you keep reading. An outstanding book makes it impossible for you to stop reading. An outstanding book also makes you think.

Next Year in Havana is an outstanding book. And I don’t give out five star recommendations indiscriminately.

From the first chapter I was sucked into the lives of the Perez women and the turmoil of 1950’s Havana. Personally, I think the first chapter should be read on the floor of the senate during the immigration debates because in Cleeton’s prose you find the truth of the refugee—that refugees who leave their country don’t do it as a first resort, but as a last resort because staying is signing their own death warrant whether the cause is government tyranny, famine, depression…as much as we love our country, so they love theirs. I think that has been forgotten in the national debate.

Back to the book, I loved the characters of Elisa and her granddaughter, Marisol. I loved their stories independently and together. I loved the setting of Havana and the history I learned through the characters. I had to Google the Malecon so I could see pictures of what she was describing and because it was an important location in the book.

Again a Five-star read. You won’t be disappointed.

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley.

I loved Chanel Cleeton’s Wild Aces series, but this was nothing like it. That was fine, but this just had such a slow start, I was really bored out of my mind. I ended up skimming a large portion. I just wasn’t in the mood for the tragic historical romance that takes up much of the story.

This is probably a case of "it's me, not you" because so many other readers have loved this one.

This island will break your heart if you let it.

Home, exile, family and above all, hope. These themes all figure prominently in Next Year in Havana, Chanel Cleeton's beautiful novel of love and Cuba. We see the love stories of a grandmother and her granddaughter playing out in Havana, but we also see these characters grappling with their deep love for an imperfect country. There's a lot of nostalgia to be found in this novel, but also hope amidst an acceptance of reality. In the end, these threads all come together to make a beautiful, bittersweet story.

As the book opens, Elisa Perez and her sisters are preparing to leave Cuba with their family. It is 1959, and none of them realizes the length of the exile that lies ahead. From this prologue, we shift to the current decade and encounter Elisa's granddaughter Marisol Ferrera, a journalist preparing to visit Cuba as travel restrictions have been relaxed. Not only does Marisol intend to go to Cuba to write, but she also carries the ashes of her recently deceased grandmother and has been charged with finding the right place to scatter them. While in Cuba, Marisol will be staying with her grandmother's childhood best friend and Marisol hopes that as she explores Havana, the right resting spot will present itself.

Once Marisol arrives in Cuba, the story switches back and forth between her and Elisa. We see Marisol coming face to face with the realities of a country she had previously known only through the pleasantly hazy lens of old family memories. Living with Elisa's dear friend, she sees the reality of housing shortages, poverty, and restrictions on freedom intermingled with the vibrant culture and pride of heritage handed down to her by her family in Florida.

On Elisa's side of things, readers venture back to Cuba in the 1950s. Through her eyes, we see her privileged life as the sheltered daughter of a wealthy man favored by Batista. When she sneaks out to a party with her sisters and meets Pablo Garcia, her life changes. Not only does Elisa fall in love, but as she slips out of her home to see Pablo, her eyes are opened to how others in Cuba live and she gets a glimpse into the building revolution.

As Marisol learns for the first time when she reads the papers Elisa left behind in Cuba, the man Elisa fell in love with was a rebel. Given her family's position in Cuban society, this would obviously not be an acceptable match for her. Those who know their history can guess at some of the obstacles these star-crossed lovers face, but even with a sense of inevitability hanging over their story, the romance is compelling to read.

As Elisa's story unfolds, readers also follow Marisol as she attempts to learn more about her grandmother's life in Cuba and her mysterious love. And naturally, Marisol ends up finding a love of her own as well. As with Elisa, Marisol's choice is neither an easy nor a safe one. The man drawing her interest is not just a good man; he is also a university professor who writes things that don't entirely follow the government's rules. Marisol's story feels authentic and I found myself rooting for her both in her romantic life and in her quest to learn more about her grandmother's life and her roots.

Throughout both storylines, Cuba's history looms large. At times, the explanations of culture and events interfere a bit with the flow of the story but most of the time the author's pacing works and the attention to detail enhances rather than distracts.  This is true largely because Marisol and Elisa don't have the only love stories in the book. Love of Cuba is a theme that runs throughout the entire novel and the author renders it in a way that makes it as compelling to the readers as the other romantic plotlines. Though it does take a few chapters to really get going, Next Year in Havana is achingly beautiful and a novel I highly recommend.

Buy it at Amazon/iBooks/Barnes and Noble/Kobo

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.

A take on a piece of history I was not familiar with. I enjoyed the story of Marisol, Elisa, Pablo and the rest of the Perez family. Looking forward to the next story about Beatriz!

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 .

Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing for providing my free copy - all opinions are my own.
 
"Her stories smelled of gardenias and jasmine, tasted of plantains and mamey, and always sound of her old record player."
 
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.
 
"You never know what's to come. That's the beauty of life. If everything happened the way we wished, the way we planned, we'd miss out on the best parts, the unexpected pleasures."
 
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.
 
"The earth will guard my secrets, preserve this piece of Havana for me, my memories-- For when we return."
 
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!