I love being carried away into another time with historical fiction. Once again, Chanel Cleeton has done a masterful job of putting her characters in the midst of historical events with her novel, The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba. This story, once again, features the Perez family during the Spanish-American War of 1898. But there's a host of other characters that bring together New York's Gilded Age, and a little known historical figure, in the name of Evangelina Cisneros. This book had strong female characters, historical events I wasn't familiar with, and a hefty dose of steamy romance to create a wonderfully entertaining novel.

What I Liked:
Historical Details:

The book details the lead up to the Spanish-American War, something I knew nothing about. In the U.S., this was the time of the great newspaper wars in New York which pitted Joseph Pulitzer's New York World, against upstart William Randolph Hearst's New York Journal. Hearst started a brash, activist brand of reporting that was labeled "Yellow Journalism". His sensational stories entertained the masses, and goaded America into the Spanish-American War. The details about the lengths he went to do this seem unbelievable, and yet are true.

We also get lots of details about life in Cuba during this time. The Spanish were losing their hold on Cuba, and brutally tried to suppress the men, and women, who were fighting for Cuba's freedom. I particularly appreciated the details that centered on the women's prison, and the hardships females had to endure.

Strong Female Characters:

The story centers around three women: Grace, the assertive female reporter (certainly ahead of her time), Marina Perez, the ancestor of the Perez's in Cleeton's later books about Cuba, and on Evangelina, a beautiful young woman dubbed "The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba" by Hearst.

Grace is every American woman of the late 1800's who yearns to be her own person. She is determined to have a career as a journalist, and is uninterested in anything that will hinder that, including marriage and having babies. While she worked harder than any man in the newsroom, she is also comes from a privileged background. She isn't as constricted by financial concerns as most women of her time, thus giving her choices other women simply don't have access to.

Marina, in Cuba, was born into wealth, but gives it up to marry her childhood sweetheart, Mateo. She is content with a simple, but hardworking life as a farmer's wife, until the fight for Cuba's freedom overtakes her life. Then she must struggle between being a dutiful wife, and finding a way to contribute toward the war effort. She too is struggling between the expected, traditional role that women had, as a wife and mother, and what she really wants, which was to take up arms and fight alongside the men.

The most unusual character was Evangelina. At the beginning of the book, I found her quite annoying, as she seemed to wait for men to always solve her problems for her. But this is just a starting point for her character. As the book progresses, we see Evangelina rail against being put in the role of the victim. As the American newspapers portray her as a helpless "girl" she corrects that assertion, saying, "I am a grown woman!", and finds her own way to help herself escape from prison. I admired how her character developed over the novel, and the difficult position she was placed in with the Americans.

Story:

The story follows how Hearst's newspaper The New York Journal, pushed and pushed the United States into a war with Spain. I enjoyed the lengths to which Hearst went to achieve this, including busting Evangelina out of the women's prison in Cuba. The author also uses this situation to show how "yellow journalism" created the sensationalism that is still a part of the News business today.

One of the most interesting parts of the book, for me, was when the actual war started. It almost seemed unreal, but many Americans joined up to fight, not out of a sense of patriotism, but because they wanted an Adventure! Everyone wants a piece of the action, including Teddy Roosevelt, Clara Barton, and Hearst himself. Hearst actually chartered a yacht (and brought along a few showgirls) to go to Cuba so he could watch, and report on, the action. But now that Cuba has caught the attention of America, will the island gain independence, or simply trade one set of oppressors for another?

What I Was Mixed About:

While I have no problem with sex in books, I was a little surprised by the frankness of the sexual scenes in The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba. This was mostly due to the fact that none of her previous books in the series had this level of Sexy Stuff! However, when I looked at her complete body of work, I do see she has written her fair share of romance novels in her time. Just be aware, if you like "clean" romance, this novel probably isn't for you.

Once again I am completely blown away at how beautifully this author can create a story and transport me back in time and right into the heart of this country and all it's glory and sadness. I absolutely loved the storyline of these amazing women and their journey at finding not only themselves along the way but a life and love of country as well.
This was absolutely amazing and such a wonderful addition to this series/time line. I was swept away with these amazing characters, their history and their story. An absolutely heart breaking and heart warming story about what it means to be truly brave and courageous and standing up for what is right and true and fair.

Well this was a lovely book! The historical aspect was obviously well researched, and woven into the fiction beautifully!

Following three women, this is a great story of women empowerment! We have Evangelina stuck in a Havana jail, Grace who is a reporter, and Marina playing the part of a secret courier! This is a story of people coming together to free Evangelina and of a woman who becomes an icon for Cuba.

This story was filled with emotion, strength, and inspiration. Each character brings their own unique traits, and they were all easy to connect to. I enjoyed the storyline, and learning about Evangelina and her overwhelming newspaper coverage that became a rallying point for Cuba.

I would highly recommend this book for readers that enjoy historical fiction and have an interest in Cuban history!

I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

This is a beautifully written historical fiction of three strong women in the late 1800s, where Cuba and Spain are at war.

Grace Harrington wants to be a journalist. She lands a job at a popular newspaper in New York City and everyday she hustles to get the best story. One day she lands a story emerging from Cuba that will change her life forever.

Evangelina Cisneros lives in Cuba. She finds herself in a predicament with a Spanish officer which then wrongfully lands her in a women’s prison. Grace’s boss learns of her story and his newspaper makes her headline news with her on the front page naming her “The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba.” The newspaper uses her story as a cry for America to help Cuba gain their independence from Spain and do everything in their power to get Evangelina out of prison.

Marina Perez came from a wealthy family in Havana, she lost all ties with her family when she decided to marry a man with no status. With the war going on she becomes a courier for the Cuban revolutionaries and is the one that delivers messages to Evangelina to help her escape prison.

Such beautiful story of three strong and inspirational women. Cleeton does an amazing job weaving the three stories and history of Cuba together. I’m typically a WWII fan with historical fiction, but it was fascinating to learn about Cuba and the Spanish American War.

I highly recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

As humans, throughout our histories, we collectively need a figure head to rally ourselves behind in moments of war and injustice. The human mind needs an example of why we are moving together for a collective purpose. In Chanel Cleeton's The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba that figure was Evangelina.

The basis of Chanel's story revolves around Cuba's strive for independance from Spain in the late 19th century. The reader is introduced to Evangelina, a woman who is passionate about Cuba becoming an independant country and keeping to her beliefs no matter the cost to herself. She is quickly imprisoned for going against the Spanish but to her luck she catches the eye of the American press, which in turns gives the American public a face to put to the Cuban movement for independance.

There are three main story lines in The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba and Chanel Cleeton introduces them with three strong female characters. There is Evangelina, the face of the revolution, Grace, an American journalist trying to become a respected writer in a man's world, and Marina, a Cuban woman that helps liberate Evangelina causing the beginning of the American involvement for Cuban independance. Cleeton breaks down each woman's involvement by chapters with each womans story unfolding little by little with each chapter eventually entwining with each other by the end of the story. All three women play a huge part in the story and illustrate the strength of the female spirit even under oppresive circumstances.

I personally enjoyed Chanel Cleeton's story and to find out that Evangelina actually existed was breath taking. I have never studied much about the Cuban liberation from the Spainish so never really heard about Evangelina or the plight of the Cubans in the 19th century. The stress that Cleeton described on Evangelina's character was real and raw. She was made to feel that she had to be the face that would "launch a thousand ships" to free her people, big shoes to step into for a fragile female, or so she was viewed. As a reader even if you have no interest in the subject of Cuban liberation, I feel you owe yourself the favor of meeting Chanel Cleeton's strong female characters, I'm pretty certain you will find a character aspect of yourself in one or all of them.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Berley Publishing Group for an advanced reader copy for an honest review.

The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba follows the stories of three separate and strong women: one a reporter (Grace), one an imprisoned woman (Evangelina), and another a woman fighting for Cuba's freedom (Marina). The stories of these three are woven together seamlessly as the story of Cuba's fight for independence during the late 1890s is shared along with a look into the competitive world of journalism in the US at the time (Pulitzer vs. Hearst). The US newspaper aspect alone is a fascinating read, especially in learning more about "yellow journalism" and how that played into many of the events during this timeframe that occurred.

Reading Chanel Cleeton's books that are based on various eras in Cuba's history has been nothing short of fascinating. I am absolutely loving the "digging" it encourages me to do so I can learn more real-life events and people. While this is a part of a series by Cleeton, it is one that can easily be read as a stand-alone and requires no other knowledge prior to reading.

One other thing I will say is that Chanel Cleeton's work is so realistic and not "fluff" writing, something I appreciate. Putting that adequately into words is difficult, but readers are pulled into the story and while there may be romance involved, it is always tastefully and well done, not over the top fiction.

Overall a fabulous read that will leave you wanting to read the rest of the series as well (just go read them - you won't be disappointed).

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to receive an advance copy of the book to read via Kindle. All opinions are my own.

Chanel Cleeton quickly became one of my favorite authors after I read the story of Beatriz Perez in When We Left Cuba and since have read all her books about the Perez family. I was excited to learn she wrote another story, The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba, and even more excited when I received an ARC copy from Netgalley. Throughout my reading experiences, I've learned I'm drawn to strong character focused stories. And Cleeton does that better than any I've read!

What I love most about Cleeton's writing style is how she write strong, female characters. She gives them power in a time when woman had very little of it. Her characters are complex in all the best ways women truly are. Their loyalty to family and country, determination to follow their dreams and ability to take the road less traveled even when it goes against society and familial obligations.

The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba follows three women in 1898. Grace, a New York City journalist, Evangelina, a Cuban woman wrongly jailed, and Marina, the Perez in the story forced to live in a concentration camp.

Readers are introduced to Grace and she storms into Pulitzer's office of his newspaper requesting that he hire her as a reporter. Through a turn of events, she then does the same thing again in the newspaper office of Hearst. She lands a job with Hearst and through a lot of hard work ends up being one of his top reporters following him all the way to Cuba to report on their fight for independence from Spain. We get a peak into New York City social life through her different assignments.

Evangelina is wrongly accused by a corrupt officer and sent to a prison. Through quite an exciting turn of events she makes her way to the States where she and Grace cross paths.

Marina, a Perez by birth, leaves her upper-class family to follow her heart and marry a farmer. They seem to have a happy and fulfilling life until the war against Spain, where her husband joins the revolutionaries to fight for his country and Marina, her daughter, and mother in law are forced into a concentration camp where the situation is horrific. Marina gets involved in the resistance and risks her life to help free her country and reunite her family. One part that truly stood out to me was when Marina said, "The freedom we fought for as women, the blood that was shed so we could be treated as equals with me, so that we could vote or hold political office, is another dream lost to war. Where we were once indispensable in the war for Cuba's independence, we are now forgotten in her future. I am surrounded by forgotten, abandoned women."

I read a lot of historical fiction and you usually don't get a happy ending, and while Cleeton's are always happy in the most basic sense, they are complete in a way that makes sense to the character's journey. I'm always in awe of the adversity females face when reading historical fiction and Grace, Evangelina, and Marina are no different. These three women come out the other end changed, strong women embracing their journey and how it has formed their life and who doesn't want to read about that

Set in the late 1890s, Chanel Cleeton’s new novel, The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba gives her readers an inside look at the Spanish-American War and at the journalistic war between famous newspaper publishers, William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer.

What really brings Cleeton’s story to life are the three perspectives she uses to let the events of the story unfold through, 3 women who find themselves at the center of the action. Grace Harrington is a young American socialite who wants to be the next Nellie Bly. She marches into both Joseph Pulitzer’s office and William Randolph Hearst’s and demands they give her a chance to prove herself. She is hired by one to spy on the other, while earning her living working undercover as a “stunt girl reporter.” It is through Grace’s eyes that we not only see how difficult it was for a woman to break into the field of journalism, but also how sensational or “yellow” journalism played a huge role in drawing America into Cuba’s war for independence. Grace is a sympathetic character as she’s clever, talented, and very passionate about the kinds of stories she wants to write and of course because she’s an underdog in a man’s world.

The other two perspectives provide an intimate look at how badly Cubans were being hurt living under Spanish rule. Eighteen year old Evangelina Cisneros dreams of a free Cuba, and even more so after she is wrongfully imprisoned because she turned down the romantic overtures of a high ranking Spanish officer. When William Hearst hears of her imprisonment and sees a photo of how beautiful she is, he plasters her photo on the front page of his newspaper and uses her as a rallying cry for the U.S. to get involved in the war. What I found most interesting about Evangelina is that Hearst and his people portray her as this delicate flower in need of saving, but when it comes down to it, she writes her own escape plan, complete with diagrams, and has someone on the inside of the prison smuggle it to her would-be rescuers. She’s much tougher and more resourceful than she is portrayed and in her own way is a force to be reckoned with, especially once she gets to New York and starts making speeches on behalf of those in Cuba she has left behind.

The third perspective is that of Marina Perez, and in some ways, I found her perspective the most interesting of all. Marina is a wife and mother, trying to safely raise her child against all odds in a reconcentration camp while her husband is off fighting for Cuba’s independence. In addition to that, however, Marina is also trying to do whatever she can to advance the same cause. She works as a laundry woman and because she has access to so many people, she has become a courier ferrying messages back and forth to help the Cuban revolutionaries. I was captivated my Marina’s story, especially her passion and devotion to both her family and her country. I also thought her relationship with her husband was beautifully portrayed, as they are both sacrificing so much and each just wants the other to come home safely. It was very moving.

If you enjoy beautifully written, well-researched historical fiction that features unforgettable characters, look no further than Chanel Cleeton’s new novel, The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba.

From 1895-1898 the Cuban War of Independence tore the beautiful island apart. Revolutionaries were tortured and killed, their families imprisoned by the Spanish rulers who oppressed even the slightest notion of freedom for the people. Passionately narrated by Evangelina, Marina and Grace - we meet three brave women who refuse to give up their struggle for independence. Beautiful Evangelina is jailed in Havana - first for defending her father and later her own honor against the brutal regime. While Marina’s husband is fighting for freedom she becomes a courier hiding life saving messages within her laundry baskets. And then we meet Grace Harrington. A feisty American socialite in NYC determined to become the next Nellie Bly female journalist. Grace happily sacrifices ballgowns to get caught up in the the battling newspapers of William Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer. These unstoppable women face the harsh reality of war, seedy exchange of politics and newspaper antics that changed the history of countless lives. Inspired by historical events, author Chanel Cleeton once again brings Cuban history to life with unforgettable characters and a lot of googling on my part! More informational and less dramatic than her recent sagas, this well written novel is interesting but not as entertaining.

Another interesting story from Chanel Cleeton. I enjoy how she brings to life different moments in time & I really enjoyed learning more about this period in Cuban history.

This book follows the lives of three women - Evangaline, Marina and Grace. With any story that features different pieces, you’re often drawn to one over the others. For me that was Grace. I am not exactly sure why, but I enjoyed her chapters the most.

For me, Marina and Evangaline didn’t quite feel as engaging. But I still enjoyed reading about their lives and the measures they went to survive in atrocious conditions.

Another historical fiction that I would definitely recommend.

I started with Cleeton’s novel, Next Year in Havana, and have not looked back since. I love how she writes historical fiction and I will continue to read everything she writes. She packs the book with a lot of interesting information but also an engaging storyline.

Cleeton’s latest addition to the Perez family story takes place during the end of the nineteeth century, during the Gilded Age. Cuba is fighting Spain for their independence and newspapers have gained popularity as a main news source. In Cuba, Evangelina Cisneros is an eighteen-year-old revolutionary stuck in a prison. William Randolph Hearst hears about her and decides to help rescue her from prison and exile her to the United States. The Cubans hope her notoriety will entice the US to help them fight Spain and give them their independence.

Once again, Cleeton nails this one out of the park and I am still such a fan of her work. It was incredibly interesting to read about Cuba in a time that wasn’t about Fidel Castro and its communist origins. I also enjoyed reading about the intense competition between Pulitzer and Hearst as they fought to be the best newspaper in New York City. This novel is packed with interesting facts and I can’t wait for it to be out in the world on May 4th!

This is very hard review to write as this was one of my most anticipated books of 2021. The Last Train to Key West was one of my best books of 2020 and I hoped the same for this 2021 release. Unfortunately, I just didn't feel that way. I didn't connect with any of the characters the way I usually do in Cleeton's novels and there was a bit too much backstory and history for me. I also usually appreciate how the two or three perspectives intertwine with each other (think Last Train to Key West) and I didn't find that here. I was disappointed, unfortunately.

I absolutely loved this book. Chanel Cleeton does it again! I'm forever amazed at her ability to weave fiction with true historical elements. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about a new time period in Cuba/USA relations. Add in the fictional elements and character and this was a true gem. Highly recommend!

NetGalley ARC & 3.5 Stars | I love love loved The Last Train To Key West. I was, however, slightly disappointed with The Most Beautiful Girl In Cuba; it's still a great read, though.

The competition between the newspapers, their values, and the importance of the media added depth to the plot. I championed the feminist vibes and romances as well as the socio-economic commentary.

I learned more about Cuban independence from the Spanish. For me, there was too much emphasis and focus on the American reporter's story versus Evangelina's.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with a free advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

You can find the complete review on The Uncorked Librarian here: https://www.theuncorkedlibrarian.com/may-2021-book-releases/

The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba is the fourth novel in Chanel Cleeton’s Cuba Saga series. Inspired by true events, this expertly choreographed instalment follows Grace Harrington, Marina Perez & Evangelina Cisneros in their intertwining narratives during the fight for Cuba’s independence from Spain in the late nineteenth century.

This story feels less like women’s fiction and more like political literature than previous books. While expertly researched, in order to properly articulate the gravity of Cuba’s oppression, the beginning unfolds rather slowly and much like a history lesson. However, the vibrancy and authenticity of the characters is well worth the wait.

Even, or perhaps because of, the heavy subject matter Cleeton always delivers on her strong, inspiring, female heroines. They are as compelling as they are unforgettable.

Thank you to @netgalley and @berkleypub for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Publication date for The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba is May 4th 2021.

I have mixed reactions with Chanel Cleeton's previous books. Historical fiction isn't my favorite and I feel that she doesn't have quite enough romance to hold my attention. I was hoping to enjoy this one more than I did, but I simply feel I'm not the write audience for her works. I do think her writing is beautiful and the storylines are intriguing. DNF

I would probably give this book a 3.5 star rating. I am a huge Cleeton fan, and her books on Cuba are very meaningful to my family, as my mother-in-law escaped from Cuba when Castro came to power. To be honest, the back and forth narratives were a little choppy for me and made it hard to keep up with the suspenseful storyline. Cleeton is an excellent author, and she narrates about important pieces of history. This one just felt a little too choppy for me in its story line.

I love Chanel Cleeton and the Cuba series! This is probably my least favorite in the series. It seemed disjointed due to the switching between characters but the connection came together in the end. I love historical fiction but I LOVED the first two books so I think my expectations were high. I still recommend to anyone who loved the other books!

Another amazing book by Chanel Cleeton! I have read all of Ms. Cleeton's other books about Cuba and I do love her storytelling ability. She gets you hook, line and sinker! Thanks for another great one! Can't wait to add this one to the library!

I’ll have to say that The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba is my favorite book in The Cuba Saga. Written with the same style as the first three books, you cant help but fall in love with the characters, story and especially the setting. As a history teacher, my favorite part about this book was reading about The Gilded Age and the Spanish American War, which are some of the things that I teach. Everything about this book was so wonderful, I wish I could go back and read this book again for the first time.