First word that comes to mind when describing “Our Last Days in Barcelona” by Chanel Cleeton is “Wow!” I finished the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of this book about a week ago, and since then I’ve been thinking about how to captivate just how amazing it was. There’s no doubt that Cleeton has done it again!

If you’ve been around here for a while, you know that we are huge fans of Chanel Cleeton and have often picked her books as our book club picks. I’ve read all of her books and collect signed copies of them all—I guess you can say I’m a fan. I didn’t think I’d love a book more than “Next Year in Havana”—the first book depicting the Perez family. Since then, I’ve loved all of them, but “Last Train to Key West” became my second favorite, depicting Henry Flagler’s construction of the Overseas Railroad and a deadly hurricane heading to the island over Labor Day Weekend. The women in “The Last Train to Key West” showed such strength and resilience that they instantly captivated me.

But, I have to say that “Our Last Days in Barcelona” has moved in to my #2 spot now. I can’t say enough good things about this book, which will be released on May 24th. This novel tells the story of the third Perez sister, Isabel during the 1960s. However, Isabel isn’t the only main character whose story is more deeply revealed in this novel. We also get to know Alicia, the matriarch of the Perez family and Isabel, Beatriz, Elisa, Maria, and Alejandro’s mom a lot better. We get to learn more about her early married life, and a trip she took to Spain in 1935 during the Spanish Civil War. Rosa Ortega, cousin of Alicia, is also introduced in this novel as she and Alicia showcase what life was like in 1960s. Alicia’s story will surprise you. But the stories of the two cousins will depict what marriage was like in the 1960s, the expectations Cuban families put on the women, and how they paved their own path one way or another.

In “Our Last Days in Barcelona” Isabel leaves West Palm Beach, and her husband, to search for Beatriz, who she has not heard from in a while. Though the two sisters are in a bit of a rift as the story beings (and where their relationship left off in “When We Left Cuba,” their relationship transforms throughout the book. But, that’s not the only transformation that takes place. During her time in Barcelona, Isabel becomes a bit more adventurous and gets to know herself, her dreams, desires, and passions more than she has ever allowed herself to in the past. Isabel has been a character who has put her family’s needs before her own throughout the Perez family story line, and in this novel she begins to explore more of herself.

Family secrets will be unveiled, while the family’s and society’s expectations are challenged.

The biggest perk for me was getting to visit with the other Perez sisters and learn a little more about what they’re up to. Though they’re not main characters in this story line, it was fun to get to hear from them throughout the novel, especially Elisa who started our love for the Perez women.


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What an amazing book! I've heard a lot about the author and have some of her Perez stories on my Kindle, but this was my first read...and I was not disappointed.

Chanel Cleeton's writing is a pure work of art. The beauty of her writing. At times I wished I had read the other books first, to know more about the characters, but that didn't stop me from enjoying this book. Now to read the previous books!

Thank you to Berkley, Penguin, and NetGalley.

Chanel Cleeton is my queen of historical fiction. She never disappoints and is a go to when someone is looking for a recommendation. This book is the same quality as her previously adored books. I am just waiting for a day when I see that they are making these into movies or mini series.

4 out of 5 stars - If you ask me, I'll tell you to read it.

I really enjoyed the 2 period timeline and how they converged. I also learned a lot about the Cuban Revolution in the 60s, as well as the Spanish Coup in the 30s.

In 1964 the eldest daughter, Isabel Perez, travels from Palm Beach to Barcelona. She is searching for Beatriz, her sister whom they have not recently heard from. Always the rebel, Beatriz was recently involved in mysterious work with the CIA. The sisters fear the worst. After arriving, Isabel finds her apartment empty and the door ajar. Minutes later a terrified Isabel has a visitor. A handsome stranger named Diego offers assistance to help. Isabel quickly finds herself searching for more than her beloved sister as she is drowning in her loveless marriage and a bleak future with a man that does not understand her. In 1936, Alicia Perez, Isabel’s mother also traveled to Barcelona, running from her own crumbling union. As Spain explodes with fascism and violence Alicia debates whether she should return to Cuba and realistically faces what kind of happiness a woman can expect. She spends months with her parents and reunites with a man from her past while contemplating her daughter’s future and her own. As history and the present connect these strong, brave women must finally learn to follow their hearts. #5 in the Perez series, these novels are filled with captivating history, culture and family drama.

Isabel Perez goes to Barcelona because she’s worried about her sister Beatriz, who has a habit of getting herself into hot water. But what she finds just creates more questions than answers…about her family, about their relationship, about herself.

The story has split timelines and multiple points of view, so you also get to learn about Isabel’s mother’s time in Barcelona in 1936, as the country is breaking out into civil war, which opens up a whole other set of secrets.

I liked the story quite a lot, getting to know the sisters more as the book progressed, and learning more about Cuban and Spanish history. I did find that the story dragged a bit in the middle and got a little repetitive, and I found a lot of the dialogue to be quite clunky, but it finished strong and I’d definitely recommend it if you’re a historical fiction fan.

There’s an element of romance that runs through the story as well, but the main themes are family, in particular the relationship between sisters, and your sense of ‘home’.

I did not realize that Our Last Days in Barcelona by Chanel Cleeton was part of a series. Though it can totally be read as a stand-alone. I think reading the previous 4(?) books would give you a little more back history on the Perez family and help you keep everyone in order. The story goes back and forth from 1936 and 1964 and a shocking family secret is discovered. I think I'd rate this higher if I had read the previous books but all in all, it was a good story.

Atmospheric historical romance! Loved these characters and the setting. Also love a dual timeline and that I always learn some history in a Chanel Cleeton novel!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an e ARC of this book.
I didn't realize that this is the third in a series. My enjoyment would have been improved had I read the previous books. That said though the book often lagged, it was still an entertaining read. Interesting characters engaged me.

My mistake in requesting this. I didn't realize it was the third book in a series. I did read the first book after Reese Witherspoon promoted it. I liked it, didn't love it. Looked into the second book and really didn't want to read that one so this will probably go unread on my end. I will try to be more careful in my requests in the future.

I have read all the books in this companion series, and each book continues to keep me so engaged in the history of this family! This book may be my least favorite of the books, however, I still thoroughly enjoyed it! I could not put it down and read it all in one sitting. I would recommend all of Chanel Cleeton's books to anyone who loves to read historical fiction and to however enjoys family stories

I read and loved Next Year in Havana, so I was looking forward to this book.

This book, while I thought it was good, just didn’t seem to resonate as much with me.

The story takes place in two different times - Barcelona in 1936 and Barcelona in 1964. In 1936, Isabel is in Barcelona as an infant with her mother. In 1964, she is headed back to Barcelona to look for her sister Beatriz.

As soon as she get is in Barcelona to look for her sister, she meets a handsome stranger, a friend or colleague of her sister’s who helps her look for her sister. While she’s looking for her sister, she’s also uncovering family secrets.

You get a little of everything with this book: history, romance, family drama. I feel though that it was a bit light, I would have appreciated a deeper dive, but if you’ve read her other books (and you should) this is definitely one to check out. I received an ARC of the book.

Chanel Cleeton can write the heck out of a historical fiction. Just WOW. Full of suspense, drama, family secrets, intrigue and romance- this story follows the stories of sisters Isabel and Beatriz Perez in 1964 Barcelona and their mother Alicia in 1936 Barcelona. It’s a breathtaking story of how these women bound by blood and separated by a generation search for their own independence, purpose and happiness in the vibrant city of Barcelona amidst turbulent political backdrops.

She interweaves elements of history, espionage, diplomacy and women’s rights to transport her readers back in time. I have always loved learning about real historical events by reading historical fiction...I’m able to empathize with the characters and feel what it must have been like for real people to experience such poignant and critical moments in history. I especially love reading about women’s perspectives which I think often are missing from our history books and can add another important view.

This book both entertained me and educated me- I highly recommend it as well as ALL her other historical fiction books. Thank you so much to berkley pub + netgalley for the advanced reader copy!

I was really excited to dive back into the world of the Perez Family! I really enjoyed getting to know even more about the sisters and their family and the epilogue was so great! It seemed a little slow in the middle and I did get a bit bored, but all in all it was an entertaining read. Thank you netgalley for my free review copy.

Chanel is back!! I enjoyed reading about the Perez sisters again. Felt some part took a little long but absolutely loved how it all wrapped up and came full circle.

A compelling novel about sisterhood, mother-daughter relationships, and family secrets. Isabel is searching for her sister in Barcelona when she discovers a shocking truth about her family. Told in alternating timelines—from the perspectives of Isabel Perez in 1964 and her mother, Alicia Perez in 1936 — the past and present collide as a mother and daughter are forced to choose between their family's expectations and following their hearts.

Cleeton writes with a clear and engaging style, bringing the historical settings to life and creating complex and sympathetic characters. Our Last Days in Barcelona is a powerful and atmospheric novel that explores the power of family, love, and forgiveness. With its fast-paced plot and richly drawn characters, Cleeton delivers another great novel that will keep readers engaged from beginning to end.

Cleeton is one of my favorite authors, one who writes with so much emotion and fills the stories with historical events relating to Cuba. This book is set in two timelines, the 1930’s with Alicia Perez, the matriarch of the Perez sisters, and 1964 with Isabel, the eldest of the four sisters. The passion for Cuba inherent in the books about the Perez sisters give the books their depth. Isabel goes to Barcelona to find Beatriz, who is involved in sensitive political issues since the family left Cuba in exile. Isabel married not for love, but to position her family in the United States. Alicia’s story informs the reader of the efforts of many Cubans during Spain’s war between the Republicans and the Nationalists. Alicia was escaping her marriage, bringing her daughter Isabel to Spain with her. The stories weave together beautifully, as the evolving nature of a woman’s place in the world is evident. I highly recommend this book. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Review will be posted on 7/1/22

The year is 1964 and if you've read Cleeton's other novels, you know the Perez family is in Florida, away from their beloved home in Cuba, thanks to the Castro's revolution. While they have started new lives in Florida, they can't deny how Cuba still calls to them. Isabel, the oldest Perez daughter, travels to Barcelona, because she is worried about her sister, Beatriz. She hasn't heard from her and Isabel worries that she has tangled herself up in something dangerous. While searching for Beatriz in Barcelona, Isabel comes across a very curious photo of their mother, Alicia, with a young Isabel, and a strange man in Barcelona. How can this be? Jump back to 1936, Cleeton takes us to Spain when Alicia visited after she found out her husband was cheating on her. While in Spain, Alicia reconnects with a former love and there's much more family drama enroute. Chanel Cleeton's Our Last Days in Barcelona is another great addition to the Perez family story. While it wasn't my favorite in the series, it was definitely an engaging historical tale.

Isabel is a character you immediately are drawn to in Our Last Days in Barcelona. How could you not feel for her as she sister has pretty much vanished and it's up to her to get some answers. Thanks to Beatriz's friend, Diego, Isabel has some leads. What was Beatriz up to in Spain? Was she working with the CIA and more importantly, did her being in Spain have something to do with the picture Isabel found of their mother in Spain with an unknown man?

Cleeton then fills in the blanks by taking us back to Spain in 1936 with their mother, Alicia, who is visiting her sister who finds herself pregnant and unmarried. The Perez women have a strong sense of duty to their families and have more in common than initially thought. The Perez women, although separated by many years, have to deal with war and lives being torn about; in turn, it has caused them to be extremely brave and resilient. I liked Alicia's story and learning more about what brought her to Spain, what Spain was like before war broke out, and how she was going to help her sister who was most definitely in a jam.

What I like most about Our Last Days in Barcelona is Cleeton's ability to bring the time periods to life so well. Whether it be in Cuba, Spain, or Palm Beach, Cleeton brings the setting to life as well as the politics, but without it being too heavy. Spain was on the brink of war during Alicia's visit and Cleeton was able to highlight that well and really set the stage. Lastly, I really enjoyed the espionage parts of this story as well as the unearthing of family secrets and how that impact's Isabel's life in 1960s.

Even though this wasn't my favorite of Cleeton's novels, I think her fans will still enjoy Our Last Days in Barcelona and appreciate this mother/daughter story complete with politics, espionage, romance, and adventure. I look forward to reading the next installment in the Perez family's saga.

So, are you a fan of Cleeton's novels? Is Our Last Days in Barcelona on your TBR list? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

This was a delightful continuation of the characters in the story of Next Year In Havana. In true Chanel style, she captures what it is to be a Cuban immigrant as well as strong feminist sentiment. I love the back-and-forth of historical story lines. Chanel continues to put out amazing work.

Chanel Cleeton is a favorite, auto buy author for me. I picked this for my book club and unfortunately it fell flat compared to her other works. In previous books there was more emphasis on the historical components and I didn't see that in this one - more so just the love story. That being said, I already can't wait to read whatever she comes up with next.