I love this authors voice. Each book paints such a vivid picture. This novella is beautifully written and goes down very easy.

A beautiful love story. A magical night, full of memories that lasted a lifetime. As much as I enjoyed this short story I feel that the author could have done so much more with it. This would have been an even better novel, given a few more details and life happenings. Overall I did like it.

If you appreciate Chanel Cleeton or have ever dreamed of visiting Havana's renowned Tropicana, then this little novella is for you.

The story starts in the present day. Natalie, a doctor, has been part of planning a fundraiser in Miami. They have recreated the famous Tropicana for the event to appeal to the Cuban immigrants in the area. Just being there, the sights and sounds and smells, take Natalie back to....

1939. Havana. Natalie and her family are on vacation in Havana when and experience opening night in all it's historical wonder. For Natalie, however, it is just the backdrop to a romance that will sweep her off her feet. As is Cleeton's style, bits of Cuban history are smattered throughout and the story is speckled with the sights and sounds of the culture. It really is beautiful culturally even as she explores the thrilling nature of first love, rebellion and teenage impulsiveness. I'm not normally a fan of love at first sight, but the romance in this one is really quite captivating.

I didn't even mind when things wrapped up all neat and tidy with a bow at the end. I was actually hoping for it.

The fact that I fell in love with these characters in only 40 pages was so impressive. I love a good short story + this one was swoon worthy! I loved the Cuban representation + think this definitely one of my favorites of the amazon originals.

I cannot rave enough about Chanel Cleeton's books. I loved this novella as much as all her other books. It gave me the perfect taste of Cuba and the romance that makes you swoon. Highly recommend reading this book!

This was a wonderfully done novella, I enjoyed how good the use of Havana worked overall. The characters felt like they belonged in the setting. Chanel Cleeton does a fantastic job in writing this and left me wanting to read more.

Such a great short story! I love the way you write and hope to read more from you soon... it would be awesome if this had a sequel. I would like to know what happens next (but that's just me being annoyingly curious).

1939: Natalie Trainer’s mother always wanted her daughters to learn about their Cuban heritage. So, while on break from college in Miami, her parents take her and her sister to Havana for vacation. On their last night in Cuba, they get all dressed up for the Tropicana’s opening night. Feeling somewhat out of place amidst the glitz and glamour of the nightclub, Natalie shockingly finds herself dancing (badly) with a handsome stranger named Antonio.

1969: Natalie now a doctor, finds her future isn’t as she had planned. Though she did everything right, becoming a doctor when few women dared, while also raising two children, her husband still left her. Not one for parties, Natalie finds herself in charge of a rather large one, a fundraiser for her hospital. The big soirée’s theme is all about Havana’s most popular nightclub, and the evening takes her back to that fateful night all those years ago.

Though short in length, Chanel Cleeton’s story is filled with Cuban history and the Cuban culture in south Florida. If you are in the mood for a short historical romance, A Night at the Tropicana should fill your cup. Though I liked it, the brevity of the tale left me wanting a more.

Chanel Cleeton is one of my all time favorite authors and this one did not disappoint. Quick, insta-love story with everything I love about Chanel Cleeton’s stories. I have noticed lately there is a trend of novellas/short stories being released and I am here for it

A cute romantic short story that I didn't want to put down! I've only read 1 other Chanel Cleeton novel and this one made me want to finish reading her others!

Thanks Net Galley for the e-ARC!

Set in Cuba in 1939 and University Student, Natalie, is visiting from Miami. With her family she attends the opening night of the Tropicana Nightclub where she meets Antonio and there is an instant mutual attraction. However fate intervenes and there seems no chance that they will meet again.

This is a romantic short story with a very interesting setting and some intriguing historical facts. Well worth reading.

A lovely short story written with 1930s Cuba as the backdrop. With a flashback to the 1930s, we re-live Natalie's trip to Cuba and the Tropicana where she is asked to dance by Antonio. Will this one dance change the course of Natalie's life? Check it out in this short story! Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for an advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

A Night At The Tropicana is a dual-timeline short story by one of my favorite authors, Chanel Cleeton. The two timelines are: Miami, Florida in 1969 and Havana, Cuba in 1939.

In 1969, Natalie is a doctor in Miami and has been working on a fundraising event, recalling a magical night she spent in Havana 30 years before.

Natalie, whose grandparents emigrated from Cuba to Florida decades before she was born, was on a family trip to Cuba in 1939 when she was an 18-year-old college student. She wanted to become a doctor, which was pretty hard for a woman back then. Her family got the opportunity to go to the opening celebration at a new nightspot in Havana, The Tropicana, on their last night in Cuba. On that magical night, Natalie met another medical student, a young man named Antonio.

You’ll have to read the story to see how things turn out!

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this story. All opinions are my own.

4.25⭐

Sweet, heart warming, and a beautiful quick love story to Cuba. Everything I love in a Chanel Celeron story. We have all had that one magical night that leaves us wondering "what if" and Chanel makes it a wonderfully glamorous night.

This is a sweet romance about first loves and second chances. It’s also about the expectations carried by children of immigrants, the sense of loss and community in the diaspora, and the nostalgia that is felt across all time. While I liked this short story, I probably wouldn’t read a novel in this style. It was very much tell rather than show, which isn’t my preference.

Pub date: 10/1/23
Genre: historical fiction, romance
Quick summary: One night in 1939 Havana brings magic for Natalie and Antonio - will this be forever or just a night to remember?

I love how Chanel Cleeton captures the beauty and the energy of Cuba, and the atmosphere is evident even in this short story, If you struggle with historical fiction due to the length of the books or you're looking for a quick palate cleanser in between reads, this is a good choice! I found myself swept away in this story of insta-love.

Thank you to Amazon Original Stories for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A very quick romantic read. I enjoyed reading annoy a night at the Tropicana and how elaborate and romantic the setting was, I wish the story were longer and more detailed.

I absolutely loved this! The story was short and sweet but extremely beautiful and very well done. It is definitely worth the read if you are a sucker for romance about the one that got away.

Thank you NetGalley for my e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

An interesting novella


A night at the Tropicana is a short story about a tired, recently divorced woman with immigrant parents, celebrating her heritage and finding love in club Tropicana. It's hard to discuss this book without spoiling it due to the shortness of it.

I really enjoyed the books vibes and discussions of Cuban heritage and culture however due to the first 20 pages being hard to get into for me I had to tone down my rating

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Even though this novella is only 41 pages, it is well worth the read and shows that true love stands the test of time.

Perfect to read as a "pallet cleanser" or when you need something short and sweet. Recommended!