Chanel Cleeton’s books tend to focus on Cuban families forced to flee the political turmoil of their homeland, and I have loved and recommended several of them.
So when I was approved by NetGalley to receive a download of her newest book, The Cuban Heiress, in exchange for an honest review, I wanted to shout out in joy! As a bookblogger, we can request early access to certain books but because I have a smaller blog, I don’t always get all the books I request.
Although this new book isn’t my favorite of her books (and I will note my favorites below), it was a solid, entertaining read, and I recommend it!
The Cuban Heiress is set in 1934, mostly on a cruise ship called the Morro Castle that sails back and forth between New York and Havana.
Having just been on a cruise myself, I enjoyed the glamour, fine dining, and vacation vibes during the first part of the book.
But the voyage quickly turns concerning, as told from two different women’s points of view.
Catherine is traveling with her new fiancé and his daughter on a vacation to celebrate their engagement although she doesn’t seem too happy about the engagement. The second main character, Elena, is a stowaway and seemingly up to something sinister as she travels back to her homeland of Cuba.
These two women keeping secrets while sailing at sea, surrounded by thieves and maybe even killers!
One of the reasons I liked this book is because the Morro Castle was a real ship! I’m embarrassed to write I hadn’t heard about this ship before. If you are not familiar with the ship’s history, don’t look it up before reading the book!
While the setting is true to the time period, the characters and storyline are fiction, and this story reads much more like a domestic thriller than her other books have. It was an enjoyable read, perfect for a weekend or an upcoming vacation!
Here are my favorite Chanel Cleeton books:
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to review this new book in exchange for this review.