I’ve been so excited to tell you about this book I just read: When We Left Cuba by Chanel Cleeton.

This book is a sequel to one I read and loved last year: Next Year in Havana.

This work of historical fiction is told from the perspective of Beatriz Perez, who fled Cuba with her family when Fidel took power (their exile is covered in the first book).

“It’s been nearly a year since we left Cuba for what was supposed to be a few months away until the world realized what Fidel Castro had done to our island, and American has welcomed us into her loving embrace – almost.”

Now living in Miami, the rest of her family is trying their best to assimilate, but Beatrice yearns for her homeland and decides to risk everything to save it.

The book I just finished, Lost Roses: A Novel, is getting a lot of attention as the prequel to Lilac Girls, both by Martha Hall Kelly. Thanks to NetGalley I got access to this book in advance, and I’m ready to tell you more about it.

I liked this book though I had a couple of issues with it. Perhaps my expectations going in were a bit off, so I hope to help out with that in this post (for your future enjoyment). I do think it’s worth reading!