Next Year in Havana, Chanel Cleeton
Next Year in Havana, Chanel Cleeton
41 Rating(s)
List: $19.95 | Sale: $13.97
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Next Year in Havana

Author: Chanel Cleeton

Narrator: Kyla Garcia, Frankie Corzo

Unabridged: 11 hr 16 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 02/06/2018

Synopsis

After the death of her beloved grandmother, a Cuban American woman travels to Havana, where she discovers the roots of her identity—and unearths a family secret hidden since the revolution.Havana, 1958. The daughter of a sugar baron, nineteen-year-old Elisa Perez is part of Cuba’s high society, where she is largely sheltered from the country’s growing political unrest—until she embarks on a clandestine affair with a passionate revolutionary …Miami, 2017. Freelance writer Marisol Ferrera grew up hearing romantic stories of Cuba from her late grandmother Elisa, who was forced to flee with her family during the revolution. Elisa’s last wish was for Marisol to scatter her ashes in the country of her birth.Arriving in Havana, Marisol comes face-to-face with the contrast of Cuba’s tropical, timeless beauty and its perilous political climate. When more family history comes to light and Marisol finds herself attracted to a man with secrets of his own, she’ll need the lessons of her grandmother’s past to help her understand the true meaning of courage.

About Chanel Cleeton

Chanel Cleeton writes contemporary romances, women’s fiction, and thrillers. She is the author of one stand-alone novel and novels in five series, including six novels in her acclaimed Cuba Saga.

About Kyla Garcia

Kyla Garcia is an AudioFile Earphones Award–winning narrator. Born and raised in Hoboken, New Jersey, she discovered acting at the age of eight when she played Lady Macbeth in a children’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragedy. She made her off-Broadway debut at fifteen when she played Dorothy in Oz: A Twisted Musical. Eleven years after she discovered her passion for acting, she would go on to play Lady Macbeth once again in London at the Globe Theatre, where she studied Shakespeare during her third year at Mason Gross School of the Arts. She received her BFA in acting from Rutgers University.

About Frankie Corzo

Frankie Corzo is a film and voice-over actress and audiobook narrator. She obtained a BA degree in theater studies from Montclair State University.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Miranda on December 09, 2020

"I promised I would never see you again." "So this is good-bye, then?" "No." Elisa Perez, daughter of a sugar baron in Cuba, had a vastly different life from her granddaughter, Marisol Ferrera. Elisa's world is of wealth, and intrigue.Tabloid newspapers and quiet, refined lives. She knows what to e......more

Goodreads review by Angela M on March 14, 2018

I always enjoy knowing an author’s inspiration for a story. In the acknowledgments, which introduce the book, Chanel Cleeeton call this “the book of my heart” and thanks her family for sharing their stories. It wasn’t until I heard her in an interview relating a story that her father told her about......more

Goodreads review by Meredith (Trying to catch up!) on September 02, 2019

3.5 stars Next Year in Havana is a historical family drama/romance told through two timelines in the past and the present about two women struggling to find their identity in a country stricken with political strife and uncertainty. The brave the dangers, meet the loves of their lives, fight for t......more

Goodreads review by Melanie on July 28, 2018

ARC provided by Berkley in exchange for an honest review. “We carry our home with us in our hearts, laden with hope. So much hope.” Next Year in Havana is such an amazing book that had me crying all the happy tears, all the sad tears, and all the in-between tears. I feel like this ownvoice......more

Goodreads review by Canadian Jen on June 12, 2018

I’m a sucker for Cuba. It’s a destination of choice for a number of reasons including its history, its traditions, the people and of course, its coffee. This story takes us through 2 story lines: 1959 and decades later to 2017. With 2 love stories. After Marisol’s grandmother passes, she has been left......more

Quotes

“Narrators Kyla Garcia and Frankie Maria Corzo tag-team a story that spans generations, with the flavors of Cuban food and culture saturating the shared narrative….Taking Elisa’s perspective, Garcia portrays a gently bred Cuban socialite who falls in love with a revolutionary in the shadow of Fidel Castro’s rise to power. From Marisol’s perspective, Corzo describes genuine appreciation for the country of her roots, and for a man she’s falling in love with too quickly to be safe for her continued stay.” AudioFile

“An evocative, passionate story of family loyalty and forbidden love that moves seamlessly between the past and present of Cuba’s turbulent history.” Shelley Noble, New York Times bestselling author

“A sweeping love story and tale of courage and familial and patriotic legacy that spans generations.” Entertainment Weekly

“A beautiful novel that’s full of forbidden passions, family secrets, and a lot of courage and sacrifice. It follows two different generations of women in Cuba…[and] it’s all about love. I can’t wait for y’all to read this one!” Reese Witherspoon, Book Club pick

“The ultimate beach read.” Real Simple

“An immersive family saga of love, hope, and sacrifice and what it means to be Cuban, despite where you were born…Cleeton does an excellent job of bringing both the past and present to life…and Cuba’s terrible past is written about with honesty and grace, which allows for an intimate glimpse into life during the revolution.” Historical Novels Society

“This is not one but two romances about the struggle to balance true love, family, and country. Next Year in Havana reminds us that, while love is complicated and occasionally heartbreaking, it’s always worth the risk.” NPR

“Cleeton uses the stories of Elisa and her granddaughter, Marisol, like a stethoscope to listen to the hearts of those who fight to overthrow a regime, of those who use their grand parlor doors to deafen the sound of political and social upheaval, and those helplessly in love with their homeland and rebel against it…Will enthrall readers until the very end.” RT Book Reviews (4 stars)

“An enticing and wonderful read for lovers of historical fiction and soul-searching journeys.” Library Journal (starred review)

“A love story and an homage to the history of the Cuban people.” Kirkus Reviews

Awards

  • BookPage Top Pick
  • NPR Pick
  • Historical Novels Review Editors’ Choice
  • Reese’s Book Club Pick
  • Amazon.com Bestseller
  • iBooks bestseller
  • Publishers Weekly bestseller
  • BookRiot Pick
  • Society of Voice Arts and Sciences Award
  • Goodreads Choice Awards
  • BuzzFeed Books Pick
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