I buddy read When We Left Cuba by Chanel Cleeton with my bookstagram friend Stephanie, and I enjoyed this book so much! I love a good buddy read because it gives me someone to bounce my book ideas off of, especially when we're at the same point in the book.
Format: Paperback
Genre: Historical Fiction
Page Length: 368 pages
Publisher: Berkley (April 2, 2019)
Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Mr. Darcy‘s Rating: “You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”
A Chasing Mr. Darcy Review
Here’s a plot synopsis from GoodReads: The Cuban Revolution took everything from sugar heiress Beatriz Perez--her family, her people, her country. Recruited by the CIA to infiltrate Fidel Castro's inner circle and pulled into the dangerous world of espionage, Beatriz is consumed by her quest for revenge and her desire to reclaim the life she lost. As the Cold War swells like a hurricane over the shores of the Florida Strait, Beatriz is caught between the clash of Cuban American politics and the perils of a forbidden affair with a powerful man driven by ambitions of his own. When the ever-changing tides of history threaten everything she has fought for, she must make a choice between her past and future--but the wrong move could cost Beatriz everything--not just the island she loves, but also the man who has stolen her heart..
The first book in this "series," Next Year in Havana, is probably one of my favorite books of 2021. So, to say I was excited about Beatriz's story is an understatement. This book pulled me in from the beginning much like Next Year in Havana did. WWLC is a more linear tale, though, as it mostly follows Beatriz's story from the time she and her family arrive in America to present day. It has some moments where the timeline blips to the present, but for the most part, it stays true to a linear historical fiction narrative.
First off, Beatriz is a bad ass. She's the black sheep in her family, and she is also probably the. most affected by Alejandro's death in book one. She's driven to action, for revenge, for retribution...for something to take away the feelings she has inside of her. When she meets Nick Preston, a prestigious senator and much older, dreamy man at a party, her life is irrevocably changed. For much of the story, Beatriz is pulled between her past and her present, and her decisions determine her future.
I was torn for Beatriz for much of the story. I wanted her to get the closure she needed for Alejandro's death, but I also wanted her to have a happy ending. It took me halfway through the book to realize that my idea of a happy ending for Beatriz was NOT what Beatriz might want. She wanted opportunities for adventure, for education...all the things her parents didn't want to give her. Love was the last thing on her mind, at least right now. All that being said, though, I don't care. I yearned for her and Nick to have their happy ending because they were so clearly perfect for each other. I didn't really like Eduardo from the beginning, and I didn't trust him, either (and, with good reason!!). Nick and Beatriz were fated mates, if you will, and I yearned for them to be together.
I also yearned for Beatriz to get fulfillment, though, and the fact that her fulfillment involved returning to Cuba gave me severe anxiety. I was scared for her during her entire trip back home, and I wasn't content until she was back on American soil. I don't want to give too much away, but the betrayal at the end of the story really hurt. I was a bit blindsided by it while at the same time expecting it.
I will say, though, the ending gave me everything I wanted for Beatriz and for Nick. Life is about the journey, not always the destination, but I also believe that if you're destined to journey with someone, you'll wind up at the same destination eventually. Beatriz had an interesting, evocative, adventurous life, and she was self-sufficient. She accomplished her biggest goals, and love, for her, was the icing on the cake. She loved Nick her whole adult life, sometimes up close and sometimes from a distance. He loved her, too, but they had to be apart to accomplish their individual goals. The ending, though...ugh, be still my heart. There's just something so settling about seeing two people fated to be together get there eventually.
I loved this book, although not quite as much as Next Year in Havana. I felt like the ending in parts was a bit rushed and poorly edited, but otherwise, this book gave me everything I wanted in Beatriz's story. I can't wait to read more about the Perez family!
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