"Next Year in Havana" by Chanel Cleeton

I don't know why I waited so long to pick up this book. I've had it on my shelf at least for a couple of years. If you have Audible, it is included with your membership (you do not need to spend a credit to buy the book). So earlier this month, I decided to listen to it, and I was immediately sucked in by the story and beautiful storytelling. In the novel, we follow Marisol who travels to Cuba with her grandmothers ashes. While there, she starts unraveling family secrets and a love story that her grandmother had kept hidden for over 50 years. 

The book follows a dual timeline: we switch between Marisol's story in the present-day Havana, and that of Elisa, Marisol's grandmother in 1959, as Fidel Castro was about to take over Cuba. The book has two beautiful love stories and gorgeous descriptions of Havana and the Cuban culture. It also examines the violent events that took place in Cuba in 1959, their effects on Cubans, issues of immigration and one's identity; what it means to be a patriot of one's country and the best way to serve it. Ultimately, it is a love song to Cuba, or the idea of Cuba that those who left it and even those who have never set foot there cherish while living far from it. Fittingly, the phrase taken for the title of the book "Next Year in Havana" is the toast Cuban-Americans use on Christmas and New Year's Eve. It represent the yearning not just for the lost homeland but also for the way of life that is no more. I really enjoyed this book and will plan on reading more from this author soon. 5 out of 5 stars.