Barcelona, 1964. Exiled from Cuba after the revolution, Isabel Perez has learned to guard her heart and protect her family at all costs. After Isabel’s sister Beatriz disappears in Barcelona, Isabel goes to Spain in search of her. Joining forces with an unlikely ally thrusts Isabel into her sister’s dangerous world of espionage, but it’s an unearthed piece of family history that transforms Isabel’s life.
Barcelona, 1936. Alicia Perez arrives in Barcelona after a difficult voyage from Cuba, her marriage in jeopardy and her young daughter Isabel in tow. Violence brews in Spain, the country on the brink of civil war, the rise of fascism threatening the world. When Cubans journey to Spain to join the International Brigades, Alicia’s past comes back to haunt her as she is unexpectedly reunited with the man who once held her heart.
Alicia and Isabel’s lives intertwine, and the past and present collide, as a mother and daughter are forced to choose between their family’s expectations and following their hearts.
Our Last Days in Barcelona is only the second book I’ve read by Chanel Cleeton, but if I was smitten before then I am head over heels now! The Perez sisters are back, but this time we get to hear Isabel’s story in 1961, as well as two members of her family in 1936, in this dual timeline. I have to admit that I had to get my bearings every time I picked up this novel, sometimes confusing the characters at first, but once I was settled I got lost in the narrative.
The picturesque descriptions of Barcelona and Cuba transports you to a unique time and place that many of us are not familiar with. I respected each heroine in this story, their tenacity and passion verberating through the pages. The wind of change and sense of adventure and mystery were intoxicating, and I felt a sense of wistfulness when the story ended.
I will say I am in the minority as far as the ending goes, especially when it comes to Isabel’s story. I am not one for spoilers, so I can’t give my opinion without giving some of the story away, but I will say that I did not dig it at all, and wasn’t too enamored by her storyline overall, but preferred the side story more, and the trip back to 1936.
Despite my distaste for some aspects of Isabel’s tale overall I enjoyed this novel. I love how the author has such a talent for putting you in the minds of these characters, feeling what they feel, and seeing what they see. There is never a doubt as to their motivations and what centers them. I appreciate this character-driven narrative and cannot wait to get my hands on her next novel.
Chanel Cleeton is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick Next Year in Havana, When We Left Cuba, The Last Train to Key West, and The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba. Originally from Florida, Chanel grew up on stories of her family's exodus from Cuba following the events of the Cuban Revolution. Her passion for politics and history continued during her years spent studying in England where she earned a bachelor's degree in International Relations from Richmond, The American International University in London and a master's degree in Global Politics from the London School of Economics & Political Science. Chanel also received her Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law. She loves to travel and has lived in the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia.
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