danielledavids_'s review against another edition
4.0
Overall I enjoyed this book. It had great characters and I learned a lot about Cuban history. I found it quite long and some of the conversations about Cuba were quite drawn out to the point where I was tempted to skip whole paragraphs. Overall though, a really enjoyable read!
sienna3's review against another edition
1.0
reading about the ~bravery~ of not one, but TWO sugar heiresses that did literally nothing but fall in love was exhausting
ptorrens's review against another edition
4.0
I liked reading about Cuban history more than I enjoyed the storyline... while the past of Elisa and Pablo was well fleshed out and seemed more realistic, the present with the one week whirlwind falling in love was a little too convenient for my taste. It reminded me a lot of Before We Were Yours, the same past/present trope with a completely too convenient present set up romance. Insert eye roll. Why does the present woman always have to fall in love? Why can’t she just go on a journey and discover herself??? Sigh.
suvata's review against another edition
4.0
• #ReeseWitherspoon Book Club July 2018 pick
NEXT YEAR IN HAVAVA -or- How Not To Hold A Revolution — This is such a heart-breaking story about what happens when families are torn apart by corrupt governments. Cuba, Havana, Paradise; all destroyed by the Batista/Castro regimes. Most leave, but 50-60 years later, many are still hoping to get their beloved country back.
NEXT YEAR IN HAVAVA -or- How Not To Hold A Revolution — This is such a heart-breaking story about what happens when families are torn apart by corrupt governments. Cuba, Havana, Paradise; all destroyed by the Batista/Castro regimes. Most leave, but 50-60 years later, many are still hoping to get their beloved country back.
esmemazzeo's review against another edition
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
jpwalker's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
bookapotamus's review against another edition
4.0
I finally hopped on the Cuba train and I do not want to get off!
I got to be part of Chanel Cleeton's blog tour for her new release When We Left Cuba, and I HAD to read this one first. Even though they are connected - they totally work as stand alones and are great stories separately - but there are some fantastic Easter eggs and snippets thrown in that are a great tie-ins for fans of both. I highly recommend reading these in order - but you certainly don't have to!
Next Year in Havana follows two women - decades apart. Elisa, back in the 1950's when Cuba first starts showing signs of the revolution. And Marisol, present day - and Elisa's grandaughter - who lives in America, but travels to a "new" Cuba, to scatter her beloved grandmother's ashes after her death.
I loved this book - it's an epic love story, full of history and love for a country at it's worst, and as the political unrest proves more and more dangerous, Elisa's relationship with a revolutionary becomes more dangerous to her and her family as well.
Marisol meanwhile starts to uncover truths about her grandmothers time is this secluded, almost magical country, to all those not born there - and slowly begins to fall in love with the country and fall for a mysterious man herself in the process.
The juxtaposition of the two women's stories - connected by blood, but even further on this journey by country - is a beautiful tale that keeps you enthralled and engaged the whole time.
I got to be part of Chanel Cleeton's blog tour for her new release When We Left Cuba, and I HAD to read this one first. Even though they are connected - they totally work as stand alones and are great stories separately - but there are some fantastic Easter eggs and snippets thrown in that are a great tie-ins for fans of both. I highly recommend reading these in order - but you certainly don't have to!
Next Year in Havana follows two women - decades apart. Elisa, back in the 1950's when Cuba first starts showing signs of the revolution. And Marisol, present day - and Elisa's grandaughter - who lives in America, but travels to a "new" Cuba, to scatter her beloved grandmother's ashes after her death.
I loved this book - it's an epic love story, full of history and love for a country at it's worst, and as the political unrest proves more and more dangerous, Elisa's relationship with a revolutionary becomes more dangerous to her and her family as well.
Marisol meanwhile starts to uncover truths about her grandmothers time is this secluded, almost magical country, to all those not born there - and slowly begins to fall in love with the country and fall for a mysterious man herself in the process.
The juxtaposition of the two women's stories - connected by blood, but even further on this journey by country - is a beautiful tale that keeps you enthralled and engaged the whole time.
musingsbynitika's review against another edition
emotional
informative
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
3.5 stars - decent but disappointing
I really wanted to love this book, but it kept falling flat at places where it could have really soared. I wanted to love Cuba like the characters did, and maybe I would have been more moved if I was able to connect more with Marisol's character.
Honestly, I couldn't really feel the romance with Marisol and Luis' story in the same way as I did with the older generation. I loved Elisa and even the few glimpses we get of Beatriz (which makes me want to read book 2 about her).
I really wanted to love this book, but it kept falling flat at places where it could have really soared. I wanted to love Cuba like the characters did, and maybe I would have been more moved if I was able to connect more with Marisol's character.
Honestly, I couldn't really feel the romance with Marisol and Luis' story in the same way as I did with the older generation. I loved Elisa and even the few glimpses we get of Beatriz (which makes me want to read book 2 about her).
suzieqreads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.75