Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton

Dear blog,
I recently finished listening to Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton on Audible. I was actually able to listen to the book for free on a 30 day free trial. I checked the public library first, but they didn't have it so I decided to try audible. I usually prefer a physical book because I love the smell and feel of them. It also helps with my struggle to understand English since its my second language, not my native language. I find it difficult to focus when someone else is reading and I can't follow along. Also, as the mother of two toddlers, I really enjoy the me time of reading books, but this free trial allowed me to listen to the book during our very long drive to Florida for vacation. I would go for a walk/run and I was able to listen to about an hour of the book a day. I'm looking forward to reading When We Left Cuba which is expected to release in February of 2019.

I'm a sucker for a good romance novel and this was just perfect. I loved the story and I loved learning more about my homeland. I found myself asking my parents about the history of Cuba as I would learn the events in the story; it was very eye opening. I'm so blessed to call America home. I thank God everyday for my children being American too. Yes, I love my home, but it was a horrible place to live. I get so mad when I hear people talk about how great Cubans have it or how anyone living under communism/socialism has it. My family risked everything to get away from that evil and we never want it to follow us here to the land of the free. As I listened to the story, I was able to picture myself there, Chanel did such a wonderful job of capturing the true spirit of a Cuban, it was absolutely amazing. The book went back and forth between Marisol's and her grandmother's (Elisa) story. Elisa and her family lived in Cuba during Batista's reign, but they fled Cuba when Fidel and the communists rose to power. Marisol, travels to Cuba to spread her grandmother's ashes and to learn more about the country that her grandmother loved so much. While she is in Cuba she learns new things about her family. She also meets someone of her own, whom she does not want to leave behind. And I'm not going to say more because you need to read it for yourself and find out.

I lived in Cuba for 9 years after I was born, there was so much of Cuba that I didn't get to see. If I did see it, I don't remember it and have to trust my parents when they tell me I did. According to my parents they took me to Havana, I actually don't remember any of it :(. This book talked about some of the places that I look forward visiting when I do go to Cuba. I have family there so I do plan to go one day. Some of the examples of places I want to visit are; Hotel Nacional de Cuba, El Malecon, El Floridita, La Bodeguita del Medio, and Paseo del Prado. I'm hoping to visit Cuba when my family is able to take a cruise; many different cruise lines stop in Havana now. Norwegian Cruise Lines is looking like my cruise of choice. Well, actually, Disney is always my first choice, but we can't afford them right now. We can't actually afford Norwegian yet either, but we are closer to getting that cruise than Disney. Maybe I can write a blog about our cruise experience next summer for you guys to read. Let me know what cruise experiences you guys have had, or which cruise lines you use.

Now, if you are a busy mom or just busy, I recommend audible. If you love a good romance novel, I highly recommend this one and I'm sure the other book will be just as good. This will be the best read for this summer!

Have a blessed day:)