Thank you, Berkley Publishing, for the gifted copy of Our Last Days in Barcelona {partner}

Genre: Historical Fiction
Time: 1937 & 1964
Format: 📖
Pub Date: 5.24.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆.5

Summary:

“When Isabel Perez travels to Barcelona to save her sister Beatriz, she discovers a shocking family secret in New York Times bestselling author Chanel Cleeton’s new novel.

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.”

Book Review:

“I never considered myself one for travel, always thought I would be happiest putting down roots, but the more I see of the world, the more I meet people, the more I am curious about what else is out there.”

I love the history Cleeton packs into her books. With every book she writes, there is more added to the story of the Perez sisters. Somehow, I missed reading When We Left Cuba, and I just finished it last month. It was honestly perfect timing as Our Last Days in Barcelona felt like a continuation of the story but from the perspective of Isabel Perez.

I’m not going to lie, I did get confused about who is who and all the character connections, but Cleeton was kind enough to provide a family tree at the back of the book. So, make sure to tab that section for easy access while reading.

The character connections with OLDB were magnificent, and I found myself marveling at how Cleeton carefully introduced a character in 1937 and then revealed them again in 1964. I can’t imagine the character map that must have been drawn to keep everyone straight

I especially loved this book as it felt like the story of Isabel and Alicia came full circle. While reading, I kept marveling at how very similar the lives of mother and daughter were. The final few chapters had my wiping away tears of sadness as everything came to a close. But nevertheless, Cleeton prevailed and left me with tears of happiness when the final connection was revealed. It was truly perfect, and I can’t imagine ending the book in any other way.

If you are a lover of complicated family dynamics, beautiful destinations, and historical stories, I suggest adding Our Last Days in Barcelona to your reading list. I might even suggest reading When We Left Cuba before OLDB.

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BOOK INFO
Format: 320 pages, Paperback
Published: May 2022 by Berkley
ISBN 9780593197820 (ISBN10: 0593197828)
Free review copy provided by publisher, Berkley , in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.