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spatterson12's review
5.0
I will always read this family of characters from Chanel Cleeton.
At first, this felt like a 4, but the final page got us to that 5. She just knows how to tell a story and keep me invested, all while introducing parts of history I’m not as familiar with or was unaware of. Learning about Cuba, and its relationship with Spain and the United States, and the experiences of the people in the throes of it is so eye opening. Cleeton does an excellent job of balancing the information in a way where it’s not overwhelming, but also not where she’s glossing over it at too high of a level that you’re like “was this even real or just for the story?”
As predicted, I love that this one has alternating timelines.
First timeline features Isabel in the '60s, recently married but catching wind that her sister Beatriz is missing in Spain. Even though Beatriz and her have had their differences, Isabel puts family before everything else and heads overseas to search for her sister.
The second timeline is in the '30s, featuring their mother Alicia having ran to Spain with baby Isabel. Alicia’s husband had cheated on her, so she went to her family to think about her future. This timeline also offers Rosa’s perspective, Alicia’s cousin, who is recently widowed and starting to learn the truth about her husband, as well as her independence.
At first, this felt like a 4, but the final page got us to that 5. She just knows how to tell a story and keep me invested, all while introducing parts of history I’m not as familiar with or was unaware of. Learning about Cuba, and its relationship with Spain and the United States, and the experiences of the people in the throes of it is so eye opening. Cleeton does an excellent job of balancing the information in a way where it’s not overwhelming, but also not where she’s glossing over it at too high of a level that you’re like “was this even real or just for the story?”
As predicted, I love that this one has alternating timelines.
First timeline features Isabel in the '60s, recently married but catching wind that her sister Beatriz is missing in Spain. Even though Beatriz and her have had their differences, Isabel puts family before everything else and heads overseas to search for her sister.
The second timeline is in the '30s, featuring their mother Alicia having ran to Spain with baby Isabel. Alicia’s husband had cheated on her, so she went to her family to think about her future. This timeline also offers Rosa’s perspective, Alicia’s cousin, who is recently widowed and starting to learn the truth about her husband, as well as her independence.
sambam1706's review
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
dlc0009's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
kateyt's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.25
v_hankins's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
roseleaf24's review
4.0
I loved being with these characters again, though I did find the two storylines a bit confusing. I want a story now from Emilio's perspective! He's such a presence, without ever really being on the page. I loved Isabel's story, and I appreciated seeing Alicia's back story.
parryc216's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
mary00's review
4.0
I have not read the other books in this series, so there were a few times that I felt like I was missing some information, but I enjoyed it overall. It provided a pleasant enough escape during a cold winter week.
This would be a good choice for those who like their historical fiction with a heavy romantic subplot. This book has a dual timeline from the perspective of three different women. I enjoyed the stories of all the women, but some were more fleshed out than others.
This would be a good choice for those who like their historical fiction with a heavy romantic subplot. This book has a dual timeline from the perspective of three different women. I enjoyed the stories of all the women, but some were more fleshed out than others.
lizah1013's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25