Our Last Days in Barcelona
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by Chanel Cleeton
Publication date: May 24, 2022
Publisher: Berkley
Hardcover: 324 Pages
Publisher Description
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.
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.
Quick Review
A compelling novel about sisterhood, mother-daughter relationships, and family secrets. Isabel is searching for her sister in Barcelona when she discovers a shocking truth about her family. Told in alternating timelines—from the perspectives of Isabel Perez in 1964 and her mother, Alicia Perez in 1936 — the past and present collide as a mother and daughter are forced to choose between their family’s expectations and following their hearts.
Cleeton writes with a clear and engaging style, bringing the historical settings to life and creating complex and sympathetic characters. Our Last Days in Barcelona is a powerful and atmospheric novel that explores the power of family, love, and forgiveness. With its fast-paced plot and richly drawn characters, Cleeton delivers another great novel that will keep readers engaged from beginning to end.
About the author
Chanel Cleeton is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick Next Year in Havana and When We Left Cuba. Originally from Florida, Chanel grew up on stories of her family’s exodus from Cuba following the events of the Cuban Revolution.
Read more about Chanel ON HER WEBSITE
Praise
“Cleeton’s devoted fans as well as readers new to her work will be captivated by this original and evocative story of love, loyalty, betrayal and redemption.”—Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman With the Blue Star
“Cleeton’s tour de force of a novel . . . is a profoundly moving story about sacrifices made in the name of family and legacy, and the lasting repercussions of losing one’s homeland. Utterly captivating.”—Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Magnolia Palace
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“Chanel Cleeton has gifted readers with a sweeping journey that moves from the ravaged countryside of Franco’s Spain to the whimsical world of Barcelona’s Las Ramblas, from the glitzy, gritty world of Florida’s Cuban exiles to Manhattan’s art galleries. This sun-splashed story is one of longing, loyalty, and the many complicated ways in which we can love within a family. Told with heart and beauty, this latest installment of the Perez women is irresistible.”—Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author of The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post
“Chanel Cleeton delivers a perfectly rendered novel of three memorable women bearing both the unfair weight of family expectations and the regrets of missed opportunities, but who nevertheless refuse to give up on hope and second chances. Told with great care and sensitivity, this story will have you cheering for love’s ability to prevail.”—Susan Meissner, USA Today bestselling author of The Nature of Fragile Things
“Cleeton delivers, big-time! Once again, Chanel Cleeton captivates with her evocative prose and first-rate storytelling. The Perez women come to life when their stories collide in this unforgettable tale of love, loss, secrets, and suspense. Fans who’ve come to expect Cleeton’s brilliant story-telling, vivid descriptions, historically accurate events, and beloved characters will rejoice in this extraordinary novel of heartbreak and resilience. At its heart an exquisite love story, Our Last Days in Barcelona illustrates the life-altering sacrifices women will make for the sake of their families.”—Lori Nelson Spielman, New York Times bestselling author of The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany
“A story of despair, love and healing amidst the growing threat of fascism in Spain and its ties to Cuba. Our Last Days in Barcelona thrills, excites and surprises you from the very first page.”—Shelley Noble, New York Times bestselling author of Summer Island