When We Left Cuba Blog Tour

* * * * *

In 1960s Florida, a young Cuban exile will risk her life--and heart--to take back her country in this exhilarating historical novel from the author of Next Year in Havana, a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick.

Beautiful. Daring. Deadly. 

The Cuban Revolution took everything from sugar heiress Beatriz Perez--her family, her people, her country. Recruited by the CIA to infiltrate Fidel Castro's inner circle and pulled into the dangerous world of espionage, Beatriz is consumed by her quest for revenge and her desire to reclaim the life she lost.

As the Cold War swells like a hurricane over the shores of the Florida Strait, Beatriz is caught between the clash of Cuban American politics and the perils of a forbidden affair with a powerful man driven by ambitions of his own. When the ever-changing tides of history threaten everything she has fought for, she must make a choice between her past and future--but the wrong move could cost Beatriz everything--not just the island she loves, but also the man who has stolen her heart... 

Source: advance e-galley provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review



I fell in love with Next Year In Havana telling anyone and everyone that they had to read it. At the end of it was a little snippet from Beatriz's perspective that kind of dropped a bombshell on readers. Waiting for an entire year to get the whole story was not easy but  it was so worth it!

Where Next Year In Havana played on nostalgia, When We Left Cuba is all about malcontent followed by action. Beatriz was never satisfied being a socialite and behaving like a proper lady - much to her mother's chagrin - in the hopes of capturing a husband. It wasn't what she enjoyed doing in Cuba either and it certainly is not something she likes doing in America even if means securing her status here. Her end goal has always been to go back home. America is a temporary stop. Most of her passion and hatred for Castro is fueled by her twin brother's murder at the hands of the man who controls her beloved country. She has deigned to take on her brother's mantel and work with rebels who seek to depose Castro. It's a dangerous road to go down on but Beatriz has never been a rule follower and signs on to work covertly with the CIA. She's not going to sit idly by while her country suffers. In a case of bad timing, Beatriz has attracted the attention of a young US senator, Nicholas "Nick" Preston whose star is on the rise. Only he's spoken for but it doesn't stop those longing gazes and brief stolen moments they steal for themselves.

There's a recurring theme throughout the novel (other than Castro must go) and it's Beatriz's determination to not be defined by the men in her life. She adamantly refuses to be controlled by anyone and demands to be seen as an equal capable of making her own decisions and taking on danger should she choose to do so. There's also a relative amount of suspense considering the espionage and political climate of the era, and she finds herself in the midst of some incredibly sensitive or volatile situations. Her affair with Nick provides a counterbalance to all the plotting she gets embroiled in. Their contrasting perspectives on Cuba and the American government's involvement are the constant background to their own drama. 

At some point Beatriz's fierce declarations of revenge against Castro become repetitive but it's also understandable. Her body is in Palm Beach but her heart is in Cuba so she's never felt truly at home in America. She feels displaced and helpless, so her anger is what she can hold on to to give her purpose. Granted, she and her family are financially in far better shape than many of their countryman who escaped. I think she comes to realize it as time wears on and she sees how in some ways she was insulated from what a lot of Cubans faced. 

Cleeton's writing evokes the glamourous and tense atmosphere of that era. She had me envisioning the vibrant settings and sounds, and more than that, she gave me a history lesson. What I knew of the Cold War was solely from history class and honestly, I don't remember much of it. What she's done here is personalize these events, seeing them through the eyes of those displaced by the revolution. I remember from Next Year in Havana the mention of a sense of heavy guilt for leaving and also for not staying to fight. Cleeton made these challenges personal and reminded me of the people who were affected, whose lives were uprooted and who had to lay down new roots uncertain of what the future would hold, uncertain of whether to call America home or hold out hope that they would go home. 

~ Bel

Enter the fabulous giveaway here! You could win a $50 Barnes & Noble gift card, a Lilly Putlizer Swell water bottle, palm tree notepad and matching pen, Besame Cosmetics vintage-inspired lipstick, signed WHEN WE LEFT CUBA bookmarks & signed Cuban recipe cards!

An Extraordinary Union (The Loyal League #1) by Alyssa Cole

* * * *

As the Civil War rages between the states, a courageous pair of spies plunge fearlessly into a maelstrom of ignorance, deceit, and danger, combining their unique skills to alter the course of history and break the chains of the past . . .

Elle Burns is a former slave with a passion for justice and an eidetic memory. Trading in her life of freedom in Massachusetts, she returns to the indignity of slavery in the South—to spy for the Union Army.

Malcolm McCall is a detective for Pinkerton's Secret Service. Subterfuge is his calling, but he’s facing his deadliest mission yet—risking his life to infiltrate a Rebel enclave in Virginia.

Two undercover agents who share a common cause—and an undeniable attraction—Malcolm and Elle join forces when they discover a plot that could turn the tide of the war in the Confederacy's favor. Caught in a tightening web of wartime intrigue, and fighting a fiery and forbidden love, Malcolm and Elle must make their boldest move to preserve the Union at any cost—even if it means losing each other . . .

"Man's inhumanity to man wasn't solely regulated to skin color, although it did allow its practitioners to choose their targets more easily." ~ Elle, p.44

An Extraordinary Union was added to my wish list when I saw the Twitterverse raving about it. When I attended the Kensington panel at RT17 back in May, my fellow Bibliojunkies watched me race my way up to the table to snag myself a copy of it. I was ecstatic!

A freed slave turned spy for the Union is an intriguing concept and one that I wanted to learn about. My knowledge of the Civil War is quite limited and as part of my self-education on it I want to be sure to learn about the stories that don't get as much attention. This is one of them. Elle herself is an impressive woman: she's always been able to memorize and recall information, an ability that's vital in the war effort to fight the Rebels. Too often though her skills are underestimated simply because she is a woman, and of colour. Yet, this is also an advantage to any spy, especially that of the Loyal League. Since she is given little regard by her employers, she can fly under the radar gathering information from conversations she overhears and things she sees. It's amazing the things people divulge when they're ignoring you because they feel you're beneath them. Malcolm's appearance makes things harder. He's also a spy for the Loyal League and they have to work together. Malcolm has always found slavery to be a contemptible practice but he knows that not everyone shares his progressive attitude. As part of his cover, he plays nice and woos and flirts with the society women and banters effortlessly with the gentlemen of the South, all the while using his charm to gain their confidence and wean information from them. Two spies with special gifts in a dangerous situation, made even more risky by their growing attraction to each other. In all of this they must not lose sight of their mission.

There's a tinge of suspense that penetrates the entire story due to the tension and danger that come across strongly. The risk of being caught or double-crossed is always a probability especially in those secretive moments. I know this will sound a bit strange but I found the romance to be a bit distracting at a couple of times. I did like the verbal sparring that went on between Elle and Malcolm - they're both equally up to the challenge - and I loved that he delighted in her outspokenness. I think I was just so focused on the spying and infiltrating of the enemy's lair. 

"..., but it galled him that Elle's effectiveness was partially rooted in society inherently seeing her as inferior." ~ Malcolm, p.55

What's most striking are the cringe-worthy moments exposing mankind's ugly side. We all know that slaves were maligned and mistreated (which sadly is a gross understatement) but it's still shocking to see them referred to as "darkies" and thought of lacking in any intelligence. Men would comment on Elle as an object to be toyed with and worse. One character who is absolutely reprehensible is that of Susie, a high society daughter. She's a vile, insipid character who thinks nothing of how she treats anyone much less slaves. Hats off to Cole though for injecting half an ounce of empathy for her as a Southern Belle who is pushed by her mother to make a good marriage, but even that doesn't erase her disgusting personality. For me, the highlights of the book come with Elle and Malcolm's insights into human nature and that of the circumstances they witness. On the surface of it, Malcolm represents everything she should fear and detest. He's a white man, a part of the group that has forcefully uprooted, enslaved and persecuted her people. Yet he harbours none of that despicable behaviour towards her or her kind. Malcolm sees a young woman possessed of incredible intellect, bravery and beauty. The difference in skin colour has no bearing on who he cares for or falls in love with even though he know's most of society will not be accepting of them.

An Extraordinary Union is moving, suspenseful and romantic. Not only did I learn something from it, I came away with a profound new respect for those who simply wanted to live free of fear and subjugation, and those who risked their lives to make that happen.

~ Bel