Book Buzz: Our Last Days in Barcelona
Hello September, and (almost) fall!
As we gear up for all things school, pumpkin spice and cozy sweaters, I can’t help but think back to the summer where memories were made! If you’re anything like me, when you travel, you love to read books based on where you’ll be. In August, our family took a trip throughout Europe, with Barcelona being one of our stops. I had to revisit a book I read years ago and absolutely adored! So, this month, I would love to introduce you to one of my favorite historical fiction authors, Chanel Cleeton. She pens some of my favorite and captivating stories. "Our Last Days in Barcelona" being one of them!
This is book #5 in the Perez Family series (they can all be read as standalones, but the interweaving of characters is next level!) The series follows a Cuban family (mainly the three Perez sisters) across generations, and this book starts in 1964 with Isabel Perez traveling from Cuba to Barcelona to visit her sister, Beatriz. (Beatriz is a risk taker and you can read all about her in "When We Left Cuba" and her fight for freedom in Cuba from the Castro regime).
Beatriz’s family lost contact with her when she moved, and their fear is that she got involved in espionage and has since disappeared. Through Isabel’s investigation, she meets a dapper gentleman who happens to be a coworker of her sisters. He and Isabel work together to try and solve this mystery. Isabel, I might add, is a married women who questions her own choices because her marriage is not out of love, but out of benefit to her family, securing a position for them in Miami and now she’s completely drawn to this new man…but I digress. So, Isabel making this solo trip to Barcelona is completely out of character for her! In Barcelona, she comes across an old family photo which takes her by surprise, making her question all she knew about her own family history, then completely spirals……and this, neighbors, is when the story takes us to back to 1936 where family secrets are revealed. (Please tell me you’re intrigued?!?!)
If you are a fan of historical fiction and family dramas you will devour this read like I did and then read the rest of the books in this fascinating series! Chanel Cleeton’s stories take you on a journey of high stakes meets women’s fiction meets romance meets mystery and intrigue and I PROMISE they will suck you in and not let you go…in the best way!
So, neighbors, I hope you have one last excursion in you to travel to Barcelona with the Perez sisters, and get completely lost in their story, their romance, their fight for freedom, equality and justice.
Happy September, and happy reading!
Jill xo
@ThatShelfLove
