HUGE thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for this ARC of Our Last Days in Barcelona by Chanel Cleeton!

I love these books. I think I could read just about any type of story as long as a Perez is involved. I was so excited to FINALLY get a glimpse into Alicia's (the mom of the Perez sisters) story! I really liked the alternating POVs and timelines, but sometimes I did get a little confused. I rooted for all three of these women and couldn't wait to see where they'd be by the end of this book. Cleeton never ceases to amaze me in how she weaves history and powerful themes into a truly beautiful story.

As always I loved the setting, the AMAZING and STRONG female characters and relationships, and was left wanting more just like all of the other books. Another great story from Chanel Cleeton. I hope these stories aren't done anytime soon - give me every single family member and I will read and enjoy them all.

This one is out on 05/24/22!

Thank you to NetGalley for this book.. I absolutely love this series by Chanel Cleeton! This book had romance, mystery and, of course, historical fiction. I love how Cleeton revisited the Perez sisters. I love how the book takes place in beautiful Barcelona and Cuba. I love how she portrays the reality of communism in two different time periods. I was totally immersed in the mystery aspect of the book and how it goes back in time. A great page-turner and I couldn't wait to find out the mystery at the end of the book. I laugh and cried! I will definitely be recommending this book to my book clubs and purchasing for the library.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher Berkley (an imprint of Penguin Random House) for the opportunity to read this tremendously enjoyable book.

This is my third book by Chanel Cleeton, following her earlier successes with Next Year in Havana and Last Train to Key West. In this book, Cleeton focuses primarily on the other Perez sisters, Isabel and Consuelo and Beatriz plays a more minor role. The story takes the sisters -- and actually their mother -- whose story by itself was fascinating. On a positive note, the story was full of life, depth of character and stories of love, sacrifice and family loyalty. It was very compelling. A minor disappointment for me was the voice kept changing and I wasn't always sure who was narrating (sometimes the mother and sometimes Isabel), as well as the story going back and forth between two different time settings. I had to flip back and forth sometimes to the chapter start to remind myself who was speaking. Perhaps it could be better notated?

All in all I thoroughly enjoyed the book and of course how Cleeton wrapped everything up at the end. Very positive. I'm sure we'll be reading more about this fascinating family in the future.

Chanel Cleeton will forever be an automatic buy author for me. I can not even begin tell you how much I love this book. Coming into it, I didn't really care for Isabel. She wasn't as loveable as Beatriz and Elisa. This book was just what she needed to show how much she truly cared.. I loved the 3 strong female characters and watching their journey to finding their own voices. Alicia's story brought me to tears more than once. Like Isabel, we didn't really get a good insight to them in the first 2 books but knowing now what they went through brings them to a whole new light. If I could give this book all the stars, I definitely would.

Chanel Cleeton does it again!

I remember thinking I wanted more from Isabel, and Cleeton delivered in OUR LAST DAYS IN BARCELONA. As you’d expect with a Chanel Cleeton Cuba book, there are rich setting details, complex characters and relationships, and interesting historical plot points. I loved learning more about Isabel, as well as the alternating POVs from her younger mom and Rosa — both of which added so much depth to Isabel’s character and how she came to be the woman she is, with all of the growth still ahead of her.

If you’re a fan of Cleeton’s work, you must pick this one up!

Chanel Cleeton has done it again & continues to be one of my absolute favorite authors.

❤️ I love how the Perez sisters are each distinct characters, but are relatable in their own unique ways. I also enjoy how she includes multiple points of views in her novels & how each of the characters are well-developed. my favorite aspect of her writing is how small pieces of each women’s story connect… the ending of this book had me 🥺

❤️ Cleeton has such a beautiful way of weaving history AND impactful themes into her work. I connected to the themes of duty, family, and love while learning more about Cuba and Spain in the 1960s. her writing immerses you in the story and is very engaging.

You know that book that is so amazing that you're not quite speechless over it but can't quite come up with the words to describe it? That's how I felt Our Last Days in Barcelona. It was every bit as good as Next Year in Havana or When We Left Cuba. Sometimes historical fiction is a slow read for me and takes me awhile to get into. That was not how it was with this book. I was once again fascinated by the history and landscape of Cuba and Barcelona. I loved being back with the Perez sisters. Isabel's plight was different than her sisters' but no less interesting. I could have read a book entirely about her...but then I would have missed out on her mother Alicia's story and her father's cousin Rosa's story. Both were just as interesting and fascinating as Isabel's. I loved how their stories wove together to create some surprising moments. I didn't see a few things coming and that rarely happens for me anymore. The ending gave me chills. I'm so thankful that Cleeton decided to give us books for the final two Perez sisters.

As a reader, every once in a while a writer comes along that just resonates with you. Maybe it’s their writing style, pace, sense of place, character development, etc. You devour their latest book and count down the days until their next release. For me that author is Chanel Cleeton and it happened with the first book I read of hers, When We Left Cuba. Beatriz Perez may be my favorite literary character of all time, and I don’t say that lightly. She had me from page one and I’ve since read every one of her historical fictions books based on the Perez family. Although When We Left Cuba remains my favorite, her latest, Our Last Days in Barcelona is a close second.

Our Last Days in Barcelona picked up where When We Left Cuba left off. Beatriz jets off to Barcelona with her work in the CIA and her oldest sister Isabel is the focus of this book. Still reeling from their abrupt exit from their home in Cuba and trying to make a place for themselves in the States, the Perez family seems to think marriage to affluent men is their answer. After marrying a much older man and understanding his place in society can help her family, Isabel sets off for Barcelona worrying that Beatriz is in trouble after not hearing from her for some time. There, she reconnects with Beatriz healing their sisterly bond from past wounds. Together with Beatriz, they uncover a family secret that could lead Isabel to find happiness in an unlikely place. But will she be brave enough to take that leap or will her strong sense of familial obligation lead her path?

Like Cleeton’s other historical novels, she jumps around time periods a bit, with the other focus of this book being Beatriz and Isabel’s mother Alicia as a young mother and wife. Hitting a rough patch in her new marriage, Alicia leaves Cuba with her young daughter, Isabel, and sets off for Barcelona and her parents. There, civil war has broken out leaving her in a dangerous situation.

The third woman focused in Our Last Days in Barcelona is Rosa, Alicia’s cousin. Marrying into an affluent family, Rosa never quite feels like she belongs. When her husband leaves her to help the battle in Spain, she is left searching for her place within his family. After tragedy strikes, like Isabel, she too must make the choice to be brave and take a risk or follow the path left in front of her.

Our Last Days in Barcelona was everything I love in a book…strong female characters, a descriptive setting, a fast moving pace. I laughed, I cried, I found myself rooting for Isabel and I was left wanting more from these captivating Perez women!

I have been a fan of this author and her books about the Perez Sisters. A must read for those who are interested in Cuban and Spanish History. This is a story of two sisters and how the historical events in both of these countries affect their lives and their families. Highly recommend.

This is my first Chanel Cleeton book and I promise, it won't be my last. I was swept away by this charming story from page one. I understand there are other novels about the Perez women, but I want to assure readers that no prior knowledge/familiarity is necessary to enjoy this novel. However, once you have read OUR LAST DAYS IN BARCELONA you will. be hungry for more.

Cleeton deftly juggles multiple storylines. I was equally captivated with Alicia's 1936 story and her daughter Isabel's 1964 story. (Rosa's storyline was enjoyable as well, although it didn't seem quite as critical.)

In a few spots, the dialogue feels a little bit like an info dump. However, this did not impact my enjoyment of the novel.

The settings of Spain and Cuba are vividly portrayed and the story is dramatic and fast-paced while still playing on the reader's heartstrings in a very moving and emotional way.

The ending is incredibly satisfying and I loved how Cleeton wove all the threads together. Even little moments are brought back in, which is really lovely.

Could not recommend this more for fans of historical fiction.

While catching up with the Perez sisters was terrific, the real take away of this novel is the how experience of losing ones country shapes their entire future. Every Chanel Cleeton book is a must read.

This is a novel written in alternating timelines of 1936, predominantly about Alicia Perez, and 1964, mostly about her daughter Isabel. The family saga begins in Cuba and moves to Spain. It's full of strong female characters during important times in history. It's about sisters and family bonds. And it's about love. Chanel Cleeton writes strong historical fiction that are sweeping sagas while still having that personal investment of characters you root for. Read this book.

The history and unrest in Cuba and Spain is chronicled in this important novel by Chanel Cleeton. The two time periods, 1936 and 1964, are merged together as the lives of both mother and daughter come together. Fleeing the dangers of Castro and Franco, the author shows the true value of family as the four sisters reunite. The growth of the characters and their futures brought a satisfying end to the story. #OurLastDaysInBarcelona #ChanelCleeton #NetGalley