Three interconnected stories -- in 1900 Eva Fuentes is a teacher in Cuba sent to a summer program at Harvard, in 1966 Pilar is a librarian in Havana who is trying to save books from being destroyed by the Castro regime, and in 2024 Margo is trying to find a rare and mysterious book for a client. The book tells their stories in alternating chapters. Every character is fully formed and I loved them all. The mystery surrounding the book is revealed carefully and the relationships build slowly. I could not put this book down. I loved the way Cleeton weaves the stories together, and I loved how everything makes sense by the end. As a plus, I learned a great deal about Cuban history. Great book!

4.5 book ties it together stars

This is my seventh book by Chanel Cleeton, and she’s one of my favorite authors! Her writing always draws me in, and I enjoy her characters and historical settings.

Three strong women live in different times, all connected by a book. Londoner Margo has a fascinating job trying to track down antiques for her clients. Her latest job is to find a rare book believed to be lost in Cuba.

Pilar is a librarian living in 1960s Havana. Her husband is missing, and her activities might also put her in danger.

Finally, Eva Fuentes is a Cuban teacher. In 1900, she was part of a historic mission to send over a thousand teachers to Harvard for a summer of learning and cultural exchange. She’s hoping to find time to work on her novel, but an American man is very interested in getting to know her.

As Margo searches for the book, it becomes more dangerous than expected. In alternating chapters, we learn about each woman, and the mysteries surrounding the book increase. What is the book about, and who is desperate to find it?

There are settings all across the globe, including Havana, London, Edinburgh, Boston, and Key West. The author brilliantly connects the three timelines and women together in a stunning conclusion.

I always enjoy Chanel Cleeton’s novels and this is no exception. Eva Fuentes travels to America for a summer learning program in the early 1900s and keeps a journal which eventually becomes a “rare book”. Three timelines are woven together nicely to make a wonderful novel with engaging characters and intrigue. Loved it!

This is the first book by Ms. Cleeton I’ve read. I’ve always intended on reading her earlier works, they sit on my TBR lists, but I haven’t gotten to them. I must have been waiting for this one. The authors note describes it as ‘a love letter to books’ and I have to say I agree. It’s a story that pulls you in with a mystery and multiple timelines that come together beautifully and thoughtfully. Not having experienced anything like the revolution in Cuba. I can’t say I can relate too much, but living in today’s climate certainly made me feel some amount of fear that the characters do at the beginning. A quick read that I kept wanting to get back to, and a book that book lovers will enjoy. Thank you for this advanced reading copy, it’s always a pleasure finding new authors and their amazing stories.

love all of Chanel Cleeton’s books, but I think THE LOST STORY OF EVA FUENTES might be my favorite. It has the perfect blend of history, mystery, romance and heartbreak.

The story involves three different women in different time periods all linked by a particular rare book called A TIME FORGETTING , of which only a single copy exists. The women are Eva who writes the book in 1900, Pilar, who is tasked with keeping the book safe in the chaotic aftermath of the Cuban resolution, and Margo, who’s hired in the present day to track down the book.

As we learn about the lives of these three women and why several people are desperate to find this book, the story has a few genuinely surprising twists, and kept me reading late into the night

The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes is an historical mystery that weaves through three time periods with the lost story being the thread connecting them. I’ve read other books by this author, but this is the first I’ve read that has characters living in Cuba during the 1960s Golden Exile. The history is fascinating, the characters are well-drawn, and the pacing of the mystery is perfect! This is a book about books showing the impact a story can have on all those whose lives it touches. This was truly a pleasure to read, and I look forward to getting lost in more stories from Chanel Cleeton.

A perfect read for fans of Chanel Cleeton, those who enjoy historical fiction/historical mystery, and for those who enjoy books about books.

Thank you to Chanel Cleeton, Berkley Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

Having already read two books by Chanel Cleeton, I was excited to receive a copy of her latest, The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes. This book was even better than I had anticipated and resonated with me because one of the main themes is our love for books and the impact they make on our lives. The book setting occurs in three different time periods and sheds light on several important moments in the history of Cuba. I think anyone who likes reading historical fiction will especially enjoy this book as would most book clubs. I stayed up late reading The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes and look forward to reading more books by this author.

Full disclosure: I have read the first five books in the Cuba Saga series written by Chanel Cleeton beginning with "Next Year in Havana", then "When We Left Cuba", "The Last Train to Key West", "The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba" and "Our Last Days in Barcelona" and have thoroughly enjoyed each selection. I believe there is one more title to explore, "The Cuban Heiress", but the opportunity to review "The Story of Eva Fuentes" was too enticing to pass up! Chanel Cleeton is a master storyteller who is able to weave together historical references (after impressive amounts of research) with relatable characters that capture readers attention without fail. In each selection there is much to learn about personal emotions through the author's characters, but also significant points of little known past details that have shaped national diplomacy between the United States and Cuba. Readers will be transported back in time to these real experiences and place themselves in moments of difficult decisions along with Eva and the cast of characters in Cleeton's latest offering to the historical fiction genre. Highly recommend pursuing these delightful books to explore the art of character development in the hands of this talented author.

A love letter to books. What a splendid book. Three women, three lives, and three pov’s. Each one special and going through tough times. I loved each character and learning about them. I read this in one sitting because I was completely lost in the story. Not one complaint about this book. Loved every word.

As much as I wish for it to be otherwise, my reading life is off to a late start this year. I wasn’t able to read much in January or February due to some things I had to take care of in my personal life, so now, heading into March, I’m trying to play catch up with my TBR. Though I guess if I’m being honest, it’s not that I didn’t do any reading the past 2 months (because I’m always reading something), but rather I didn’t want to spend time writing about it. In any case, now that I have things a little bit more under control, I’m starting to slowly but surely clear out my ARC list.

It's actually a little bit ironic that the first ARC I’m starting with this year doesn’t publish until July, but that’s how things ended up turning out. The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes is Chanel Cleeton’s latest Cuban-themed historical fiction novel and it’s definitely a good one! I’ve read most (but not all) of Cleeton’s past novels and especially enjoyed her series about the Perez family, though her other novels (the ones not about the Perez family) have been a hit or miss for me overall. With this latest one, I’m guessing I enjoyed it so much because the storyline revolves around a lost book and its connection to three women from three different time periods.

In the present timeline (London in 2024), Margo Reynolds is hired to help her client find a rare book that was written 120 years ago, but there is a huge catch – only one copy of the book is currently in existence. Though Margo accepts the challenge, she quickly realizes that she may actually be in over her head as other parties interested in the book start to come out of the woodwork and her life is placed in danger. The timeline then moves to Havana in 1966, where librarian Pilar Castillo lives in grief and anger over the loss of her husband, who was arrested and imprisoned for going against Fidel Castro’s regime. Pilar comes into possession of the mysterious book when it is turned over to her for safekeeping by a neighbor and eventually becomes more than a source of comfort for her as she endures the difficulties of living under Castro’s repressive regime. Finally, the third timeline, in 1900, introduces us to the author of the book, Eva Fuentes, a Cuban teacher who is given the opportunity to travel to the United States as part of a summer cultural exchange program at Harvard University. During Eva’s stay there, she experiences both joy and heartbreak that not only end up altering the course of her life, but also provide the inspiration for her novel.

I have to admit that I was a bit dubious at first how the story would unfold given how far apart the three timelines were. It turns out I didn’t have to worry though, as Cleeton definitely knew what she was doing in making Eva’s book the central thread that connected the seemingly disparate timelines together, but in a way that was seamless and made sense for the story’s development. Given my affinity for historical fiction, no doubt that I enjoyed Eva’s and Pilar’s timelines more -- Margo’s timeline was well done overall, but since the three timelines alternated with each chapter, it did feel a little jarring to jump from an early 20th century historical setting to a modern day murder mystery setting in 2024. Things turned out fine in the end though.

As an avid reader and also a writer myself, I love learning about the behind-the-scenes aspects of how a particular story came to be as well as the inspirations for certain characters and events, which is perhaps why Cleeton’s latest work resonated with me more than her previous novels did. Speaking of behind-the-scenes, Cleeton writes in her Author’s Note that The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes is a “love letter to the power of books and the impact they leave on our lives,” which is one of the main reasons why she had Eva’s fictional book be what links the three women in the three different timelines together. I couldn’t agree more! Cleeton fans will definitely want to pick this one up, but those who enjoy “books about books” will likely enjoy this one as well.

Received ARC from Berkley via Book Browse First Impressions program.

THE LOST BOOK OF EVE FUENTES
By Chanel Cleeton

Having previous read several books by this author it was no surprise that I found this book to be very well written and thoroughly enjoyable.
It’s covers three generations of women fighting to locate A Time For Forgetting before the book before it goes up for auction. The characters become very passionate about finding the one copy of this book for different personal feelings. The book covers time in Boston, Miami-Key West, London, and most importantly, Cuba. The book also covers a timeline from 1900 til 2024.
This review is based on an ARC provided to me from NetGalley

Loved this story. This is a beautifully written heartfelt novel. It is written in three timelines.

1900 Cuba Eva is a teacher who is offered the opportunity to travel to Hartford University for the summer. It is part of a cultural exchange program. Eva has been trying to write a novel for years.
1966 Cuba Pilar is a librarian during the Castro era. Life is not safe there. Her husband is arrested and Pilar fears for her life. A neighbor fleeing Cuba gives her a book to return to its author.
2024. London Margo is hired to find a book written over 120 years ago, which is missing.
This is story is all about one book.
These three storylines are intriguing woven together. This is a book I could not put down. I learned so much about Cuba.
I have previously read some of this authors other books and have enjoyed them all.
Her writing is compelling. If you enjoy Historical Fiction you will enjoy this book.
Thank yiu to the publisher and NetGalley for this advanced readers copy.

This historical fiction revolves around a missing novel that holds secrets about its author, Eva Fuentes. It is written in 3 time periods: about Margo in 2024, Pilar in 1966 and Eva in 1900. Margo is hired to find a missing novel, Pilar is entrusted with the novel during the political upheaval in Cuba by Fidel Castro and Eva wrote the novel one summer while in America. The lives of these 3 women become intertwined as the story progresses but not without murder, trauma, intrigue and eventually gratification for mystery solved. Historical fiction novels always spur me on to read more about the history involved in the story. You will find out why Eva was in America one particular summer. I have read all of Chanel Cleeton’s novels and she never disappoints!!

This beautifully well written novel follows three women in different time periods whose lives have intersected over a book written in Cuba in the early 1900s. Only one copy of the book was printed and someone wants to find it before it goes up for auction.

1900 - Boston and Cuba. Eva is teacher who is sent from Cuba to America during the summer of 1900 to attend and exchange of ideas at Harvard. Her country is trying to become a free country and she wants to do her part to help. She has been working on writing a novel for years and believes that she will have some free time during the summer to work on her book. Then she meets a man who sweeps her off her feet. Instead if spending time on her book, she spends every available minute with him. After the tumultuous outcome of their affair, Eva finally writes her novel hoping that he will read it. That book is what ties all three women together.

1966 Havana. Pilar is a librarian. Life isn't safe in Cuba during this time period. Fidel Castro is in charge and punishing anyone who speaks against him. Pilar should be safe but after her husband was arrested, she began to feel like she was being watched. A friend in her apartment building is getting ready to flee Cuba and brings Pilar a copy of The Lost Story to her in hopes that she can find the author and return the book to her. She is still being watched and someone in the government knows that she is hiding books for people to keep them safe. How much danger is she willing to put herself into by trying to protect the books.

2024 London. Margo owns a company that looks for lost things. When she is hired to find The Lost Story, she isn't sure why the book is important to the person who hired her but begins her search. Soon her life is in danger and she's being followed. She has no idea why this book is important and when someone who was helping her gets killed, she decides that maybe she should stop. Her ex-husband begins to help her but as they get closer to finding the book, the danger to both of them increases.

The story is told in alternating chapters by all three women. The author did a fantastic job and there's no confusion about any of the women and you always know which time period you are in. She also melds all three stories seamlessly for the ending. I not only enjoyed the story but learned a lot about Cuban history while I was reading. This book is another great book from Chanel Cleeton.