In 1960’s 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.
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.
Download and start listening now!
“This is the perfect mix of historical fiction, romance, thriller, and drama to keep you on the edge of your beach towel…Beatriz is the perfect heroine…And since much of the plot is set in Florida or Cuba, it’s guaranteed to put you in a beachy state of mind.”
— Book Riot
“A gorgeously atmospheric homage to a country and a past….A formidable heroine truly makes it unputdownable.”
— Karen White, New York Times bestselling author“Bold, unconventional Beatriz makes a heroine for the ages.”
— Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author“Has sex, drama, suspense…and pairs perfectly with a mojito.”
— People“You won’t be able to put this one down.”
— Cosmopolitan“A hard-earned love story and a visceral account of history. Cleeton’s writing pulsates with passion and intimacy, even as she gives us a panoramic vision of life during that tumultuous era.”
— Washington Post“A thrilling story about love, loss, and what we will do to go home again.”
— PopSugar“A beautiful and utterly transporting novel.”
— Publisher’s Weekly“[Beatiz is] fierce and smart, anger has made her reckless, and her social status gives her plausibility…An edifying, entertaining read filled with adventure, suspense, history and romance.”
— BookPage“Cleeton offers plenty of melodrama to ponder, and fans of the first novel will be thrilled.”
— Booklist“Oozing with atmosphere and intrigue, When We Left Cuba is an evocative, powerful, and beautifully written historical novel.”
— Hazel Gaynor, New York Times bestselling author“Beatriz Perez’s brand of vintage-Havana glamour dazzles with equal parts intrigue, rebellion, and romance to make for an unforgettable story.”
— Elise Hooper, author of The Other Alcott“When We Left Cuba is a breathtaking book, and it captures what I love best about historical fiction.”
— Camille Di Maio, author of The Way of BeautyBe the first to write a review about this audiobook!
Chanel Cleeton writes contemporary romances, women’s fiction, and thrillers. She is the author of one stand-alone novel and novels in five series, including six novels in her acclaimed Cuba Saga.
Kyla Garcia is an AudioFile Earphones Award–winning narrator. Born and raised in Hoboken, New Jersey, she discovered acting at the age of eight when she played Lady Macbeth in a children’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragedy. She made her off-Broadway debut at fifteen when she played Dorothy in Oz: A Twisted Musical. Eleven years after she discovered her passion for acting, she would go on to play Lady Macbeth once again in London at the Globe Theatre, where she studied Shakespeare during her third year at Mason Gross School of the Arts. She received her BFA in acting from Rutgers University.