A Stunning Cover and Premise:
Chanel Cleeton’s novels grab my attention because of their spectacular book covers, and The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba was no exception.
It wasn’t just the cover though. The premise – the history of 1800s Cuba, when the people were fighting to gain independence from Spain – intrigued me.
Spoiler-Free Overview
Cleeton introduces us to three women: The Journal reporter Grace; Cuban revolutionary Marina; and “the most beautiful girl in Cuba,” legendary Evangelina Cisneros. Through these three young women’s perspectives, we are brought into the midst of the Cuban resistance and the Spanish-American War.
Some Disappointments
I generally enjoy Cleeton’s writing, but this novel took a little bit of effort for me to get into.
- It was slow to establish each of the characters and their backgrounds. I personally felt disconnected from the first half of the book. However, the latter half gripped me, and I became more invested in the conclusion of the women’s stories.
- The pacing felt off. There was a lot of set up for some characters and much less for others. We got much of Grace’s background and story, but hers had the least action with the Cuban resistance. Conversely, we got very little background or set up for Evangelina – despite her being the title character, so to speak – but lots of plot action early on in her storyline. Marina often felt lost in between. None of the stories were disinteresting, but between the scattered pacing and POV changes, I felt uncertain on what to care about most, and I definitely didn’t feel attached to everything.
Redeeming Elements
Despite those qualms, I maintain that Cleeton is a good writer who tells unique stories. What stands out to me about The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba is its:
- Cuban History
- Immersive Settings
- Strong Women
- Clean Read
Final Thoughts
Rounded down from 3.5. While it’s not my new favorite novel, it’s a solid historical read that checks all the boxes: action, romance, conspiracy, and interesting characters. Definitely worth the read!
Content Rating: Mild
no explicit content
Copyright Chanel Cleeton and Berkley. Image from Amazon.com.