When Isabel Perez travels to Barcelona to save her sister Beatriz, she discovers a shocking family secret in New York Times bestselling author Chanel Cleeton’s new novel.
Barcelona, 1964. Exiled from Cuba after the revolution, Isabel Perez has learned to guard her heart and protect her family at all costs. After Isabel’s sister Beatriz disappears in Barcelona, Isabel goes to Spain in search of her. Joining forces with an unlikely ally thrusts Isabel into her sister’s dangerous world of espionage, but it’s an unearthed piece of family history that transforms Isabel’s life.
Barcelona, 1936. Alicia Perez arrives in Barcelona after a difficult voyage from Cuba, her marriage in jeopardy and her young daughter Isabel in tow. Violence brews in Spain, the country on the brink of civil war, the rise of fascism threatening the world. When Cubans journey to Spain to join the International Brigades, Alicia’s past comes back to haunt her as she is unexpectedly reunited with the man who once held her heart.
Alicia and Isabel’s lives intertwine, and the past and present collide, as a mother and daughter are forced to choose between their family’s expectations and following their hearts.
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When I started reading these books, I had no idea they would be about the same family. The first book that I read by Chanel Cleeton was The Last Train To Key West in 2020 and then skipped back to the first book. I don’t believe you need to read these books in order because most take place in different timelines. I didn’t read most of them in order, and I could still follow along and enjoy them all. I have been curious about Isabel since she was introduced in the first book; she seemed so different from her sisters. I love books that take place in other countries; for me, they are always more interesting to read. Our Last Day In Barcelona wasn’t any different. Once I finished the book, I wanted to go and visit Barcelona myself. Cleeton always has a way of engaging her readers. I was invested in the story from page one until I turned the last page. There was so much happening in Our Last Day in Barcelona , and it’s hot just a historical book but features themes about family, friendship, love, forgiveness, and second chance, with some mix of a thriller. Isabel came to Barcelona to find her sister, Beatriz, but in the end, it was much more than that.
Isabel wasn’t the only person that I was curious about. From the start, I wondered if their mother was always this way, strict. I understand why she wanted their daughters to marry at a specific time. However, I felt she was being a little bit harsh with them. I became more curious when Isabel found an old picture of her and when her mother denied being in Barcelona when she confronted her. I wondered what she was hiding from them and what was her reason behind it. I loved reading Alicia’s story; it felt as if I got to know her more and understand her better. I did wonder what would happen if she didn’t come back to Cuba when she did. Alicia and Isabel’s timelines blended so well in the end. My feelings about their mother changed once I read Alicia’s story and everything she had to go through then.
Since I read The Last Train To Key West , I have been looking forward to her books. So far, there hasn’t been a single book of hers that I didn’t enjoy. I found myself going on the journey with Isabel and Alicia and relating to each of these characters. Even though these characters were fictional, they felt real, and I felt as if I was saying goodbye when I turned the book's last page. Our Last Day In Barcelona is one of those books that you don’t want to end. Yet, simultaneously, I couldn’t stop turning the pages. Through the years, Chanel Cleeton became one of my favorite authors. I can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next.
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