This was an intense and graphic book. The writing is vivid and colorful though I wish I would have known how serious the subject matter was before I started reading it. This is not a light-hearted book and I often had to put the book down to take a breather and come back.

After a while I did find it rather difficult to remember who was narrating as the author went back and forth between the mother and daughter often and their voices were very similar to me.

The description of this book is very misleading, it is not a Hollywood tale. It's very much based around the traumatic events that occurred throughout Nina's childhood to her and her mother.

Ok. Had a hard time keeping my interest near the end

A "recollection" of a mother/daughter relationship. poignant and sad in so many ways. Worth reading.

*Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced reader's copy.* This one was pretty dark in tone. Multi-generational Cuban family story centering around a complicated mother-daughter relationship. Reminded me a lot of The Actress and The seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo with a bit of Chanel Cleeton thrown in for the Cuba history aspect. This wasn't a light or happy read - deals with mental health, parental neglect, sexual abuse and rape, drug abuse and death/loss of a parent. You definitely want to be in the right mood to read this book but it does end on a more happy positive note - it just takes a long time to get there!

Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings

A mother and daughter both take turns telling the story of the 1930s from California to Mexico to Cuba through many different types of drama and tragedy and how they each endured through it all. Based in fact, this novel introduced me to a woman in Hollywood that I had no previous knowledge of and made me do some research to find out where fact met fiction.

Estelita Rodriguez was a major film star, of Cuban descent, she ended up starring in nine Roy Rogers movies which made up a majority of her film career. This book took place during quite a span of years, so the reader gets to see her before her career takes off and through and beyond her death.

I am a fan of classic movies, but had never heard of actress Estelita Rodriguez before picking up Serena Burdick's new novel, Find Me in Havana. Estelita was groomed for the stage as a child in her home country of Cuba before moving to the United States as a teenager to star in numerous westerns alongside the likes of Roy Rogers and John Wayne. However, she died a mysterious death at the age of 37, which is the jumping off point of this rich and enveloping novel of the relationship between a mother and her daughter.

Nina knows that her mother did not die by accident, and she is determined to unravel just what happened in their lives to leave her alone in the world without her dear mamá. Told in alternating letters from mother to daughter and daughter to mother, Find Me in Havana takes us back to Estelita's early days in Cuba, where she grew up on a plantation amidst revolution and political strife, and follows her to Hollywood, where she made a name for herself in showbiz. Along the way, she has relationships with numerous questionable men, but the light of her life always remains her daughter Nina. Nina's letters show what it was like to grow up as Estelita's daughter, and highlight important and life-changing moments in their relationship, including a kidnapping attempt by Nina's father, singer Chu Chu Martinez, and harrowing time spent holed up in the family's plantation during the Castro-led Cuban Revolution.

Find Me in Havana is a lush and evocative love story between mother and daughter. As you read this novel, you can't help but get wrapped up in Estelita and Nina's lives and relationship with each other. I held on with bated breath to discover what awaited these two on their life journey together, and found myself truly immersed in this intimate and poignant story. I also learned much about Cuban culture and history through this descriptive novel. Burdick brings Estelita Rodriguez vividly to life in this captivating testament to family and love. Readers will also be pleased to know that Burdick worked with the real Nina Lopez to tell Estelita's story, so this book is full of details and moments that only she would know, making it a true tribute to her mother's legacy.

Lastly, I listened to an audiobook production of this novel, which was a wonderful experience. Marisol Ramirez and Frankie Corzo provide dual narration, bringing to life the characters of Estelita and Nina. Ramirez and Corzo do an excellent job of making this story compelling and believable, and I enjoyed the voice work that they put into this book. I always love listening to an audiobook when the story focuses on diverse characters, as I am granted the opportunity to hear the story read the way it is supposed to be, and do not have to worry about mispronouncing unfamiliar words as I read.

I listened to this book on audiobook and I have to say I did like it very much.
Such a good story that gets you hooked.

3.5 stars

First and foremost I will say I enjoyed this story. The characters are imperfect, yet likable. Full of flaws and beauty all at the same time. The mother/daughter relationship we experienced through this story was very raw, emotional, and inspiring. The story as a whole was enjoyable but there was a lot of it that felt "unreal" even for a historical fiction. Escaping Mexico and being a priosner of war in Cuba? I felt like the author should have picked one or the other to make it a more engaging story.