I didn't realize until I finished listening to this audiobook that it was based on a true story and what a remarkable one it is!

Estelita Rodriguez lived a life that seems like it could have been the subject of one of the movies she starred in - leaving Cuba as a young girl to pursue a singing and acting career in the U.S., she found some success but also had to rescue her daughter who was kidnapped by her father and was imprisoned with her family by Fidel Castro when she returned to her home before dying mysteriously before she turned 40.

Each chapter alternates between the POV of Estelita and her daughter, Nina, and I loved both narrators. The author interviewed Nina and this access gives the story details that really bring the story to life. This is a unique take on historical fiction that mixes tales from old Hollywood with the Cuban Revolution and family drama - I highly recommend it.

3.5

*I received a copy of this via the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

In Cuba, 1936, many families are struggling with the fallout of the Cuban Revolution. Estelita Rodriguez and her family are no exception. When Estelita is discovered while singing in a Havana nightclub, she believes all her luck is about to change. Suddenly, at fifteen Estelita is singing on stages such as the Copacabana, and rubbing elbows with the handsomely famous Mexican singer, Chu Chu Martinez. The pair enter into a whirlwind romance, and soon Estelita finds herself pregnant. When Chu Chu forbids her from ever singing again, Estelita flees with their daughter, Nina, to live out her dreams in Hollywood.

In Big Sur, 1966, Nina Rodriguez is reeling from the sudden and mysterious death of her mother, Estelita. She grew up in awe of her mother's talents and charisma, even if her attentions were usually focused on anything but Nina. Even as a child, Nina knew that she was never the number one priority in her mother's life, and she knew her mother experienced hardships that she could never fully understand. As Nina finds herself slipping into the same destructive patterns that plagued her mother, she looks to her mother's past to learn and make a better future for herself.

I knew nothing of Estelita Rodriguez or her life before going into this book, but I still enjoyed it all the same. Both Estelita and Nina lead such hard lives and it was heartbreaking to see everything they had to endure. There were some aspects of their lives that seemed so glamorous, but it was as if the more fame Estelita achieved, the more she and her family suffered. This is told in a series of letters both by Nina and Estelita and while I did find it slightly hard to fully connect to, it did make the story feel more personal. However, the family dynamics are what shines in this. For much of the story, mother and daughter felt very at odds with one another, and you learn through the letters that that wasn't necessarily the case. This is an engaging historical fiction about real characters, their hardships, and the kind of understanding and connection that can only come from a relationship between a mother and a daughter.

This book was a little confusing at first. I listened to it as an audiobook thanks to NetGalley. It was odd that it was written almost as letters from mother to daughter, but the information included in them was pretty detailed and explicit. I would never want to read a letter from my mom like that.

I always enjoy a good historical fiction book. I love other Serena Burdick books, but this one was just okay. The storyline was dull at first, became exciting, then quickly went downhill again. Because it was about Cuban Americans it was hard not to compare the book to Chanel Cleeton's Cuba series which is phenomenal. This book just fell flat for me.

I didn't care for the narrators' voices either. They were a little robotic.

I loved Serena Burdick's novel last year, The Girls with No Names, so I was excited to pick up Find Me in Havana. Unfortunately, I just didn't love it. My biggest critique is the second person, switching points of view format. It did serve the story by giving us an adult perspective and a child perspective, especially when adult content was happening. But it was rather confusing at times, and I didn't feel as connect to the characters as I otherwise would have. I also didn't like the pacing of the book. We get snippets of the future while the story is told in the past, but then when we get caught up to the future, everything is rushed. It deflated the ending a little, and it failed at inspiring me. So while this book is dramatic and has some good history in it, it just didn't work for me.

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 3
Plot/Movement: 2
Character Development: 2
Overall: 2

Trigger Warnings: suicide, drug overdose, sexual abuse, rape, domestic abuse, kidnapping

Thank you, NetGalley and Park Row Books, for the review copy!

I finished reading this book a couple weeks ago and thought this was the perfect day to post, being that it “explores the unbreakable bond between mother and child”.

Like the cover, the story is absolutely stunning, captivating and mesmerizing! I loved it. This was likely one of my favorite books to read in April, pulling me out of a major month-long reading slump.

The story is comprised of a series of letters written from mother, Estelita, to daughter, Nina, and daughter to mother. They talk about their experiences, highs and lows, triumphs and trials. It was heartbreaking to read at times with such painful things they endured, but I hung on to every word.

The family dynamics struck me most from Estelita’s upbringing in Cuba, her strained family relationships after her fame, as well as her many relationships with men. It was so surreal how both mother and daughter both had distant relationships with their fathers.

At the time I read it I had no idea that it was a fictional account of the late Cuban actress, Estelita Rodriguez. It definitely gives Evelyn Hugo glamour and appeal, with more Cuban flavor, flair, and history added to the mix. This type of poignant tale is making me fall in love with historical fiction.

The narration was incredible; I loved the narrators’ thick Cuban accents and how they brought the story to life.

3.5 stars.

The writing was pretty phenomenal, I really enjoyed the historical aspect, and I had a hard time tearing myself away from this book. This book is correctly compared to "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo." Just add the Cuban revolution and multi-generational mother/daughter relationships in there. I love historical fiction and enjoy multi-generational family sagas a lot so I really liked the lead up to the climax/the end.

The book was tense throughout and I think the author did a fantastic job of building tension throughout scenes. She introduced characters well and build them up pretty well. I had a bit of a hard time swallowing the believability of the the mother's romantic partners but they helped move the plot along so I found that relatively easy to overlook.

I have to round my rating down though because of the end. The prologue pulled me in but by the time we got to the resolution I was really disappointed in the way the character's stories ended. Some of it was sweet but I mostly just disappointed.

* I want to add that the audiobook is also VERY well produced and worth a listen!

Spoiler

I don't like that Nina's entire ending revolved around a man/finding love. I really didn't like that. Although I did think it was sweet that she found Julian's family and got the big family she wanted I wanted to see something more beyond just romance as part of her character arc. Also I wish we had some justice against Rodrigo. That was all so frustrating. After so much injustice in the book it would've been nice to have some kind of justice.

This is a hard read that needs a lot of trigger warnings. Despite that, this is a beautifully written story from two POVs. It took me a while to get into it, but it is interesting and, like much historical fiction based on real characters, I would love to know how much it true and how much is fiction.

The cover is gorgeous and goes with the vibe of the book. The audiobook is well-produced with two narrators. It will be published January 12, 2021. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a digital audio review copy.