Oh, No Reese!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You Picked A Loser!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                               Really, girls, I have never been as disappointed with a Reese selection as I have with "Next Year In Havana."  If Reese keeps choosing more like this, I will have to switch over to Jenna!   And I am NOT a Republican.

                                                 The problem with the book is that the writing is not very good.  Based somewhat on her Cuban origins, Chanel Cleeton has chosen to write a past and present story of alternating generations--a grandmother and granddaughter--who make the same journey, some of the same choices, and are similarly impassioned about Cuba.

                                                    The novel starts off with the granddaughter, Marisol Perez, carrying the cremains of her deceased grandmother, Elisa, who wishes to have her ashes placed somewhere in Cuba.  The stories of both women are told, the cuisine and romantic atmosphere of the Cuba of the past is captured somewhat, only not well enough to hold the reader's interest.  This should have been a far more engrossing book than it turns out to be, and I suspect, in the hands of a more seasoned writer, it could have been.  Instead, the writing style of Cleeson never rises above the level of chick lit at its worst.

                                                    She is better with character than narration and style, which is why I finished the book; I cared enough about Marisol and Elisa to discover their outcomes.  Understand, I had invested some time in this, so I was not about to stop.  Anyone not having read this book, or curious to, should look at this post; it could save on a lot of trouble.

                                                        I will not be rereading Cleeson again.  She is not worthy of my investment of time.  I did give her a chance.

                                                          And Reese, I will give you another chance, but stay away from crap, like this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!