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When We Left Cuba
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
In 1960s Florida, a young Cuban exile will risk her life--and heart--to take back her country in this exhilarating historical novel from the author of Next Year in Havana, a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick. Beautiful. Daring. Deadly. The Cuban Revolution took everything from sugar heiress Beatriz Perez--her family, her people, her country. Recruited by the CIA to infiltrate Fidel Castro's inner circle and pulled into the dangerous world of espionage, Beatriz is consumed by her quest for revenge and her desire to reclaim the life she lost. As the Cold War swells like a hurricane over the shores of the Florida Strait, Beatriz is caught between the clash of Cuban American politics and the perils of a forbidden affair with a powerful man driven by ambitions of his own. When the ever-changing tides of history threaten everything she has fought for, she must make a choice between her past and future--but the wrong move could cost Beatriz everything--not just the island she loves, but also the man who has stolen her heart...
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laurabilly13
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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My second time trying this one, just lost momentum the last time I tried to read it. I loved Next Year in Havana, so I‘m sure I‘ll enjoy this too.

marleed I‘m an auto read on Cleeton books and this was my only ‘meh‘ - and a preorder at that! The descriptions of just how tough life is because I‘m just so beautiful drove me crazy. But I think the author heard those complaints because her subsequent don‘t overplay the beauty of her characters. 1y
2 likes1 comment
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Kshakal
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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Eggs 💗 Cleeton 💗 2y
31 likes1 comment
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Eggs
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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Day 3 of #AwesomeAugustReadathon

Book # 5: 2/3 finished with “When We Left Cuba” audiobook

@Andrew65

Hanna-B Good? 2y
yash_sy Hi,
My name is Yash Patel, a UX designer by profession. I am designing an app for avid readers like you, where you can borrow & lend your books over the internet across the city/state level. For this, I am conducting the survey. I would appreciate it if you spare a few minutes and participate in this survey.
Here is the link: https://forms.gle/FV68nCWMXNx1H1WD6
2y
Eggs @Hanna-B Good 4/5 so far 2y
Andrew65 Great 👏👏👏 2y
51 likes1 stack add4 comments
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laurabilly13
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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8️⃣ Looking forward to this one, I loved Next Year in Havana, this novel focuses on another member of the Perez family #chanelcleeton #whenweleftcuba

4 likes1 stack add
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Sharpeipup
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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Love this nightstand display at our hotel!

36 likes1 stack add
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Crinoline_Laphroaig
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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❓about Narration.

Story is told from viewpoint of Beatriz a young Cuban Exile. Yet the majority of the book is read with a very neutral voice until we get to Cuba names and places. Then Narrator goes all in on sounding Cuban.

Wouldn't it be better for Overall story to be read sounding Cuban and switch to white bread narration when doing American accents?

Better yet a Cuban or Cuban American Narrator. Thoughts❓

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Roxanareads
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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One of the audio books I'm listening to

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rachelsbrittain
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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Pickpick

I really need to stop digging into Chanel Cleeton audiobooks in the evening because then I inevitably stay up too late finishing them. In the wake of the revolution and Castro taking over Cuba, Beatriz Perez and her family were forced to flee. Now, living in Palm Springs, she teams up with the CIA during a tumultuous time to get her revenge for her twin brother's murder. Cleeton just has such a way with characters and stories. Another great read.

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MeganLindell
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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Panpan

⭐️⭐️ • What a slog. Trying to be both a love story and a spy novel (?), executing well on neither. I liked Next Year in Havana enough and was intrigued by Beatriz‘s backstory. Could have been so much more imho.

marleed This one drove me nuts too. There‘s a limit to how often I can be repeatedly told of just how damn difficult it is to be young, beautiful and rich. Did I mention beautiful? I liked her 1st and 3rd books though. I see her 4th book even has beautiful in the title - I‘m just not sure I can go there! 4y
MeganLindell @marleed Ha! Yeah, I felt there were too many conversations and not much...action. Like if B and the senator had one more conversation about how difficult their situation was I was gonna quit. 4y
4 likes2 comments
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jessijames
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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Pickpick

I really enjoy these books! I hope the next one is just as intriguing as I‘ve fallen in love with these stories of Cuba.

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mavey
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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We'll dance at the Tropicana.

Jensol77 This is a sad quote… 3y
mavey @Jensol77 It is🥺Around the middle of the story, I started loving them both together💖 3y
2 likes2 comments
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mavey
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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Pickpick

Heartwarmingly beautiful! This one will steal your heart away!
❤Fate, and timing, and all that.

Did I really ever stand a chance?😂🥰

#Love #ChanelCleeton #BeatrizPerez

Graciouswarriorprincess It was such a good story! 4y
mavey @Graciouswarriorprincess Yes! Heartsqueeze!♡ 4y
3 likes2 comments
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Maggie_Reads
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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I really enjoyed Elisa‘s story in the first book Next Year In Havana, so I‘m curious about reading her sister Beatriz‘s story.

lynneamch This latest one is really good, too. 4y
Maggie_Reads @lynneamch thanks! I‘ll check it out. 4y
17 likes2 comments
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ATB
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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Day Two of #dashingdecember and I am already behind my own low key goals. 😂 back at it.

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Graciouswarriorprincess
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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Book 178 of 2020. This book completed my 2020 Read Harder challenge by @bookriot .

Nute Way to go!🙌🏽 4y
Graciouswarriorprincess @Nute Thank you!😊 4y
Amandajoy Good job! 4y
See All 6 Comments
Deblovestoread Way to go! 4y
46 likes6 comments
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Graciouswarriorprincess
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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Getting close to bingo! Hope to finish tagged book tonight. #bookishbingo

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alisonrose
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
Mehso-so

Too much going on in the world and my life to say much of substance. Enjoyed this less than expected, tho could be chalked up in part to my mood. I knew there‘d be a lot of political stuff but it got a bit tedious. Liked Beatriz but wasn‘t invested in the romance & writing was heavy-handed at times. Was interesting to learn more about this era, esp. from POV of a Cuban woman & enjoyed the sister relationships. Ended up being good, not great 3/5 ⭐️

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alisonrose
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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This cover is so beautiful, and I‘ve been looking forward to reading Beatriz‘s story since I read Next Year in Havana over a year ago.

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rather_be_reading
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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Bailedbailed

I bailed another. This might be a record of DNFs for me this year. This makes me so sad. However, Cleeton's writing was great I just didnt care for the storyline. Also, its a bit historical fiction and I hate that genre.

DAB I like historical fiction so I added it to my list. 4y
marleed I loved Chanel‘s first and third books (and their covers) but this one drove me nuts. Life is just so unfair when you are so young an so beautiful - over and over until I was so over! 4y
rather_be_reading @DAB u will prob love it 4y
rather_be_reading @marleed haha exactly! 4y
59 likes1 stack add5 comments
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rather_be_reading
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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Lunch time reads. Might be bailing on this one later. Im giving it 100 pages

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rather_be_reading
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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Enjoying a small window of time outside before it gets smokin hot

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rather_be_reading
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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First time cracking open a book all holiday weekend!!

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rather_be_reading
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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Book 159 of 2020
#tbrlist

marleed Pretty photo! 4y
Nicos Took a lot of scrolling today until I got to a picture of an actual book 🙂. 4y
rather_be_reading @Nicos haha sometimes it happens 4y
65 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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LinesUponAPage
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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My current read via Yellowstone Lake in Yellowstone National Park.

What are you reading right now?

Trashcanman I'm not reading anything, I'm waiting for the sun to shine. 4y
Prairiegirl_reading I just finished the dream daughter and started Mrs everything. 4y
Lcsmcat You‘re in one of my favorite places. 4y
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Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick I am nearly finished with The Downstairs Girl and started on Washington Black. 4y
LinesUponAPage @Trashcanman it‘s t it best to read when it‘s raining??? Sorry, it‘s not shining. 🙁 4y
LinesUponAPage @Lcsmcat yay!!! It is amazing, isn‘t it? 4y
LinesUponAPage @Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick sounds like interesting books. Let me know what you think of them. 😉 4y
LinesUponAPage @Prairiegirl_reading I‘ve never heard of either book. Sounds interesting. What do you think? 4y
Prairiegirl_reading @Lifeisasnap the dream daughter was a good summer read in the sense of it was fast paced. I read it in a day, couldn‘t put it down. I just started Mrs. Everything but I‘m having trouble getting into it. We‘ll see I guess. Lol! 4y
66 likes9 comments
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LinesUponAPage
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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My current read via Yellowstone Lake in Yellowstone National Park.

What are you reading right now? @c

34 likes1 stack add
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R.L.Walker
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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Pickpick

Omg book hangover! Loved this!! So much history and life views! Def still thinking about this one!

Ncostell I loved this one too ❤️ 4y
60 likes1 comment
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emmaturi
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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This is one of my #currentreads and I am enjoying it. The third book comes out very soon too! #books

marleed I love the cover for the third book and I‘m anxiously waiting to read. Unfortunately, the second book drove me a bit crazy - all that burden of being young and beautiful and all. 5y
emmaturi Haha! Yes it is mentioned a lot and only just started it! @marleed 5y
marleed Haha. I was so obsessed with reading book 2 that B&N let me purchase their single copy the had one night prior to its release. ... I wished I‘d taken a tally of every time the MC‘s youth and beauty were referenced just so I could have been more entertained than frustrated by it! 5y
27 likes3 comments
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emmaturi
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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These are the other two books I got from the library. #tbr

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Deblovestoread
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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#Bookreport #WeeklyForcast

When We Left Cuba 3 🌟 A Court of Wings and Ruin 4 🌟 HP and the DH 5 🌟

I am only a few pages in on my current reads. Next up are #doublespin and #bonusspin choices that I hope to get to this month.

Cinfhen The Five is my #doublespin hoping to start it this week 5y
22 likes1 comment
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Danay
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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2020 #18

marleed The author sure wanted me to know that life for an MC can be tough when you are burdened with youth and beauty! 5y
Danay 😂 Yes, she did! 5y
Danay @marleed ...and wealth! 5y
marleed Such a burden ;) 5y
2 likes1 stack add4 comments
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stacie_rose
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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Pickpick

Great over view of the conflict between America and Cuba during the cold war. In some points the characters were frustrating, which detracted from their strength. Sometimes it felt like suspense was building for events where history is already a spoiler, making the story way too predictable when the author was trying to make it interesting. However, there were a few plot loops that succeeded in catching me off guard. I recommend.

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Sheridanb
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton

“How nice to see even gods have flaws.”

1 like1 stack add
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CocoReads
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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I think I forgot to post yesterday. Heres‘s my next #7covers7days #covercrush

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HotCocoaReads
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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Mehso-so

I learned a ton about Cuba and the Cuban missile crisis—Historically, it fascinated me, but the characters were just ok. I didn‘t feel much emotional connection with any of them. Strong ending though.

JulietReads Pretty bath🥰 5y
marleed I liked the first book so much bust was disappointed in this sequel. Way way too much mention of the burden of Beatriz‘s youth and beauty - blah blah. 5y
HotCocoaReads @marleed I felt the same. She‘s beautiful, I get it! 🤣 5y
HotCocoaReads @julietbooks It was a perfect bath! 😀 5y
14 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Joanielovesbooks
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
Pickpick

Great 👍🏻

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rather_be_reading
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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@MoonWitch94 look what arrived! I looove the bright colors you picked and the beachy read for the #SummerReadingSwap 🌴🌴 This one has been on my list FOREVER!

MoonWitch94 YAY!!! I am so very glad!! Sorry it took for long. Enjoy & let me know how this one is bc it looks so good! 5y
61 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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MelissaSue81
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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Mehso-so

This book was okay but I didn‘t like it nearly as much as Next Year In Havana. It was pretty implausible. A book where the main character is sort of inserted into big historical events. And the ending was even more unbelievable than that. It wasn‘t bad, but I couldn‘t bring myself to really care about Beatriz either.

marleed I anticipated the book so much that B&N let me purchase their promotional copy the day prior then stacking their other copies. I didn‘t think it lived up to book one. And the constant references to Beatriz‘s youth and beauty drove me nutso. 5y
MelissaSue81 @marleed - yes!! I literally don‘t care that you‘re pretty! Stop telling me! 5y
57 likes2 comments
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suvata
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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Pickpick

ModernMrsDarcy.com Summer 2019 Reading List

Pretty complete history of the Castro take over in Cuba. It gets very involved in America‘s involvement. I learned a lot from this story.

MelissaSue81 I‘m just finishing up Next Year In Havana, and have this next up on Audio. Did you read Next Year In Havana? 5y
suvata @MelissaSue81 Not yet but it is on my list. 5y
71 likes1 stack add2 comments
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BlueStockingReviews
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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Pickpick

Beatriz‘s confident and courageous character richly drives the narrative. She was a smart, independent and fascinating woman well ahead of her time. She wasn‘t interested in marriage and playing a traditional role in society. Instead she was interested in making a difference in the world. Beatriz‘s passion and strength in her beliefs is what make this book compelling. https://www.bluestockingreviews.com/post/when-we-left-cuba

Cinfhen Lovely photo 💗 5y
TEArificbooks Greta pic 5y
hermyknee Oooh gorgeous photo! 5y
47 likes1 stack add4 comments
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aliasNayNay
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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Pickpick

This book has everything that I love: a family that sticks together through difficult times; characters that have their own strong personalities and hold their place well in the storyline; a gorgeous setting; and a forbidden romance, one you never forget.
While the story is entirely fictional, Cleeton does weave in factual historical events, that adds interest and helps drive the story which is absorbing and heartwarming.

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Books88
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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Pickpick

Stayed up late to finish this one last night!

I love reading about the Perez family and being immersed in Cuban culture and the country's history.

Areader2 I just bought this 1.99 amazon 😀 5y
Books88 @Areader2 🙌🏻😍 I love a good book deal! 5y
100 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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Kshakal
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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Pickpick

Another winner by Cleeton... and just as good as the first book! Descriptive settings and well developed characters and a topic that we all now about but isn‘t written about much!! A 5⭐️ read for sure!!

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Books88
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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Current read. ?
I loved the first book "Next Year in Havana". ?

64 likes2 stack adds
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Chasingmermaids
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
Pickpick

Loved this. A little slow to start but it‘s needed to set the stage. By the end you won‘t be able to put it down.

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Lauren.Archer
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
Pickpick

I really ended up enjoying this one. It was a little slower than Next Year in Havana, but still none the less very good. I know this is a topic we learned about in school, but I am enjoying hearing Cleeton's stories of this time well into almost current times. I hope she continues to write more about the Perez family.

Read my full review at: https://obsessedbookaholic.com/2019/06/30/when-we-left-cuba/

58 likes1 stack add
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Lauren.Archer
When We Left Cuba | Chanel Cleeton
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Going to give this one another shot. I think I am in a better mind set now.