The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes - by Chanel Cleeton

Book Synopsis

A mysterious book with a legacy spanning from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present day unites three women--and their secrets--in this unforgettable novel from New York Times bestselling author Chanel Cleeton.

London, 2024: American expat Margo Reynolds is renowned for her talent at sourcing rare antiques for her clients, but she's never had a request quite like this one. She's been hired to find a mysterious book published over a century ago. With a single copy left in existence, it has a storied past shrouded in secrecy--and her client isn't the only person determined to procure it at any cost.

Havana, 1966: Librarian Pilar Castillo has devoted her life to books, and in the chaotic days following her husband's unjust imprisonment by Fidel Castro, reading is her only source of solace. So when a neighbor fleeing Cuba asks her to return a valuable book to its rightful owner, Pilar will risk everything to protect the literary work entrusted to her care. It's a dangerous mission that reveals to her the power of one book to change a life.

Boston, 1900: For Cuban school teacher and aspiring author Eva Fuentes, traveling from Havana to Harvard to study for the summer is the opportunity of a lifetime. It's a whirlwind adventure that leaves her little time to write, but a moonlit encounter with an enigmatic stranger changes everything. The story that pours out of her is one of forbidden love, secrets, and lies... and though Eva cannot yet see it, the book will be a danger and salvation for the lives it touches.

Review Quotes

"The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes reminds us that books and stories have always been and will always be a shining light in our lives.... There is the perfect blend of drama, intrigue and passion to make it a novel that will appeal to book lovers everywhere." --Natasha Lester, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Orphan

"A moving tribute to the power and comfort of books, this is a must read for book lovers." --Madeline Martin, New York Times bestselling author of The Booklover's Library

"The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes has everything I love: suspense, adventure, heart, and gutsy heroines." --Alka Joshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Henna Artist

"With twists that keep you breathless and a haunting truth waiting to be uncovered, Cleeton masterfully blends history, suspense, and the enduring power of storytelling. A must-read for those who crave intrigue, resilience, and the undeniable magic of books." --Eliza Knight, USA Today and international bestselling author of Confessions of a Grammar Queen

"A love letter to the liberating and restorative power of the written word, books, and heroic teachers and librarians. From beginning to end, Cleeton's beautifully written story with its undercurrent tension and sense of urgency sets a course for an exceptional and captivating reading experience." --Monica Chenault-Kilgore, author of The Jewel of the Blues

Praise for the novels of Chanel Cleeton

"A beautiful novel that's full of forbidden passions, family secrets and a lot of courage and sacrifice." --Reese Witherspoon

"A sweeping love story and tale of courage and familial and patriotic legacy that spans generations." --Entertainment Weekly

"Next Year in Havana reminds us that while love is complicated and occasionally heartbreaking, it's always worth the risk." --NPR

"A thrilling story about love, loss, and what we will do to go home again. Utterly unputdownable." --PopSugar

"A remarkable writer." --The Washington Post

"You won't be able to put this one down." --Cosmopolitan

About the Author

Chanel Cleeton is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The House on Biscayne Bay, The Cuban Heiress, Our Last Days in Barcelona, The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba, The Last Train to Key West, When We Left Cuba, and Reese's Book Club pick Next Year in Havana. Originally from Florida, she grew up on stories of her family's exodus from Cuba following the events of the Cuban Revolution. Her passion for politics and history continued during her years spent studying in England where she earned a bachelor's degree in international relations from Richmond, the American International University in London, and a master's degree in global politics from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Cleeton also received her Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law.