Find Me in Havana

A Novel

By: Serena Burdick

Narrated by: Marisol Ramirez, Frankie Corzo

Length: 10 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

From the best-selling author of The Girls with No Names, a new historical novel based on the dazzling story of one of Hollywood’s most celebrated Hispanic actresses and her daughter’s search for closure.

“Told in a series of letters, Find Me in Havana is a beautiful and heart-wrenching story of mothers and daughters, and the American Dream that comes with the biggest price of all. I couldn’t put it down!" (Heather Webb, USA Today best-selling author)

Cuba, 1936: When Estelita Rodriguez sings in a hazy Havana nightclub for the very first time, she is nine years old. From then on, that spotlight of adoration - from Havana to New York’s Copacabana and then Hollywood - becomes the one true accomplishment no one can take from her. Not the 1933 Cuban Revolution that drove her family into poverty. Not the revolving door of husbands or the fickle world of film.

Thirty years later, her young adult daughter, Nina, is blindsided by her mother’s mysterious death. Seeking answers, the grieving Nina navigates the troubling, opulent memories of their life together and discovers how much Estelita sacrificed to live the American dream on her own terms.

Based on true events and exclusive interviews with Nina Lopez, Estelita’s daughter, Find Me in Havana weaves two unforgettable voices into one extraordinary story that explores the unbreakable bond between mother and child, and the ever-changing landscape of self-discovery.

©2021 Serena Burdick (P)2021 Harlequin Enterprises, Limited

Surprisedly good

I liked the complex relationships between the women especially. It was exceptionally well narrated too.

A good book

Find me in Havana is the story of Nina and her mother, movie star Estelita. Written in back and forth perspectives like letters to the other, Find me in Havana takes the reader from 12-year old Nina's experiences of growing up with her mother and grandmother, to being kidnapped by her father and taken home to Mexico, to being rescued by her mother and taking her to Cuba and then back home to the United States. We follow Estelita through her numerous relationships, her acting and singing career and motherhood.

The two are bound not only by the mother-child relationship, but by their struggles, traumas, and successes. There is a lot going on in this book and Serena Burdick does a great job keeping the reader on track. I found the beginning a bit tough to sink into and the ending was a little lack luster.

Find Me in Havana is worth the read but not my favorite by Ms. Burdick.

What a gem of a book

First time reading this author. I could not stop listening! Good story and unexpected gem. The narrator did an awesome job.

Totally unexpected

Just simply amazing all the way way around. What I thought would be a boring listen turned out to be simply amazing.

Great Book!

I loved the story, the characters, and plot. A few unexpected events which made me sad but overall such a great book

Fabulous story & reading

Heart-wrenching, beautifully written, and expertly delivered. I could see the whole book play out like one of Estalita’s movies. If you want to feel deeply and be moved, you won’t regret this book.

Sad from beginning to end

There were some good – and not-so-good things about Find me in Havana. The characters and storyline were interesting, and I appreciated that it was historical fiction set in Cuba, Miami, and Hollywood instead of Europe during WWII. I must admit that I hadn’t heard of Estelita Rodriguez, and I enjoyed researching her life as I listened to the book. But that’s where the pros stopped for me. To be brutally honest, I should have reviewed this book immediately after I finished it, because I’m having trouble remembering the details. I can, however, tell you how it made me feel. I don’t shy away from sad books, but this one was downright disturbing from beginning to end. I wish I’d read the book rather than listening to it, because the narration was tedious and the timeline was confusing. The pacing was plodding, and I had to push through to finish it. So while the book included some fascinating history, it just didn’t work for me. To read more of my reviews, google my name.

Excellent

I thoroughly enjoyed every word of this book. Well written thought provoking and heart breaking.

Didn’t love it

The “dear daughter, dear mother” approach was problematic for an audible book. With narrator voices so similar, it was easy to become confused as to who was speaking. I had hoped to gain greater insight of the Cuban Revolution, but that topic played a minor role.

Loved the story

The performance of the reader made it easy to follow and stay interested. The story was well done going back and forth between mother and daughter from each of their perspectives. Beautifully written and interesting.