Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best reading order for your Perez family books?

I’d recommend reading Next Year in Havana before When We Left Cuba and Our Last Days in Barcelona, but the rest of my books are set earlier in history and can be read on their own. Thanks!

If you’d like to read them in the order they were published, this is the publication order:

Next Year in Havana (Elisa Perez’s story)

When We Left Cuba (Beatriz Perez’s story)

The Last Train to Key West (Mirta Perez’s story)

The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba (Marina Perez’s story)

Our Last Days in Barcelona (Isabel and Alicia Perez’s story)

Is there a Perez family tree?

Yes! The Perez family tree is included in the print editions of The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba and Our Last Days in Barcelona.

Are The Cuban Heiress and The House on Biscayne Bay connected to the Perez family?

No, both books are standalones and do not feature Perez family members. I had so much fun meeting these new characters!

When are your books set?

Next Year in Havana- 1958/2017

When We Left Cuba- 1960

The Last Train to Key West- 1935

The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba- 1896

Our Last Days in Barcelona- 1936/1964

The Cuban Heiress- 1934

A Night at the Tropicana: A Short Story- 1939

The House on Biscayne Bay- 1918/1941

Are your books available in Spanish?

Next Year in Havana (El Próximo Año en La Habana) and When We Left Cuba (Cuando Salí de Cuba) have been translated into Spanish by Maeva in Spain and are available on Amazon.

How are The Last Train to Key West and The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba related to your first two books?

The Last Train to Key West is set in 1935, over two decades before the events in Next Year in Havana and When We Left Cuba. It can be read as a standalone, so if you haven’t picked up my first two books, it’s a great place to jump in. The novel features three heroines with two recognizable last names. One of the heroines is related to Nick Preston from When We Left Cuba (a distant cousin) and another one of the heroines is a Perez and is Beatriz and Elisa’s aunt (their father’s sister). I’m loving writing about the Perez family and for my next few books we’ll go back in history a bit and meet some of the Perez ancestors.

The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba begins in 1896 during the Cuban fight for independence from Spain and eventually the Spanish-American War. It features three incredible heroines (one of which is a Perez ancestor). If you’re new to the Perez family, it’s a great place to start. It can be read as a standalone.

I’ve read your latest book, The Cuban Heiress. What’s next for you?

Thank you so much for reading The Cuban Heiress! My next book, The House on Biscayne Bay, is out April 2, 2024.

My book club is reading one of your books. What resources do you recommend?

My publisher has created gorgeous book club guides for Next Year in Havana, When We Left Cuba, The Last Train to Key West, The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba, Our Last Days in Barcelona, The Cuban Heiress, and The House on Biscayne Bay. The guides include discussion questions (some spoilers may be found, so I recommend looking at those after you’ve finished the book), a letter from me, recipes, and other tips for recommended reading and ideas for your book club evening. Thanks for reading my books!

Do you have a newsletter/mailing list?

I do! I send out a newsletter filled with book news, giveaways, what I’m reading and loving, and more. You can subscribe here. Thanks!