AUTHOR: Marié Rojas Tamayo
PUBLISHER: Guantanamera
GENRE: Fiction
READER’S NAME: Alisa Newman
 

This book is a quick and enjoyable read, funny and touching at times.  Set in modern-day Havana, it is the story of a likeable but aimless middle-aged man fresh out of his fourth failed marriage and looking to escape the demands of his ex-wives.  He comes up with the brilliant idea of seducing a foreign woman over social media as his ticket to a new life abroad, although he always envisions himself returning to Cuba once he has made his fortune.  Sooner than he expects, he catches the interest of a woman in Mexico, and their correspondence reaches such an intense pitch that she flies to Havana to consummate their relationship. 

Alas, she is not the beauty he has dreamed of, and he clings to his hope of wrangling an invitation to join her in Mexico while interacting with her as little as possible.  His friends come to his aid, inventing elaborate ruses to keep El Pillo (the Rascal) away from her amorous clutches.  Ultimately, he comes to realize that one of these friends is the real woman of his dreams, and in a burst of magical realism, the hapless Mexican is carried off home on the wings of a cyclone, à la Wizard of Oz.

This book is bound to appeal to Cuban American readers as well as a wider audience, and avoids political commentary that could deter the former.  It does have its flaws, however; the character of the would-be fiancée is not at all developed and serves merely as an object of ridicule.  In addition, the Spanish edition of the book contains numerous typos, although they do not affect the outcome of the story.

In conclusion, this novel is original, fun to read, and likely to appeal to a wide audience of readers in English.