A Night at the Tropicana

Every month I check the Amazon First Reads selections on offer, happy to get a free book a month before its wider publication. For September, my pick was A Night at the Tropicana, a short story by Chanel Cleeton. I’d read one novel of hers before, Next Year in Havana, and was curious to read more from her.

Summary

It’s 1969, and recently-divorced Natalie is attending a medical fundraiser event at the Miami hospital where she works. It sets off memories of 30 years earlier, when she visited Havana and attended the opening night of the famed Tropicana nightclub. Then a studious and responsible medical student, she let loose enough to dance with a young man named Antonio. Was that just a romantic night… or the start of something more?

Review

A Night at the Tropicana opens in Miami in 1969. Natalie is 48, recently divorced, and a successful doctor whose hospital is hosting a charity event. Though her life isn’t exactly what she’d thought it would be, she can remember at least one night, 30 years ago, when she got out of her comfort zone. Then 18 and on vacation between semesters at her medical school, she and her family spent a week in Havana, Cuba. The last night there, she met another doctor, Antonio, and danced as an instant romantic connection blossomed between them.

I liked Natalie’s character as an 18-year-old: Studious, responsible, more comfortable on the sidelines than as the life of the party. She cared more about her studies and career ambitions than boys. She was bad at dancing due to her constant fear of judgment. Honestly, I completely related to her. I was (and still am) a lot like Natalie, and could understand her desire to break free, just once. Antonio, a hopeless romantic, is a nice counterpart to her.

Across only five chapters, the parts in 1969 bookend the whirlwind romance told in the three 1939 chapters. Although the beginning was a bit slow, I enjoyed the chapters set in 1939. It was clear to me how the story would ultimately unfold; no surprises, but still sweet to read.

Final Thoughts

A Night at the Tropicana is a quick read split between 1939 and 1969. It’s not groundbreaking or shocking, but it does offer a glimpse into Cuban history, women’s career advancements, and a new chance at love despite the odds.

Get the Book

You can buy A Night at the Tropicana here – it will be available on October 1st as an ebook and audiobook.

A Night at the Tropicana by Chanel Cleeton
Audience	Adult
Genre	Historical Fiction
Setting	Miami; Havana
Number of Pages	41
Format I Read	Ebook
Original Publication Date	October 1, 2023

Official Summary

Cuba in the 1930s is the backdrop for a vibrant short story about the rhythms of the heart and the twists of fate that echo through time by the New York Times bestselling author of Next Year in Havana.

Havana, 1939: It’s opening night at the famed Tropicana nightclub. Cuban American college student Natalie Trainer, on vacation from Miami, is watching from the sidelines—as usual. Then comes an invitation to dance from a handsome stranger named Antonio. Normally cautious and reserved, Natalie somehow finds herself saying yes. A tiny thrill of rebellion, of taking a chance, and Natalie’s in heaven. Will her first step into this unfamiliar realm set a new course for her life, or only tonight?