The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes

Written by Chanel Cleeton

Narrated by Jennifer Jill Araya, Frankie Corzo and Kyla Garcia

A 2025 Goodreads Choice Award Nominee

"This captivating story is an ode to book lovers!"—Woman's World

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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Audio
• Release date: Sep 30, 2025
• ISBN: 9798217074969

Chanel Cleeton

Chanel Cleeton is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over fourteen novels. 

Reviews for The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes

[fredreeca · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A mysterious book with a legacy spanning from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present day unites three women—and their secrets.

This story is told in three different time periods; 1900s Boston, 1966 Havana, and 2024 London. I did like the present day a bit better than the others. Just because there seemed to be more mystery and drama unfolding. Plus, I liked Margo. I loved her cleverness.

But don’t sleep on the other parts of the story. They are all gripping! Between the Cuban revolution and the adventure Eva has at Harvard, you don’t know what is about to happen. But Chanel brought all these time periods together splendidly!

Need a “hunt for a book” tale…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

[bookczuk · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've read other books by this author so picked this one up to try. She writes beautifully of Cuba, and I have learned a lot from her works, including this one. This was a decent read, but did not catch me as much as some of her other novels have. Told in three voices, it is the story of the women who have been a part of the journey, over time, of a mysterious book, often in peril, that one has written.

[susan0316 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This beautifully well written novel follows three women in different time periods whose lives have intersected over a book written in Cuba in the early 1900s. Only one copy of the book was printed and someone wants to find it before it goes up for auction.

1900 - Boston and Cuba. Eva is teacher who is sent from Cuba to America during the summer of 1900 to attend and exchange of ideas at Harvard. Her country is trying to become a free country and she wants to do her part to help. She has been working on writing a novel for years and believes that she will have some free time during the summer to work on her book. Then she meets a man who sweeps her off her feet. Instead if spending time on her book, she spends every available minute with him. After the tumultuous outcome of their affair, Eva finally writes her novel hoping that he will read it. That book is what ties all three women together.

1966 Havana. Pilar is a librarian. Life isn't safe in Cuba during this time period. Fidel Castro is in charge and punishing anyone who speaks against him. Pilar should be safe but after her husband was arrested, she began to feel like she was being watched. A friend in her apartment building is getting ready to flee Cuba and brings Pilar a copy of The Lost Story to her in hopes that she can find the author and return the book to her. She is still being watched and someone in the government knows that she is hiding books for people to keep them safe. How much danger is she willing to put herself into by trying to protect the books.

2024 London. Margo owns a company that looks for lost things. When she is hired to find The Lost Story, she isn't sure why the book is important to the person who hired her but begins her search. Soon her life is in danger and she's being followed. She has no idea why this book is important and when someone who was helping her gets killed, she decides that maybe she should stop. Her ex-husband begins to help her but as they get closer to finding the book, the danger to both of them increases.

The story is told in alternating chapters by all three women. The author did a fantastic job and there's no confusion about any of the women and you always know which time period you are in. She also melds all three stories seamlessly for the ending. I not only enjoyed the story but learned a lot about Cuban history while I was reading. This book is another great book from Chanel Cleeton.