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A coming-of-age/refugee story of two Cuban cousins who are also best friends, Alicia and Nora. The story starts when the girls are very young, their families are prosperous and happy, life in Cuba is good. As the girls get older, Castro comes into power and life as they know it is irrevocably changed.

Alicia's family stays in Cuba, optimistic that Castro will fall victim to a revolution similar to the one that put him in power and their life in Cuba will once again be beautiful. Nora's family chooses to flee the country and start over in the United States. The story follows the girls' lives and struggles through letters they write to each other over the years.

The imagery of the book is rich and vivid; I could feel the warmth of the sun, the softness of the sand, taste the coconut ice cream and even smell the breezes. But the story left me wanting more out of it. I felt like I connected more with the island than the characters and that the author implied so much more depth to the girls than she ever capitalized on.

A good read but not one I'd pick up again.