"Men are like perfumes. In an instant, with nothing but a whiff of judgment, I either love them or discard them."
Marisol is an exuberant poet and historical archivist living in contemporary Miami. Like her adopted city, she's a sensual free spirit. Born in Cuba and transplanted at an early age to Florida, she nurses a nostalgia for the legendary island birthplace she barely remembers. She also harbors a passion for scents, donning a new perfume each time she takes on a new relationship. After the death of her beloved grandmother and a series of sensuous but disappointing romances, Marisol realizes that she must break free from the shackles of her history, abandon lost causes, and embrace the only real home she's ever had -- her own wandering heart. Freed at last from yearning for old Havana, "the Paris of the Caribbean," this romantic exile must embrace a new life. Although she cannot reclaim Havana, she can experience the real thing -- Paris -- so Marisol sets out with an open ticket to chart the course of her future.
Bridging the divide between the effervescent Miami of today and the mystical Cuba of yesteryear, Reclaiming Paris is a paean to place and memory, rich with humor, passion, and unforgettable characters.
"Alone in a hotel room in sultry Miammi, sheets covering her quivering body, Marisol, the protagonist of this riveting book, weeps for her lost love. The scene will pierce the heart of every woman I know. For Marisol is us: defiant, romantic and, ultimately, our only true saviors." -- Mirta Ojito, author of Finding Mañana
"Reclaiming Paris is one woman's passionate odyssey through the shadows of tragic history and her own tumultuous past in search of her soul. Fabiola Santiago's heartbreakingly beautiful first novel throbs with sweet-scented poetry and the lusty heartbeats of Cuba, Miami, Barcelona, and Paris. She is a poet to die for." -- Edna Buchanan, Pulitzer Prize-winner and author of Legally Dead
"Cuban and Latino readers will find much to identify with in this richly nuanced novel, and others will find it a fascinating inside look at a culture that is too often viewed as monolithic and alien. A true rarity--an erotic yet intelligent tale." -- Kirkus
"Santiago elevates this seemingly merely glamorous and romantic tale above the usual chick-lit fare by smoothly integrating immigration issues and a dash of mystery into the plot." -- Booklist
