Reclaiming Paris

"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.

About the Author

Fabiola Santiago has been a writer and editor for The Miami Herald since 1980. She was the founding city editor of the Spanish-language El Nuevo Herald, and shared in a Pulitzer Prize for coverage of the Elián González story at The Miami Herald in 2001. Her writing on culture, arts, and identity has won awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. Her stories and essays have been published in many U.S. newspapers, magazines, and anthologies, and in Latin America, Canada, and France. She lives in Miami.