In this spellbinding novel, filled with both intense eroticism & delicate tenderness, Bernardo brings vividly to life the exotic & fascinating world of Cuba during the earlier part of this century. When Dolores, a beautiful girl from a family of wealthy landowners, meets Maximiliano, the handsome butcher, she elopes with him, & her family disowns her for life. At once deeply moving & filled with humor, this is the story of their love for each other & of their quest for a better life for themselves & their children. A story set in a world of tropical heat & fierce pride where men are men, & women appear to be men's possessions.