A Sea between Us: The True Story of a Man Who Risked Everything for Family and Freedom

by Yosely Pereira, Billy Ivey (Primary Contributor)

What could compel the humble son of a carpenter to build a boat, battle the shark-infested waters of the Florida Straits, and leave the only life he’s ever known?

A Sea between Us is the harrowing true story of Yosely Pereira, the love of his life, Taire, and their incredible fight to escape the brutal bonds of communist Cuba.

Ninety miles lay between their island prison and their dreams. But crossing those miles was only the beginning of this gripping journey. After building a boat and enduring the Florida Straits, Yosely secured his freedom, but his own escape was not enough. Taire and their two young children still needed to be rescued.

A story of a harrowing journey fueled by love . . .

A Sea between Us celebrates the strength of the human spirit and the transcendent power of love.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography, Adventure

288 pages, Paperback

Published August 2, 2022

Reviews

[Julie Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written story about one man’s journey to America from Cuba and the aftermath to get his family to freedom. His story is gut wrenching and painful, but also full of love, hope, faith, and finding beauty in the moments. The lovely writing paints a tapestry of the Cuban island juxtaposed against the harsh realities of poverty and cruelty imposed on the people. I am an avid reader and this is my favorite novel in years!! I could not put it down. Highly recommend!

[Josephine Sorrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Sea Between Us is one of the most heartfelt stories I’ve ever read. It was said that Americans can take our freedom for granted. We do! All the while our neighbors are suffering every day under cruel regime.

Yosely, the author of this memoir, is desperate and determined to get his family out of Cuba to freedom and safety. His baby cries because there is nothing to put in her tiny tummy and she cannot tolerate the enzymes in her mother’s breast milk. The powdered milk she needs is very expensive. How can the leader of this beautiful country turn his back on the little ones?

Yosely has an amazing talent working with wood. He was taught the art by his father. He decides to covertly build a boat and row the ninty miles to Florida. Sounds fairly simple except for storms, sharks, hunger and thirst. Upon arrival to America, the real challenge begins… to get his wife, son, and daughter our of Cuba. His woodworking talent helps him rescue his family.

I held my breath as each daring and scary attempt to get his family to Florida seemed it would work but for various reasons failed.

This memoir was eye opening about the plight of many who don’t have the luxury of being an American. Yosely’s story is one of the successful ones even though he lost years with his family until they were able to finally reunite on American soil and begin a life free from the brutal bonds of communist Cuba.

Thank you Yosely for sharing your life so vividly and honestly.
Thank you Netgally and Tyndale House Publishers for the opportunity to read and review this well written ARC.

[Jill Dobbe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Sea Between Us is the remarkable story of a man who suffered the injustices of Fidel Castro's Cuba. Disillusioned with life under the Castro government, Yosely Pereira, the author, builds a boat and sets off with three friends, sailing the 90 miles to Miami, Florida. Leaving his wife and children behind, he tells them nothing about his escape, in order to keep them safe. Through the power of persistence, prayer, hope, and determination they make it, and Yosely reunites with his sister in Tennessee. Along with help and money from friends, he is able to reunite with his family, the only thing that matters to him.

Stories like Yosely's are why I love reading memoirs. The amazing stories and the incredible odds that people overcome in their lives show the resiliency, bravery, and determination of the human spirit. Yosely's story is truly one that encompasses all of those attributes and more.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and Netgalley for this ARC.

[Nicole Conrad · Rating 5 out of 5]

So often in today’s news cycle in America, stories of immigration are boiled down to soundbites from politicians, and the trauma and turmoil of the immigrant’s experience is lost or passed over. A Sea Between Us is Yosely Pereira’s harrowing story of his journey from Cuba and then his quest to be reunited with his family in the US. Billy Ivey’s storytelling cinematically weaves Yosely’s perilous boat journey with the life experiences that led to Yosely’s desire to flee Cuba. At a recent event, I heard Ivey speak about Yosely as a hero while also acknowledging the tragedy that Yosely’s story is both common and current. I’m thankful for the perspective of this book, for the Pereira family’s courage in sharing their experience, and for @wrivey using his writing talent to share a story we should all listen to.

[Payton · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow wow wow & that was a true story. sometimes I forget that all the dramatic/intense things that happen in movies sincerely happen in real life.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful story! Probably my favorite read thus far this year!

[Ashley W · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book every American (young and old) should read! A heartbreaking and heroic story based on faith in God, and hope in freedom. Thank you for writing this touching story. Proud of this fellow Birminghamian & Oak Mountain parent!

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredibly inspiring book! I was blown away with the anticipation, agony and triumph of the story. I HIGHLY recommend this amazing story. Need to read it today! Run, don’t walk to get it!

[Debra Slonek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read to learn about and understand things and people. This book gave me great insight and developed my empathy for the Cuban people.

The physical descriptions of the island nation of Cuba make it sound so very beautiful and even inviting. It has the potential to be an island paradise.

The people of this island nation are not free. They are desperate, hungry and many are persecuted. Hope is hard to come by, but some managed to find it.

Yosely was one who found and desperately clung to hope, to the possibility and promise of a better life for him and his family. This book told the story of Yosely, his family and how they came to the United States. It told of their plight in Cuba. It told of their fight and flight to freedom, which was harrowing and heartbreaking at times.

This book touched my heart, opened my eyes, educated me, brought me to tears and encouraged me. It has inspired me to seek out those who have sought refuge in this country and to make them feel welcome. It has also reminded me to keep praying for the people of Cuba. May their sufferings be decreased and their freedoms increased.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale Momentum. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of this family’s escape from Cuba was clearly told and very compelling. The writing wasn’t amazing, but it wasn’t bad either. I liked the switching back and forth from past to present to keep things moving but give them context. It made me appreciate again the strengths of this mixed-up country I am blessed to live in. It also reminded me of the amazing things that immigrants contribute and the way we extend God’s love when we welcome them.

[Julia Hayward · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you just want to read a dang good story, this is phenomenal. This one was deeply moving, simple and quick to read, and super enlightening if you're like me and don't fully understand the deep level of hardship that comes with seeking refuge in a free country. Left the read feeling immensely humbled and grateful.

[Seth Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story!

[Youn Song · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really gripping story that kept me hooked until the ending. I finished the book in one setting. The book alternates between two narratives: Yosley Pereira’s earlier life in Cuba and the story of how he defected to Cuba via boat with his 4 friends and brought his wife and two children over to the U.S. It is a touching and profoundly beautiful tale that opened my eyes to the harrowing realities of life in Cuba under Castro's regime, while also portraying a powerful narrative of love.

1. Story: First time learning about Cuba through the lens of ordinary Cubans. After Fidel Castro came to power, people were stripped of their private land, lost autonomy, and had to worship Fidel Castro as God. Dissenters of Castro like Yosley’s father got beaten up in public. Yosley first goes to jail after failing to serve in the army, where he learns about the “True” God, who is not Castro. He falls in love with Taire, and has two children. He is sent to jail once again when he is caught fishing for shrimp to feed his children. As a skilled carpenter, he builds a boat to escape to the US with his 4 friends. They encounter sharks and a storm on the way, and one of the friends die in the journey. Yosley first arrive in Miami, and then settle in Nashville where his sister has defected to with her Mexican husband. He befriends Jim, who supports Yosley and sponsors him to bring his family to the US. He finally earns enough money to pay a broker who brings the family over. Yosley is now a carpentry business owner and Taire is a ESL schoolteacher.
2. God and miracles: Yosley first learns about God in prison, when the prisoner in front of him secretly hands him the Bible. He clings on to Isaiah 41:10 during his dark days. Yosley has been through so much difficulty both in Cuba, his journey to the US, and in his efforts to bring back his family to the US, but he has also had a lot of luck in his life that helped him along the way. Jim and his wife take him in during his hardest times and he also has Enira, his best friend who takes care of the family back in Cuba when he has left.
3. Love: This is an incredible and beautiful story about Yosley’s extraordinary and unwavering love for his family. From the very moment they meet (riding on motorcycle together past by the mango trees to the courthouse wedding), to the immense sacrifices he makes, shedding literal blood and tears, to secure enough funds to bring his family to safety, Yosley's love touches the people around him - Jim, the broker, etc- who unite in a collective effort to help Yosley bring his family back home.

[Amanda Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Maybe that’s what God was trying to say when He promised to always be with me. Maybe He was working through all the people—all the ups and downs throughout my life—to bring me here to this point”

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Sea Between Us is the story of how Yosely Pereira came to the United States from Cuba.

Yosely paints a portrait of Cuba that is beautiful in its physical landscape, strong in its devotion to friends and family, and miserable in its struggle to feed, clothe, and house its people amidst constant fear of the national police. It illustrates the profound problems with a Marxist-Leninist ideology.

I found his experience in our country to be troubling at times. I don’t want to spoil the story, but I think a careful reader who looks beyond Yosely’s story will see the controversial side of immigration.

You will also see a beautiful love story unfold. The kind of love story that speaks of the value of family and faith, and the sanctity of every human life. The kind of story that would not have happened without the hope that is found in Yosely’s growing belief in God. (Jesus curiously is not mentioned in this book.)

The events in this story took place twenty to thirty years ago and there is a statement in the author’s note about the struggle to remember details. Even so, there were times when small details conflicted and other times where I sensed holes in the story that left me with niggling questions.

Overall, this is a story worth reading to broaden your understanding of immigration, be thankful for our freedoms, and maybe even find ways that you can help those new to our country.

[Francis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book. Some young people think that concentration camps were way in the past. This book about living in Cuba in the early 2000's shows that socialist/communist oppression, torture, false imprisonment, absence of freedom of religion and speech and justice are sadly very much alive and well.
This book is the story of a Cuban, his friends and his family who risked all to escape the island paradise.
While very honest about life in communist Cuba, it is not graphic so a high schooler and above would benefit from reading this book.
The desire for freedom is impossible to quench in some souls. The accounts of daily life, work, family life etc. are all covered in detail. The author yearned to be free and was willing to take great risks to achieve freedom.
Fortunately, the author learned fine carpentry from his father and so he was able to supplement the dietary and material needs of his family by bartering his skills for food, milk, clothing, diapers etc.
As a worker he was paid hardly anything and one year their pay was cut, making survival even more difficult.
If you happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time you risked arrest and imprisonment. The author came upon an elderly woman who was forced off a road by a military truck. She went down a steep hill and died. He was the first one on the scene and ran to check on the poor person who was dead. HE was arrested as his testimony of the facts would not make the government look good and the government could not have that.
Eventually, he married and had two children. He and three friends left Cuba on a homemade boat and made it to the US. It took him a long time to be able to get his wife and children out of the country.
As our own freedoms are under attack today in our own country, this book is a reminder as to what life was like without freedom and with whimsical persecution and violence.
The only thing I did not like was the going back and forth timewise in the book. I understand the need for some background information, but I thought the constant going back and forth made it a little hard to follow sometimes. Just a small thing.
The book is well worth reading to help one understand the sufferings of people in the 21st century in an enslaved nation just 90 miles away from our shores.

[Reads by EMN · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book follows Yosely Pereira, who grows up in a struggling Cuban household during Fidel Castro's regime. Living in deep poverty, Yosely dreams of a better life, but the odds are stacked against him.

What stands out in the raw, personal tone of the book. Pereira doesnt sugarcoat the hardships he faced such as hunger, political oppression and family struggles. His escape from Cuba is harrowing and risky, but it's also a powerful act of courage and hope. Once in the US the journey is far from over. Pereira faces a different kind of hardship, cultural adaptation, identity challenges and the scars of the past.

But what truly lifts the story is the theme of redemption. Through hard work, determination and his faith, Pereira rebuilds his life. The book is honest about failure and fear, but its ultimately about grace and second chances.

[Barbara Hale · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. This is the harrowing true story of a man's attempt to escape Cuba and seek asylum in the US due to political persecution. The first half of the book describes what he endured growing up in Cuba, and the second half of the book is about his mission to also get his wife and two young children out of Cuba after he is already in the US. Some scenes sent chills down my spine, but some brought tears to my eyes. When I read about the kindness some of the Americans extended to him on this long journey, it made me so proud of my fellow Americans. However, this was in 2004, so it also makes me sad how my country has turned against immigrants in the last two decades.

[Mar at BOOKIVERSE · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.8 stars

DNF at 60%

This story is as important as it is fascinating. I've known people that escaped the Cuban regime and always admired these stories of courage and resilience. They are heartbreaking and poignant and MUST be told.

Therefore, I was deeply invested in the characters and the story.

Unfortunately, I didn't love the book as much as I wanted to and I think it is may be because it is a translated work. The writing style and dialogues came across incredibly stilted and didn't allow me to fully enjoy the book and that's why I DNF at 60%.

[Sharon K F · Rating 4 out of 5]

The true story of a man's harrowing, costly, and desperate attempt to leave Castro's Cuba and to bring his family to him.

Yosely describes life in Cuba under Castro's communist regime, a life we hardly can imagine happening only 90 miles south of Florida. It becomes so unbearable that he risks everything to get away and start a new life in the United States.

One important aspect of the regime is the crushing of all religious beliefs and the attempt to make Fidel Castro their god.

The book had me on edge as calamity after calamity overtakes Yosely.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story. Makes one think about why we have freedom in the USA and could make one think about how to preserve it - if you're thinking clearly, critically. The writing style suggests a writer who is working with a non-English speaking person. The story seems to be told faithfully (as is suggested by the writer) but don't expect a lot of artistry. Enjoy the book for the insight it gives you into oppression and tyranny so prevalent around the world. Keep our country free and preserve the culture that created this liberty.

[Rachel Lundy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an incredible story! I couldn’t put this book down! I was completely drawn in by the compelling and gripping story of Yosely and his family. I learned a lot about life in Cuba, and I understand better now why some people are willing to risk everything for a chance of freedom in America. I am so glad that Yosely and his family made it to freedom.

One thing that surprised me about this book was the lack of clarity about the author's faith. I expected that a memoir from Tyndale would be written by someone who was obviously a believer in Christ, but in this case, sadly, I am unsure if the author knows Jesus. The author did write about being given a Bible, reading the Bible, and coming to believe that God is real. But there was no mention of the gospel, Jesus, salvation, or the forgiveness of sins. There is a big difference between believing that God is real and trusting in Jesus as Lord and Savior. I truly hope and pray that Yosley and his family come to a saving knowledge of Jesus if they don't already know Him. It would be tragic indeed to escape from Cuba, but not to escape the wrath of God in the life yet to come.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredible story! I learned a lot about Cuba and it’s history and what it was like for the people who lived there under Fidel. Yosely’s life experience felt like one guy punch after another. I found the writing to be a little bit repetitive, and also the timeline of his first little while in America was unclear, so I was a little confused by the end when he said “2 years”. But overall this was a very important book to learn about a Cuban immigrant’s experience.

[Joel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extraordinary story and wholesome/clean. God is mentioned but no mention of Jesus. No mention of sin or awareness of need for a savior.

I am aware a story doesn't require this to be read, but I'm putting it here because I would have liked to know this prior to reading as I tend to enjoy books that have salvation through Jesus intertwined with the story.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think what struck me the most in this story were the living conditions in Cuba, the absolute poverty, the lack of food and the blatant lawlessness of those who were supposed to be law enforcement. Definitely not somewhere, I'd like to travel to. And then of course, Yosely fought for so long to reunite with his family...

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect read for Independence Day weekend! Even though this is marketed as a Christian book, I think anyone can benefit from reading this as the faith aspect is mentioned only a handful of times. We definitely take our freedom for granted here in the United States. Reading stories such as this one makes celebrating this holiday all the more special

[Anna D · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a true story, so you can't find fault with the plot! As someone who grew up knowing Fidel Castro was connected to why Cuba wasn't a great place, I definitely learned a lot about what that actually looked like. This book is helpful for understanding more of what could motivate someone to risk so much for the chance of a life in the US that most of us take for granted.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Makes one realize how lucky to be born in America. Eye-opening look into the struggles of trying to survive in Cuba. I hope that one day Cuba will be free and all can thrive in a beautiful land.

[B. Milligan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Sea Between Us is such a compelling, genuine, and emotional story! I recommend this book to anyone is unfamiliar with Fidel Castro's "Leadership"
You could feel every single thing the author felt throughout this story! This is definitely a story that will stay with you long after you finish it!♥

[Juanita · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's amazing that this story is a true story!! You often read something like this in a novel. It is heartbreaking that so many people are still living in the conditions written about in this true story. Pray for Cuba!