The Last Train to Key West

Great story about a part of history I didn't know anything about. Books like this remind me of the power of story to help us understand what happened in our history with context and in a way that we will remember. This author approaches historical fiction with the intent to honor history and will re-tool the plot when her research uncovers information that require it. It's impressive. This book centers around three women who are all in different types of trouble and whose lives intersect during the Labor Day hurricane of 1935 that hit the Florida keys. There were many influences on people living in the keys during this time that are demonstrated through the story: The depression, the veterans from WWI that have come home and the government has given them jobs working on Flagler's railroad through the keys, a large criminal element tied to NY mob activity in the keys at this time; the end of prohibition a few years prior during which the keys played a large part in smuggling, the 1933 Cuban revolution and changes in society happening during this time. The author somehow was able to weave all these things together into a story that felt like anything but a history lesson. The characters may not all be likeable, but they are believable and there is a lot to discuss here. This would be a good book club pick, particularly during hurricane season!

I've mostly read fluff and rereads for the last 6 months. There were circumstances and I needed that. Now I'm slowly getting ready to read more substantial things.

I really liked this book. I connected with Helen and Mirta from the start, Elizabeth took a little longer. The book takes place during the depression and the 1935 Labor Day hurricane. It doesn't shy away from the problems and difficulties, but it's not too graphic.

I was a little unsure about the star rating, but I think I'll go with 5 stars.

Another great book by Chanel Cleeton! I love this series that started with Next Year in Havana. In this book in the series, the author takes a bit of a different approach and brings in characters from outside the Perez family. Through the stories of three women from different areas and different backgrounds, Cleeton recounts the events of a devastating hurricane in the Florida Keys in 1935.

The story is told through three perspectives. Helen is a waitress in Key West who knows she must get away from her abusive husband before her baby arrives. Elizabeth is a former debutante who has come to the Keys to find her brother in hopes that he can save her from having to marry a man she does not love. Mirta has left Cuba with her new husband, a man of questionable reputation, and is honeymooning in the Keys. These women's stories intersect as a major hurricane hits.

The female characters in this book are strong women who make the best of their situations. Each of them is vulnerable and at the mercy of men in their lives, but they assert themselves and fight to gain control of their destinies. The men of this story are secondary to the women. They are likable and provide support to the women.

The three story lines come together nicely as the plot moves along. The hurricane is a constant threat throughout the first half of the novel, and then becomes the major plot element in the second half. Interest in the story never wanes. Some subplots feel a little unnecessary, but they do not detract from the main storyline.

Overall, I found this book to be quite good. I did not enjoy it as much as the first two books because it did not focus on Cuba and the Perez family, but I still found it engaging.