Book Review: "The Last Train to Key West" by Chanel Cleeton
“The Last Train to Key West” by Chanel Cleeton
Synopsis: In 1935 three women are forever changed when one of the most powerful hurricanes in history barrels toward the Florida Keys.
For the tourists traveling on Henry Flagler's legendary Overseas Railroad, Labor Day weekend is an opportunity to forget the economic depression gripping the nation. But one person's paradise can be another's prison, and Key West-native Helen Berner yearns to escape.
After the Cuban Revolution of 1933 leaves Mirta Perez's family in a precarious position, she agrees to an arranged marriage with a notorious American. Following her wedding in Havana, Mirta arrives in the Keys on her honeymoon. While she can't deny the growing attraction to her new husband, his illicit business interests may threaten not only her relationship, but her life.
Elizabeth Preston's trip to Key West is a chance to save her once-wealthy family from their troubles after the Wall Street crash. Her quest takes her to the camps occupied by veterans of the Great War and pairs her with an unlikely ally on a treacherous hunt of his own.
Over the course of the holiday weekend, the women's paths cross unexpectedly, and the danger swirling around them is matched only by the terrifying force of the deadly storm threatening the Keys. - Berkley Books
Rating: 4.25
Trigger warnings: spousal abuse, hurricanes
Review: I grew up on the gulf coast, and so tropical storms and hurricanes were just part of my normal summer routine — prepping for storms, riding them out, having hurricane parties once the eye wall passed. I was lucky that none of the storms that hit Mobile were catastrophic, but it doesn’t mean that I don’t say lots of prayers for the entire gulf coast for the entirety of hurricane season. I had never heard of the 1935 Key West hurricane, but when I read the description of this book, it hit so many of my interests: storm drama, historic fiction, epic romance.
“The Last Train to Key West” is the story of a disastrous weekend in south Florida and how it impacted three very different women: very pregnant Helen, who is trapped in an unhappy marriage; new bride Mirta, who barely knows anything about her groom; and Elizabeth, who is looking for her family and running away from something big in New York. The three briefly interact at the beginning of the book, but their stories remain mostly separate. Until they don’t, but that would be a really big spoiler, and you know we aren’t about that life. Oh! and I haven’t even mentioned that there was a true crime-esque connection. There’s a little bit of a mafia mystery that added to the urgency, almost as much as the hurricane did.
All of these stories were steamy (in a fade-to-black kind of way, tbh), but they were also sweet. Helen, Mirta, and Elizabeth were all incredibly strong women — and we all know that strong women don’t need a man — but they were complemented well by the men in their lives. The characters were drawn so well, and the way that the narrative was set up allowed the reader the opportunity to really understand each of the women and their motivations. While all three of the stories could have stood alone, by choosing this triple narrative, Chanel Cleeton enhances the book so much.
I do feel that the best historical fiction does enlighten you about things, and I learned so much during this book. Not only did I not know about this disastrous storm, but I had no idea about the veterans camps down in Key West. I fell down a satisfying rabbit hole after wrapping up this book, and it’s so interesting to see the different ways the US has served (and maybe failed) its veterans. Beyond crafting three pretty satisfying romances, Chanel Cleeton did a magnificent job re-creating this real life weekend.
TL;DR: Part romance, part disaster epic, part historical fiction — and a little bit of a true crime mystery — all wrapped up in a well-written bow.
If You Liked This, Try These:
“Park Avenue Summer” by Renee Rosen - Bookshop | Kindle (Shannon’s review here!)
“All the Ways We Said Goodbye” by Lauren Willig, Beatriz Williams, and Karen White - Bookshop | Kindle (my review here!)
“The Lions of Fifth Avenue” by Fiona Davis - Bookshop | Kindle
“We Came Here to Shine” by Susie Orman Schnall - Bookshop | Kindle
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