The Last Train to Key West is a story of 3 women of different backgrounds (a pregnant waitress who is in an abusive marriage, a former society girl looking for someone after her family suffers from The Great Depression, and for those who have read Cleeton’s books before, a member of the Perez family who has left Cuba after marrying a rich American she barely knows) whose lives briefly intersect before they all have to deal with surviving a major hurricane that is hitting their location.

I have read both of Cleeton’s previous books and reading this book was both different, mostly due to less of the focus on Cuban politics rather than mentions of it from Mirta’s story, but still with that easy to read writing style and some enjoyable romances. These are all women trying to figure out themselves and their futures, and each woman felt so distinctive that it was never a struggle to remember who’s who, and same for the love interests. Cleeton has a gift for bringing historical events to life, and this one was something I had never heard about. At times their connections to each other and the events of the story veered on “too convenient” but that was easy to overlook.

I would definitely recommend this one to both new and old readers of Chanel Cleeton’s books!

I absolutely loved "Next Year in Havana" and "When We Left Cuba." and was hoping "The Last Train to Key West" would be just as good. I was not disappointed, in fact, Chanel Cleeton has become one of my favorite authors! "The Last Train to Key West" was a book I tried to read slowly, but the story was too good and I ended up racing through it in a day.

This story is about three women from different backgrounds who end up in the Florida Keys right before the Hurricane of 1935: Helen, pregnant and trapped in an abusive marriage and who dreams of her husband's death so she will be free, Mirta, a beautiful girl from a Cuban family who lost their power when Batista overthrew the government and was given in marriage to a New York gangster in exchange for a financial settlement, and Elizabeth, the reluctant fiancé of a gangster who rivals Mirta's new husband, and who fled to the Keys to find her long-lost brother in the hopes of being rescued from a marriage she does not want.

As each woman seeks a way to make decisions for their own lives, an impending storm threatens escape and their lives. The true historical event of the hurricane is drawn in with Flagler's railroad construction idea to find a way to connect the Keys and bring in more tourism and the sad affairs of the Veterans camps that were hurriedly and shoddily constructed as a means to remove the WWII veterans from the public eye. As the hurricane bore down on the tip of Florida, hundreds of veterans were killed and the railroad was destroyed.

Cleeton has proven to be a master storyteller with her skills of weaving historical events into a deeply moving story of her fictional characters. Neither aspect overshadows the other, instead they compliment each other and are well placed in creating the whole story arc. I highly recommend this book - you will find yourself researching the real events and wishing the story of Helen, Mirta and Elizabeth wouldn't end. I am already anticipating Cleeton's next book, whatever it may be.

This is the first book I have read by Chanel Cleton, and now I want to read anything she writes! I loved the Last Train to Key West. The way it wound together three different characters’ stories was effective and not difficult to follow or keep track of. I felt immersed in each of their experiences even as the perspectives alternated back and forth. The writing made it easy to visualize what was happening and wanting to know what was going to happen next! Often time historical fiction can feel a little dry and borderline lecture-y, but this was definitely not the case! Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!

Chanel Cleeton is fast becoming one of my favorite authors and definitely THE AUTHOR that gets me through the summer! This book is the perfect beach read and book club read and weekend getaway. I loved it and can't wait for more from Cleeton.

An interesting story centered around a real life event - the Devastating hurricane that hit Key West in 1935 - is marred by rather overwrought dialogue and far fetched romantic entanglements. I enjoyed the descriptions of Key West a great deal, as well as the introduction of the veterans camps in that area, which I was not aware of. However, these interesting details were overshadowed by the less than compelling storylines of the 3 “main’ characters, three women all beholden/threatened by men who “triumph” and are redeemed by “good men.” Cleeton could have written a compelling story weaving historical facts with descriptions of the unique beauty of Key West without muddyIng the story by introducing three separate storylines and characters who naturally intersect at multiple points in the novel.

The first book of Cleeton's I read was Next Year in Havana. Although it wasn't my favorite, I enjoyed her writing enough to keep an eye out for future books. When I read When We Left Cuba I was really enjoyed it, and knew I'd be reading more of Cleeton's work. The Last Train to Key West was not a disappointment. I was drawn into the story from the very start and enjoyed the interwoven stories of three very different women. The historic Florida setting and backdrop of the Labor Day hurricane lent a level of excitement and urgency to the story. I did feel this could have been explored a bit more deeply, the actual hurricane hit felt briefer and less intense than I imagined. At its heart, though, this book is far more romance than action, so I suppose I shouldn't be that surprised. The ending and "plot twists" did feel a bit too predictable and convenient, but I can forgive it that as it is an enjoyable read.

I’m a huge fan of Cleeton’s previous Cuban themed historical fiction novels, and The Last Train to Key West is no exception. Cleeton has created a fictional world of strong female protagonists exploring the nuances of Cuban and American politics across her companion novels, and while each story explores a fascinating mix of history, drama, and romance, I found The Last Train to Key West to be my favorite yet!

The Last Train to Key West has subtle nods to Next Year in Havana and When We Left Cuba, featuring a protagonist who is Beatriz and Elisa’s aunt, Mirta, who’s just been married off to an American “businessman” and left Cuba for a honeymoon in the Florida Keys. While as an avid fan of Cleeton’s first two novels I enjoyed the references to the Perez family, reading her prior books is not necessary to enjoy this story. Cleeton’s third novel focuses less on post WWII Cuba and more on Cuban American politics, taking place in the Florida Keys during the great depression and exploring the aftermath of WWI on the country. The story also follows three separate women, all from very different backgrounds and geographic locations: Mirta from Cuba, Elizabeth from New York, and Helen from Key West. While it was my first time reading a Cleeton novel that centered protagonists outside of the Perez family, I found the different POVs to be well written and they all intersected and were woven together perfectly to create a cohesive story.

Helen, a waitress at a local diner, is in a marriage she longs to escape but feels bound by societal pressure and has a baby on the way. Her job sets the scene for many of the pivotal encounters of the story, as key players to the plot pass in and out of the diner and interact with her. She’s steady, thoughtful, and resilient. I loved her story of quiet strength and think out of all of the characters she had the greatest character arc, from downtrodden wife to resilient mother in just the space of a few days.

Elizabeth is a former socialite who’s family fell into financial ruin due to the Great Depression. She’s decided to take fate into her own hands by traveling down to Key West from New York by herself to find a long lost relation who she believes can help save her family. She ends up meeting and teaming up with a federal investigator when she reaches Key West and finds herself involved in an organized crime investigation. Elizabeth’s story took quite a few turns and yet paralleled the other two women’s in its own way.

Mirta, the Perez family’s relative, has just arrived in Key West on her honeymoon with a man she barely knows, a “businessman” from New York with a questionably large sum of money and even more questionable connections. Through Mirta readers gain insight into the unrest that’s befalling Cuba, with Machado falling out of favor and Batista taking over (an interesting parallel to Next Year in Havana when Elisa’s family is then dealing with the same predicament when Castro comes to power and ousts Batista). Mirta is unsure of her new husband’s temperament and motivations and what life away from her beloved Cuba will be like. I found her story to be the most interesting and actually really enjoyed the romance between her and Anthony!

I loved that all three protagonists had different motivations, goals and priorities and though they all went about their journeys in different ways, their paths kept crossing (even if they didn’t realize it). There were a few twists and connections I was able to guess early on View Spoiler » but others that really took me by surprise but were excellently and sneakily woven in by the author View Spoiler » The fact that the author was able to make me so invested in the characters’ lives in a book that essentially takes place over the course of a long weekend was truly impressive, and I would 100% love to see these women pop up in Cleeton’s future works, even in just cameo appearances! I would also say that this novel is less political and more character driven than Cleeton’s other installments in this series, which makes it a quick, page turner of a read but is still clearly well researched and adds color and life to elements of Depression-era history that many may not be familiar with, including the WWI veterans’ camps in the Florida Keys and The Bonus Army.

I can’t fail to mention the backdrop and perhaps catalyst for the entire story, the Labor Day hurricane. I did a little internet sleuthing and this hurricane was one of the deadliest to ever make landfall in the United States and pretty much obliterated the Keys- and the author pays homage to the devastating experience in her writing. All three of the women face the hurricane in different dire circumstances, from being trapped in a floating cottage that’s been ripped from it’s foundation to dealing with desperate looters to being swept away in the storm surge itself; the descriptions of what the characters faced were truly catastrophic and mind-boggling. As someone who lives nowhere near a hurricane zone, it’s hard to fathom the magnitude of the damage but Cleeton paints the terror and sensory experience of the storm so vividly, and doesn’t hold back in detailing the horrific aftermath.

Overall: The Last Train to Key West is a fabulous, fast paced historical fiction novel that explores the intersection of the lives of three dynamic women and their journeys through finding both independence and romance. The plot was intricately crafted and even the smallest details seamlessly came together by the end of the story. I can’t recommend this book enough for even the most casual fans of historical fiction!

I was really excited about this book since I adored both Next Year in Havana and When We Left Cuba, however, I was a bit disappointed with this one. I had a difficult time getting into it at the beginning and just when the story started to pick up it came to an abrupt end and I was left wanting to know more about where the characters would end up. On a positive note, Cleeton found a little known piece of history to write about. The Last Train to Key West is based on the incredible true story of the powerful hurricane that hit the Florida Keys in 1935; an historical event I did not previously know about, so I did learn something new by picking up this book.

This was a quick read and I really enjoyed it. This is about three very different women, and the men they find themselves with, in the Florida keys with the backdrop of the worst hurricane to ever hit Florida. I did not know anything about the hurricane that hit the Florida keys in 1935 or about the WWI veterans who were down there in labor camps to build a highway. What I love about historical fiction is that I always want to learn the true history about what I am reading in the fictional book. I recently visited Key West which is what made me want to read the book.

This neat little story intertwines the lives and loves of three women who find themselves in Key West and surrounding environs as they each face a personal fork in the road during a powerful hurricane that threatens to upend their already tenuous grasp on survival during the Great Depression. Recommended for fans of Beatriz Williams and Fiona Davis.

Another amazing book by Chanel Cleeton! The way these women's live intersect is amazing, especially at the end! I've been exited to read this since the day I heard about it. It did not disappoint! Must read for fans of her other books!

Set in the 1930s, Chanel Cleeton's most recent novel is a beautiful weaving story of three women, strangers to one another, at different stages in relationships as a horrible hurricane heads their way.

The way Cleeton introduces depression era Key West in a whimsical, raw, and haunting way will stay with me for some time.

Chanel Cleeton has become a must-read author for me! I enjoy historical fiction, and her books are always very well researched. I appreciate that effort!

The story follows three women in the Florida Keys: Elizabeth, running from a forced marriage in New York; Mirta, Cuban, and just married to a man she barely knows, and Helen, pregnant, with an abusive husband. Their lives intersect in a surprising way during a devastating 1935 hurricane, which was one of the most powerful ever to hit the US. This novel is page turning historical fiction at its best: intriguing women dealing with situations they did not choose, and an intense storm that changed everything. Thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for the ARC.

Gripping novel of three women from different backgrounds, that endure the Hurricane of 1935 during Labor Day weekend in 1935.
All three wanted to escape to a better life, but did they fulfill there dreams or meet a certain tragic end?

Three women, tied together through their men and a hurricane, live their lives trying to escape from more than a hurricane.

Helen is a pregnant waitress with an abusive fisherman husband. Elizabeth is a former debutante who is in Florida looking for her brother and Mirta is a newlywed in the area on her honeymoon. Helen is trying to figure out how to survive and leave her abusive husband to protect her unborn child. Elizabeth is engaged to someone she doesn't want to marry because her family's fortune disappeared during the Great Depression and several of her family members took their own lives. Mirta is married to a man she barely knows, far away from her native Cuba where she left her family and friends. All three women are at a precipice in their lives and at that moment the moment, one of the worst hurricanes to every hit the East Coast of the United States strikes the Florida Keys.

The Last Train to Key West is another amazing book by Chanel Cleeton. Despite having an infant at home, I could not put this down! I was drawn into the world of Helen, Mirta, and Elizabeth in 1935. I loved all of their stories, but especially enjoyed the masterful way in with Cleeton connected them. I love books with multiple points of view and Cleeton does this so well. Helen, Mirta, and Elizabeth were all so different, but I loved how they were intertwined. Every time I read one of Chanel Cleeton's books set in or around Cuba, I want to dive into the history of that time period and always find myself googling to learn more. I've loved all of her books so far and this one was incredible. I highly recommend pre-ordering this so you have a copy when it releases on June 16th.

Thank you to Netgalley, Berkley, and Chanel Cleeton for an ARC of The Last Train to Key West in exchange for an honest review.

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I am a huge fan of Chanel Cleeton’s stories. I was so ecstatic when I got approved for an early copy of this one! As a Miami native, her description of a hurricane was spot-on. I love how she intertwined all their stories and made it into one big story. It was beautifully executed. I love how strong each female character was; given that time frame, it was nice to see females supporting other females and standing their ground when it comes to men. Beautiful. It also brought light to how Veterans were treated back then. As a Miami native, I learned a lot about Flagler’s railroad system and the devastation of the Labor Day hurricane in The Keys.

Read in March: I tried to wait until closer to publication date to read this one but it was just calling to me. And what better book to read during Women's History Month than the third installment in the Havana series featuring three amazing, strong female leads. I thought the story had great pacing and seamlessly shifted between points of view and storylines. If you're also a fan of the series, this is one you will absolutely not want to miss when it hits shelves in June.

3 for neutral, will update if able to read in entirety and enjoy. Tried on multiple occasions, but just couldn’t get into it. Will update if able to at a later date!