This was my first book by Chanel Cleeton. Let's blame that on too many books, too little time. I've heard of her, of course. Seen her books on lists, been intrigued by the covers, blurbs, and reviews. But, until now, I've not yet taken the time to read one. And that was a mistake. The only thing that would have made the experience of reading The Last Train to Key West more pleasurable is if I had been actually sitting on the beach instead of imagining it while losing myself in this compelling and richly detailed story.

Cleeton's characters are well-developed and relatable, their circumstances eliciting my interest immediately. I found myself invested in them, eagerly following their compelling individual, and connected, journeys, often with my heart in my throat. They are so vividly depicted that I quickly began thinking of them as real people which, of course, raised the emotional stakes they faced even higher. I enjoyed how Cleeton told each woman's individual story while seamlessly interweaving them into and out of each other's lives, and flawlessly, and in some cases, surprisingly, interconnecting them all as they eventually face a common danger greater than any of them can possibly imagine.

Cleeton has a gift for creating a sense of time and place that immersed me in the Florida Keys of 1935. Her historical detail is rich, and well researched, enabling me to experience, through her words, the beauty of the undeveloped area, the post-Depression hopelessness, and the sinister undertones of those who would take advantage. Then, for even more compelling danger, she places her characters in the path of the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane, one of the strongest, and deadliest, Atlantic hurricanes to ever make landfall. I don't know if this author has ever experienced a hurricane first-hand but her descriptive writing had my heart racing as fast as if I'd been right there with her terrified characters, waiting for death while praying for life.

If you haven't discovered Chanel Cleeton's novels yet, I highly recommend beginning with The Last Train to Key West. I couldn't put it down.

For the romance lovers among you, while this novel is historical fiction, there are romantic threads for Helen, Mirta, and Elizabeth and a satisfying conclusion for this reader.

*ARC received for fair and honest review

Oh, this is wonderful! Lush worldbuilding with intricate historical details. Really liked the romantic arc. RTC.

This is the third Chanel Cleeton book I've read and can now confidently say that her stories are engaging and compulsively readable. I love historical fiction, especially when they introduce me to a little known slice of history. In this case, the devastating Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 and the plight of WW1 veterans in work camps in the Florida Keys.

I loved how the story was propelled through the eyes of three main female characters: Helen, Mirta, and Elizabeth. I just kept turning the pages faster and faster as if I was trying to beat the storm. It was an easy, escapist read with an atmospheric feel and colorful imagery.

Quick fun read I read in 2 days! I love Chanel Cleeton but this one fell a little short from from
Her previous 2 novels (Next year in Havana, and When We Left Cuba).

If you are a member of a book club that likes light historical fiction, consider this book. I’d heard about the Key West, Florida hurricane of 1935, but I didn’t know about the large number of US veterans who died while being evacuated by train. History is explained as the reader follows the lives of three women. One, an abused wife who works as a waitress in Key West. There’s also the NYC heiress whose family lost its fortune during the depression, and a Havana Cuba native who was given by her father to NYC mobster. All three find themselves directly in the path of the hurricane and their lives are forever changed. If you like a happily-ever-after (maybe) story with strong courageous women, you’ll like this book.

Cleeton sets her new historical fiction novel against the backdrop of Key West during the Labor Day weekend of 1935 when the Keys were hit with a category 5 hurricane. Craftily weaving the stories of three young woman, this is an intricately plotted and well-written book. Elizabeth Preston is from a family of stockbrokers who have lost their fortune in the crash. She is escaping from her fiancé Frank, a brutal gangster, and is searching for the man whose letter she carries. Helen Berner is a waitress at a popular Key West diner; she is pregnant and married to Tom, an abusive man. Afraid for her life and the life of her unborn child, she takes advantage of her husband’s absence to escape to her aunt’s home in another part of Key West. Finally, Mirta Perez Cordero is from Cuba where her family’s fortunes have been lost during the recent political struggles. She agreed to marry Anthony, aware of his ties to the underworld in order to save her families’ fortunes.

The three women find themselves on the island of Islamorada; along with many WWI veterans who have been sent to the island to build a railroad connecting the Keys to the Florida Peninsula. When the hurricane slams into the island, no one is prepared for the intensity of the storm, the devastation it brings, or the effects it will have on all their futures.

This is an excellently plotted and moving story, with beautiful and anguishing descriptions of the landscape both before and after the storm. The women are spirited and sympathetic. Well-researched and an exciting story, this will be in demand for book clubs and lovers of historical fiction.

Congratulations are always in order when an author releases a new book, but I also want to congratulate author Chanel Cleeton for giving me one heck of a ride on The Last Train to Key West! Ms. Cleeton will pull you into the world of the '30s with it's post-war and Great Depression lifestyle from the first chapter. Told from the perspectives of three women who find themselves in very different circumstances, you will experience the extreme poverty and hardship of one, the extreme wealth of another, and the extremes to which one is prepared to go to salvage some kind of life for a family decimated by the Crash of 1929. If you are thinking these women have nothing in common, you would be wrong. They are about to be united by one of nature's most devastating forces - the winds and rain of an epic hurricane.
Historically speaking, the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane remains the strongest hurricane to strike the United States. The author has vividly described this cataclysmic storm through the eyes of each of her characters and, as a person who was raised in South Carolina and currently lives in Florida, I can tell you the way she builds her story is an accurate portrayal of the very real sense of apprehension and helplessness one feels in the face of one of these monsters!
You're probably thinking that what I've written so far doesn't sound like much of a beach read, and maybe it isn't in the strictest sense of the term, especially if you are looking for a light-hearted romance or a fanciful mystery. I can promise you a book that will hold your attention until the very last word. I don't want to give details that will provide spoilers because each of you deserves the masterful buildup the author achieves as the winds blow you toward the climax. I am going to warn you that you will likely reach a point where you can't stop reading so you can let your friends or family know you may not be able to leave the beach for a while. I highly recommend this book! If you miss The Last Train to Key West, you are going to miss Chanel Cleeton's best work so far.
Many Thanks to Berkley Books & Netgalley for the Opportunity to Read and Review The Last Train to Key West!

The Last Train to Key West is a fine, solid book, but I found myself growing frustrated with the revolving points of view. Every time I became invested in one woman’s story, we moved to another. Cleeton’s writing is poetic intrigue, which made the book lovely to read so I would recommend this to others.

The Last Train to Key West just reaffirms what I already knew was happening.... Chanel Cleeton is definitely becoming one of my favorite writers.

It is so evident in all her books how much research goes into not only the actual history, but the people and their thoughts and feelings during that time. You find yourself perfectly picturing every character, in that time and place, and you are instantly transported into the story. And you never want to leave.

Three Women. One Hurricane. So many secrets.

One woman wants her husband dead. One is married to a stranger. And the third, is looking for man she barely knows. The story is woven together so seamlessly and when the three women cross paths it's what a readers dreams are made of. There is sadness and heartbreak, intense scenes of extreme weather and devastation (which is a TRUE story of one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes!) and just the right amount of love story to make your heart swell.

I tore through this book. I adored these three strong and sassy women and was riveted by each of their stories equally - happily racing through chapters as the tension and suspense unfolded. Telling such a beautiful story so perfectly amidst such devastation is a difficult task. But Chanel Cleeton makes it look easy!

LOVED it.

I was initially drawn to the The Last Train to Key West blurb because I was interested in a potential historical fiction novel that takes place without jumps in the timeline. I’ve read a bit of those recently, so I was intrigued by a story that takes place entirely during the 1930s economic depression in the Florida Keys, while one of the most aggressive hurricanes in history hit the area. The story follows 3 women - Mirta, who arrives in Key West from Cuba after marrying a complete stranger of questionable influence, Elizabeth, who traveled to the Keys completely alone from New York, and Helen, who is pregnant and stuck within an unhappy marriage.

I had actually never heard of the 1935 Labor Day Weekend hurricane that devastated the Florida Keys, so I was fascinated by the turn of events and history of the original Flagler’s railroad. I was also interested to learn about the veterans that contributed to the building of the railroad after World War I - the treatment of veterans back then hit so many trigger points on how they are treated today. As for the characters, I appreciated the growth each undertook as well as the intertwined connections between all of them. Though some may think the connections were too convenient, I thought they were a bit clever.

Though I enjoyed the book overall, I could have done without the strong romantic relationships that were a central theme with each woman. At least 2 of the couplings were a bit too insta-love attraction for my liking. I wish more time had been spent focused on the aftermath and impact of the hurricane on the community and veterans instead. On paper, each of the women could be described as a strong female, but their actions didn’t really fit that - only one really did much of anything to directly impact their outcome.

It’s Labor Day weekend 1935 in Key West Florida - the midst of the depression. Helen, Elizabeth and Mirta are 3 very different women, but when they are all caught in the great Labor Day Hurricane their lives will intertwine forever. ⁣
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Wow. I’m telling you whether you think you like historical fiction or not - GET THIS BOOK!!! I finished it in a total of about 4 hours. It was amazing. These three women were so different and had their own struggles, yet were all so strong and inspiring. The men in their lives had difficult pasts, but each were so loving and kind. I found myself so worried about all of their well beings that I couldn’t stop turning pages! When you can mix a major historical event with romance this well - I just can’t say no. The facts about the hurricane and the climate of work camps and transportation in the Keys during this time were so well researched. Every time I read a great historical fiction book I regret not making time for more of them. I will definitely be making time for the rest of Chanel Cleeton’s books! ⁣

•Link to review on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CBfpUpNAfMB/?igshid=11m7wgmjdda29

I'm not a huge nonfiction reader (sometimes it feels like homework to me) so I love historical fiction because when you find a really good author, you get a perfect blend of history and fiction. I've been a huge Cleeton fan since her debut novel, so when @berkpub sent me this one, there wasn't a doubt in my mind that it would be a five star read.
Here's the thing about Cleeton's writing. She has the ability to blend multiple genres into one book, so basically anyone that loves fiction is sure to love her writing. Last Train to Key West was no different. Told from the perspective of three very different women, they find their stories intertwine in Key West during the horrendous 1935 hurricane. A little bit of romance; a little bit of suspense; and a lot of well researched history (I know because I kept googling after finishing this novel) this is a perfect summer read.
I loved how much I learned about the Overseas Railroad Project (just another piece of history that is brushed over in school). I also love that Cleeton centers her historical fiction writing around Cuba and an era that is underrepresented in the genre. I always find myself thinking about her books for days after I finish the last page

This was a quick read, that captivate me from the very first pages.I absolutely loved Chanel Cleeton's writing style and this was just such an enjoyable read. This time her story takes us to Key West in the lives of three very different woman .I adored all these women and I was invested to their stories.

❝It's strange how your life can change so quickly, how one moment you can barely eke by, desperation filling your days, and then suddenly, out of the unimaginably horrific, a glimmer of something beautiful can appear like a bud pushing through the hard-formed earth.❞

Recommended for fans of historical romance. If you’re looking for an emotional story this is perfect!

Chanel Cleeton's 'Next Year in Havana' was unexpectedly one of my favorite books in 2018 so I was thrilled to hear that she was writing a book about the Florida Keys in the 1930's called 'The Last Train to Key West'. The author knows her Cuban and Florida roots and it really shows in her rich stories.

Told from three different points of view, the book tells the story of the three women whose paths cross on the eve of the Labor Day hurricane in 1935. Mirta, Elizabeth and Helen are very unique and distinctive characters who are each on a different journey. The author shows a great respect and love for the setting and I love the real-life history woven throughout the story.

This book does not delve as deeply into Cuban politics and history as the previous books, and focuses more on the Florida Keys. I enjoyed reading about post-Depression South Florida and the tragic efforts to extend the Florida East Coast railroad from the Florida mainland to the Keys. i also loved the exploration of women's roles during this time period and how much their lives were affected by their fathers or husbands.

This is a lushly written tale of romance and survival and I loved each of the brave women who were the focus of this book. As always, the research and background stories were perfection!

Chanel Cleeton was an author who was on my radar from the release of her very first book. At first I wasn’t really that interested in the time period or Cuban history—but all the reviews of her first book, Next Year in Havana, were overwhelmingly positive and I wanted to check it out.

But many other books came before I finally picked it up and even then it was only recently.

I read When We Left Cuba last year and loved it and when I heard that Cleeton was coming out with a new book this year, I finally read Next Year in Havana and re-read When We Left Cuba so that I could be ready for this one!

Summary
Everyone journeys to Key West searching for something. 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.

The Cuban Revolution of 1933 left Mirta Perez’s family in a precarious position. After an arranged wedding in Havana, Mirta arrives in the Keys on her honeymoon. While she can’t deny the growing attraction to the stranger she’s married, her new husband’s illicit business interests may threaten not only her relationship, but her life.

Elizabeth Preston’s trip from New York to Key West is a chance to save her once-wealthy family from their troubles as a result of 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. (summary from Goodreads)

Review
When I saw that this book wasn’t going to follow the other Perez sisters, I was a little disappointed but then again, I was happy to see that it does follow the Perez family, just in a new way and during a new time. But by the time I re-read When We Left Cuba, I was kind of ready to explore a new period in Cuban history. This was one of my most highly anticipated books of the summer and I have to say, I was NOT disappointed at all! It was a fantastic story!

One of the things that I have come to love about Cleeton’s books are her vivid descriptions. I instantly feel transported to Cuba, like I’ve stepped into a whole new place and time. She truly has a gift for creating special places that stand out and will remain memorable for readers. I also love how she picks new and interesting events in history. I especially loved the hurricane piece in this book because I love extreme weather and found the way the hurricane wove into the plot was great and unique. The historical fiction market isn’t exactly teeming with Cuban history which in addition really make Cleeton’s books stand out.

As always, Cleeton has crafted a believable romance that I felt fully invested in. I wasn’t exactly sure about Mirta and Anthony at first but was swooning by the end! I love how well Cleeton does romance, this book is balanced perfectly with history and romance and I couldn’t have been happier with it. All of Cleeton’s books can be read as standalones and aren’t officially part of a series so if you haven’t read anything by this author before, just know that you don’t need to read any of the other books to enjoy this one.

As I mentioned this was my most anticipated book of the year and it absolutely met all my expectations. I adored it and can’t wait to see what Cleeton comes up with next. If you are on the fence about this one, don’t be. It’s wonderful and I would gladly give it all the stars!

Book Info and Rating
Paperback, 320 pages
Expected publication: June 16th 2020 by Berkley Books
ISBN 0451490886 (ISBN13: 9780451490889)
Free review copy provided by publisher, Berkley Books, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.
Rating: 5 stars
Genre: historical fiction, romance

I loved this book so much. The story is so interesting and fast paced that you don't want to put the book down.

The book centers on the lives of three women as a hurricane approaches the Florida Keys. Helen is a native to the Keys, Mirta is there on her honeymoon and Elizabeth is looking for her long lost brother. I loved the ways their lives intertwined throughout the story. There were some twists I saw coming, some I hoped would happen, and some that I never saw coming. All of that made reading this book such an enjoyable experience. This book definitely kept me on my toes and I just wanted to keep reading more and more about these three women.

The story of the railroad and the hurricane and the veterans is one I've never heard before and it was almost impossible for me to believe that it was a real part of American history. It's so sad to see the way a lot of these veterans were treated and how many of their lives ended. This mix of history and fiction that Chanel writes into her stories is definitely something I've come to love from her books.

Set in the Florida Keys during the Great Depression, Chanel Cleeton’s latest novel, The Last Train to Key West is a heart-stopping read that follows three young women whose lives are forever changed when a devastating hurricane strikes.

Helen has lived in the Keys all her life. She is nine months pregnant and married to an abusive man whose abuse has only gotten worse as times have gotten more desperate. When we first meet Helen, she is daydreaming about what life could be like if her husband were to die. Helen captured my heart right from that scene because imagine being in such a bad situation that trying to make it alone in the world with an infant in the middle of the Depression is preferable to living with your own husband.

Mirta, a young woman from Cuba, has come to the Keys with her new husband. Her marriage is an arranged marriage to pay off her family’s debts and all Mirta knows about the man she has married is that he is from New York and that he appears to be involved in an unsavory and potentially dangerous line of work. As they arrive in the Keys on their honeymoon before heading home to NYC, Mirta is feeling incredibly anxious, having been forced to leave her family and the only home she has ever known to go with this man who is a stranger to her. As with Helen, I immediately became invested in Mirta and her well being.

The last young woman we meet is Eliza, a native New Yorker who has traveled to the Keys. She tries to play it cool and be coy about why she’s traveling so far alone, but the truth is that she’s desperately searching for a long-lost family member. Eliza has heard rumors that he may be at a work camp in the Keys, which is what has brought her to Florida. Eliza is determined to find him and bring him home because he’s the only one who can save her from a future she does not want and a man she does not love. I admired Eliza right away because of her spunk and determination, so as with both Helen and Mirta, I was immediately hoping that Eliza would find her happy ending.

Cleeton’s storytelling just pulled me in right away. I loved the way the story unfolds through alternating chapters from Helen, Mirta and Eliza and how their journeys eventually become intertwined with one another. The characters are so complex and beautifully drawn, and all three of them possess an inner strength and sense of resiliency that made me love them all the more. Their stories were all so compelling that I just couldn’t put the book down.

It wasn’t just these wonderful characters that made The Last Train to Key West such a fantastic read, however. The story is also fraught with danger, suspense, and mystery, and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading. As if these women didn’t already have enough to contend with, there are also potential dangers with the mob afoot as well as a deadly hurricane bearing down on the island contrary to weather reports that had the storm taking a different path. I don’t want to say anything else for fear of spoiling but, just wow! I devoured this book in a couple of sittings and still wanted more when I finished the final page!

These characters and their lives grabbed hold of my heartstrings and didn’t let go, which just made for a perfect read for me. I also didn’t realize when I first started reading that the hurricane in the book is also based on an actual catastrophic storm that struck the Keys back in 1935. Cleeton made that whole experience feel so real and so devastating that I shed tears when I realized it was based on an actual event. The Last Train to Key West is, by far, one of my favorite reads of 2020 thus far and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and stories that feature women trying to make their own happy endings.

Chanel Cleeton blends beauty and tragedy with The Last Train to Key West. I fell in love with Ms. Cleeton’s writing a few years ago but there’s something gorgeously romantic about her historical fiction writing in particular that never fails to captivate me.

The Last Train to Key West is the journey of three very different women set against the backdrop of one of the most powerful hurricanes in history. Elizabeth Preston is a former society girl who has been abandoned after her family lost everything in the stock market crash. She flirts as easily as breathing, but what most men miss is the spine of steel and bravery beneath the beauty. She flees an engagement she doesn’t want in New York and is headed to Key West to look for someone she hopes can save her among the veteran camps in the outlying areas. Mirta Perez’s family is in a precarious position after the Cuban Revolution of 1933. She finds herself in Key West on her honeymoon with a near-stranger who saved her family. Mirta has wealth and grace on her side, but when her husband’s dangerous business comes to light and threatens her life Mirta’s true strength comes out. And finally there’s Helen Berner, a pregnant Key West native trapped in an abusive marriage. The kindhearted waitress is in a desperate situation and has every reason to be fearful of her husband. Like Elizabeth and Mirta, Helen’s true strength comes out when she’s backed to a wall. I loved watching all three women come into their own over the course of the story.

Each woman is strong in their own way, possessing an inner fire that most don’t see. I loved each of their journeys and the men who wind up capturing their hearts. The powerful and dangerous Anthony, the steady and true John, the quick and reliable Sam… Like the women, each man has a distinctive voice and personality. However, to say too much about them would spoil the journey of discovery. I loved watching the three different storylines weave in and out of each other in the days leading up to and after the hurricane. Ms. Cleeton brings her characters’ worlds to life, blending fact and fiction beautifully. Each character’s background is well-drawn, the events of the hurricane are woven into the story perfectly, and added to that we learn about the veterans of the Great War who were sent down to the Keys and the horrible conditions of the camps. It sounds like a lot, but somehow Ms. Cleeton brings everything together perfectly and makes it all feel organic.

The Last Train to Key West is an utterly addictive read. The story is fast-paced and builds in intensity so much that by the climax I was glued to my Kindle. It takes a talented writer to deliver believable romances set against tragedy and Ms. Cleeton is more than up to the task. The Last Train to Key West is a gorgeous tale that is by turns hopeful and heartbreaking; it’s a story of love and survival that I enjoyed from beginning to end.

I was introduced to Chanel Cleeton with Next Year in Havana and I quickly fell in love with her writing. I was lucky enough to read an early copy of this story and it was exactly what I needed. This was a little different from her last two, but in the best of ways. We follow 3 different women set around a natural disaster in the 30's. Ms. Cleeton has a way of writing that her words reach out from the pages and just capture you from the beginning. This is an ABSOLUTE must read!

As a lover of historical fiction, it was fate that Chanel Cleeton’s beloved books would end up on my radar in 2019. I read Next Year in Havana and When We Left Cuba in pretty close succession because I was so fascinated by the history, and adored the romances she crafted. Each book follows different women from the Perez family as they cope with politics, love, and discrimination.

I’m sure, then, you can imagine how overjoyed I was to be invited to join the blog tour for Cleeton’s latest book, The Last Train to Key West. (And yes, you do see another Perez woman in this book). While the other two companion novels have dual timelines, here we’re focused solely on the women in 1935 Key West.

What I really loved about this book is that I got to learn about a piece of history I was totally unaware of. The Key West hurricane of 1935 is not something I, as a Canadian, learned about in history class. Cleeton, as usual, tackled a difficult and complex historical event with care and detail. She doesn’t shy away from the horror of it, and how different groups were affected by it.

She also tackles the subject of the expectations and limitations women faced in the 1930s. Each woman is at a different stage in their journey to marriage, from yearning to escape a marriage, to getting to know your new partner, to feeling trapped by an engagement that will save your family. Women throughout history have had little to no say in their lives, and rarely a choice in partner. Through Helen, Mirta, and Elizabeth, we see how the women are united in their struggles but also facing different issues related to marriage. It’s incredibly nuanced and emotional.

Cleeton’s historical fiction always has a romance component, and unsurprisingly I was captivated by them. They’re imperfect and sometimes rocky, but they feel sweet and interesting. I was hoping and wishing that each of the leading ladies would find their happily ever after amidst so much struggle and suffering. The couples vary from slow burn, to verbal sparring, to passionate. All are unique and fascinating, and complement each other.

The Last Train to Key West was, honestly, a great read. I read it in the space of a day because it’s so easy to get invested in the story. I only wish the ending – and thus the resolution of each romance and character – was not quite so rushed. But it’s a train worth riding to the end of the line.