Book Review - The Last Train to Key West
The Last Train to Key West by Chanel Cleeton is a wonderful story! I have lived in SW Florida for more than 40 years and spend time in the Florida Keys each summer. When I read what this story was about, I knew it would be of interest since I am able to have a visual reference to the setting of this story. Chanel Cleeton does a wonderful job of grabbing your attention and keeping the pages turning throughout the entire story.
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Summary:
The Last Train to Key West provides the story of 3 women who are not related or know each other. However, for very different reasons they find themselves fighting for their lives during one of the worst hurricanes in history.
It is Labor Day weekend, 1935 in Key West Florida. Helen is a waitress in Key West, late in her pregnancy with her first child. She has an abusive husband who is a lifetime fisherman with an unhealthy relationship with booze.
Mirta is from Cuba, young and recently married in an arranged marriage to an American man. Her husband is very influential, working with the mob from New York City. This marriage provided some needed relief to her family in Cuba.
Elizabeth took Henry Flagler's Overseas Railroad to Key West from New York City to try to find her brother who fled NYC after returning from war. Elizabeth is engaged to a man she's not in love with. He is mixed up with the mob and she's hoping her brother will return home and help her get away from her fiance.
The Hurricane is Approaching
As Helen continues to work her waitress job at a diner in Key West, she realizes that she should leave her abusive husband. In order to save herself and her unborn child. She begins an innocent friendship with a shy customer of hers named John. John takes an interest in Helen and shows concern for pregnancy, noticing how difficult it's become for her to be on her feet during long shifts. One evening as Helen is heading home, she is mugged. John shows up and saves her by knocking out the men who took her tips. He walks her home and waits outside to make sure she's "safe" at home.
Mirta and her husband, Anthony come into the diner after taking the Ferry from Cuba following their wedding. Helen waits on them and sees that they're married, but notices how little they seem to know one another. Their plan is to head up towards Islamorada for their honeymoon. Anthony's friend offered a house on the beach for them to spend their honeymoon.
Elizabeth meets an older gentleman named Sam on the train. He's in the FBI, traveling to the Florida Keys hoping to find a mobster that's been difficult to find. Elizabeth does her best to flirt with Sam, just to see if she can get his attention. When they get to Key West, they initially part ways. Elizabeth goes to the diner to grab something to eat. She speaks with Helen to ask where she might find her brother.
The last letter Elizabeth received from her brother had a Key West postmark. She believes he's there living in the "camps" where veterans were sent to work live and work. Helen tells Elizabeth that her best bet is to head up towards Islamorada to check those camps. When Elizabeth realizes she's short on money, she's not sure how she'll afford to take the Ferry, then the train up to Islamorada. Thankfully, Sam from the train sees Elizabeth working through her plans and offers to get her to Islamorada.
Leaving Key West to get to Islamorada
John has borrowed a friend's car and has offered to get Helen to Islamorada where she has an aunt who owns and runs an Inn on the beach. Her husband left for a fishing trip (believing the impending storm would not hit Key West), giving Helen a head start to reach her aunt and figure out where to go from there. Soon after leaving Key West, the weather has turned and it appears that the hurricane is going to threaten the Florida Keys. Helen and John get to her aunt's Inn and are provided a small cabin to stay where her husband won't find her.
Mirta and Anthony get to Islamorada and realize how bad the weather has turned and realize they're going to have to prepare their honeymoon house for the hurricane that is heading their way. Although they do not know each other well, this time together forces them to get to know each other and realize they both want to make their marriage work.
Elizabeth and Sam get to Islamorada and check in at Helen's aunt's Inn. Sam has offered to help Elizabeth find her missing brother. He takes her from Veteran Camp to Veteran Camp hoping to find him and that he'll agree to go back to New York City with her.
Labor Day and the Hurricane of 1935 put these women on a path that would intertwine and change their lives forever. The overlap of their lives is unexpected.
REVIEW:
I LOVED this book. I very much enjoy reading books with settings that I can relate to. The setting of The Florida Keys; Key West and Islamorada where I've spent so much time added to my enjoyment of this story.
But, there was so much more to it than the setting. Chanel Cleeton did a GREAT job creating these characters as well as describing the landscape. The build-up was necessary and as you begin to realize how these women become intertwined, there are some aha moments.
After reading this story, I was curious about the hurricane depicted in the book and realized how accurately she wrote about the destruction of that storm. I was so enthralled with this story I immediately bought 2 more books by Chanel. They're written about Cuba which is where my husband is from so I can't wait to read them. If they're written as good as The Last Train to Key West, I know I'll love them too.
Until my next review...
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