I hadn’t read anything by Chanel Cleeton before, but WOW WHAT A READ! This is a really perfect vacation read. I didn’t realize this was going to be a historical fiction read. I knew nothing of the 1935 Labor Day hurricane or how many veterans were sent down to the Keys to work because the government wasn’t sure what to do with the vets post-war. Learned a lot in this book and loved the strong women characters! Three women’s stories delicately interwoven. Huge fan.
Rating: 5/5 stars.
Summary: In Key West, Helen is dying to escape her loveless, abusive marriage. But now that she’s pregnant, it feels unlikely that she’ll ever finally escape.
Mirta spent her whole life in Cuba, but after the Cuban Revolution her family is frowned upon by those in power. Mirta agrees to an arranged marriage with an American. This American man has a reputation for illegal matters and Mirta has heard the rumors. She marries him anyway. Mirta and her new husband arrive in the Keys for their honeymoon, and she begins to learn more about the man she married. Elizabeth travels all the way from New York to the Keys by train in order to save herself and her family from the impact left after the Wall Street crash. Elizabeth meets a man that offers to help her on her journey to find someone that could be the answer to all her problems.
All in the meantime, a deadly hurricane is heading their way, and no one is prepared for the impact it will have on the Keys.
For Fans Of: The Tattooist of Auschwitz or The Great Alone
Favorite Character: I really love Mirta. She is very curious and honest and her spirit is admirable.
Where to Order: Amazon has plenty of copies for only $13. Click here to get a copy of your own today!
Mary Spencer Veazey 