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Please Note: I received an advance copy of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.
Synopsis (from Goodreads):
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.
Review:
I love historical fiction. I love the way it transports you to another time, and to events you can't ever imagine. Over the past few years, no one has written historical fiction as riviting as Chanel Cleeton. All of her books have something to do with either Cuba or Florida and follow various members of the Perez family (I am, coincidentally, also a Perez!). Taken separately or as a whole, her books create a rich tapestry of a fictional family history, that is thrilling to read.
What I Liked:
Setting:
Key West in 1935 was an exotic place. At the southern tip of Florida, it's just ninety miles away from Cuba. In 1935, it was home to people looking for adventure, and for people who didn't want to be found. With a mix of tourists, criminals, WWI veterans, and long-time locals, anyone could be there.
Key West was also a way station between Cuba, and the United States. Besides the ferry that linked the two countries, there was also a railroad that connected Key West to the rest of Florida, and to the east coast of America.
The author did an amazing job of showing the continuing of the local community, but also how all those people passing through left their mark on the area.
She also tells the story of the hurricane that devastated the area in 1935. This remains one of the most powerful storms in American history. But, nearly one hundred years later, few know much about what happened.
Characters:
The story has three main story lines, each with a central main female character. Mirta is a new bride from Cuba. She has just married a wealthy American from New York. But how did he come upon that wealth? Is he a great businessman, or the leader of a crime family? And why did she marry a relative stranger in the first place?
Elizabeth has just arrived from New York. While she certainly looks like a spoiled society girl, she has many dark secrets. She is looking for her brother, one of the many WWI veterans who are working on the highway system. But he seems to not want to be found.
Helen is a local who's heavily pregnant. She is also being abused daily by her husband. Will she be able to protect her child from her own husband, or can she run away and hope he doesn't catch up to them?
All of these characters are riveting in different ways. What they have in common is a determination to take control of their own lives, with plenty of people trying to stop them.
Story:
Each of the three characters has their own story, but they intersect with the others at different points. This was cleverly accomplished. While much of their initial interactions seem random, they are later to be revealed to be inevitable. I loved it!
Rating: 
Release Date: June 16th, 2020
Author: Chanel Cleeton
Publisher: Berkley Books
Genre: Historical Fiction
Page Length: 320 Pages
Source: Edelweiss
Format: E-Book
Recommendation: A must read for fans of historical fiction. Exciting, with lots of wonderful characters and historical details about 1935 Key West and the powerful hurricane that decimated the area.
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