Laura Lange is taking a step into the unknown. She’s taken a job at the Hemingway House in Key West despite the objections of her mom and her fiancé. Laura has been obsessed with Ernest Hemingway and his cats ever since a family trip to Key West five years earlier when she became attached to one of the Hemingway cats. Now she’s in Key West to work as a tour guide for the Hemingway House. But… how will Laura, the 54 cats, and other Key West residents handle it when a hurricane has them trapped in the Hemingway House?

HEMINGWAY’S CATS is inspired by the real-life events of Hurricane Irma when workers stayed behind with the cats in the Hemingway House. As a Florida resident who also lived through Irma (which dragged on and on and on) and remembers the events, HEMINGWAY’S CATS was a must read. And oh boy, does Lindsey Hooper capture the essence of Key West!

We travel around Key West through the eyes of tourist-turned-resident, Laura, and what a joy it is! Of course, we spend a lot of time in the Hemingway House, but we also visit Sloppy Joe’s and the Lighthouse, all which I love to see when I’m actually there in Key West. I also love how Lindsey Hooper incorporates tidbits about Ernest Hemingway and the Hemingway House into HEMINGWAY’s CATS!

And the cats… I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the cats! The cats are integral to the plotline and we have some very distinct personalities of the cats that readers will get to know. Nessie and Pawpa are the main two, but be prepared to spend time with animals aplenty as even the roosters of Key West make an appearance or two.

HEMINGWAY’S CATS is a fun read about Hemingway, cats, and finding one’s true self even in the most of trying circumstances. Readers who love cats, Key West, or just a really good tale will enjoy Lindsey Hooper’s journey to Key West.