Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for this advance copy of The Martha’s Vineyard Beach & Book Club by Martha Hall Kelly - if you’re a historical fiction lover, this one is definitely a hit and comes highly recommended.

4.5 stars - the only minor thing that’s holding me back from a 5-star review is just when you’re reading from different timelines and viewpoints, you’re bound to like one over the other - while I appreciated the present day viewpoints especially as it wrapped up, I just loved the story set in the 40s way more, it helped the pacing for me. There’s no doubt Kelly is a fantastic writer, and since I’m a little more selective with my historical fiction reading these days, I’m so thrilled this one was a hit.

Thank you again to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. This one is available to pick up now! I definitely can foresee a trip up to the New England coast in my future, especially for this East Coast reader!

Martha Hall Kelly has delivered a thoughtful and heartfelt historical novel that stands out for its unique setting and powerful themes. I appreciated how the novel highlights the power of literature to connect people and provide an escape during times of hardship. The details about the war's impact on this quiet island, from rationing to the fear of spies, felt authentic and were woven into the narrative beautifully.

This was a wonderful and thoughtful read. Given its central themes of community, resilience, and the power of literature, it would make for a perfect book club read with your besties. I would recommend it to fans of historical fiction and stories that highlight the strength of women during times of great upheaval.

Thank you to NetGalley & Random House Publishing for providing me with an advanced reader copy of The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club by Martha Hall Kelly in exchange for an honest review.

The cover and title of this book was what drew me to this one. I'm happy to say I also enjoyed the premise! It's a quick read with likeable characters. Told through two timelines, 2016, and 1942. In 2016, Mari's mother passed away and she travels to Martha's Vineyard to meet Elizabeth Deveraux at her farm at Sea. She's not sure what her connection is to her, but found her name in her mother's notes. While there, Elizabeth tells Mari about the Smith sisters who lived on this farm during WW2.

In 1942, the Smith sisters, Cadence and Briar, are trying to hold the family farm together during WW2, Cadence and her friend Bess start a book club to try and make life feel as normal as possible. But there are things happening that could put everything at risk.

These characters are well developed and their stories are compelling. I liked that this was different from other WW2 books I've read. I loved it!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for sharing this copy with me!

4+ stars!

This is a story about WWII and the effect of war on a family. While the battles themselves are not described in great detail, the war itself becomes an important part of the story. I really enjoyed the relationships between Bess, Cadence, Gram, Tom and Briar. I loved the literary references. Especially to the Great Gatsby. I looked forward to reading Cadence’s columns in the gazette. They were informative and funny. They really helped to ground the story. The story had layers. Romance, mystery, historical fiction - a little something for everyone. I’d recommend this title to anyone who enjoys books of this nature.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this novel. I was not able to get into the story as expected so I did not finish.

Really LOVED this book, and it was fabulous on audio. A fantastic piece of history, with some mystery and romance on the side. Another excellent book from Martha Hall Kelly!

Martha Hall Kelly's The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club is a captivating historical novel that intertwines the lives of two sisters on Martha's Vineyard during World War II with a modern-day woman's journey of self-discovery. Set against the backdrop of the island's scenic beauty, the story delves into themes of resilience, sisterhood, and the transformative power of literature. Kelly's meticulous research brings to life the era's challenges, from wartime espionage to the personal struggles of the characters, offering readers a rich and immersive experience. The dual timelines are seamlessly woven together, creating a narrative that is both poignant and uplifting. With its compelling characters and evocative setting, this novel is a must-read for fans of historical fiction and those who appreciate stories of courage and connection.

Thank you to NetGalley for this e-copy of The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club in exchange for a honest review.This is a face -paced, well -written piece of historical fiction that has drama, intrigue and murder.Set in 2 time periods-the years during WW2 and in 2016 this book centers around the Smith sisters who during WW2=live with their grandmother on Martha’s. Vineyard .While their brother Tom is off fighting in the war they do their best to keep their farm running while dealing with German deserters, training soldiers and sickness and unexpected pregnancy.Cadence and Briar Smith are strong girls who try their best to keep it all together while Cadence has to put off her budding publishing career when tragedy strikes.Fast forward to 2016 and we meet Mari a 34 year old artist from California who finds the name Elizabeth Devereaux among her dead mother’s possessions and travels to the Vineyard to find out what the connection is to her mother.This book Will keep you guessing to the end.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

(Anything set in MV, I will read. I spent an amazing 2 weeks there when I was a teenager and love books set on this island).

This book is two timelines woven together - the current year - 2016 and the past - 1942.

Set in 2016 - Mari Starwood has lost her mom, her only parent. While cleaning out the house, Mari finds a name on a piece of paper - Elizabeth Deveraux. She realizes that Ms. Deveraux is a reclusive painter on Martha's Vineyard and makes the trip from California to try to figure out who she is. She goes under false pretenses and Mrs. Deveraux decides to tell Mari the story about the farm she is residing in. She is only the caretaker and weaves the story from 1942 of the 3 siblings and grandmother that lived on this farm during the beginning of WWII.

What does this farm have to do with Mari's mom? You will not see it until the end and it is worth the wait.

This novel, blending dual timelines of 1942 and 2016 on the storied island of Martha’s Vineyard, offers a moving tribute to female resilience, literary love, and the unbreakable ties of family.

Centered during World War II, the sisters build a book club on the shores of the island to sustain morale. Their inventive distribution of pocket-sized books to soldiers adds both warmth and ingenuity to a story shaped by conflict.

Key Characters; Mari “Marigold” Starwood A 34-year-old artist journeying to Martha’s Vineyard to uncover her mother's mysterious past. Displaced yet determined to connect the threads of her family history.

Mrs. Elizabeth Devereaux A reclusive, enigmatic painter on the island who guides Mari through the hidden legacy of her lineage and holds the key to the past.

Cadence Smith A 19-year-old aspiring writer living on the family farm. She balances ambition, loyalty, and family duties, all while sparking hope in wartime through her book club.

Briar Smith Cadence’s 16-year-old sister—sharp, war-aware, and fiercely independent. She sees German U‑boats where others dismiss her, adding urgent tension to the narrative.

Gram (Ginny) The sisters’ devout and determined grandmother who anchors the family. Her wisdom and fortitude are felt throughout the story, even in her absence.

Bess Stanhope Cadence’s best friend who becomes an ally in both the book club and the emotional journey of war, all while coping with her own family pressures, including a high-risk pregnancy.

Major (John) Gilbert A British officer whose arrival sparks both suspicion—and later, tenderness—in Cadence. Their romance challenges wartime expectations and loyalty.

Initially, I thought I had read this book before because it seemed so familiar, but as it progressed I realized I must have been mistaken. There were several twists that I wasn't expecting, and the ending was really perfect! I really enjoyed this book and would 100% read it again

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, as I have others by this author. The characters represent different perspectives as they join together to support each other during WWII. The strong female characters face various hardships and challenges unique to their living arrangement on Martha's Vineyard, which I have heard brief stories of in the past. Their devotion to each other and their loved ones off at war are told through moments of humor, romance, drama, and suspense. The author's note, as well as her dedication to thorough research, were appreciated as always.

In 2016, Mari travels to Martha's Vineyard to try and understand her late mother's past. There, she is told the story of two sisters, during WWII. Throughout the story, there is a German defector and a possible spy. One sister starts a book club with her best friend.

I found the story to be predictable and that it had too much happening at once. All in all, it didn't hold all that as well as it could have.

Thank you to Net Galley, Random House Publishing, and Ballantine Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

So, let’s see - she receives a missive telling her to take the ferry to Vineyard Haven - someone will meet her. She is there, she is waiting and wondering if she had the day or time wrong. She is borderline poor, tired, and people keep telling her that she will want to stay longer. I just couldn’t figure out why. Elizabeth Devereaux and Copper Pond Farm, the ultimate destination with secrets and information to be discovered if Devereaux decides to show up and explain.

Questions asked and the answer seems to be; let’s take a ride and maybe you should stay over one more day. There is a non refundable ticket for a return flight that falls away despite the borderline poverty constantly in play. I found the ruse frustrating as a weak stall tactic. Just get on with it and tell the story, you know, the one about the Smith sisters dating back to 1942. Now that was a story worth hearing and very well told. It was all the other superfluous material that put me off. Despite knowing where it was all going I mostly enjoyed the ride.

Rounding up for the historical story and “Briar the Liar” I want to thank Ballantine Books and NetGalley for a copy.

Thanks to the publisher for the gifted copy.

What a perfect summery historical fiction book! We start in 2016 with Mari traveling to Martha's Vineyard to meet a painter named Elizabeth Devereaux. She found her name in her mom's belongings and wants to know the connection. Once there, Elizabeth takes us back to 1942 and tells the story of the farm where she lives.

In 1942, two sisters, Cadence and Briar, are trying to help their aunt keep their farm going in the midst of WW2. Their brother has enlisted, and his fiancé is living with them to help run the farm. The girls start a book club to try to have some normalcy, but with soldiers training on the beaches, U-boats being seen off the coast, and a potential spy in their town, nothing is really normal.

Once the two timelines start piecing together, I couldn't put this book down. I really liked the characters in both timelines, and I wanted Elizabeth to hurry up with her story so I could see how it all was connected.

Martha Hall Kelly is an exceptional writer, and this is another example of her talent!

The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club by Martha Hall Kelly
( This review is bases on an ARC sent to me by Netgalley)

Two sisters living on Martha’s Vineyard during World War II find hope in the power of storytelling when they start a wartime book club for women inspired by true events.
From the author “My mother’s family settled on Martha’s Vineyard in 1891 and The Martha’s
Vineyard Beach and Book Club is based on the stories she told us about
growing up there during WWII. She and her book friends were voracious
readers and met on the beaches of Martha’s Vineyard every summer to play
cards, eat egg salad sandwiches and homemade cookies, and share them
lives.”

1942: The Smith girls—nineteen-year-old aspiring writer Cadence and sixteen-year-old war-obsessed Briar—are faced with the impossible task of holding their failing family farm together during World War II as the U.S. Army arrives on Martha’s Vineyard.
In an attempt at normalcy, Cadence and her best friend, Bess, start a book club, which grows both in members and influence as they connect with a fabulous New York publisher who could make all of Cadence’s dreams come true.
The Armed Services Editions created low cost highly portable books for servicemen reprinted from Bestselling titles of the day and were considered “weapons in the war of ideas” (P4827) These books had a great impact on the troops and this was well researched by the author.

3.5 ⭐ rounded down

I've always wanted to visit Martha's Vineyard and this just made me want to go even more!! I really enjoyed this book and I'll definitely be reading more from Martha Hall Kelly in the future.

I took the rating down because I will admit, I had a bit of a hard time keeping some of the characters straight. It felt like there were a lot of them--it could be because I took some time reading this, but I'd even get two of the main characters, Briar and Cadence, mixed up. I also didn't love the ending. It felt like everything wrapped up wayyyy too fast. I did like that this felt like a different kind of WWII hist fic book and that was refreshing! A lot of them are set in Europe and are written from the perspective of victims, but this was about a family living in America and how the war effected things here. This book did not have a ton of action to propel it forward; the driving force behind the narrative was seeing the transformation in relationships and the people involved, which probably contributed to this being more of a slow paced book. That is in no way a bad thing, though!! I think that it even made it feel more like a book taking place on island time 😄

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine for the eARC!!

I really loved the dual timeline in this one—it was beautifully done and kept me fully invested in both storylines. The Martha’s Vineyard setting was so atmospheric and added so much depth, especially for someone who loves New England stories. The 1940s storyline had everything I look for: heart, suspense, and a touch of romance, while the 2016 timeline brought a poignant sense of discovery and healing. Watching the layers of family history unfold was so satisfying. A compelling, richly woven story of love, loss, and legacy.

Another Martha Hall Kelly masterpiece! Loved the characters and mystery woven throughout the book. As a New England native, the descriptive setting and details made me feel right at home. The WWII history was fascinating. Definitely a book I will remember and reflect upon.

I've loved the author's other books, and this one was no exception! Happy to learn more about a place I've visited multiple times, and I enjoyed the dual timelines. Ending was a bit far-fetched, but didn't take away from my enjoyment. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! Looking forward to seeing what the author comes out with next.