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.

Very interesting story. Enjoyed the vigilance of these sisters & friends in being involved in the safety of their home during wartime.Their bravery & determination was uplifting.
Excellent writing in portraying the town & characters.

The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club was created by the Smith sisters as a way to cope with WWII and the shipping of their brother Tom to fight the war. As a local farmer family where their grandmother is raising them, they are trying to survive with shortages of food and men labor. Cadence and Bess, Tom's soon to be fiance, work at a rich people club, where Cadence gets noticed by a group of women that work in publishing and praise the column she writes in the local newspaper. She gets offered her dream job in New York but can't seem to leave her family stranded on the island. Briar, the youngest sister, is too smart for her own good. She interns at a army intelligence office, where she seeks classified information that could be benefiting the enemy. She suspects people among them could be betraying their nation. The story was well paced and seemed accurate with the time setting, I found the family secrets storyline was particularly interesting. The ending was not shocking but still very well executed.

This was my first novel by Martha Hall Kelly, and now I’m excited to explore her other works. I was intrigued to learn that the author found inspiration for this novel in her own mother’s stories of growing up on Martha’s Vineyard during WWII. The story shifts between two timelines: in 1942, on Martha’s Vineyard, sisters Cadence and Briar Smith try to protect their home as WWII looms, and in 2016, Mari Starwood uncovers their story through painter Elizabeth Devereaux. The novel seamlessly blends mystery, history, and the unbreakable bonds of friendship.

Kelly’s vivid descriptions bring the Vineyard to life—from the book clubs that support women during wartime to the whispers of German U-boats offshore. It’s a story about bravery, heritage, and the enduring power of books to help us through tough times.

The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club captures everything I love about historical fiction, an immersive setting, hidden secrets, and resilient women. A must-read for fans of historical fiction!

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine books for the digital review copy.

I've only visited Martha's Vineyard once, and that was years ago. This book makes me want to visit again. I loved the island community and support thread throughout the story, and enjoyed the several POVs of the Smith women. We have chapters from Mari's POV, a young woman trying to uncover answers about her mother's family, which leads her to the island where she's told the story of the Smith women. We have Briar, a rebellious teen who has a keen interest in playing detective while also focusing on the war that has pulled her beloved brother, Tom, away from the family. We have Cadence, Briar's older sister, who yearns to be a writer and leave the island.
The story focuses on the real struggles of families during WWII, the small-town support for fellow neighbors, and the bonds of family. I loved every page of the book! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this wonderful historical fiction.

This story is set in both 2016 and 1942 on Martha’s Vineyard. in 1942, the global conflict is being felt on the Massachusetts island of Martha’s Vineyard. The island is the perfect place to train troops for a mock amphibious invasion exercise, and there’s growing concern that German U-boats are patrolling the coastline. Sisters Cadence and Briar Smith, aged nineteen and sixteen, live on a beachside property with their Gran and their adored brother, Tom. Cadence dreams of being a writer or editor in New York City, while Briar is increasingly concerned that there is a Nazi spy living in their community, but when Tom goes off to war, the sisters will need to come together to keep the family farm afloat. A secondary modern-day timeline (2016) also on Martha’s Vineyard, brings together a young woman from California, grieving the death of her mother and Elizabeth Devereaux a reclusive painter. What connects these two women and the story of the Smith sisters during the war?

The author has written a novel about female friendship and resilience, as well as a love letter to Martha’s Vineyard’s history.. There are plenty of intriguing historical details—from the publication of Armed Services Editions of books made on wafer thin paper so soldiers could find solace in books and some respite from war, to the growing of potatoes—as well as charming characters whose adventures, and misadventures, kept the pages turning for me. It gave me a glimpse of of Martha’s Vineyard.

3.25 stars

The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club by Martha Hall Kelly is a historical fiction about life in Martha's Vineyard during World War II. Told between the modern day and 1942, three women's lives intersect in ways that could only happen during times of war.

This is an easy read, and fairly action packed, which will get you through the story quickly. The setting is very unique; I've never read anything set in Martha's Vineyard, much less a historical fiction. It really does feel atmospheric, especially if you happen to be reading this on the beach in Cape Cod.

There are several plot points that aren't super hard to guess, and the modern day timeline comes off as a bit shallow compared to the past one. I personally wouldn't have minded less interruptions from the present day storyline.

With that being said, I appreciate that I've learned something new about a time and place that hasn't been covered much in WWII fiction. If you're looking for a beach read, don't be intimidated by the fact that this is historical fiction. The story moves quickly after the first 20% and you will be met with a satisfying conclusion.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club is available everywhere now.

Unfortunately I found this story to be slow and not extremely uninteresting. While I'm sure the story would be of extreme interest to some as I know the author has a large following, it was not as good as I'd hoped it would be.

Thank you for the advanced copy of The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club. I couldn’t wait to read each chapter due to the mix of mystery, history and romance. I recommend this book to anyone that loves historical fiction and loves book clubs.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an Advance Digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

I really enjoyed this book. I"m usually not one for historical fiction, but I really enjoyed this story. There are two timelines. One is 2016, and the other is set between the war in 1942 through 1945.

Mari, in 2016, is grieving the death of her mother. She's now alone in the world and is feeling a little bit lost. She found a person's name written on a paper, and found them on Martha's Vineyard, so she traveled to meet this person. Ms. Devereaux is a famous painter who lives on Martha's Vineyard. She starts to tell Mari the story of two sisters who grew up on the island. They stay up all through the night, and Mari paints while Ms. Devereaux shares the story. In the morning, Mari shows what she has painted, a picture of her mother. Based on the reaction of Ms. Devereaux, Mari figures out that Ms. Devereaux is actually her grandmother!

I really enjoyed this story!

Set against the backdrop of WWII this family saga explores the true cost of war on those at home. Sisters Cadence and Briar couldn’t be more different, but along with their brother Tom, they’ve been raised on Martha’s Vineyard by their loving grandmother and are tight knit family. But with war comes changes and the desire to chase dreams and be seen. Tom heads to war, leaving behind his fiancée Bess, Cadence dreams of the New York publishing world, and Briar is mixed up in. German u-boats and spies. After the summer of 1942 none of them will ever be the same.

I so enjoyed this book by Martha Hall Kelly, featuring stories set during world war 2 on Martha’s Vineyard and set during 2016, on some events that happened in the 40’s. I don’t want to spoil too much but I hadn’t known that there had been practice drills for the armed forces on Martha’s Vineyard. If you enjoy historical fiction please pick up this novel. Thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I always enjoy reading Martha Hall Kelly's books and The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club was no exception. The book follows the story of three girls on the island during WWII who form a book club all the while trying to determine if there is a German spy in their midst. The female characters are strong and this is an easy read/pageturner told in dual timelines. I found the historical story more compelling than the present day story, but that might have been the author's whole point! Enjoyed this one and think it would make a great summer beach read, but I didn't like it as much as some of Kelly's other books. The author's note at the end is not to be missed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this ARC.

I loved the back story of Bess, Cadence and Briar and how it did eventually tie into the present story. I will admit I found Briar a bit immature for a girl of 16 during that time period. I liked the mystery surrounding who the spy was and the military exercises in Martha’s Vineyard because I had no clue about that part of WWII history.

The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club is the perfect summery read for historical fiction fans. I have not read a lot of WWII historical fiction (or in this case, dual timeline) books based in the US. This one had a lot going on - family dynamics, mystery, romance, women in publishing, military training- but at the crux was about a family and their hardships and triumphs right after America joined the war. There were three main storylines - sisters Briar and Cadence in 1942 and Mari in 2016 with a reveal at the end that connected the storylines.

I enjoyed getting a look inside how the war affected an already unique island town (with the poorer locals and wealthy summer visitors). Martha did an amazing job of transporting you to the Vineyard and how the war very uniquely impacted locals with army training camp that specifically trained for coastal attacks with amphibious vehicles and German U-boats off the shore.

Martha's authors note at the end should not be skipped. The level of research and detail that went into this book was amazing. And it was heavily based on her families history on Martha's Vineyard.