Author Martha Hall Kelly has crafted yet another captivating and sweeping historical fiction story with a touch of mystery. The dual timeline story opens in the year 2016 with the bulk of the story residing in 1942 Martha's Vineyard.

It's 2016 and Mari has just arrived on the island, presumably for a bit of private painting tutelage. Elizabeth, Mari's instructor, advanced in her years, tells a long engaging story, which she implies is connected to Mari's own. It centers around the two Smith sisters and their Gram Smith during WWII. The sisters' brother is off to war, serving his country. In an attempt to maintain some normalcy during meager and anxious times, these women along with their friends start the MVBABC (Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club). The soldiers down the road are readying for their deployment while German U-Boats circle the island. There are many challenges and tough choices for these young women forced to grow up quickly in time of war.

The story is very well written with a tremendous amount of historical research put into its telling. The characters are well-developed and the mise en scène is vibrant. It was so well laid out that one could see the magnificent vistas from high island promontories, smell the enticing aromas of home-baked donuts and cookies in Gram's kitchen, as well as the tangy salt air brought in with the rising tide. The tension remains taut right through to the book's conclusion. As a long ago visitor of Martha's Vineyard, this was a wonderful trip down memory lane while learning yet more of the island's history than was previously known. If you have an interest in island life, the roles of women during WWII, and enjoy well-written and well-researched stories about such women, then this may well be the book for you.

I am grateful to Ms. Kelly and her publisher, Ballantine Books, for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.


Publisher: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: May 27, 2025
Number of Pages: 336
ISBN: 978-0593354919

This was a great beach read. I loved the setting in Martha's Vineyard. I enjoyed the dual timelines. This was my first book by this author, and I am planning to read more by her very soon. I loved the cover art for this novel. This book will leave you with a refreshed palate and a feeling of comfort. If you love historical fiction, I highly recommend it.

I was a bit disappointed in this one, as I absolutely love The Sunflower Sisters by the same author. The set up of the storyline dragged a bit too long for me. Living close to Martha’s Vineyard, I appreciated the detail to the setting and the strong distinction between classes who reside and visit the island. I will definitely read more by Martha Hall Kelley, but this wasn’t my favorite.

In The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club, Martha Hall Kelly weaves a compelling tale featuring Mari Starwood, who travels from California to Martha's Vineyard to attend a workshop led by artist Elizabeth Devereaux. However, Mari's  wants to meet Elizabeth after discovering her name among her late mother's belongings. The story unfolds as Elizabeth recounts the history of her home, revealing a connection tied to Mari's mother.  The story centers around the lives of  Cadence and Blair during WWII.   They are trying to help their grandmother run their family farm while their brother is away serving in the military. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this engaging novel in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a fascinating and captivating timeslip story, inspired by real people. The author managed to accurately show what life was like on Martha's Vineyard during WWII, while weaving a beautiful story of family, friendship, mystery and intrigue with the smallest touch of romance.

Mari Starwood shows up on Martha's Vineyard in 2016 with a name that she found on a piece of paper in her late mother's things. When she meets Elizabeth Devereaux at her beautiful waterfront farm, the older woman tells a story of two sisters, Cadence and Briar, during the summer of 1942. Their brother Tom leaves to become an Army Ranger, and the love of his life, Bess, stays behind. The three women start a book club and Cadence dreams of a publishing career. But everything changes when a man washes up on the beach, the US Army begins training next to the farm, and news of a spy in their midst reaches the girls. As Mari listens to this story, she can't help but feel like somehow she is connected to all of it.

I devoured this book so quickly! The author had a way of drawing me in and I just had to know how Mari was connected to the Smith sisters, who the spy was, and what would happen when summer ended. Most of the book focused on 1942, and chapters were alternatively told from the perspective of the sisters. I have read a lot of WWII fiction, but rarely has it been about life in the US during that time. I enjoyed the opportunity to get that glimpse into what it was like, and the vivid descriptions of MV made me feel like I was right there experiencing it for myself.

The story managed to be emotional and at times heartbreaking, but also light and hopeful. I didn't necessarily feel a strong connection to any character in particular, but rather enjoyed their story as a whole. I found the ending to be realistic and satisfying, and though I had a guess as to how it would wrap-up, I was still taken by surprise for some of it!

I think anyone who enjoys historical fiction would enjoy this one and I highly suggest it!

This was fun historical fiction, rich in history and colorful characters. It made for a great beach read, with vibrant depictions of Martha's Vineyard and the storylines following WW2. I enjoyed following along with the book club women as they sorted out life during that complicated time in history.

This book of historical fiction that explores the role of the community on Martha’s Vineyard during WWII. The alternate timeline concentrates on the descendants as they learn about their ancestors. This was very well written and was eye opening to me about the role of the Islanders. I truly enjoyed this book.

Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club is another enjoyable historical novel by Martha Kelly. It features compelling characters and a vibrant setting inspired by her family’s history. Set during World War II, it offers suspense, intrigue, and romance with two timelines presented.

Mari Starwood travels to Martha’s Vineyard from California to track down Mrs. Deveraux, a name she found in her late mother’s records. Mrs. Deveraux tells her the story of the diary farm and the sisters who lived there in the 40s.

Sisters Briar and Cadence Smith and their friend Bess say goodbye to their beloved brother, Tom, who leaves to fight in World War II. They are left to care for their grandmother and manage the family farm. To keep their minds off the war, the Army’s presence on the island, and the sighting of a U-boat, they start a book club. However, their grandma’s health, Bess’s pregnancy, and unscrupulous characters keep them occupied. Mari discovers her ties to the Island, both surprising and unexpected.

I especially liked this novel because I had recently visited Martha’s Vineyard. The cover perfectly depicts the novel’s concept, and the two timelines bring the story to a powerful and satisfying conclusion. Kelly provides great insight and research into this new novel. I thank NetGalley for allowing me to read and review it.

This book was an interesting peek into the WWII experiences of people who lived in coastal settings. I've never been to Martha's Vineyard, but Kelly described it so vividly. I hadn't realized that German U-boats came so close to US shores, or the role shortwave radios played in sending, receiving, and intercepting messages. I did find some parts a little hard to believe - Candace gets a fantastic job in publishing offered to her three times just because of a small-town column she writes, or a sixteen-year-old girl ferreting out a spy - but I did enjoy the suspense and just let myself jump into the story. It was obviously well-researched.

With the title and cover of this book, I was gearing myself up for a very cozy, low-stakes read about book lovers using books to cope with the stress of war. But it was much different than I thought in the best of ways and I liked it way more than I anticipated.

This is a realistic, high-stakes portrayal of life on the home front for women who live and struggle on Martha's Vineyard in the early days of WWII. It wasn't heavy on the book club element but the club was more of a front for their wartime activities and love affairs, but their love of books really shines through these pages. This is a book about family secrets and a resilient band of women.

It's told mainly from the point of view of three women in two different time periods. Mari is going to the island under the guise of taking a painting class from a famous painter, but she really wants to interview her about her late mother's connection to the island and her family. Elizabeth then spins a fascinating tale of sisters Briar and Cadence, their brother Tom who shipped off to become an Army ranger and his girlfriend Bess, whose parents disapprove of their union. I loved Cadence's weekly column about island life, her slow burn fling with a major, and her dreams to work in publishing.

So begins a complicated and moving tale of women trying to survive and the brave ways they helped the warfront at home, and not just by knitting socks for soldiers. I loved how Briar was an eccentric teenager who loved to wear men's clothes and to read Joan of Arc biographies, and she has a habit of reporting supposed U-Boat sightings over the shortwave radio. But it turns out Briar isn't actually a liar, and the women end up harboring a German fugitive under tense circumstances.

I loved how this wasn't cozy but it still felt like a heartwarming, comforting read because it showed women's resilience and the colorful details of island life while soldiers were using the island to train. This is a book that will pull at your heartstrings and make you root for this ragtag found family of fierce women who love books and their country.

The romances were lovely and drew me in, and I loved the spy thriller intrigue nestled in small town character.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Another beautiful and meaningful read from a great storyteller. I have loved all the books I’ve read from this author and this one is no exception it’s such a sweet story told across time and from different voices each adding a new layer to enlighten readers. I loved how many elements there are within this story a bit of romance, a dash of mystery, a good dose of history all woven together through sisterhood and friendship in this little community. I have such an appreciation for how the history is researched and thoroughly delivered without the emotional heaviness some historical fiction of this time period carries, it always comes across more meaningful for me when I can take my time embracing such a tragic period in history and I always learn so much. This story felt like a love letter to books and writing in so many ways, loved seeing Cadence shine as a writer herself and all the references to literature. The balance between the war and the personal journeys of the characters is done beautifully with so much care and forethought. The author has a gift of writing from multiple narratives without complicating the story, everything is clear and easy to follow so we are able to connect more deeply with characters like Briar, Cadence and Bess. I adored how differently these girls connected to the war and each other, finding myself so fulfilled by the end it was the perfect read to begin a new season of sunshine.

The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club follows the lives of the Smith family during World War 2. Brother Tom ships off to war while sisters Briar and Cadence along with the grandma and friends work on the family farm. The island is taken over by the military and many events unravel through the story. In 2016, Mari goes to the farm and meets Ms. Dev ereax. This story is beautifully woven between the past and present.

I just love Martha Hall Kelly. I've read her four previous books, and she has done it again with another wonderfully written remarkable story. I love the mystery in trying to uncover who is the spy. The knowledge that German U-Boats were near our shores and that our military trained on Martha's Vineyard during WWII is unbelievable.

The two timelines, 2016 with Mari Starwood & Mrs. Elizabeth Devereaux, and in 1942 with the Smith family Cadence, Briar, their brother Tom, and Gram (Virginia or Ginny), had me turning the pages wanting to see what will happen next. Who can we trust, Peter, Tyson , Mr. McManus, Major Gilbert, or anyone? The unraveling the mystery in both timelines was great. I loved learning about the books that our military were reading while serving, like "War and Peace".

There's heartbreak 💔, suspense, love, danger, sadness, and joy, and that's why I highly recommend this 5+⭐ read, it has everything. Enjoy ❤️.

I've enjoyed beautiful times at Martha's Vineyard, it being only a few hours drive from New York. This book brought me back to my memories there. I love lobster 🦞 rolls.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ebook advance reader copy of "The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club".

Enjoyable historical fiction about a pair of sisters on Martha’s Vineyard during World War II. Starts off slowly, but all of a sudden there are military maneuvers, possible spies, and a bit of romance. The sisters are lovely blend of quirky and conventional, each ambitious in her own way. The historical story is nested within a modern one, which seems a bit unnecessary until the end, when everything comes together and I was left a bit teary.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I really enjoyed this story of 4 women who start a book club in their Martha's Vineyard community during WWII. There's a lot more going on than a book club, and I enjoyed the (true) historical ties. The author did a tremendous amount of research and it shows. I did feel like the ending wrapped up too quickly and I would have liked more chapters from Mari's perspective. As always with a Martha Hall Kelly book, read the Author's Note, as it provides a TON of context and is fascinating.
I will recommend this to others.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC!

I picked up The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club by Martha Hall Kelly expecting a fun, summery escape, and that’s exactly what I got. It turned out to be a sizzling beach read filled with just the right amount of drama and tension to keep me hooked from start to finish.

What stood out to me was the way the tension simmered beneath the surface of the story. The relationships were layered, the setting was absolutely dreamy, and the emotional stakes added depth to the light, summery vibe. I found myself fully invested in the characters and the secrets they carried.

Reading this felt like being whisked away to the coast with a chilled drink, surrounded by juicy conversations and complicated friendships. It was the perfect book to get lost in on a warm afternoon.

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine, and imprint of Random House Publishing Group, for the digital arc.
The primary timeline takes place in 1942 (WWII) on Martha's Vineyard and focuses on Cadence and Briar Smith, and Bess, their brother's fiancee who has enlisted in the Army and been shipped overseas. The three young women live with Cadence and Briar's grandmother on the Smith Farm, and everyone is working to keep the farm afloat. Cadence writes a column for the local paper and has dreams of working in publishing while her younger sister Briar is certain she sees German u-boats and reports the sightings on a regular basis. Meanwhile there are personal, professional, and financial problems to resolve, so Cadence and Bess form a book club to boost their morale. The 1942 time line is the bulk of the plot and includes soldiers, army training, U-boats, spies, and of course, books.. A secondary time line takes place in 2016 with Mari arriving on the island to study painting with the renowned Elizabeth Devereaux, and hopefully uncover her mother's past. As the two paint, Elizabeth relates the history of the island, especially the WWII period. If you are looking for a beach read this summer, this plot driven book is perfect.
#TheMartha’sVineyardBeachandBookClub, #Ballantine Books

My thanks to Net Galley and Random House Ballantine for allowing me to review this arc.

I absolutely loved this book! My only issue is I thought the description was a little misleading. I thought it was going to be more about the comings and goings of a book club. Yes there were casual mentions but it was not the main focal point. Instead I got more of a fantastic family saga including a girl in 2016 coming to Martha's Vineyard to work with an artist who holds a family secret, 2 sisters running a farm while their brother goes to war, a romance with an officer, hiding a German medic, and the sisters brothers pregnant girlfriend living with them against her family's wishes. Great book.

Thank you so much for sending me an early copy of this book! It was absolutely amazing. From start to finish, the story was so heartfelt, and the characters were all incredible. Martha's writing made them feel like people I really knew. The way everything and everyone came together was so satisfying as a reader. Martha's Vineyard is one of my favorite places and I can't wait to go back and spot all of these places!

DNF at 18%. Full of bland, boring characters, and the dual timeline element barely feels relevant to the overall narrative.