Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I was soooo excited to get approved for this book from one of my favorite authors Martha Hall Kelly!! This went to the top of my reading list. Dual timelines and multiple POV set in 1942 and 2106 respectively at Martha’s Vineyard. I learned some history that I never knew before reading this book. All of the stories and characters weaved together amazingly and there were some twists that I did not see coming. I will think about this story for a while and highly recommend it!!! Solid 5 star book!!!!

I really enjoyed this historical fiction book. I liked the characters and the story. This book has two interwoven time frames that culminate in a cross-over at the end. I loved the role that books played in the story of the girl's lives and also in the soldier's lives. Quick read, engaging, likeable story, and great historical references. Two thumbs up!

I don’t usually go to historical fiction, but I love Cape Cod/Martha’s Vineyard, so I requested a copy of this book from Net Galley & Ballantine and they granted a copy for me.

First, wow do I love the characters in this book. They are well developed and so likable (well except for one woman…). I loved the way they worked in one of my favorite MV book stores in the book. I had no idea that CC/MV was heavily used during WW2, and learning about the portable books that were made… just too cool.

I think this would make a great book club book (LOTS to discuss) and an excellent movie. Will be in the best of 2025, I bet.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishers for an ARC of this novel.

I will start by saying that I have been a fan of Martha Hall Kelly since I read The Lilac Girls. I love how she has researched her family's history and creates historical fiction novels from her family's stories. Some of the characters in this story are based on real people in her family, unlike in some of her previous novels where the actual family members are characters in her novels. I have to say at first, I had trouble getting into the story, but once I did, I learned to love the two sisters in the story and to care what happened to them. The story takes place on Martha's Vineyard in 1942 and also in 2016. The two timelines come together at the end of the novel in a very satisfying way. I love books that take place during this time period, and it was interesting to experience the war from the perspective of women in America trying to hold down the fort while the men were away at war. I did not realize that there was a military presence on Martha's Vineyard during the war and I enjoyed learning about this. I think that if you enjoy historical fiction books taking place during WWII, with a unique setting of Martha's Vineyard that you will enjoy this book.

I am a fan of WWII fiction and have also been going to Martha's Vineyard for over forty years. So I connected right away with this book. Then the book club theme along with my enjoyment of Lilac Girls by Kelly made this book my favorite for the year.I loved it! My mother and grandmother would tell my sisters and I stories about life during WWII and the Depression. This book read just like stories handed down through generations.

Yes, the plot is somewhat predictable. However, all the details of life on an island during WWII created such authentic realism that the plot seemed very believable to me. A section following the main story details all the real events and people on which the story is based, adding to the authenticity.

A parallel plot concerns a young contemporary woman who has traveled to the island to discover her heritage. While this plot was less interesting to me, it serves to tie final loose ends together, contributing to a very satisfying conclusion to the story.

The main characters were well developed and quite relatable, despite being very different people. As these and many of the minor characters were based on real people, Kelly was able to incorporate idiosyncrasies and specific details to make them come alive. I I also liked that chapters were narrated by alternating main characters, providing multiple perspectives on story events. I sometimes have difficulty differentiating narrators in this format. However, that was not the case with this book. Each main character was a distinct individual, easily distinguishable from one another. The fact that they were readers and were devoted to helping others have access to books was an added delight for me.

The one character who seemed to need more development was the individual who was identified as a German spy near the end of the story. Knowing more about his background and motivations would have made the revelation of his true character more believable.

The most compelling and unusual parts for me were the references to soldiers who were stationed on the island and trained for the Normandy invasion. With its cliffs, bleachers, and rural terrain, the Vineyard would have been the perfect training ground. This was an interesting historical event that I have never heard of in all my years visiting the island. I am looking forward to exploring this history and finding the actual places where the events occurred during our annual summer visit.

Many WWII stories are based in Europe. This book, based in America on little known events, is a good addition to the genre.

Martha Hall Kelly could rewrite the phone book and I’d read it just to see her spin on it. Knowing she drew inspiration from her own mother’s stories of growing up on Martha’s Vineyard during World War II for her upcoming novel, The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club, I knew this one would be special.

Mari heads to Martha’s Vineyard to met with an elusive artist under the pretense of an art lesson. Instead, it turns into Mari hearing a story about sisters who lived with their Gram and brother’s fiancé in 1942. What follows is a beautiful tribute that includes a dashing British officer, U-boats, espionage, potatoes, a washed up foreigner, and books. MHK creates a magnificent WWII story that isn’t about the Holocaust, doesn’t take place in Paris, and is without air sirens and night time bombings. It is a story of a group of women during the early part of the war and the lasting legacy they left on the island. This is a tale of sisterhood, secrets, and sacrifice. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing-Ballantine for the advanced copy. Opinions expressed are my own. This book will be published on May 27, 2025.

#netgalley #arc #bookstagram #TheMarthasVineyardBeachandBookClub #RandomHouseBallantine #marthahallkelly

When I think of WWII, Martha’s Vineyard does not come to mind. Was I wrong! This enjoyable story about a multigenerational family trying to survive during WWII on the remote island of Massachusetts is a wonderful read to recommend to multigenerations. The story is a mixture of mystery and romance (with no spice) and a book club.

Courtesy of Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group, I received the ARC of Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club by Martha Hall Kelly, one of my favorite authors. This dual time line historical novel is set on Martha's Vineyard in 1942, with 2016 being the contemporary time frame, as the characters' stories comes together. Reflecting the history of her ancestors, Kelly covers the strength of the women involved in maintaining the home front with optimism and resilience. I loved the book club aspect, and the books created for servicemen. I had no idea of the American military presence on the island and was fascinated to read and learn! Highly recommend this well researched story!

Being a born-and-raised Martha’s Vineyard island native myself, this book hit close to home. It was very neat to see my family’s name mentioned at various points throughout this book. It was even cooler to read the Author’s Note regarding her ties to the Vineyard. My own mother, daughter of a Mayhew, loves spending her time on Ancestry.com in search of missing familial links and clues. The island is a fascinating place with deep generational history. Martha Hall Kelly did her research with this one!

This book features a woman named Mari, in her mid-30s, after the death of her mother. Mari adventures from her home in California to Martha’s Vineyard in search of a woman named Nancy Starwood. She hopes to understand why her late mother had searched this name and written it down before passing. Is she connected to Martha’s Vineyard somehow?

Rewind to 1942 for the beautiful storytelling about two sisters living on Martha’s Vineyard during World War II. Like the title suggests, there are your fair share of beaches and book club talk, but this novel is so much more than that. When a stranger washes ashore during the war and is found by the two island sisters, their world changes forever.

How are these two stories related? This historical fiction novel pieces it all together for an exciting and satisfying ending.

I found this book easy to pick up from the start. The author dove right into the plot and didn’t waste any time with unnecessary details. In fact, I found myself rereading the first chapter after I finished the book! The character development was solid and the characters were largely likable. This would make for a fun beach read while on the beaches of Martha’s Vineyard next summer!!!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. If you’re a fan of reading good books, check this one out in May 2025! … and if you’re on the Vineyard, definitely read this one!

My thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an advance copy of this novel dealing with life on the homefront of the Second World War, for a group of sisters, their friends, and the surprising legacy they leave behind.

World War II has always been a rich setting for thrillers and spy stories, history and biographies, however with rare exceptions these books always seem to deal with war, espionage, and the men who fought. Recently live during wartime has become a popular fictional setting, looking at war close up, the women who fought, died, and those that took care of things on the homefront. There have been many books but Martha Hall Kelly seems to do it best, with her mix of research, and interesting characters. The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club is no exception. Set in both 2016 and 1942, this story looks at life for a pair of sisters living, dealing with war, family, spies, U-Boats and books.

The book is told in two different times, the year 2016 and 1942. In 2016 a woman comes to Martha's Vineyard, with only a name on a slip of paper and vaguest of ideas of what to do. Mari Starwood is in her early thirties, and at a loss since the death of her mother. She has come to the vineyard looking for an artist, Elizabeth Deveraux, world famous for her works, and renowned in the area for not suffering fools gladly. Deveraux takes Starwood in, and offers to teach her lessons. These lessons become more about Elizabeth Deveraux sharing stories of the two sisters, the Smiths, who worked the farm where Deveraux paints, a beautiful estate, and life during the Second World War. In 1942 Cadence, 19 and Briar, 16 were doing their best to run the family farm, but with the drafting of their brother, things were only getting harder. Cadence had dreams of being a writer, while Briar was addicted to war news and every rumor that she heard. Cadence needing an outlet formed a book group in the area, one that drew the attention of a publisher in New York who helped support it. The group grew quickly, and soon was becoming the in thing to be a part of, until rumors began to spread about German U-Boats being spotted, and a mysterious stranger who entered all their lives.

Martha Hall Kelly really is very good at what she does. Kelly does the research and it shows, discussing the U-Boat war and all the losses that America suffered in the early days of the war. The paranoia of the coast fearing shelling, or troops being landed, or even worse infiltrators. Kelly has a way of writing about the times that seems real, along with characters that one feels could have lived and loved in that time. Even the smaller characters have something about them that makes a reader want to know more. The book is told from different points of view and different times, but this is not hard to figure out, and adds to the story, allowing different view so events to be presented. One wonders how the two parts will come together, but they do, and really makes for a very good story.

Kelly is an author that I have seen grow in readers from book to book. This is a good starting book for new readers, as well as something older fans will enjoy also.

I love how MHK weaves present and past and multiple character's storylines. This is another enlightening historical fiction story of WWII when I may have started thinking what more could I learn about that war? It has been a fascinating topic for me and this novel did not disappoint in adding even more puzzle pieces to the WWII board. Such a beautiful story of resilient women doing the best they can at a very difficult time.

Thank you Net Galleyfor an advanced copy of this book. I’ve just started reading historical fiction books and this book has become one of my favorite historical fictions. What really drew me in to read the book was the setting taking place in Martha’s Vineyard in 1942. I liked the characters and I will be reading more of this author’s books.

I really loved this book! I knew a book about a wine drinking , beach centered book club would have my heart, but add in the romance and Briar’s Nazi hunting and I could not stop turning the pages. I will definitely be recommending this one. Thank you for the ARC!

I enjoyed reading this fascinating historical fiction that takes place in Martha's Vineyard during WWII. Wonderful storytelling about the Smith sister's family and friends who start a wartime book club. They also try to take care of the farm while their brother is fighting in the war. The U.S. army arrives and the book club provides books for the soldiers. A German U-boat is offshore, a mysterious man washes on the beach and a spy is in their community. This is such a good book! Thanks, NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel.

The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club, by Martha Hall Kelly, was a wonderful historical women't fiction novel, set in a place I have visited often. My in-laws have a cottage in Oak Bluffs, the next town over from Vineyard Haven, and it's my husband's favorite place in the world. I loved this story of a familiar place, set during an unfamiliar era. Kelly is a beautiful novelist, and I also thoroughly enjoyed her heartfelt Author's Note at the end of the book. Highly recommend!!!

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the Martha’s Vineyard setting and a good historical fiction. The characters were lovable and interesting, and I loved how the story tied in at the end. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

Wonderful read of strong women! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC! And I love the historical background of this story!

The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club was a breath of fresh air for me! It read like a literal breeze despite it's length. Cadence and Briar (sisters who are local to the Vineyard living with their grandmother) are both well developed and truly unique characters. As is so often the case, the sisters are polar opposites, but their brother Tom along with his girlfriend Bess are uniting characters. While the story was dual timeline, the present timeline was truly "almost" unnecessary and a significantly smaller portion of the book; nevertheless, it kept the plot moving along nicely and kept me wanting to keep reading. I truly enjoyed this being a WWII novel with a completely different and unique perspective compared to what I am accustomed to reading about. German spies and uboats in one of America's most well-known beach towns...who knew? Definitely worth the read.

I have loved everyone of Martha Hall Kelly’s books. However, I can’t say that about this one. I found the first half of the book a real slog. There were so many characters and she kept switching around in time periods and places that it was extremely difficult to keep track of the storyline. I think this really detracted from the novel . I really enjoyed the second half of the book. I thought she brought everything together nicely. I found it interesting in her afterward of who the characters were based on and the history of the area.

4.5 stars.

I loved this book! It starts off in 2016 with Mari, who arrives on Martha's Vineyard to meet the reclusive painter, 'Mrs. D', for a private painting lesson at the artist's home. Mrs. D is not what Mari expects (based on rumors of the painter's life), and she begins telling Mari the story of Martha's Vineyard natives, sisters Cadence & Briar Smith, throughout 1942 and the end of WWII. The sisters live on a farm with their grandmother, brother Tom, and his girlfriend, Bess. Tom is an Army Ranger and ships out, leaving the women on their own to run the farm.

Cadence writes a column in the local paper and loves all things literature related. It is her dream to one day work for a publishing house in New York. Her best friend Bess supports her, but she is also content to live on the farm with Tom. Briar is the younger sister and is unique in spirit and mind. She is highly intelligent and inquisitive, traits that tend to get her made fun of by the local community. She takes all of this in stride and remains true to herself.

Cadence and Bess work at the local club during the summer and come across some of the women in publishing. This motivates them to not only form their own book club (the title) but also to find ways to bring literacy and books to aid the war effort.

The Army begins sending soldiers to train on Martha's Vineyard, and the locals are also under the treat of German U-boats patrolling their coast. The story that unfolds is one of mystery, intrigue, adventure, and drama. There is love, loss, murder, and books. More importantly, there are deep friendships, there is familial loyalty, personal sacrifice, and strong female leads.

I enjoyed the first half, but could not put down the second half! Initially, I did not like the Mari storyline, but that changed as the story developed, and I understood the reason for its presence. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction with great characters and an excellent story.

I would like to thank Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.