Martha Hall Kelly’s latest is a work of historical fiction set in Martha’s Vineyard during WWII. One family of women must do everything in their power to make ends meet on their Vineyard farm while forces beyond their control threaten to wreak havoc. This has a satisfying mix of history, mystery and women’s fiction that will appeal to a vast array of readers. Martha Hall Kelly’s masterful prose will make this a popular pick for book clubs and fans in general.

Martha Hall Kelly’s latest novel, The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club, masterfully blends historical fiction with elements of espionage, mystery, and family drama. Set in a dual timeline—1942 and 2016—it explores the lives of two sisters struggling to maintain their family farm during World War II while forming a wartime book club, juxtaposed against a present-day woman searching for answers about her past.

The 1942 storyline follows Cadence and Briar Smith, who, with their brother off at war, must keep their Martha’s Vineyard farm afloat. Cadence dreams of becoming a writer, while Briar, fascinated by military strategy, keeps a close watch on the island’s waters, where German U-boats have been spotted. Their book club, initially formed for soldiers stationed nearby, grows into something much bigger—bringing literature, friendship, and even danger into their lives when a mysterious man washes ashore, and whispers of espionage begin to circulate.

In 2016, Mari Starwood arrives on the island searching for answers about her late mother. She meets Elizabeth Devereaux, a reclusive painter with deep ties to the Smith sisters’ past. As Elizabeth recounts the sisters’ wartime struggles, Mari starts to unravel a personal connection she never expected.

Kelly’s ability to weave gripping historical details with deeply human stories shines in this novel. The depiction of life on Martha’s Vineyard during WWII—especially the lesser-known U-boat threats and the island’s role in military preparations—is particularly compelling. The characters are richly developed, with strong female leads facing both internal and external conflicts that keep the narrative engaging.

While some plot twists are predictable, the novel remains captivating, with well-paced tension and emotional depth. The combination of a war-era book club, an espionage subplot, and a modern-day family mystery makes for a unique and absorbing read. Fans of historical fiction, especially those drawn to stories about WWII’s impact on American soil, will find this book both enlightening and entertaining.

What a lovely reintroduction to historical fiction for me! I used to devour books like this (WWII era, female centric, dual timeline, family trauma epics) all the time but it’s been a few years. This was such a delight, I was fully sucked into the story!
Briar and Cadence’s opposing personalities made the story exciting to follow. They viewed things so differently, seeing each other in ways they didn’t see so much themselves. Briar seeing Cadence’s romantic inclinations toward Gil so obviously; Cadence trusting Briar’s gut even when she disagreed. Very sisterly to argue so much.
I really couldn’t put this down.
I will say that I wasn’t very interested in Mari’s side of the story. Felt like it was only there to give a “reason” to tell Briar and Cadence’s story, when I would have been just fine with the Smiths’ timeline. Mari was in her thirties, but to me she read like she was in her twenties, and that threw me too. I get being a mess, I’m almost thirty and I am a mess, but she seemed very naive, fresh out of the house. Briar and Cadence, teenagers, seemed more mature.
I also felt like every character, even those whose first-person perspectives we saw, was fairly flat. Or that I couldn’t actually tell what they were feeling. I could see what they were doing and put myself in their shoes, but I still managed to feel detached from their emotions. So that slowed me down a bit.
Plus, we only actually spent a few pages with Tom, so I honestly couldn’t believe everyone when they spoke so highly of his character. Where was the evidence!
The ending felt a bit abrupt, because we never get to be back with Briar and Cadence, so filling in the gaps was like hm, okay then.
BUT despite the issues with character and interiority, I really really enjoyed reading this. It was exciting and sweet yet still tense and mysterious. The pacing was excellent, and the writing rolled along so smoothly I never felt like putting it down. Get me to Martha’s Vineyard!

Thank you, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for the ARC. Martha Hall Kelly writes such great historical fiction novels, along with the "sister theme" and this one didn't disappoint. In this story, Mari goes to Martha's Vineyard to meet a talented artist and spend the day with her. Mrs. D begins to tell the story of how she came to live on the large farm. The book is written in two timelines, bouncing between the story Mrs. D is telling, from 1942, and the present day.

It was a quick read because I wanted to find out the connection between the timelines.

The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club was an easy 5-star read for me. Martha Hall Kelly is the queen of the "sister" themed narrative and she covers all the bases in this multi-faceted story taking place, for the most part, in 1942. The dual timeline which includes the present day is minor and only serves to create the framework for a happy ending. The numerous subplots involving first love, wartime intrigue and questionable identities kept my interest throughout. I've learned to read the author's notes before jumping into the book and find that always enhances my reading experience. In this case, I found the notes as compelling as the book itself as some characters and events in the story are based on real life family members. All in all a memorable read.

This book was hard to put down. I was thoroughly invested in these women’s lives and wanted to know how the present and past would match up.

Brief chapters of modern day Mari lead us to the happenings of 1942 Martha's Vineyard. This was a little bit about a bookclub, but really so much more. The impact of war on this area was very interesting. Two sisters, their brother, their gram, and friends and new acquaintances made for wonderful reading. And that cover! I loved it. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

In The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club we have a dual timeline piece of historical fiction. Mari Starwood, in 2016, is visiting Martha's Vineyard to meet Elizabeth Devereaux, trying to trace a bit of information left behind after her mother's recent death. The Smith girls, Briar and Cadence, in 1942, are helping to run the family farm on the island for their Grandmother Ginny with the help of their older brother's girlfriend Bess. The preponderance of the book takes place in the 1942 timeline and also alternates between Cadence and Briar as narrators. The island is being used by the military to train for the coming invasion of France by the Allied forces, and Briar is positive she is spotting German U-boats off the coast, but no one takes her seriously.
The premise of the "beach and book club" from the title is not a large focus of the book itself, with most of the plot showing the girls day to day life in the summer of 1942 as they try to keep the farm running, while dealing with the "war games" of the military and balance other stresses as well. In the 2016 timeline about Mari, Elizabeth is telling her about that summer and slowly Mari comes to understand how her and her mother are tied to these women from the past.
This was a lovely and heartwarming piece of historical fiction. There's not a whole lot of action, but it was an enjoyable exploration of a place and time in history while also developing the characters of Briar and Cadence and their lives.
Thank you to Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for the electronic ARC of this novel for review

In The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club, past and present intertwine as a woman’s journey to uncover family secrets leads her to an island steeped in history. After her mother’s passing, Mari Starwood arrives on Martha’s Vineyard with little more than a name—Elizabeth Devereaux, a reclusive painter who holds the key to Mari’s past. Under the guise of taking a painting class, Mari meets Elizabeth, who begins sharing the story of two sisters who lived on the island during World War II. As Mari listens, she realizes that the past isn’t as distant as she once thought and that her connection to this place runs deeper than she ever imagined.

In 1942, sisters Cadence and Briar Smith struggle to keep their family’s farm afloat as war reshapes their world. With soldiers arriving on the island, rumors of spies circulating, and a mysterious stranger washing ashore, their quiet lives take an unexpected turn. Amidst the uncertainty, Cadence and her best friend create a wartime book club, offering a sense of escape and connection. But as tensions rise, the sisters must navigate love, loss, and the risks that come with standing up for what they believe in.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy. This is one of the most engaging books I’ve read in quite a while! The alternating timelines kept me hooked, and each chapter ended in a way that made it impossible to stop reading. The writing was so immersive that I felt like I was right there on the island—feeling the ocean breeze, walking through the Smith sisters’ farm, and uncovering long-buried secrets alongside Mari. The way the past and present intertwined was beautifully done, and I loved how the book club became a symbol of resilience and hope. I couldn’t put it down!

The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club is a story told with alternating time lines; one in present day and the other during WWII. Mari’s mother has died and she travels from California to Martha’s Vineyard to find a woman, Elizabeth Devereaux, who may have had ties to her mother.
Elizabeth tells her the story of 3 woman, Cadence, her sister Briar, and Bess who is engaged to their brother, on Martha’s Vineyard during WWII. Cadence and Bess start a book club and they connect with women who come to the island during the summer. The military is doing training sessions on their beach and the women take books to the men for them to read. The story really isn’t so much a story about a book club but about the 3 women and their relationships with each other and their families. It is a very enjoyable book and easy to read and follow. Although it seems to veer off in a few directions it does come together at the end with Mari finding out how she fits in to all of it.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The past meets the present in this novel of a WWII wartime storyline.

I received a free DRC of this book through Netgalley. I have read other books by this author and enjoy her work. This book focuses on a group of young women on Martha's Vineyard during WWII and has a smaller jump in time to present day. The women: Briar, Cadence, and Bess are the main characters IMO. They are all vastly different, but are committed to family whether by blood or friendship. I didn't always agree with the women's decisions, but obviously I am not them or in their positions. I found it to be an exciting book with lots going on and mysteries abounding throughout.

This book is A dual time line told in 1942 and present day 2024. A story about two sisters during World War II and their love of books while they create a wartime book club in Martha's Vineyard with Uboats and soldiers' presence. In 2024, a woman travels to Martha's Vineyard under the premise of taking a painting class. The stories intertwine beautifully.

I would highly recommend to readers that like of historical fiction, WWII era stories, and sisterhood.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was so very excited to be offered an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. I have read every book by Martha Hall Kelly and this is an excellent addition, it is quite a bit lighter than her other books but very enjoyable. Having lived on The Vineyard for many years (although still considered a Wash A Shore) I found the author was very true to the locale and the community. I wish I had read the Author’s Notes before I read the book as it really gave context to the novel. As with all her books they are somehow linked to her family history, and specifically the strong women who preserved in the face of unimaginable circumstances. I also learned quite a bit about The Vineyard during WWII and am always impressed with the level of research and detail you find in her books. I look forward to where she will go next!

Taking place in Martha’s Vineyard, this is the story of a family during World War II and how the war affects them. Briar and Cadence Smith live with their grandmother on a farm on the island. Their older brother, Tom, has been shipped off to war overseas. His girlfriend, Bess, is also living with them. Money is tight and their grandmother has health problems. Soldiers are training nearby. Briar is constantly on the lookout for German U-Boats offshore and she fears that Germans could be infiltrating their island community. It is a difficult time for the family as they are trying to survive on little income and they are worried about their brother. The girls form a book club to help keep their minds off their troubles. (However, despite the title of this book, the book club actually plays a minor role in the story.)

The story is told in dual timelines (1942 and 2016), however, much of the story takes place during the war. In 2016, Mari has come to the island because her recently deceased mother had been planning to go there and meet a woman named Elizabeth Devereaux. It is very mysterious as to why her mother planned to go there and Mari gets the impression that somehow, she has a connection to the farm. Mrs. Devereaux tells Mari the story of the Smith family and their time during the war.

I have read many historical fiction titles set during World War II, however, most have been set in Europe. I have read very little about what was happening in the United States during this period. I had no idea that there was an army base on Martha’s Vineyard and that the army performed training missions on the beaches there. I didn’t realize that German U-Boats were so close to the U.S. shore. This is why I love historical fiction – I learn so much!

This novel is well-researched. The author’s note at the end explains how the book was inspired by real-life events in her own family.

This is the first book that I have read by Martha Hall Kelly, but it won’t be my last. I highly recommend it.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for providing me with an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Title: The Martha 's Vineyard Beach and Book Club
Author: Martha Hall Kelly
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pub Date: May 27, 2025
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Pages: 336

Story is told in 1942 and 2024, featuring sisters Cadence and Brier Smith during WWII. Their brother Tom is in the military stationed at the Army base Briar. The Sister live with their Grandmother on Martha’s Vineyard; they as well as Tom’s fiancée are struggling to take care of the family farm.
The sisters form a book club as they love to read and also plan to donate books to give to the soldiers stationed on the island.

I read and loved Martha Hill Kelly’s "The Lilac Girls" so was looking forward to this story!
Although this wasn’t the Wow I was expecting, the ‘Author’s Note’ sure made up for as it was Great- a story in itself as were her Acknowledgements. I encourage you to read both!!

Want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group ~ Ballantine for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for May 27, 2025.

While parts of this book were enjoyable, I never got the sense that it was cohesive. I wasn’t a big fan of the main characters, and I was hoping for more from the ending.

Inspired by true events taken from her family history, author Martha Hall Kelly has set this dual timeline WW2 historical fiction on beautiful Martha’s Vineyard, an island off the coast of Massachusetts which was used as a training ground for the Army. In 2016, thirty-four year old Mari Starwood travels from her California home to Martha’s Vineyard after her newly deceased mother instructed her to go there and meet famous painter Elizabeth Devereaux, who lived on a working Vineyard farm. Over the course of two days, Ms. Devereaux tells Mari about how in 1942, two teenage sisters, Cadence and Briar Smith were living on the farm when an army troop arrived to use their family property as a training ground. As the story of offshore U-boats, Nazi spies, and a mystery man washing up on the beach continues, Mari wonders why her mother sent her to the island and how the Smith family has anything to do with her.

As a lover of historical fiction, I was intrigued to learn how Martha’s Vineyard was used during the war. While I found the pace of the story to be slow at times, the characters were well developed as their inter-connectedness was discovered. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for the opportunity to be an early reader in exchange for my honest opinion.

When Mari's mother dies unexpectedly and she is going through her things, she runs across a name, Elizabeth Devereaux, on a piece of paper. Elizabeth is a reclusive painter who lives on Martha's Vineyard. Mari travels to the Vineyard in hopes of meeting this mysterious woman who somehow has ties to her mother. Once there, Elizabeth takes her back to 1942 during WWII when the U.S. Army arrives at Martha's Vineyard. The story goes back and forth between 2 sisters, Cadence, who is an aspiring writer, and Briar, who is obsessed with the war. Cadence & her best friend, Bess, start a book club that connects them with a New York publisher, who can make all of Cadence's dreams come true. All of that is put on hold, though, when Briar rescues a man who washes ashore & whispers of a spy in their midst. It becomes the girls' mission to figure out who the spy is. And in the meantime, Mari is trying to figure out how she is related to this family. I have enjoyed a number of this author's books and was excited to see that she released a new one & enjoyed this one as well.

Thank you to NetGalley & Ballantine Books for giving me the opportunity to read an early eARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

Suspenseful, set on Martha's Vineyard the story moves between past and present as modern day Mari is seeking answers, to Briar and Cadence, two sisters living on the island in the tumultuous war years of the 1940s.

The story is wrought with the drama of those war years when everyone feared Nazi takeover from the ocean. Cadence is an aspiring author, while Briar is more free spirited and longs for the comfort of her world to go back is it was before the war. Who on their island can be trusted? Modern day Mari comes from California with a name on a piece of paper, and she ensconces herself in the presence of Elizabeth Devereaux. Mari learns that her ties to the island are even deeper than she ever imagined.