Loved this unique slice of WWII fiction! I had no idea that soldiers practiced for D-Day on American soil.

I also loved:
-the sister/friend relationships
-the small-town community
-the bit of mystery

The absolute highlight of the book for me was the author's note and learning how much of the author's upbringing and family history influenced the book. That is the reason this book isn't your average WWII historical fiction - it has so much tenderness, grit, and heart. Highly recommend!

If I had any inclination about what this book was about, I was wrong. Not only was the book deeper than a mere wartime book club but its riveting plot and romantic storylines had me turning pages at all hours of the night. I LOVED this book and all the characters. Martha Hall Kelly is no stranger to spinning intriguing wartime masterpieces, and this very book was another gem.

The book is written in a dual timeline, but I would technically call it a dual timeline lite because the emphasis was more in the past and had very short sections in the present time.

The books starts off in the mid 2000s. A young woman named Mari travels to Martha's Vineyard to take painting lessons from a famous painter, Elizabeth Devereaux. While on the island, she meets the artist who begins to tell her a story about the family that once owned the land.

In 1942: The Smith family owns and operates a small farm. The land is owned by Virginia Smith, a grandmother with a heart condition who makes the most delectable desserts. She has taken in her grandchildren after the death of their parents. Cadence Smith is an aspiring writer who writes a column in her local town. She works for a local beach club but also writes summaries of books for wealthy beachcombers for a small fee. Her younger sister Briar is very bright sixteen-year-old who is obsessed with military strategy. Briar has taken to watching the coast for enemy submarine activity. On many occasions, she has reported her suspicious findings to the coast guard only to be discounted. They live all live with their brother Tom who is sent overseas as a ranger. Cadence's best friend Bess is Tom's lover and who also lives on the farm and works with Cadence.

In an effort to bring normalcy to the small town, Cadence forms a book club amongst her family and friends, but the interesting books are the least of the drama that is about to hit their group as they battle enemy spies, love interests, and intruding guests from the US Army that just set up camp outside their farm for training exercises.

There is so much to unpack in this book. I enjoyed the romance and the espionage, but I felt like the book is a bit misleading with the title because the focus is not really the book club but the people themselves. The book club took a back seat to the drama surrounding the Smith sisters. It is still an entertaining read and worth 4.5 stars rounded up.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. This review is voluntary and all thoughts are my own.

✨ 4 stars ✨
This had such a cozy yet emotional vibe, with layered stories that slowly unraveled in the best way. I loved the dual timelines—Mari’s grief and journey of discovery mixed with the Smith sisters’ WWII struggles made it feel like two novels in one. The book club element was a sweet touch, and the small-town mystery had me hooked. Some parts dragged a little, but overall, it felt like a comforting historical read with heart, sisterhood, and just the right sprinkle of romance and danger.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advanced copy of The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club by Martha Hall Kelly. This is an incredibly well researched character based novel set on Martha’s Vineyard in 1942. The story is told primarily from the viewpoints of teen sisters Cadence and Briar Smith, growing up on the island during WWII. There is a small, modern subplot told by, Mari, in 2016, who travels to the island to meet a reclusive painter after finding her name among the belongings of her deceased mother. The mystery of how the stories overlap is slowly revealed.
I really enjoyed this novel, which is equal parts mystery, romance, military action and coming of age drama for Cadence and Briar. I am a sucker for WWII fiction, especially when told from a unique perspective. I was swept up in the story of bookworm Cadence, who dreams of escaping the island to work in publishing in New York, and clever, war-obsessed Briar. They are tasked with running the family farm with Bess, Cadence’s best friend (and their brother’s fiancée) and their doting grandmother when their beloved brother joins the army. They get caught up in additional drama after a German solder washes up on their beach and Cadence falls for a lieutenant running military exercises around their property. I was fully entertained by the various plot lines and budding romance.
The author’s note is especially fascinating! I love that the book is based on the life of the author’s mother. So many of the characters, places and scenes from the novel are also based in fact. I would absolutely recommend this novel to my fellow historical fiction fans. 4/5⭐️

This isn’t my typical genre but I ate this up. What a well told story about historical events I had no idea about. The New England setting was amazing and alive in the story!

Love this authors books so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This tale of two sisters and the way they rebuild their lives after war tears it apart is amazing!!!!!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.

I have loved every book by this author that I have read, and I think I have read all of them, so when I saw this was available I was excited to read it and get a "jump" on all the other readers who are going to LOVE it!

Set in Martha's Vineyard in 1942, during World War II, this story also jumps to 2016 when an aspiring artist visits an acclaimed local artist for lessons. But Mari gets a lot more than lessons from Elizabeth Deveraux. Having recently lost her mother and not having anything in her life worth protecting, she goes off on a whim to visit a woman who she doesn't know, but whose name she found scribbled among her mother's effects.

And that leads to this story. Because when she arrives, it is not painting that Elizabeth wants to share, but a story that happened on the island during WWII. And in hearing that story, Mari realizes that she has a strong connection to this island, Elizabeth's farm, and the Smith family, who used to live on and run that farm.

There are a lot of side stories: a submarine just off the coast, possible Nazi spies, and an Army encampment on the island that is threatening to take over and ruin everything as they train for a secret mission. Oh, yes, there is also the mystery man who washes ashore one night!

The Smith sisters and some of their friends form the book club to achieve some normalcy and give them something to do in this long summer. Cadence is an aspiring writer and wants to go to New York City to chase her dream, but it's hard to leave right now. The younger sister, Briar, wanders the island freely and knows everyone and everything that is going on. But when their brother Tom joins the Rangers and leaves, they are all glued to the radio for any news of him.

Everything comes together and it is as satisfying a book as you will find, with a lot of real stories based on true events in and around Martha's Vineyard. Be sure to read the Author's notes at the end!!

This was a great book. Mari Starwood, grieving her mom travels to Martha's Vineyard to meet Elizabeth Devereaux. Ms. Devereaux is a famous but very reclusive vineyard painter. Mari had found her name on a piece of paper that belonged to her mother. It is a dual timeline novel with Mari and Elizabeth being in 2016 and the story of the Smith sisters happening in 1942. Ms. Devereaux tells the story of the Smith sisters who lived on the farm she now is living in. The girls lived with their elderly grandmother and their brother Tom and his girlfriend. The story is during the WWII and poor Tom is called to duty. That leaves the girls to run the farm. Boy were those girls strong, hard workers. Cadence, the older sister, wanted to leave town and go into publishing. Briar, the younger, loved the farm. Cadence and Tom's girlfriend Bess, started a book club. It became popular with some of the wealth ladies of the island who also spent time in New York City. They loved Cadence's spirit, love of books and her determination to follow her dreams. Briar, was always looking out at the water where she had reported several sightings of U-Boats. Of course she wasn't taken seriously until they stumbled upon an almost dead mystery man. I learned that during the war the Navy would take over the beach area and train for battle. One of the upper class men may have caught one of the sister's eye. The book was fun, mysterious (was there really a spy on the island), heartfelt, romantic and family oriented. It is a great read that I highly recommend. By reading it you will find out how the dual timelines fit together.
Thanks to #negalley, #ballentinebooks & @marthahallkelly for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club by Martha Hall Kelly is the touching story of a woman connecting to her roots. Mari Starwood’s mother has just died and she had spent the last of her money on a plane ticket to Martha’s Vineyard for a painting workshop simply because she had found the woman’s name in her mother’s belongings. Now, she has gotten off the train. She had been told someone would be here to meet her, but there was no one. She had no money to pay for a ride. Upon inquiring as to the nearest telephone she was directed to a bike shop across the street. After talking to the young man there, Mrs. Deveraux appeared. A much older lady, but still spry and very conversational. She told stories, and what a story she told.

Mari had only ever had her mother. Now she was gone and Mari was at loose ends. She was past the first blush of youth and was fine with it. She wasn’t really a painter but she wanted to get to know this woman better. She was looking for something; she didn’t know what. What she found was beyond anything she had anticipated. She had found a life. All she had to do was accept it. What a wonderfully told story. Jealously, control issues, love, hate, wars, and more. It was all there. And it brought her to where she was. She was a good character, but the story was better. She was just a receiving vessel. Excellent read.

I was invited to read The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club by Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine. #Netgalley #RandomHousePublishingGroupBallantine #MarthaHallKelly #TheMarthasVineyardBeachAndBookClub

This book was not what I expected from the cover and the title. It was a historical book set in Martha's Vineyard during 1942 and 2016. I liked Mari and wanted to learn more about her and her relationship with Ms. Deveraux. The story quickly went to 1942 and told a unique story of Cadence and Briar, who were sisters. Their brother Tom had gone off to war as an Army Ranger. I enjoyed learning about what it was like on Marha's Vineyard during WWII. I was fascinated by their bookclub and the tiny books they copied to give to the soldiers who were stationed on the Vineyard. I did not realize the dangers that the ocean presented on the East Coast during the war. I highly recommend reading the content after the last chapter. It was fascinating as to how it pertained to the book. I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.

In 2016, Mari travels to Martha’s Vineyard to meet Elizabeth Devereaux, a famous painter. There is a connection here, but Mari is not sure how. Devereaux tells her a tale of WWII and the island’s involvement.

Don’t let this lighthearted cover fool you. This book is so much more. The history lover in me enjoyed the story line of Martha’s Vineyard part in the war effort. The mystery lover enjoyed putting the piece’s together of Mari and Elizabeth’s connection in this dual timeline read. The little romance thrown in reflects the tone of the time. I loved the characters, their resilience and how they handled the problems they encountered.
Make sure you read the Author’s Note, it really brings out the author’s personal connection to the story. Ms. Kelly is an autobuy author for me.

Thanks to Random House/ Ballantine Books for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.

4+ stars

I so enjoyed this story!
This started off in 2016 when 34 yr old Mari Starwood in California finds the name of artist Elizabeth Devereaux amongst her mother’s belongings after she died, and travels to Martha’s Vineyard to meet her and then return home. She is trying to find out what the connection is.


Elizabeth Devereaux is living on a beautiful farm on the Vineyard… and she starts telling Mari that her mother is connected to the family, the Smith’s, who owned the land for many years.
Tells her the story of the Smith sisters, Cadence and Briar who ran the farm in 1942 during World War ll, living with their grandmother because their parents had both died.. and their beloved brother Tom is called up to war.

There is also a mystery of a spy on the island trying to connect with a German u-boat off the shore.
The times were very hard for the Smith’s and the American army were training on part of the beach on their land. The Smith sister’s started a book club that met on their beach with just themselves, their grandmother and another girl which lent a nice diversion to the happenings of that time.

A really enjoyable story with a satisfying ending.

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley, PRH Audio, and Ballantine Books for providing me with an advanced copy of this book and audiobook for free in exchange for my review! @prhaudio #PRHAudio #PRHAudioInfluencer
All opinions are my own.

This was a delightfully fun beach read from best-selling historical fiction author Martha Hall Kelly. I loved the friendship between the girls and how they bonded over classic books. It was also interesting to learn about people's lifetime during World War II. Furthermore, I enjoyed the mystery aspects of this book as well. The audiobook narrator's Imani Jade Powers, Mary Elizabeth Kelly, Mia Hutchinson Shaw, and EJ Lavery, as well as the author, did a fantastic job bringing this story to life, and I thought this story was pretty enticing. I am very much looking forward to reading what Martha Hall Kelly comes up with next!

Unfortunately, I just couldn't get into The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club. The story just didn't grab my attention. I wasn't 100% engaged with the story. I found myself reading a chapter or two and then moving on to something else. I wasn't really connecting to the different perspectives of the women. Although the writing was fine and up to standard, the plot felt like it was missing some depth. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC.

I really enjoy Martha Hall Kelly's books and this was no exception. I had a little bit of a harder time getting invested into this one compared to her other novels. I did really start enjoying the book about halfway through and I loved the ending. I learned a lot about the history of Martha's Vineyard during the World War II. I highly recommend giving this one a read if you enjoy historical fiction.


Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group Ballantine for the digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

What a wonderful summer read! Set in beautiful Martha’s Vineyard along the coast, readers will meet the Smith girls and their family and friends as they adjust to a time of war.

Sisters Cadence and Briar each have special gifts that pair well together. Cadence loves books and decides to start a book club with a special interest in getting books to the soldiers. She also writes a column for the local newspaper.

Briar is a tomboy who has a more scientific mind and is constantly on the watch for German U-boats and spies. She’s turned in so may reports to the authorities that she has earned the nickname Briar the liar.

Their brother Tom and his fiancee, Bess, also live on the farm, but Tom is soon called into service, leaving Bess to live with his sisters. Bess is a creative person and also is instrumental in launching the book club.

The gifts these three women bring together is what makes the story work and I loved how they each worked together for the good of their community and their country. This book has romance, suspense and mystery, making for an exciting summer beach read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review. I am pleased to recommend this book to readers.

Mari learns about her tie to Martha’s Vineyard from famous painter Elizabeth Devereaux as she reveals events that happened during the war. The story jumps back and forth between the present and past with each chapter ending on a cliffhanger, making it hard to stop reading. It is a mixture of romance, mystery, drama, and secrets. This would be a great pick for a book club discussion!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I haven't read a Martha Hall Kelly book this good since Lilac Girls. As I read it, in fact, I forgot who the author was and was surprised when I opened it on Goodreads and saw it was her .
This book goes back and forth in time from 2016 to 1942. Mari Starwood is invited to a painting retreat on Martha's Vineyard, but has an ulterior motives and plans to stay just for the day. But when her hostess Mrs. D picks her up, she begins a tale about WWII and the family that lived on the farm. Martha's Vineyard is a training area for the Army, and when they try to run across her from, Ginny Smith, known as Grams, and her 2 granddaughters berate them.
The story is then told in alternating chapters by Cadence and Briar, and it is a story of German spies, the war, and much more.
It is very accurate historical fiction, as Kelly is known for.
The most interesting part for me is a subplot about publishing books in a small paperback format for soldiers. I read about it in the book, "When books went to war," and saw that author in January and loved that the titular bookclub was the impetus for the books. Cadence wrote a newspaper column and came to the attention of one of the women on publishing in New York. It was her dream to work in publishing.
The ending is wonderful and I sobbed through the last few chapters.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the EARC. I highly recommend this book.

A very interesting historic story set in Martha's Vineyard during WW II.

It's a dual timeline story - but mostly set in the WWII era. But it starts in the current day with Mari, who's just lost her mother and is on her way to Martha's Vineyard with a slip of paper that lists a name. She's signed up to take a painting class with Elizabeth Devereaux - that name.

Then the story flips back to 1942 and the Smith girls - and it's a bit heavy on the historical side, but a really interesting story. A group of friends start their own book club and their own war efforts begin. There is a lot of history, love, romance, a yearning for a better life and so much more. It's an emersive book and I finished it in a day, it kept me interested and reading to find out how it all tied together.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

This book started out a little slow for me. It took me several chapters to figure out who was who and what was happening. There’s a lot going on between the war, family and book club. It’s another good book by this author and perfect for all historical fiction fans