The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club by Martha Hall Kelly is a terrific historical fiction novel set during WW2. Two sisters and their grandmother are working hard to save their family farm while their brother/grandson is away in the war zone. The older sister starts a book club to try to raise spirits and occupy minds. I liked the mention of various novels throughout the book. I'd have loved a bit more discussion from the characters about the books. Overall, it was a pleasant reading experience with a great setting. Read and enjoy!

Martha Hall Kelly’s forthcoming novel, The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club, offers a blend of historical fiction, family secrets, and WW2 espionage.

The narrative unfolds across two timelines. In 2016, Mari Starwood journeys from California to Martha’s Vineyard, seeking answers about her late mother’s past. Her quest leads her to the reclusive painter Elizabeth Devereaux, who unveils a wartime tale from 1942. During World War II, sisters Cadence and Briar Smith strive to maintain their family’s farm amidst the island’s transformation into a military training ground. Their lives intertwine with soldiers, spies, and the formation of a women’s book club aimed at boosting morale.

The author’s personal connection to Martha’s Vineyard, outlined in the author’s note, adds a special element to the story.

Mari arrives at Martha’s Vineyard for a paint lesson with artist Elizabeth Devereaux; instead, she hears the story of the Smith sisters, Cadence and Briar, and the events of World War II. It involves military maneuvers, spying U-Boats, rampant suspicion and profound grief. There is a common link among the women of the story which Martha Hall Kelly uses to frame the task of identifying a traitor and averting more tragedy. As Mari’s questions are answered, the reader through the details of alternating viewpoints shares in her discovery of how she fits into the puzzle. As in her previous novels, Hall has given us the opportunity to learn another chapter of our history. This is my fifth experience and I look forward to the next.
I look forward

This was a complex story told by Martha Hall Kelly. She is great at character building and this showed throughout the story. The book begins with Mari traveling to Martha’s Vineyard to meet up with Elizabeth. Mari didn’t know her connection to Elizabeth and Martha’s Vineyard. Elizabeth began telling Mari the story of the Smith sisters and their book club. The Smith sisters were trying to keep their farm going during WWII. They have some friends join their book club. The story weaves through all of the girls lives, loves, and losses. In the end, it is revealed that Elizabeth is Mari’s grandmother. Mari learns her connection to the Smith sisters and vows the fight to keep the farm since she is the only living heir. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballentine Books for an advanced e-copy for an honest review.

Overall nice quick read. Very clean and slightly mysterious.

I enjoyed it but it was highly predictable.

The story line was good and the characters were pretty great overall.

Would definitely recommend

Thank you NetGalley for the copy

“The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club” should be the first pick for a summer read for fans of historical fiction and cozy mysteries. The book is told from multiple points of view and is partially based on true stories.

In 2016, Mari’s mother has just died and in attempt to feel closer to her she heads to Martha’s Vineyard to meet with a woman, Elizabeth Devereaux, whose information was in her mother’s notes.

When Mari meets Elizabeth, Elizabeth says she has a story to tell her, the story of two sisters, Briar and Cadence, living on Martha’s Vineyard in 1942 amidst the chaos of WWII. Briar and Cadence live on a farm with their grandmother and their brother Tom’s girlfriend while Tom is off fighting in Europe as an Army Ranger. But Tom isn’t the only one experiencing the action of WWII – the island is surrounded by German U-boats and the U.S. Army is using the island to train and practice maneuvers. With so much happening on this small island, intrigue and shenanigans ensue.

As the story plays out, Mari begins to develop her own relationships on the island and pieces together an understanding of why Elizabeth Devereaux is telling her this story.

The pacing of some of the storylines felt a little bit haphazard and off – for example, a lot of time was devoted to the plot featuring the FBI agent, and then that plot point was resolved randomly and quickly. And the endings (both in 1942 and 2016), felt rushed to me.

But this story is fun and felt different to me than any historical fiction I’ve read before. I think readers who enjoy both Elin Hilderbrand and historical fiction will like reading this book this summer!

Always enjoy reading about different perspectives of World War II and this is somethiing I did not know. Set in dual timelines on Martha's Vineyard with a group of ladies trying to do the best to get through tight war years and make a difference. This is a WWII story and while we don’t see the battlefield, we see the impact that the war has on the people here and it’s not all light with German u boats seeking glimpses of Allied practice maneuvers, a spy on the island, young men sent off to war who don’t return home or return forever changed. In 2016 we meet Mari she travels to Martha's Vineyard on the heels of her mother's funeral. Her finances are tight and her heart is tender. She arrives there to paint as the famed Elizabeth Devereaux"s student. Baffled locals can't figure out why Devereaux takes Mari on. Elizabeth begins to regal Mari with stories of the island's past particularly its involvement in WWII. The second timeline, 1942 is brimming with life and vibrancy. There are two sisters Briar who is younger and more of a tomboy she has spunk, Cadence is the older sister with lofty dreams of leaving the island and pursuing a job in publishing. Lots of different plot lines from the U boats, to disserters, love, Army drills and espinoage, this one will keep you engaged and reading. Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, the author and Netgalley for the opportunity. #TheMarthasVineyardBeachandBookClub #NetGalley

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book and read it in one day. I loved the characters and the storyline. I thought the characters had great growth. I would definitely recommend this book.

I think this one just wasn't for me. I liked the premise but I think I don't gravitate towards historical stories set during war times.

This book is right up my alley & it delivered. I loved the characters & the setting of the farm & now I have to visit Martha's Vineyard. Seeing a different side of the war was interesting, and how it affected the community in a unique way.

The author kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time, I wasn't shocked at the ending but I enjoyed how we got there. I will say it was devastating to a certain extent, and a lot to process by the end. Made me think about the consequences of decisions over the generations.

Would definitely recommend this book! Thanks Netgalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this book! I must say the cover was the first thing that drew my attention to this book. I like to read family stories that take place in the 1940's. This story is told in dual timelines. In 2016, Mari Sherwood makes a trip to Martha's Vineyard to meet with reclusive painter Elizabeth Devereaux. When she arrives, Elizabeth tells her a story about the Smith sisters. The Smith Sisters, Cadence and Briar, lived in Martha's Vineyard during WWII. The girls start a wartime book club to cope with all that is going on in their lives. I enjoyed meeting all the characters, but Briar was my favorite because she was just a little different. The ending was also very good. This was my first book by Martha Hall Kelly, and I plan to read more.

This is dual-timeline historical fiction. In 2016, Mari is mourning her mother’s death. She travels to Martha's Vinyard to see Mrs. Devereaux, a woman whose name she found in her mother’s files. Mrs. Devereaux tells Mari a story that took place in 1942, when the US Army was training nearby, a German U boat was spotted offshore, and some local girls started a book club. Mari is enthralled by the stories of love and treason, even as she struggles to understand how they're connected to her own history.

The Martha’s Vineyard Beach in Book Club is a step back in time to relatively unknown events that happened during World War II on American soil. The fact that the book is based on real people, adds to the depth of the characters and their roles in securing the freedom of Martha’s Vineyard from Nazi invasion. The book club element was a little too secondary and I wanted much more time spent with Mrs. Devereaux. However, the descriptions of the islands evoked such a strong feeling of being there, that you could well imagine the smell of the saltwater and the scream of the seagulls. Not to mention all that sand! I recommend it to book clubs because the opportunity for discussion is high. Thank you to NetGalley for access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

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.