Definitely a new favorite by Martha Hall Kelly!! I loved this intergenerational dual timeline WWII story about the Smith family and their experience living on a farm in Martha's Vineyard during the war. Filled with female friendship, romance, intrigue and family secrets, this was fantastic on audio with a full cast of narrators too. Highly recommended, especially for fans of books like The girl from the Channel Islands by Jenny LeCoat. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

Yes this is a dual time line novel but know that the 2016 parts will eventually reveal the outcome of events in 1942 when Cadence and Briar Smith, their almost sister-in-law Bess, and their grandmother work to keep their farm going on Martha's Vineyard even as US troops train on the island and Germans lurk off shore. This gives off a bit of Little Women vibes with the war time setting, a brother gone to war and the women keeping things together and powering through. Briar, known as Briar the Liar for the number of times she's claimed to have see a UBoat, is actually on the trail of a German spy and it's legit. Cadence writes a column for the local paper while working at the club alongside Bess, the girl first of their brother Tom who has left her wealthy family to live with the Smiths. This has all the feels as the women form a book club and then have a serendipitous contact with glamour women who work for Putnam (and that yacht!). And there's a German who really has washed up on shore. There's a potential love interest in a British officer but this is mostly about the women and their determination to meet their individual and joint goals (the potatoes!). I found myself rooting for all of them. This has good pacing and storytelling with vivid characters and atmospherics. Thanks to netgalley of the ARC. Don't miss the afterword for info about life on Martha's Vineyard during WWII. A good read especially for those who enjoy historical fiction.

Set on Martha’s Vineyard in 1942, two sisters start a book club amidst the hardships of WWII and uncover island secrets that could change the course of the war.

I couldn’t put this book down! It’s the perfect beach read and a fantastic choice for book clubs. Centered around a resilient family of women working to keep their Martha’s Vineyard farm going during WWII, the story beautifully blends history, suspense, and sisterhood.

Despite a large cast of characters, the author skillfully makes each one distinct and memorable. Kelly’s descriptive writing transported me straight to the Vineyard in 1942—I could feel the salt air, the tension of war, and the emotional toll as loved ones went off to fight in Europe.

The mystery at the heart of the story—who’s the spy?—added just the right amount of intrigue, keeping me guessing until the very end. I especially loved the literary and publishing elements woven throughout, and the strong, independent female characters made the story even more compelling.

A gripping historical novel with heart, secrets, and strength—I highly recommend it.

Martha Hall Kelly beautifully paints the picture of life in Martha's Vineyard during WW2. Many of her chapters end on cliffhangers that have you flipping to the next page quickly. Focusing on 3 (well, more like 2.5) main narrators, we see how life during the war affected the soldiers, their families, and the citizens of the towns in MV.

The last 20% of the book had me crying and reading rapidly to see what happened next. I only wish we could know more about the original narrator, Mari.

Overall, a great read and I will be looking into more from this author. Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

HISTORICAL FICTION BASED ON ACTUAL EVENTS

Author Martha Hall Kelly has written a time-slip novel that travels between events that happened in 1942 and 2016. In 2016, her character, Mari Starwood travels from California to Martha’s Vineyard, MA, with only a name on a piece of paper, Elizabeth Devereaux. Mari knew she must find a way to meet Elizabeth because somehow their lives were tied together. She couldn't imagine how because Elizabeth was a well-known recluse painter and Mari and her family were nobodies from clear across the country. When they met Elizabeth agreed to teach Mari painting lessons, and during those lessons, the real story tying their lives together began to unfold. It is quite an unforgettable and a life changing tale.

Elizabeth goes back to the year 1942 and tells of two sisters, Cadence and Briar, who find themselves encumbered with the task of keeping the family farm going during WWII. This would be daunting under any circumstances, but even more so considering the U.S. Army is arriving on their shores to practice maneuvers. Cadence is an aspiring writerc, Briar is obsessed with the war, and their best friend (and their brother’s girlfriend) Bess wants to start a book club. Briar spots a U-boat, Cadence makes a connection with someone in publishing that changes her life, and Bess comes up with a plan as to how the book club can print miniature classic books to send to soldiers. There is a rumor of a spy in their close-knit community. Join these friends as they help solve this mystery, and make a major contribution towards changing the course of the war.

Ballantyne and NetGalley provided me with a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed here are my own and without influence.

I LOVE the writing of Martha Hall Kelly (Lilac Girls and more), so I was excited to be offered this novel by Random House Publishing. I loved this story of a book club and a small group of friends on Martha's Vineyard during WWII. Kelly is a pro at creating historical fiction that makes the past come alive!

Here's the scoop:

Description

Two sisters living on Martha’s Vineyard during World War II find hope in the power of storytelling when they start a wartime book club for women in this spectacular novel inspired by true events, from the New York Times bestselling author of Lilac Girls.

“A dreamy beach book that also sizzles with tension . . . another winner by one of the best historical fiction writers around.”—Fiona Davis, author of The Stolen Queen

2016: Thirty-four-year-old Mari Starwood is still grieving after her mother’s death as she travels to the storied island of Martha’s Vineyard, off the coast of Massachusetts. She’s come all the way from California with nothing but a name on a piece of paper: Elizabeth Devereaux, the famous but reclusive Vineyard painter. When Mari makes it to Mrs. Devereaux’s stunning waterfront farm under the guise of taking a painting class with her, Mrs. Devereaux begins to tell her the story of the Smith sisters, who once lived there. As the tale unfolds, Mari is shocked to learn that her relationship to this island runs deeper than she ever thought possible.

1942: The Smith girls—nineteen-year-old aspiring writer Cadence and sixteen-year-old war-obsessed Briar—are faced with the impossible task of holding their failing family farm together during World War II as the U.S. Army arrives on Martha’s Vineyard. When Briar spots German U-boats lurking off the island’s shores, and Cadence falls into an unlikely romance with a sworn enemy, their quiet lives are officially upended. In an attempt at normalcy, Cadence and her best friend, Bess, start a book club, which grows both in members and influence as they connect with a fabulous New York publisher who could make all of Cadence’s dreams come true. But all that is put at risk by a mysterious man who washes ashore—and whispers of a spy in their midst. Who in their tight-knit island community can they trust? Could this little book club change the course of the war . . . before it’s too late?

Thank you for my copy through Net Galley! This book publishes 5/27/25.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, and Martha Hall Kelly for an advanced copy of The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club in exchange for my honest review.

I'm a huge fan of historical fiction, and I especially love reading books set during WWII. I was drawn to this book because it is set in Martha's Vineyard during the war. I thought this book offered an interesting and new perspective on WWII and how it impacted young women's lives.

Martha Hall Kelly does a wonderful job of grabbing the reader's attention and holding it throughout the book. I love the way she described Martha's Vineyard to the point where I felt like I was there.

I loved reading from Cadence's POV and found her storyline intriguing. Cadence wants to move to New York City and be a big publisher or a writer. She can't wait to leave her small town. So when opportunity comes around, it's hard to see her debate whether she should take it or not.

I struggled with the Briar character and kept wishing she were more mature. So, I had to keep reminding myself that she is, in fact, only 16 years old. It was hard to read her POV at times.

One thing I loved about Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club was all the incredible women who banded together and helped one another during trying times. It seemed like the Smith girls had a woman in their corner at every turn.

Favorite Quote (and one I'll be using from now on): Well, if you can't move heaven, just raise some hell.

Lastly, I enjoyed the mystery of Mari and figuring out how she fits into this story.

This book is the story of the Smith sisters who lived on Martha's Vineyard during WWII. Cadence and Briar are opposites in many ways, but their family farm and the trauma of their brother shipping out to Europe keep them together. Tom's fiance Bess becomes the third of their group and together the girls start an island book club. When a mysterious man washes up ashore the girls are brought even closer together to try and solve the mystery of who this man is and whether or not there's a spy on their little island.

I really enjoyed the plot and characters of this book. Martha Hall Kelly does a fantastic job (again!) of immersing the reader in the time and place. Though all the characters were different, they were all detailed and well fleshed out. I really liked that there weren't really any stereotypical or unlikeable characters, except for one.

My biggest complaint, if you can call it that, is that the title and cover really don't seem to match with the actual story. I felt like the book club part was a strange afterthought and not really tied in well. From the title and cover I thought this would be a more light-hearted, romance in the style of Elin Hilderbrand. But it's not that at all. It's more of a mystery and family drama. I just found the difference a bit jarring.

I would definitely recommend this book. It's a great summer read and a nice jumping off point to investigate the real-life events that inspired it! Thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

2⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for an advanced copy of The Martha’s Vineyard Beach And Book Club.

Cadence and Briar have just been informed that their brother Tom is going off to war. They and there Gram and Tom’s girlfriend Bess will have to take care of the home. The sisters have different ideas of how to be supportive during the war and they make decisions that will be life changing.

I hate to say this but even though there was a lot going on in the book I was bored. I almost feel like so much was going on it was hard to connect to the story.

Well if you can't move heaven, just raise some hell! @16%

This saying was a rallying call that happens regularly through the story and is a perfect sentiment for this amazing group of characters living on Martha's Vineyard and trying to keep their family together as WWII is raging across the Atlantic Ocean but also coming to their own shores when the military moves onto a hill not far from Copper Pond Farm. It is there that the Smiths: Gram, Tom, Cadence and Briar and not forgetting Scout the ever faithful dog, live on the family's farm and are completely supportive of each other. Tom's girlfriend Bess moves to the farm too away from her overly bearing and opinionated mother and after Tom leaves to join the Rangers and finds herself in a family way, the Smiths are more than happy to be there for her when her mother is not. Cadence is a columnist for the local paper and catches the eye of some Manhattan publishing notables who want to hire her to join their publishing firm. She also loves to read and starts a book club with several of the young women left behind when the men have left the island. Sixteen year old Briar is always curious and observing things, especially that U-boat parked out beyond their shoreline though nobody believes her when she calls it in. And their Gram who raised the children when their parents died tragically, is a force, who makes great pies and other confections, and can read the future in tea leaves, but is suffering a health issue. Up on the hill is an Army installation which is headed up by a Brit named Major Gilbert, a handsome but aloof guy who has caught the eyes of all the ladies of Martha Vineyard. In his interactions with the Smiths, it's Cadence who catches HIS eye but she is put off by his haughtiness. The slow burn of their relationship is well played out. And there will be a character who must hide in the attic and could put the family into dire legal problems should they be found out. This was an unexpected character to be sure! And a character right under their noses who has been a family friend but will have Benedict Arnold written all over them.
In the first pages of the story, the author immediately draws the reader in when in 2016, a young woman comes to take art lessons from this famous by reclusive artist but has ulterior motives. Mari is supposed to be picked up at the dock of Martha's Vineyard but her ride is late and so she wanders over to a shop to use the phone and meets the owner of the shop, Ronan. Even though Ronan isn't seen much in the story, the reader knows he's going to have an important role in Mari's life. When she is finally picked up by 90 yr old Mrs. Devereaux, Mari's secret for coming to the island is going to be revealed and the story of Copper Pond is going to fill up the pages as Mrs. D shares how she came to live in this house and why she allowed Mari to come when others have never been invited.
To be honest, I almost forgot that Mrs. D was telling a story to Mari, filling her in on all the background of the farm during the war years and I had to remind myself when the chapter was about Mari 2016 and not Briar or Cadence 1942 because I got so wrapped up in the storytelling. The characters are so endearing and their stories so inviting and compelling. I really got wrapped up in them. To that point, at one point in the story, I didn't feel it was necessary for Mrs. D to drop Mari off in the middle of the night with a flashlight with instructions to walk to the water to meet up with a crowd of young people at a bonfire because the reader knew that those two people would find each other regardless of her matchmaking. But the ending was completely satisfying as Mari has to make a very important decision when she discovers who she is and that made me a happy reader!
I love how Martha Hall Kelly draws so much on her incredible lineage and background for the stories she writes. I envy her legacy! In her afterwards, she shares the influences of her characters and the history of the Vineyard as it played so importantly in the soon-to-be Normandy Beach invasion. She even talks about the dump and the junk her own family retrieved from the castoffs of the "summer people" and still do today only now it's by way of the thrift shop that's grown there.
what I particularly liked was how WWII was brought to the US shores as few books have done so and this was a very important feature.
I have read every one of MHK's books and love them. I even contacted her to speak at our book club when we read her first book "Lilac Girls" but she was so booked up, she couldn't squeeze it in but did receive a lovely note of regret from her which I still have.
Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club will not disappoint, teach and offer some unique characters that will captivate.

I actually truly loved this book! It takes a lot for a WWII book to peak my interest since it is such a popular topic of fiction but this held my attention the entire way through. I have heard about Martha's Vineyard but have never really looked into. I always love learning about new places and what/how the people contributed to the war. The author wrote SO beautifully! I was again immersed into such a perfect background of Copper Pond Farm, the coves where danger potentially lurked and the small quaint town of Martha's Vineyard.

I admit Briar wasn't my favorite character for maybe the first half of the book. She seemed to make stupid mistakes although redeemable because she was 16 at the time, but it turns out at least some of her discoveries where true. Turns out Briar was NOT a Liar.

Cadence I LOVED her POV, I would always sigh when it switched over to Briar but Cadence was a breath of fresh air. I loved the enemies to lovers trope, her persistence in her writing and friendship with Winnie Winthrop, her ideas about the book club and making books smaller specifically so the army and navy could read and protectiveness over her friend Bess.

Gram is also a absolute mentionable, because how sweet is it when an army cadet would help out around the farm she makes their favorite pie from wherever it is they came from? Not to mention "well that makes it interesting, since that is the man you are going to marry" line. Iconic. Ugh I love grandma's!

Even the present day timeline I really enjoyed, family reunited with hope for the future. Will definitely be adding this book to my bookshelf!

I am so thankful to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an advanced copy of the Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club. Martha Hall Kelly is one of my favorite historical fiction writers and this book does not disappoint!

Set in Martha's Vineyard during WWII, this book explores many roadblocks of being a woman that we new take for granted. This is a side of WWII I have been itching to read and I'm so glad her book was the one to satisfy it.

I love historical fiction especially ones that revolve around books, reading, and friendship. This one was such a good read and I devoured it fast. This would be absolutely perfect book club read or buddy read!

Set in two different time periods, this book is based off true events. Two sisters living in Maine start a book club during WWII. This book kept me interested and engaged and I couldn't put it down. The characters are human and emotions ran wild when I was reading this book. Highly recommend!

Set on Martha’s Vineyard in 1942, two sisters start a book club amidst the hardships of WWII and learn of island secrets that could change the course of the war.

Review: I could not put this down! This is the perfect beach read and a great book club pick. The story focuses on a family of women on Martha’s Vineyard trying to keep their farm afloat during WWII. The cast of characters were interesting and intriguing, and even though there were many people to keep track of the author made it a breeze to differentiate between them all. Kelly writes in such a descriptive way that I really felt like I was on the vineyard in 1942. I could feel their fear and pain as they watched their family members and friends enlist to fight the Germans. There’s a mystery aspect to the plot (who’s the spy?) that kept me on my toes until the very end. I loved the literary and publishing tie-ins with all of the strong, independent female characters.

Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for this arc!

This is an amazing, well researched historical fiction based on the very real threats on the east coast of the United States during World War II by German U-boats. Martha Hall Kelly has woven a fascinating and heartwarming tale based on the fictional Smith family, of the life and struggles on Martha’s Vineyard during World War II, swirling with mystery, and intrigue. I was completely captivated from beginning to end as the plot twisted in various unexpected ways! Told in dual timelines, beginning in 2016, after her mother's death, Mari finds a note her mother wrote in her papers, containing only the name of Elizabeth Devereux, a famous painter living in Martha’s Vineyard. Mari signs up for a painting class, and travels from California to meet her. As the story unfolds, Mari realizes Mrs. Devereux may be the link to her mother’s past and her connection to Martha’s Vineyard. As Elizabeth begins her story, the narrative moves back to 1942 and the tale of the Smith family. Cadence Smith was a 19-year-old aspiring writer who founded the local book club and writes a small column for the local newspaper, both of which catch the eye of a New York publisher. Her sister, 16-year-old Briar, scans the coast with binoculars and believes she has seen a U-boat. Their Gram is ailing, and when their brother Tom is deployed, his fiancé moves to their small farm to assist. An Army contingent arrives for training, as well as a mysterious stranger, further complicating island life. The author created outstanding characters and a story that relates the history of Martha’s Vineyard during World War II and showcases both the contribution of the island to the war effort, and the dangers they faced. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy. The opinions of this review are my own.

A beautiful novel with a historical and present-day storyline, I greatly enjoyed this newest offering from one of my favorite authors, Martha Hall Kelly. I was invested in the characters' lives and in the several mysteries in the plot, and found the ending satisfying. Would definitely recommend.

The title was enough for me to want to read this book. Martha’s Vineyard is my favorite place so the chance to read a book where the setting is the island, count me in! Learning about the island during World War Two was my favorite part. Who knew that landings such as D-Day were practiced there. I can’t wait to go back to the Vineyard and spend some time at the museum learning more about it.
There were two timelines, but the modern day one seemed to be more of a mechanism to tell the 1942 story though the ending did clearly tie them together. I’ve enjoyed homefront stories and this one is a great addition to the ones I’ve read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review. I was really looking forward to this one as I’ve visited Martha’s Vineyard often, but, unfortunately it was a miss. It was barely about a book club and there were way too many POVs that all sounded virtually identical. The bits about Martha’s Vineyard history were by far the strongest part of the book and I wish the author had stuck with that.

The history I learned about Martha's Vineyard during World War II was what I liked best about this book. The execution of the story was a bit choppy because of the dual timelines and multiple narrators - it was so heavy on the 1940s timeline that the 2016 timeline seemed an afterthought. Despite the execution, this is a worthy read with some great characters.