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.

I loved this author's last novel and this one is no exception! If you like historical fiction, beach reads, books with past and present stories intertwining and World War 2 hidden stories - this book will be for you. I sped read it one day and can't recommend it enough. Read this book!!

I absolutely loved this book, and I give it my highest recommendation. The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club comes out next week on May 27 2025, you can purchase HERE.

I walked across to the gray-shingled terminal building, the asphalt radiating heat, and sat cross-legged on a bench, watching the crowd of rich-looking tourists, flannel-shirted farmer types, and lunch-tote-carrying workers from the mainland. Were some headed to those stately white houses that lined the harbor, the ones probably built by men with names like Ichabod, the kitchens done over with double Sub-Zeros and too much white marble? Life was good for people here in almost-too-charming land.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy!

The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club by Martha Hall Kelly was the most perfect mix of a fun beach romance and historical fiction. I forsee that this is going to be a popular read this summer and will be published next week on May 27th!

With a dual timeline going back and forth between 2016 and the 1940s, it tells the story of the Smith Sisters living on Martha’s Vineyard during World War II. There is mystery, suspense, friendship love, sister love, family love and romantic love. This was a part of World War II that I had no idea about and I loved learning about it. I will be recommending this one to my friends and family.

Throughout the book, the twists kept me guessing until the very end.

Tip: Read the Author’s Note at the end! I loved all of the connections!

I have had Lilac Girls (another Martha Hall Kelly) on my physical bookshelf for quite a while. Seems I need to move that one up the TBR list!

#bookstagram #marthahallkelly #marthasvineyardbeachandbookclub #historicalfiction #womensfiction

I wish we could give half stars because I’d say this is a 3.5 read for me. The history and setting was great but it did drag a little in some parts for me. The history was very interesting, I had no idea about German u-boats off the coast!

Loved this historical fiction!! I loved Lilac Girls so I had a feeling I’d love this one too. I especially appreciated the suspense of not knowing how the modern timeline fit in with the 1940s timeline.

The eye-catching cover of The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club drew me in, but the heartfelt, immersive story completely won me over. I will admit, Martha Hall Kelly is one of my favorite authors, and I will automatically read everything she writes.

Told through dual timelines—2016 and 1942—the story follows Mari, who travels to Martha’s Vineyard after her mother’s passing, hoping for a fresh start. She becomes the unlikely student of reclusive artist Elizabeth Devereaux, who shares stories of the island’s past during WWII.

The 1942 timeline is where the novel truly shines. Sisters Briar and Cadence are trying to keep their family farm afloat when a mysterious stranger washes ashore, warning them of a possible spy in their tight-knit community. Full of atmosphere, suspense, and strong female characters, this part of the story felt vivid and alive—I could practically feel the sand between my toes.

The novel’s setting, emotional depth, and rich historical detail made it an unforgettable read. Be sure to check out the author’s note too—it adds a lovely personal touch to an already moving story.

Highly recommend for fans of dual timelines, historical fiction, and stories about sisterhood, resilience, and secrets by the sea.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

“You strike me as a real Vineyard girl. There aren’t many of those left anymore. Everyone’s a washashore now, imported from somewhere else.”

Ms. Kelly’s latest dual timeline novel opens in 2016 as 34 yr old Mari Starwood arrives via ferry in Martha’s Vineyard, a small island off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. She is there for a one day painting class by a local artist who tells her a tale of others who have “washed ashore” during a turbulent time in the island’s history.

The majority of the pages center on the 1942 timeline, where we meet the Smith family as they face a world at war and the effects it has on their New England island home. The meticulously researched plot includes fascinating historical nuggets: U.S. soldiers training, German U boats lurking along the shoreline, wartime survival. The setting of Martha’s Vineyard is a character in and of itself and will make this title the ultimate summer read for historical fiction readers who love a layered family story - one rooted deeply in the author’s own family tree.

Reminiscent of the Cape Cod scenes in Sarah Blake’s The Postmistress and the drama of Beatriz William’s The Summer Wives, I imagine this will be a big hit with beachy bookclubs everywhere!

Many thanks to Net Galley and Ballentine Publishing for the early copy in exchange for my honest review.

I read around 100 pages and was just having trouble getting into the story. It felt a bit slow going. I’m sure that it was just a me thing. With that said, I would always recommend still giving this book a try. Especially if you are an historical fiction fan. I know this author is very popular and her books well loved.

There is a surfeit of WWII novels on the market. But when a unique perspective on this pivotal event comes along, I get excited. Martha Hall Kelly’s newest offering, “The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club,” fits the bill. Set during 1942, the Massachusetts island is ideal for military amphibious training. In addition, U-boats are often spotted off the coastline and can be heard recharging their batteries at night. This snapshot of life on the home front features Nazi-sympathizers, rumors of spies, and an effort to get books into the hands of the troops.

The cast of characters is memorable, but two sisters stand out. Briar is 14, dresses in her deployed brother’s clothes, and fancies herself an amateur sleuth, ever on the lookout for spies. She irritates law enforcement with her frequent spotting of German subs, which garners her the nickname, Briar the Liar. (Hint: Briar is right.) Older sister Cadence writes a column in the local paper and takes on freelance writing assignments by way of synopsizing books for rich women who lack the time or inclination to actually read a novel prior to their book club discussion. She aspires to a career in publishing, but domestic responsibilities interfere. Both girls live on a farm with their grandmother and struggle to keep it viable while Army training maneuvers trample their fields.

This is one of those historical novels where you read every word of the author’s note. Rich in atmosphere; accurate in details; a pleasure to read.

A slightly dual time line story with most of the book in set during WWII but a little set during is 2016. I really enjoyed this book. It is set during the summer so it makes a good summer/beach read that has some depth. It was interesting to read a book set at Martha's Vineyard that focused on what average citizens were doing/experiencing during WWII.

Thank you Netgalley & Ballantine Books for an eARC ♥️♥️♥️

Some stories don’t just cross the boundary between past and present—they dissolve it entirely. This novel is one of those rare, shimmering miracles. It begins with grief: Mari Starwood, unmoored by her mother’s death, arrives on Martha’s Vineyard with nothing but a name scribbled on paper. What she finds is Elizabeth Devereaux, a painter whose secrets unravel like a slow, aching melody, pulling us back to 1942, where the real heartbreak—and the real magic—begins. ♥️💔

Cadence and Briar Smith are not heroines from a history book. They are flesh and blood, stubborn and scared, bound together by a failing farm and a war creeping ever closer to their shores. Cadence, with ink-stained fingers and dreams too big for their island, and Briar, all sharp edges and restless fury, tracking U-boats from the cliffs—their sisterhood is the kind that leaves bruises and then kisses them better. When they start a book club, it feels like rebellion. When a stranger washes ashore, it becomes survival.
The genius of this story is in its quiet moments: the weight of a book passed between trembling hands, the way a whispered confession can unravel a life, the terrible, beautiful truth that love and betrayal often wear the same face. As Mari pieces together their history, you’ll find yourself holding your breath, as if the past might slip away if you exhale too soon.
By the final pages, I was shattered in the way only the best stories can shatter you—rearranged, raw, but somehow fuller. This isn’t just a book about war or books or sisters. It’s about the stories we cling to when the world burns, and how those stories, against all odds, can light the way home. ♥️

Bring tissues. And then, when you finish, call your sister. Or the person who feels like one. You’ll need to hear their voice.❤️

I very much enjoyed The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club by Martha Hall Kelly. In this novel, we meet the Smith family of Copper Pond Farm. The members of the family find themselves involved in several adventures, some of which could get them imprisoned. Throughout it all, the family, along with friends Bess and Margaret, show the real meaning of family. When necessary, each member gives up something to help another, works hard to bring in the potato crop and is each other’s emotional support. There are some good historical facts as to the impact of military training that took place on Martha's Vineyard during World War II. We also meet Mari Starwood and Elizabeth Devereaux. Ms. Devereaux has a secret which involves Mari. Throughout the novel there is romance, heartache, suspense, a mystery and even a search for a spy. Throw in a literary adventure and discussions about books and you have an enjoyable read.

Thank you Random House Publishing / Ballantine Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A quaint but extraordinary story of women, an island, the World War II. The book starts off a bit heavy-handed with some stereotypes, but quickly shows its for the juxtaposition of now and then, city vs farm, etc.

I really loved how industrious the girls were. There was simultaneously too much happening and nothing happening, which captured spirit of the time they were in. Attempting to live a normal life while resources are being rationed, men are being drafted, and the warfront moves closer and closer home.

I would have liked a little more closure for Mari, but the book ends on a very hopeful note.

Like Kelly's previous books, Martha's is a work of historical fiction whose lighthearted title belies the truth of the story, one where war threatens the brightness of Martha's vineyard and especially the Smith family. Multiple points of view tell the story in the WWII era with a jump to a present-day storyline which is mysteriously connected with the Smiths. Although the present timeline only has a few chapters and is less appealing, it's necessary to initiate the story of the past and wraps everything up quite nicely. Each era features strong women who are doing their best despite less than ideal circumstances as well as beautiful imagery around Martha's Vineyard; there's also a lot of interesting information about German U-boats off the New England coast and their threat to America during WWII. Of all of Kelly's books, I found this one to be the easiest to read and easily the most fun--the spunkiness of the Smith family balances the heavier topics and makes the story memorable.

Thank you to Ballantine books, penguin random house, and Martha Hall Kelly for allowing me to read her newest book. I have read every single book that Martha Hall Kelly so I was happy to get a copy. I went into this book not no anything except that it would be good since I enjoyed the authors previous works. This book was enjoyable since I run a classic Facebook group and was familiar with several titles that were mentioned. This book was a dual story line flipping from the present to the past 1940s. This book was a new and refreshing idea how in the 1940s women started a book club it is linked to 2016 when a family member found a name connected to the women. I look forward to reading other books by this author. I will gladly recommend this book to others.

Excellent historical fiction revolving around WWII on Martha's Vineyard. Sisters Cadence and Briar say goodbye to their brother Tom who is heading off to war. They live with their grandmother and Tom's girlfriend Bess. They become involved in a series of events that lead them to catching a spy.

This is the first book I have read by Martha Hall Kelly. I really enjoyed the book and can’t want to suggest it to my bookclub gals!

I have read Martha Hall Kelly’s previous books and enjoyed them, and this was no exception. She brings us different stories set in WWII, with strong female characters. Having the book set in the United States made for a very new perspective for a WWII novel. I always learn something new from her novels. I love dual time-line stories. This is a great read, and I highly recommend it.

I struggled with this one more than I expected. On the one hand, I really enjoyed the historical aspect of this book. I was unaware that U-boats were present off the coast of Martha's Vineyard and loved learning about something new. I thought that the multiple POV were clear, well written and very easy to follow. I enjoyed the characters, their growth, personalities and interactions. However, I felt that the story line was superficial and not as in depth or realistic as I would have liked. I think that maybe there were too many smaller side stories which distracted me from other parts of the book that I liked more. Overall I am still a big fan of Martha Hall Kelly - the amount of research and time that she puts into a book is awe inspiring. Her writing is descriptive and easy to follow, making it enjoyable to read. For fans of romance and historical fiction, this is a fun one.

Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

This was a great historical fiction read for those who love their book club. It was an intersesting take on a WWII story based on actual events for the residents of Martha's Vineyard. This was a more unique story as most aren't set in America. There was a mystery to solve at the center of the story as well as some family drama & a few plot twists. I liked that the story was woven between the past & present day, leading the reader to guess how the two would come together at the end. I loved the female characters in this book & was rooting for them all! At the end of the book the author goes through the sources used & shares what is fact & fiction. I learned a lot of new information in regards to what was happening in the US during the war & how people worked together to fight against our enemies.