What started out as a fun easy beach book soon turned into a suspenseful murder mystery as well as a sentimental family drama. This is also a WWII hysterical fiction novel. Once again the author, Martha Hall Kelly, has produced a nostalgic and inspiring story for her readers.

I LOVED this book by Martha Hall Kelly! Great for the beach and beyond, this thoughtful story about women left to keep life moving forward while the island’s young men were off to war was informative and inspiring. The bravery of these sisters and their resilience in the midst of the war makes me want to be part of a book club that does great things for the world! Filled with imaginative characters who seem real to life, I highly recommend The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club.

I absolutely adored this book - a nice mix of past and present day, combined with the dawning of WW2 and how it affected the small town of Martha's Vineyard. The author was great at pulling out the story so you wanted to keep reading, but yet wasn't too loquacious that it dragged. If you are looking for a good read, check it out

When Californian, Mari, finds a name of an artist in her deceased mother’s papers, she flies to Martha’s Vineyard to discover the connection. The artist, Elizabeth Devereux, tells the story of the Smith family and their connection to Mari, describing the home front during WWII with detail and accuracy. Aside from the story of Cadence and Briar Smith, and their efforts to keep their farm alive, their friend Bess, pregnant with their brother’s baby, as well as Gram, round out the family history. A German U boat off the coast adds some tension and mystery to the story. The author creates an atmosphere that makes you feel you are living in that time and place. Recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

The Martha's Vineyard and Beach and Book Club is a suspenseful read of dual time period-WII and present.I. Mari leaves California to head to Martha Vineyard with only a name of a woman who she found in her deceased mother's belongings. Mari finds out information about a book club formed by 3 girls during the wartime whose mission was to have the soldiers that were stationed there the opportunity to have books. There is a secret that the girls must keep. I think you would enjoy reading this novel and thank you to net galley for allowing me to read it.

This book focuses on the lives of two sisters on Martha's Vineyard during the second world war. The military takes over a portion of their land for training exercises and their beloved brother ships off to war with the Rangers. The sisters start a book club with other women on the island.
I really enjoyed the historical fiction described in this book. I, as an American, often feel that World War II did not have very much activity on the North American continent. However, I learned through this book about spies and off-shore German submarines in the Atlantic off of Martha's Vineyard. It was very interesting to see the impact that books had on the civilian population and how books were coveted by the military population. I also felt deeply satisfied by the growth and self-exploration that the young women encountered through the novel. This book is an excellent historical fiction summer read for those with a love for historical fiction, military history, book culture, or a beachy fun time.

“The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club” is set across two timelines—World War II and 2016—and is exceptionally well written. I appreciated how the storylines came together by the end in a thoughtful way. The richly detailed setting and strong character development kept me fully engaged throughout. While some readers have mentioned a slower pace, I personally found it just right for the depth of the story. This isn’t a quick read—you need to pay attention. Fans of historical fiction should add this one to their TBR.
Thank you to NetGallery and Ballantine Books for an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

This was one of my most anticipated reads for 2025, and it did not disappoint! This was such a fun summer read when needing a palate cleanser from rom coms. This was very much a WWII historical fiction but focused on German U boat and military operations in Cape Cod which I found very interesting and haven’t read about before. I quickly became attached to Bess, Cadence and Briar, loving their different but still very intertwined stories. There was even a mystery element which was fun! The way the past and present story lines came together was nice but I was much more interested in the past story line and often forgot what was going on in the present storyline between chapters. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book! I truly enjoyed it!

This is a great World War II historical fiction book set in the unlikely location of Martha’s Vinyard allowing for a homefront story which is a refreshing new space for this genre. Hall Kelly creates a great narrative in the flashback style that keeps the reader's attention. Although, the plot is kind of predictable I do love Martha Hall Kelly’s books and will always read them.

The book details events in a dual timeline:1942 and 2016. In 2016, the main character, Mari Starwood travels from California to Martha’s Vineyard, MA, to find Elizabeth Devereaux, a name she found among her mother’s possessions after she died. Elizabeth agrees to teach Mari painting lessons once Mari arrives in Martha’s Vineyard and begins to tell Mari a story of what happened to the two Smith sisters (Cadence and Briar) and best friend Bess in 1942 during WWII. She tells Mari her mother is connected to these three friends

Cadence and Briar Smith, and their friend Bess, who is their brother Tom’s girlfriend, form the Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Bookclub. They bring books to the U.S. Army troops that have arrived in their town to practice maneuvers on the Island. Bess comes up with a plan to print portable books for the soldiers. Briar spots a U-boat off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard and they soon learn there is a spy within their small community that is communicating with the German U-Boat.

The novel is based on true events that took place on Martha’s Vineyard during WW2. It was a great read with wonderful character development especially in the 1942 timeline. I have loved all of Martha Hall Kelley books and this was no exception.

Thanks to Random House/Ballantine Books through NetGalley, who allowed me access to this book.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC! I loved Martha Hall Kelly's writing in Lilac Girls and wanted to pick up this one as well.

This is a dual-timeline historical fiction with a mystery in both timelines. Kelly always does a great job writing settings to be immersive and her writing is easily digestible. While I enjoyed this book, I felt a little disappointed with it, too. There was so much happening in both timelines it felt difficult to keep up with. A lot of the plot points didn't feel fully fleshed out and there were so many characters all at once that I had trouble connecting with any of them, especially the ones from the current-day timeline, which made the ending less impactful for me.

I love the title and cover photo of "The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club," and was excited to receive the ARC to read. The book contains two storylines: the life and antics of the Smith family, and the aftermath of World War II on Martha's Vineyard. I liked the characters and setting, and loved how they decided what books to read. I also enjoyed "Lilac Girls", so I am looking forward to reading what Martha Hall Kelly writes next.

#TheMartha'sVineyardBeach&BookClub

This 4 point of view story bounces between two timelines, Mari in 2016 and Briar, Cadence, and Bess in 1942. Mari heads to Martha’s Vineyard for a painting workshop with a renowned painter after the passing of her mother. There, she’s told the story of Briar and Cadence (sisters) and their brother’s betrothed, Bess. During 1942, Martha’s Vineyard’s residents were in watch for u-boats as the military forces sent to the island patrolled and practiced water to land maneuvers. All the while, there’s concerns that a German spy is in their midst.

For lovers of WWII stories- you’ll love this one! @marthahallkelly did a wonderful job weaving these two timelines together and bringing to us all the part this island in my home state had during this time in history.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thanks to @netgalley and @ballantinebooks for this #advancedreaderscopy - pub date was 5/27/25

#2025bookchallengebook47of100
#themarthasvineyardbookandbeachclub
#netgalley
#stillbehindinposting

I have been an admirer of Martha Hall Kelly's work, ever since reading the Lilac Girls. I eagerly dove into her latest, Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club. And I can confidently say, it did not disappoint. This novel is, without a doubt, a fantastic summer read – the kind you pack for a beach vacation or enjoy curled up on a porch with a cool drink.
Kelly has a remarkable talent for weaving historical detail into engaging fiction, and she truly shines once again in this story. I enjoyed learning about Martha's Vineyard's role during World War II. Like many, I had no idea of its significance during that time, and Kelly brings this piece of history vividly to life. It's this blend of compelling characters, a beautiful setting, and fascinating historical revelation that makes her books so uniquely satisfying.
The narrative unfolds with a delightful pace, drawing you into the lives of the characters and the unique charm of the Vineyard. It's a perfect blend of escapism and enlightenment, making you feel as though you've spent a summer on the island yourself, discovering its secrets alongside the protagonists.
For fans of historical fiction, particularly those who appreciate stories driven by strong female characters and rich, meticulously researched backdrops, Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club is an absolute must-read. If you loved Lilac Girls, you'll find a similar warmth and depth here, making it a perfect addition to your summer reading list.

The Martha’s. Vineyard Beach and Book Club by Martha Hall Kelly starts as Mari Starwood is still mourning the death of her mother and decides to travel cross country to find the woman whose name was written on a scrap of paper by her now deceased mother. Once Mari finds Elizabeth Devereaux, she hears the story of the Smith family on Martha’s Vineyard.

I went into this blind and was hoping for more of a focus on the book club that’s in the title. I love historical fiction, so I still enjoyed the book- it just wasn’t quite what I had assumed from the title. I will definitely read future books by Hall Kelly!

I absolutely loved this book and recommended it to my bookclub for our June selection that we will be discussing at the beach!

Already a fan of Martha Hall Kelly’s storytelling, this one draws you right in and keeps you engaged until the very end just like her prior books. Martha’s Author note should not be missed as it is both incredibly informative and heartwarming with personal experiences abound.

It was such a pleasure to host Martha at the Fairfield Public Library in Fairfield, CT to celebrate The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club on publication day!!! Listening to her discuss the book and the history surrounding it firsthand was thrilling!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the arc.

I thought this might be a good book for my book club (based solely on the title), and I was pleasantly surprised when NetGalley offered me an advance copy. There are two distinct story lines here: family drama revolving around the Smith family and the impact the Second World War had on Martha’s Vineyard. I am probably in the minority, but I found the latter more compelling. There was also a weak dual time line but this book would have been just as good without it. The characters were interesting, and the whole U Boat, German spy story was believable. Another decent read from this author. (I also enjoyed Lilac Girls)

Many people today know little about World War II or its impact in the U.S. Fortunately the war provides a good historical setting to explore people's lives diving that time. This is the first novel I have read by Martha Hall Kelly, whose historical fiction novel, The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club, is set against the war as it impacts 3 teenage girls, who must grow up and become women seemingly overnight. Cadence, Briar, and Bess are teenagers in 1942, when watching the ocean for German U-boats is a part of daily living in Martha's Vineyard. After their older brother enlists, it is up to Gram and these 3 girls to keep the farm going. Cadence and Briar are sisters, and Bess, who moves to the farm to escape her domineering mother, is their brother's girlfriend.. To help these girls cope with the changes brought on by the war, the girls form a bookclub, using the novels discarded by wealthy women vacationing on the island as their literary choice.

The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club includes dual timelines, 1942 and 2016, as well as several POV. The 1942 timeline is the dominant timeline. The U.S. home front is about love, romance, spies, danger, risk, illness, a German deserter, 3 strong women, class struggle, dreams of escape, American and British soldiers, and deception. The 2016 section is about Mari, who comes to Martha's Vineyard hoping for answers about her mother, who is recently deceased. In some sections of the novel, the pace is a bit slower than I had expected, but then again, in the final chapter, the pace picks up so quickly that it is difficult to grasp all the lines of plot that must be tied up.

I do wish for better character development, but with so many characters and the war background, plus romance, more character development gets lost. Thank you to Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for proving this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I do recommend The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club. I think it works well to capture life on Martha's Vineyard during the war.

This book was a fun read! I enjoyed the characters and the different viewpoints, especially the ones written in the 1940s. The plot moved along well and drew the reader in quickly. It was interesting to read about World War II and the effects it had on the people of Martha's Vineyard. Although I enjoyed the book, I felt that there were parts that could have been developed further. The plot line in 2016 was one of those parts. I didn't feel like these characters were developed as well as the ones in the past. As a reader, I wanted more in-depth information about these two characters, and there were also plot lines in the past that could have had more development as well. Some characters, such as Margaret and Peter, lacked depth, and their storyline just stopped and left the reader wondering. It also didn't seem realistic that these women from publishing would just become friends with the farm women because of something she wrote in a small town paper, and then offer her a job even though she had not been educated. But I enjoyed reading the book as I do all of Martha Hall Kelly's books. I thank Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the e-arc.

This one is a historical fiction book set in two time frames: 2016 and WWII set on Martha’s Vineyard. It’s a fast-paced read, it was beautifully written. It held my interest and I found the characters really likable.
Highly recommended if you like very good historical books. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC copy.