Really great story of life on Marthas Vineyard during 1942. The Smith sisters start a bookclub to help each other during the war . Tales of what happened when the military has war games and practices for the invasion of Europe. Ships, spies, and intrigue keep you on the edge of your seat.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. A new book by Martha Hall Kelly is always a welcoming surprise and this book does not disappoint. This dual timeline story based mostly during World War II on Martha’s Vineyard and the present day visit of a young woman, Mari Sherwood looking for answers about her family’s history to Martha’s Vineyard is an excellent read. The story focuses on Cadence and Brier Smith living with their Grandmother on the island struggling to keep a roof over their heads during the war, their brother Tom is in the service and she shipped overseas, leaving the two sisters, the Grandmother and Tom’s fiancée to carry on with the family farm.The sisters form a book club to keep spirits up and also donate books to soldiers stationed on the island. This book also has a few subplots involving interesting characters, this book has a little bit of everything going for it, historical fiction, the friendship and support these women had for each other, some romance and some mystery. The dual timeline story comes together in a nice, heartwarming finish.. I would highly recommend this book.

The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club
By: Martha Hall Kelly
Pub Date: January 1, 2025
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine

Don’t forget to read the author notes, which shows Kelly’s ties to Martha Vineyard. A dual time line told in 1942 and present day 2024. A story about two sisters during World War II and their love of books while they create a wartime book club.

Love how the soldiers were getting books. The girls, Briar and Ginny brother was in the war and they were trying to take care of the family’s property on Martha’s Vineyard.

A German U-boat is spotted in the waters as there is an army base close by. Briar is the younger sister and Ginny has hopes of being a writer in NY.
Created the book club proves to be a challenge as they want to get the books in the hands of soldiers.

A beautiful novel which I ADORED. I come from a long line of military and love books, so this one TOUCHES my heart. I would love to think that my ancestors were able to get their hands on some books.

Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club by Martha Hall Kelley, another strong book from an author we can always count on.

This book was pretty good! The title is not necessarily misleading, but it is not really accurate. There's a group of women in Martha's vineyard, but they are not the book club, the book club is for soldiers. There is also a separate timeline in the future, so in the end they do come together and that is nice. It is a decent read!

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complementary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

Set in the 1940s during World War II, Cadence is a local journalist who writes articles for the town paper, capturing the daily happenings in her community. Meanwhile, Briar devotes her time to investigating a mysterious man, presumed to be a German spy, who washed ashore under suspicious circumstances. As tensions rise, Briar’s search for the truth uncovers more than she expected, adding layers of intrigue and danger to this wartime narrative.

There is a book club portion of the book where books are shared with the soldiers but I really don’t see that as the heart of the storyline.

The book also features a parallel storyline set in the present day, but I found myself less interested in that portion and more drawn to the historical narrative. The two storyline intertwined at the end of the book to pull everything together nicely.

Thank you, NetGalley for supplying me in ARC of this book and exchange for my honest opinion

MHK writes excellent, well researched historical fiction that appeals to women. I know this will be just as popular as Lilac Girls and will need to order extra copies for our library.

The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club hit the mark perfectly. The author delves into something I knew nothing about, and that's any military maneuvers and more during WW II on Martha's Vineyard. The dual timeline is done well and has a bonus of two narrators in the 1942 timeline. The characters were well done and not hard to follow. There is love (but it's not a romance really,) and mystery (but not completely) and historical fiction (but not standing alone.) There is a focus on family as well. Ms. Kelly did this in a manner that kept me reading until I finished the book. I highly recommend The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club.

Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.

The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club by Martha Hall Kelly is a dual timeline novel that intertwines stories of war, love, and the power of books. Set on Martha's Vineyard during World War II and in 2016, the novel follows the lives of two sisters, Cadence and Briar, as they face the turbulence of the war on their small island. In a bid for normalcy, they form a book club that becomes a lifeline for the women on the island. Decades later, Mari Starwood's quest for answers leads her to uncover a deep connection to these past events. This book is an emotional story filled with mystery, romance, and the strength of sisterhood.

Oh this book I just absolutely devoured. It was just so good!! I would highly recommend this to do for a fun book club. I just loved every page of it. Highly recommend!