Learning about Martha's Vineyard's role in World War II history was the best part of this book. I did not care for the characters, sometimes thinking that their actions and dialog were silly. The several plot lines felt choppy. All in all, this was not my favorite Martha Hall Kelly book.

Thank you, Random House-Ballentine and Net Galley for the advanced copy of this book. The comments expressed are my own.

This was such an interesting and poignant story. Even better is that it was inspired by the author's family. I especially loved the smith sisters' experiences on Martha's vineyard during WWII.

Wow! The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club is one I will definitely be recommending to all my friends who are fans of historical fiction/romance. With the beautifully high quality of writing I've come to love from Martha Hall Kelly, this novel takes the reader on a journey of discovery, bouncing between Martha's Vineyard in the present day and World War II. In the present, Mari is meeting with Elizabeth Devereux, ostensibly to paint with the famed artist, and to perhaps uncover secrets of the past. In 1942, the Smith Sisters are caring for their family farm after their brother enlists. What follows are magnificent intertwined stories of love, loss, friendship, family, and community.

5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A totally different take on all the WWII stories. The Smith sisters grow up on Martha's Vineyard, poor but happy. Granny Smith, brother Tom and best friend Bess make up the family. But Tom goes off to fight, Bess is pregnant with his child and granny is ill. An amazing book that is happy, sad, funny and heartbreaking all at once!

I ran to request this book as I really enjoyed Lilac Girls, and historical fiction, especially War historical fiction is one of my favorite genres. This book did not disappoint. Is it perfect, no. But it is enjoyable, emotional and extremely well researched which are musts for me in the genre. Although some of the actions and connections could seem far fetched, what I loved about the book was the connection between the family members and the small town impact of such a big event. Briar is crazy but such fun, and I totally got a Little Women vibe from it all. Its also always wonderful when the power of a book is highlighted and here in little and big ways books make a stance and an impact.

Let me start this off by saying this is one of the few historical fiction books I have read. I wanted to broaden my horizons and found myself very interested in historical shows recently. I’d definitely say this book did not disappoint what so ever.

While reading you’ll find that you’re actually reading 3 stories. It’s hard to describe in detail without spoiling so I won’t but I found it very interesting and not confusing which can sometimes occur with multiple POVs. You’re not only following the smith women but also their friends while they navigate war time and how it affects their lives.

The found family is literally to die for. How each of the women treat each other with care and love showed a great strength in all of the characters. And it showed an impact on each of their lives as well. I also appreciated how not one of the women were alike and each had their own personalities and strengths.

The mystery aspect of the whole story was what I wasn’t expecting at all. I thought this book was gonna be about women creating a bookclub during the war which it definitely is not. But none the less the author had me questioning each character and their motives.

This may have been one of my first historical fiction but I can tell you it won’t be my last. I can’t say that I was completely obsessed with the story but I enjoyed reading it and the characters portrayed.

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for allowing me to read the arc!

Would rate 3.5 stars if there was halves!

I started this book in the afternoon, and then woke up at 3 am so I could finish it before work. (Dear Reader, I did not finish before work, but sacrificed my planning period to finsh by noon.)

This historical fiction novel, inspired by the author's family history, is set on Martha's VIneyard during WWII. I literally felt like i stepped back in time while I was reading. The details, the people, the history...everything felt so authentic and real. Learning about the Vineyard's attachment to the military during the war was interesting and I really enjoyed hearing about the island's involvement but not so much military detail that it was boring. Also there was so much drama and intrigue. but not so much that it felt manipulative or unbelievable.

Martha Hall Kelly, every time I read a book of yours, I think you won't be able to top it. YOU ALWAYS TOP IT! I think back to how many people I literally force to read your books (I mean, I'm in three book clubs), and I know I am going to be insufferable about this one and I am not sorry!
Be sure to read the author's notes and acknowledgements - they provide the details of the real-life inspiration for the book.

In 1942, Martha’s Vineyard residents are gearing up for the new reality of War. Troops have flocked to the island to train for beach invasions. Two sisters, Briar and Cadence, who live with their beloved grandmother, are spending their teen years working to help make ends meet. Their older brother,Tom, has joined the Rangers, leaving his wealthy girlfriend Bess, to live with his family.
“ Briar the liar” has reported seeing German subs off their coast, but no one believes her. When she discovers a box of Nazi paraphernalia at her dead neighbor’s house, she decides to investigate, putting her family in danger.

You'll laugh, and cry, as this ordinary family resolve to fight the war at home, as their loved ones fight it overseas. Ms Kelley, as always, writes a story that envelops us with believable characters set in an historic backdrop.

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Full disclosure, I grew up spending a chunk of each summer on the Vineyard so I loved how the author sprinkled in so many places, landmarks, stores, etc that helped me feel extra connected. Do not skip the author notes at the end, they are so interesting and help the reader understand the author's connection to the location and to the story. I am always a fan of WW2 historical novels and what a change of pace to have it be set on Martha's Vineyard. I thought the author did a good job of moving between the two timelines in a way that made sense and kept the reader guessing on what the connection would be from the more current timeline to the past. I think she did well in fleshing out the characters. I appreciated the character of Briar because I would imagine in the 1940's it was even more difficult than today to be a teenage girl who doesn't "look" or "act" like the typical teenage girls around them. It felt subtle and not heavy handed.
The characters of Cadence, Bess, and Briar all have important roles to play but I don't want to spoil by giving away too much. I would definitely recommend this book.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book and the flashbacks from modern Day to World War II and what things were like as an American living on Martha’s Vineyard during this time. This would make a wonderful adaptation into a movie as the characters are all lovable, and it was easy to feel connected to them.

Perfect for readers who enjoyed the Lilac Girls or for fans of historical fiction and authors such as Marie Benedict, Kate Quinn and Kristin Hannah.

A very compelling story and there were lots of things I learned about the time period and the area. It's interesting to think how things might have been different in an area you grew up in, the Midwest for me.

This is quite an entertaining story of life on Martha's Vineyard during WW II. The author was inspired by her own family who lived there for some of the characters. Enjoyable that it's a mashup of different classes of people , mostly lower middle class. Lots of great details which were well researched by the author.

I loved how the book club develops and how Cadence comes up with the idea of pocket paperbacks of popular novels as a way of entertainment for the soldiers. This is fascinating that it was a real thing during WWII. ASE is the name for these special books - which means Armed Services Editions . I enjoyed learning about these gifts for soldiers in wartime. What a great invention, many a book lover like me will enjoy learning about.

The story moves quickly at times and there are often fun cliffhangers at the end of chapters. This tactic makes the book unputdownable. If I took this book to the beach to read, I would dig my toes in the sand and end up with a sunburn everywhere but my toes. This is one of those great escape books. Very fun, even though suspension of belief is required sometimes. Very fun entertainment and good history fiction. The author' note is a wonderful chapter to end this book with the tie-ins to real history on Martha's Vineyard in WWII.

Thanks to Random House publishing and Net Galley for this ARC . This book will be a hit at the beach this summer. Wow!

Not a typical beach read, The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club is a fact-based historical novel that is told in dual timeline with multiple POVs. I'm so glad I stayed with it through the somewhat confusing start. The heart of the story is sisters living on Martha's Vineyard during WWII, struggling to survive while the Army trods through their farming fields, German Uboats slink through the water offshore and 4th Columnists seek to undermine US commitment to the war. The characters are easy to relate to. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the advanced reader copy. I enjoyed reading it.

In this dual timeline, multi-POV historical fiction, the first pages in present day were a little "messy" and hard to follow (lots of names and details and awkward interactions), but after those first pages, the book takes off and soars. Highly entertaining and well-researched, this complex story is the reason I didn't sleep much the past few days! Add it to your TBR and look for it in May! Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!

This is a historical story of sisters during WWII on Martha’s Vineyard.The story begins with a daughter of a deceased woman coming to the island to find out about her mother’s relationship to the island. The painter she visits tells her the story of the two sisters. The younger sister, Briar, is a curious teen engaged in detecting who is the German spy on the island. Her sister dreams of a publishing career away from the island. Both face dangers that could cause them to be jailed.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Loved this book. It was a twisty tale of a time that most of us cannot even imagine. It was enlightening to find out more about Martha's Vineyard's role in the war efforts and how it affected everyone in some way or fashion. So many tragic tales of separated families and the aftermath. I loved the characters and how you were rooting for them even with all those human flaws that made them make choices you wouldn't. It also spoke to how much women really did do to keep families together (and in some cases tear them apart) and how resilient you had to be. Great read!

I enjoyed reading a WWIi book set in the US. That definitely intrigued me. The historical aspect of the book was well crafted and really interesting. It was a bit odd that the book started in 2016 and didn't get back there until the end. By the time we circled back it was fairly obvious what the connection between the two stories would be. And there did seem to be a few too many minor characters to keep track of. But overall this was a good book that held my interest and kept me guessing.

This book moved slow and based on enjoying previous books by this author, I was expecting so much more. After reading the reviews from people who loved this book, I continued reading , but could never get into it. It seemed there were too many people who didn't necessarily matter to the overall plot. Some of the characters were annoying at best. This book just wasn't for me.

Don’t let the title fool you. This is not your typical beach read. It has all the drama, intrigue, and romance we’ve come to expect from a Martha Hall Kelly book. Left me hanging on the edge of my seat until the last pages! Thank you to Net.Galley and the publisher for the early read.