THE MARTHA’S VINEYARD BEACH AND BOOK CLUB
By: Martha Hall Kelly
Published: May 27, 2025
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Historical Fiction
I have to admit that this is my first Martha Hall Kelly book. I’ve had LILAC GIRLS on my shelf for years, yet still haven’t read it. I was completely excited about this one, and I thought it would be the perfect read for me. It’s a sister story set during WWII, where they start a book club, and it features a dual timeline—all things I would typically love.
First, we meet Mari, traveling to Martha’s Vineyard in 2016 to try to find out more information about her deceased mother. The chapters with Mari were limited, and I often forgot there was even a present-day character. I actually think her story was fairly unnecessary.
The Smith family sisters are helping their Gram run their family farm right next to the ocean on Martha’s Vineyard. Since the war is going on, the area is used for training for the military, and their farm is in the center of the training. Young women and military men nearby mean there is likely to be a bit of romance as well as struggles due to the military’s demands and expectations.
“They say you should have one friend who always makes you laugh and one who lets you cry, and Bess Stanhope was both.”
Cadence is an aspiring writer, and her sister, Briar, is a bit of a tomboy who sits in her tree watching for the German U-boat that she swears she keeps seeing offshore. Unfortunately, no one will believe her. Cadence and her best friend, Bess, start a book club that, besides reading the classics, also includes creating books for the troops, including Cadence and Briar’s brother, Tom, who has been sent off to war. Bess and Tom are in love, but Bess’s wealthy mother does not approve of their relationship.
“Sometimes it was helpful to have an overly inquisitive sister.”
When a mysterious man washes ashore, possibly from the suspected U-boat, everything felt a bit far-fetched and over-the-top to me. I think there was just too much going on all at once, and I felt it took the enjoyment of the reading away from me.
“Celia lit a cigarette, ‘They say television will be the death of reading.'”
The one thing I will say about Kelly’s writing is that she does a really good job of leaving a cliffhanger at the end of every chapter. She makes you want to keep reading to know what will happen next, big or small. The author’s note at the end offered her reason for writing the story, her personal connection to it, and actual historical information used in the story. I appreciated knowing that Martha’s Vineyard was really a training area for the military, and many of the things mentioned in the story were based on fact.
Martha Hall Kelly definitely immerses you into the lives of her characters and the place. But I felt like the excessive details and constant drama took away from really enjoying the story. This isn’t a story you can just read a few chapters at a time. There are so many things happening, it can be hard to pick back up and remember all that was going on since the last time you read it. I am certain that there was extensive research done for this story, and the personal connection made this even more special for the author. I just think a few things could have been cut, including Mari’s story and Cadence’s articles, as well as some of the far-fetched happenings.
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Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of this book for this review. This review is my honest opinion. If you choose to purchase through the above links, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase.
Posted Under Book Review, Martha Hall Kelly, Martha's Vineyard, WWII, historical fiction, sisters