The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club
The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club
By: Martha Hall Kelly
[Fulfilled ‘Book with four POVs’ prompt as part of Shelf Reflection’s 2025 Reading Challenge]
This is your classic dual timeline historical fiction novel where you know the present day character is told a story from the past and you know there must be a connection between the characters but you don’t get to find out what until the end.
I did read one other book set in Martha’s Vineyard this year, but generally speaking, it’s a new/different type of setting for me, especially in terms of an historical fiction and WWII novel. Actually, I might just need to visit this island someday because I’m having a real hard time wrapping my mind around what it is and how it works.
I will admit that the cover of this book caused me to keep putting off reading it because it just didn’t really look appealing to me. I enjoy a lot of historical fiction books but for some reason I’m always worried I’m going to be bored. This cover looked boring to me. Plus, the image doesn’t make sense: how can you do a book club when everyone is reading a different book?
I had not read Lilac Girls but I saw that it got good reviews so I was still willing to take a chance on the book and I hadn’t read many WWII novels yet this year so it seemed like the right time.
I was pleasantly surprised. For one, I’m not sure the cover image best depicts the content or flow of the book. There’s not really much actual book-clubbing going on. Which is fine. I prefer it the way it was written but I can see how people might get the wrong idea about the book based on the cover.
The thing about this book that kept my attention was probably the characters and how the women, all with different personalities, helped and supported each other running their farm and farm stand after the man of the house was deployed for the war.
The mysterious element of who was the spy on the island added some needed and compelling tension.
It’s not a WWII novel that is entirely removed from the war, but it definitely wasn’t wrapped around the war like most WWII novels. The Martha’s Vineyard setting created a barrier between the characters and the harshness of the war— other than some rationing and having to see the men go out to war and possibly not come back.
Of course, we have some troops stationed on the island and U-boat sightings off the coast to remind us that there is still danger to be had. But that inclusion was more about creating a romance between Cadence and the Major and showcasing Briar’s curious personality and outcast standing in the town.
The main characters in this story are:
Mari (Marigold Violet)- She is our present day (2016) character. Her mom recently died and she is investigating a connection she found of her mom to a painter on Martha’s Vineyard that her mom never told her about.
Mrs. Devereaux- The 90-year-old famous painter Mari visits
In 1942 we have the Smith family who live on Copper Pond Farm:
Briar- She is the ‘weird’ sister who scours newspapers for obituaries of small old men so she can visit the thrift stores a week after their death and hopefully find their clothes to wear
“I accepted the fact that I’d never had a soulmate. Joan of Arc never married, and she led a productive life.”
She also acquires the nickname ‘Briar the Liar’ because of all her reportings of U-boat sightings that no one believers her about.
Cadence- She is Briar’s older sister (19) who is an avid reader and writer and dreams of working in publishing in New York.
Bess- She is the best friend to Cadence and lover to their brother Tom. Because of her relationship with Tom, her very wealthy family basically disowned her and she is currently living with the Smith family on the farm.
Gram- The strong, friendly matriarch of the family who is known around town for her baking and cooking which she sells at their farm stand and is often found reading the future in her tea leaves.
Major Gilbert- He is in charge of the troops stationed on the island and is the other piece of the enemies to lovers part of the story.
“He seems like the perfect man for you, Cadence. Except for the horrible, pompous part.”
The brief plot summary of the 1942 timeline is that brother Tom goes off to war leaving the women (Gram, Cadence, Briar, and Bess) to take care of the farm. Each woman has their own conflict to deal with.
Gram with her health.
Cadence has two: her love/hate interest with Gil (and his troops) and her writing career she’s trying to get off the ground via her humorous column in the island paper.
Briar is trying to keep track of U-boats and the potential spy on the island but has the challenge of being perceived as a liar. When she finds a man washed up on the shore from the U-boat she had spotted, things get trickier.
Bess has her own thing but we don’t find out about it right away so I won’t spoil it for you.
But no one tackles their problem alone. Together they navigate each one and prove how strong the bonds of family and friendship can be.
Oh, and there’s a book club. Not a fan of the name. Too long and boring. It’s basically just a way to identify them as a group and connect them in the story.
One cool thing they do as a book club is try to get whole copies of books printed in a size that soldiers can fit in their packs. This is based on real events (not of the book club but of the books). They were called ASE’s (Armed Services Editions).
Apparently the book The Great Gatsby was popular among the troops and that was the catalyst for the success of the book which did not do well the first fifteen years of being published. Fitzgerald had died thinking the book was a failure. I just learned that! Pretty crazy to think how certain unexpected things can launch other things into the spotlight with sudden success for no apparent reason.
Even though the book club isn’t necessarily the main focus of the book, there are still a lot of bookish elements throughout. If you enjoy classics or are interested to see what books were popular or being published during this time period, this book will scratch that itch. In her column Cadence always gives away another book to someone on the island. Books were a bit scarce so it depicts how important sharing books were during the war.
There is also a yacht with the name ‘Never Moor’ which I thought was pretty clever! Ever since reading Sunrise on the Reaping I keep seeing references to The Raven— which I haven’t really ever read or studied. But if I ever get a yacht, maybe I’ll steal this name.
Another classic book mentioned is the ever nostalgic children’s book Madeline. I had to laugh because when Bess goes to the doctor Gram has determined it can’t be appendicitis because the pain is on the wrong side of her stomach. Cadence then comments that what little Gram knows about appendicitis comes from the book Madeline. And I realized… I am Gram. I, too, know much about appendicitis and I can also credit all my knowledge to that book. Whoever wrote that book really knew what would stick with people!
One more comment about a book connection that’s NOT a classic. In fact, it’s a book I do not recommend that you read, and I thought I would never have to think about it again until I was entirely triggered in this book. We learn that Briar’s old man friend, who recently died, fell down a set of steps behind his house. How many steps you ask? Great question, I’d love to tell you. It’s 52.
Random? I don’t know, but IS IT a coincidence, that I read a terrible book called 52 Steps to Murder at almost the exact same time of year 10 years ago??
Seriously. What are the odds? Martha, if you ever read this review, I’m going to need you to fill me in on how you chose to make the flight of steps 52 steps. I just really never wanted to hear about 52 steps ever again and now you’ve gone and done it.
I did think it was cool that the author wrote this book because she was inspired by her own family and family friends’ stories who lived on Martha’s Vineyard. (Wait a minute, is that why she’s named Martha?!)
It just makes me wish I had talked more with my grandpas about their war experiences before they died, though I don’t think they particularly liked to. But the generation that lived through WWII is dying out and with them, their memories of that tumultuous time. I’m glad there have been so many authors who take the time to keep researching aspects of the war and talking to people who lived through it so we can preserve the reality of such a pivotal time in history.
Recommendation
Beach is in the name, but yeah, I think this book would be a good beach read. Especially if you enjoy historical fiction. Or Martha’s Vineyard.
The characters are good, there’s some humor, and the events are interesting, shedding light on a different facet of WWII, which you probably already know, but there’s a million of them.
I thought I was going to be bored reading the book but I actually had a good time reading it and looked forward to picking it up each time. Just don’t make a decision to read or not read the book based on the cover.
It’s not going to be the best historical fiction book of the year, but it’s a lighter, perhaps even charming WWII book if you don’t want to get into something as intense as the Lilac Girls.
[Content Advisory: 1 s-word; a skinny dipping scene that is mostly closed door]
**Received a copy via MB Communications in exchange for an honest review**
This book just released in May, 2025. You can order a copy of this book using my affiliate link below.
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