The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club A Novel

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Some books transport you—this one sweeps you away to the windswept shores of Martha’s Vineyard, where secrets buried in wartime sand are finally ready to surface.

From Martha Hall Kelly, the beloved author of Lilac Girls, comes a stunning dual-timeline novel that weaves together two women separated by decades but connected by an island, a painting, and the transformative power of stories. When grief-stricken Mari Starwood arrives on Martha’s Vineyard in 2016, she’s searching for answers about her mother—and about herself. What she discovers in the tale of the Smith sisters will change everything she thought she knew.

Step back to 1942, where nineteen-year-old Cadence and her sister Briar are struggling to save their family farm as war crashes onto their peaceful island. German U-boats lurk offshore. The U.S. Army has arrived. And in the midst of uncertainty, Cadence does what book lovers have always done in dark times: she starts a book club. What begins as a small gathering of women becomes something far more powerful—a lifeline, a resistance, perhaps even a way to change the course of history.

Kelly masterfully braids together romance, suspense, and the unshakeable bonds of sisterhood in this richly detailed historical novel. Perfect for fans of Kristin Hannah and Kate Quinn, this is a story about the courage it takes to hold on—and the grace required to let go. Settle in with a cup of tea and prepare to be utterly captivated.

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