It’s 1942, and everything is about to change for the Smith family on Martha’s Vineyard.  Brother Tom is off to war, leaving sisters Cadence and Briar to look after their farm and their grandmother. He also leaves behind Bess, an almost fiancée who loves him and her adopted family.

The island is also going through changes. There’s talk of German U-boats patrolling the waters, the FBI is keen on finding spies, and the army sets up a training base. It all forms an intriguing background for Martha Hall Kelly’s novel, The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club.

The story opens in the present day, when Mari arrives on the island, supposedly for a private lesson with Elizabeth, an artist in her 90s. Mari’s mother has recently died, and she suspects there was a shared connection between the women. From there, the story moves to the past, and the rich story mostly unfolds there.

Each of the characters deals with longing in some way. Cadence wants to find a life off the island in New York’s publishing industry. Bess wants to forge her own way in a family that accepts her for who she is, something her wealthy parents do not. Briar is a misfit who seeks connection on her own terms. In some ways, the island itself is another character in the story, which reveals the dynamic between wealthy summer residents and those who live there year round.

The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club, which carries its own book recommendations for people in the novel, is a great read for book clubs or anyone else interested in history and the way people deal with personal adversity as well as tough times.

The publisher provided a copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.