.jpg)
2016: Thirty-four-year-old Mari Starwood is still grieving after her mother’s death as she travels to the storied island of Martha’s Vineyard, off the coast of Massachusetts. She’s come all the way from California with nothing but a name on a piece of paper: Elizabeth Devereaux, the famous but reclusive Vineyard painter. When Mari makes it to Mrs. Devereaux’s stunning waterfront farm under the guise of taking a painting class with her, Mrs. Devereaux begins to tell her the story of the Smith sisters, who once lived there. As the tale unfolds, Mari is shocked to learn that her relationship to this island runs deeper than she ever thought possible.
1942: The Smith girls—nineteen-year-old aspiring writer Cadence and sixteen-year-old war-obsessed Briar—are faced with the impossible task of holding their failing family farm together during World War II as the U.S. Army arrives on Martha’s Vineyard. When Briar spots German U-boats lurking off the island’s shores, and Cadence falls into an unlikely romance with a sworn enemy, their quiet lives are officially upended. In an attempt at normalcy, Cadence and her best friend, Bess, start a book club, which grows both in members and influence as they connect with a fabulous New York publisher who could make all of Cadence’s dreams come true. But all that is put at risk by a mysterious man who washes ashore—and whispers of a spy in their midst. Who in their tight-knit island community can they trust? Could this little book club change the course of the war . . . before it’s too late? (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)
I was left speechless after reading this book. I read a LOT of books, and I love and enjoy so many of them, but this one takes it to a whole new level of loving a book. The Martha’s Vineyard setting, the country reeling from the second world war they were currently embroiled in, and the perfectly charming cast of characters, divine.
Most people that know me well, know that I usually shy away from historical fiction (unless it takes place in the 1920s), but man am I glad I got the pleasure of reading this one. The story takes us back to 1942 Martha’s Vineyard, the war still far from over. The hopes and dreams of so many young people crushed by the weight of duty, to our country but also to their families, and communities.
The Island becomes crowded with soldiers conducting training on the beautiful beaches, for them to eventually take that training overseas to storm the beaches of Europe and North Africa. The town is overwhelmed by the sudden thoughts that any one of their neighbors could be Nazi sympathizers or spies. Nobody knows who they can trust, even those that they have lived amongst their entire lives.
The main characters, the Smith family, must protect themselves as well as their farm. When the grandmother falls ill and the oldest son is shipped off to war, everyone must band together to keep the farm, and the family afloat. Add in a sweet love story, teenage spies, and a little mystery, and you have yourself a winning combination.
This story brought me to tears and I feverishly devoured it until the very end. I can’t imagine the fear and uncertainty of that time in history. I can promise you that if you pick up this book, you will not put it down until you have consumed every last word of it. This one just stole a spot on my “favorite books of all time” list.
Thanks to Random House for the book in exchange for an honest review. Purchase The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club here.
Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us.
Listen to this book on Speechify!
No comments:
Post a Comment