July 2026

THE HALF LIFE is the third Rachel Beanland book that I have selected as a Bets On title. The previous two were FLORENCE ADLER SWIMS FOREVER and THE HOUSE IS ON FIRE, both of which still are memorable. 

In her latest novel, Rachel brings us the story of 23-year-old Eileen O'Malley, who immediately marries a young Navy man she falls for named Paul Archer and accompanies him to La Maddalena, a stunning Mediterranean island off the coast of Sardinia. It's the Atomic Age, and the United States has nuclear submarines stationed there as a precautionary measure in case Italy falls to Communism.

Eileen finds herself a newlywed with not much experience being a wife, let alone one who follows the tight strictures of being a Navy wife. Wives are looked at in comparison to the rank of their husbands. This applies to all social commitments, including casual potluck dinners and fancy dress-up affairs. Eileen’s brother, who she adored, was killed in Vietnam, so she sees war through a different lens from most military on the island. 

Paul is all about the Navy, playing by the rules and striving to get ahead. He is not like the playful young man who charmed Eileen when she met him in Charleston. She is stretching her wings as he is attempting to clip them. 

Eileen tries to immerse herself in the local culture, including taking Italian lessons. Her teacher, Francesca, is one of the best when it comes to teaching the language, but Eileen is chastised for not closing ranks and allowing a woman on base who teaches “everyone” to work with her.  Francesca shares her worries about the potential for nuclear contamination happening off the coast. During one of these tutoring sessions, Eileen meets Teo, a local journalist who has written about the fear of what is happening in these waters as children are being born with defects. His writing makes her curious.

Eileen's questions are not looked upon favorably. There is a desire for blind obedience among the Navy wives, and she quickly discovers she does not have that. She questions her husband and others on the island. And from all of this, she begins to see the world through her own eyes instead of those of others. This book is about a woman coming into her own as much as it is about a place that once had its own military story. 

Rachel lived on La Maddalena from the ages of five to seven as part of a Navy family. She returned to do research with her mother and siblings. Her father sadly passed away from pancreatic cancer in his 50s. Exploring the island with adult eyes brought back memories of those years. 

The title, THE HALF LIFE, works on so many levels. For book groups, there is a lot to discuss here about women coming of age.

Be sure to watch or listen to my interview with Rachel about this fascinating historical novel.