Ways of Virtue: A Novel

by Liz O’Neill

A dazzling literary romance about a young socialite and a smooth-talking pilot who take a chance on each other against the extreme odds orchestrated by their peers and mother nature. 

In 1950s New England, being a marriageable young lady means following a certain set of rules. Nineteen-year-old Sabina knows them all too well, thanks to her imposing aunt Poppy, who has already decided how Sabina will spend the season at their summer home in Edgartown, where she’ll go to college in the fall, and the type of young man she’ll eventually marry. But Sabina has other ideas. And the island, it seems, does too.

Sabina is about to meet the Vineyard’s most notorious charter pilot Colin Hatch. With a cloudy history, a questionable income, and a reputation for charming every available girl at the yacht club, Colin isn’t exactly the traditional match her aunt had in mind. When Sabina takes a chance on him anyway, a complex love triangle emerges, setting Sabina’s summer on an entirely different path—not just for this vacation season, but maybe for the rest of her life.

A coming-of-age story woven into a small coastal town’s various dramas, Ways of Virtue is Dirty Dancing meets Jane Austen—complete with a beautiful seaside setting, a high-society wedding in the making, a host of scheming, jealous neighbors, and a once-in-a-lifetime hurricane that’s barreling toward them all.

Genres: Romance

464 pages, Paperback

Published September 30, 2025

About the author

Liz O’Neill grew up in central Massachusetts and vacationed with her family every summer on Cape Cod. She earned her MFA in Creative Writing, Fiction from the University of North Carolina, Wilmington. She currently works at the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship, where she supports major brands looking to make better environmental, social, and governance decisions. Her research for Ways of Virtue has included interviews with local historians; shellfish conservationists; air traffic controllers; and one remarkable, small plane pilot, who succeeded somehow in talking her off the ground. She lives outside Boston with her husband, son, and the world’s best dog, Jiggs.

Reviews

[Francesca U · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXCELLENT!! Move over Elin Hilderbrand, there’s a new girl on a new island. I loved diving into the wonderful rich world of 1950s Martha’s Vineyard. The story gets you hooked immediately, and I found myself thinking about what the characters were up to in between reading sessions. The characters are all flawed and loveable - you can’t exactly figure out who you’re rooting for! All of these fun, well-developed characters are set against an amazingly detailed and researched setting on MV. Growing up in New England I appreciated all the references to the very distinct life on island. Towards the end I couldn’t read fast enough! Liz O’Neill’s prose is effortless and I found myself rereading passages and marveling at her easy, clever turn of phrase. The descriptions are closer to poetry than prose, really. I’m so excited for this magnificent debut novel and I can’t wait to read her next book! HIGHLY RECOMMEND ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Melissa Demeo Cohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I have read in such a long time and one of my favorites ever! I devoured this story and felt so much through this book. I laughed, I gasped and I even cried (which I am not quick to do when reading). The characters are incredible and the setting is a beautiful backdrop to the tale it tells. Such an amazing book!!

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book thoroughly and am so excited about the voice of this new author. I felt like I had traveled back in time and was on the Vineyard on the 1950’s. This well researched and exquisitely written book made it hard to book this book down. The characters felt so real it was as if I knew them personally. Don’t miss out- read this novel!!

[Chris O'neill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set against the stunning backdrop of Martha's Vineyard in the 1950s Ways of Virtue weaves together a gripping tale of love, loss, and survival during the post World War II era. Also throw in a hurricane for good measure and the book keeps you hooked throughout.
The novel follows a young woman who is at a crossroads in her life and during this fateful summer learns to chart her own course in her work and in her love life.
I loved the characters, the setting, the conflicts and the environmental challenges that feel appropriate today.

[Hailey DiCicco · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am in awe!! Liz this is such an amazing creation. I was sucked in by the complex characters who all had their own story to work out, but still had their paths intertwined in the most interesting and compelling ways. I don’t know how you managed to give everyone their own unique character arcs while still keeping on the timeline of the storm, and not dropping any threads!! I loved the journey that Sabina got to go on (reminiscent of Jo from Little Women) and the same for Lenore (that one sunk up on me, but I loved it just as much). Fantastic and amazing, I hope to read much more by the fabulous Liz O’Neil someday soon <3

[Bill Irwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a long book but i never wanted to stop reading. Coming of age story based (in 1954 Martha's Vineyard) on a precocious, strong minded, and lovely 19 year old woman. Her family has in mind her prescribed future of marriage, kids, houswife, and socializing with high society. She's got other plans in mind. The book gives such a clear window into people's mindsets of the day, and the snappy rapport among the main characters is so fun to read.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

At last a really good book. Just walk on by Mona's Eyes and some of the other "celebrated books" and grab this one.

Good Plot
Developed Characters
1954-interesting age to be a woman
Oceanography
Pollution
Family Rivalries
Upper Class spending summers at the Cape
WWII
Small aircraft

HIGHLY REECOMMEND

[Karen Fay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with the entangled characters, the entwined plot, and spent a good hour diving deeper into the backstory of the destructive hurricane that befell the island.

[Jen]

Wow!! I read this book in one day…. I couldn’t put it down. I loved everything about it!!!!!

[शिखा · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh boy! Thoroughly enjoyed this book!

[Peter Biello · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liz does an excellent job of weaving together various strands here. The interlocking dramas drive forward without a single hitch. The primary focus, the romance between Sabina and Colin, is worth following in part because it strays from convention. They are drawn to each other, but not in a steamy, overwritten way. Sabina maintains her own interests and pursues a life that does not revolve around finding a romantic partner. Meanwhile Colin’s past is fascinating and I spent the book wondering what exactly was so awful that it would ruin his present. I won’t spoil it here. Excellent book. Highly recommend it.