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The Half Life
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5 copies available
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From the author of Florence Adler Swims Forever and The House Is on Fire, a novel set on a remote Italian island, about a navy wife’s reckoning with power, love, and the price of staying silent in the Atomic Age.
When twenty-three-year-old Eileen O’Malley meets charismatic naval officer Paul Archer in a Charleston department store, she doesn’t expect to fall so hard, so fast. But Paul is funny and ambitious, and soon, Eileen’s got a ring on her finger and is following him to the tiny, sun-drenched Mediterranean island of La Maddalena, where Paul will be heading up Radiological Controls aboard a submarine tender.
In La Maddalena, Eileen joins a makeshift community of Navy wives, who are hell bent on making the island feel a little more like home. But for Eileen, whose brother died in Vietnam, home is a loaded word, and as she settles into life on the island—taking Italian lessons and learning to make culurgiones—she begins to love the place for all the ways it is not like where she comes from.
Still, it doesn’t take long for Eileen to be confronted with the complexities of being an American abroad. The decision to send nuclear-powered subs into the La Maddalena Archipelago was a contentious one, and the US government is doing whatever it can to ensure that the island—not to mention all of Italy—doesn’t go communist in the next election.
When Italian activists and scientists begin to sound the alarm about possible nuclear contamination in the water, the island erupts in a series of protests, made worse by the ongoing mishaps of the US Navy. Soon, Eileen’s marriage falters and her loyalties begin to shift as she is drawn into a web of secrets—and to a local journalist who forces her to imagine a life beyond the one she’s been handed.
Atmospheric, sexy, and quietly defiant, The Half Life is a story of love, complicity, and awakening—of one woman forced to choose between loyalty to her husband and country and to the Italian locals who show her the high cost of American exceptionalism.
When twenty-three-year-old Eileen O’Malley meets charismatic naval officer Paul Archer in a Charleston department store, she doesn’t expect to fall so hard, so fast. But Paul is funny and ambitious, and soon, Eileen’s got a ring on her finger and is following him to the tiny, sun-drenched Mediterranean island of La Maddalena, where Paul will be heading up Radiological Controls aboard a submarine tender.
In La Maddalena, Eileen joins a makeshift community of Navy wives, who are hell bent on making the island feel a little more like home. But for Eileen, whose brother died in Vietnam, home is a loaded word, and as she settles into life on the island—taking Italian lessons and learning to make culurgiones—she begins to love the place for all the ways it is not like where she comes from.
Still, it doesn’t take long for Eileen to be confronted with the complexities of being an American abroad. The decision to send nuclear-powered subs into the La Maddalena Archipelago was a contentious one, and the US government is doing whatever it can to ensure that the island—not to mention all of Italy—doesn’t go communist in the next election.
When Italian activists and scientists begin to sound the alarm about possible nuclear contamination in the water, the island erupts in a series of protests, made worse by the ongoing mishaps of the US Navy. Soon, Eileen’s marriage falters and her loyalties begin to shift as she is drawn into a web of secrets—and to a local journalist who forces her to imagine a life beyond the one she’s been handed.
Atmospheric, sexy, and quietly defiant, The Half Life is a story of love, complicity, and awakening—of one woman forced to choose between loyalty to her husband and country and to the Italian locals who show her the high cost of American exceptionalism.
480 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication July 14, 2026
10 people are currently reading
5598 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Beanland
4 books977 followersRachel Beanland is the author of the novels FLORENCE ADLER SWIMS FOREVER, THE HOUSE IS ON FIRE, and the forthcoming THE HALF LIFE, which will be released by Simon & Schuster in the summer of 2026. She earned her MFA in creative writing from Virginia Commonwealth University and lives in Richmond, Virginia.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
October 26, 2025
Biased;-)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I love this author from one of her novels I read before, so I had a feeling I would enjoy this book and I did! This book did not disappoint, and I learned things about our navy and submarines, that I probably would still have no idea about had I not read this novel.
This book follows a young woman named Eileen, who meets a young man named Paul, and they begin a relationship as young adults. Paul finds out he is being shipped to Italy as part of his service to the navy, and he asks Eileen to marry him so that she may accompany him. Eileen agrees, and they move to Italy to start a life together.
As soon as they get to Italy they find that many Italian citizens are not happy that the Americans are there with their submarines due to possible nuclear materials getting into their waters there. Paul happens to be someone on the subs that deals with radiolgical materials and contamination possibilities, and in the end this causes more issues in their relationship than they initially want to admit to, although they end up realizing pretty quickly that they may not be meant to be after all. As Eileen meets more Italians and finds out more about why they are really upset, she starts to realize that Paul and the US Navy may not be as innocent as they try to portray to the public.
Overall this book flowed well, and I really enjoyed the story. I learned a lot about the US Navy, the way that service members wives come together, the issues we've had in the past with subs, as well as information on nuclear exposure. I plan to read more from this author as she comes out with things, because I truly enjoy the flow of the stories that she creates.
This book follows a young woman named Eileen, who meets a young man named Paul, and they begin a relationship as young adults. Paul finds out he is being shipped to Italy as part of his service to the navy, and he asks Eileen to marry him so that she may accompany him. Eileen agrees, and they move to Italy to start a life together.
As soon as they get to Italy they find that many Italian citizens are not happy that the Americans are there with their submarines due to possible nuclear materials getting into their waters there. Paul happens to be someone on the subs that deals with radiolgical materials and contamination possibilities, and in the end this causes more issues in their relationship than they initially want to admit to, although they end up realizing pretty quickly that they may not be meant to be after all. As Eileen meets more Italians and finds out more about why they are really upset, she starts to realize that Paul and the US Navy may not be as innocent as they try to portray to the public.
Overall this book flowed well, and I really enjoyed the story. I learned a lot about the US Navy, the way that service members wives come together, the issues we've had in the past with subs, as well as information on nuclear exposure. I plan to read more from this author as she comes out with things, because I truly enjoy the flow of the stories that she creates.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I got an education on the US Navy and nuclear submarines that I never knew I needed. It is engrossing and it is factual. The US Navy did in fact have a nuclear submarine tenders base on the coast of Sardinia in the 1970’s. It was not well received by the residents of the island. Did I know the extent of the Communist Party’s political activities and strength in Italy in the 1970’s? Schooled again. Another fascinating aspect of the book. I don’t remember if it was Teo or Francesca (or neither) who said (paraphrasing), after WWII where did you think all of the them went? Navy wife culture, which did not include learning some simple phrases in your host country’s language, living without landlines, housing that was bare bones were all addressed. Now set this against the beautiful landscape of the Mediterranean, follow a newly married couple who marry quickly because he is leaving for Italy to head up RADCON, the safety arm of the nuclear program, and he wants her to come with him, ignore the doubts in her mind even though she says yes, and you have a book you can’t stop reading.
At one point or anotherI hated every character in this book. And then I empathized with them again. Except maybe Paul. I could have put Laura’s head through a wall a couple of times, but she had a point. And if Eileen had ever spent even a second thinking about Navy wife culture she might have made things a little easier on herself (no shaming here). But this is not that book.
I hate Epilogues as a rule. I think they’re lazy. Just finish the book. This one made me cry. I read it twice. It is beautifully written. I gave the book a 4. I rarely give 5’s. But the number is subjective. The book is excellent.
At one point or anotherI hated every character in this book. And then I empathized with them again. Except maybe Paul. I could have put Laura’s head through a wall a couple of times, but she had a point. And if Eileen had ever spent even a second thinking about Navy wife culture she might have made things a little easier on herself (no shaming here). But this is not that book.
I hate Epilogues as a rule. I think they’re lazy. Just finish the book. This one made me cry. I read it twice. It is beautifully written. I gave the book a 4. I rarely give 5’s. But the number is subjective. The book is excellent.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
The Half Life by Rachel Beanland is a Cold War era coming-of-age story about a twenty-three year old, newly married navy wife that begins her marriage on a small Italian island that turns from idyllic vacation to a crash course in world affairs.
Not long after the heartbreaking death of her brother, Eileen meets and quickly marries naval officer, Paul Archer. The two begin their marriage on a little island off of Italy- a militarily strategic island that serves as the backdrop to Eileen’s awakening from an isolated American girl to a worldly awoken woman. The glamour of new love quickly wears off and Eileen is left with the reality of the world around her and the husband she chose to marry in haste.
While Eileen does her best to make her marriage work, she is tugged away from her navy wife duties and expectations when she meets Teo, a local reporter, to whom she is instantly attracted. With him and others she meets on the island, Eileen’s intellectual and political world is split wide open, which causes many fissures in her marriage.
I was not only captivated by the story, but also Beanland’s writing. At times I found myself questioning whether or not I was reading a memoir or having a conversation with a close friend. Beanland’s first-person narrative is so intimate and real that it’s easy to mistake this historical fiction for a true-life recounting of a woman’s life. I will say that the revelation in the epilogue threw me off a bit. In some respects, it completely makes sense. In others, not so much. But that’s all I will say so as to not give out any spoilers.
My recommendation rating: definitely recommend with a heads up that there’s a lot of political and scientific explanations woven into the storyline. And Italian dialogue.
Not long after the heartbreaking death of her brother, Eileen meets and quickly marries naval officer, Paul Archer. The two begin their marriage on a little island off of Italy- a militarily strategic island that serves as the backdrop to Eileen’s awakening from an isolated American girl to a worldly awoken woman. The glamour of new love quickly wears off and Eileen is left with the reality of the world around her and the husband she chose to marry in haste.
While Eileen does her best to make her marriage work, she is tugged away from her navy wife duties and expectations when she meets Teo, a local reporter, to whom she is instantly attracted. With him and others she meets on the island, Eileen’s intellectual and political world is split wide open, which causes many fissures in her marriage.
I was not only captivated by the story, but also Beanland’s writing. At times I found myself questioning whether or not I was reading a memoir or having a conversation with a close friend. Beanland’s first-person narrative is so intimate and real that it’s easy to mistake this historical fiction for a true-life recounting of a woman’s life. I will say that the revelation in the epilogue threw me off a bit. In some respects, it completely makes sense. In others, not so much. But that’s all I will say so as to not give out any spoilers.
My recommendation rating: definitely recommend with a heads up that there’s a lot of political and scientific explanations woven into the storyline. And Italian dialogue.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A chance encounter leads to a budding relationship. Eileen meets Paul, and there is an undeniable spark. Paul believed that this was simply a quick fling before he left for his next naval assignment in La Maddalena. They feel a connection and decide to marry, with Eileen following Paul to his assignment. Eileen's entire life changes, and she is so unprepared to be a naval officer's wife. At La Maddalena, Eileen receives both guidance and support from other wives as they cling together in unwelcoming circumstances. It is not that the residents dislike the Navy; they dislike the Navy's purpose on the island. La Maddalena is where nuclear submarines are repaired and restocked.
Eileen is a complicated character. She is understandably confused and adrift as a newlywed and an officer's wife. Following the "Navy wife way" is as foreign to her as Italian. There is also the underlying issue of nuclear pollution. Is it acceptable to jeopardize residents' health and safety while keeping the peace in an area? The author does a masterful job of representing the main problem framed by affiliated smaller problems. On the surface, the book is about a young woman on a journey of self-discovery. The young woman is also exposed to the concerns and issues surrounding nuclear power. Fully experiencing this story is consequential, illustrating the difficulties encountered with early nuclear submarines.
I enjoy Rachel Beanland's books. Her characters are always complex, intriguing, and realistic. She is thought-provoking without preaching. Historical fiction readers, women's fiction readers, and general fiction readers will all enjoy this wonderful story. Thank you to Simon & Schuster, NetGalley, and Rachel Beanland for the early reader copy of this book.
Eileen is a complicated character. She is understandably confused and adrift as a newlywed and an officer's wife. Following the "Navy wife way" is as foreign to her as Italian. There is also the underlying issue of nuclear pollution. Is it acceptable to jeopardize residents' health and safety while keeping the peace in an area? The author does a masterful job of representing the main problem framed by affiliated smaller problems. On the surface, the book is about a young woman on a journey of self-discovery. The young woman is also exposed to the concerns and issues surrounding nuclear power. Fully experiencing this story is consequential, illustrating the difficulties encountered with early nuclear submarines.
I enjoy Rachel Beanland's books. Her characters are always complex, intriguing, and realistic. She is thought-provoking without preaching. Historical fiction readers, women's fiction readers, and general fiction readers will all enjoy this wonderful story. Thank you to Simon & Schuster, NetGalley, and Rachel Beanland for the early reader copy of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This is the third book by Rachel Beanland that I have read and like the previous two, it's a must read. The Half Life is a historical novel about a small island in Italy off the coast of Sardinia which housed a U.S. Naval base in the 1970's. It is also the story of a young American navy wife whose quick marriage to a naval officer led her to a two-year posting to Santa Maddelena where her husband was an officer who maintained the nuclear submarines based there. Eileen, whose brother was killed in Viet Nam, becomes enamored of the island and begins learning Italian and fitting in with the naval officers and their wives.
There is a lot to be learned here about Italian politics and the running of a sub base. There is also a finely drawn adjustment to and dissolution of a less-than-ideal marriage. Beanland is a gifted writer, and I found myself immersed for the almost 500 pages where the story develops in an edge of your seat way that was impossible to put down. I look forward to Beanland's next novel.
Thank you to the publisher for this early read and to Net Galley. These are my honest opinions.
Come back to your Review on the pub date, Jul 14 2026, to post to retailers.
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There is a lot to be learned here about Italian politics and the running of a sub base. There is also a finely drawn adjustment to and dissolution of a less-than-ideal marriage. Beanland is a gifted writer, and I found myself immersed for the almost 500 pages where the story develops in an edge of your seat way that was impossible to put down. I look forward to Beanland's next novel.
Thank you to the publisher for this early read and to Net Galley. These are my honest opinions.
Come back to your Review on the pub date, Jul 14 2026, to post to retailers.
Contact
Get Help
About
We Are Bookish
How It Works
Privacy Policy
Terms
Cookie Policy
International
www.netgalley.fr
www.netgalley.de
www.netgalley.jp
www.netgalley.co.uk
© 2026 NetGalley LLC
•
All Rights Reserved
This site uses cookies. By continuing to use the s
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
With the cold snap that hit last week, this is the perfect book to curl up with. I loved it. It's a quick book to read, I was completely absorbed in it and it certainly kept me warm. Eileen marries a US Navy guy whom she knows for only a few months and wham, they get sent to La Maddalena, a beautiful island and an archipelago of islands off the northeast coast of Sardinia, Italy. It does sound romantic already, doesn't it? And then she meets Teo. Not only is this a story about a young womans marriage plight but it is a great story, based on what could possibly go wrong with submarines in the archipelago.
I love the way Ms. Beanland writes. It is clear, emphatic and, pardon the pun, she does not mince words, and she is fun to read!! Thank you for your research on this subject, Ms. Beanland, the book was an education as well as entertaining reading for me!
Very highly recommended reading!
FYI, her book Florence Adler Swims Forever was incredible as well!
@netgalley @simonandshuster @rachelbeanland
I love the way Ms. Beanland writes. It is clear, emphatic and, pardon the pun, she does not mince words, and she is fun to read!! Thank you for your research on this subject, Ms. Beanland, the book was an education as well as entertaining reading for me!
Very highly recommended reading!
FYI, her book Florence Adler Swims Forever was incredible as well!
@netgalley @simonandshuster @rachelbeanland
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I am a huge fan of Rachel Beanland, and loved her last two books (both 5 stars for me!)! I was so excited to receive an ARC of this book, and wish I had liked it more. I enjoy historical fiction, but this story had too much history for me; Rather than providing an important backdrop for the story, I thought the amount of historical detail detracted from the main story, which seemed to be more of an young adult coming of age, drama, romance. As a native Richmonder, I continue to enjoy references to the city, and state of VA, in this author’s books! I am still looking forward to her next book!
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Kudos to Rachel Beanland, for the enormous amount of detailed research, that she uncovered. I was unaware of the US Navy’s presence, in the La Maddalena Archipelago, in the 1970s in Italy, where their nuclear-powered submarines resided. The unrest in Italy, involving Italian activists and scientists, was contentious. The reason for 3 stars is mainly due to the book’s historical and educational aspect. But, in my opinion, the coming of age of one of the main female characters (a young Navy wife), was written with a YA bent. The vivid details, describing her sexual awakening, were unnecessary to the degree recounted. Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for granting this ARC for my review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Rachel Beanland’s last book, The House Is on Fire, is one of my top ten reads of all time. It's THAT good, check it out immediately if you haven't read! So when I saw she had a new book coming out, I requested it on NetGalley without even reading the description! Once I started, I was completely absorbed by the characters, the setting, and the story. I even found myself Googling Sardinia and the U.S. Navy to learn more about the historical details woven throughout. As a longtime lover of historical fiction, this one was a huge win for me. It’s the perfect summer read if you’re craving a juicy story, a touch of history, and a stunning beach backdrop.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
A fascinating story of a time in history set of the coast of Italy. Taking place in the 1960's, the reader meets a young woman from Charleston, SC who has marrried a naval officer. Accompaning her husband to his new posting, she meets both other navy families and local Italians. When the navy submarines are suspected in the contamination of the environment, she has to choose what is the right course for her. Interspersed in the story is the woman's sexual awakening which may bother some readers.
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February 11, 2026I’m a huge fan of Rachel Beanland’s first two books, and The Half Life, her third, did not disappoint. I loved how different it was from her first two books. While the history was clearly very well researched, I enjoyed the love story! It was fun to be transported to an Italian island, too. I think this will be a perfect summer read that allows readers to escape their own lives and imagine what it would be like to start a new life in a place they know little about, a place where they’re not necessarily welcome.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Wow! This is such an interesting read. There is a great storyline and well developed characters that keep your interest. There is also a great deal of knowledge about the submarines that were docked off of the Italian coasts and the fallout from them. Found this a fascinating read. I was given an advanced reader copy by NetGalley and Simon and Schuster publishing and I am freely sharing my review.
#netgalley @netgalley #simonandshusterpublishing @simonandschusterpublishing #rachelbeanland @authorrachelbeanland
#netgalley @netgalley #simonandshusterpublishing @simonandschusterpublishing #rachelbeanland @authorrachelbeanland
Review of advance copy
I loved this book so much. It’s set in Italy during the 70s and has a lot of history I didn’t know about. You really feel like you get to know and care about the main character as she navigates a complex web of lies, politics and secrets. It kept building the suspense until the very end. Highly recommend!
Review of advance copy
Like the author’s other novels, this one did not disappoint. It’s informative and full of great prose. The characters are complex and endearing, and the author clearly did her homework researching the subject matter (the US nuclear program in the 70s) serving as the story’s backdrop. I loved every page and would highly recommend it.
Review of advance copy
I LOVED Rachel Beanland’s The Half Life … so much I read it in three days! Transported back to the 70s so it brought back a lot of fond memories. Great love story, with just enough U.S. military history to be fascinating. Highly recommend.
Want to read
January 24, 2026super excited for this.
February 1, 2026
I’m in love with this book! The pictures she paints are so vivid. I feel like I was on the island and got such a clear idea of life there for these characters. And the story is so captivating. Love!!
February 7, 2026
Review to follow
February 19, 2026
DRC from Edelweiss and Simon & Schuster
Eileen, 23 and living without much of a purpose since her brother died in the war. When Paul walks into her life, she falls hard and fast. He is in the Navy and is being deployed to Italy. They decide to get married and Eileen goes with him. Being in a country where you cant speak the language and are expected to behave in a certain way takes its toll on Eileen. She gets involved with some locals who are worried about radiation in the water and the Navy is basically ignoring them. She also meets Teo, a local newspaper reporter. Eileen finds that her marriage is not what she hoped and she gets drwan further into the lies and secrets of the Navy. She loves the island of La Maddalena and the other wives that she has met, but she no longer loves Paul.
A heartwarming story that actually teaches the reader a lot about the radioactivity of some of the Navy subs, the island of La Maddalena, and what it's like to be a navy wife.
Eileen, 23 and living without much of a purpose since her brother died in the war. When Paul walks into her life, she falls hard and fast. He is in the Navy and is being deployed to Italy. They decide to get married and Eileen goes with him. Being in a country where you cant speak the language and are expected to behave in a certain way takes its toll on Eileen. She gets involved with some locals who are worried about radiation in the water and the Navy is basically ignoring them. She also meets Teo, a local newspaper reporter. Eileen finds that her marriage is not what she hoped and she gets drwan further into the lies and secrets of the Navy. She loves the island of La Maddalena and the other wives that she has met, but she no longer loves Paul.
A heartwarming story that actually teaches the reader a lot about the radioactivity of some of the Navy subs, the island of La Maddalena, and what it's like to be a navy wife.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews