Thank you, Net Galley and Random House, for the arc of Husbands and Lovers — all the intrigue of Beatriz Williams’ past novels and such love woven throughout. A novel written with care given to our pasts.

Thank you to @netgalley and @RandomHouseBallatine for this ARC. A split timeline between Cairo 1950 and Winthrop Island 2022. Cairo - Hannah is married to a British diplomat working in Cairo. They met in a refugee camp after she fled Hungary during the war. He was her way out to a stable life. Winthrop Island - Mallory was a single mom to a 10 year old son. After a tragic accident, Sam needs a new kidney and knows the man she walked away from 10 years ago very well may save her son's life. What sacrifices was she willing to make? I love the way the two stories relate. Really good book! #HusbandsandLovers #BeatrizWilliams #RandomHouseBallatine #June2024

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Special thanks to Beatriz Williams, Net Galley, and Random House Books for this arc of Husbands and Lovers, out this June 2024! I was so excited to grab this book, as I’ve heard so many wonderful things about this author.

As a mom, the beginning instantly shook me. Even stranger, is that my son’s birthday is the same as the character’s son, Sammy, in the book, which shook me again. Mallory gets a call that rocks her world, and so begins her part of the story. A single mom raising a 13 year old, with a history and secrets that no one knows but her.

Hannah is our second main character, and her story takes us back to the 1950’s in Egypt. This story discusses how Hannah became Hannah… her current marriage, affairs, love and war, and how every decision she made catapulted her future life.

I am usually ALL for dual plot lines, even flashbacks. I truly do love the dual plot lines and the drama and questions it brings to my mind. But for some reason, this book made me confused at times, even though I’m not even reading another book. Maybe because there is a lot going on… affairs, love, war, friendships, children, adoption, family discoveries, etc… so there’s a lot of things to keep track of, on top of going back and forth with the two story lines. I was anxious to see how they would line up, and was rooting for all the strong ladies of these stories.

A few things that stood out to me was this author’s style of writing. I loved it and devoured her words. This was my first novel by her, and I am definitely intrigued in her other works now. I like how she developed the characters as the novel went on. I felt like I was learning more and more about each person as the chapters went on. I can also tell that she spent a lot of time researching this heavy, real topics, even though it’s historical fiction. ( Read the author’s note~ she describes her research, how she thought of this concept, and the real historical events that pushed her to write this book. )

Two things that held me back…. The ending and the organization of the timelines. I wish the chapters were more linear and didn’t go back and forth as much inside each chapter, because it would be a 5 star read. And the ending… I kept flipping back and forth between pages because I felt like I was missing pages. Is there a second novel in the works?! Because …. There really needs to be after how it ended!

I always enjoy Beatriz Williams' books - they are light and fun but contain enough historical research to keep things interesting. Husbands & Lovers is no different. I would have preferred a little more of the Egypt story but overall a super quick read and when this comes out in June, will be a perfect vacation book.

Closer to a 4.5 purely for the grip it had on me. The absolute chaos of this novel, many elements I dislike in a book, and extremely questionable character actions but I could not put it down and felt like clutching it to myself. I had to stay up until 1:30 am to finish.

It reminded me of the grip One Hundred Summers had on me, and while I liked them fine, none of her other books had the same effect until this one.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing me an ARC of Husbands & Lovers by @authorbeatriz - it turned out to be one of my absolute top books for 2024 so far!

Length: 368 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance/Women's Fiction
Publication Date: June 25, 2024

Synopsis:
Without giving too much away (because there are SO many gasps, shocks, sighs, teary moments, triumphs)... this book follows the lives of two women from two different time periods.

Cairo, Egypt, 1951: Hannah Ainsworth is spending time with her husband while he is acting as a British diplomat during a very heated time in post WWII Egypt where tensions are high between the Egyptian nationalists and the British who are grasping to keep control of the Suez Canal. Her somewhat loveless marriage leads her into a passionate affair with a Swiss hotel manager, thus steering her life into a direction that will have long-lasting consequences on her children and grandchildren to come.

New England, 2022: Single mother, Mallory Dunne, struggles to find her purpose and footing after an unexpected accident leaves her only son, Sam, in need of a new kidney. She finds herself back in touch with Sam's father (and past love of her life), now famous singer, Monk Adams. Monk was unaware that Mallory had Sam, as she fled their relationship abruptly 13 years ago for a mysterious reason. Is their old love story finished? And what will happen to Mallory and her sister when they discover that their mother was actually adopted from an orphanage with only a beautiful golden cobra bracelet as a link to her birth mother's mysterious past?

My opinion:
There is really SO much to discover and unpack in this book. It is really a story of love, both amorous and parental, and that women will and HAVE gone to great lengths to protect their families, and own hearts from those who seek to rip them apart. Just wait until you make the connections between both storylines- you HAVE to read this one! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5!

Thanks for the opportunity to read this advanced copy! It was definitely an interesting read. The book goes between three different time frames and switched up a lot, not always any indication that the next paragraph would be different time, so had to pay attention. It took my a little while to get into the book, the middle was intriguing and kept me engaged, the ending was quite abrupt. I really feel like as thorough as rest of book was the ending could have been a little more. All in all a good read.

What a phenomenal book! It was thoroughly captivating, and it tugged on me on so many levels. I love moving historical fiction, and I love books that look at love and identity with a very honest lens, and this book has both. This novel had me totally enthralled!

There's much to love about this book. Here's some of what you get: two incredibly clever protagonists; British colonial Egypt; that devilishly handsome boy, who you had that summer fling with, turned into an international music sensation; cobras; clueless New Englanders; mushrooms; yes, a bit of sex (maybe more than a bit); aunts who really lived it up back in the seventies, and more! These are some of the shiny things that drew me into a very enjoyable and sophisticated story.

Regarding the plot, this story is set during three timelines. Hannah in 1950's Cairo, and her granddaughter, Mallory, set around 2008 during her college years and then set in 2022. Hannah is a Hungarian refugee who finds herself marrying a British diplomat, many years her senior, and they find themselves in British colonial Egypt. This is where Hannah meets Lucien Beck, and they become lovers.

In Mallory's college timeline, she falls in love with Monk Adams while working on Winthrop island for the summer. They're are SO in love with each other. It's beautiful.

Then in the 2022 timelines, Mallory and Monk have split for some terrible reason. Monk becomes a celebrity through his music. In this timeline, Mallory and Monk have had a son, but Mallory raises him alone. He needs a kidney transplant. Mallory and her sister Paige also learn that their mother is adopted, and they search for their family roots.

The book had a writing style that had me often savoring every word, every metaphor. It's just so skillfully and evocatively written. Scenes in the plot were so beautifully rendered, from the "this is awesome!" moments to the "did that just happen?!?" moments. This is a wonderful historical novel with vibrant characters you find yourself loving and despising, often at the same time.

Among many topics, the story examines interactions among different classes of society. Colonialism in Egypt features prominently as well. There's some difficult topics here as well, and they are heartbreaking. No one can truly understand what horrific things happened to them unless they went through it themselves.

Ultimately, traveling through this novel was transformative for me. It wasn't flawless - there seemed to be minor narrative elements that didn't add up, or maybe I just missed something a few times. I don't know. But these flaws are overwhelmingly outweighed by the novel's profound emotional impact, intriguing plot and its courage to look honestly at the value and deep humanity of a physical connection of two people.

This book is among one of my top reads this year, and I absolutely recommend it!

I received this ARC from NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

This has been one of my favorite books of 2024. I am a big Beatriz Williams fan and this is her best one yet. I absolutely love how the story was told from two different points of view and how it was two different stories that flipped back and forth. I absolute loved Mallorys story. I did predict one or two things that were going to happen, like with the kidney, but overall I really loved this book.

Who can weave historical fiction and contemporary chick lit romance as well as Beatriz Williams? I loved this one! Much like her books Her Last Flight and The Summer Wives, Williams tells a story of lives intertwining through decades. Love, loss, heartache, and second chances. Plenty of mystery and surprise as well.

I loved the side character Paige, our main character’s sister. She’s no nonsense and blunt. Says what needs to be said and doesn’t romanticize the facts. I just really enjoyed her wisdom and sisterly advice!

My only complaint with Husbands and Lovers is the cover and title. There was tragedy. A lot of serious and traumatic things the characters went through. But the cover looks really light. This isn’t just a fun summer book that takes place on the Connecticut shore. Regardless it was SO good.
I wasn’t sure how it was going to end. I couldn’t put it down the last 75 pages. It all came together so perfectly. I would love to read more of these characters!

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC of Husbands and Lovers. Be sure to get your copy June 25th!

I would like to thank Net Galley, Random House and Meg Whalen, for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC. I have read several of her books and I wanted to read this one. It was , for me, just ok. It was the story of 2 women, Mallory, a present day single mother, and Hannah, who was Hungarian, married to a British man, in Cairo in 1951. The two stories were told in alternating chapters with the different time lines. I usually am fine with various time lines, but these were a bit difficult to follow.Hannah had a backstory set in Hungary during WWII, that that was not its own timeline, but imbedded as flashbacks within her 1951 timeline, which was a bit confusing. Mallory had 2 time lines, 2008 and 2022, with flashbacks to other times as well. There was a lot of information and a lot of characters and plot line to follow. Mallory has a son , who has a medical emergency in 2019, that she is dealing with in 2022. Her sister urges her to contact her son's father, but Mallory is insistent that he not be involved. He never knew she was pregnant and for reasons that become clear later ( much later),she never wanted him to know. Hannah has a past life in Hungary during the war,and is trying to make a new life in Cairo.The story lines are heavy , complex and finally intertwine. There is a lot to unpack and I was well beyond the 50% mark until things started to sort themselves out. It is well written, with complex characters. There are a lot of characters, in all time lines, which can be confusing at times. As Mallory navigates her son's condition, and the aftermath of her choices, a new storyline emerges- Mallory and her sister Paige discover that their mother was adopted from an orphanage in Ireland. Suddenly, the cobra bracelet that their mother left to Mallory, takes on a new meaning.She had said it was a gift from her mother, and now Mallory and Paige need to figure out who their grandmother really was. The mystery of Mallory's son father is cleared up fairly early, but a whole new set of problems and characters unspool.This is an overstuffed book , interesting , but unwieldy.

3.5 rounded up for Hannah’s story. There is a lot going on timeline-wise in this book, but they are distinct and easy to keep track of. Mallory has two timelines (2008 and 2022) and Hannah’s story (1952) with flashbacks. The stories are tied together with a bracelet (that sounds gorgeous) and a secret, but otherwise are totally separate. I found Mallory’s story interesting, but predictable, while Hannah’s story could have been its own standalone novel. Granted, I’m a sucker for World War II era stories, but the take of Hannah, Hungarian born, married to an older Englishman, in Egypt after the war was not typical and I learned a lot. Her back story made me cry and I was very invested in her storyline. I’ve read a few of this author’s previous books, so it was fun to visit Winthrop Island again.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy and a chance to read this early. All opinions are my own.

I enjoy the writing style of Beatriz Williams and have read multiple books of hers. So I was thrilled to be able to receive a copy of this book. Told in two alternating parts, this story is captivating and intriguing. First part involves Mallory Dunne, who has a young son, Sam who is her heart. When Sam has a horrific experience eating a Death Cap Mushroom at summer camp, Mallory has to confront the past in order to find a kidney for Sam. Adam Monks, is the boy, Mallory fell in love with one summer, the summer that produced Sam. Now, she has to tell Adam about a son, he never knew about. Paige, Mallory’s sister is doing genealogy research on their mother, who was adopted to see if they can find a suitable donor.

Second part involves Hannah Ainsworth, a wife of a British diplomat, they are currently posted in Cairo. Tensions are rising in Cairo, the Egyptians want their country to themselves, spies and secrets are hidden everywhere. When Hannah meets Lucien, the manager of a hotel where the Brits like to hang out, worlds collide in ways Hannah never expected.

This story shows the power of love, the power of human endurance and the lengths people go for both. This is a delightful read, so enjoyable, well written, and it flows well between the alternating timelines. The author does a wonderful job of capturing the emotions of her characters, as a reader I can appreciate the finesse of her style. Find a comfy chair, get a drink and settle in for a dang good read.

I love Beatriz Williams’ novels, and this was no exception. The three story lines were a bit difficult to follow though. Hannah’s story seemed a bit rushed and unfinished, and I could not tell how the two protagonists were connected to one another until much later in the story. A cobra bracelet family heirloom shows up in Mallory’s timeline and does not seem like anything but a bracelet. But we subsequently find that this bracelet connects Hannah and Mallory in unexpected ways. This was a deeply moving novel. I recommend this book.

Beatriz Williams does it again! Great writing! I particularly loved the current day plot with Mallory.

If you are looking for a women's fiction book with substance, look no further!

Beatriz Williams has a way that captures both history and a unique love story that captures your attention and doesn’t let go. Mallory, a single mom, gets the dreaded phone call that her son Sam has eaten a poisonous mushroom at summer camp. She deals with all the health issues with the help of her sister Paige as they await a much needed kidney for Sam. Through flashbacks we learn about Mallory’s past life and love. Another storyline is 1951 Cairo as we encounter Hannah and her tragic life and her loveless marriage. A distinctive family heirloom ties the two stories together. Switching between the two timelines was a bit confusing but I was invested in both stories but I preferred Mallory’s. I loved the way the author connected the two lives through history while entertaining with their love stories. Perfect for all her fans! #Husbands&Lovers #BeatrizWilliams #NetGalley

I have read several of Beatriz Williams book, and have enjoyed them all. This book lives up to the author's talent. Traveling between the turbulence of Cairo, Egypt in 1951 to the society life on Winthrop Island, New York in 2008, and 2022, one woman's journey to find a kidney for her ailing 11 year old son sets up revelations of family secrets long buried. This book is a lesson in history, and a lesson in love. I would highly recommend this to any fans of historic fiction, and Beatriz Williams.

I’ve read one other Beatriz Williams book, The Summer Wives (which also takes place on Winthrop Island, like this one!), so I was excited to read this ARC of her new release. Thank you very much to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to provide this review.

This one was a slow burn for sure, but I ended up really enjoying it! I was immediately invested in Mallory’s story in both timelines, but it took me longer to be invested in Hannah’s and to understand how the stories were connected. As soon as I got into Hannah’s story, though, man, I was hooked! I liked her background story and it’s slow uncovering more than the love story, and the last sentence of the book gave me chills.

I did predict the end of Mallory’s storyline, aside from the above mentioned last sentence, but that didn’t make it any less enjoyable. It was fun to read both perspectives while watching Mallory and Paige uncover things and then see some of it play out in Hannah’s story. There were a couple of small loose ends in Hannah’s story that I wish had been explained.

If you like historical fiction mixed with contemporary fiction and Beatriz William’s writing and storytelling style, I think you will absolutely enjoy this book! A solid 4 star read!

Few contemporary authors can craft a page-turner these days better than bestselling author Beatriz Williams. Not only is she prolific but her stories hook you from the start. And I have read many, many of her novels.

The two central characters are Mallory Dunne, an artistic, middle class single mom with a pre-teen boy, and rich boy Monk Adams, who happens to be Mallory's best friend from high school. The ups and downs of their relationship provide unity, passion, and angst to the novel, which is essentially a romance.

However, layered on top of that romance is SO MUCH drama. Drama that never stops! Drama that would crush an ordinary person. First, there are multiple storylines in different time periods with different characters to track. Then, sprinkled in are real events and people from history; British Colonization, World War II (both the Siege of Leningrad and the Soviet Invasion of Hungary), the beginnings of the State of Israel, and the Egyptian populace toppling of King Farouk in 1952. Wait, there's more! Including but not limited to illegitimate children, snakebite, arson, kidney transplant, murder, alcoholism, blended families, infidelity, wealth, adoption, espionage, rape, genealogy, social media, and the cult of stardom. Like I said - so much drama!

It's an enjoyable read. Not surprisingly, a real page turner! And there are both unexpected AND expected twists and turns to the plot. However, the reason I could not award it five stars is because HUSBAND AND LOVERS got to be a bit over the top for me. I increasingly wound up feeling like I was watching one of the more recent MISSION IMPOSSIBLE movies -- where the effort to top previous films goes beyond the believable and into the ridiculous.

I certainly recommend the book. And I remain a fan of this author. Just remember there is sometimes a thin line between fiction and fantasy.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Ballantine for an advanced copy of " Husbands and Lovers". Williams was one of the first historical fiction authors that made me truly love historical fiction, and this book reiterated what a fantastic author she is. One of the things I have always enjoyed about her writing is that there are always two narrators, with one being in the present and one in the past. This story focuses on Mallory, a single mother who receives a call no mother wants to receive from her sons camp saying he swallowed a poisonous mushroom. He goes into kidney failure and she needs to find a transplant for him. The other narrator is Hannah, a Hungarian spy who is married to a man she doesn't love and desperate for another child after losing her two other children to illness. The stories take a little to merge together, but once you see how these two women are connected, you can't help but get chills. Williams has done it again.