Another great book by Beatriz Williams. I highly recommend this. She does a beautiful job weaving the two story lines together. I love that one of the story arcs takes place in Egypt, since I haven't read about that area. The characters come to life and I hated for it to end. Five stars!

WOWWWW! FIVE ENTHUSIASTIC STARS!!!
I loved this dual timeline story about complicated family connections. With its mix of compelling characters, romance, drama, and a bit of WWII spy intrigue (plus Cairo!) - I'm calling this the *perfect* summer read.
Our main character in the present-day story, is Mallory, a single mom of a 13-year old boy with kidney failure. Good thing she has the emotional and financial support of her sister, Paige.
Our main character in the 1950's Cairo story is Hannah, who turns out to be quite the European heroine! About a third of the way into the book, it's easy to see where the connections between Hannah and Mallory will be made.
Throw in medical drama, a rock star, and a wealthy New England beach scene - this book kept me turning the pages! Loved it and definitely recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to read an ARC of Husbands & Lovers. I really like Beatriz Williams' books and this was no exception. The story included several different timelines - Hungary during WW2, Egypt after WW2, New England in the early 2000s and modern day. I really enjoyed how the timelines intertwined. It was somewhat predictable but overall a fast paced, enjoyable read.

When I spotted this new one by Beatriz Williams, I was all over it! There is a lot of depth and background to the tale (maybe a bit too much at times) especially the historical timeline. But I really enjoyed the more modern story which kept me racing through the pages. Surprisingly it gets a bit steamy at times, somewhat of a departure from this author. Definitely a great beach read with romance, drama and historical fiction that should please many readers. My thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I just finished reading the ebook, Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams.

Let me tell you, I couldn’t put this one down.

I was so invested in Mallory’s story. I was heartbroken to read about what essentially led her away from
Winthrop. I was so happy that she finally found her happily-ever-after by the end.

Hannah’s story was not as easy for me to follow, but was quite intriguing. That lady faced a lot.

Loved the story about the cobra bracelet and loved the very end.

This was a good one. Not sure why I sat on it for so long.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 stars

Husbands & Lovers is another great story by Beatriz Williams! Written as a dual timeline we first meet Hannah who is married to a British diplomat and living in Egypt in the 1950's. Then there is Mallory who has a son who is in desperate need of a kidney transplant. Both women find a second chance at love and have a mysterious bracelet that ties them together.. A great summer read!

A great blend of historical fiction and romance! I enjoyed the dual time line and strong women, the twist and turns, both privilege and sacrifice, love and heart break. I love how the author so easily captures the emotions of her characters in every book she writes! A go to author for me! A five star read!

There are no bad Beatriz Williams books, but some are better than others. This is my favorite among her more recent offerings, and a huge improvement on the last story set in this location.

Beyond the location there is no relationship between this and the other Winthrop novel, which is probably a good thing. This story doesn’t really deal with anything terribly original in terms of plot, but the way Williams builds the story and develops her characters is truly singular.

In terms of setting and general plot structure, the Cairo timeline is more appealing. But the modern timeline is such a well-drawn character study that I was just as riveted by that, unusual for a reader who generally tends to prefer the historical content in a dual timeline book.

I appreciate Williams’ ability to write tough and complicated women, as well as her ability to write interesting male characters, be they hero or villain. I wish she’d left out the severe trauma reveal at the end of the modern timeline because it really changes the tone of the book and veers a bit close to tragedy porn for my taste, but it does do a very good job of explaining the protagonist’s previously frustratingly inexplicable decision making when it comes to her choice to walk away from what appears to be her future and the man she’ll spend it with.

Oh Wow! This book kept me up all night reading – I could not put it down!! That’s how beautiful this story is! This was my first Beatriz Williams book, and now I get why she is a beloved author!
In this dual timeline set years apart, the stories of Hannah and Mallory unfold until they intertwine in a remarkable way. A bit of a mystery but mostly a romance and the many aspects of love. But the most endearing part of this novel, was the love story of Mallory and Monk. The young crush, the first love, the heartbreak and the intricate relationship they now have. There’s no sweeter, vulnerable male character than Monk Adams, I couldn’t help but fall in love with him too. With settings during the summer in New England, this is the perfect beach read if you want something with depth.
This book was so much more than I expected and I highly recommend it!!

It took a bit to get into the book but once I saw how the characters connected I breezed through it! I love books that change time and perspective and this fit the bill!

This book had a lot of potential. We follow two timelines — Hannah, a young European wife living in Egypt in the 1950s, and Mallory, a mother living in New England in the present day reunited with a long lost love of the past. There was a lot I enjoyed — The characters (at least in the Hannah’s story) were well-developed, the writing was compelling, the set-up was intriguing… and yet… by about halfway through the novel, I was confused about why this book had the historical timeline at all. Hannah’s story felt like it needed to be more fully fleshed out. It actually had a really compelling story but it was a tiny part of the book compared to the Mallory’s story, and while they were related, they didn’t really feel intertwined and it felt like the book would have been stronger without the historical story at all. Or maybe that story should have been its own book. It just felt like the author was trying to force the two together in a dual-timeline story because it’s so popular in the genre. I don’t know… There was a lot I enjoyed but ultimately, the historical timeline felt like it needed to be either more fleshed out and more relevant to the main story in this book or cut all together.

Also, I love the cover but after reading the book, neither the cover nor the title match the book at all. I’m really not sure what they were going for with either.

Book hangover time

This story, told in 3 timelines, moved back and forth, constructing the lives of Mallory, Monk, Sam and their families back to the early 1950’s. There were a few quirks in the book, but they might have been removed before publication so I won’t include them in this review.

There’s history, intrigue, love, heartbreak and redemption woven throughout, and I just wanted to keep reading to see what happens, and now that it’s over, I do have the classic book hangover. Luckily I am headed out soon so I’ll have a break before starting the next book.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

Husbands and Lovers is an excellent mesh of historical fiction, love story, suspense, and steller writing. Set in two periods of time, it is the story of Mallory, a young woman who is struggling with her son's need to have a kidney transplant. Hannah's story takes place in Egypt during the 1950's. Egypt, a time of great political unrest and Egypts attempt to overthrow British rule. Both women faced harrowing and heartbreaking times. I loved this book and found it to be both a suspenseful page turner and an unforgettableble read. I just can't say enough positives about this book that I will not forget. Thank you, Netgalley, publisher, and especially Beatriz Williams for the opportunity to read Husbands and Lovers in exchange for my honest review.

Beatriz Williams is a genius. Pure and simple. Everything she writes is absolute magic. I am a sucker for books with any ties to Egypt, let's be honest Egypt is so interesting who wouldn't be. But she has such a way of weaving past and present together, the modern issues mixed in with historical events that has you yearning to read the next page. This book had a good chunk of exposition on the front end, but it was all very worth it. I loved this book, I hated this book, I had to put it down and walk away a few times. But it was perfect. Definitely top ten material.

So grateful to have gotten to read this early from NetGalley!

Just the most delightful book; I enjoyed every minute. Williams’ story is part historical fiction, part contemporary fiction with some romance sprinkled in. The story follows two women from the same family, modern day Mallory in New England and her post WWII grandmother Hannah in British occupied Cairo, with dual timelines. They are connected by a family heirloom bracelet while capturing each of their stories of love, loss and struggle. The story is captivating and I enjoyed every minute.

Thanks NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this lovely eARC experience. This book came out on 6/25/24 and I think it will be a great addition to anyone’s reading list!

Review published on Instagram on 7/3/24:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C8-_16SgM-J/?igsh=MTljeXh3NzV3YXl0bg==

A new favorite from Beatriz Williams! 🩵
Thank you, Random House & PRH Audio, for the gifted copy of Husbands & Lovers {partner}

Genre: Historical Fiction
Time: 1951 & 2022
Format: 🎧📖
Pub Date: 6.25.2024
Pages: 384
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

What a journey this was! Beatriz Williams' novels consistently take me on an adventure as they feature strong female protagonists full of tenacity and ambition, but Husband & Lovers just hit differently. It was full of so much more than I normally find in Williams stories - maybe it was the mood I was in, the audiobook narration, or it was just that good. Either way, it had me hooked from start to finish. 

The characters, setting, romance, and family mystery provided everything I look for when reading this genre. I simply couldn't get enough of Husbands & Lovers and was genuinely disappointed that the story was over. It may be the book that pulls me out of my historical fiction reading rut. I can't wait to see what Beatriz Williams comes up with next. 

Audiobook Review: ☆☆☆☆☆
I opted to listen with my ears, and let me tell you that Helen Laser ( narrated Yellowface, Don't Forget to Write, and The Wedding People) and Carolina Hewitt (narrated Meant to Be, House on Biscayne Bay, and the Leftover Woman) did an incredible job. They undoubtedly brought the story to life and flawlessly portrayed every ounce of emotion, allowing the characters to shine even brighter than they already did. 

Read if you enjoy:
🩵 Unfinished love stories
✌🏼 Dual timeline
💪🏼 Redemption
🔍 Mystery
🤔 Thought-provoking storys

I recommend reading Husbands & Lovers if you're looking for a binge-worthy historical fiction to read by the pool this summer.

This one was fun! I really liked both POVs and all three timelines, and I feel like the conflict of the middle timeline was really fair. While she made choices I would never, I understood her perspective and it made for an interesting storyline with a lot of character growth! I love Monk, he is so precious. The historical part was a little flat for me comparatively but still enjoyable!

Beatriz Williams does it again with a multi-faceted, well written novel that transports you to a different day and time. A great summer getaway!

Beatriz Williams just never disappoints. Telling the story of Hannah in 1950s Cairo and Mallory in 2008 (and present-day), deftly weaves a story of family, love, and the lengths one goes for their children. Set on Winthrop Island, I loved seeing characters from old books pop up and there was a bit of a cliffhanger at the end that I'm hoping will set up nicely for a continuation of this loose universe. There was a bit of a shocking twist at the end that felt a little forced and I had a hard time getting into this one because of the three separate timelines but all in all another lovely edition from Beatriz Williams.

This book was fantastic. Suspenseful and artfully written between multiple timelines and points of view. It was a fantastic mix of historical fiction and contemporary romance. It felt fresh and interesting and kept me on the edge of my seat. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc.