Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Beatriz Williams never disappoints. She manages to intrigue the reader by combining historical fiction with a present day love story beautifully! Single mother Mallory’s son Sam is airlifted to a hospital after eating poison mushrooms at summer camp. He will require a kidney transplant. This forces Mallory to come to terms with two secrets from her past as she tries to navigate a solution.
The second storyline takes place in 1951 and is the story of Hungarian refugee Hannah who finds herself entangled with spies and a passionate affair. How these women are connected becomes a page turner with characters that will haunt the reader. Enjoy!

Husbands and Lovers offers something for everyone - historical fiction, women’s fiction, romance, mystery, family drama, and buried secrets.

What I Loved:
✨Strong Female MCs: Mallory and Hannah are determined and resilient women, each navigating their unique challenges. Mallory's quick wit and unwavering dedication to her son, Sam, really stole my heart!
✨Dual Timeline (really 3?!): The story alternates between present-day Mallory, who seeks a kidney donor for her son Sam, and 1950s Cairo with Hannah. The third timeline retells Mallory and Monk’s love story. I found the storylines engaging and loved the rich history of Cairo, which could have been a book on its own. I really enjoyed how Williams connected the timelines.
✨Narration: Helen Laser and Caroline Hewitt did an excellent job bringing the characters to life. Their narration styles suited the book's tone perfectly, and their voices helped convey the story's emotional depth.

Other Highlights: Jewish Rep, Cobra Bracelet, DNA testing

Husbands & Lovers follows two women—Mallory in 2022 and Hannah in 1951—whose lives unfold across decades, connected by a family heirloom and devastating betrayals. As Mallory searches for a kidney donor for her son, she’s forced to revisit her past with the one who got away, while Hannah navigates a dangerous love affair in the midst of political turmoil.

I loved each couple in this story, especially Mallory and Monk. However I just wanted more from each love story, especially as each couple fell in love- I want to fall a little in love too! The character development was fantastic, and everyone felt real. Both POVs felt like two separate books in one, and I found myself wanting more from both stories individually. Also, the cover… it does not match the book at all, and that kind of thing drives me nuts.

Beatriz Williams really knows how to get you invested in messy, complicated relationships that feel totally real. The characters are so well-drawn that you understand everyone's perspective, even when they're making questionable choices. The writing pulls you in immediately, and before you know it, you're completely wrapped up in these people's lives. If you enjoy books that dig into the complications of marriage and desire with both intelligence and heart, you'll definitely want to pick this one up!

I love everything that Beatriz Williams writes and Husbands & Lovers is no different. From the dual timelines and vivid settings to the wonderfully crafted characters, she just hits the right note every single time.

Thank you to the author, Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy.

Is it important to know where you come from?

Three years ago Mallory received a life-changing call; her son, away at summer camp, had a life-threatening emergency and was rushed to the hospital. Now she is searching for a kidney donor for him as a result of that incident, hoping to give him a chance at a normal life. But there are secrets in Mallory's past that become entwined with her quest. The first involves her mother, who was adopted from an Irish orphanage in the 1950's; the other, the intense romance Mallory had with her best friend Monk, now a world-famous singer, a decade and a half earlier (one which ended abruptly and badly). The one clue to Mallory's past: an exotic cobra bracelet. Then there is Hannah, who survived the horrors of war in Europe in the 30's and 40's and has married an established older man for security, only to fall in love with another when she accompanies her husband on his posting to Cairo. Hopping back and forth between present day New England and Cairo of the 1950's, the stories of these women who endure hardships and love fiercely but find that it isn't always enough to bring happiness will intersect as their secrets are uncovered. Who you are and where you come from matters, but it isn't all that defines you.
Author Beatriz Williams brings a vivid sense of place and historical context to the novel's settings, and has created compelling characters in both Mallory and Hannah. Each woman is bound by the conventions of her time in history and her position in life; money and status can after all bring stability and comfort, but not always love. One person's choices will carry down to others later, and may require deep sacrifices. Glamorous locales, passions and heartbreak, and the journeys of the women who are the focus of the novel combine for an intriguing read. Fans of Williams' earlier novels will find this equal to its predecessors, and readers of authors like Martha Hall Kelly, Marie Benedict and Kristin Hannah should also give this a try. The pacing is inconsistent at times, and some may find the back-and-forth between time periods slightly confusing, but I found it an enjoyable read. My thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for allowing me access to a copy of this novel that combines women's fiction and romance between its covers (and what a cover it is!).

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine books for this ARC! Beatriz Williams does it again… loved the dual timelines blending the past and present!

Ever since seeing Beatriz Williams at an author event in Charleston, I have wanted to read everything she has written. This book does not disappoint for those who love her writing and voice.

Husbands & Lovers
Author Beatriz Williams
Available now!

I read Beatriz's latest novel in 2024, and Husbands & Daughters was one of my favorite historical fiction reads of the year. Dual timeline historical fiction is one of my favorites, and this one had that and even more! Thank you, @#ballantinebooks and @netgalley, for my #gifted e- arc.

With deep and dynamic female characters and filled with women's experiences and their struggle with class, privilege, heartbreak, and redemption, Husbands & Lovers is yet another unique novel to add to your tbr. Romance, first- loves, single motherhood, and set between Egypt and New England, two women are brought together by a family heirloom that uncovers deep family secrets. This one was such a special novel and I loved both of these women's stories.

Per usual - Beatriz Williams creates a two timelines that are both equally engaging. Her writing is really straight forward and clear. Enjoyed immensely!

Book 5 of 2025 - ✅! Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books & Beatriz Williams for an ARC of Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams.

Though a bit vain on my part, a book written by a fellow Beatriz is going to pique my curiosity. Beatriz Williams is an author that’s been on my TBR for a minute, and her book, The Beach at Summerly has been on my physical TBR for longer than I care to admit.

I’m a fan of historical fiction and romance, and in this novel, we have dual-timelines - Mallory Dunne in 2020s America, and the other in 1950s Egypt with Hannah Ainsworth. An heirloom ties both of these stories together. In the 2020s, Mallory’s story is kicked off by her and her sister trying to find a kidney donor match for Mallory’s son. This leads to the sisters learning more about their family history. The aptly named book goes into both Mallory and Hannah’s husbands and lovers, and explores each woman’s relationships with other members of their families, as well as family secrets & family history. I wouldn’t consider this book a romance, so much as it’s really a book about relationships in general.

Williams’ writing is engaging, and I plan to read The Beach at Summerly. 3/5 ⭐️ overall, and 2/5 🌶️ rating. 🏖️ 🇪🇬🔎 #NetGalley #HusbandsLovers

While the plot is engaging and the writing lush, some twists felt predictable, but overall it’s an enjoyable read that keeps you hooked until the end.

Beatriz Williams is becoming my favorite author of my time. I loved this setting even though I preferred her "present" than the past but I loved how it all tied together. I now want a snake ring!

“I think every day about how we’re all here because of a series of little miracles we know nothing about. The miracles that brought me right here, sitting in this chair beside you. What they sacrificed so I could live.”

oh.

“I think every day about how we’re all here because of a series of little miracles we know nothing about.”

oh.

three povs, three timelines is a recipe for a heartbreaking story.

Mallory Dunne is racing to find a kidney donor for her son, forcing her to face some painful family secrets—her mom’s adoption from a tough Irish orphanage and her own past romance with her childhood best friend, who’s now a world-famous singer. Back in 1951 Cairo, Hungarian refugee Hannah Ainsworth is caught between her rich British husband and a mysterious hotel manager tangled up in the world of spies.

This book had my attention from first page to last. It follows Mallory, a single mom whose son has a poisonous mushroom incident and ends up on dialysis until he can get a new kidney. She's exploring he family history in an effort to find one. There's a mysterious history with his father. It also follows her biological grandmother--a woman she only found out about after her mother's death--in the time leading up to how Mallory's mom came to be. Hannah is a British diplomat's wife in a period of unrest in 1950s Cairo, Egypt. Yes, it's as captivating as it sounds.

This is love story, a coming-of-age story, a civil unrest story. But most of all, it's a testament to the ups and downs of family and the unique history each of us has that led to our being. The characters are layered, centering on the matriarchs, and it's all beautifully written. I guessed one of the twists, but it didn't matter. The back and forth between generations was perfect. I absolutely loved it and will be looking into other books this author has written. This one is for fans of romance and intergenerational family dramas.

novel that masterfully intertwines dual timelines, delivering a rich tapestry of love, loss, and redemption. Set against the backdrop of 1950s Cairo and contemporary New England, the story follows two compelling protagonists. Williams’ storytelling prowess shines as she brings these eras to life, weaving intricate plots that keep readers engrossed. The novel delves deep into themes of privilege, class, and the female experience, presenting morally complex characters whose choices resonate across generations. The dual narratives are well integrated, offering a thoughtful exploration of how past decisions echo into the present.

I've not read Beatriz Williams before and I'm completely flummoxed as to why I hadn't. Monk and Mallory's story is told in dual (triple maybe) time lines. The present of 2022 and the history of Monk and Mallory from 2008 (and before) as well as Paige's and Mallory's family history from 1952. There was some history that I had never heard about and it was interesting to hear it from Hannah's point of view. The story is not all flowers and candy love. It is painful pasts (including something I absolutely had not expected), true loves that transcend time, painful presents as well as proof that in the end love CAN conquer all in some fashion. There were despicable characters and there were amazing beautiful characters and there many in between. In a time of sorrow, look to nature and the sun to find your way out. My favorite quote is, “It’s important to know where you came from,” she says. “It’s a part of you. But it doesn’t have to define you. They give you the paper and ink, but you write the story yourself.” It is very apropos in this day and age. Off to put her other books on my TBR, in particular, the Winthrop Island ones. I need more.

This sometimes tragic, sometimes triumphant novel takes you on a journey following two very different women who somehow are interconnected in Beatriz Williams' Husbands and Lovers. In present day, single parent Mallory faces a devastating situation when her son ingests a toxic death cap mushroom at camp. Should she finally get in touch with her son's father who doesn't know he has a child? At the same time, her mother passes away, revealing secrets that could change her life.

The other story involves Hungarian refugee Hannah Ainsworth who's unhappily living in Egypt with her older British diplomat husband in 1951. She meets a man who rekindles what she once thought was lost, but can she possibly endure more tragedy? Also, how are these women connected and how will the actions of one influence the future of another. The secrets could be found in the dazzling cobra bracelet that appears in both tales.

I've read quite a few of Beatriz Williams books. Some I absolutely loved while others felt slower and not as engaging to me. This book fully captured my attention. Both plots feel fresh and original with complex heroines you empathize with and root for. The level of romance and suspense worked for me in both stories. I swooned over the romantic scenes while feeling on the edge of my seat when you didn't know what may be waiting around the corner for our dear characters.

I actually didn't see some of the twists coming in either story. That made it that much more difficult to put down. I can definitely say that almost every character felt fully developed, whether you liked them or not. Some really pissed me off while others made me happy when good things happened to them. I loved both settings and hints of other stories and characters from her Williams' library of books as well as those possibly yet to come.

This blends beach book with historical fiction and whisks you away to Egypt and a summer escape off the coast of Long Island. You could easily devour this book during a vacation or maybe a weekend away. I could have focused solely on this book and really enjoyed it, but I'm a certified book hoarder. It made me think that I should read the books of Williams' that may be awaiting me on my tablet or at my local library or bookstore. Time will tell.

It took me a while to get into this story, especially the historical POV. But once I did, I struggled to put it down. One story told through two timelines. I appreciated the historical storyline, set in Egypt, and culminating in the Cairo Fire of 1952. I would have liked more details and time spent on this event, as I was not aware of the Cairo Fire prior to this. Maybe because of this, I did prefer the modern day storyline, and fell in love with Monk. He may be one of my favorite characters of all time. A very satisfying read.

I absolutely loved this book and couldn’t put it down! The story weaves an intense and heartfelt love story into a beautifully crafted plot, making it the ultimate page-turner. The seamless transitions between modern times and 1952 Egypt added a captivating depth, and I was enthralled by the romance involving one of the world’s most iconic singer-songwriters. Every twist had me rooting for the characters to find their happy endings, making this an unforgettable read!