I loved this story set in two different time periods and two different countries. It was hard to put down read it in three afternoons.

Husbands & Lovers- now that’s a title that will get your attention!! I loved the multiple timelines in this book and the author brings them together beautifully. This is my first book by this author but I quickly fell in love with her writing style. This one should definitely be on everyone’s TBR!

Thank you NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for an ARC copy of this book.

I am obsessed with this book! Straight from the prologue I was hooked on the story. What a timeless, bittersweet story to read as a mother. Spanning across multiple timelines., this book took me on a journey that I’ll never forget

This is such an amazing novel. It’s set in two different time periods and follows Mallory, a single mom with an ill son and Hannah, stuck in a loveless marriage in Egypt during the 1950s. I love dual time periods and how the author makes the stories come together. I highly recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House publishing for the ARC of Husbands & Lovers.

This was a really great story. I loved the historical elements and the settings in two different eras and countries to showcase different cultures and times. It was a great story of self discovery and overcoming challenges life throws at you. I sometimes found the writing style hard to follow but the story was so great I enjoyed it just the same.

Holy Mother of God. I never expected to see my hometown in a novel but there it is! I’m still giddy over it!
Ok, Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine books for this advance reader copy of Husband and Lovers in exchange for a fair review!
Using multiple timelines, we get a love story, a historical fiction, and DNA testing surprises all rolled into one.
I thought there was a lot going on with the multiple timelines that slowed it down for me. The Mallory/Monk story could have been one book, as could the earlier timelines. It just took me a while to latch on to one when I was really enjoying the other (I’ll let you decide). After about halfway, the book picks up and then it’s an exciting ride. A couple of characters were just blah for me and I wanted more of others.
For my particular book club, I wouldn’t choose this title, but would recommend the book to patrons.
3.5 rounded to 4

What can I say about a Beatriz Williams book other than wow! I absolutely love her writing and in my eyes she can do no wrong. But I do have to say this might be my favorite book to date. My favorite genre is historical fiction and beyond that I love a dual time line. The way Beatriz weaves these two stories together is exciting and satisfying. It’s a wonderful ride and you will enjoy every minute of it. A definite “can not put down” book!

Rounding up to 4.5. Beatriz Williams creates such vivid pictures with her writing. The love story between Monk and Mallory was perfect and I couldn't get enough of the backstory about Hannah. The varying timelines kept me engaged from the very beginning. Don't sleep on reading this one!

📚 Book Review 📚

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for an arc in exchange for my honest opinions.

Publication: June 25, 2024

Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

This is my first book by Williams and it won’t be my last! I had a bit of a hard time rating this because there were things I liked but things I struggled with.

I loved Hannah’s timeline but ultimately there was too much plot for me to connect fully to the story. Health issues, secret pregnancies, adoptions, historical issues in the 50’s, etc.

I would categorize this book as a drama with some historical pieces involved.

Perfect for fans of:
🖊️ 3rd person POV
📕 Three timelines
🖊️ 1950’s Egypt historical pieces
📕 Surprise pregnancies
🖊️ Family secrets
📕 Health issues
🖊️ Descriptive writing
📕 Family drama

Prior to reading Beatrix Williams new historical fiction book, Husbands and Lovers, I had not read a book by her in a few years. While, I did enjoy the plot and ultimately gave the book three stars, I found quite a bit of the book’s language crass and unnecessary
I enjoyed the characters, especially Sam, and Mallory and Paige’s relationship.
I will not spoil the ending but I was surprised by one of the developments, later in the book.
The going back and forth to Paige and Mallory’s grandmother’s story was interesting.

I know that Beatriz is a popular author. This is the first book I have read by her so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I absolutely loved the storyline of two parralell lives. Both women are strong and fierce in navigating their obstacles.
This book is absolutely fantastic and will stick with me for a long time. I am going to absolutely read another one of Beatriz’s books. I completely understand why she’s so popular! Thank you for the advanced copy!

A perfect blend of history and romance. It takes you through a journey through time and heartaches. Perfect for a lazy afternoon. Loved it easy read. Dual setting two woman separated by time. Such a page turner.

Husbands & Lovers is the perfect summer read! I flew through this book and was not ready for it to end. What a beautiful historical and modern day romance!

This book is about secrets, love and inner strength. The three different timelines in this book follow Hannah’s story, taking place in Egypt after Would War II, and the other two timelines follow Mallory’s past and present, in New England. I found myself enthralled with both their stories. I was heartbroken for Hannah and the insurmountable losses she faces, but filled with so much hope for Mallory and what the future holds for her. The way Monk effortlessly fit into Mallory’s life was precious. He was such a refreshing and like able character, I couldn’t help but fall in love with him. Even though he is engaged to someone else and a famous musician, he doesn’t hesitate to welcome Mallory and her son, whom he has never met, back into his life. I couldn’t stop reading until I knew if Mallory and Monk were going to get their happily ever after or not.

I definitely recommend adding this book to your summer reading list! You will not be able to put down this beautiful written story.

This was a great read! I loved how the author explored the relationships of all the main characters. I was so caught up in everyone's personal story & could not wait to see how it would all come together in the end. The characters were richly developed & the anticipation was high to see where the story would go next. I enjoyed the historical fiction aspects of the book as well.

I finished this book within 24 hours. It was a wonderful three time-line book that ties together the stories of two women that are linked by a beautiful cobra bracelet. The story of Hannah is tragic and strong. It was interesting to watch it unfold. Mollie's story stretches over her teenage years into adult hood when a freak accident happens at her son's camp. As the stories converge together, a beautiful story emerges. This book held me captive and did not let me go until the very last page. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read and give my opinion.

I love Beatriz Williams and found myself wanting to love this book a bit more than I did. (I'd likely give it a 3.5 if I didn't have to round up).

What I loved:
*The intergenerational connection.
*The story told from from multiple perspectives.
*The intrigue and surprises.
*The descriptions that made me feel like I was in Cairo and at the shore.

What I didn't love:
*There were a lot of threads and mini-storylines. Maybe too many.
*The Egyptian narrative needed (or I craved) a bit more detail about Hannah's story and the espionage element.
* I struggled to relate to Mallory. I wanted to...and there were glimmers, but I found myself more interested in her sister and even Monk.

This book is amazing. I could not put it down. This is my first Beatriz Williams book, but it will not be my last! She was able to combine multiple eras, genres, and styles together to create something outstanding. I felt so connected to the characters and storyline that I didn't want it to end. I reread the ending and enjoyed it more the second time than the first. I hope Beatriz Williams comes out with a sequel that gives more information about what happened to Hannah, as well as more of Mallory and Monk. Bravo, Beatriz Williams, I can't wait to read the next one!

I really enjoyed this book and the sweeping stories it told. The "current" timeline was my favorite and it made me teary at times. The "far past" story was interesting but sometimes I wasn't really sure it tied into the main story. I did love the ending though and how everything really came together. The female figures in the book were strong and interesting characters, full of surprises and exciting to read about. The settings were beautiful backdrops. Great story!

Beatriz Williams never disappoints! Two women in two different eras, struggling to rebuild their lives: a WWII-scarred Hungarian ex-countess now trying to adapt to life as wife to a British diplomat, a modern-day artist molding her every day around a son with damaged kidneys and little hope of a transplant. Both women are linked by mysterious lovers and an even more mysterious family heirloom that ties 21st century New England to postwar Cairo. Sensitive, thought-provoking, romantic, and entertaining!

Husbands & Lovers was a great read! Love, romance, and sacrifices of two strong women decades apart make this Historical Fiction one of my favorites for this year. Two timelines one in Egypt and the other in Massachusetts come together through DNA and solves a family secret. Thank you Netgalley and Beatriz Williams for the opportunity to read this prerelease book.