LovedLovedLoved Husbands and Lovers!! Best book I've read this year!

There are two story lines going on in this book. First, Mallory's 13 year old son is physically challenged, and his dad was never around, so Mallory must work and care for her son alone, except from some emotional support from her sister Paige. Mallory reconnects with an old friend and we go back and forth in time as we learn about her relationship with "Monk", who is now a top pop star.

Second, in 1952, Hannah is staying in Cairo, and trying to exist with a detached husband, and an interesting lover from her hotel. We learn about some factual wartime history.

This book weaves the two stories together in time. Ultimately, they converge in a magnificent manner, with a wonderfully satisfying and beautiful ending. It is incredibly compelling - I read it in record time!

Highly recommend!!

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Husbands and Lovers.

“Husbands and Lovers” is a historical fiction book by Beatriz Williams. I really have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, I really liked the chapters about Hannah’s history; she was Hungarian, she was married to a British diplomat after WWII; she gave a child up for adoption in Ireland (which seemed odd). But Hannah’s story was given so little coverage in this book that I felt let down. The bulk of the story focuses on Mallory in two timelines - one is in 2022 (as a single mother to Sam) and the other in 2008 (college student). I both liked and disliked Mallory - I understand the independent, I can do it on my own without help - though she needed assistance from her sister - it also bugged me at times. I think Monk would be an interesting person to know - and not just because he’s famous - but he seemed more “real” and balanced than Mallory did in the book. So, yep, mixed feelings - I’m glad I read the book, but I don’t feel like I need to re-read the book. The book did kinda leave room for a potential sequel - so that was rather interesting. Overall 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher Ballentine and the author Beatriz Williams for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Beatriz Williams is an auto-buy author for me. I love how she takes an event from history and puts her own spin on it. I learned so much about Cairo in this book. I had to stop many times to google different areas and events she was explaining.

A dual timeline what eventually comes together? Sign me up!

If you've read Ms. Williams in the past and enjoyed her work you will definitely like this one.

Wow! This book blew me away! The parallel story lines of Hannah and Mallory, including Mallory’s past and present day stories are written so well. I was vested in each woman. The men were intriguing also. The ending was perfect! Thanks Netgalley for the ARC! I will definitely read more by Beatriz.

What an amazing story. The author weaves multiple stories and timelines together seamlessly. This was a story of true love, secrets, and family.
There was one very cringeworthy portion of the book: trigger warning but it explained some of the devastation and subsequent behaviors.
I could have lived without that but that being said, the rest of the book was lovely.

Thank you Ballantine/ Random House and NetGalley for providing this book for review. As always, all opinions are my own.

As someone who absolutely devours Beatriz Williams’ books, this was one of my most anticipated of the year. That's why it’s so hard for me to say this; this book was.. fine. I don’t know if I hyped it up too much in my head or if it was actually just a true let down but either way, this book was not for me.
I always love when the POV is split among multiple people and I feel like it works in this book to a point. There were cliffhangers at the end of some chapters that made me absolutely devastated when it flipped POV and I had to wait to see what happened next. There were also parts of this book that I was so glad when the POV switched because the MC was being annoying or unrealistic (to me). The characters felt hard to connect with and the book felt like it was dragging in a few spots. It was so hard for me to root for Mallory because she just… sucks. I feel like I needed more emotion to actually believe what she was saying. Her character felt flat and it really bothered me.

One of the big things about this book that was weird for me was that I have read almost all of Beatriz’s work and I feel like this is the most “open door” book she has written. (Maybe it’s just been too long since I read some others and I’m mistaken?) The sex scenes felt awkward and one of them in particular gave me the ick when he was asking her to stop and she kept going.

This is not to say there weren’t adorable and great parts of the book but the other parts vastly outweighed them and when I think back on the book, it’s unfortunately the not great parts that stick out more in my mind.

There are also a TON of TWs I feel need to be mentioned and this is in no way an exhaustive list: affairs, derogatory language, murder, Death of children, infant death mentioned, War, Death of a parent, racial profiling, deliberate deception of pregnant women/ new mothers, involuntary adoption, kidnapping, torture, death of a loved one, arson, burning of bodies, intentional deception, alcoholism, rape and non consent

I loved this book!! The characters were interesting; i really cared about them! I wasn’t sure what to think about the presentation of the stories at first but it didn’t take long to get sucked in to all their lives. I enjoyed the historical connections and was so happy with the ending! A great read!!

This novel is the perfect summer read! It follows two different women during two different time periods - Mallory Dunne is a woman who shares a past with a famous musician - Monk Adams. We get to experience Mallory and Monk's story in the novel through flashbacks to the summer of 2008 when she is a nanny for Monk's step siblings on Winthrop Island and Monk is not yet famous. Fast forward to 2022 and Mallory is now a single mother and Monk is one of the most famous musicians in the world - what happened in the 14 years between 2008 and present between them?

Hannah Ainsworth is the wife of a British diplomat living in Cairo in 1952. She is a woman who harbors some secrets - who was she before coming to live in Cairo? Now that she is in Cairo she has struck up a dangerous liaison with a handsome man working at the Shepherd's Hotel - Lucien Beck. What path will this set her on and how does her story intertwine with Mallory's?

This was the first Beatriz Williams book I have read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I liked reading about the different settings - Cairo and Winthrop Island - I haven't read a lot of books with the setting of Egypt so it was refreshing to read about some history that I didn't previously know. I could easily picture the characters and became invested in both Mallory and Hannah's stories. .I was rooting for Mallory and Monk and riveted to Hannah's story and all that had happened to her. When I got to about halfway through the book I couldn't put it down - I had to finish it. I had to know how both women's stories turned out and how it all ultimately tied together. This would be the perfect book to read on the beach or curled up on your couch - it did not disappoint!

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House Publishing for providing me the digital copy for my honest review.

This story takes place in two time periods; present day and in the 1950's. The main characters are grandmother and granddaughter.
I enjoyed the present day story of Monk and Mallory more than Hannah and Lucien's story. This was two love stories and discovery of heritage that was not known to the present day characters. The storytelling by Ms. Williams is done wonderfully and I enjoyed the history that was shared about Egypt as well as the deep dive into tracing your ancestry. There were times when I didn't understand if Mallory was dreaming some of the story or "remembering" it in the retelling and so it threw me for a loop when it jumped from a scene in which one of the main characters is in a coma and then the next chapter they are not and it takes awhile to understand that all is right with that character.... maybe that was just me but that transition didn't work for me.

Overall, I enjoyed it and would recommend it.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED this book and couldn't put it down. The Egypt history was so intriguing and I find myself wanting to do research on the history of the area. I loved the dueling timelines, and I was just so riveted in every page.

And the surprises in the current timeline with Mallory and Monk......what a love story that you FELT in every word. It brought back being a teenager, it made you feel the sand, the sun, the salt of the summer.....sigh.....simply amazing.

I've already told everyone I know about this one, it was beyond a 5 star

I devoured Beatriz William’s latest book. Husbands and Lovers is an inter woven dual-time line story. Hannan Ainsworth a Hungarian WWII survivor in a loveless marriage with an English diplomat in post-war Egypt. Mallory Dunne is a single Mom with a teenage son that needs a new kidney. A long time ago Mallory ended a romance with her son’s father under mysterious circumstances. A unique bracelet ties the two timelines together. Both stories are riveting. I could not turn the pages fast enough. I adored this book and was hugely disappointed when it ended. This is fantastic book. If you have never read Beatriz Williams, treat yourself and order a copy today. If you are already a fan, you will love Beatriz Williams’ latest work.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for an early read in exchange for a fair review.

This is probably my 6th book of hers, and it's near the top of my list. Beatriz Williams always handles the dual timelines and pacing well. The modern timeline with the summertime vibe was very atmospheric, and I loved the secondary cast of characters. I also love a "second chance" plotline. The historical timeline had a bit more grit, and I found myself having to Google "when was Egypt independent" and wondering why the British were there and what the Israelites were doing. I was fully invested in the characters and there were some good thoughts there about privilege, power, and consent. This will be a great summer read!

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book ahead of publication. As a fan of Beatriz Williams, I was very excited to get a head start on this one!

This book is told in three time frames by two characters. I really was only interested in the "Mallory" story (told in 2008 and 2022) and wasn't quite sure how the "Hannah" story was supposed to fit in (also told in multiple time frames, from 1952 and memories of the character during this time). For about the first half, I would reach a Hannah chapter and want to get back to Mallory, but the second half the Hannah story got more interesting. I am not sure that either of these characters needed the other one to tell their stories, but overall I did wind up enjoying both. Of course they tied together (slightly) and I did enjoy the book. I was looking forward to seeing how all things turned out and wound up reading the last 40% in one sitting. A lot of unnecessary use of the F-word, I was not offended, but didn't think the story needed it, felt it was unusual for Williams. The contemporary time frame is new for her, and I enjoyed that. I liked the island setting with the rich people culture- a look into how the other half lives- or the top 1%. HA! Not William's best, but still very enjoyable and recommended for fans of hers.

One of my favorite books! Mallory is a single mom and her son needs a kidney donation after eating a poisonous mushroom. Since she and her sister aren't compatible donors, he is on a waiting list. She won't tell anyone who her son's father is and that's the real story in this book. In flashbacks we learn about her relationship with his father and the reason she no longer is in contact with him. At the same time, her sister finds out their mother (who recently passed away) was adopted and she is searching for more family who could be a compatible donors. Chapters follow Hannah who lives in Egypt in 1951. How is her story connected to Mallory? I loved this book, it had a bit of everything - romance, friendship, family and the history of Egypt. The only thing I didn't like is the cover and the title. I don't feel like they had anything to do with the story. A better cover would include the gold snake bracelet that's so integral to the story. I originally wanted to read it this only for a reading prompt of a book that takes place in the 1950s but I'm so glad I took a chance on this book.

It took me a little bit to get into this book, but then I was hooked. It weaves together a fun and compelling modern story with a historical fiction storyline that was educational and compelling. By the end I just couldn’t put it down. This will make a very fun summer read!

Loved this historical fiction blended with a contemporary storyline! Williams latest book does not disappoint and has elements crossing several genres. I really enjoyed reading this hard to put down read. Loved the character development and family drama. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC opportunity.

Beatriz Williams delivers yet another literary gem with 'Husband and Lovers.' Set against the backdrop of the roaring 1920s, this novel effortlessly transports readers into a world of glamour, intrigue, and forbidden love. Williams's impeccable attention to detail brings the era to life, from the glitzy parties of Manhattan's elite to the lush landscapes of the French Riviera. But it's the complex characters and their intertwining relationships that truly steal the show. As secrets unravel and passions ignite, readers are drawn deeper into a captivating tale of love, betrayal, and redemption. With her trademark blend of historical accuracy and irresistible storytelling, Williams proves once again why she's a master of the genre. 'Husband and Lovers' is a spellbinding read that will leave you longing for more.

A big disclaimer that historical fiction isn't my go to genre, but I was super intrigued by the blurb and had to request this one. Hannah's story is set in the 50's in Egypt, and Mallory's story flips between 2008 and present day. It took me a while to get invested in Hannah's part of the story, but once I was hooked, I was dying to know where it was going to lead <spoiler>(though it did seem obvious that it was going to intersect in some way with Mallory)</spoiler>. I also loved the romance between Mallory and Monk and how there was a sense of will-they-won't-they, <spoiler>despite having a full on child together</spoiler>.

TW for sexual assault, which occurs quite late into the book, but is still worth noting.

Love Beatriz Williams writing, and this books was wonderfully written.
The characters were genuine.

Husbands & Lovers is a captivating tale that spans decades and continents, weaving together the lives of two remarkable women bound by family secrets and lost loves.
In present-day New England, Mallory Dunne grapples with the aftermath of her son's near-fatal poisoning, leading her on a journey to uncover long-buried secrets from her past. As she delves into her mother's adoption and her own tumultuous romance with a famous singer-songwriter, Mallory confronts painful truths and embarks on a quest for redemption.
Meanwhile, in 1950s Cairo, Hungarian refugee Hannah Ainsworth finds herself ensnared in a web of passion and intrigue that threatens to upend her carefully constructed life. As revolution looms on the horizon, Hannah must navigate the complexities of love and loyalty in a world on the brink of change.
The author skillfully brings these two distinct worlds to life, immersing readers in the glamour of midcentury Cairo and the tranquil beauty of contemporary New England. Her characters are richly drawn and deeply human, grappling with issues of privilege, class, and the enduring power of love.
Filled with heartbreak, redemption, and moral complexity, Husbands & Lovers is a poignant and beautifully crafted novel that will linger in readers' minds long after they've turned the final page. The author once again proves herself to be a master storyteller, seamlessly blending historical detail with timeless themes of resilience and hope.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!