Going into this book it starts off a bit slow, there is a lot of character building and different settings.

I personally feel that Hannah could have had her own book and then Mallory could have been a sequel, but I still really enjoyed this novel.

I like how there is the ties to the DNA testing (like Ancestory), and then the current and past story of Mallory and Monk.

I do wish that Lee wasn't such a well you know, because I think Monk would have realized that so much sooner, based on the way he is created and people know him/his character.

Some parts were a little effed up, but that is what makes this a page turner.

Thank you NetGalley for my E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received a free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I just started watching Palm Royale, which made me want to read a “rich people behaving badly” novel. This isn’t *quite* that, although it does take place on the Cape, and while there are some poorly behaved rich folks, they’re mostly in the background.

Williams mentions in her author’s note that this is her first book that’s set at least partially in the present day - I hadn’t clocked that, and it’s interesting. We’re dealing with multiple timelines and narrators - Mallory in both the present day (2022) and 2008, and Hannah in 1950s Cairo. I suppose it’s not a spoiler to say that these two women are related, although Mallory doesn’t know it yet.

When the novel opens, Mallory’s son is in peril, having just eaten a death cap mushroom at summer camp on a dare. He survives, but loses kidney function, so he’s looking at a lifetime of dialysis if they can’t find a donor. Her sister Paige keeps trying to convince Mallory to contact Sam’s father, but it’s complicated. Not only does he not know he has a kid, but he’s a famous musician. Mallory has always resigned herself to raising Sam alone (she got pregnant in the 2008 timeline, during the summer she nannied for Monk’s family), and the last thing she wants is to seem like she’s trying to take advantage of Monk now that he’s famous. They haven’t even spoken since that summer, when Mallory left abruptly without saying goodbye.

Then we have Hannah, living in Cairo as a diplomat’s wife. She has her own tragic past - she met her husband when she was at a displaced persons camp in Austria. She acted as his translator during the Nuremberg trials, and then they were married once the trials were over. She has her own tragic past, with her first husband Janos and their children. Honestly, I found Hannah’s story far more compelling for the majority of the novel. Her marriage isn’t great, but given the tragedy in her past, it’s not surprising that she’s basically just in it for the safety it provides her. As the novel goes on, she has flashbacks to her previous life before her marriage to Alistair, and those were the parts I was most interested in.

The biggest thing that bugged me about this book is that these two women might as well have existed in two entirely separate novels. I was invested in Mallory’s story as well, but most of her problems pale in comparison to Hannah’s (until we learn the real reason she left that summer). The thread connecting these two generations is a beautiful snake bracelet that Mallory’s mother left her - it was given to her by her own mother, and she never took it off. Mallory and Paige start trying to figure out where the bracelet could have come from, and in the process learn that their mother was actually adopted from an Irish orphanage. So we’re going back and forth as Mallory and Paige investigate, and Hannah’s timeline moves closer and closer to the birth of their mother. But none of these things converge until the VERY end, and in the meantime, Mallory is having her own separate series of dramas that have nothing at all to do with this Irish orphanage business (minus a very brief trip to Ireland).

So Mallory’s drama involves Monk coming back into her life (she and her sister are staying on the island where his family has a summer house, and he just happens to be there preparing for his wedding). This is generally the kind of romance I can handle, because it’s in service of the greater plot, and for the most part doesn’t grind the story to a halt. Did I do a lot of skimming when they’re making various declarations of love? Of course. Barf.

Ultimately, I enjoyed this, but I wished the plots had come together sooner…or that the novel had just been about Hannah on her own.

This book is a stunner! I’m a sucker for multiple timelines and points of view, and I loved how the timelines wove together. This book was also about a part of history that I didn’t know much about, and now I’m sure to know more. Highly recommend this one, thank you for the ARC NetGalley!

Ok…this book has A LOT going on…A LOT!

There are three time lines going that weave together a messy story of scandal, love, family, betrayals, and lies. Drama! If family drama is your jam this is your book!

I always enjoy this author and how she makes various characters come together!

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for this fun read. I can’t wait for it to hit the shelves. I recommend!

Interesting dual time lines coupled with all the flash backs from the present to ages ago. The story kept my interest and was intricately woven, albeit could have been shorter. It started to get a bit tedious. I enjoyed the journey. #HusbandsandLovers, #goodreads.

I had been waiting to read this until summer was a bit closer on the horizon, so it's finally time! I've loved Beatriz Williams' books in the past, but this one felt a bit trite and predictable. I liked the setting in Cairo and how the stories came together, but thought that some of the plot points were too easy to see coming.

Things I loved:
-the dual POV and multiple timelines. I was so invested in each of them!
-Hannah's story was so sad yet she kept persisting and persevering. But despite her sadness, it didn't feel like trauma p0*n.
-I loved hearing Paige's side plot story...wish there was a bit more of her!
-unique time in history! so much going on

Things that I struggled with:
-it was a very slow start and the chapters were long so it took a minute to get into
-I wish there was more closure/another chapter of Hannah talking about what happened once she was saved from the fire and where she ended up
-more on the bracelet and Hannah's history with it...like how did she find out it was meant to carry messages? I was left wondering

William’s latest work explores three different time lines. Two follow Mallory and Monk - one in 2008 and one in 2022. We see the summer they shared in 2008 when Mallory was a nanny for Monk’s younger siblings and he was an aspiring musician and a present day reunion thanks to a health issue with Mallory’s twelve-year-old son now that Monk is a famous rock star. Oh how I rooted for them to get back together. The dynamic between these two characters stirs the heart. Slowly, they learn to trust each other again after an unexplainable event had separated them in 2008. I was shocked when we find out the reason. Warning- it’s bad.

The third timeline takes us back to Cairo in 1951 during British occupation and uprisings with Egyptian nationals. It’s a time period I didn’t know much about, but Williams presents details to help the reader understand what was happening during this tumultuous time while also following the character of Hannah Ainsworth. With Mallory and her sister’s quest to find relatives through an ancestry search, we find out they are related to Hannah.

Williams ties these two stories together beautifully. I was sorry when the book ended. I will say hearing Hannah’s history added another layer to the story- one which I didn’t really think was needed. Also, I would have loved the book to end with an epilogue so that we could see Mallory and Monk’s path in the future since I was so invested in their relationship.

Thank you to NetGallery and Random House for sharing a digital reviewer’s copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions of the novel.

Beatriz Williams has done it again! This time, her story transports you to 1950s Cairo while also taking you to 2008 New England.
2008 - Mallory frantically drives to the hospital to be with her critically ill 10 year old son. She knows in her gut that something is very wrong and she will have to fight for her son’s life.
1951 - Hannah is visiting with her diplomat husband when she is bitten by a Cobra but saved by Lucien, a fellow guest of the hotel.
Both timelines keep you guessing - never knowing how the two storylines will connect … one of the best dual timeline stories I have read in a long time!

This book was really good

Summary: "Two women—separated by decades and continents, and united by a mysterious family heirloom—reclaim family secrets and lost loves in this sweeping novel ..."

This book is a multi-timeline story. The historical story takes place in early 1950s Cairo, Egypt - dealing with post world war II society in Egypt. The more modern story takes place in 2022, but also 13 years prior. Both stories were great, and they connected well in the end when the link between the two stories was revealed. There was a point midway thorugh the story that it was clear how the stories were connected, and it was fun to read the two stories come together. There were a couple of chapters that were a little confusing with the two timelines, esp going back and forth between the two more modern time lines, but overall it was good.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and I'm glad I read it.

Two women, separated by time and place, but united by a family heirloom. The interwoven timelines of the characters was done so flawlessly. I loved this book so much, however, I have to admit I loved the story line of Mallory so much more than Hannah's story. I couldn't wait to get to the chapters with Mallory and Monk. I loved that storyline so much. This is my first Beatriz Williams novel and now I'll be going back to read through her other novels and will be looking forward to future works as well.

The novel's plot is equally compelling, with twists and turns that keep readers guessing until the very end. Williams masterfully weaves together multiple storylines, seamlessly blending romance, mystery, and drama into a cohesive and satisfying narrative. The pacing is brisk, with tension building steadily as secrets are revealed and relationships unravel.

In addition to its engaging plot and well-drawn characters, "Husbands and Lovers" also offers a vivid portrait of 1960s New York City. Williams captures the glitz and glamour of the era with vivid descriptions of fashion, decor, and social mores, transporting readers to a bygone era of cocktail parties and society scandals.

Overall, "Husbands and Lovers" is a captivating and immersive read that will appeal to fans of historical fiction, romance, and suspense. With its compelling characters, intricate plot, and richly detailed setting, it is a book that will linger in the minds of readers long after they've turned the final page. Beatriz Williams has once again proven herself to be a master storyteller, and "Husbands and Lovers" is sure to delight fans old and new.

A great story about a family of women through the generations. There’s mystery, there’s intrigue , there’s love, there’s loss, there’s betrayal, there’s shock, and there is a nice twist at the end. Miss Williams does it again, with a great book that covers a significant event in history, all the way to modern day.

Often when a novel switches between timelines and protagonists, I get lost and/or prefer one of the plots to the other. This wasn't the case with Husbands and Lovers. Beatriz Williams wove a tale of Hannah and Mallory, strong women who survived the many wrongs committed against them.

There were times when I was literally laughing out loud at the quick wit of Mallory, especially as she interacted with her sister Paige. Another home run by Beatriz Williams.

"Husbands & Lovers" by Beatriz Williams is a compelling and beautifully written novel that captivates from the very first page. What stands out most in this engaging narrative is the masterful use of dual timelines, which Williams skillfully intertwines to enrich the story's depth and emotional resonance. This literary device adds layers of intrigue and complexity, allowing readers to immerse themselves fully in the contrasting yet connected worlds of the characters- I really did not know how the two timelines were going to come together until the very end of the book.

This won't go down as my favorite Beatriz Williams novel of all time, but I appreciated this felt like a departure from some of her other more recent books- the plot about Mallory and her son Sam was really sweet, and I learned a lot about kidney transplants I did not know before reading this book! I love all of Beatriz's novels and will continue to be a loyal reader as they always offer a great blend of historical fiction and women's fiction.

This was a sweeping novel spanning decades. In typical Beatriz Williams fashion. If you like her style and stories you’ll like this one.

A tragedy in the family leads to trying to learn the history of a woman’s mother to save her son. The multiple timelines aren’t confusing and the author paints a very descriptive picture of what life was like for the many women at the center of this novel.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC.

A story of two women in very different times and situations that are somehow woven together. I enjoyed it very much even though at times it felt like I was reading two separate novels. The two stories did not seem to go together - and both were very good stories! Just keep reading and soon there will be glimpses of connection. Mallory in 2022 and Hannah in 1951 in Egypt. Both women are dealing with relationships that are broken and both are learning how to navigate through to find happiness and peace. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read the advanced copy in exchange for my review. It is a great story of strong women making hard decisions.

Husbands and Lovers by Beatriz Williams tells the story of Mallory present day single mom with a child who needs dialysis. Also includes Hannah’s story in Cairo Egypt in 1952. Beatriz is one of my favorite authors for Historical Fiction.

Let’s start with Mallory. I’m didn’t really like her at the beginning of the story. She seemed very angry and abrasive at the beginning. But she changed in the story when spending the summer on Winthrop Island and seeing her old flame Monk. Love her comments and sense of humor. The line about and I thought food allergy moms had it tough was great! I love her sister Paige.

Hannah’s story was extremely interesting and suspenseful with a lot of research. Sometimes it was hard to figure out in what time events were happening. Was it a past scene or happening now? I had to stop and think for a bit for it to make sense.

I really liked the book and will definitely recommend it. Thank you to NetGallery and Ballentine Books for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review.

this book was everything i’ve been craving in a book recently without even knowing what i was looking for—a swoon worthy rock star who can’t get over the one that got away, a badass historical woman upending a somewhat untapped angle of world war ii, family drama, summer love, the modern day version of meredith blake, etc.

husbands & lovers combined components of my all time favorite books/movies, which means it’s everything i’ve been looking for in my most recent book rut:
the parent trap
the notebook
daisy jones & the six
the nightingale
the summer i turned pretty

Husbands and Lovers is the next book written by Beatriz Williams and it is both engaging and page turning. I couldn't put it down!

If you are a fan of Ms. Williams novels, you will recognize the setting for this story, which is back on the imaginary Winthrop Island. Some of the inhabitants of the island will also be familiar. In this intriguing story, the search for a kidney donor leads sisters Paige and Mallory in a quest to investigate and identify the family of their mother who was adopted. The author blends present day with Egyptian history of the 1950's keeping the reader on the edge of their seat.
This novel was a delight to read. The characters are engaging and the dialog was stimulating. The relationships are so intriguing and at times, heartbreaking. I loved the book and highly recommend it.