In one timeline, Mallory’s now-13-year-old son has been living on dialysis for three years and needs a new kidney. Her sister can’t persuade her to talk to the biological father, who is now a world-famous musician. She made her choice a long time ago and doesn’t want him to think she wants his money—or his body parts. But the need for a kidney does get Mallory and Paige looking into their ancestry, which is filled with secrets.

In 1951, Hannah married an older man for his money but is having an affair that has more secrets than your typical dalliance.

The stories merge into a satisfying story of enduring love through the various challenges life throws at you.

NetGalley provided an advance copy of this novel, which RELEASES JUNE 25, 2024.

US pub date: 6/25/24
Genre: historical fiction, dual timeline
Quick summary: Two women fight against long odds: in 2022, Mallory seeks out her sick son's father for a kidney transplant, while in 1951 Cairo, Hannah finds herself in a dangerous affair.

I've read a lot of Beatriz Williams' books, so I had to grab this one for a pre-summer treat. There is plenty of drama in this book, and for me, it veered towards the soapier side of her catalog. I also wish the two timelines had connected earlier - I found myself really confused as to how Hannah's timeline would fit with Mallory's. They did connect in the end, but overall, I enjoyed Mallory's story more than Hannah's. If you're looking for a lighter read, you may enjoy this one more than I did!

Thank you to Ballantine Books for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for an ARC of Husbands and Lovers by Beatriz Williams.

Husbands and Lovers ticks all the boxes for a light summer read. Two different storylines from two eras - but each deals with questions of parentage and disappointing love affairs.

That said, I didn't find the characters or storyline particularly deep or compelling, but the story will keep you entertained for a few hours.

Husbands & Lovers is one of my favorite Beatriz Williams’ books! I so enjoy the way she brings the reader along with her through her stories - the descriptive writing, the depth of characters, the evocative locations. Such a pleasure to spend time immersed in her sagas!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Solid 3.5 stars! I really loved all of the tangling of relationships in this book (the title couldn’t be more perfect). The ending was also very satisfying. Hannah’s 1950s parts dragged a bit for me, and the book was also a little slow moving in the beginning. But other parts were page turners, and Monk and Mallory were easy to root for! Thank you for the ARC.

Among Beatriz’s best! Beatriz Williams’ Husbands & Lovers is a superbly crafted tale weaving together an ambitious three timelines. Williams’ research is impeccable as always, and, as with the best of historical fiction, I learned much about which I was previously unaware in the fascinating strand set in 1950s Cairo among the British expat community.

The beating heart of this story, however, is Mallory, who is the protagonist of the more contemporary storylines. Williams’ writing is always exquisite, and she has long been among my favorite authors. But she has somehow imbued Mallory, Monk, Sam and the whole cast of secondary characters appearing in later years with a stunning degree of life and relatability. Her writing in these passages is more lively, more playful, more joyful. And that effervescence has made for an immensely interesting, enjoyable and memorable story.

I would ever so eagerly welcome a sequel featuring Williams’ contemporary characters - perhaps focusing on the next chapter for Sam or. Mallory’s sister?

Highly recommended!

Many thanks to NetGalley and to Ballantine (Random House) for the privilege of a complimentary ARC. Opinions are my own.

Oh my, my heart ached as I read Beatriz Willams latest novel Husbands & Lovers. The dual time lines (with each time line going from past to present) were easy to understand and were a bit like little cliffhangers to excited you about the novel. I read it in one sitting as the story grips you and carries you forward.
I highly recommend Husbands & Lovers.

Beautiful story of Mallory and Monk intertwined with historical fiction. I love the way Beatriz Williams ties in old with new and used such a simple item to thread this beautiful story about love, family and morals.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing-Ballentine, for the opportunity to read Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams. This was a interesting story crossing timelines and linking them via a family heirloom. This was my frist time reading this author. This was a great read. This gives me the vibes that it would make a great tv adaptation for a show.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams. Overall, I enjoyed this book. I normally do not read Beatriz Williams, but one of the reviews I read said that it is not one of her "usual" stories, so I decided to give it a try. I am very glad that I did. There were so many stories and timeframes going on at the same time, but not too many that you don't know what's going on. Each story contributes to the main story and comes together in the end. I loved Monk and Pinks and their story together that spans several decades. Mallory's sister, Paige, was also a likable character, but unfortunately little focus was on her. I feel her story was the only one not concluded at the end of the book. I loved the surprise at the end but I will not spoil it for anyone. I recommend reading this story!

I enjoyed Mallory's story much more than Hannah's as her character and story were far more developed - I give the more recent parts of the novel 5 stars and the 1950s story 3 stars. Also, the ending was too abrupt - I wanted to read about Mallory's reaction to meeting her uncle and I wanted to read about Hannah being reunited with her long-lost son, so I felt cheated by the ending.

As an aside, Paige's husband having an affair with a young associate is pretty par for the course in the legal world so it's unrealistic to have it make the news or it to be anything more than a your standard affair. And Paige was a fairly important part of the book up until that happened and then we don't see her until the last couple of pages of the unsatisfactory ending.

Two women, separated by time and locations. 2022-New England and 1951 Cairo. Mallory and Hannah are connected. Beautifully written novel. Williams has an amazing way of pulling you into the story from the beginning. I love how this book had some adventure, romance and mystery all tied up together. It will stick with me for a while.

Read if you enjoy historical fiction, dual timelines, memorable characters, and beautifully described settings.

I highly recommend this book.

If you’re a big fan of Beatriz Williams, you’ll love her latest romance novel, Husbands & Lovers. The novel explores two stories in multiple timeframes, and the lives of Mallory and Hannah are tied together by history and a cobra bracelet. It’s a story of lost love, family and class.

Mallory Dunne needs a kidney donor for her teenage son, Sam, and researches her ancestry to find one. But she discovers the perfect match from a childhood lover, Monk Adams, now a famous singer/songwriter. The novel switches from past to present, revealing secrets, family relationships, and class/societal issues.

In addition, Mallory deals with a troubled past and reconciles with Monk to ensure her son has a normal life. But as she delves into the past, Mallory discovers her mother was adopted and given up by Hannah, a World War II survivor who endures numerous tragedies.

Husband Lovers compares the parallel lives of Mallory and her grandmother, Hannah, as they navigate the issues and hardships of their times. The history, romance, and struggles of these women in Husband Lovers make this novel a fascinating read. I thank Net Galley for letting me read and review Husbands & Lovers. #NetGalley #Husband&Lovers #romancenovels

Beatriz Williams knows how to write a story that sucks you in! I couldn’t put this one down. There are three timelines with two separate heroines. I preferred Mallory’s story and was all in on her romance with Monk. I loved the mystery element woven into the story which kept me engaged. I would have liked a bit more of Hannah’s story because there was so much left unsaid. This book was excellent and I had a great time reading it!

So pleased to have been given an ARC for this book. Ive left this book feeling very refreshed and elated. It was an engrossing and beautiful tale!

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley.
It flips back and forth between Hannah and her granddaughters. I really enjoyed both sides of the story and it was hard to put down. I liked the ending which was unexpected, but felt full-circle.

Told in a split narrative, this story follows present day single mom Mallory and Hannah in the 1950s, united by an heirloom bracelet. Mallory’s son Sam, in kidney failure, desperately needs a donor kidney, with no family matches. With Sam’s dad not in the picture and Mallory reluctant to involve him due to a past trauma and their mother’s adoption from an Irish orphanage, her sister decided to do a DNA test to find more family.

Hannah, a British diplomat’s wife with a tragic past starts an affair with a hotel manager at their posting in Cairo.

Their stories intertwine beautifully and gracefully and conclude in the best way.

Thank you Beatriz Williams for another great book!
This novel involves multiple timelines, and two different women. We have one woman, Hannah, who we follow during the time of World War II. It goes back and forth throughout her life, going from her first marriage, to her final marriage. We learn of her suffering, and undying strength. The other woman, Mallory, goes back and forth through her story from her highschool/college years to her adulthood. They are both fighting their emotions from things from their past, and they are two incredibly courageous women, as well.
This book covers some very different events/topics that are all around the time of the Nazis taking over, however it wasn't what I expected to read. It goes through the time that Egyptians are fighting back because they want the British out of their territory, and they want to take their country back. There are fires in Cairo, and numerous other instances of revolt that occurred. I find that, as usual, this is not something that was readily made available to us during the studies in school of this time period. This is not a surprise, because it was just another instance of a larger country taking over a smaller country and then putting one of their "own people" into power to keep them under control. The sad part is that countries like the UK and the US feel this is right and that these countries we take over, should be happy. Almost as if they owe us something. It's sad that all this time has passed and still no one has learned a thing.

I love a book with different viewpoints set in different time periods. My favorite of the two was definitely Hannah's viewpoint. I really loved her character and what she went through. I would recommend this book !

Husbands and Lovers

Beatriz Williams has been an auto-buy for me ever since I was introduced to the Schuyler sisters in The Secret Life of Violet Grant and Along the Infinite Sea. So when I had the chance to get my hands on an ARC of her latest Husbands and Lovers? Couldn’t start it fast enough.

Husbands and Lovers did not disappoint. A multiple timeline story, told through the perspective of a diplomat’s wife in 1950s Cairo, Egypt, and a college student and then single mother in contemporary times, this story is full of drama, secrets, and loves both requited and unrequited.

In present times Mallory Dunne is a single mother, horrified when her tween son finds himself fighting for his life after one stupid decision. Her sister urges her to enlist the help of his estranged father, a now famous musician. We then meet Mallory in earlier times, when she is first falling in love with Monk Adams, prior to his fame. Seemingly unrelated at first, the other protagonist, Hannah Ainsworth is an unhappily married diplomat’s wife in Cairo, who embarks on an affair that culminates in events both catastrophic and far reaching.

Husbands and Lovers beautifully weaves these stories together in both expected and unexpected ways. Both of the protagonists are realistic and believable both in their emotions and actions. I loved the sweeping vistas of Cairo against the lush upper class digs of the charming New England towns.

Williams again hits the mark with Husbands and Lovers and I can only hope that this book sets up for a series (please, please, please Beatriz!).

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballentine Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.