I am always looking forward to the next Beatriz Williams story and I enjoyed this one. Her books weave the past and the present together.

I'm a huge Beatriz Williams fan and this story did not disappoint. I loved all of the characters but wished some characters were more developed, like Aunt Barbara.

I really enjoyed the newest book by the ever prolific Beatriz Williams. She has been a favorite author of mine for many years. In this book, the historical and present storylines were both fast paced and fascinating in their own way.
Husbands and Lovers tells two stories. One centers Hannah, a Hungarian war refugee married to a British diplomat who is stationed in Cairo in 1951. The other storyline tells the story of Mallory Dunne and her love affair with musician Monk Adams, toggling between the summers of 2008 and 2022. The connection between the two stories is not hard to figure out but I don’t think it is supposed to be. I preferred Mallory’s story because I felt that Hannah’s story did drag at times and it sort of petered out at the end but overall I enjoyed both storylines.
If you have enjoyed Beatriz William’s books in the past, this will make a great read.

I loved this book! It was so well-written and the characters were so interesting. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every book by this author that I’ve read so far. I would definitely recommend this book to friends.

I’ve read a fair amount of Beatriz Williams novels, so I knew what to expect from Husbands & Lovers. Multiple timelines, soap opera drama, and old money behaving badly? Check, check, and check. I was entertained. I would have been delighted to read this on a beach.

Here’s the thing, though. While Mallory’s present-day storyline and Hannah’s tale from 1950s Cairo were linked by DNA and a mysterious Egyptian bracelet, truly, neither story absolutely needed the other. Both had enough interest and material to stand alone. And the multiple time periods (Mallory in 2008 and 2022, and Hannah in 1952 plus some WWII-era flashbacks) made it difficult to follow at times. This could have been a great duology had both stories been separated, and it would have given each more breathing room in terms of character development, particularly in terms of Hannah’s story. I’d like to think I have above-average knowledge of world history, but the history and geopolitics of mid-20th century Egypt is not frequently explored, so some more context and backstory would have helped to make that part of Husbands & Lovers easier to read. It was a little surprising that Williams didn’t turn these books into a series like she has done with the Schuyler sisters (no, not *those* Schuyler sisters) and others.

Speaking of the Schuyler sisters (work, work - sorry), I kept waiting for the Schuyler Easter egg to show up and it never did. Or maybe a name was mentioned and it’s been too long since I’ve read a Beatriz Williams novel that I didn’t realize they were part of the family tree.

All in all, I’m glad I read this book, but the execution could have been better.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Smart and wildly entertaining, Beatriz Williams in Husbands & Lovers intertwines two seemingly unrelated stories arcs in a book that I absolutely could not put down. The characters, settings and plots were well developed and the pace was propulsive. The way Williams connected the two stories shows her mastery of the craft. I can't wait to recommend this widely and hope that it will be the huge hit that it deserves to be!

I finished this in 2 days. If I didn’t have to work it would have only been 1 day.

Beatriz Williams is one of my favorite authors so getting an ARC from NetGalley was huge for me. Every book I have read, I have enjoyed. This one definitely hit all my expectations and more.

I loved how Williams intertwined the stories together. I was hooked on Mallory from the start and learning about her son Sam. Then Hannah comes in with another salacious tale that I’m hooked on as well. Each end to the chapter had me hooked.

I am obsessed with Monkfish and Pinks and could happily live in their story forever.

The cobra bracelet tying it all together 😍

Please read this book and all of Beatriz Williams books. She is a master at historical fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was an emotional rollercoaster. I am picky with historical fiction but this one kept me entertained all the way through! Great read.

I love when a historical fiction writer intertwines 2 story arcs, one on present day, and one in the past. At first, the reader is left to wonder what Ties these people together. Over time, the thread that binds is slowly revealed. Beatriz Williams is a master at this art, weaving the relationships of Mallory, Paige, Monk and Sam in the present with the past of Hannah and Lucien. And Hannah and her previous life in Hungary. The story left me wanting a sequel!

I loved this book from the very beginning and it just kept getting better and better! This book was everything I could ask for - a little mix of all the best genres/tropes.
-Historical fiction
-Contemporary romance
-Lost love
-Family history mystery
-Second chance romance
-‘Why did you leave?’

I immediately fell for Mallory and Monk and was having visceral reactions to things that were happening in the ‘current’ timeline. Talking about other relationships left my stomach reeling and my mind blaring ‘NO!’. I loved getting 3 different timelines, also. I feel like in other books, that could’ve have come across as a lot to follow but Beatriz laid it out so well that I was never confused or overwhelmed. I found myself looking forward to every timeline and never wanting to ‘rush back’ to a certain one. The twist of ‘what happened’ caught me by surprise, which is hard nowadays.

My only qualm is that I just want more Monkfish and Pinks 😭

I loved this book! Such a great story that I will be recommending to others!

There are a few storylines to follow, but they are all connected and the plot of each storyline was so interesting that it makes it easy to follow and keeps you engaged the whole time! I loved all of the characters and I highly recommend this one!

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an ARC.

𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4½⭐️✨
HUSBANDS AND LOVERS
🤍𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: historical fiction
📖 384 pages
𝗘𝗺𝗼𝗷𝗶𝘀: 🍄 🇪🇬🐍🎤🏖️🔥🩷🥹🇮🇪
𝗣𝘂𝗯 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲: 6/25/2024

🩵𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲🩵

Thank you @netgalley @ballantinebooks for the #gifted copy!

Oh I loved it! @BeatrizWilliams hits another home run with this captivating novel! Set in an era rich with intrigue, the narrative deftly weaves together the lives of Mallory & Hannah, keeping you hooked with every twist & turn. I was so eager to see how the storylines connected & thoroughly enjoyed each women’s story.

The strong opening scene sets the tone for a riveting journey through history, while the emotional depth of the characters had me tearing up & gasping in equal measure. Williams' meticulous research shines through, offering a fascinating glimpse into a lesser-known period. Such a beautiful story, so make sure to mark your calendar for 6/25/24!!

In 2022 New England, Mallory Dunne's life turns upside down when her son Sam falls critically ill from a poisonous mushroom, prompting her to delve into her past for a kidney donor. Amidst this search, Mallory confronts two haunting secrets: her mother's adoption from an infamous Irish orphanage in 1952 & her own past romance with childhood friend Monk Adams, a renowned singer-songwriter, shattered by betrayal. Meanwhile, in 1951 Cairo, Hungarian refugee Hannah Ainsworth, recovering from wartime tragedy, embarks on a passionate affair with a hotel manager amidst a backdrop of revolution, leading to an act of sacrifice with far-reaching consequences. As these two narratives intertwine, they unravel a tale of love, loss, & resilience spanning generations.

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
◽️ multiple timelines
◽️ dual POV
◽️ found family
◽️ second chance romance
◽️ first love

This novel tells intertwining tales - Hannah lives in 1950's Egypt and is married to a British diplomat. Mallory's tale is current day Massachusetts - she is a single mother of a teenage son. Mallory's tale toggles between present day and 2008 when she fell in love with Monk Adams while working as a nanny. As the their stories unfold you get wrapped up into the mystery of Hannah's life and Mallory learning more about her past while managing upheavals in her present. This book had me riveted and I stayed up entirely too late to finish it. I must admit that the ending felt a bit rushed but that could be because I wanted more. This will definitely be a book you will want in your beach bag this summer.

•Plot: 3/5 (I feel like Stefon from SNL because this book had it all. Secret love child, Israeli spies, kidney transplants, a love square…)

•Characters: 3/5 (Mallory definitely suffers from Not Like the Other Girls Syndrome. I really liked her sister Paige, though.)

•Writing: 3/5 (Like most of Williams’ books, this one has a dual timeline- well, triple timeline, I guess. I preferred the more current one to the ones in the past.)


•Ending: 3/5 (Mixed on this…I didn’t like the lead up to the conclusion, but I *loved* the last page.)

This book was kinda bonkers, but I liked it? It’s like a soap opera. Definitely recommend as a frothy beach read. Special thanks to the author and publisher for my ARC.

In “Husbands + Lovers,” Beatriz Williams elevates the summer beach read to a new level. Not only is it the quintessential sweet tale of seaside romance (salt air, hole-in-the-wall bars, young love, sisterhood, etc etc), but also single parenthood, tough decisions, regret, and even history (learned new things about post-WWII Egyptian / Israeli conflict). There’s nothing new about a dual-timeline romance with an illicit tinge, but this one is an excellent summer read for 2024.

CONTENT: language, an affair (ooop), short sex scenes (def not PG-13, but not the *worst*), assault (told as a flashback, not graphic)… basically I wouldn’t recommend this to my pastor’s wife. 🤣

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC!

I love anything this author writes but this was absolutely no exception. This might be my new favorite by her! The storyline was so unique and I loved that so much of the current timeline was focused on timely events and pop-culture (influencers, dna tests etc). I also found myself learning about Hungary and Cairo history long after I finished.

This was my first book by Beatriz but this inspired me to read get others. This was a great love story with many twists. I absolutely loved it as you got into the story line of Mallory, Monk and Sam I could not put it down. I absolutely loved the tie to her grandmothers story.

It took me a little bit to get into the "older" story timeline, but by the middle of the story, I was very invested in each of the dual stories being told throughout this novel. When a chapter would end and the timeline would shift, I would groan because I wanted to keep going with what I had just been reading... until a few paragraphs in, I was re-immersed in the OTHER timeline and then that would repeat at the end of the chapter again. I've read a few other Beatriz Williams books before, but this one has been my favorite yet! Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this eARC copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

A little intrigue and is told in both past and present. Will keep you guessing until the very end. Highly recommend. Looking forward to more by this author.

Wow, this book was impossible to put down. Husbands and Lovers has three unique storylines, well-developed likable characters and enough mystery to keep you turning pages. I truly didn’t want this story to end. Beatriz Williams has a way of telling a story that makes you wish it was all true. This read just shot to the top of my favorites list for historical fiction this year.

*urgently adds all Beatriz Williams novels to my holds list at the library*

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reading copy of this book.