Husbands & Lovers is a book that I feel like I should have loved but I only somewhat enjoyed. Beatriz Williams blends different time periods, family drama and relationships that should all factor into a story I would love but it never seems to rise above just an ok for me.

Beautiful story!! This was my first from Beatriz Williams and I’ll be adding more to my TBR list.

While it did take a few chapters to get into the 1950’s portion of the story, I was hooked on the present timeline right away. I couldn’t put this one down once I understood what was happening in both timelines. The characters came together beautifully and I finished wanting more of Monk and Mallory’s story!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the early copy in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book!! The only real flaw to me was how Lucien and Hannah came together. It seemed to come out of nowhere.

I could not get into this book, unfortunately. It just was not for me. I felt like the beginning was drawn out and I could not connect with the characters. I tried coming back to this book after a few days and I failed to get into it.

This is sure to be THE book of the summer! Beatriz Williams is an amazing author, but she really dazzles in this latest book! I absolutely loved the multiple timelines of stories that drove this book. Just as you learn something about one of the characters at a certain moment, you are then thrust into a completely different moment in time. I especially loved the contemporary storyline, which is not usually a feature of Beatriz's books, but it worked so well and was honestly my favorite of the multiple stories. This not only made it a fast-paced read but also kept me guessing until the end! Highly recommend! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

LOVED! I have been a Beatriz Williams fan for years and this was one of my favorite of hers. I loved the way it mixed generations and the relationship with Mallory and Monk felt so heartfelt. This is a big win for me!

If you love one, you’ll love them all. This one is like all the others, good plot lines, relatable characters and a more passionate man than exists in real life. The stories are addictive, you may know how it’ll end. but it’s a fun, light, genuinely enjoyable read. I always look forward to her books and this one is just the same. Now I eagerly await the next one!

4.5 stars
HIGHLY recommend

Wow, Beatriz Williams knocks it out of the park AGAIN. I loved this dual timeline of Mallory (contemporary timelines) and Hannah (1950s Cairo with flashbacks). The best part was that I knew next to nothing about Egypt during the building of the Suez Canal and it was very thought-provoking and the colonialism angle was horrible to me.

This novel made me think about what makes us who we are. Our assumed identity may not be our real identity. What about a paternity or maternal incident occurring and disrupting who we thought our ancestors were? This is exactly what happens in this historical novel. Thought it twists and turns and throws a few curveballs and cliffhangers!

A great beach or pool read for THIS summer!

I am not a huge historical fiction reader, so when I heard Beatriz Williams was releasing a novel with a contemporary timeline, I knew I had to get my hands on it. This story was so unique and the way it unfolded kept me captivated with each page - in both the past and present timelines.

And on a side note, I'll never eat a wild mushroom again!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance ecopy of this title. Husbands and Lovers alternates between two time periods: present day Massachusetts, and Egypt during the second world war. Williams weaves in some of the families we have met in her previous novels, and this adds context and texture to the story. This is a substantial read that is also fairly fast-paced.

Husbands and Lovers is a really compelling and interesting read that I know will be a best seller. It’s one part historical fiction and another part family drama with a dash of romance and intrigue.

The story is told mostly from two perspectives: Mallory Dunne, a single mom on an island in Connecticut in modern day and Hannah Ainsworth, wife of an English diplomat, in post war Egypt in the 1950s. Their stories are woven together and the intersection of their lives is just so intricate and vivid and complex and the end had me searching for the next chapters.

I do echo other reviewers in my wish that Hannah’s story were more fleshed out in the pages. I’d have happily read a hundred or two more pages to have some level of resolution for her from her POV rather than what we find out from present day. I did very much appreciate the ending in that respect.

Personally, the storyline was well done and I enjoyed it, but the spicy bits were unexpected, often bordering on vulgar, and (in my opinion) unnecessary to the telling of a great story.

I’d like to thank Random House and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I could not set this book down! Both timelines were equally enchanting and engaging. The characters and relationships were so well written it was hard not to be invested in the story. Mallory and her sister Paige’s relationship was so relatable, it was gave the story additional depth. Monks adoration for Mallory gave you the warm fuzzies. Hannah and Lucien’s interactions were hypnotizing. The 1950s Cairo timeline and the 2022 fictional Winthrop Island were beautifully intertwined and I really enjoyed the ending. Overall would recommend this highly recommend this book.

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this one! I am a HUGE Beatriz Williams fan. This seems like a departure from her typical style (more below) and yet I really loved it. 4.5/5 stars for me.
This is told in two POV's: Mallory (a single mother of an immunocompromised son in the coastal northeast) and Hannah (a Hungarian wealthy WW2 survivor in Egypt). It is also told in three timelines: 1950's Egypt through Hannah's eyes, and 2008 and current day through Mallory's eyes. This is a lot less historical and a lot more of a modern romance than Williams' typically writes, but it really works. Mallory and her love interest, Monk, are really well developed. The chemistry jumps off the page, the steamy scenes are plot driven and effective, and their current day tension is really palpable. I also thought Hannah's storyline was really intriguing: I had JUST finished another book about Egypt during this timeframe, so it was really interesting to hear about the same places again. Hannah was so lost and so strong simultaneously: she comes off as just another wealthy diplomats wife, but she is SO much more.

I do wish the connection between the two stories was a bit stronger, but by the end I found I really didn't care: I loved them both enough to see past the small string. I also felt just slightly bad for Lennox, she was definitely built to solely be unlikeable, and normally I like to see a bit more development there. But honestly this book was just addicting!

I’m not a huge fan of historical fiction but every now and then a book comes along that grabs me and doesn’t let go. Husbands and Lovers doesn’t let go. This book is enchanting and mesmerizing. 5 stars.

This was my first Beatriz Williams novel and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Husbands & Lovers is part historical fiction, part love story with a family mystery thrown in. Told in dual timelines by Mallory, a single mom in 2022 and Hannah, a married woman in Egypt in the early 1950’s; two strong women who were able to live their lives and follow their hearts. The scenes are set so vividly it had me feeling as if I was actually there and I was able to identify with the characters and their dilemmas. I would definitely recommend this book to any historical fiction and/or romance fan! Thank you to Random House Publishing-Ballantine for the ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Husbands and Lovers is an enjoyably complex multiple-timeline historical novel set in present-day New England and mid-century Egypt, with an unexpected detour to Ireland. Beatriz Williams always delivers an engaging narrative with at least one unexpected twist, and Husbands & Lovers delivers on that promise. Thank you to Random House, Ballantine Books and Net Galley for the advance reader copy.

Loved this story. It kept getting better and more intriguing as it continued. I do think some of the stories could have been simplified, but they seemed to come together at the end. Thank you for the advance copy!

I always love Beatriz Williams, and as expected, enjoyed this book. I liked the stories of both women; although did find it a bit frustrating that it would jump to the other woman just as I was getting more engaged! I appreciate how she links her books together and liked the ties to her last book about Summerly. It makes me wonder if the next book would be more about the Countess. Her story left me a bit unsatisfied (although I'm not sure that a book would be any different, given her ending). All that said, I loved both characters (Malloy and Hannah) and you can't go wrong with this author.

Beatriz Williams does it again (I just love her!)! This was such a fun one - but a smidge different from her others.

I loved the two timelines, going back and forth between 50s Egypt & current day beach town. I think BW does the historical flip-flop exceptionally well. In this book it actually felt a bit like 4 timelines since each character also went back in time too. It was a really cool way to really get to know each character on a deeper level by looking back at their pasts.

I might be wrong, but this book was one of the first ones of BW that I remember having a little spice! It was definitely okay IMO, and I think the title really sums it up well - husbands and lovers 🔥💗

BW’s character nods (or Easter eggs?) to characters in previous books is one of my most favorite things. Totally lets you momentarily relive a previous BW book! I thought Paige was a really sweet character & am intrigued by Sedge - maybe another book on either of these two?! Who knows!

All in all, totally loved it. Totally would recommend.
A massive thank you to NetGally & Ballantine Books for this ARC ✨

Man, I could almost feel the characters coming off the page and see the settings. I couldn't put this one down. Can't wait to read more from this author.