This well written story has two narrative arcs. 1951, Egypt amid the turmoil of the Egyptian independence, specifically British occupation and the ownership of the Suez Canal is the setting for the first arc. Hannah Ainsworth, there with her much older British diplomat husband, is expected to live the calm and pampered life of a diplomat’s wife. Hannah’s character finds that difficult for her, and her troubles begin when she is bitten by a cobra.
2019. Poisoning is also a critical element second arc, when single mother Mallory Dunne gets a call from the summer camp, where her beloved only child Sam has eaten a poisonous mushroom. He lives, but his kidneys do not.
The story unfolds when Hannah’s sister, who has a house on the Cape, invites her to visit with Sam for the summer. Hannah has history there, and secrets, but she also has wonderful memories and wants Sam to experience it.
Both arcs are love stories, with complications peculiar to the time and place in the world. Williams is a splendid writer, and she puts her characters through plenty of strife to keep the book interesting and easy to read. The sprinkling of historical facts in both eras elevate this novel and make it a fascinating read.

Thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the advanced review copy.

“Husbands and Lovers” unfolds a dual narrative, the first centered around Mallory, her son Sam, her sister Paige, and a significant figure from her past, Monk. Sam’s life takes a dramatic turn during a summer camp, necessitating a kidney transplant. Despite familial efforts, no one proves to be a compatible donor. Paige urges Mallory to reconnect with Monk, a once-lover turned famous singer, and unbeknownst to him, the biological father of Sam. Their history traces back to college, where their love blossomed during the summer Mallory worked as a nanny for Monk’s younger siblings. However, an undisclosed event led Mallory to abruptly sever ties with him.

The second narrative revolves around Hannah, married to the Englishman Alistair, residing in Cairo for work. Hannah becomes entangled in a passionate affair with Lucien, the hotel manager. Their relationship is marked by intense romance, shared getaways, and weekends spent together, resulting in Hannah’s pregnancy. Tragically, a devastating fire in Cairo claims Lucien’s life while attempting to rescue Hannah and their unborn child.

The intricately woven stories converge in a harmonious manner, revealing the complexities of love, loss, and the unforeseen connections that bind these characters together.

Initially, the shift between the two settings posed a challenge, with the Mallory storyline overshadowing my interest in Hannah’s chapters. However, around three-quarters of the way through, both narratives seized my attention, culminating in a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience. The strategic placement of cliffhangers in multiple chapters heightened the suspense and added to the overall appeal.

The author’s note provided valuable insights into the inspiration behind the storyline, enhancing my appreciation for the narrative. While this book didn’t instill the same urgent desire to explore more of the author’s works as experienced with Colleen Hoover or Taylor Jenkins Reed, I can envision picking up another of William’s books in the future.

In summary, the book proved to be a satisfying read, earning a four star rating from me. I would recommend it to those who appreciate intertwining plotlines, themes of adultery and romance, a sense of suspense, and the dynamics of families coming together.

This story was terrific. It was beautifully written and a joy to read. At times, the multi story lines made me angry because I needed to know what happened next but this just resulted in me staying up much past my bedtime! Highly recommend and will be checking out more from this author.

Loved this book! I read everything by Beatriz Williams and was so excited for this ARC. It did not let me down! Sees predictable initially, but had some definite surprises and was such a great read. Highly recommend for your summer reading list! Thank you for the opportunity to read this.

4.25 out of 5. I had no expectations going into this book, it seemed interesting and Im familiar with the author. I read this so quickly and I was completely involved in their story. I needed to know the details and what happened. As much as you think you know how the story will end up and that it could be a tad predictable, the final twists and turns came from left field for me and I really enjoyed that. This is comes out in June and I highly recommend this for your summer adventures. It has travel, romance, family drama, war and some good old fashion heartbreak.

This was a wonderful dual timeline story, written by the inimitable Beatriz Williams, who is able to whisk her readers throughout time and space with such skill and mastery. Both timelines involve multiple romantic dalliances and several problematic twists in paternity. The pages flew by! Thank you, NetGalley for allowing me to read the ARC of this epic romance-adventure. I’m a huge Williams fan, and this was reminiscent of reading “Her Last Flight,” in scope and expression. Just fantastic!

This is truly a treasure, I was hooked on this story from the description alone so requested it immediately! I've read others books from Beatriz an shes never failed me once an she still hasn't, I wish for others to experience this book just as I had an even better😊

This is my first Beatriz Williams novel and I really enjoyed it and was fully engrossed. This had a dual timeline in present day Connecticut and 1950s Cairo Egypt. I loved both stories, loved both female characters and loved the creative way their lives were connected. Read through it in a couple days and agree it would make the perfect summer beach read. I’m definitely going to check out Williams’ backlist. Highly recommend

This was one of my favorite Beatriz Williams books and I devoured it over three days. It tells the story of two women - one in the 1940s/50s - and the other in the 00s/present day - and how they navigate relationships and motherhood, with MANY unexpected twists. The women in this book are the definition of "strong women" who make difficult decisions for the love of their children and the love of their fathers.

I don't want to categorize this as a beach read purely because it is coming out in June, but do think this would be the perfect book to read on a holiday given part of its setting on fictional Winthrop Island. A perfect choice as well fora. book club as there is so much here that would be perfect to discuss amongst friends!

This just might be not only my favorite Beatriz Williams book, but maybe my favorite of all time? I don’t even know what storyline to start on first. Hannah, so brave, resilient, smart. Then there’s Mallory, wise, yet a vulnerable…brave yet cautious. Also, where do I start with Monk? I can’t even wait to listen to this on audible, because I will be! All the timelines, the family dynamics, the mystery and intrigue, the love stories, and family connections? They all had me at the edge of my seat! Definitely stayed up way too late and did not want this to end! These characters were brought to life in a new and exciting way! Absolutely love this! Book!

I'm normally a big fan of Beatriz Williams' works! She's a fantastic historical fiction writer. This one just felt a bit underwhelming. The novel alternates mainly between two characters. Within each protagonist's storyline, the reader experiences various flashbacks throughout each of their lives. I wish she would've reduced the level of jumping around timelines, as the attention to detail was a bit lacking.

I loved this book! I instantly feel in love with the characters and was rooting for them to find their way. Definitely recommend Beatriz Williams books to give a try!

Thank you for this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for the ARC.
I really loved so much about this book that centers around Mallory and her son . Mallory and her son have gone to stay with her sister at her beach house . While there, Mallory and her sister look into their late mother’s past. The story goes back and forth between the present, Mallory’s past, and her grandmother’s story.
Mallory has to reconcile with her own past which involves superstar Monk Adams, and a secret that she has kept from him.
The characters are relatable in this intricately woven novel about family. I liked the historical accuracy that Ms Williams blends into the storyline that involves post-war Egypt.

First book of the new year and wow it did not disappoint. Ms Williams is one of my favorite authors and this novel shines! Dual timelines complete with flashbacks, historical events, storylines that take you on a rollercoaster of emotion. The characters grab hold of you and I couldn't put down the book wanting to know how their stories played out. Put it on your TBR list!

What's not to love about a Beatriz Williams?! I feel lucky to have gotten to read this one so early.

I usually love everything this author writes but this one just didnt do it for me. Sadly i couldnt connect to the characters.

Mallory is a mother who needs a kidney for her son and must face Monk, the man she used to love, to get it. Hannah is a recovering Hungarian refugee from WWII, married to a man she does not love, who falls for a spy in a revolutionary Egypt. The two women are connected, not just by blood, but by their complicated hearts.

This intergenerational novel is told with multiple timelines, not just between Mallory and Hannah's stories but also Mallory's life in the present and her life in the past, when she and Monk fell in love when they were college students. Mallory, Hannah, Monk, and Lucien are each interesting characters with unique motivations and desires, and it was fascinating to watch them unfold. Mallory is the most developed of all the characters, and was equal parts lovable, funny, and relatable. Her love story with Monk was SO sweet and doesn't fall into the cliche traps of many romances. I also enjoyed Williams' writing style--it's poignant and sharp without being too wordy; emotional without being sappy.

However, the real downside of this book was the multiple timelines. I think they can be really tricky, and because Williams chose to include two timelines for Mallory and only one for Hannah, we really didn't get to know as much about Hannah. I loved Hannah's story so much--both her time in Egypt and the bits and pieces we learned about her background in Hungary during the war. However, I felt like her story was cut short in many places to make more room for Mallory. I would have preferred more room for her in this novel. The connection between the two women also felt a little forced. While it was a good novel, it almost felt like two novels combined into one. Both stories were so interesting they could have been two separate novels!

I’ll read everything she writes and love it. This was no exception. And the cover is so great, as always

I loved, loved, loved this book! Beatriz Williams has become one of my favorite authors. She tells a story so well her character development is phenomenal. Another book I could not put down! #HusbandsLovers #NetGalley

Swoon-worthy!
Two timelines, a few strong women, and a couple of love triangles...this was a delightful book.
Beatriz Williams is a genius when it comes to dialogue and moving the plot forward through conversation.
Despite not being a fan of romance, and this book being full of it, I loved it.