Dual time lines - not surprisingly war time in the past, modern day in the present. Fairly formulaic but also compelling enough to keep me interested. The title and cover of this book make it sound like a harlequin romance and really should be reconsidered.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams

This was an enjoyable book! There are two storylines and I felt different things for each. The modern timeline was more relatable and the characters were easy to get to know, and like-able. For the older time line, until halfway through I didn’t like any of the characters and didn’t really care what happened. Then someone clicked and it became entertaining and I needed to know what happened next (even if I didn’t really like the characters, still). Overall, an interesting and enjoyable story. A bit of spice, that’s unnecessary but doesn’t ruin the story.

I’d recommend this book.

Husbands and Lovers by Beatriz Williams is another amazing piece of work!
Mallory, Sam, Monk, Paige, Hannah and Lucien have an amazing story that connects them and Beatriz Williams tells it like no one else can! She brings some old friends from her other books back in this story and shows how connected generations really are.
Don't miss this!

I started this one night thinking I’d just read one chapter but that one chapter suddenly became half the book. Each timeline was so good that I couldn’t stop turning the pages. I had to know what would happen.

I adored the present day timeline most but also was completely invested in the 1950s as well. There is a small amount of spice that drops in after about 50% that I was a tad surprised by. I don’t think it was needed for the story, a bit incongruous, but it didn’t detract too much and since it does have romance as a subgenre I probably should’ve seen it coming.

I love how Williams set the scenes, brought depth to both stories, and connected everything in an impressive way. I’ve enjoyed many of her books and will continue reading whatever she writes!

Thank you Ballantine Books for the arc via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

“Husbands & Lovers” by Beatriz Williams is a story about two remarkable women. One who is a single mom currently living in New England with a son who desperately needs a kidney transplant, and another who is in a loveless marriage in turbulent Egypt in the 1950s. Ultimately there is a family connection but the historical journey we are taken on to get to the connection between them is romantic, exciting, heartbreaking and mysterious. This rollercoaster ride takes us on a journey to explore their long held secrets as we alternate between time lines. These two women made choices that lead to great sacrifice, family loyalty and forgiveness. I don’t want to give away to many details, but I promise you will be thinking about this book long after you finish it.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I'm so grateful to NetGalley for the ARC of Husbands & Lovers, the beautifully written and intricately woven new masterpiece by Beatriz Williams.

In the 1950s, Hannah finds herself married to a wealthy but overbearing man. Rather than accepting her fate, Hannah finds happiness -and more- in the arms of the mysterious Lucien Beck. As violence erupts in Cairo, Hannah is thrust into one tragic situation after another.

In 2008, Mallory agrees to nanny for her best friend Monk's family over the summer. Monk is a talented singer and songwriter, and Mallory is an aspiring artist. The two fall in love and are planning for their future until something happens that pushes Mallory as far away from Monk as possible... despite the fact that she's pregnant. Thirteen years later, Mallory's son Sam is recovering from an incident that left him in need of constant dialysis and Mallory is faced with the option of bringing Sam and Monk together after having kept them a secret from one another for all of Sam's life.

No other author can weave a story as gorgeous and utterly compelling as Beatriz Williams can. This will grab you from the very first page (when your heart will immediately break for Sam and Mallory) and will grip you until the very last sentence.

Timeless and bittersweet, Husbands And Lovers draws readers on an unforgettable journey of heartbreak and redemption, from the revolutionary fires of midcentury Egypt to the moneyed beaches of contemporary New England. The author has done a brilliant job with her compelling storytelling and beautifully meshed up timelines for the primary characters. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

4.5 rounded up! Thank you @netgalley for the ARC! Once I got into this story, I really couldn’t put it down! Great way to end my 52 in 52 challenge.

Loved the different POV’s & timelines that meshed together so well by the end. Also loved that I should’ve seen a major plot line coming but didn’t! Too into each of the character’s stories to realize. Super well written & will recommend to many once it is published!

Really enjoyed this book that follows two stories over three time periods. I appreciate that each chapter is headed by the date, location, and person whose perspective we are seeing - not all time-jumping books do that. I liked being taken to 1950s Egypt and learning a bit of history there and then to 2020s Ct/NY for a contemporary storyline that also has some of what I’d consider a literary trend - at least in books I’ve read over the last year or so - of regular person/celebrity romance. I read most of this book in a day by the pool on vacation and it was an easy read with a bit more depth than “just” a beach read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

I had trouble keeping track of the modern timelines. But the story was perfection. Beautifully researched. Character development was decent.

Loved this one! I really enjoyed the dual timelines and the multiple POV it was told in. I wasn’t expecting a “lost love” storyline so I was very happy to discover that. The story moves at a good pace and reads easily. Very enjoyable book and I recommend adding it to your TBR for a June 2024 release!

Having read all of Beatriz Williams’s books, I can say that this one was written with a different voice, but it was one that I enjoyed! I loved the present day storyline and really connected with the characters - so much so that I wish I’d been able to read more about them! It was harder to connect with the characters in the historical storyline, however, because they seemed a bit cold, unemotional, and distant. But I thought the author wove the two together in a very interesting way. I loved how the story wrapped up, and the surprise at the end was absolutely perfect! The author tends to link her stories together in some way, so I’m hoping to see these characters again in future novels, especially because I’d love to see what’s next for Monk and Mallory. Paige also needs to get a shoutout because she was written as being the most supportive sister, and I loved how she consistently showed up for Mallory and Sam throughout the book.

Another Beatriz Williams winner! This one weaves two stories, modern day with 1950's Egypt and brings them together at the end. The modern day is a romance of lost love and rekindled love and the 1950's storyline shows the family history and what events led to the storyline that melts together with the current timeline. A great story.

thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

4.5 stars for a this perfect summer novel. This is intricately plotted and beautifully written, taking readers from 1940s Hungary to 1950s Egypt and 2022 New England. The two parallel love stories are touching and Hannah's story is more heartbreaking than most. Great read for romance and historical fiction readers.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Another lovely winner from Beatriz Williams. She has such a way with words! So many beautiful turns of phrases. Two arresting stories - one from 1950s Egypt amid unrest and revolution, one from modern-day Cape Cod - that somehow become intertwined. Who doesn't love a second-chance romance?

Thank you to netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a big Beatriz Williams fan, and this is BY FAR, her best work yet. I absolutely loved BOTH storylines in this book and was intrigued on how they both would end.

Mallory and Monks love story was one for the books. Although I am disappointed that the ending didn’t include their wedding with Sam in it.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Publisher for my advance copy ♥️

A literary masterpiece that seized my imagination, transporting me to two disparate worlds, linked by the unyielding spirit of two remarkable women - Mallory and Hannah. Their tales entwine like the threads of a rich tapestry, each strand strengthening the other.

Mallory's unwavering devotion to her ailing son shines like a beacon of hope, while Hannah's bravery in the face of a loveless marriage and Egypt's turbulent 1950s landscape left me awestruck. The contrast between their journeys is nothing short of narrative alchemy!

The settings come alive, evoking the crisp New England air and the scorching desert heat of Egypt. Each chapter unfolds like a precious gem, leaving me breathless and craving more. I was utterly ensnared by the characters' triumphs and struggles, my heart pounding in tandem with theirs.

This book etched an indelible mark on my soul, leaving me bereft when the journey ended. I join the chorus of readers clamoring for more, unwilling to bid farewell to these extraordinary women. If you crave a story that will captivate, inspire, and haunt you long after the final page, look no further! This book is a treasure to be savored and shared.

This was my first Beatriz Williams book and I am hooked! I absolutely loved this book.

This book takes place in the 50’s, some in 2008 and then present day/2022. Very easy to follow along and not get confused with what was going on between the different time periods. The character development was great and this book always kept my attention. There was a little plot twist that I honestly didn’t see coming.

This was by far my favorite book I read all year.

I really enjoyed this novel. I loved the dual pov and the two intersecting storylines. I preferred the more modern 2022 storyline, but I enjoyed both more than I was anticipating. I really loved the character development and how fleshed out everyone was. This isn't a book I would normally reach for but I really liked it.

From the perspective of a reader who does not enjoy historical fiction, I LOVE Beatriz Williams books! This book drew me in and took be along on an amazing journey with two women separated by decades, but connected by a family heirloom. Even if not a historical fiction reader, this book is a must!