I went into this one without reading the premise so wasn't sure what to expect. I found myself in for a delightful surprise. This historical fiction features single mother Mallory as she learns that her son has fallen ill at summer camp through a tragic accident. He now needs a kidney which leads to discoveries about her ancestry and her mother's past that she had no knowledge of before. The book jumps back and forth from Mallory's story in present day to Hannah, whose story takes place in Cairo in the 1950s. I loved that this was a different setting for historical fiction. While there is the two different timelines, I never was confused or lost as can. happen in the hands of a lesser writer. Williams manages to bring both Mallory and Hannah to life and makes you care about both women as you go on their journeys with them. I was equally intrigued by both and curious to see how the two might overlap in the end. There is adventure and romance in these pages and strong, interesting women. I enjoyed getting to know both characters. I don't always love historical fiction but I did love this one and would recommend it to anyone looking for something different from he traditional World War II setting.

DNF because I won't read books about sick or dying kids. Y'all need trigger warnings about some of this stuff.

Beatriz Williams's Husbands & Lovers is a captivating and emotionally resonant novel that seamlessly weaves together two timelines: present-day New England and 1950s Cairo. It's a wonderfully compelling narrative that I completely enjoyed. It explores themes of family and forgiveness.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

I love All Beatriz Williams books. She is such a good writer. This book was just a good as her other books. Great historical fiction book to read in the summer.

Wowww such a thriller! I flew through the pages. I bet this one ends up popular! Highly recommend for someone looking for a quick, intriguing read.

I really enjoyed this book and I rated it five stars. It follows two women, who are completely different. They live in different eras, have different lives and live in different places. Mallory is taking care of her son Sam and attempting to find him a new kidney. She recently reunites with her childhood best friend Monk. Then, we are also following the story of Hungarian refugee Hannah, who lives in Cairo and has married a British diplomat. Hannah engages in an affair with a spy, and becomes pregnant with his child. Then, there is a revolution that takes place towards the end of the book. It explores themes of sacrifice, redemption, privilege, and class. This book is romantic and entertaining. I would love to read more Historical Fiction by this author.

I love all of Beatriz William’s books and this one did not disappoint. Great storytelling and characters as always!

This was a difficult one for me. I loved the modern day story between Mallory and Monk and their past but the other story for Hannah I felt was unnecessary . I see the parallels and how they connect but I felt like a whole POV was not needed and pulled me out of the story I was enjoying. I would have much preferred this as two different stories completely. With that said I loved this authors writing as it was engaging and easy to read. This was my first book from this author and I would read more from her in the future. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

The story intertwines the lives of two women, each navigating a difficult romantic entanglement—one trapped in a marriage that has lost its spark, and the other caught between a passionate affair and societal expectations—set against a backdrop of 1950s New York.

Beatriz Williams never disappoints in this entertaining book that reacquaints with characters from a previous book.

What I loved:

1. Really was multi genre - historical fiction, romance, mystery!
2. Lots of fun twists along the way - some I anticipated - some I did not!
3. Great use of the multi plot line to bring the story together!!

What I wished was different:

1. There is a "third" plot line which does get confusing.
2. Some may find the characters not likable, but I went along for this ride!! 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for sharing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

As usual, the author did not disappoint with the twists and turns! While the ending was quick, it left a lot to think about with what may happen to these characters in the future.

Beatriz Williams’ Husbands & Lovers is a sweeping dual-timeline novel that masterfully weaves themes of love, betrayal, and resilience across decades and continents. Set against the evocative backdrops of mid-20th-century Cairo and contemporary New England, the story explores the lives of two women navigating profound personal challenges.

In the present-day storyline, Mallory Dunne is a single mother struggling to save her son Sam, who suffers from kidney failure after a near-fatal incident. As Mallory seeks answers, she is forced to confront buried secrets, including the truth about Sam’s father, Monk Adams—a childhood friend turned famous musician. Monk’s eventual involvement, particularly his decision to donate a kidney to his son, sparks an emotionally charged journey of healing and forgiveness for both parents.

The historical narrative follows Hannah Ainsworth in 1951 Cairo. Hannah, haunted by the trauma of losing her family during World War II, embarks on a forbidden love affair with Lucien Beck, a hotel manager with a mysterious past. Their relationship, set against the backdrop of Cairo's political turmoil, highlights themes of loss, sacrifice, and the complexities of moral choices.

Williams excels in creating richly textured characters, from Mallory’s resilience and Monk’s vulnerability to Hannah’s inner strength. The dual perspectives are skillfully intertwined, offering insights into the enduring impact of love and trauma across generations. The novel's exploration of intergenerational secrets and their ripple effects on identity and relationships adds emotional depth to the narrative.

This poignant and intricately layered story will resonate with fans of historical and women’s fiction. Williams' evocative prose and ability to bring settings vividly to life make *Husbands & Lovers* a compelling read that lingers long after the final page.

Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams is a juicy, dramatic story that’s perfect if you love a mix of romance and family secrets! The book follows two women, Lulu and Vivian, whose lives get tangled up in ways they never expected. Lulu’s dealing with a marriage that’s falling apart, while Vivian is uncovering some major family drama that turns her world upside down. Both women are trying to figure out what they really want, and the book alternates between their perspectives, giving you a full picture of how their stories connect.

What I really loved about this book is how complex the characters are. Lulu and Vivian feel real, they both have their flaws, their insecurities, and their moments of strength. The drama in their lives is intense, and you get totally sucked into their struggles with love, loyalty, and what it means to have a happy ending. The pacing is pretty quick, and there’s a lot of tension, especially when it comes to relationships and the secrets they’re hiding.

The writing is good , and even though there are some heavy themes about marriage and love, there’s also a lot of heart. There are twists and turns that keep you guessing, and the connections between the characters are so messy (in a good way!) that it makes you want to know how everything will turn out.

This book took me a fun, adventurous ride through two time periods, a modern setting in New England and Egypt in the early 1950s. A full cast of characters, there was a lot that I enjoyed in this novel - love stories, intrigue, mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading more of her novels!

Husbands and Lovers was a moving and heartfelt novel we couldn’t get enough. The cover is gorgeous and the writing is beautiful and we are thankful for the opportunity to review this amazing book!

4.75 stars

This is my first Beatriz Williams book and it was such an enjoyable read! Husbands & Lovers follows two women as they fight for love and family. Their lives couldn't be more different, but I found myself empathizing with both of their stories and struggles. I loved the themes of reinventing yourself, sacrifice, coming to terms with past trauma and how that trauma can effect generations. It's marketed as historical romance meets women's fiction and I would also add contemporary romance to that list. I thought that mixing these genres was done very well and I would recommend this book to a wide variety of readers!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Huge thank you to @randomhouse and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
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This 5 star book has stuck with me long after I finished it! I love a story with dual timelines that connect and this was done expertly. This is a story of secrets, romance, glamour and family. I don’t want to give too much away but I absolutely loved how this was all connected and I loved both timelines!
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I did not make it far in this one. I could tell within the first two chapters that this one was not for my demographic (28, single, childless). I will still recommend it to other readers, but depends on the kind of reader!

The writing is great, but I found myself not wanting to pick it up due to the plot and characters.

This novel of two women who are decades apart will take you on an emotional journey as you read about their story. We meet Mallory in 2022 living in New England, is a single mother with a young son who is ill after eating a poisonous mushroom. While waiting for a kidney donor for her son, she searches for whatever she could find about her past. She learns that her mother, Hanna, was adopted a secret Mallory never knew. As she continues her search, we find ourselves in Cairo, 1951. Hannah is married to a British diplomat while at the same time, having an affair with a manager of a hotel. We are witness to the troubled times in Egypt as the revolution rages on and Hannah has decisions to make between her husband and her lover. For Mallory, she too has decisions to make about her son’s father and his knowledge of his mother’s past. As the story of these two women plays out, you are swept into the ramifications of emotions and flaws. In both New England and Egypt we see the background of these two women, their strengths, their weaknesses and what it takes to somehow survive in spite of all their hardships and sacrifices that were made. This is an amazing novel, one that is highly recommended. My thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

There are few authors who can write historical fiction like Beatriz Williams can. Her knowledge and research into the time periods she writes about are evident in each and every page. In Husbands and Lovers, the past and the present of are intertwined on a small summer island where family secrets extend over generations.