I really loved Husbands and Lovers, so I was looking forward to this, and it didn't disappoint! The plot sounds convoluted, but I was quite impressed with how clear Williams made everything and how the different timelines made complete sense together. In the present day, Audrey Fisher has gone to Winthrop Island for the summer to make sure her famous actor Meredith stays sober after going to rehab. In another timeline twenty years ago, Meredith is a teenager on Winthrop Island, navigating a maybe-relationship with her best friend and coping after a tragic sailing accident. And in the 1800s, Providence Dare boards a steamship in the wake of her master's tragic death, but she's in for a horrible night as the steamship will run aground in less than 24 hours. It's not clear in the beginning how the timelines are connected, but you get there eventually and I loved it.

A lot of the characters in this book are not exactly upstanding people, but I enjoyed that. The relationships in this story are so complicated - you'd need 500 pages alone to explain and decipher Audrey and Meredith's dynamic - and it made for a really compelling narrative. I thought some of the loose ends were tied up a bit too neatly at the end, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment. I also loved the 1800s steamship storyline a lot more than I expected. Overall, another tour de force from Beatriz Williams!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you for the ARC of this title.

I am usually a fan of Beatriz Williams but I did not enjoy this one. I even waited until release day to try it on audio. It was just boring for me. I liked the family drama between Meredith and Audrey. But the storyline with the Atlantic was just so boring. So I DNF'd at 60%. I will not leave a negative review because I do usually love this author.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.25/5)

What a wonderful story! Three timelines, each unique on its own right, seamlessly come together in Beatriz William’s newest book. Each timeline had me totally invested.

Three strong women, each with their own set of problems. 1846, Providence Dare boards a steamship to try and save her life and comes very close to losing it. 1993, Meredith Kennedy, runs away from her own issues with her infant daughter, becomes a major actress but spirals out of control. Present Day, Audrey Kennedy has a failed marriage and restaurant, a ton of bills and is now in charge of making sure mom Meredith, stay sober.

This is a perfect mix of historical fiction, mystery, family drama and the right amount of romance. I loved the strong characters, their questionable behavior and personal development. They never stopped surprising me.

Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for an early copy of this book in exchang efor a honest review. I loved this book and read it in one day. I loved the storyline and the characters. I did enjoy following the mother and daughter through their pain and joy. I would definitely recommend this book.

I eagerly dove into Under the Stars, enthusiastically ready for another great Beatriz Williams story. And that's what I got, a twisty tale spanning 3 generations of amazing but vulnerable and conflicted women: Providence Dare (1800's), Meredith Fisher (20th century) and her daughter Audrey Fisher. Add in 200 year old heartstopping paintings, questions about parentage, a bit of politics and you have a real page turner.

I initially had a hard time getting into the story; it's important to pay attention to the early clues Williams gives you or you will get lost. After re-reading the first couple of chapters I was totally sucked in to the rest of the story, and couldn't put the book down.

I love how she used the locations, stories and characters of Winthrop Island in multiple books. This one did not disappoint! I loved Sedge getting his happy ending after reading Husbands & Lovers not long ago and adoring him!

I will read anything Beatriz Williams writes. After reading Husbands & Lovers I knew I would be a fan for life. Her writing is so compelling. I love her epic blend of historical fiction and romance. I love that she continues to bring her readers back to Winthrop Island. I also love her use of dual timelines. Sedge Peabody was a highlight while reading Husbands & Lovers so it was lovely to read about his love story with Audrey. Beatriz does multi POV and timelines so incredibly well. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for another great novel from BW!

Williams clearly has a formula for her books, but she executes them well and adds enough heart and backstory into each one to make them feel different.

This starts with a death, but it’s murky from the start. Who is the deceased, what does he mean to the FMC and her mother? How is everyone connected? Turns out a great deal is connected, and revealed throughout the story filled with family drama, funny sarcasm, multiple F-bombs, and a budding romance.

The book moves between timelines: a 1846 ship journey and subsequent shipwreck with a woman named Providence, the mother in the current timeline (Meredith) in 1993, and her daughter (Audrey) with her mother on Winthrop Island in 2024.

I found I wasn’t really connected to the 1846 timeline; though interesting, each of these chapters was long and I wasn’t as invested. That said, this was a fictionalized account of an actual real shipwreck that occurred right off the coast of where I live. I actually love that most of Williams’ books; she lives locally to me, and literally writes her book settings where I live with places familiar to me.

I loved the more current timelines, and finding out more about Meredith and Audrey. I won’t go into details or give anything away, but I adored them both and loved the ending.

Thank you Random House Ballentine and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“Under the Stars” by Beatriz Williams is a multiple time-line story of three women with their own various secrets: Providence Dare, who is running away after being accused of murdering her employer, the famous painter Henry Irving in 1846; Meredith Fisher, a famous actor; and Audrey Fisher, Meredith’s daughter.

Their stories weave together when Meredith and Audrey return to Winthrop Island so Meredith can sober up before her next big part and Audry can recover from the betrayal of her husband. Will this mother-daughter relationship, which has been rocky forever survive? The key may be when priceless paintings from one of America’s most beloved painters, are discovered.

I enjoyed many parts of this book, but I also felt bogged down by the multiple viewpoints that went back and forth so rapidly. I liked reading Audrey’s story more than the others, which at times felt a bit tedious to me. Many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. My opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this dual timeline novel about a 19th century shipwreck and an emotional “shipwreck” two centuries later. I genuinely loved the characters, and want to go read the other Winthrop Island novels to find out more about them and their stories! I especially enjoyed the modern story of actress Meredith and her daughter Audrey, who spend the summer together on Winthrop Island as they try to get their lives back on track after some personal challenges..

This novel has something for everyone—history buffs, art aficionados, and even foodies. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend moving it to the top of your summer reading list!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Gorgeously written, sweeping historical novel that blends romance, mystery, and rich period detail with effortless elegance. Williams masterfully brings her characters to life, strong, flawed, and utterly compelling, set against a backdrop as glittering as it is shadowed.

The dual timelines unfold with perfect pacing, revealing secrets and heartbreak in a way that keeps you emotionally invested until the very end. If you love historical fiction with passion, intrigue, and lyrical prose, this one will steal your heart.

I can't help but be a huge fan of Beatriz Williams. I adored Husband & Lovers her 2024 release, and Under the Stars is another wonderful book set on Winthrop Island. Told from multiple POV's, this historical romance, with a mix of mystery and romance, the storyline and setting will have you flipping the pages. This is the perfect summer read, don't miss out! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Under the Stars by Beatriz Williams was a complicated, but satisfying, romance taking place in three timelines: current day, thirty years earlier, and 1849 when a ship ran ashore in Norwich. There were implications for each of the earlier time periods on the current one; new generations. It is a compelling historical drama as well as a complicated modern romance. On the ship was a young woman running from an illicit love affair that ended in the death of her lover. She was to be charged. There was a policeman on board with a warrant. What happened next was not to be believed. In the current day, Audrey has brought her mother, Meredith “home” to continue her recovery. She had been sober for five weeks and it was imperative that she remain so until August, when she was scheduled to make a movie; a part that was perfect for her. Things got complicated as the past in revealed.

The are all good characters, in their own ways: each looking for love and life. There were many obstacles, which is what make the story. I wonder how a book like this is written: the way we see it or as three separate novels that are then knitted together. There are unforeseen twists and turns that end in near tragedy too often. The plot was complex and engaging. The characters, all of them were colorful in their own individual ways. Williams always writes a novel worth reading and this one is not exception. It is full of human foibles and lack of communication, not to mention flat-out lies. Meredith made it to August with surprising results beyond leaving to make the movie. Audrey found love, with a man who deserved love. What more is there

I was invited to read Under the Stars by Raandom House Publishing House-Ballantine. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #RandomHousePublishingHouseBallantine #BeatrizWilliams #UderTheStars

Much thanks to Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book so that I can provide a review.

I’ve always enjoyed Beatriz Williams’ books, so was especially excited to get an ARC copy of Beatriz Williams’ latest book!

Ms. Williams takes us back to the fictional Winthrop Island for this book, and we delve into it for 3 very different women’s lives, in 3 timelines.
I did find the historic storyline with Providence Dare, with the shipwreck and all of her resilience the most interesting of the 3.

There was a lot going on in this novel, however, and I had a hard time connecting with Meredith and her story, as well as the multiple stories and flashbacks. Audrey’s story/contemporary timeline was more easy to follow and understand.

Rating: rounding up to 3 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House | Ballantine Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest novel by Beatriz Williams. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Three women and three timelines - Audrey, struggling in the shadow of her famous mother, Meredith. Meredith is plagued with trauma of a tragic accident in her youth. Neither want to return to Winthrop Island where they lived, but Meredith needs someone to watch over her while she dries out before a film that will hopefully save her career. Audrey starts working as a chef in her father's restaurant and they find priceless paintings in a trunk. We hear from Providence through her diary in 1846 as she fled Boston after being accused of murder and is on a ship about to crash.

This is an epic novel about mothers and daughters, lost loves, and secrets passed down through generations. I liked the change of POV from all three women, with their backstories, mysteries, and romances. While this is certainly a stand-alone novel, there are familiar names and even titles from the author's previous novels, which is fun. A good mix of historical fiction and family drama and I loved how all the storylines came together.

Historical Fiction/Fiction - 3.5*

There is only a very small aspect of this novel that is historical fiction - there was a wreck off Long Island Sound of a ship called the Atlantic. Williams places one of the characters on that ship and the rest of the contemporary story flows from there. The novel does hop back and forth between narrators and timelines.

Normally, I really like novels by this author, but I didn't love this one. One of the major characters - Meredith, is an actress who is near the end of her career. She is an alcoholic and her prospects for roles have dried up. She is selfish, promiscuous and didn't necessarily feel like a complete character - to me.

Her daughter, Audrey, is another of the major players. Her marriage has fallen apart. Her husband disappeared with their money and has left nothing but wreckage in his wake. Their restaurant has over a million dollars of debt, and she is forced to close it and return to the east coast to make sure that her mother stays sober.

Mixed in amongst these 2 stories is the timeline from the wreck. Providence Dare is on the run for being suspected of killing her employer. The detective has followed her onto the ship. The ship runs into trouble and their story revolves around trying to survive an impending shipwreck.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC of this novel.

Take my review lightly, it was a case of it's just not for me. I loved her previous release, and I still love her writing style. This particular story just don't grip me or keep my attention the way I'd hoped. It might just be that I picked it up at the wrong time. I really don't have anything negative to say necessarily, I just wasn't captivated or motivated enough to continue with this one. I DNF'd and won't be leaving a rating anywhere.

“I think she didn’t want to be reminded of the past, that’s all. To attach yourself to old things was to indulge in sentimentality, and sentimentality was a sign of weakness. She was someone who moved on.”

I will always jump at the chance to slip back into Beatriz Williams’s fictional world of Winthrop Island. In this, her fourth novel set in a fictionalized iteration of Fishers Island, Ms. Williams does not disappoint.

Three timelines (with some flashbacks) set the framework for 3 women who share a quest for vindication, for belonging, for home. While the set up is complicated, their stories eventually converge, producing a well researched tale with nostalgia and heart as the centerpiece. The cast runs the gamut from 19C. indentured servant to current day Hollywood starlet with many well drawn personalities included in the vast group. The easter eggs of characters (more Monk…yes please) from her previous works was delightful. Ms. Williams even sneaks in a cheeky nod to her writing partners Lauren Willig and Karen White, for those fans who are looking closely!

Especially for readers who enjoyed Martha Kelly’s The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club, I highly recommend this newly released novel to all readers who appreciate novels crafted around strong women, art and history.

This book took a little bit of time to get into, but once the pieces started coming together it was very hard to put down. The three centuries depicted in the story all tied together by the end in a very unexpected and satisfying way. This was a very memorable and unique story and I loved all of the characters.

I read this back in April as soon as I got an advance copy thanks to Ballantine Books. She's my favorite historical fiction author and I was so excited to return to Winthrop Island!

I love how Beatriz Williams winds the past and present in her books with such strong characters. Plus I love the nods to other books and seeing some favorites from other books set on Winthrop Island.

This book is about mother/daughter relationships and then add in mystery paintings and a 1846 steamship that crashes into the island. The three timelines were a lot, but I loved seeing it all come together!

I keep hearing rave reviews of the audiobook with an ensemble cast and I can't wait to listen to this book too!

I really loved this book and this is the perfect summer historical fiction - I just wish I was reading this along the Connecticut coast!