This book took me a while to get into, but once I did, it was a great story! It’s definitely more contemporary than historical fiction like most of her books, but I enjoyed it nonetheless! Set in Winthrop Island (I love a small beach town vibe)! Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

I always look forward to reading Beatriz Williams’ books, and Under the Stars didn’t disappoint. While some parts moved a bit slowly, the story she tells kept me turning the pages. I definitely recommend this book. #UnderTheStars #NetGalley

It wouldn't be summer without a new book from Beatriz Williams, and Under the Stars is a wonderful follow-up to last summer's Husbands and Lovers! I love the way that each of her books can be read as a stand-alone, but all of the books are tied together in some way. In Under the Stars, Williams blends three narratives that are all set on Winthrop Island, the fictional setting of the Summer Wives. The first narrative takes place in the summer of 2024, when Audrey and her mother, the famous actress Meredith Fisher, return to Meredith's family estate on Withrop Island for a summer of drying out before her movie shoot begins in August. Meredith's mother was Isobel, the step-sister of Miranda from the Summer Wives. While on the island babysitting her mother, Audrey is grappling with her own issues, including an estranged ex-husband who left town with all their money, and a dad who needs help resurrecting his failing dive bar. The second narrative takes place in 1993, when Audrey's parents are teenagers. The third narrative focuses on Providence Dare, a young woman accused of murder who has taken refuge on a doomed steamship; this timeline is inspired by the sinking of the Atlantic off the coast of New York in 1846. This was such an enjoyable blend of modern romance, suspence, and historical fiction; long-time readers will enjoy revisiting characters from previous books like Monk and Mallory and the Peabodys of Summerly, but new readers won't have any problems jumping right in. Thanks to Netgalley, Ballantine Books, and author Beatriz Williams for the librarian preview! Additional thanks to Libro.fm for the audiobook, which is also excellent!

Beatriz Williams is becoming a go-to author for me! A dual-timeline historical fiction, set in the fictious New England island of Winthrop Island, "Under the Stars" follows three characters and their diverging storylines. Williams untangles the complicated nature of mother-daughter relationships, societal perceptions of women, and the general drama of daily life.

My only markdown for this novel is from the difficulty I had at the beginning keeping characters straight throughout the three timelines. It took some mental notations but I eventually was able to remember who each person was. The cast of characters is so rich and diverse, it was hardly a drawback that there were so many people.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House Publishing for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.
I usually like books by Beatriz Williams, but this one missed it for me. There is three story lines. Each one is interesting on their own, but it was hard for me to connect them. There just wasn't enough connection throughout the story to hold my interest. I still think Beatriz Williams is a great author. This book just wasn't one of my favorites.

Williams did an amazing job showing the story of three different women and creating a connection at the end. I couldn’t put it down. That being said, Under the Stars reminded me too much of Husbands and Lovers.

✨ Under the Stars - Beatriz Williams
4.75/5 ⭐️ - I loveeee me a Beatriz Williams book. I was so excited to receive this ARC and I flewww through reading it. I was obsessed with the history, the mystery, and the romance. Williams meshes the genres beautifully.

I was immediately hooked to the present day story with the struggling mother-daughter relationship and the need/desire to watch their story grow. I was interested in the historical fiction sideline story to see how it was relevant and when it would circle back. I also enjoyed the middle timeline story to really grow the dynamic of Mike and Meredith. I loved the characters and the story and was so pleased with how it all connected. My ONLY qualm is that the ended was abrupt and I wish there was an epilogue!

Absolutely stunning!

Beatriz Williams takes such care with her craft and effortlessly brings the past to life as it entwines with the present. Being able to visit Winthrop Island and get to know more of its lore is as enchanting and engaging as other visits. Audrey, Meredith, Mike, and Sedge are all vibrantly human, and their summer at Winthrop becomes an unforgettable one.

I am never disappointed with a novel by Beatriz Williams. She remains one of my favorite authors for historical fiction and I cannot ever see that changing.

Under the Stars is a must read for all historical fiction, romance, and literature lovers alike.

Many thanks to the publisher, the author, and to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you so much to Ballantine Books for the gifted ARC!

4.25 stars

This book delivered so much more than I expected, I'll admit I was sold based on mostly the cover alone, but I'm happy to say that it didn't let me down!

I don't even know how I'd characterize this because I came for the women's fiction, was drawn in by the historical fiction aspects, but ended up loving the romance the most, I love when books offer something for everyone, and I think this one does!

The story was told among 3 different time periods, but everything was interconnected so perfectly that it seamlessly felt like one unified story. I loved learning about these 3 women and how their stories shaped history.

This book definitely has me eager to go back and read more from Beatriz Williams as this was my first by her!

There were a a couple spicy scenes and some other explicit content that seemed a little jarring compared to the rest of the book, so keep that in mind if that is a concern for you.

Honestly, Beatriz Williams can do no wrong in my eyes. This novel is equally as good as Husbands and Lovers PLUS brings back our favorite couple. Audrey is a great character - layered, hard to read and desperate for her mother’s love. For me, this one hit all the right chords, made me cheer and cry and is one of those books that will stick with you for a long time.

I will start off this review by saying, if Beatriz Williams has no fans, I’m dead. Under the Stars takes us back to William’s fictional Winthrop Island, and while it was not my favorite of her books, I still enjoyed it immensely. Mysterious paintings, Hollywood glamour, glimpses of some of our favorite island residents, and a love story—what more could a girl want?

I've read every book by Beatriz Williams, and haven't liked the last several nearly as much as her first few. This one is ok, typical beach read fare but essentially forgettable when you've finished. Each timeline is fairly engaging while you're reading it but don't stick enough to be very moving or memorable, and the ties between the shipwreck storyline and the modern one is a bit forced. It's fun to find the Easter eggs that Williams hides for consistent readers of her novels, but overall, for me this book lacked charm or substance and wasn't as much fun as her earlier works.

Beatriz Williams is back with another great read. Under the Stars is a dual timeline story with some historical fiction and a great love story (or 2). While I enjoyed learning about the steamship exploding off the coast of New England, my favorite storyline was Audrey learning more about her father and allowing herself to fall in love. Block off a day and enjoy the read- I did!

I really enjoyed this multi-pov family drama. The contemporary timeline fits well with the two past timelines to create an engaging story that I wanted to see to completion.

Overall, an engaging read if you like strong female charaters, multiple timelines and just a hint of mystery.


Thanks to Netgalley for my e-arc.

I read Husbands and Lovers by Beatriz Williams about 9 months ago and really enjoyed it. So I knew when I saw her book available to request on NetGalley that I had to request it. Thankfully I was approved. I actually went into reading it blind; I just knew I wanted to read it because of the author. As I was reading it I came across the name Monk Adams and I was thinking it seemed so familiar to me. Duh…he was a character from Husbands and Lovers! In my review of that book I wrote that I wished there was an epilogue…I got my epilogue! Along with a great story about Audrey, Sedge, Meredith, and Mike. This is told from multiple timelines with an important story line of historical fiction mixed in. This was much more effective in this book than what I felt Husbands and Lovers was. Everything tied together really well and made for a very engaging story and a great kick off to July reading. Audrey is tasked with taking her famous mother Meredith to Winthrop Island to dry out so that she can get her acting career back on track. The timing couldn’t be better because Audrey is suddenly left behind by her business partner husband who has completely disappeared. The stories that unfold and intertwine along with the story of the doomed passenger ship the Atlantic in the 1800s kept me reading all day and into the wee hours of the morning. I definitely think you need to read Husbands and Lovers before this one although they are both standalone novels. This comes out July 29th so you’ve got time. Thank you to @netgalley and @ballantinebooks for this advance readers copy of @authorbeatriz book.

“You either leave or you get left.”

Under The Stars by Beatriz Williams is a phenomenal contemporary historical fiction novel that will leave you mesmerized! In a compelling story of three women told in multiple points of view, secrets emerge, mysteries are uncovered, and romances bloom.

After famous actress Meredith Fisher reaches rock bottom and must stay out of the public eye, her daughter Audrey begrudgingly takes on the role of “supervisor” to make sure she stays sober during the summer. Returning to Winthrop Island, Audrey and Meredith soon reunite with Mike, owner of The Mohegan Inn, and Audrey’s father. While renovating The Mo, a trunk filled with real Henry Irving paintings is found, depicting a woman whom Mike believes may be his relative from the 1800s. This begins a search into the past, and the tale of the tragic Steamship Atlantic that grounded on the rocks in Winthrop Island on Thanksgiving Day in 1846. Providence Dare – maid to Irving and on that fateful boat ride trying to escape her past – may just be the link that brings this family full circle.

Simply, I am a fan of Williams (and of Winthrop Island)! I don’t care what happens there – sign me up to read about it! This author skillfully weaves together an event (the Steamship Atlantic tragedy really occurred) from the past and ties it in perfectly with today’s culture. I have never been a huge historical fiction fan, but between Kristin Hannah and Beatriz Williams – I am quickly changing my tune.

The characters are well developed, and the setting is picturesque. I admit I was not a fan of Audrey’s in the beginning – she was too sharp around the edges, but little by little she grows on you, and you soon root for her happy ending.

While Husbands & Lovers is still my favorite Williams book (and I loved the continuation with Mallory and Monk here), this novel has a lot to offer – this was SO MUCH more than a romance novel. My only gripe (if you can call it that) is that I don’t really understand the book’s title after reading the story – maybe Mothers & Daughters would have been more fitting.

I give this 4.6 stars and will recommend this novel to all my girlfriends!

I was super excited to receive this arc from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

“Because that’s how love works. Love does not keep a balance sheet. Love does not keep score. Love just gives.”

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc and to PRH Audio for the alc.

This novel was just ok in my opinion. I thought there were too many POVs, with the weakest being the 1846 timeline, and the strongest being Audrey. I have enjoyed other Beatriz Williams novels, but this one was not my favorite, unfortunately. I did enjoy the audiobook though.

I love Beatriz WIlliam's books and this one is no exception. I enjoyed so much about this book. I loved getting to see Mallory and Monk again. I loved that Meredith started in movies based on William's novels. I especially loved that Meredith's first big role was as Pepper Schuyler. It seems that these two are kindred spirits. And of course I loved the historical aspect that ties in with what is happening in the present. There is so much to enjoy about William's books.

Meredith is an actress that has made the tabloids one too many times for bad behavior. She has been offered the role that will revive her career, however she made the news again by being in a drunk driving accident. Audrey, her daughter is tasked with making sure she is sober from April until August. Audrey must uproot her life and go to Winthrop Island with Meredith. Audrey has her own tragedies to deal with, the loss of her dog, and the disappearance of her husband. While on the Island, Audrey looks up her father, Mike Kennedy. This reconnection leads to Audrey working in his Inn, and accidently setting the kitchen on fire. The fire leads to the story of Providence Dare and missing paintings.

The renovation of the restaurant leads to Audrey setting up her dream kitchen with the help of Sedge. There is some love stories, Audrey and Sedge, Mike and Meredith, and Providence and Henry?.

This story drew me in and keep in intrigued from the sinking of the Atlantic, the disappearance of Audrey's husband, the mystery of what happened when Meredith became pregnant with Audrey. I loved the ending and honestly hope to see more of these characters in a future book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballentine Books for the ARC of this ebook. All opinions expressed are my own.

Under the Stars by Beatriz Williams blends historical fiction with a touch of romance, set against a richly detailed backdrop that instantly drew me in.

What I loved most was how vividly Williams brought the setting and characters to life. The way she weaved together different timelines added depth and kept me curious about how everything would connect. The characters felt complex and real, and their emotions came through in a way that felt genuine.

The pacing was steady, giving me time to settle into the story without any rush. There were moments of tension and tenderness that balanced each other well. I especially appreciated the way the romance unfolded naturally alongside the broader themes.

If I had one small critique, it’s that at times the story felt a little slow, but the beautiful writing and strong character development kept me hooked throughout.

This book was a fast paced read for me. I loved Hisbands and Lovers but this book to me had more depth. Multiple storylines, including some familiar characters explored various topics. Love, betrayal, forgiveness, and second chances all wrapped into one.