This was excellent! Historical fiction blended with contemporary to create an excellent story that blends family drama, mystery, and romance.

The modern-day story follows Audrey Fisher, a talented chef striving to escape the shadow of her famous, troubled mother, Meredith Fisher. They return to Winthrop Island, a place with complicated memories, to help Meredith dry out and Audrey gets over the abandonment of her husband. While there, Audrey unearths a hidden trove of paintings that pulls them into a historical mystery, drawing in the charming Sedge Peabody and igniting a quest for answers. The author beautifully crafts their emotional journeys, making their struggles and discoveries feel deeply personal and relatable.

Intertwined with Audrey and Meredith's story is the breathtaking saga of Providence Dare, a woman fleeing her past aboard the luxury steamship Atlantic in 1846. Her journey is a gripping cat-and-mouse game against a relentless detective, set against the backdrop of a catastrophic maritime disaster. The tension is palpable, the stakes are incredibly high, and Providence's desperate fight for survival is nothing short of riveting, transporting you directly to the churning deck of the Atlantic and the journey to Winthrop Island.

This is a must read novel of 2025. I loved the multiple viewpoints from Audrey, Meredith, and Providence. There was romance, action, and mystery. The best part though was the connections and how everything tied together. I can't wait to read more from Beatriz Williams.

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers!

I'm giving it 4.5 stars, more than I gave Husbands & Lovers. This review is intentionally general because I don’t want to spoil anything.

What I loved: I couldn’t put the book down. I read it so quickly, I wish I had savored all the different layers. As always, I loved how Williams uses different POVs to weave together interconnected stories. The cameos from other books were a nice surprise; it had me reminiscing about previous characters. The pacing felt faster, and the connections between storylines were even more compelling this time around. I also appreciated the historical detail and the author’s note, which gave insight into her experience and knowledge of The Atlantic.

That said, I do wish the author had spent more time developing the relationship between the main characters, it felt a bit abrupt, and so did the ending. But in a way, that’s part of Williams’ signature: she does an incredible job opening the stories just enough for readers to imagine the rest, or to pick it up in the next book.

If you’re looking for a book that immerses you in another time while still grounding you in the present, this is it.

Under the Stars is another historical fiction./romance/mystery set on Winthrop Island. It follows the lives of three different women connected to the island past and present. I really enjoyed this novel always like her characters and how they connect to her past books. This one took a little while for me to get into but once I did was hard to put down, 3.5/4 stars. I want to thank Netgalley and Ballantine Books for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Under the Stars by Beatriz Williams was a real page turner. It relates the stories of 3 women who are connect by family, centuries apart. This story held my interest from beginning to end with themes of mystery love family and betrayal . I loved the historical part where the sinking of the ship The Atlantic was narrated. The woman writing the account was a strong woman who held her own in a world dominated by men.
The 2 women in the present day were a mother and daughter who had a love/hate relationship on the surface but they really loved each other a lot. This move takes place in 3 different times:1846, 1993 and 2024.I love the way they all came together to solve a mystery hundreds of years in the making

Thank you to Ballantine Books/Random house and Net Galley for this advanced readers copy. This story is a mix of historical fiction, romance, and mystery. What's not to love! For historical fiction lovers, learning about the steamship Atlantic and its shipwreck was fascinating. The character Prudence Dare and her harrowing journey on the Atlantic is the perfect set up for the present day mystery to unwind itself. The dual-timeline story grabs us from past and takes us into the present where we get to know the main characters of this novel, Meredith and Audrey. Both have complicated relationships. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and will read other books by Beatriz Williams.

Beatriz Williams takes us back to Winthrop Island in this new summer read. I loved Husbands and Lovers, and the cameos and connections in this were appreciated having read that book first. However, it is not necessary and Under the Stars can be enjoyed on its own.

Under the Stars is told in three timelines that unexpectedly come together through art. Each story is interesting on its own and told with such beautiful writing that the characters and settings really do come to life.

This story admittedly takes a while to develop as we navigate the setup of each timeline. While written beautifully and intricately coordinated, the connection between characters and their stories is not appreciated until later in the book as they start to come together so the start is a bit slow. Once the pace is picked up and the connections start to form the story was much more intriguing, and I would say it was worth the wait.

Ultimately a good summer read, especially for those who enjoyed Husbands and Lovers, but not my favorite from Beatriz.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine for my eARC in exchange for an honest review!

First of all - I am a Beatriz Williams Stan - this book was as delightful as her others that I have read. I enjoyed being whisked back to Winthrop's Island and learning about a different family touched by the island and was delighted to see characters from her other books pop up. I enjoyed the dual timelines of past and present.

Under the Stars is a beautifully written book about the trials and triumphs of families. This dual timeline drama, seemingly unconnected, comes together in a way we have come to expect from Beatriz Williams. Having grown up in Southeastern CT, I really enjoy the setting of these books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

Beatriz Williams takes us once again to Winthrop Island with a cast of characters we are already familiar with along with some new characters. The story weaves together the loves of three women in three different eras. The wreck of the SS Atlantic is a true story with some fictionalized details about a woman on board who survives the wreck. Then there is Meredith the native of Winthrop Island who becomes a famous actress and alcoholic, and her daughter Audrey gong through a divorce.

Beatriz Williams brings us back to Winthrop island with her new summer novel, Under the Stars. Following Audrey Fisher as she brings her mother, Meredith, to her childhood home to sober up from alcohol. Meredith is a Hollywood star who took Audrey away from the island -- and her father, Mike -- when she was a young child. Now that Audrey and Meredith are returning to the island, old wounds are probed and secrets revealed. We also follow Prudence Dare in 1846, who will have her own connection to Winthrop Island as she travels by ship away from her old life and the secrets it held.

Beatriz Williams novels have a LOT of plot, and that's something I usually really enjoy. In this case, however, I think there were one too many strings to follow -- in particular, the storyline with Audrey's ex-husband just felt unnecessary. The historical connection was also a little looser than it usually in Beatriz William's novels. I think the most compelling storyline was that of Meredith and Mike, and I'm really glad we got to explore their connection in the current era.

If you're a fan of Husbands and Lovers there are some great cameos! While not my favorite of Beatriz Williams' novels, a propulsive and engaging summer read.

Beatriz Williams has outdone herself, Under the Stars is my new favorite of hers. The story is set in a Long Island-island town just a ferry ride from Connecticut. It has all the elements of a perfect summer read: mystery, romance, layered timelines, and of course flawed characters,

The story unfolds across three timelines:
⏳1846, where a woman aboard the tragic Atlantic escaping a possibly scandalous connection to a fictional but legendary artist who died of a mysterious fall;
⏰1993, full of teen angst, drinking, sex and secrets;
⌚️2024, in which an emotionally charged chef returns to the island where her life began and confronts the truth about her origins while caring for her recovering alcoholic “Mommy Dearest”-ish actress mother, and the “townie” father she never knew.

The characters are perfect. Audrey is sharp, wounded, and brave, thrown into a mess of memories, and new beginnings. Her alcoholic, larger-than-life mother is both tragic and infuriating—a fading screen star with a flair for emotional sabotage. Her ex-husband: Deliciously evil. Her stranger dad: A townie curmudgeon bartender and owner of a dive bar/inn. The new love interest: A Labrador-retriever type of man—loyal, strong, and refreshingly uncomplicated taking care of his grandmother.

One of the most satisfying parts of the book is the way the timelines weave together so seamlessly at the end eventually revealing secrets that have been buried beneath the rocky shore centuries apart. Williams’ prose sparkles with sharp wit, she has a gift for unexpected, vivid descriptions—like when she introduces a character with a “nose like a wedge of cheese” or describes a hangover as, “when the sunshine truck crashes into my head the next morning.”

And then there are the quiet, profound reflections that sneak up on you, like this gem from an older character:

“But it is. We’re so damned lucky to be alive, Meredith. Just to be conceived, to be born. Each day is given to us against astronomical odds. You’ve won the lottery.”

This book is not just beautifully written, it’s beautifully built, layering generations of longing, resilience, and rediscovery. If you’re looking for a transporting read with a bit of history, heart, and a hint of mystery, Under the Stars is the perfect summer beach read!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this book in advance!

I only just started getting into this author, and I can already tell I like her style. A book about real issues, with a romance as a part of it, is a great way to feel like you know the characters, and not get turned off by the dime store romance piece of it. The author definitely knows how to write those more romantic scenes really well!

In terms of the different story lines, even though I love books like that, it did get a tad confusing. For the timeline that happened first (the original shipwreck), I felt the connection to the modern-day characters to be way too far off. It turns out that the modern-day characters were related, but by several generations - which just felt more disconnected to me than if they had been closer in age.

There was also a plot line between the mother and child that I never felt was truly answered or understood by the reader, and I finished the book still not really understanding it, and wondering if I were the daughter, would I also feel that this was unfinished business.

The main character was very stubborn, and sometimes got in her own way, but I felt refreshed by the fact that the author didn't take advantage of that in order to draw out the story longer than it needed to. I would love to revisit Winthrop Island and see how these characters are doing!

This isn’t a fair review because I didn’t finish the book. There are three different time periods, and I had a difficult time connecting one of the. Again, I know if I had finished it, it would have made sense. I liked the three stories separately.

Loved this new story from one of my favorite authors. All three storylines were engaging and interesting. There’s something inviting about this author’s ability to take the reader on such a warm ride even when the characters are dealing with difficulties.

I wanted to like this book so much more than I did. I felt like it was good but not as good as other books by this author. I was excited that this book takes place on Winthrop Island, where we encounter many of the same characters from Husbands and Lovers (which I loved). I just felt like the shipwreck that connected the modern-day story wasn't compelling enough and didn't have enough content to have SO MANY chapters. It seemed like it kept saying the same things over and over, to the point where I was basically skimming those chapters. I did, however, like both Meredith and Audrey as characters and was happy to see Sedge back. The ending was satisfying and will hopefully lead to more Winthrop Island reads.
I will recommend this to others.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC!

I am always excited and ready for a new Beatriz Williams book and I was over the moon to have the opportunity to review Under the Stars!
Williams brings every story she writes to life and sucks the reader in. Under the Stars takes place in Winthrop Island, NY as a few of her other novels have. You will recognize some old friends and feel like you are living right along side with Meredith, Audrey, Sedge and Mike. You will come to know Providence and learn about how these families came to live on Winthrop Island. Under the Stars does not disappoint and had me sucked right in until the last page!

4.5 stars rounded down.

This is my second Beatriz Williams book and my very first ARC! I was so excited I got approved for this story since Husbands and Lovers was one of my favorite reads of 2024. If you've read Husbands and Lovers, get excited to see some familiar faces in Under the Stars.

Beatriz does an amazing job weaving an intricate and interesting story over multiple timelines. It can be a little hard to keep track of in the beginning if you have to pick up and put down the book often, like I did, but once you're in the story, you're IN IT.

The mix of historical fiction and romance marries two of my favorite genres, and I love how her stories come together at the end. Her writing is delectable, and I just love how she phrases certain things. Even though the story is heavy in parts, I found myself laughing out loud multiple times while reading.

I also appreciate the amount of research that Beatriz does for the historical fiction portion of these books.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for this ARC!

Beatriz Williams never disappoints and this book is no exception. Part exploration of the mother-daughter relationship and part mystery, this book checks all the boxes.

Thank you to Random House/Ballentine for providing me an ARC of this book through Net Galley!
I really,really loved the story and the plot. The characters were really well done. I am not one for big reviews or spoilers,so I won’t ruin anything, but this story had me from the first page to the last. Just soo good! But it loses a star for me because of the language. There is just a lot of it and I personally think that an author can 100% write an amazing book without gratuitous swearing. And I feel like there is a lot of unnecessary language in this book.
I have read many books by Beatriz Williams, she is on my short list of favorite authors, so I know she can do better

Consider me a bonafide Beatriz Williams’ fan. What a great story! Her ability to weave together multiple storylines keeps the book interesting and moving along.

I loved being a fly on the wall to the dynamics in Audrey’s relationships with Meredith and Mike. Seeing her relationship with Sedge blossom felt natural and believable. Intertwining details from the Atlantic crash made me go down a google rabbit hole a time or two.

Bonus points for bringing Monk and Mallory back as I loved their storyline in Husbands & Lovers.

Many thanks to Random House Ballantine and Netgalley for a copy of the book. All opinions are my own.