I enjoyed this Beatriz Williams book more than some of her others. The story of the Atlantic ship disaster was new to me and I looked up the location on a map to see where the ship departed from. (I also read the author’s notes before starting the book.)

Audrey, Meredith and Providence were a bit crude and rough when we first met them. Eventually their stories were revealed and I came to really like them—even Meredith.

Advanced reader copy courtesy of the publishers at NetGalley for review.

Under the Stars by Beatriz Williams was a so-so read for me. While I enjoyed the characters and thought the romance had its charming moments, it didn’t quite capture me the way some of her other novels have. I was especially hoping for more depth in the historical fiction storyline aboard the ship, which felt like it had so much potential but wasn’t explored as fully as I’d hoped. Overall, it was an enjoyable book, but not one of my favorites from Williams.

Loved this story! Characters were great - though all not entirely loveable at first, you really got to know them and understand their motivation. Loved the fictional setting too - felt like we were there.

4.5 stars! Beatriz is truly a master at leaving the reader on the edge of their seat after each insatiable chapter, which seamlessly flows through the POV of three generations of women.
If you love a good historical fiction with a sprinkle of romance, art, mystery and family drama then I highly suggest you preorder this book!
Thank you @netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC.

Beatriz WIlliams can do no wrong, and I liked this one very much. There were a number of drifting timelines, and a few times I found myself thinking "wait, who is this character again?" Aside from a few back-jogs to find my place in the story, there was pretty much everything you could want in a story from Williams: a historic detective story backdrop, unbridled romance, art, debauchery and many, many pop-up surprises.

Under the Stars is a novel featuring mysterious paintings, a struggling actress, unexpected romance, and a shipwreck that spans two timelines. I am usually a fan of Beatriz Williams, but this novel disappoints me due to its miserable, unlikable characters and a difficult-to-follow storyline.

Audrey Fisher's life is disrupted when she is tasked with sobering up her famous actress mother, Meredith, for the summer. They travel to the remote Winthrop Island, Meredith’s childhood home, where hard truths are revealed and sometimes avoided. Amy, a successful chef, reunites with her biological father, who asks her to run his failing restaurant. After meeting entrepreneur Seth Peabody and discovering some mysterious paintings, her life changes drastically.

Aside from Seth (the hero of the novel), the characters are all misfits evading broken marriages, failed careers, tragic pasts, and even the law. Thank you, NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review Under the Stars.

Beatriz Williams always hits the mark. This historical fiction book was intriguing and with the character dynamics made it hard to put down.

I recently read Under the Stars by Beatriz Williams. I've read many books by this author and have always enjoyed them. Williams writes what may be considered historic fiction, but I actually find that true with some of her books more than others. What you can always count on is a good story, with great character development and an interesting plot. Her most recent offering is no different.

In Under the Stars, we are treated to a story about a mother and daughter. The mother, Meredith, is a famous actress, working toward a comeback. Daughter, Audrey is a chef who discovers a mysterious chest having belonged to her estranged father. Despite not wanting to return to their family home on Winthrop Island in New England, both women find they must, in order to address their issues. What ensues is a family mystery, begging to be discovered. This is done with the aid of part of the story being told in a flashback to 1846 where Providence, who has a secret, is fleeing on a steamship which starts to sink near Winthrop Island. Of course, Beatriz Williams brings the whole story together with her normal mastery, holding the readers interest until the very end. As usual, a great read from a consistently good author. I can't wait for more.

Many thanks to Random House/Ballentine and Net Galley for the early look. It was a pleasure.

Great read! I loved the dueling timeline. Providence, Meredith, and Audrey were fantastic leading ladies. Beatriz Williams is always a favorite author and this book did not disappoint. I would have loved more details on Providence's story and the Atlantic shipwreck.

"Husbands & Lovers" was the first book I read by Beatriz Williams, and I really enjoyed the characters and the East Coast setting. I was super excited for the advanced copy of "Under the Stars." This book takes us back to Winthrop Island through the stories of three different main characters: Providence Dare (1846), Meredith Fisher (1994), and Audrey Fisher (2024).

We also get to catch up with some favorites from "Husbands & Lovers", like Monk and Mallory, Mike, and Sedge, who’s with Audrey. This story has a little bit of everything—historical fiction, romance, intrigue, and humor. I couldn't read it fast enough! It's the perfect summer read and definitely gets five stars from me.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.

I always love Beatriz Williams books - great historical fiction with strong female characters and this one does not disappoint! The story fluctuates between the past and present and follows three heroines. Loved it!

3.75 ⭐ Thank you to @ballantinebooks for the advanced copy!

Pub Date: July 29, 2025

In Under the Stars, Beatriz Williams intertwines the lives of three women: Audrey, a modern-day chef; her famous, complicated mother, Meredith; and Providence Dare, a young woman fleeing scandal aboard a doomed steamship in 1846.

When Audrey and Meredith return to Winthrop Island for the summer, they discover a mysterious chest of paintings that ties their family’s past to a long-forgotten tragedy, and to a woman whose secrets may finally come to light.

I’ll be honest: the first 30% was really slow. That was also my experience with Husbands & Lovers, so maybe it’s just how Williams builds her stories. If this hadn’t been an ARC, I might’ve stopped. But once the pieces started to fall into place, I got invested. The mystery around the paintings and the slow unraveling of family secrets kept me turning pages.

The strongest parts of the book, for me, were the setting and characters. I loved the New England island vibe, and Audrey and Meredith’s sharp, tell-it-like-it-is personalities made them fun to read. Their messy, complicated dynamic felt refreshingly real.

Romance-wise, there’s some light love interest content, but the relationships felt more like background fluff than emotional centerpieces. What stood out more was the personal growth each woman experiences as the story unfolds.

Though marketed as historical fiction, I’d call this more of a contemporary family drama with a historical subplot. Providence’s timeline, the most traditionally “historical” part, was compelling, and I often wished the book leaned more into her story. That said, I enjoyed the discovered paintings angle; as an art history enthusiast, that subplot was a highlight.

There are a lot of characters to keep track of, and I sometimes had to remind myself how people were related. Williams is known for packing a lot into her books, and this is no exception. But overall, it’s a very well-written story with a rich atmosphere, strong voices, and a satisfying conclusion.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys multigenerational stories, mother-daughter drama, and a touch of historical mystery.

I devoured this book! It was so good. We start off with our cast of characters. Audrey is tasked with babysitting her famous yet wild mother Meredith. And they head to Winthrop Island where they assume they can spend a summer taking it easy. Suffice to say chaos of all types ensue. We then meet Mike, Sedge, the Irving’s, and Providence.

I really enjoyed how the story interwoven the past and present with both stories holding my attention. The story pulled you in and kept you there. I read this over two days because I had to know what was going to happen next and how the story would wrap up.

Overall this is a great read and I highly recommend it!

Thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for an ARC of this book! Getting approved for a Beatriz Williams ARC feels like winning the lottery, and this one did NOT disappoint!
As per usual, Beatriz Williams has managed to write a deeply engrossing and enjoyable story. Set in multiple timelines (3), she masterfully weaves together past and present. Those who read Husbands and Lovers, will enjoy a brief life update on Mallory and Monk and the return of Sedge- who finally gets the girl.
I really enjoyed the way the three timelines intertwined and finally came together at the end with Winthrop Island itself being the connecting thread. Each woman must choose to overcome their own trials and tragedies- to choose to survive- to make the most of what life has given them. A theme throughout the book is, “grief is the price we pay for love.” Yes, that is a line from QEII’s speech about the passing of Princess Diana, but one that works perfectly for this book as well. The choices these characters ultimately make for love is often made hand in hand with grief.
Also, I loved the quick nod to Willig, White and Williams- ifykyk
As always, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I can’t wait to read the next!

Audrey, a talented chef who in 2024 was recently abandoned by her husband; Meredith, Audrey's movie star mother whose career began after she fled her Winthrop Island home after becoming a single mother in 1993 and who has one last chance to save her career by getting and staying sober; and Providence Dare, the servant girl to a famous artist who in 1846 has fled Boston under suspicion for his murder. Providence's story is written as a diary account of the night the steamship she steals away on gets caught in a storm. Williams is a wonderful writer and while this isn't my favorite of her work, I did like it and would recommend it. You'll keep turning the pages to find out what really happened to cause both Providence and Meredith to run in 1846 and 1993, what will happens to all three women, and what connects Meredith and Audrey to Providence.

NOTE: Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

this is a dual timeline story, if you like historical fiction you will love this story. I read in two days as it was hard to put down.

I am a huge Beatriz Williams fan. If you are looking for a fantastic, entertaining, historical fiction that sucks you in and does historical fiction in a way that hasn't been done before, look no further!

World-renowned actress Meredith Fisher returns to her family home on Winthrop Island with her daughter Audrey, seeking refuge from the public as she battles her addiction. While both mother and daughter find themselves frequently at odds, the reality is that they have more in common than they realize: Both women excel at distancing themselves from others in the guise of self-protection. Both fear the danger inherent in allowing themselves to be emotionally open and vulnerable. Both are incredibly strong-willed yet simultaneously crippled by doubt.

A tragic shipwreck from long ago and the discovery of the legacy of a woman who 'dared' to live the life she wanted in the face of disapproval, danger, and even near death, forces Meredith and Audrey to confront their insecurities and acknowledge that their past doesn’t have to dictate their future. With so much in our lives that is out of our control, we need to let the walls we’ve built around ourselves come down and risk reaching out for the love and happiness that surround us. In the wise words of Audrey’s father, Mike, “Love does not keep a balance sheet. Love does not keep score. Love just gives.”

I’ve been an avid reader of Beatriz Williams’s books for years. She has a talent for creating perfectly imperfect characters that are easy to root for, and the cast of Under the Stars, particularly Providence, is no exception. With every novel set in it, Winthrop Island becomes more and more real, and I loved all the small nods to other storylines and characters in Williams’s world. Until next time…

Four and a half stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Beatriz Williams brings us back to Winthrop Island, this time with three main characters – historical figure Providence Dare, who fled Boston by steamboat after being charged with a crime; Meredith Fisher, an actress who is escaping to her family home on Winthrop Island to sober up and attempt to reclaim her Hollywood status; and Audrey’s daughter Meredith, who accompanies her mother, with whom she has a very complicated relationship. Fans of Husbands & Lovers will be pleased at the return of Monk and Mallory, this time in supporting roles. I loved all three storylines, but the standout for me was the historical one of Providence Dare and the wreck of the steamship she was on. It’s a gripping, suspenseful narrative, and the ways in which it intersects with the fate of the modern-day characters lends the novel just a bit of mystery, mixed in with the family secrets and drama, of which there is no shortage. Williams has successfully pulled off another dual timeline novel, with story lines that initially seem worlds apart, but are gradually woven together, thread by thread, until the full beautifully multilayered picture comes into focus at the end.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. Under the Stars by Beatriz Williams. If I see a new book by Beatriz Williams, I eagerly grab it. They are super beach reads as many are coastal in setting. Thank you to the publisher, the author and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy. This novel takes us to three different time periods, all involving the fictitious Winthrop Island (inspiration is Fisher’s Island). Providence Dare is running away from something devious in 1846 when she’s shipwrecked. Present day Audrey is helping her famous mother detox and get ready for her comeback movie. She ends up meeting her birth father and discovering some risqué paintings in her dad’s pub. 1990s Meredith longs for excitement but ends up pregnant. How do all these stories converge? This was a fun and quick read. It’s actually the 3rd or 4th novel I’ve read that is set on Winthrop Island. Thumbs up! Great one for the beach bag. Publication date is late July! #whatsinyourbeachbag #winthropisland #beatrizwilliams #bookstagram #bookgram #whatiread #reading #books #bookworm #goodreads #netgalley #libbyapp