I generally love Beatriz Williams’ books. However, with three separate timelines and far too many dots to connect, UNDER THE STARS is less satisfying than others I have read.

The main story focuses on a mother and daughter, Meredith and Audrey in 2024. Meredith is a film star just out of her latest stint in rehab, and Audrey is charged with keeping her sober until filming can begin on a big project They spend the summer on Winthrop Island, a frequent setting in Williams’ novels. We also go back to Meredith’s late adolescence on Winthrop in 1993. In addition, there is the 1846 account of a nearby shipwreck written by a survivor named Prudence Dare. All the threads eventually are tied together, but it takes quite a while to get there. In addition, there is the distraction of characters from previous novels appearing in this one. When I recognize the names, ( Monk Adams in this case) I get sidetracked trying to remember what I learned about this character previously. Perhaps other readers enjoy this familiarity, but I find it distracting. The book is fine, but just not as successful as previous titles.

Under the Stars by Beatriz Williams is a story set on Winthrop Island in New England. Audrey is a chef in California whose life has recently imploded. Her husband ran off with all their money and her dog died. Her mother Meredith is a famous actress who has just come out of rehab. Audrey brings her to their summer home out East to stay sober until filming begins on her next movie, as required by the production company. While on the island, Audrey finds a love interest, reunites with her dad Mike, and together they find some old paintings in the cellar that end up being long lost treasures while Meredith deals with a lot of history from her youth and has a reunion with Mike as well. Chapters from the present flip flop with chapters from the 1800’s when a ship wrecked off the coast of Winthrop Island. The historical chapters tell the story of Providence Dare, a servant for the Irving family, who is trying to evade arrest for suspected murder of her employer. We get a deep history of what the real story is there and learn where the paintings came from.
Williams does a great job of interweaving the two stories of present and past and both storylines kept my interest equally.
Readers who enjoyed Husbands and Lovers will likely enjoy Under the Stars because they are written in a similar fashion and we even get reintroduced to a few characters (Mallory & Monk Adams, Sedgewick Peabody) which makes for a familiar read.
I loved the small island setting and the mystery that unfolded about the paintings. There is a lot of connecting the dots by the end of the book. I also loved the tell it like it is attitudes of Meredith and Audrey. Their big personalities are fun to read about. Fans of romance will enjoy the relationships between Audrey and Sedge and Meredith and Mike, though they do not delve really deep and seem to be a bit of fluff to me. Overall, I think this will be a great summer or beach read for many readers and is worth giving a try.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Ballantine Books for my ARC.

Can I give a novel more than 5 stars? This is another very special Beatriz Williams novel. The setting is a small, island , located between NY and Connecticut. There are 2 stories intertwined, Prudence Dare, shipwrecked on the island and Audrey Fisher whose glamorous celebrity mother has deep roots on the island.

Williams reminds her readers about previous novels that took place on Winthrop Island (think Fisher’s Island). This is a rich, beautifully written story about this mother and daughter who find rebirth on an island that had previously proven very complicated in their lives.

Every character is well constructed and likable.

It is a romance, historical fiction and a lovely continuation of the Williams novels I have loved in the past. Yet, it works fine as stand-alone novel. I highly recommend this to her fans and I urge those not familiar with her writing to read her.

I thank Netgalley and the editor for allowing me to read and review this terrific novel.

Another fabulous Beatriz William’s book that takes place on Winthrop Island with a new historical fiction story, and overlapping characters from past books! A fun summer read from one of my favorite authors!

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for making my entire year for giving me an early copy of this soon to be summer smash.

Every July I always look forward to the new Beatriz Williams book. Under the Stars deserves all the stars. I loved all three storylines; the Atlantic Crossing, young Meredith and present day with Audrey and an older Meredith.

I seriously need a map of who’s who from previous books. Sedge, Monk and Mallory are from Husbands and Lovers. Isobel is from Summer Wives. I feel like I missed one.

Cannot wait until next one. No spoilers, Just dive in and enjoy this Beatriz binge!

I thoroughly enjoy Beatriz Williams' books and Under the Stars is no exception. I also love books with a dual timeline and twists to keep me guessing. This book, about a mother and daughter duo, discover paintings that connect them to a woman that vanished 200 years ago on a steamship. I also enjoyed and appreciated the easter eggs from Husbands & Lovers scattered throughout the book. Thank you to Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine Books for the advanced copy!

Fans of Beatriz Williams will recognize the setting of this story, which is mostly on the fictional Winthrop Island, New York. Present day: Audrey Fisher, daughter of famous actress Meredith Fisher, finds herself babysitting her recovering alcoholic mother on the island for the summer. The present narrative alternates with the 1846 diary of Providence Dare, a young woman escaping the law who is on the luxury steamship Atlantic when it sinks off the shore of the island. What ensues is the relationship between Audrey, her parents, and Sedge Peabody (the love interest). As the story progresses, a mystery connected to the past is unraveled, forever changing the lives of the present-day characters.

In Under the Stars, Ms. Williams has created an interesting dual timeline with a likable cast of characters. She keeps the readers on their toes with a few twists and mysteries scattered throughout. It is a very enjoyable read for historical fiction fans, lovers of strong female characters, and fans of the author. This would be a great beach read!

Thank you to Net Galley, the author, and the publisher for an advance e-reader copy of this book!

Wow! I just finished Beatriz Williams’ Under the Stars, and I am completely blown away by the quality of the writing and the very interesting multiple plot lines.

The book grabbed me from the get-go, with the discovery of a dead body off the New England coast. We then move on to an account of the wreck of the Steamship Atlantic in 1846, written by a former servant on the doomed ship that crashed in the same area. Finally, we get to the story of Audrey, still reeling from the desertion of her husband, who must babysit her movie star mother so that the actress can maintain her sobriety. All of these are riveting stories and may seem convoluted, but in Williams’ skilled storytelling, they weave together in a logical way and eventually come together.

Most of the book moves between three points of view, daughter Audrey, movie star mother Meredith, and 1846 steamship passenger Providence. All the voices are distinct, and I was so impressed by how Providence wrote in the style of 19th century prose. All of these women face adversity, but are survivors, and the reader cannot help but rejoice how they all conquer their challenges.

This probably is my favorite Beatriz Williams book, and I’ve loved all of them.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the early ebook of “Under The Stars” by Beatriz Williams! This is another winner by Ms. Williams, revisiting the location and some of her characters from “Husbands and Lovers”. Audrey Fisher is dealing with a lot … her husband has disappeared, sabotaging the restaurant they opened together and their finances in one fell swoop. And on top of that, her celeb mom - with whom she has a difficult relationship - needs her to “hide her away” while she dries out awaiting her next movie role! There are multiple storylines and characters, and also a historical timeline interwoven with the story, making for a complex and engrossing plot! I wish could read more about all of these characters! This was a 4-star read for me and one of my favorite Beatriz Williams novel to date! I would highly recommend!! Thank you to NetGalley for the advance ebook! #UnderTheStars #NetGalley

I enjoy books across timelines that intersect in some way to the reader's surprise. Williams has mastered this storytelling with Under the Stars. I was into the book immediately. The writing is classic Williams. I was captivated throughout. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Audrey, Meredith, and Providence are three women telling their stories, 200 years apart.


Audrey and her mother, Meredith are returning to the place they never wanted to return to. But Meredith needs to sober up before she loses her career so they head to Winthrop Island off the coast of New England.


As they confront what happened in the past, they also find a treasure trove of paintings that lead to Providence.


This was so well done, and nothing less than I would expect from Williams. Beautiful story of mothers, daughters and survival.


NetGalley/ Random House/Ballantine July 29, 2025

In Under the Stars, Beatriz Williams weaves a lush, dual-timeline story of hidden art, lost love, and family secrets. As Meredith and her daughter uncover a mystery from 1846, past and present collide in a beautifully crafted tale full of heart and intrigue.

I received an Advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my unbiased review. I was interested in Under the Stars, as I had recently enjoyed Husbands and Lovers, also by Beatriz Williams. Similarly, Under the Stars is solid historical fiction that meets modern women’s fiction via multiple timelines. Unfortunately, the three separate timelines in this book made it hard to get fully pulled in until I was halfway through the book. Luckily, once I got the there, the story had me hooked. Although, I initially missed the connections to her previous book, Williams has some nice continuation of Husbands and Lovers included in Under the Stars. The summer in New England setting will make this a great summer read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing | Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read Under the Stars by Beartriz Williams. This is another fascinating book by obe of the best!

This was a solid 4.5 star book. I love everything Beatriz Williams has written and this is no exception. There are 3 timelines with two sets of characters. I was hooked from the beginning and found myself saying no….when it would move to a different storyline because I was so invested. And then quickly being invested in the next one. Meredith was such a complex character and I loved being able to see why she acted the way she did. The love story between Audrey and Sedge was so subtle and yet so powerful that I could not get enough of them. Great book!!

It’s hard to give a quick plot summary of this story because there is quite a lot going on. There are three timelines for three different women that weave together with some love stories, a crime and some expensive art mixed in. Meredith is a movie actress with an addiction problem that needs someone to babysit her until her new movie begins filming. So her daughter Audrey with whom she has a strained relationship takes her to Winthrop Island where they both grew up. Audrey is forced to confront her relationship with her estranged father, meets Sedge who she is attracted to romantically and she finds undiscovered artwork from a famous artist . Lastly, there is Providence Dare who fled Boston on a ship after being accused of a crime and her ship sinks but she survives. It’s a fast paced story with good character development and I really enjoyed it, much like the other books I’ve read by this author. My only criticism is that there is a lot going on in this story. It does all weave together in the end but for me a tighter plot would have worked better. Sometimes it feels a little too all over the place to be successful.

3.5 ⭐️

“Under the Stars” follows our three heroines: Audrey, Meredith and Providence during three timelines over the course of nearly 200 years. Each of the three perspectives are equally as strong without overshadowing the others. Secrets and mysteries unfold and resolve at appropriate pacing to connect the timelines.

The New England setting is immersive. The family dynamic drama is compelling if not a bit overwhelming. I found the iteration of the doomed ship of the Atlantic much too anxiety-inducing for my liking, but can very much appreciate the well-researched retelling and fictionalization of the account.

If you’re a fan of “The Briar Club”, I think you may enjoy this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing | Ballantine Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Two timelines that will eventually connect families from their history to present day, with secrets and valuable art.

I was totally taken in with the story of various people on Winthrop Island. Audrey Fischer returns to the island with her famous actress mother, Meredith Fischer. Audrey must babysit her mom while she stops drinking before her next film.

As Audrey meets the locals she discovers major connections to her family and a woman who arrived on the island a century ago on a ship that crashes on the island's rocky coast. She also meets her father who was a childhood friend of her mother's.

Valuable art work from a famous painter turns up in the basement of her father's tavern.

Fabulous story with incredible intrigue. Couldn't put it down!

Told in three timelines, 2024 between Meredith and daughter Audrey, Meredith in 1993 and excerpts taking place in the year 1846 which is an account of the sinking of a ship (much like the Titanic) the Atlantic told by passenger Providence Dare. We do get a few other glimpse of additional characters, but it's mainly the three women.

Audrey is on Winthrop Island to help her mother dry out so that her acting career can continue. While helping her mother she reconnects with Mike, the father she never knew. When she finds a trove of magnificent drawings in Mike's house the action starts to rev up. Joined by the attractive Sedge Peabody, they look to uncover the mystery of this remarkable artwork.

This was one of those grand stories that absolutely sucks you in. The location of the fictional Winthrop Island comes alive in Beatriz William's prose and you understand the hold that it has over the three female protagonists.

Each of the female leads pops off of the page with the author's description leading the reader to become enraptured with the story that unfolds over many years in Under the Stars. Sure to be a new classic, I am rating this 4.5 stars.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read Under The Stars. This book brings us back to Winthrop Island with some new friends. This is a well researched account of the wreck of The Atlantic. The characters are well written, flawed & spoiled humans. This will keep your attention from the first chapter.