Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the eARC..

Somehow in all of my reading, I had not had the pleasure of reading a Beatriz Williams book. This was the best kind of historical fiction to me. I loved the multiple timelines and how they all wove together. Really pulled at my mom heart strings.

I read a book by Beatriz Williams several years ago and I still remember how much I loved it (A Hundred Summers). I love her newest “Husbands and Lovers” as well and glad I picked it up to read this summer. Side note: her book covers are always beautiful too!

The story is part romance, part historical fiction. It jumped between two timelines, one in current day and one in the past. I found the historical fiction storyline interesting because it introduced me to something I didn’t know, and going to look up to learn more about it.
Her writing brings us to New England (and Cairo) which is always a draw for me. Her main characters in this book are strong women trying to navigate their circumstances.

I learned in the Author’s Note that one of the main characters, Monk Adams, is the grandson of another character in a series - going to grab those to read next!

Thank you to NetGalley & Random House Publishing - Ballantine for an advanced copy of this novel for review.

Husbands and Lovers by Beatriz Williams pulled me in from the very beginning. I had so many weird personal connections to places and people in this book, so I was immediately enthralled.

Husbands and Lovers is a dual-time frame story. While the historical fiction story was interesting, it didn't fully hold my attention. It was a little too drawn out for me. However, Mallory and the current time frame was a great read.

I very much enjoyed Husbands and Lovers and would recommend it. Thanks to Random House Publishing-Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

YES, my kind of novel. More of these, please! I love Beatriz Williams, and if you haven't tried her novels yet, then this is one heck of an introduction into her novels.
Always historic on some level, this one goes back and forth between the living large 1950s to now. Egypt to New England. Both fantastic settings on their own. In one novel I it is magic.
Mallory and Hannah are amazing women who are connection beyond biology. Yet calling this family drama doesn't seem fitting.
Driven by character development. Husbands and Lovers opens one heck of a can of worms.

I really wanted to like this book, but am finding this author’s books are hit or miss for me. The POV’s felt more confusing and jarring in this one. I could not get into Hannah’s storyline as it was slow or confusing in places.

HUGE winner! Beatriz Williams has literally never missed -- just keeps getting better. I found myself wanting to keep reading, but I also didn't want the story to end. Love little Easter Eggs she includes too.

I enjoyed this interventional novel about Mallory and her grandmother Hannah. There was some slight confusion with Mallory having two different timelines and it definitely told less of Hannah’s story. But overall it was well-written.

I surprised myself with how much I adored this novel. I was a huge fan of Beatriz Williams for years, reading her books as soon as they came out through the Schuyler sisters trilogy, and for some reason, I stopped reading her novels years ago. I need to remedy that and get through the rest of her backlist because I could not put this book down. To my recollection, she usually doesn't focus on any stories from modern times, so having a main character in the year 2022 was a fun surprise, one I really enjoyed. Both Hannah and Mallory stole my heart as I got to know them through their dual timeline, slowly unfolding stories, and I rooted for them both the whole way through. One thing I remember from Williams' books is the two timelines always come together in some way, and I loved the reveal here as to how these two women were, in fact, tied together. The ONE thing I didn't love about the novel is that Mallory's behavior was incredibly frustrating throughout much of the book; however, towards the end of the book, her reasoning is revealed, and while I can't say I would have handled the situation like she did, I understood her choices much better. I really loved this and can't wait to revisit Beatriz Williams very soon.

Husbands & Lovers was the perfect addition to my early summer pool days. As a Massachusetts resident, I was initially sold on the New England setting of this story, and even more intrigued by the historical, Egyptian connection and dual storylines. It did take me until about the 6th chapter to really start getting into it, but it was well worth it, because soon I could not put it down. I became so invested in the complicated and intertwined stories of Mallory and Hannah, the main characters we follow in the novel. Husbands and Lovers was a gorgeous ode to the many loves we may find in our lifetime and the nuances of our storylines. I will definitely be recommending this book to my friends!

I would like to thank the publisher and author for providing an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley.

3.5 stars rounded up

"Husbands and Lovers" follows the stories of two interconnected women through a dual timeline format. Family, sacrifice, and love are major themes in this novel, and the story kept me engaged throughout. Historical fiction with romance – what more could you ask for?

This is not a lighthearted read, it is absolutely heart-wrenching at times.

In 2022, Mallory is a single mother caring for her son, Sam, who needs a kidney transplant due to an accident. Mallory’s journey brings her previous love, Monk Adams, a globally famous musician, back into her life. Monk and Mallory’s story explores the theme of second-chance romance and moves between different timelines. In 1950s Egypt, Hannah is in a loveless marriage and finds herself in an affair with a local man. There is a bit of mystery surrounding both characters and their connection to each other.

I really enjoyed this novel and if you enjoy connections between the past and present, I think you will too. However, the dual timelines at times disrupted the flow, and I often found myself having to reread passages to avoid confusion but overall a good read.

Beatriz Williams is a wonderful author when it comes to writing historical fiction, but honestly I don't know if I would put this with my other historical fiction novels. Husbands and Lovers has just as much romance in it as the next book. For those who love the concept of "second chance romances" this novel is for you.

There are two stories that run through the book, one in modern day and the second takes place in 1950s Egypt. While there are some plot points that draw them together, for most of the novel I would consider these stories to be separate and distinct, however both enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read this novel.

I stayed up way past my bedtime reading this. It was such a beautiful book. I loved the different POVs and I feel I learned a lot about post WW2 Cairo. The characters were so well-rounded and complex. I have read a lot of wonderful books this summer, but this one takes the cake.

I appreciate the publisher and NetGalley giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to like this more, but at times, I felt like it was dragging on and found myself skipping ahead. The story is good but could have cut some bits out. Also, I figured out the "mystery catalyst" way before I am sure I was meant to.

Another great book by Beatriz Williams. I highly recommend this. She does a beautiful job weaving the two story lines together. I love that one of the story arcs takes place in Egypt, since I haven't read about that area. The characters come to life and I hated for it to end. Five stars!

WOWWWW! FIVE ENTHUSIASTIC STARS!!!
I loved this dual timeline story about complicated family connections. With its mix of compelling characters, romance, drama, and a bit of WWII spy intrigue (plus Cairo!) - I'm calling this the *perfect* summer read.
Our main character in the present-day story, is Mallory, a single mom of a 13-year old boy with kidney failure. Good thing she has the emotional and financial support of her sister, Paige.
Our main character in the 1950's Cairo story is Hannah, who turns out to be quite the European heroine! About a third of the way into the book, it's easy to see where the connections between Hannah and Mallory will be made.
Throw in medical drama, a rock star, and a wealthy New England beach scene - this book kept me turning the pages! Loved it and definitely recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to read an ARC of Husbands & Lovers. I really like Beatriz Williams' books and this was no exception. The story included several different timelines - Hungary during WW2, Egypt after WW2, New England in the early 2000s and modern day. I really enjoyed how the timelines intertwined. It was somewhat predictable but overall a fast paced, enjoyable read.

When I spotted this new one by Beatriz Williams, I was all over it! There is a lot of depth and background to the tale (maybe a bit too much at times) especially the historical timeline. But I really enjoyed the more modern story which kept me racing through the pages. Surprisingly it gets a bit steamy at times, somewhat of a departure from this author. Definitely a great beach read with romance, drama and historical fiction that should please many readers. My thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I just finished reading the ebook, Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams.

Let me tell you, I couldn’t put this one down.

I was so invested in Mallory’s story. I was heartbroken to read about what essentially led her away from
Winthrop. I was so happy that she finally found her happily-ever-after by the end.

Hannah’s story was not as easy for me to follow, but was quite intriguing. That lady faced a lot.

Loved the story about the cobra bracelet and loved the very end.

This was a good one. Not sure why I sat on it for so long.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 stars

Husbands & Lovers is another great story by Beatriz Williams! Written as a dual timeline we first meet Hannah who is married to a British diplomat and living in Egypt in the 1950's. Then there is Mallory who has a son who is in desperate need of a kidney transplant. Both women find a second chance at love and have a mysterious bracelet that ties them together.. A great summer read!

A great blend of historical fiction and romance! I enjoyed the dual time line and strong women, the twist and turns, both privilege and sacrifice, love and heart break. I love how the author so easily captures the emotions of her characters in every book she writes! A go to author for me! A five star read!