loved the current/recent timelines
historical timeline was a bit tough to follow when there was a random flashback

Husbands and Lovers by Beatriz Williams

I can’t resist a Beatriz Williams novel and this one is chockful of some of my favorite elements—a dual timeline, romance, and well-drawn characters.

The current day timeline follows Mallory, a single mother whose son is extremely ill. For an important reason, she’s done all she can to hide the identity of her son’s father. But the boy’s dire need for a kidney and unforeseen circumstances force her to rethink that decision. The other timeline follows Hannah, a woman stuck in a loveless marriage during the tumultuous environment of Egypt in the 1950s.

Both women are strong, flawed, appealing, and interesting—as are the other characters. There were times I wanted to yell at them for making such poor decisions. But isn’t that how life is? Frustrating, complicated, joyful, and fraught with regrets.

The historical period is especially fascinating too. I love anything Egyptian and anything about the ‘50s, so it’s a double hitter. And the 2022 storyline explores celebrity, the lives of the privileged in New England, and being a single parent.

You’ll enjoy getting lost in yet another Williams’ winner. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

Beatriz Williams is one of my favorite authors. I have read many of her books. I just knew I was going to love this book.
This book is an amazing story of two women 70 years apart, who paths are woven together united by an heirloom.
Mallory is a single Mom who spent her youth one summer on Winthrop Island. Mallory and Monk were teenage lovers. They hadn’t seen his other for 14 years.
A tragic event tore them apart. Mallory and Monk meet again.

Egypt 1952 Hannah is a Hungarian refugee married to a British diplomat. Hannah’s story is not a happy one as we learn of her life during World War II and then in Cairo living a loveless marriage.
The two stories are beautifully woven together by remarkable bracelet. Mallory discovers that she was adopted, and that the bracelet that her mother left her has ties to Egypt.
This was a captivating story. A real page turner. I couldn’t put it down
I was very fortunate to receive this advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Random House -Ballantine Books.
Highly recommended.

This was a fantastic story from beginning to end.. Dual POV from two women whose lives are intertwined in a dramatic way. Fun twists with likeable strong female characters .from different decades. I really enjoyed this book.

Thanks netgalley for the ARC

Five stars! I am just blown away, what a fantastic and unforgettable journey this book took me on. This is my first book by Beatriz Williams, and I will absolutely be reading more of her novels in the future.

We follow the lives of Mallory Dunne in 2022, and Hannah Ainsworth in 1951; entangled in a world woven together thread by thread. I could not put this book down. From the streets of Cairo, to the beaches of New England, I was spellbound.

What a beautiful love story for these characters.

I cannot wait to tell others about this book!

*Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for the advanced copy of this book; all opinions are my own.

Thank you @netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams. There are several story lines in this book. Mallory is a single mother and her son needs a kidney transplant. While spending the summer with her sister and her family, she sees her boyfriend from the past, who is now a huge rock star, and who is also the father of her son (he does not know). There is also a past story of the sisters’ grandmother, who lived in Egypt, and had secrets of her own. It was a fun story, kind of a beach read but with a little more to it. #husbands&lovers #beatrizwilliams #netgalley #advancedreadercopy #bookstagram #booklover #reader #bookblog #lovetoread #fictionreader #bookreview #bookrecommendation #readersofinstagram #bookloversofinstagram #takeapagefrommybook #readallthebooks #booksbooksbooks #booksofinstagram #bookwormproblems #bookaholic #booknerd #whattoread #readingtime #bookaddict #ilovetoread #ilovebooks #needtoread #readallday

This was an interesting, enjoyable, engaging, and quick read. Likeable characters and interesting story lines.

Williams’ riveting dual timeline story follows single mother Mallory, whose gravely ill son Sam is in desperate need of a kidney transplant, and Harriet, an unhappily married Englishwoman in 1950s Cairo who has a scandalous affair with hotel manager Lucien. The two storylines converge as Mallory searches for a kidney donor: can she reconnect with Sam’s father, her king-lost love, now a major rock star and about to be married, who doesn’t know he has a son? What about her mother’s family? DNA has just revealed she’s adopted; is there any way to find them? Well developed characters highlight this richly emotional story, sure to appeal to Williams’ many fans as well as readers of Kate Morton and Nicola Cornick.

This is a story that will stick with you! I loved the dual plotlines of current day New England and 1950's Egypt. There was such a contrast, but so many things that are still the same. I was rooting for Monk and Mallory the whole time. I loved the happy ending!

Husbands and Lovers was not quite what I expected from the blurb! But it was better! The two timelines merged seamlessly and made sense. I didn't feel like I was being jerked around on a ride of cliffhangers, jumping from one timeline to another; instead, the drama and characters were well developed and flowed.

Mallory's timeline is set in the present, and she has her own past to deal with. Hannah, set in the 1950's, is definitely more colorful of a timeline, but I enjoyed them both.

Solidly written and would be enjoyable by book clubs.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel. #sponsored

If you love Taylor Jenkins Reid books, especially Malibu Rising, try this!
I really enjoyed the intertwined timeline of 1950s Hannah in Egypt and the current day storyline of Mallory. As the story unfolds you are swept up in understanding how decisions of the past shape the present.
I found the story intriguing and it kept me reading for sure. I did find the Hannah chapters a bit of a slog as there was a heavier lean into the history of conflict at that time in Egypt that I am not sure needed all the detail. That being said, I was definitely a fan of the romantic storyline for Hannah and maybe just didn’t need the historical fiction.
I do think this book will be a hit with many audiences and can’t wait for this one to hit shelves. Mark your calendars now!
Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the advanced reader edition

Beatriz Williams's "Husbands & Lovers" weaves together the lives of two women across time, exploring themes of love, betrayal, and the complexities of family. Set in both contemporary New England and 1950s Cairo, the novel follows Mallory Dunne, a single mother searching for a kidney donor for her son, and Hannah Ainsworth, a Hungarian refugee navigating a passionate affair in Egypt.

I enjoyed the book overall, particularly the Mallory storyline. While it leaned a bit more toward a Hallmark-style narrative than I typically prefer, there were enough intriguing elements to keep me engaged. I found the exploration of how secrets from the past can resurface through DNA testing and genealogy research to be particularly fascinating.

However, I felt that the transitions between scenes were often abrupt, sometimes including significant time jumps without clear indication. This occasionally led to confusion and required me to re-read sections to understand what had occurred. Additionally, while the Mallory storyline was well-developed, I found the Hannah storyline to be less compelling.

Despite these issues, "Husbands & Lovers" is a pleasant read with a poignant and beautifully voiced narrative. I would rate it 3.75 stars and recommend it to readers who enjoy stories of heartbreak, redemption, and the complexities of family dynamics.

A sincere thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @randomhouse for approving my request for the #advancedreaderscopy of @authorbeatriz new book! Surprisingly this is the first book by #beatrizwilliams I have read but will now be adding all her books to my #tobereadpile. #HusbandsLovers starts in the present day with Mallory Dunne and a medical emergency that means her sister stays financially and emotionally involved in her life. From that plot line we also get a glimpse into Mallory’s earlier love story with her best friend from high school, Monk Adams, who is now a famous musician. Farther in the past, we get to know Hannah Ainsworth who is a WWII refugee that is now married to a British diplomat in 1951 Cairo. All three timelines are equally interesting and masterly woven together to conclude the story. The settings are so well described I found myself looking them up on Google Maps to follow the character’s journeys. This ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ will be published at the end of June and must be added to your #summerreadinglist! 📚📚📚 #netgalley #netgalleyrecommendations #my2024readingchallenge #bookstagram #bookrecommendations2024

One of my favorite historical fiction writers. These Summer Wives is one of my absolute favorites so I was so excited to get her latest read. A beach read at its finest, set in the summer. Historical fiction vibe while still being relevant to today’s times. Just perfection in every way

Beatriz Williams has made her way on my list of "I will read anything by this author"
This new cross generational book does not disappoint.

Mallory is raising her son Sam on her own and he has health problems that have led to needing dialysis. She has not informed his now famous father of his existence, but circumstances of his health have become so severe that her sister keeps encouraging her to let him help. When she discovers that her mother was adopted, it opens up a new avenue she can explore to get Sam the help he needs for a transplant.

Hannah lives in Cairo in the 1950's and has an affair with a local manager of the hotel. She becomes pregnant and through a bunch of events--including a devastating fire- her child is given for adoption.

We follow these strong women through trying circumstances while they remain brave and follow their heart. I love how Williams can always capture the best of what it means to be a woman in control of her own destiny. The glimpses we get into the minds of the men in this book add a lot of depth to the story as well.

Another great book by Beatriz Williams. Always a pleasure to read her amazing stories.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this amazing book.

Excellent writing. Not my normal read (what with the language and open door romance), nor is it typical of Williams' prior books. But I ended up being drawn into the 2 story lines, the love story, and I love and appreicate the way the book wrapped up.

This was a close DNF for me. There are two storylines (and three timelines technically), and I had no idea what the point was going to be until I hit 50%… and that is problematic. I really disliked Hannah’s story line (set around the 1950s in Egypt mainly) but loved Mallory’s (present day) so that means I only enjoyed half the book. I just didn’t feel like we needed so much backstory about Hannah for it to really have only a slight relevance throughout and mainly at the very end. The combining of two storylines just felt forced.

Short summary:Two women separated by decades are tied together in more ways than one. Both rediscovering themselves and finding love again.

This book unexpectedly had a hold on me. This is my first book by the author but wouldn’t be my last! The story is focused around Mallory who is a single mom to a 13 year old who needs a kidney in 2022 and Hannah the wife of a British diplomat during the 1950’s in a loveless marriage. Reading this book was like reading 2 romance books at once. I was mostly invested in Mallory’s story however Hannah’s story was touching to see all she endured. Seeing how they were connected in the end is always the best part.

While I guessed some of the connections it didn’t affect the impact of the story for me. There were times Hannah’s chapters seemed to drag with all the historical info….but this is historical fiction🤷🏾‍♀️Also I think I was just anxious to read more about Mallory. Overall a great read and definitely recommending to add this to your TBR for its June pub date.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC copy.

⭐️ 4.5 stars ⭐️

I love Beatriz Williams’ writing so much, and her books are always a summertime treat. I was thrilled to get a pre-release NetGalley copy and dove in immediately! Husbands & Lovers follows 2 intertwining timelines: Mallory, a single mom in 2022 whose son ate a dangerous mushroom & is now in need of a new kidney; and Hannah, a Hungarian woman married to an English diplomat who starts up an affair while in Egypt in 1952. Through the course of the novel, we learn about each woman’s history - their lovers and families, their struggles, and the unexpected event that ties the two women’s stories together.

I would have given this 5 stars, as I was fully immersed & couldn’t put this down, but the ending was a bit rushed and I felt like it was a mad dash to tie up loose ends. Other than that, this was a really lovely book that’s perfect for summer, as most of it takes place in the New England seaside.

This is going to be a perfect summer read. I absolutely loved Mallory and Monk's story. I enjoyed reading the current and past stories of how their relationship developed over the many years. I didn't care for Hannah's story as much; I just didn't feel as emotionally connected to her and her story. But of course, it was nice to see how Hannah and Mallory's story came together at the end. A few parts of the plot were predictable in my opinion but the "twist" at the end was shocking to me and maybe almost unnecessary?? But all in all, it was a great read. This was my first by Beatriz Williams but I would love to read more from her.