The story intertwines the lives of two women, each navigating a difficult romantic entanglement—one trapped in a marriage that has lost its spark, and the other caught between a passionate affair and societal expectations—set against a backdrop of 1950s New York.

Beatriz Williams never disappoints in this entertaining book that reacquaints with characters from a previous book.

What I loved:

1. Really was multi genre - historical fiction, romance, mystery!
2. Lots of fun twists along the way - some I anticipated - some I did not!
3. Great use of the multi plot line to bring the story together!!

What I wished was different:

1. There is a "third" plot line which does get confusing.
2. Some may find the characters not likable, but I went along for this ride!! 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for sharing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

As usual, the author did not disappoint with the twists and turns! While the ending was quick, it left a lot to think about with what may happen to these characters in the future.

Beatriz Williams’ Husbands & Lovers is a sweeping dual-timeline novel that masterfully weaves themes of love, betrayal, and resilience across decades and continents. Set against the evocative backdrops of mid-20th-century Cairo and contemporary New England, the story explores the lives of two women navigating profound personal challenges.

In the present-day storyline, Mallory Dunne is a single mother struggling to save her son Sam, who suffers from kidney failure after a near-fatal incident. As Mallory seeks answers, she is forced to confront buried secrets, including the truth about Sam’s father, Monk Adams—a childhood friend turned famous musician. Monk’s eventual involvement, particularly his decision to donate a kidney to his son, sparks an emotionally charged journey of healing and forgiveness for both parents.

The historical narrative follows Hannah Ainsworth in 1951 Cairo. Hannah, haunted by the trauma of losing her family during World War II, embarks on a forbidden love affair with Lucien Beck, a hotel manager with a mysterious past. Their relationship, set against the backdrop of Cairo's political turmoil, highlights themes of loss, sacrifice, and the complexities of moral choices.

Williams excels in creating richly textured characters, from Mallory’s resilience and Monk’s vulnerability to Hannah’s inner strength. The dual perspectives are skillfully intertwined, offering insights into the enduring impact of love and trauma across generations. The novel's exploration of intergenerational secrets and their ripple effects on identity and relationships adds emotional depth to the narrative.

This poignant and intricately layered story will resonate with fans of historical and women’s fiction. Williams' evocative prose and ability to bring settings vividly to life make *Husbands & Lovers* a compelling read that lingers long after the final page.

Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams is a juicy, dramatic story that’s perfect if you love a mix of romance and family secrets! The book follows two women, Lulu and Vivian, whose lives get tangled up in ways they never expected. Lulu’s dealing with a marriage that’s falling apart, while Vivian is uncovering some major family drama that turns her world upside down. Both women are trying to figure out what they really want, and the book alternates between their perspectives, giving you a full picture of how their stories connect.

What I really loved about this book is how complex the characters are. Lulu and Vivian feel real, they both have their flaws, their insecurities, and their moments of strength. The drama in their lives is intense, and you get totally sucked into their struggles with love, loyalty, and what it means to have a happy ending. The pacing is pretty quick, and there’s a lot of tension, especially when it comes to relationships and the secrets they’re hiding.

The writing is good , and even though there are some heavy themes about marriage and love, there’s also a lot of heart. There are twists and turns that keep you guessing, and the connections between the characters are so messy (in a good way!) that it makes you want to know how everything will turn out.

This book took me a fun, adventurous ride through two time periods, a modern setting in New England and Egypt in the early 1950s. A full cast of characters, there was a lot that I enjoyed in this novel - love stories, intrigue, mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading more of her novels!

Husbands and Lovers was a moving and heartfelt novel we couldn’t get enough. The cover is gorgeous and the writing is beautiful and we are thankful for the opportunity to review this amazing book!

4.75 stars

This is my first Beatriz Williams book and it was such an enjoyable read! Husbands & Lovers follows two women as they fight for love and family. Their lives couldn't be more different, but I found myself empathizing with both of their stories and struggles. I loved the themes of reinventing yourself, sacrifice, coming to terms with past trauma and how that trauma can effect generations. It's marketed as historical romance meets women's fiction and I would also add contemporary romance to that list. I thought that mixing these genres was done very well and I would recommend this book to a wide variety of readers!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Huge thank you to @randomhouse and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
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This 5 star book has stuck with me long after I finished it! I love a story with dual timelines that connect and this was done expertly. This is a story of secrets, romance, glamour and family. I don’t want to give too much away but I absolutely loved how this was all connected and I loved both timelines!
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I did not make it far in this one. I could tell within the first two chapters that this one was not for my demographic (28, single, childless). I will still recommend it to other readers, but depends on the kind of reader!

The writing is great, but I found myself not wanting to pick it up due to the plot and characters.

This novel of two women who are decades apart will take you on an emotional journey as you read about their story. We meet Mallory in 2022 living in New England, is a single mother with a young son who is ill after eating a poisonous mushroom. While waiting for a kidney donor for her son, she searches for whatever she could find about her past. She learns that her mother, Hanna, was adopted a secret Mallory never knew. As she continues her search, we find ourselves in Cairo, 1951. Hannah is married to a British diplomat while at the same time, having an affair with a manager of a hotel. We are witness to the troubled times in Egypt as the revolution rages on and Hannah has decisions to make between her husband and her lover. For Mallory, she too has decisions to make about her son’s father and his knowledge of his mother’s past. As the story of these two women plays out, you are swept into the ramifications of emotions and flaws. In both New England and Egypt we see the background of these two women, their strengths, their weaknesses and what it takes to somehow survive in spite of all their hardships and sacrifices that were made. This is an amazing novel, one that is highly recommended. My thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

There are few authors who can write historical fiction like Beatriz Williams can. Her knowledge and research into the time periods she writes about are evident in each and every page. In Husbands and Lovers, the past and the present of are intertwined on a small summer island where family secrets extend over generations.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of Husbands and Loves by Beatriz Williams. This novel immerses you in a world of complex relationships, secrets, and shifting alliances, all set against a richly drawn historical backdrop. Williams’ prose is elegant and evocative, making it easy to get swept up in the characters’ emotional struggles and the tensions simmering beneath polite society. While I found some plot turns a bit predictable, the charm lies in the vivid detail and the strength of the female characters at the heart of the story. Husbands and Loves is a satisfying, character-driven read that fans of historical fiction and family drama will appreciate.

5 out of 5 ⭐️ for Beatriz Williams’ Husbands & Lovers. I was totally sucked into this novel.

It is a combination of historical fiction, women’s fiction, and romance. Featuring two strong women, the novel alternates between two timelines: present day with Mallory Dunne and her teenage son who ate a poisonous mushroom at age 10 and barely survives albeit with kidney damage that requires him to undergo dialysis, and Hannah Ainsworth, who lives with her diplomat husband in Egypt during the 1950s.

The characters are well developed and the plot was fantastic.

Thank you to the author, Random House/Ballantine, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my opinions.

I'm not sure what I thought this book was going to be about going into this. The cover doesn't really go with the story in particular in my opinion..

However, I did end up finding myself engrossed in this book after I got into it. It felt a little slow in the beginning and then a small lag in the middle.. however, nearing the end of the book, I was into the storyline and seeing how everything unfolded.

I enjoyed the dual storyline, though I found myself liking one more than the other. I loved that each storyline though had a strong female lead. I found myself rooting for both women.

I'd recommend this one if you're looking for a historical fiction that has a sprinkling of mystery with a whole lot of family drama.

Thank you to Random House and to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I was extremely excited to read this latest Beatriz Williams novel! I love her books and read all of them as they come out.

This is a dual timeline historical fiction novel set in 1950s Cairo against present day Winthrop Island. The characters are well developed and I enjoyed the romance and mystery of this story. I particularly enjoyed Hannah’s story, who is married to a high-ranking British diplomat and lives in Cairo. Mallory, a single mother living in New England in 2022, I really didn’t connect to as much. Mallory’s son needed a kidney transplant and she eventually realized she had to contact the father of her son to get him help.

The conclusion of the novel was pretty upsetting and traumatic for me to read. I found it very heavy and hard to read as it was so much to take in.

Ultimately, I ranked this book a solid 3. It was a good dual timeline novel and I recommend it.

This was my most anticipated historical fiction romance meets women’s fiction book of the year and it did not disappoint!! Who am I kidding? Beatriz Williams never misses! I felt deeply connected to Mallory's character throughout this story was actively rooting for her character development to be what it was. She is really a tough cookie!!

Beatriz Williams proves once again that they are able to write historical fiction well! I really enjoyed this story and each female character. I enjoyed the overall storyline and the author held my attention wanting to know what would happen next. I struggled with some of the the flow jumping back and forth between the timelines and do believe that could have been smoother, but the overall plot still wins with this one for me!

This was a very good book. Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC. I couldn't put this book down and I read it in one day! I will definitely recommend this book.

Thank you to the publisher for an early copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

Another stellar book from my favorite author! Husband & Lovers takes us from 1950s Cairo to Beatriz’s William’s fictional Winthrop Island in present day. Love triangles, glamorous locations, and compelling characters abound. A perfect summer read for anyone wanting to get whisked away into a story filled with romance and mystery