This was a delight! All Williams books are. I haven't read one of her books in maybe half a dozen years, but was immediately brought back and reminded how great she is. For this one, I think the Cairo plotline was a little weaker than the others - and normally I am incredibly invested in the time jump narrative. But the 2008 & 2022 plotline was fantastic and as good as any other romance novel.

I started and stopped this book off and on and finally finished.
I didn’t love it. I didn’t hate it.
I found the characters to be a bit miserable, but the story was captivating. It was not what I expected. It was my first book by Williams and I would likely read her again.
Without spoiling things I don’t have much to say along the lines of the plot. I wished the main character made different choices and it was difficult to read at times.
Thank you netgalley for the ARC.

I completely adored this book. I love this story. The way Williams blended the storylines and the timelines was incredible.
I loved Mallory and Monk and how we got to see them in the past as well as the present.
I was deeply moved by this book and I will definitely read more by this author immediately.

There is a lot going on in Beatriz Williams' Husbands & Lovers. And while each individual plotline was very interesting, I feel like there was just so much to keep track of, and the constant back-and-forth between past and present left me feeling disconnected. Like, which story is the main story?

[CAUTION: POTENTIAL SPOILER ALERTS AHEAD]

Essentially, the novel begins with Mallory's son, Sam, getting into some health trouble and needing a new kidney. If you think the novel is going to be all about that, you're kind of wrong.

Needing a new kidney leads us to learn about Sam's biological father, Monk Adams, who is a famous musician. If only Mallory would tell Monk about Sam, then maybe Sam could be a kidney match.

But Mallory doesn't want to tell Monk because it's been 14 years, and there's something else that happened that takes the whole book to finally be revealed. And anyway, Monk is getting married to an influencer, so there's no reason to rain on that parade.

In the meantime, Mallory and her sister, Paige, discover that their mom was adopted, which leads them to travel to Ireland to find out more about their mom's birth parents.

While Mallory and Paige don't know much about where their mom came from, the reader is privy to such information through flashbacks that take us to Egypt in 1951, where a woman named Hannah and her husband are living because her husband is some hoity-toity something-or-other with the British government. Anyway, Hannah begins an affair with a hotelier, and I bet you can guess now who the birth parents are.

Phew. That's a lot, right?

I thought it was hard to go back and forth so much, and honestly, the Hannah storyline was interesting, but I didn't feel like it added much. Perhaps if the book had simply been about Mallory and her sister doing the Ancestry.com thing, then maybe I wouldn't have felt like Hannah didn't belong. There were some interesting parallels between Hannah's story and Mallory's story, so there could be some good book discussion there if you read this with a book club.

But overall, I liked the Mallory/Monk storyline the best. There was enough with just the two of them - and a few other minor plot points - to carry the book along. Despite all the odds, I found myself rooting for the two of them the whole time. (And I thought the thing with Serge Peabody was a little out of left field. Like, she just starts making out with him after meeting him once? Ohhhhkaaaaaay.)

Husbands & Lovers is published by Ballantine Books and is available to purchase now. I received an e-ARC in exchange for this review.

Beatriz Williams is one of the best historical fiction authors
she is the master of dual-timeline stories. The book is told from present-day New England to Cairo in the 1950s.
New England in the year 2022, We meet Mallory, a single mother trying to raise her young son Sam who has eaten a poisonous mushroom at summer camp and is now in need of a new kidney. Mallory and her sister Paige are not suitable donors. Their estranged father is not an option she wants to consider. And of course, she has no intention of asking the father of her child, the famous songwriter Monk Adams, whom she hasn’t seen since 2008 due to tragic events that separated them. Unfortunately, Monk is about to marry a famous influencer, so there’s no way she can face him, even for the sake of their child he never met. When their paths cross they must face the past they both have avoided.
1950’s in Cairo we meet Hannah. She is unhappily married to a powerful diplomat. She is a Hungarian refugee and she is still suffering from the tragedies she endured during the war When Hannah is bitten by a snake and saved by the charismatic hotel manager Lucien Beck. This encounter changes her life forever, a passionate forbidden relationship puts Hannah between two men and forces her to make a decision between two different life paths.
This was a beautifully written story that deserves five stars!

Loved this and found it to be a wonderful surprise. I loved the unusual historical setting paired with the urgency and love story in the present day.

Husbands & Lovers is a dual storyline going between 1951 and 2022. I found that I really enjoyed the 2022 story line while struggling with the alternate timeline in Cairo. Filled with family secrets and drama Husbands & Lovers is full of characters and plots and at times I slogged through, but overall I enjoyed the book.

I already want to read this one again!

Husbands and Lovers is such a fascinating novel as it traverses two timelines (Historic Cairo and Modern Day New England) and explores the lives of women separated by years and continents, connected through a unique family heirloom. Beatriz seamlessly wove the stories together even though they felt SO different.

One woman is fighting for her son's life and striking out with options, even with modern day medicine, while the other woman just wants to become a mom in the midst of unrest during the Egyptian revolution.

Beatriz beautifully captivated my imagination and transported me through time and place. She effortlessly drove my emotions to be SO invested in the lives and outcomes of the characters. If you are reading, do NOT skip ahead to the end, just know that the final line made me say out loud "Oh . . . my gosh!" Such beautiful closure!

A written masterpiece!

Beatriz Williams is becoming a go-to author for me. The writing is immersive and tells stories of people I wouldn't necessarily gravitate toward and this was no different. I really enjoyed the dual timelines and rich storytelling of the women in this story which was a bit different from other books I've read by this author.

I really enjoyed this one! Its a mix of a romance novel and a historical fiction book. The chapters are dual POV between present day Mallory in New England and Hannah in Cairo Egypt many years ago. At first I thought the egypt setting was really random and didnt make sense but the author tied the story line along so beautifully! You get the story line of Mallory's search for her son a new kidney, being reunited with her college romance who is now a famous celebrity, and trying to find herself again after being a single mom for 13 years. You also get Hannah's story line of being in love, having and losing children, getting into an arranged marriage with a wealthy man of power, and falling in love with someone else who is not her husband all while being in the political turmoil of Egypt. I honestly loved each character and their storyline. (especially Mallory and her ex lover (: ) I really enjoyed and have already recommended to multiple people!

Thank you to the publisher and author for an ARC in exchange for a review. Book was released on 6/25/24!

Beatriz Williams writes a solid story every time. I also enjoy her books but did find this one to be a bit predictable.

dazzling and intricate novel that skillfully intertwines romance and intrigue with lush historical detail. Williams’ compelling storytelling and richly developed characters make for a captivating read that keeps you eagerly turning the pages. It’s a sophisticated and enjoyable tale that resonates with both depth and charm.

Told in multiple timelines, Husbands & Lovers is the story of Mallory Duane, in 2022 New England, and Hannah Ainsworth, in 1951 Cairo. Their stories are very different but similar; an all-consuming love and search for what was lost. Beatriz Williams truly excels at historical fiction, drawing the reader into the exact world and timeline. The characters are flawed women, but those who seem to want the best for themselves and those who love them. The descriptions of Cairo and the New England beaches are perfection and made me want to travel immediately.

Wow did I inhale this book! I'm a huge fan of historical fiction with dual POVs and timelines and this book delivered! Set 70 years apart in present day New England and 1950s Cairo, one woman is searching for answers to secrets that the other tried hard to protect. There was romance, family drama, a love child, a famous musician, a secret affair, a haunted past, an international adoption, espionage and a wedding! There was so much happening and it was hard to put down. I love how the author wove together the stories to show how our lives can be connected and influenced by the past while still feeling hopeful for the future. It truly was such a beautifully written and creative story- I instantly fell in love with the characters and was so invested in their journeys.

Husbands & Lovers offers a captivating dual-timeline story that spans from 1950s Egypt to modern-day New England. The richly described settings and intriguing premise hold promise, but the narrative sometimes feels disjointed, with transitions between the two timelines not as smooth as they could be. The characters are well-developed, yet their emotional depth occasionally falls short. While the novel is an enjoyable read, particularly for fans of historical fiction, it doesn’t quite achieve the emotional impact it aims for. A solid, though not unforgettable, read.

Another fantastic read from Beatriz Williams! I love the characters and am sad to see any Beatriz Williams novel come to a close. Thank you for this advance copy!

I laughed, I cried, I loved this book. 4.5 stars which I will round up to 5! Not surprising as Beatriz Williams is so incredibly talented but wow, what a story. Expertly woven through 3 (and a half-ish??) timelines, Mallory in the present deals with her son, Sam who needs a kidney transplant while reckoning with her past love, Monk Adams, who just happens to now be a world famous musician. In her quest to find Sam a kidney she and her sister are also forced to go on a search through their mother’s past in order to find out more about her birth parents. Grounded in present-day Connecticut we flash back to Mallory’s relationship with Monk in the early 00’s, then further back to Cairo in 1952 to her maternal grandmother Hannah’s life post WWII. We also get little flashes to Hannah’s life and family before the war. Because I was so behind on my NetGalley reading I really took my time to savor this one and I’m so glad I did.

The newest release by this very successful historical novel author. Don’t let the romancey title & cover mislead about this read.

In 1951 as Egypt begins protesting British occupation, Hannah Ainsworth, a Hungarian WWII refugee, finds herself caught up in an impossible situation. Fast forward to 2022 New England where Mallory Dunne learns it is imperative she find a kidney donor for her 13 yr old son. Her mother was adopted and Sam’s father (now a famous musician) is unaware of him, but Mallory is determined to somehow find a blood relative and a way to save her son.

I love a historical fiction romance, this one took a bit to get into…but really picked up at the end and truly tied all the pieces together appropriately. A story of second chances and discovering faith, family and love both women are hesitant and though provoking making for excellent character development by the author. I will recommend this book to friends/family.

Thank you #netgalley for this ARC. My only complaint is my own disappointment that I waited so long to read this. I loved all the story lines and connections, the sweet, artistic writing and the little pieces of history woven throughout. 5/5, would definitely recommend. And have been.