Member Reviews
Felt like I spent the summer on Winthrop Island AND in Egypt--centuries apart! Beautiful "love story"-esque plot steeped in fascinating details from poisonous mushrooms, to DNA ancestry, to the Suez Canal, to Magdalene laundries in Ireland, to pop musicians, to art--and jewelry (can't for get the cobra!).
Truly a "wold"-wind of a trip across countries and time. Believable characters and situations that made for a sunny escape this dreary post-holiday January!
Beatriz Williams never disappoints and Husbands & Lovers is no exception. Following the course of two women’s lives separated by an ocean and 70 years, she weaves together a story which at its heart is about strength and resilience- more specifically the strength and resilience of women- of mothers. The generational ties that bind us even when we don’t know they exist. The strength to endure, to survive, to protect. “…we’re all here bc of a series of little miracles we know nothing about. The miracles that brought me right here, sitting in this chair beside you. What they sacrificed so I could live.” In a world where the decisions of men often have the greatest impact, the choices both Hannah in the past and Mallory in the present make for themselves will have lasting effects on their own lives and those they love.
Beautifully written, locations and characters come to life. Cairo 1952, on the brink of revolution, sparkles like only the end of a glittering sun soaked time and place can. The beginning of the book was, perhaps, a little slow but it quickly pulls you into these intertwining stories. I found it enjoyable, engrossing and hard to put down. The ending leaves you wanting to know more but satisfied.
Fans of The Glass Ocean and The Last Dress from Paris will enjoy this book.
I think it’s important to note that this book does contain some themes and situations which some readers may find upsetting. I’ll do my best to list a few.
- Antisemitism- in the 1952 portions of the book as well in further flashbacks which take place during WWII.
- Rape- never fully on page this shows up twice I believe. ** Spoiler below as I’m going to put the chapter this happens in so if you don’t want to know stop reading and move to next T/W ** It is alluded to once and the second time its words and actions leading up to the actual act- up to the removal of clothes. I want to be very clear that the reader knows what is happening here so if this is a trigger for you- please take care of yourself. This can be found at the end of 23 and is discussed again in chapter 24 but not explicitly.
- Physical violence towards women-mentioned but not shown explicitly as it happens in the past ie: “they took turns beating me.” There is also mention of interrogation techniques where violence is implied but no specific details are given
- Death of a spouse and children. The children’s death is off page and mentioned in the past tense- not due to any violence. The death of a spouse is violent and on page but only one line.
- Chronically ill child. This is a huge plot point which is obvious from the beginning of the book.
Husbands & Lovers tells the stories of two women in two different timelines. Mallory Dunne's story takes place in 2022 and Hannah Ainsworth's in 1951. We learn of the ties between these women as Mallory and her sister look into their past while dealing with relatable issues of today's women- motherhood, relationships, past regrets. Through Hannah's story we learn about some of the challenges for Eastern Europeans in World War II and for the British community in Cairo in the 1950's. Hannah's story of hardship, resilience, and motherhood is compelling- you want to know more!
Other characters in both women's stories are interesting and compelling- Mallory's summer love, Monk Adams is complex and charming. Her sister, Paige, is another great character- insightful and supportive. The supporting characters in Hannah's story include her husband, a past-his-prime diplomat and her lover, a spy for Mossad.
Williams does an artful job of weaving Mallory's and Hannah's stories together in the end of this novel filled with compelling characters and complex issues.
Beatriz Williams is one of my all-time favorite historical fiction writers, so I was thrilled to win an advanced copy of her latest novel, Husbands & Lovers. For the first time, the main storyline is set during the modern age, 2022, when Mallory's son Sam lands in the hospital with kidney failure after ingesting a mushroom at summer camp. In need of a transplant, Sam's future hangs in the balance; and Mallory is faced with the dilemma of whether to reach out to his father, Monk, a famous rock star wth whom she had a passionate romance when they were younger and living on Winthrop Island, a location that will be familiar to anyone who has reach Williams's previous books.
As with other Beatriz Williams novels, there is a dual storyline in the book. The second story is set in 1950's Egypt, where Hannah becomes involved with a Jewish spy even though she is married to an English diplomat. A lot of the fun in this book is watching how the two storylines intersect across the decades.
No one writes a New England setting like Beatriz Williams, and I love how all her books are connected. Based on the way this novel ended, I suspect her next book will continue with some of the minor characters in this book. I can't wait to find out!
This well written story has two narrative arcs. 1951, Egypt amid the turmoil of the Egyptian independence, specifically British occupation and the ownership of the Suez Canal is the setting for the first arc. Hannah Ainsworth, there with her much older British diplomat husband, is expected to live the calm and pampered life of a diplomat’s wife. Hannah’s character finds that difficult for her, and her troubles begin when she is bitten by a cobra.
2019. Poisoning is also a critical element second arc, when single mother Mallory Dunne gets a call from the summer camp, where her beloved only child Sam has eaten a poisonous mushroom. He lives, but his kidneys do not.
The story unfolds when Hannah’s sister, who has a house on the Cape, invites her to visit with Sam for the summer. Hannah has history there, and secrets, but she also has wonderful memories and wants Sam to experience it.
Both arcs are love stories, with complications peculiar to the time and place in the world. Williams is a splendid writer, and she puts her characters through plenty of strife to keep the book interesting and easy to read. The sprinkling of historical facts in both eras elevate this novel and make it a fascinating read.
Thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the advanced review copy.
“Husbands and Lovers” unfolds a dual narrative, the first centered around Mallory, her son Sam, her sister Paige, and a significant figure from her past, Monk. Sam’s life takes a dramatic turn during a summer camp, necessitating a kidney transplant. Despite familial efforts, no one proves to be a compatible donor. Paige urges Mallory to reconnect with Monk, a once-lover turned famous singer, and unbeknownst to him, the biological father of Sam. Their history traces back to college, where their love blossomed during the summer Mallory worked as a nanny for Monk’s younger siblings. However, an undisclosed event led Mallory to abruptly sever ties with him.
The second narrative revolves around Hannah, married to the Englishman Alistair, residing in Cairo for work. Hannah becomes entangled in a passionate affair with Lucien, the hotel manager. Their relationship is marked by intense romance, shared getaways, and weekends spent together, resulting in Hannah’s pregnancy. Tragically, a devastating fire in Cairo claims Lucien’s life while attempting to rescue Hannah and their unborn child.
The intricately woven stories converge in a harmonious manner, revealing the complexities of love, loss, and the unforeseen connections that bind these characters together.
Initially, the shift between the two settings posed a challenge, with the Mallory storyline overshadowing my interest in Hannah’s chapters. However, around three-quarters of the way through, both narratives seized my attention, culminating in a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience. The strategic placement of cliffhangers in multiple chapters heightened the suspense and added to the overall appeal.
The author’s note provided valuable insights into the inspiration behind the storyline, enhancing my appreciation for the narrative. While this book didn’t instill the same urgent desire to explore more of the author’s works as experienced with Colleen Hoover or Taylor Jenkins Reed, I can envision picking up another of William’s books in the future.
In summary, the book proved to be a satisfying read, earning a four star rating from me. I would recommend it to those who appreciate intertwining plotlines, themes of adultery and romance, a sense of suspense, and the dynamics of families coming together.
This story was terrific. It was beautifully written and a joy to read. At times, the multi story lines made me angry because I needed to know what happened next but this just resulted in me staying up much past my bedtime! Highly recommend and will be checking out more from this author.
Loved this book! I read everything by Beatriz Williams and was so excited for this ARC. It did not let me down! Sees predictable initially, but had some definite surprises and was such a great read. Highly recommend for your summer reading list! Thank you for the opportunity to read this.
4.25 out of 5. I had no expectations going into this book, it seemed interesting and Im familiar with the author. I read this so quickly and I was completely involved in their story. I needed to know the details and what happened. As much as you think you know how the story will end up and that it could be a tad predictable, the final twists and turns came from left field for me and I really enjoyed that. This is comes out in June and I highly recommend this for your summer adventures. It has travel, romance, family drama, war and some good old fashion heartbreak.
This was a wonderful dual timeline story, written by the inimitable Beatriz Williams, who is able to whisk her readers throughout time and space with such skill and mastery. Both timelines involve multiple romantic dalliances and several problematic twists in paternity. The pages flew by! Thank you, NetGalley for allowing me to read the ARC of this epic romance-adventure. I’m a huge Williams fan, and this was reminiscent of reading “Her Last Flight,” in scope and expression. Just fantastic!
This is truly a treasure, I was hooked on this story from the description alone so requested it immediately! I've read others books from Beatriz an shes never failed me once an she still hasn't, I wish for others to experience this book just as I had an even better😊
This is my first Beatriz Williams novel and I really enjoyed it and was fully engrossed. This had a dual timeline in present day Connecticut and 1950s Cairo Egypt. I loved both stories, loved both female characters and loved the creative way their lives were connected. Read through it in a couple days and agree it would make the perfect summer beach read. I’m definitely going to check out Williams’ backlist. Highly recommend
This was one of my favorite Beatriz Williams books and I devoured it over three days. It tells the story of two women - one in the 1940s/50s - and the other in the 00s/present day - and how they navigate relationships and motherhood, with MANY unexpected twists. The women in this book are the definition of "strong women" who make difficult decisions for the love of their children and the love of their fathers.
I don't want to categorize this as a beach read purely because it is coming out in June, but do think this would be the perfect book to read on a holiday given part of its setting on fictional Winthrop Island. A perfect choice as well fora. book club as there is so much here that would be perfect to discuss amongst friends!
This just might be not only my favorite Beatriz Williams book, but maybe my favorite of all time? I don’t even know what storyline to start on first. Hannah, so brave, resilient, smart. Then there’s Mallory, wise, yet a vulnerable…brave yet cautious. Also, where do I start with Monk? I can’t even wait to listen to this on audible, because I will be! All the timelines, the family dynamics, the mystery and intrigue, the love stories, and family connections? They all had me at the edge of my seat! Definitely stayed up way too late and did not want this to end! These characters were brought to life in a new and exciting way! Absolutely love this! Book!
I'm normally a big fan of Beatriz Williams' works! She's a fantastic historical fiction writer. This one just felt a bit underwhelming. The novel alternates mainly between two characters. Within each protagonist's storyline, the reader experiences various flashbacks throughout each of their lives. I wish she would've reduced the level of jumping around timelines, as the attention to detail was a bit lacking.
I loved this book! I instantly feel in love with the characters and was rooting for them to find their way. Definitely recommend Beatriz Williams books to give a try!
Thank you for this ARC.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for the ARC.
I really loved so much about this book that centers around Mallory and her son . Mallory and her son have gone to stay with her sister at her beach house . While there, Mallory and her sister look into their late mother’s past. The story goes back and forth between the present, Mallory’s past, and her grandmother’s story.
Mallory has to reconcile with her own past which involves superstar Monk Adams, and a secret that she has kept from him.
The characters are relatable in this intricately woven novel about family. I liked the historical accuracy that Ms Williams blends into the storyline that involves post-war Egypt.
First book of the new year and wow it did not disappoint. Ms Williams is one of my favorite authors and this novel shines! Dual timelines complete with flashbacks, historical events, storylines that take you on a rollercoaster of emotion. The characters grab hold of you and I couldn't put down the book wanting to know how their stories played out. Put it on your TBR list!
What's not to love about a Beatriz Williams?! I feel lucky to have gotten to read this one so early.
I usually love everything this author writes but this one just didnt do it for me. Sadly i couldnt connect to the characters.