Husbands & Lovers

A Novel

By: Beatriz Williams

Narrated by: Helen Laser, Caroline Hewitt

Two women—separated by decades and continents, and united by an exotic family heirloom—reclaim secrets and lost loves in this sweeping novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Summer Wives.

“My favorite kind of page-turner—unputdownable!”—Martha Hall Kelly, author of The Golden Doves

New England, 2022. Three years ago, single mother Mallory Dunne received the telephone call every parent dreads—her ten-year-old son, Sam, had been airlifted from summer camp with acute poisoning from a toxic death cap mushroom, leaving him fighting for his life. Now, searching for the donor kidney that will give her son a chance for a normal life, Mallory’s forced to confront two harrowing secrets from her past: her mother’s adoption from an infamous Irish orphanage in 1952, and her own all-consuming summer romance fourteen years earlier with her childhood best friend, Monk Adams— one of the world’s most beloved singer-songwriters—a fairy tale cut short by a devastating betrayal.

Cairo, 1951. After suffering tragedy beyond comprehension in the war, Hungarian refugee Hannah Ainsworth has forged a respectable new life for herself—marriage to a wealthy British diplomat with a coveted posting in glamorous Cairo. But a fateful encounter with the enigmatic manager of a hotel bristling with spies leads to a passionate affair that will reawaken Hannah’s longing for everything she once lost. As revolution simmers in the Egyptian streets, a pregnant Hannah finds herself snared in a game of intrigue between two men . . . and an act of sacrifice that will echo down the generations.

Timeless and bittersweet, Husbands & Lovers takes readers on an unforgettable journey of heartbreak and redemption, from the revolutionary fires of midcentury Egypt to the moneyed beaches of contemporary New England. Acclaimed author Beatriz Williams has written a poignant and beautifully voiced novel of deeply human characters entangled by morally complex issues—of privilege, class, and the female experience—inside worlds brought shimmeringly to life.

Critic reviews

“Williams’s work of historical fiction wrapped in a beach read . . . [follows an] engaging, artfully drawn pair of lovers . . . and descriptions of tense postwar Cairo are both commanding and detailed. The conclusion is a soap-worthy cliffhanger, and one that took me by surprise.”—The New York Times

“I loved Husbands & Lovers and devoured it in one delicious gulp. I was so invested in Mallory and Monk. It’s my favorite kind of page-turner—unputdownable!”—Martha Hall Kelly, New York Times bestselling author of The Golden Doves

“In the latest work by historical fiction master storyteller Beatriz Williams, two timelines breathlessly intertwine to form a tale full of passion, hope, and heartbreaking family secrets. As much a poignant and intimate examination of the human heart as a globe-trotting sweep of decades and wide-reaching locales, this one packs the sultry and stunning punch that readers of Williams have come to relish. You will feel the salty ocean air of Winthrop summer nights as you read, as well as the furious white heat of the roiling Cairo streets—and you’ll savor every page of it.”—Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author of The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post

“The masterful Williams spins a story that spans continents and eras, and it takes readers on a page-turning ride encompassing intoxicating youthful romance, forbidden wartime love, betrayal, espionage, life-eroding secrets, and a mother’s boundless love for her child. Reminding us of the interconnectivity of the past and present and the enduring power of love, Husbands & Lovers is stunning.”—Marie Benedict, New York Times bestselling co-author of The Personal Librarian

“From sunny Cape Cod beaches to 1950s Cairo, I loved being immersed in the lives and loves of Beatriz Williams’s complex characters. This novel has it all: a single mother with a secret, a passionate affair against the backdrop of World War Two, and a child so wonderful (and in so much danger) that I stayed up until three in the morning to make sure he would survive. This is sweeping, sumptuous, and utterly enthralling.”—Amanda Eyre Ward, New York Times bestselling author of The Jetsetters

“[A] captivating novel of love and love lost . . . With well-drawn characters and sweeping drama, Williams’ latest is a gripping journey as secrets and hidden desires are exposed.”—Booklist

Husbands and Lovers

Great character development. Absolutely fell in love with the people. Terrific story about love and redemption.

Very good listen!!

This book was written very well and kept me intrigued. Great story about love loss and recovery plus a whole lot more. Definitely worth the credit.

Love!

After listening to several heavy reads this summer, this was beautiful thank you for sharing this. I hope you write many many more stories. You’re incredibly talented. Now I need to go find one of those types 💕

Fantastic Read

New to me author & fantastic read. Love the stories & how they are woven together. Perfect to listen to while driving & doing housework. Just the right amount of characters.

Favorite book in a long time.

This is really a historical fiction about incredible women combined with a coming of age story in the present. It’s absolutely five stars. Must read.