You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
I read Husbands and Lovers by Beatriz Williams about 9 months ago and really enjoyed it. So I knew when I saw her book available to request on NetGalley that I had to request it. Thankfully I was approved. I actually went into reading it blind; I just knew I wanted to read it because of the author. As I was reading it I came across the name Monk Adams and I was thinking it seemed so familiar to me. Duh…he was a character from Husbands and Lovers! In my review of that book I wrote that I wished there was an epilogue…I got my epilogue! Along with a great story about Audrey, Sedge, Meredith, and Mike. This is told from multiple timelines with an important story line of historical fiction mixed in. This was much more effective in this book than what I felt Husbands and Lovers was. Everything tied together really well and made for a very engaging story and a great kick off to July reading. Audrey is tasked with taking her famous mother Meredith to Winthrop Island to dry out so that she can get her acting career back on track. The timing couldn’t be better because Audrey is suddenly left behind by her business partner husband who has completely disappeared. The stories that unfold and intertwine along with the story of the doomed passenger ship the Atlantic in the 1800s kept me reading all day and into the wee hours of the morning. I definitely think you need to read Husbands and Lovers before this one although they are both standalone novels. This comes out July 29th so you’ve got time. Thank you to @netgalley and @ballantinebooks for this advance readers copy of @authorbeatriz book.
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Lots of things going on in this book. I don’t feel the storylines connected very well.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Beatriz Williams has outdone herself, Under the Stars is my new favorite of hers. The story is set in a Long Island-island town just a ferry ride from Connecticut. It has all the elements of a perfect summer read: mystery, romance, layered timelines, and of course flawed characters,
The story unfolds across three timelines:
⏳1846, where a woman aboard the tragic Atlantic escaping a possibly scandalous connection to a fictional but legendary artist who died of a mysterious fall;
⏰1993, full of teen angst, drinking, sex and secrets;
⌚️2024, in which an emotionally charged chef returns to the island where her life began and confronts the truth about her origins while caring for her recovering alcoholic “Mommy Dearest”-ish actress mother, and the “townie” father she never knew.
The characters are perfect. Audrey is sharp, wounded, and brave, thrown into a mess of memories, and new beginnings. Her alcoholic, larger-than-life mother is both tragic and infuriating—a fading screen star with a flair for emotional sabotage. Her ex-husband: Deliciously evil. Her stranger dad: A townie curmudgeon bartender and owner of a dive bar/inn. The new love interest: A Labrador-retriever type of man—loyal, strong, and refreshingly uncomplicated taking care of his grandmother.
One of the most satisfying parts of the book is the way the timelines weave together so seamlessly at the end eventually revealing secrets that have been buried beneath the rocky shore centuries apart. Williams’ prose sparkles with sharp wit, she has a gift for unexpected, vivid descriptions—like when she introduces a character with a “nose like a wedge of cheese” or describes a hangover as, “when the sunshine truck crashes into my head the next morning.”
And then there are the quiet, profound reflections that sneak up on you, like this gem from an older character:
“But it is. We’re so damned lucky to be alive, Meredith. Just to be conceived, to be born. Each day is given to us against astronomical odds. You’ve won the lottery.”
This book is not just beautifully written, it’s beautifully built, layering generations of longing, resilience, and rediscovery. If you’re looking for a transporting read with a bit of history, heart, and a hint of mystery, Under the Stars is the perfect summer beach read!
The story unfolds across three timelines:
⏳1846, where a woman aboard the tragic Atlantic escaping a possibly scandalous connection to a fictional but legendary artist who died of a mysterious fall;
⏰1993, full of teen angst, drinking, sex and secrets;
⌚️2024, in which an emotionally charged chef returns to the island where her life began and confronts the truth about her origins while caring for her recovering alcoholic “Mommy Dearest”-ish actress mother, and the “townie” father she never knew.
The characters are perfect. Audrey is sharp, wounded, and brave, thrown into a mess of memories, and new beginnings. Her alcoholic, larger-than-life mother is both tragic and infuriating—a fading screen star with a flair for emotional sabotage. Her ex-husband: Deliciously evil. Her stranger dad: A townie curmudgeon bartender and owner of a dive bar/inn. The new love interest: A Labrador-retriever type of man—loyal, strong, and refreshingly uncomplicated taking care of his grandmother.
One of the most satisfying parts of the book is the way the timelines weave together so seamlessly at the end eventually revealing secrets that have been buried beneath the rocky shore centuries apart. Williams’ prose sparkles with sharp wit, she has a gift for unexpected, vivid descriptions—like when she introduces a character with a “nose like a wedge of cheese” or describes a hangover as, “when the sunshine truck crashes into my head the next morning.”
And then there are the quiet, profound reflections that sneak up on you, like this gem from an older character:
“But it is. We’re so damned lucky to be alive, Meredith. Just to be conceived, to be born. Each day is given to us against astronomical odds. You’ve won the lottery.”
This book is not just beautifully written, it’s beautifully built, layering generations of longing, resilience, and rediscovery. If you’re looking for a transporting read with a bit of history, heart, and a hint of mystery, Under the Stars is the perfect summer beach read!
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
This is a beautiful love story – the kind that rarely shows up in a book and makes you close off the world so you can keep reading. When you reach the last page, you just sit there savoring a moment of peaceful indulgence.
The first part actually had two stories. One was historical about a famous artist, Henry Irving, who died after falling down the stairs. Providence, his one and only servant, was the last to see him and was now under arrest. She tried to escape and then ended up on a steamship disaster, the Atlantic, in 1846 (true event).
The other story took place on Winthrop Island, NY in 2024 with a famous actress, Meredith, her daughter, Audrey, and a few other characters intertwined in their lives. It involved all sorts of drama with relationships…the kind you want to run from and then some that are good and welcoming. Audrey was a chef and my guess is that anyone who loves juicy burgers would want a bite of hers.
I knew both parts would eventually come together and some of it was predictable but it worked out remarkably well. It had an easy flow with a dialogue that popped. There were lines that I had to jot down -- people that were religious praying their hearts out hoping to survive from a ship wreck. It’s history that I’m guessing few of us have ever heard about.
The writing is what I loved most with the descriptions of the people and places past and present. It was an experience of laughter with the artsy folks enjoying music and food and then sadness with heart-stopping moments. It involved a famous mother actress, a famous artist, a wealthy boyfriend and many others who had lives that needed readjusting. Don’t we all at times?
My thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of July 29, 2025.
The first part actually had two stories. One was historical about a famous artist, Henry Irving, who died after falling down the stairs. Providence, his one and only servant, was the last to see him and was now under arrest. She tried to escape and then ended up on a steamship disaster, the Atlantic, in 1846 (true event).
The other story took place on Winthrop Island, NY in 2024 with a famous actress, Meredith, her daughter, Audrey, and a few other characters intertwined in their lives. It involved all sorts of drama with relationships…the kind you want to run from and then some that are good and welcoming. Audrey was a chef and my guess is that anyone who loves juicy burgers would want a bite of hers.
I knew both parts would eventually come together and some of it was predictable but it worked out remarkably well. It had an easy flow with a dialogue that popped. There were lines that I had to jot down -- people that were religious praying their hearts out hoping to survive from a ship wreck. It’s history that I’m guessing few of us have ever heard about.
The writing is what I loved most with the descriptions of the people and places past and present. It was an experience of laughter with the artsy folks enjoying music and food and then sadness with heart-stopping moments. It involved a famous mother actress, a famous artist, a wealthy boyfriend and many others who had lives that needed readjusting. Don’t we all at times?
My thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of July 29, 2025.
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I will never be disappointed by a Beatriz Williams novel. She weaved three different storylines in the way she does SO well with this one.
I’m giving it 4 stars instead of 5 though because 1) I felt like there were some loose ends still (although nothing major) and 2) I have wanted Sedge’s book since he appeared in Husbands & Lovers and there was still not enough of him. 😂
I also love the easter eggs of the law firm with her and her bestie writer’s last names. And also the fact that Meredith starred in movies that have the same titles as her own books.
Thanks to Random House through NetGalley for the ARC!
I’m giving it 4 stars instead of 5 though because 1) I felt like there were some loose ends still (although nothing major) and 2) I have wanted Sedge’s book since he appeared in Husbands & Lovers and there was still not enough of him. 😂
I also love the easter eggs of the law firm with her and her bestie writer’s last names. And also the fact that Meredith starred in movies that have the same titles as her own books.
Thanks to Random House through NetGalley for the ARC!
Not for me I’m afraid. Usually I enjoy a story with multiple characters and their individual points of view but this never connected. The plot was all over the place and even after the stories all merged, it still didn’t really connect. The characters didn’t feel entirely fleshed out, and for whatever reason were unnecessarily crass. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC. It seems like folks are enjoying it, but this one didn’t land for me.
While I really enjoyed this book and the history (and mystery) mixed into it, there was just too much going on. It was hard to tell what was in the current timeline vs what was a flashback. I really enjoy the multiple timelines of 3 different women and finding out how they’re entwined in the story. It just felt like some of the drama and side character stories were foo much. It was already a lot with 3 different stories and then to have side stories and characters mixed in - it sometimes was dramatic for the sake of being dramatic. While not my favorite of Beatriz Williams, still enjoyable and fast-paced once you get into it!
ARC was generously provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
ARC was generously provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.