A review by chaptersofchase
Under the Stars by Beatriz Williams

emotional tense slow-paced

4.0

Generational secrets and shipwrecks? You know I'm in. 🤩 

Thank you, Ballantine Books & PRH Audio, for the gifted copy of Under the Stars by Beatriz Williams {partner} 

 

Genre: Historical Fiction 

Format: 🎧📖 

Pub Date:   7.29.2025 

Pages: 368 

Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆ 

 

Beatriz Williams is a master storyteller. She weaves together timelines, generations, and unforgettable characters in a way that always leaves me a little awestruck. Her female leads? Flawed, fierce, and impossible not to root for. 

 

While Under the Stars isn't a personal favorite of hers for me, it still delivered so many of the things I love in historical fiction: vibrant histories, layered family dynamics, and intersecting storylines that stretch across time. And yes—this one takes us back to Winthrop Island, which longtime readers of Williams' work will appreciate. 

 

One of the most fascinating parts of this novel was learning about the tragic fate of the Steamship Atlantic in 1846—an event I knew nothing about before reading. That's the beauty of good historical fiction: it leaves you entertained and a little more informed. 

My main struggle came with the chapters narrated by Providence Dare. She's recounting her backstory while also unraveling the ship's final voyage, and those overlapping narratives sometimes blur. I needed to reread passages to stay grounded in the timeline, which helped me regain my focus. 

 

Audiobook Review: ☆☆☆☆ 

The full cast—Helen Laser, Xe Sands, Jonathan McClain, Rachel F. Hirsch, Adam Verner, and Will Damron—was absolutely fantastic. I'm such a sucker for ensemble narration, and this one delivered on every level. 

 

Read if you enjoy: 

📖 Multiple timelines & POV 

😅 Complex family dynamics 

🌊 Small island setting 

⛴️ Shipwreck stories 

 

I recommend reading Under the Stars if you also enjoyed reading Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan Henry. 

 

 

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