Overseas [Hardcover]

Beatriz Williams (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 10, 2012

A passionate, sweeping novel of a love that transcends time.

When twenty-something Wall Street analyst Kate Wilson attracts the notice of the legendary Julian Laurence at a business meeting, no one’s more surprised than she is. Julian’s relentless energy and his extraordinary intellect electrify her, but she’s baffled by his sudden interest. Why would this handsome British billionaire—Manhattan’s most eligible bachelor—pursue a pretty but bookish young banker who hasn’t had a boyfriend since college?

The answer is beyond imagining . . . at least at first. Kate and Julian’s story may have begun not in the moneyed world of twenty-first-century Manhattan but in France during World War I, when a mysterious American woman emerged from the shadows of the Western Front to save the life of Captain Julian Laurence Ashford, a celebrated war poet and infantry officer.

Now, in modern-day New York, Kate and Julian must protect themselves from the secrets of the past, and trust in a true love that transcends time and space.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Outstanding…With a complicated romance, intriguing suspense, a dashing hero, a feisty heroine, and a fantastic but plausible time-travel explanation, this book will hit the mark for readers wanting something exceptional for their summer reading."

—Library Journal (starred review)

 This is a delicious story about the ultimate romantic fantasy: love that not only triumphs over time and common sense, but, once Kate overcomes Julian’s WWI-era ideas about honor, includes mind-blowing sex.”

—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

 A full-throated love story…With [Williams’] gift for humor, snappy dialogue and swooning romance, there's plenty to enjoy and the promise of more enjoyable escapism to come."

—Kirkus

 "A sensational debut! OVERSEAS is a heady blend of wit, charm, and romantic sizzle, all wrapped around a tantalizing mystery that will constantly surprise and delight readers."
—Anne Fortier, New York Times-bestselling author of Juliet

“Overseas is an irresistible combination of romance, history, and imaginative storytelling. Set against the tumultuous backdrop of World War I and the glittering lights of today’s New York financial world, Beatriz Williams creates a memorable story of a timeless love. . . . I can’t wait to see what she does next!”

—Karen White, New York Times–bestselling author of The Beach Trees

 “Overseas is one of those addictive stories that grab you and don’t let go. Beatriz Williams has an amazing storytelling talent. . . . I wanted to crawl into the book and stay there.”

—Lauren Willig, New York Times–bestselling author of the Pink Carnation series

 “History meets romance meets suspense! Compelling, original and wildly romantic, Beatriz Williams’ prose is stunning and the plot edge-of-your-seat gripping. OVERSEAS is an absolute triumph—I loved every page.”

—Tilly Bagshawe, New York Times-bestselling author of Adored

About the Author

 Beatriz Williams lives with her husband and children in Greenwich, Connecticut. Overseas is her first novel. 

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 464 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Adult (May 10, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399157646
• ISBN-13: 978-0399157646
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 1.5 x 9.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (69 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #505,845 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

A graduate of Stanford University with an MBA from Columbia, Beatriz spent several years in New York and London hiding her early attempts at fiction, first on company laptops as a corporate and communications strategy consultant, and then as an at-home producer of small persons. She now lives with her husband and four children near the Connecticut shore, where she divides her time between writing and laundry.

Visit her online at www.beatrizwilliams.com, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/beatrizwilliamsauthor, and on Twitter at @bcwilliamsbooks.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 37 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars 5-star story, 4-star execution April 26, 2012

By Susan Tunis TOP 100 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

I am not a reader of genre romance novels, but clearly I have latent romantic tendencies. Certain novels just make me melt, and none more so in recent months (years?) than Beatriz William's debut novel, Overseas.

Overseas is the story of Kate Wilson, a 25-year-old transplanted Midwesterner trying to get ahead on Wall Street. Early in the novel, after getting screwed over by an ambitious colleague, she still seems to make a BIG impression on powerful British hedge fund bazillionaire Julian Laurence. In fact, the man appears to be inexplicable smitten with Kate, and she can't deny how drawn she feels to him. In a parallel storyline, set in WWI France, we meet another Kate who is approaching Captain Julian Ashford, a younger man who is a stranger to her. She's on a mission to warn him away from danger at the front.

Even a glance at the jacket copy will inform you that this is a time travel tale, but I'll leave it to you to tease out the details regarding this star-crossed romance. What I will tell you is that I found the Cinderella romance of Overseas to be a perfect distraction from my not-so-Cinderella-like life. Williams has penned a tale so romantic it may make you sigh aloud. There is some sexual content in the novel, but it's not overly graphic. She's struck a good balance; it's not too chaste, but this is no bodice ripper. Kate and Julian are such appealing protagonists; you'd have to be hard-hearted indeed not to root for them. There's nothing "literary" about the novel, but the prose moves along smoothly and the development of these central characters works fine within the tale. This book is mostly about story, and it succeeds quite well on that level.

Still, this is a debut novel, and there are plenty of things I could criticize. Firstly, there's nothing remotely realistic about this tale. Embrace your willing suspension of disbelief and go along for a yummy ride. You have to just accept the unreality of the premise. Not only the time travel, but the entire romance. That said, when the long-obscured mechanism of time travel was finally revealed, I was like, "Really?" I wasn't so impressed. On the subject of character development, aside from the central couple, there was almost none. Having Charlie say "dude" in every sentence doesn't count as character development, and frankly a little of that goes a long way. Probably my biggest complaint, however, is the novel's length. Don't get me wrong--I was never bored. But towards the center of the novel there's a lot of conflict between the characters, and much of it feels circular. Haven't they had this argument before? Conflict drives fiction; it's essential. But this novel is lengthy, and I do believe it could have been somewhat trimmed without losing anything essential.

Here's the thing, I can see all that, but I kind of loved this book. Reading it made me feel happier, lighter. There's nothing wrong with indulging in a little harmless escapism. Plus, is there anything better than a good time travel romance? This novel will appeal to readers like me who loved Jack Finney's classic Time and Again, Ken Grimwood's cult classic Replay, and more recent hits like Stephen King's 11/22/63: A Noveland Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife. That's not bad company to keep, as far as I'm concerned. I truly enjoyed this delicious debut, and can't wait to see what Beatriz Williams comes up with next.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Love...Over Time...Over Distance... May 22, 2012

By Hira N. Hasnain

Format:Hardcover

"Overseas" by Beatriz Williams is quite simply put, a game changer. The kind of book that completely makes you re-think a genre. As a matter of fact, it is SUCH an interesting and different novel, that I'd say it simply surpasses being confined within one genre. It is not just contemporary adult fiction, it is also a romance novel, along with elements of historical fiction, and nuances of the sci-fi genre. But instead of being a hodge-podge of confusion, what you get is a melange of literary genres very craftily combined into a witty, charming and wonderful narrative.

I've seen some reviews, and some readers, compare this book to "The Time Traveler's Wife", which is an absolutely amazing book and one of my favorites. I, however, respectfully disagree. There are some similarities, perhaps, because of the element of time-travel but where The Time Traveler focuses on how the time travels affects a romance, I believe author William's book focuses on how a simple romance can exist beyond the perimeter of time. The time travel doesn't encumber the romance, it facilitates it.

Kate Wilson works on Wall Street, and although she has heard many things about Julian Laurence, the mysterious and reserved British billionaire running an enormous hedge fund, she is completely unprepared for how handsome he is, and even more unprepared for the way he looks at her. They meet, they talk and a harmless romance ensues. And yet, despite his gentlemanly and knight-like ways, Julian Laurence seems to be surrounded by secrets. And even as he opens his heart, and his home, to Kate he keeps his secrets to himself. As the mystery around Julian Laurence unravels, Kate uncovers the truth that is SO shocking, it is almost impossible to believe! Will she believe him? Does she trust him? Will this explosive secret bring them together, or tear them apart? And above all, will their romance stand the test of TIME and DISTANCE?

I must admit, I rarely ever read books like "Overseas" because I'm a bit of a cynic when it comes to romantic fiction. My idea of romance is snuggling with your significant other on a couch, watching black and white movies, and eating a pint (or a gallon *shrugs* lol) of icecream. The tearing of clothes, the whispers of sweet-nothings, the showering of presents, and the constant blushing of a heroine does NOTHING for me. "Overseas" contains ALL of the aforementioned elements, YET, they are written with such wit, such charm, and such warmth that instead of becoming cliches, I actually came to enjoy them. But what kept me rooted, above all, was the current of mystery that surrounds Julian, and his past, that underlies the romance between Kate and him.

Another confession: I almost always despise it when a rich guy comes into the life of a middle-class girl, and sweeps her off her feet, showering her with lavish presents, and turning her life around. I rebel against the idea that a man needs to come and rescue me from anything, even my poverty! lol :P And yet again, there's Kate Wilson, being wooed by the filthy rich Julian Laurence, and being showered with every material object imaginable, clothes, jewelry, etc. But here's the catch, here's why this book is different - Kate never, not even at the end of the novel, takes any of it for granted, and never becomes entangled in the snare of riches and materialism, and she retains her dignity and her character till the very end. Now Kate is the kind of heroine I can live with being showered by lavishness!

Ultimately, "Overseas" completely changed the way I looked at the genre of romance in adult fiction. I've now come to realize that romance in fiction is not the problem, but the usage of cliches to perpetuate such a romance. Beatriz Williams, on the other hand, creates multi-layered characters, who are lovable, charming, sweet and easy to become attached to. She never allows her characters to lose themselves, or changes their nature, for the sake of romance. Kate is a smart, sensible, girl who puts loyalty and love above all else. And Julian is a man of honor, and is reminiscent of another character I absolutely adore....my dream (literary) hero, Mr. Darcy (Pride & Prejudice), in his chivalrous ways. This book has me hooked in a way that is purely sinful! The romance...the sweetness.... It's beyond amazing! Do I need to say any more?!?! Go and get your copy, RIGHT THIS VERY MOMENT!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Loved It! May 19, 2012

By Book Mama VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

This is one of the best books I've read in a very long time! A love story that transcends time, what more could you ask for? From the first page I did not want to put it down, yet it was so good that I wanted to savor every page. I absolutely loved it and will definitely read it again at some point.

I really liked how the author switched back and forth between the past and modern day, and how the story was revealed simultaneously through the interweaving of the past and present. The story had lots of mystery, suspense, twist and turns, and romance. Best of all, I loved the ending.

This would make for a great book club read. I can't recommend this book enough and will be buying copies to give to a few of my closest friends!