This book was a slow burn worth the ending. I loved its rich layers of complicated human emotions and searching for redemption.

A powerful novel that will strike directly at your heart, this book is a must read. Beth lives on a farm with her husband, Frank, trying to exist after losing their son. When an old boyfriend comes back into her life, Beth has to face her decisions. With not only Frank’s feelings involved, but her brother in law Jimmy who was close to her son, Bobby, and his wife Nina, who has become Beth’s best friend, play an integral role in their lives. Emotional, with settings evoking the mood of the novel, you will not be able to out this book down. Highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This book was an absolute delight! It wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, but it turned out to be a fantastic surprise. I was drawn to the idea of a lost love returning and the possibility of a love triangle. The story unfolds in two timelines: ‘Before’ and then in 1968/69. It was incredible how the book depicted the blossoming relationship between Beth and Gabriel when they were younger, then how it sadly ended, and also how Beth and Frank came to be married (‘Before’). And then the story would jump to the 1968 timeline when Gabriel returns to town with his son, and how that reunion affects Beth and her relationship with Frank. And then the suspense would build (1969), when the storyline jumps forward to the courtroom scenes. I’m a big fan of courtroom dramas, and I loved the anticipation of waiting to see who did it and what would happen next. The book really goes into detail about the court proceedings, you don’t find out who was on trial and who was killed until later on. I felt a lot of sympathy for Beth and the Johnson family, they all went through so much tragedy. With short chapters and a suspenseful plot, the book moved along really quickly. I had a hard time putting it down because I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. The ending was definitely a surprise, there were quite a few surprises towards the end of the book! I also listened to the audiobook, and the narrator, Hattie Morahan, has the sweetest English accent, but she did sound a bit older than Beth’s age of 30. It made it a bit uncomfortable listening to some of the intimate scenes in the book, I just kept imagining a much older woman. Broken Country was an amazing read and it will definitely be one of the best books I’ve read in 2025.

Clare Leslie Hall's *Broken Country* is a masterful blend of historical fiction, family drama, and courtroom mystery, set against the evocative backdrop of the English countryside in the late 1960s. The novel begins with a gripping premise: a farmer is dead, and the question of who killed him unravels a web of secrets, betrayals, and long-buried emotions.

At the heart of the story is Beth Johnson, a woman torn between her past and present. The return of her first love, Gabriel Wolfe, and his young son, Leo, sets off a chain of events that disrupts her life with her husband, Frank, and their farming family. Hall skillfully navigates the complexities of Beth's relationships, exploring themes of love, loss, and forgiveness with depth and nuance.

The dual timelines—one tracing Beth's youthful romance with Gabriel in 1955, and the other set in 1968 during the aftermath of the farmer's death—add layers of intrigue and emotional resonance. The courtroom scenes are particularly compelling, as Hall keeps readers guessing about the identity of the victim and the perpetrator until the very end.

Hall's prose is both lyrical and precise, capturing the beauty and brutality of rural life. The characters are richly drawn, their flaws and vulnerabilities making them achingly human. The novel's exploration of grief, class dynamics, and the enduring impact of first love is both poignant and thought-provoking.

*Broken Country* is a tour de force that will leave readers breathless and deeply moved. It's a must-read for fans of literary fiction and anyone who appreciates a story that lingers long after the final page.

I couldn’t put this book down! WOW! This has quickly soared as best book so far this year. This is a family drama, with an element of suspense and historical fiction. It follows the many year saga of Beth, Frank and Gabriel. Trigger warning- a child dies. As a mom myself, I was able to read the story and feel for the characters, but not project that tragic event onto my own life. I found myself smiling and crying at different points of the book, and evoking emotion is often difficult for me as a reader. This would make an excellent book club choice, as there are many twists to discuss.

This was such a captivating novel, which absolutely shocked me since I don't usually love historical fiction.

Composed with alternating timelines, there's a murder we need to solve. The twists keep coming and you'll stay guessing until the last page. The details allowed for the story to be wrapped together nicely, while still keeping readers engaged throughout the story. There were certainly "boring" parts since there were so many details but the short chapters made it easy to get through those portions.

Positives: short chapters, alternating timelines that are easy to follow
Negatives: lots of details, some dull moments

I was expecting a literary masterpiece, but I ended up getting a book that made me so incredibly angry throughout the entire thing I found myself wishing I had a physical copy just so that I could throw it across the room dramatically. I was waffling between 1-2 stars up until the last 30 minutes of the book, but then the sheer amount of drama packed into that last little bit, bumped it up to 3 stars. Did I actually enjoy it? No, but it takes alot of restraint for an author to hold off on revealing that much until the very end, so 3 stars for that alone.

📖 The Blurb Promised:
✔️ A mind-blowing twist.
✔️ Edge-of-your-seat tension.

💀 Reality:
❌ A love triangle that was built on miscommunication.
❌ Lies that were put in place by insufferable parental figures.
❌ Perpetuation of hiding the truth that will inevitably cause tremendous generational trauma.

💭 Final Thoughts:
☐ I'm definitely in the minority, so I think that I'm the problem.
☐ This book will forever make me angry whenever I see it or hear about it.
☐ The writing was lovely, and I can see why alot of people enjoy this book, but, it's just not my kind of story.

From the first few pages to the last page Broken Country captivated me. I knew just a few pages in that this story would steal my heart. It’s beautifully written with characters that jump off the page. Told through two timelines layered with secrets, a love triangle and a murder mystery you will find it challenging to put down.

Thank you so much @Simonandshuster for granting me access to this masterpiece via @netgalley. The fact that this is Clare Leslie Hall’s debut makes me so excited to see what she creates next. I absolutely loved this book!

“The farmer is dead. He is dead, and all anyone wants to know is who killed him.”

If you've been in a reading slump, you need to pick up this book. I was invested in this story from page 1 and could not put it down. This is truly one of the best books I've read. It has everything- mystery, drama, romance, unpredictable twists, and characters that are flawed but so endearing. It's an awesome choice for a book club. (Read Between the Wines friends, we need to read and discuss this one!)

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

Tragically beautiful.

I devoured this book. Page after page I became more attached to Beth and her story. I love relatable characters. Beth's experiences and heartaches are some that could happen to anyone.
Broken Country is a story taking place in a rural English village in the 1960's with flashbacks into the 50's. We begin in court; however, we don't really see the big picture of why until the end. Past and present lives are forced to collide, and challenging obstacles develop because of it. Overall, this is a story about life's difficult decisions and the unfortunate consequences that can follow because of them. It is full of young love, lust, longing, regret, tragedy, murder and actions that simply cannot be undone.

The writing was flawlessly executed. Transition from past and present were well done preventing any confusion of "when". The plot is one that is uniquely beautiful yet shocking. I was in tears by the end. I will most definitely be recommending this one to others.

Thank you Clare Leslie Hall, Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley for this ADR in exchange for an honest review.

This book takes you on a wild ride, jumping between timelines to slowly piece together the story in a way that keeps you hooked.

Beth and her husband Frank have built a happy life together, but their marriage depends on leaving the past untouched. When Frank’s brother kills a dog attacking their sheep, the act sets off a chain of events that unearths old wounds. The dog belonged to Gabriel Wolfe, Beth’s first love, who shattered her heart years ago. Now, back in the village with his young son, Gabriel’s presence stirs painful memories, especially of Beth’s own son, lost in a tragic accident. As long-buried secrets and jealousies resurface, Beth is torn between the life she’s built and the past she can’t forget.

There were moments where the story dragged, making the pacing feel a little uneven. But just when you think you’ve got the twist figured out, BAM! Another one gives you whiplash. The last 10% of the book felt like absolute chaos in a great (unhinged) way. By the end, I felt like I had been through it. Happily ever after? I mean… after all that… sure.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the ebook!

Books like Broken Country are the reason I love to read. Clare Leslie Hall captured my attention from the very first page and it never wavered until the last page. This book combines so many of my favorite genres and themes: heartbreaking love triangle, courtroom drama/murder trial, mystery... There are lots of twists, surprises, and reveals and while at times heartbreaking, the ending left me with a feeling of hope. The characters are so well drawn, you'll feel as though you know them, and this reads like a love letter to the English countryside and to those who farm it.

Reminiscent of The Paper Palace, Where the Crawdads Sing, and even The Bridges of Madison County. This will be one of my favorite reads of the year.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for this ARC.

Such a beautiful interwoven story with many layers and depth to the characters. Broken Country is a perfect mix of romance, mystery, drama and historical fiction. This story takes place in the English countryside in the 1968s. It is told in a dual timeline between 1955 and 1968. Small town drama, love triangle of a lost first love reunited and family secrets.

I honestly think this may be the best novel I've ever read. I finished it about a week ago, and I think about this novel daily. It surpasses any book I read last year (I read 100 books), and I would be shocked if any book this year is better. It is beautifully written, and I did not want it to end. Just trust my words and read this novel today. The author is a wonderful storyteller, and the way she strings words together is so beautiful that I don't have words to explain.

I appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Whether you come to this book for the gorgeous and evocative writing, the nostalgic and tender portrayal of first love, the lurid and emotional love triangle, the suspenseful murder mystery, or the powerful exploration of grief and forgiveness, you are in for an incredible reading experience. I adored everything about this book—the rare page turner with twists that keep you up at night and poignancy that leaves you sobbing with joy as you close the final pages.

I received this e-book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher for the copy!

As I read through some reviews, I saw one person say this was similar to Where the Crawdads Sing, and although it's a different subject matter, it definitely feels similar in the way of emotions. This story pulled out so many different emotions in me as I read. Although it was hard to keep track of all the characters at first, as well as the timeline, the author really helped it all to come together so the readers could understand. If you enjoyed Where the Crawdad Sings, I think you would enjoy this one....just be sure to get some tissues!!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy. Broken Country was published on March 4, 2025.

Is anyone else annoyed that the Reese sticker is on the cover? Just me? Fine.

I was so excited to begin this story. Once I started, I didn’t want to put my Kindle down. I cooked dinner while holding it. I took it everywhere…hoping I could sneak a couple minutes with it. I had to know how it was going to end. I wanted to know if my suspicions around people were correct. And I was rewarded, reader friends. This story lives up to the hype.

It wasn’t a perfect story. It was touted as this intense love triangle, but I don’t think it was intense enough. The miscommunication in the first part seemed over the top. If they were so in love, if Gabriel was so in love with Beth, why didn’t he follow her, make her listen as he explained himself. He just gave up. And so did Beth. I know there would be no love triangle without this happening. I know this is me projecting my own annoyances at the story. I just don’t like the decisions the characters made.

Isn’t that a funny way to judge a book? Clare Leslie Hall is a beautiful writer. I was in the countryside with her. I fully pictured the big oak tree and the farm itself. I know Gabriel’s family home was gorgeous inside and out. The lake picturesque, the grounds perfection. She writes with passion and heart. You really feel the characters. You feel their sideways glances at each other, their sighs and longing. So, because of this, because I feel alongside the characters, when they do something I disagree with, I get annoyed. But not with Hall. I know she is the one who made the characters be the way they are, but I’m not annoyed with her. I’m annoyed at her fictional characters. It makes sense to me, okay?

I’m glad I let this story take over my life for a couple days. It was worth it.

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 5. I absolutely DEVOURED this book. The suspense…the romance…it all kept me hooked until the very end! I didn’t see the ending coming AT ALL! I loved the quick pace and short chapters. Definitely a read I would recommend. Thank you Simon & Schuster and Clare Leslie Hall for the ARC.

Young love, first love. Motherhood. Tragedy. A love triangle. More tragedy. A trial, a verdict.

In Broken Country, Clare Leslie Hall weaves all of the above into a twisty, dramatic narrative. Beth is at the center of the story (and the center of the advertised love triangle). She's married to Frank, trustworthy, lovely Frank, living on the family farm with Frank and his brother. Their contented farm life is interrupted when Gabriel moves back to town. Gabriel, Beth's first love. How can this possibly end well? Somebody's dead (we learn in the first sentence)! Cue the violins and let the mystery unfold.

Set in 1968, the story bounces back and forth between the present, the past, and the trial. There are surprises, there are reveals you see coming. There's a lot of heartstring tugging. There is character behavior that is relatable and some that make less sense (and may have evoked eye rolling).

Reviews are off the charts for this novel. Looks like I'm an outlier. It's a solid three stars for me. I enjoyed some of the twists, but I found some characters' actions questionable and had a lasting impression of being overly dramatic.

My thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the Advance Reader Copy. (pub date 3/4/2025)

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC!

This book was far out of my normal genres so I was a bit unsure starting it, being mostly a romance and a historical fiction with just a sprinkle of mystery. However I'm very glad I did, it really was a great story.

So why not 5 stars? I HATE A LOVE TRIANGLE. Like with a passion. I've always hated them and always probably will. So considering that's a cornerstone of the book, you know it has to be great to be such a high rating.

I stayed a bit unsure of the book in the middle. I did not love Beth, she made very immature decisions though she is really young with a lot of trauma. I didn't love Gabriel either, he was too entitled. Frank was too good for this world in general. However in the end it all made sense.

The twists were some of the most shocking I've seen. I didn't see an ounce of it coming. I audibly gasped.

So whether you hate love triangles like me or it's out of your genre, I say read this regardless. It is worth the journey and such a beautiful book!