This book had all the elements! Mystery, scandal, romance, grief—everything that makes for a gripping story! It was different than my usual reads in the best way. I am glad to be expanding my palate in terms of reading and this was a great book to help with that. Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for the honest review.

I fell in love with Frank and Beth the moment I knew the sacrifices they made for each other, knowing them all too well myself. Thank you Clare for writing with such intensity and bringing the characters some peace for all. The twists and the court trial I could have never imagined but was much needed to close the story full circle. Wonderful, had me in tears for days! This book shows you that acceptance and grief can be a form of loving someone too.

I will admit that I struggled through the first half of this book. I felt the plot was melodramatic and you just watch these characters marching towards cliche doom.

But man, the second half got me. Compelling storytelling that took elements I thought were dumb before and weaved them into a shocking end. I went from being pretty close to disliking this book to wondering if I will ever forget it.

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

Thank you Netgalley & Simon & Schuster for an eARC 😭❤️


As I emerged from the ravaged landscape of Broken Country, I felt like I'd been put through a war. My heart was shattered, my emotions were in tatters, and my very soul was scarred. This book is not just a story – it's an immersive, soul-crushing experience that will leave you gasping for air.
Beth's tale is a haunting, gut-wrenching exploration of the human condition. Her love for Gabriel Wolfe is a force of nature – a maelstrom of passion, intensity, and ultimately, devastation. As the past and present collide, Beth's world is torn asunder, revealing secrets, lies, and truths that will shatter everything you thought you knew.
With each turn of the page, I felt like I was drowning in a sea of heartbreak. The author's masterful prose is a scalpel, slicing through the façade of human emotions to expose the raw, pulsing heart beneath. I wept, I wailed, I screamed in silence as Beth's story unfolded before me like a Greek tragedy.
And yet, even in the midst of all this chaos, there's a glimmer of hope. A hope that love can conquer even the darkest of pasts, that forgiveness is possible, and that redemption can be found. But be warned: this journey will cost you. It will shatter your heart, scar your soul, and leave you forever changed.
Broken Country is not just a book – it's an odyssey of the human heart. It's a journey that will destroy you, only to rebuild you anew. So, if you dare, step into the ravaged landscape of Broken Country. But be prepared to lose yourself forever.❤️‍🩹

I really wanted to like this book but historical fiction is either just not for me.. or this book isn’t for me right now! I could see possibly picking it up again in the future but for now it is a DNF.

A love triangle + courtroom drama - one of the lovers has been murdered. I could absolutely see historical fiction fans raving about this 🤍 I truly may try again at a later date.

Thanks to the publisher for my ARC

Beautiful. Addictive. Heartbreaking. Hopeful...

"Broken Country" is set in a small farming village in the Dorset countryside in Southwestern England, where Gabriel Wolfe and Beth fell in love during the summer of 1955. He was her first love, and he broke her heart.

Beth marries Frank, a local sheep farmer. Gabriel marries an American.

In 1968, after divorcing his wife, Gabriel returns to the village with his son, Leo, who reminds Beth of her son Bobby, who died not long ago. Beth is drawn into Gabriel and Leo's lives, not realizing it will trigger events that will change their lives and families, and impact the entire village community...

"Broken Country" is as much a family story as a love story, and it quickly piqued my interest and stole my heart. Although it is told from the perspective of Beth, the protagonist, it uses a third-person limited point of view. The story is told through her eyes but not directly in her voice. It has a quiet yet distant and reflective feel, with simple writing and short chapters that make the pages flip as quickly as a thriller. The characters were fully fleshed out, making investing in their journey and engaging with the story simple.

This evocative and heartbreaking story is layered with two timelines and themes of love, loss, and the consequences of choices made. Long-held secrets will unfold, tragic events will take place, and the less you know going in, the better your experience will be.

"Broken Country" is the best book I've read this year. This is Clare Leslie Hall's U.S. debut novel, and I look forward to reading more from her. I love Literary Fiction, and this book is an example of why. I highly recommend it!

5⭐

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Clare Leslie Hall for the DRC through NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

This book is terrific. It's been a long time since I read a book that is so well done. Beth's first love was so consuming that she was totally gutted when it ended. She settled for marrying a local farmer who has loved her since he was 13. They had a son who tragically passed away after an accident. Her first love returns to town after a divorce with a son of his own. Since Beth's feelings have never died this leads to a heated situation that results in tragedy.

The book is told in different time lines, one past and one present. The reader will be drawn in and will keep wondering what is going to happen. This love will have consequences for many people including Beth. The writing is wonderful and I believe this book will have a very bright future. I would highly recommend reading this book,.

Thank you to #netGalley, #ClareLeslieHall and #Simon&Schuster for a copy of this book.
#BrokenCountry

"Broken Country" by Clare Leslie Hall is a compelling read that seamlessly weaves together dual timelines to create a rich and immersive narrative. The storyline alternates between the present day and a past filled with secrets and personal discoveries. Hall's ability to craft detailed characters and settings allows readers to feel deeply connected to both timelines. The transitions between the timelines are smooth, keeping the reader engaged and eager to uncover the mysteries of each era.

The characters are well-developed, offering a mix of relatable struggles and profound insights. The historical context is vivid and well-researched, adding depth to the story and providing a fascinating backdrop to the characters’ personal journeys. The themes explored in the novel, such as family, identity, and redemption, resonate well and prompt thoughtful reflection.

3.5! I enjoyed the story of this book, but felt as if some of it dragged on. A love triangle between Beth, Frank, and Gabriel plus murder = a pretty captivating storyline.

A story that is a forbidden love that extends over years. Second chance. Small town drama with lots of twists and turns. Lots of emotions. this story really has it all in it. It was heartbreaking at times. I wasn’t a fan of the mfc until read how strong she is. A story for all fiction readers.

Thank you to NetGalley.

Pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed reading Broken Country. I was actually on the fence about reading it but am so glad that I did. It was such a well written story with well developed characters and romance/mystery built in. This story brought me in from the beginning and I highly recommend giving this one a try 4/4.5 stars. I want to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I rated this book five stars because I was hooked from the very beginning. The opening sentence reads, "The farmer is dead. He is dead and all anyone wants to know is who killed him." Slowly, the story unravels and we figure out who the farmer is and how he died. This story involves a love, desire, grief and difficult choices. Hall is a wonderful storyteller and this is evident with each passing page. As I read, I became very invested in the story and in the characters. This book is fast paced and very easy to read. All along, I kept thinking that someone should make this into a movie. Just when I thought I knew what direction it was headed, another plot twist was thrown into the mix. At the end, we reach a very happy and satisfying conclusion for the characters. I appreciate when books, even messy ones like this, tie up all loose ends. That is exactly what the author does here. I have a good feeling that this book is going to be talked about all year long! I would love to read future works by this author. Thank you very much to Net Galley and the publishers for gifting me with the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the eARC.

This book was SO good. The characters, the grief, the development, the conflict, all of it. It felt so real and so raw. It had jaw dropping moments for me at the end which solidified its overall rating. Superb!

This book unflinchingly tells the tale of a love triangle set in a small countryside village. Told in Before and Now we watch the events unfold to its tragic conclusion. But here's the thing not only is the story compelling , the writing is gorgeous.
One of my favorite things about Netgalley is the opportunity to read a debut author and witness the beginning of something special. Many thanks to netgalley and Simon & Schuster for this read

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

This is a beautiful book with wonderful writing. It is the story of a love triangle between Beth, her kind farmer husband Frank, and her teenaged love Gabriel. It is set in dual timelines of 1955 and 1968. I highly recommend this book and can't wait to see what Clare Leslie Hall writes next.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the advanced digital copy of the book. The book will be published on March 4, 2025.

This story is filled with emotional highs and lows that tugged me into the picturesque setting. This is a love story of a love that isn’t quite finished, a story of love and loss, grief and acceptance. There are so many layers to this magnificent story that it was hard to put down. I felt just what I thought the characters were feeling, from heartbreak to compassion. All of the characters play a role in the drama of the three main characters. This novel includes romance, mystery, crime and even a courtroom. The story is compelling, the characters are realistic and relatable and the surprises that are revealed are perfect for the story. At first, I was a little confused, but the more I got into the story, the more I understood the dramatic nuances and the relationships between the characters, both past and present. I loved the underlying tone of dark secrets and the way they were slowly revealed, always at the moment when I least expected it. The pace was moderate at first, then increased to a quick pace that had me reading as fast as I could to find out wha was going to happen next.
Disclaimer
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher via Netgalley. All views expressed are completely my honest opinion.

There should be a special secret 6th star reserved for like 1-2 books a year and I would give this book that 6th star. This was absolutely PHENOMENAL. I was not expecting to love this book as much as I did, I was addicted to it and read it in basically one sitting.
This is the story of a farmer, his wife, and the man she loved in her youth. Someone ends up dead, and through different time periods and snippets of the story we found out who and why.
The writing, the characters, the way that I felt like I was in the story and in that small, countryside English town. The times I had to stop and shed a few tears. The audible gasps and whimpers and laughing that I did while reading. It was everything.
The passion, love, loss, grief, eloquence, and pure emotion with this story was overwhelming and beautiful and I will be thinking about it for a long time.

5+/5 stars

In Hall's US debut, we get a powerhouse of a story featuring awesomely drawn flawed characters, a rich and descriptive location setting (North Dorset farming village 1968-1975) and a sprawling, at times heart wrenching storyline.

First, let me say that while reading this it felt monumentally grand scale to me, and at 319 pages, how can that be, right? Hall has crafted a compact, concise portrait of the lives of three interconnected characters who are shown from the various perspectives of lovers, spouses and parents. And how they deal/live within these roles and in society as well as with each other makes for a complex, engrossing story.

This book is told from the viewpoint of the MFC (Beth) and references both past and present lives of its three protagonists...Beth herself, Gabriel, and Frank. There were times that I could practically see them, hear them and feel their emotions...the writing is that visceral and deep-rooted. There's tragedy, jealousy, compulsion, angst, conflict and ultimately resolution. There are also a host of secondary characters (especially Jimmy, Nina, Leo and Bobby) who just round out what is a flawlessly executed book.

This one jumps to the head of my favorite list for this year, and it will take a stupendous effort to dislodge it. Can't wait to read more from this talented author.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing the free early arc of Broken Country for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Broken Country
Author: Clare Leslie Hall
Source: NetGalley
Publication Date: March 4, 2025

Broken Country, a captivating and emotionally charged novel by Clare Leslie Hall, is set to be published March 4, 2025. This compelling story revolves around young lovers from disparate social backgrounds whose love is tested by the determined efforts of a mother wanting to tear them apart. However, the narrative delves deeper than its surface-level premise, exploring profound questions such as the possibility of simultaneous love, the devastating impact of tragedy on all involved, and the challenges of survival in a close-knit community where secrets lurk. At its core, the book delves into the complexities of love and the lengths individuals will go to preserve it. It delves into themes of atonement, guilt, duplicity, lies, and the hardships of life on a farm. This is a rare moment when I’ve had the pleasure of reading so many exceptional five-star books in a single month, and I can confidently say that March promises to be a memorable month for book readers. I wholeheartedly recommend Broken Country and encourage you to read this lovely story. @clarelesliehall @netgalley @simonandschuster #brokenCountry #love #romance #death #younglove #farmerlife #england #duplicity #fear #life #March4
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I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this novel.
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#book #books #bookAddict #BooksOfInstagram #bookstagram #bookstagramer #bookshelf #reader#bookreviewer
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The farmer is dead, he is dead and all anyone wants to know is who killed him.

Broken Country was the story of Mess, told in literary style and awash in melodrama. It centers on Beth, a young woman that grew up in the English countryside and how the decisions she makes shapes and twists her life. Told in five parts (four named for the males in her life) and alternating three timelines, readers are started off with a murder. It's obvious that there's lies to be figured out as Beth's point-of-view clues us in but then we're taken back to the months before the murder and the arrival of Beth's past love Gabriel. When a horrible incident has Beth entering his life again, by way of watching his young son as he's a new single dad, readers can feel Beth being pulled into trouble. The story then jumps to Beth and Gabriel meeting as young teens and from there the alternating timelines are set, the beginning in 1950s with Beth and Gabriel's romance, the past in 1968 with Beth and Gabriel entering each other's lives again, and the present in 1969 with a murder trial.

But we are not who we once were.

The alternating timelines weave the reader in and around the characters' relationships showing how they were formed and their emotional ties. The literary style works to elevate the tone but the way Beth goes about things is pure Mess. There's the alluring rich boy Gabriel, the country girl Beth who doesn't feel worthy but has big dreams, and the strong stoic farm boy Frank who yearns and loves Beth from afar until he gets his chance with her. Even though these characters do fit into these common molds, I did think the author infused them with enough depth to keep you absorbed into their characters and lives. Frank's stoicism was probably the most I wanted to break out of, feeling a little noble poor idealistic. The secondary characters of Frank's younger brother Jimmy, Jimmy's girlfriend, and other friends and family appear and provide enough to give a good rounding out of the main characters' world.

Our love triangle – the farmer, his wife and the famous author – has been prodded and picked over and sensationalised out of all proportion in Fleet Street.

This started off with me trying to work out the mystery of the who, what, and whys of the murder mystery, but I slowly drifted from that to becoming more invested in how Beth's grief (there are content warnings in this for death of a child, death of an animal, murder, and alcoholism) had her pulling from those close to her and trying to escape into a past idealized life that was no longer there for her. The last twenty percent delivers reveals readers were waiting for and one that felt hinted at but will still shock some, and an ending that will first hurt until an epilogue delivers the healing. If you enjoy melodrama mess in literary style that takes you on an alternating timeline journey as the murder mystery is slowly untangled, then you'll want to pick this one up.