Broken Country has all the elements of an incredible story. It has a love story, a mystery, tragedy, and courtroom drama woven into the lives of Beth, her husband Frank and those they love. Told through multiple timelines, this book was difficult to put down. While decisions were made that I personally don’t agree with, the writing was excellent and emotional. Please research trigger warnings before reading, but I highly recommend this book!

A complementary copy was provided by Simon & Schuster and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Broken Country is a beautifully written, emotional journey about loss, survival, and healing. Hall’s heartfelt writing and the story’s depth make it a standout read.

I was at first a little hesitant because I absolutely loathe love triangles but honestly between murder, betrayal, love, and almost familial resurrection I was absolutely blown away. This is one of those novels that’s to atmospheric that you’re transported onto that English farm and into the almost Shakespearean family dynamic. I loved this, I cannot suggest it enough.

Broken Country is a beautifully written book about family, first loves, heartbreaking loss and the impact they have on our lives. The characters are well developed, complicated, likable and relatable. The story unfolds over a dual timeline with a final twist I did not see coming.

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by this author.

Thank you to Clare Leslie Hall, Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the opportunity to read nd review this ARC.

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me. I read the first third of the book and had trouble going back and forth from past to present. The premise sounded intriguing and this book had rave reviews from my friends who read the ARC. I will not be rating it as I feel I did not read enough to rate it fairly.

So glad to have received this ARC copy from NetGalley! This was a fantastic story and I was invested in it from start to finish.
We follow Beth on a journey from teenage love to a murder trial and a whole lot in between. There are some heavy themes but they were well done. There were a couple of twists in the book that were not unexpected to me, but it didn’t take away from the overall story.
I definitely recommend this one when it publishes in March.

****VERY UNPOPULAR OPINION***

The premise made me want to request this book. Old and returning love. New love. Hard decisions. The reading experience for this was different and at times frustrating and annoying! I do not mind multple POVs and time frames but the pacing of the book, reveals and actual storyline do not work for this book. Also these characters do so much complaining and I also almost screaming in head "SHUT THE EFF UP" and/or "GROW SOME BALLS!" I felt all three central characters had no growth from start to finish.

Overall I felt this book was a waste of my time. Cannot recommend. but I do will not judge other readers for enjoying this book more than me. This book was not for me at this time and usually I like books like this. It was just a miss.

THanks to Netgalley, Clare Leslie Hall and Simon Schuster for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 3/4/2025

This book explores the relationships between past and current loves as well as the family we apart of. I thoroughly enjoyed this plot driven book as we learned new things about Beth and her first love with Gabriel when they were young. It raises the question, can you truly be in love with two people at once?

Really loved reading this one!

On it's surface, it's a mystery that centers an affair, but it is so much more.
Layered, imperfect characters you can't help to root for. Short, fast paced chapters with changing timelines made it a quick read to binge.
And a bittersweet ending that totally honors the people involved.

Can't recommend this one enough!

Thank you netgalley for the arc of broken country in exchange for my honest review. Wow I am blown away bu this novel. Five stars. The writing style was so good that this book was hard to put down. Beth as a teen has a whirlwind summer romance with Gabriel but unfortunately for them a miscommunication leads to the end of their relationship. Beth ends up marrying Frank who has loved her since she was thirteen. Due to an unfortunate accident their son Bobby doesnt make it. Years later Gabriel moves back to their small town with his son Leo and a series of events transpire that turn all of their lives upside down. Heartbreak, tragedy, a challenges of the human spirit. This book will bring you to tears.

I may have just read my most favorite book for 2025, this one is going to be hard to beat. Wow, this was an absolute great read! The first chapter picks your interest and then the next and the next completely engulf you.
Yes, this book is a love story, but it is so, so much more. I finished it last night and have been thinking about it all day. One of those books that you sigh, when you finish and just say oh my gosh.
There were times I was impatient with Beth, but the author gives you the then, the now, the before and the trial. She makes you feel like you were just looking down upon the characters and watching it, was hard to put down. This is my first Clare Hall book, but I will certainly be looking for more from this author. Pick this one up, read it, you won’t regret it.
I received an ARC from William Morrow and NetGalley for my unbiased review. The highest five stars I can give.

I think this book will be a big hit by pub day March 4 as I have already heard so much. about it That said, I'll be brief about this book and leave it to the reader to let it unfold chapter by chapter to the end of the book that I truly loved.

Beth, a farmer's wife, finds three of her lambs killed by the neighbor's dog. The dog is killed by her brother-in-law. The story unfolds telling the complicated past with the neighbor and Beth's family. You may not like the beginning, but trust me, this is a book you will want to read to the end. It is beautifully written, with rich characters and story line that unfolds so well as to keep the reader engaged and even surprised. Love, forgiveness, redemption.

My thanks to Net Galley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy of this e-book.

I devoured this book! I was drawn in immediately and it never let up. Beautiful writing and I felt like I was right on the farm with these characters. This story looked at two different kinds of love. An all-encompassing, fated, lustful attraction and a steady, trustworthy love that can withstand tragedy. Both portrayed so well. These characters had flaws and that made them feel so real.

My heart broke several times during this story and tears were dripping down my face as I finished it. I loved this book so much and highly recommend. Thank you Simon & Schuster for the arc to read and review.

This was a very riveting story. Beth met Gabriel when she was young. They slept together and when he went off to college, that was it. She married Frank - a farmer who had been interested in her right after she met Gabriel and she turned him down at that time. They had a child who died when he was 9. Gabriel came back to town with a young son who looked about the same age as her son had been. A terrible accident happens and her husband is on trial for murder. Can they regain their trust and love. It's a powerful story with some surprises information that comes to light.

I got this story from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Truth, this novel started out slow for me and took me until about 30% to get fully invested. Normally, I would have DNF'd, but something kept nudging me to continue. Once I got to 35%, I didn't want to stop reading. I had to force myself to sleep.
I kept thinking to myself that this would be a four star book for me, but then the ending... the ending immediately made it five glorious stars for me when I bawled my eyes out. If you decide to read this one, hang in there. It's worth it!!

Beth. Frank. Bobby. Jimmy. Nina. Gabriel. Leo. (Toxic)Tessa. What a cast of characters they all turn out to be. I don't want to say much about the actual story because I don't want to give anything away. This is a must-read and it takes place in the English countryside.

This is what I will say pertaining to the story...
Young love is difficult to make last even in the best of situations. It can work out, but there's often so much growth and maturing that happens with age, so it's understandable when it fizzles out. Sometimes, young love ends in a fury of heartbreak, tears, and unforgivable circumstances. The one thing I didn't like about Beth and Gabriel's story was the lack of communication, but I do realize there wouldn't have been a story without it, but dang, does it suck.

This is a novel of happiness, heartbreak, tragedy, grief, secrets, and lies. Grief has a way of changing people for better and for worse. It's when people get stuck in it that it becomes a problem often with severe consequences. Life is full of choices. We never know how the choices we make will affect us years down the road or what we may have done differently until we're forced to examine it in a different light or until tragedy strikes.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for this eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A sweeping drama about first loves and true loves and what happens when they collide. I loved the dual timelines and the descriptions of different kinds of love. I loved the mystery unraveling and I especially loved the ending.

3.5 stars

This is the hardest review I’ve had to write in quite awhile. While I’ve only seen rave reviews of this one, it left me feeling very annoyed and frustrated. I am definitely an outlier with my opinion because this really is a bookstagram darling at the moment (I hough I do anticipate more dissenting opinions as more people read it after it’s release on Mar 4).

Let’s start with the good: I LOVED the writing! Hall transported me to the pastoral countryside where Frank and Beth tended their herd of sheep and lived a simple life. I felt deeply connected to this part of the story as it really reminded me of my own dad who tends to his mama cows and calves the same way Frank loves his sheep.

What I disliked the most about this book were the characters, their decisions, and their lack of growth. This book deals with a lot of tough themes (unrequited love, enduring love, guilt, shame, regret, and forgiveness), and while @runningandreading and @novelvisits really helped me see new perspectives, I ultimately don’t understand them. Frank is by far and away my favorite, but by the end, his weakness and inability to stand up for himself left me frustrated.

As I said earlier, I will be curious to see how this holds up as more people read it!

If you choose to read only one of my book recommendations this year, let it be this one!

🌳 REVIEW: BROKEN COUNTRY 🌳

By Clare Leslie Hall

📖 SUMMARY: In 1960s England, Beth and her husband Frank live a quiet life on their farm, and they’re doing as well as they can after the death of their son Bobby a few years ago. Everything changes when Beth’s brother-in-law shoots a dog that was attacking their sheep. The dog belonged to the son of her first love, Gabriel, the man who broke her heart over a decade ago and just moved back to the village. Beth enjoys spending time with them, because Gabriel’s son Leo reminds her of the child she lost. Unfortunately, it’s a small village, and people talk… soon, Beth is forced to deal with the consequences of letting Gabriel back into her life — consequences that become deadly.

💭 THOUGHTS: This book has easily become one of my favorite books of all time. I was immediately drawn into the story by the setting & characters, all of whom are so beautifully written, genuine, and flawed. You’re never sure where the story is going, especially with the love triangle — who will Beth choose? Her husband, with whom she built a life, or her first love, with whom she once dreamed of her future? I won’t tell, but I’ll promise you one thing — that ending will make you cry. I cannot say it enough: I LOVE this book, and can’t wait for more people to read it.

Thank you so much to @ Simon schuster @ NetGalley for the advanced copy. This comes out March 4.

✨ MADE ME FEEL: 😭💔😭💔😭💔😭

🥰 YOU’LL ENJOY IF: you liked WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING or ONCE THERE WERE WOLVES

This story is emotional and so rich. The reader is so close to the lives of the characters that it is hard to separate reality from fiction. The plot is highly enjoyable and a top tier read for a reason.

I mean, come on already.

I liked the descriptions of life on the farm. I didn't like much else. I think there was just too much happening. There are three different time frames and everything centered on a flat and quite frankly, very annoying love story. None of the twists were surprising or well done and I just feel pretty annoyed by the entire thing.

I did read it in a little over one day though. So there is that.

I received an e-arc from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.