"Broken Country" is an atmospheric, tense family drama set in the English countryside. It opens with an unnamed farmer's death and an accused person on trial. A collection of flashbacks then begins: on the same farmland years ago, young Beth and Gabriel fell in love. From two very separate families and upbringings, their relationship eventually dissolves. Beth moves on and marries Frank with whom she enjoys a peaceful life until tragedy strikes. In the midst of their grief, Gabriel returns to town with his son Leo and Beth realizes her feelings towards him are far from unresolved. As the stakes escalate, so does the uncertainty of the present day trial's verdict.

There are a few things that set this book apart: the moral grayness and ambiguity of its characters, and its sheer tragedy. There are no clear villains, more so a series of unfortunate circumstances where no one can come out a winner. This is a theme I thoroughly appreciated in the story: it would have been so easy to make this another bland murder-mystery but Hall conveys so much empathy for every single character I truly didn't want any of them to be revealed to be the murder suspect in the end. The farming backdrop was also beautifully rendered, as well as the unique dynamics that exist in small rural communities. She nailed the ending, and a poem on the last page left me in tears.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Everyone is going to be talking about Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall. It’s is a book that encompasses so much of humanity— a family drama, coming of age, and a love story that spans decades.

I was immediately drawn in by Clare Leslie Hall’s writing. So beautifully written and a book that made me feel all the feels.

I went in to Broken Country blind not knowing what to expect and ended up devouring the book in a mere few hours. It is going to be sticking with me for a long time.

I highly recommend Broken Country. It will most definitely not only be a favorite of the year, but a favorite of all time. This book reminds me why I’m a reader and learning about the complexities and empathy of others.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for an advanced copy of this book!

This was beautiful, character-driven filled with secrets, heartbreak, and the extent of what you do for love. The hardest thing for me was figuring out the way I was hoping this would play out. I genuinely loved the dynamics of the characters. Their families. The secrets. But in the end, the ending we got couldn’t have been better. Frank is just an angel on earth and I’m so happy he got his happy.

Thank you Netgalley.

I didn’t want this book to end! So well written and I will 100% read it more than once! And I need many more from Clare!!! Bring them on :)

Thank you @simonandschuster and @netgalley for this advanced copy ❤️

Me wiping my tears - I can’t say enough glowing things about this book. This is what a true story is supposed to be like. Bravo, @clarelesliehall - you’re a masterful storyteller.

The synopsis says it all: A sweeping, sexy love story with the pace and twists of a thriller, Broken Country is a novel of simmering passion, impossible choices, and explosive consequences that toggles between the past and present to explore the far-reaching legacy of first love.

This story was somehow quiet and explosive. I felt so deeply for every character and was fully invested in the outcomes of their lives. By the end I had to excuse myself from the living room and the noise of my kids because I knew I needed a good cry. This is a story that will definitely stick with me.

What a tragic, beautifully written book. Broken Country tells a story of breaking & putting yourself back together again (multiple times) & finding your way through heartbreak.

The author, Clare Leslie Hall, has done a magnificent job with this mystery novel. It has all the great elements to become a best seller. I was stunned at the end, yet the book kept me so engaged throughout the entire read with the twists and turns that are certainly realistic as well.
Thank you so much #Netgalley and #Simon&Schuster for providing me this ARC. Clare Leslie Hall will be a hit with US readers and I hope there is more to come! Absolutely 5 stars!

One of the best books I’ve read in recent months. This love story is absolutely beautiful. A gripping tale of love had, lost and all the complications and versions of another love found as well. Heartbreaking and heartwarming in one.

Broken country review:
♾️⭐️
WOAH THIS BOOK IS INSANELY AMAZING. Literary genius. Striking, evocative, and intense. It’s like it knocked the wind out of me for the 24 hours it took me to read it. It’s so good that I am really, truly, struggling to capture my feelings about it in words. Ugh I am so awestruck.

For fans of The Notebook, The Unmaking of June Farrow, and Kristin Hannah. This book cracked my heart to pieces. One for Beth’s lost son, one for her grieving husband, and one for the life she might have had with Gabriel.
I mean, what a seriously heart-rending story. I was immersed and immediately felt so connected to the characters. I had to keep telling myself that it is fiction and I need to calm down. Its not often I come across a book that makes me feel the full scope of human emotions that this book possesses.

What it’s about: A this book is written in multiple timelines winding you through a criminal trial that is unfolding now, the events that led up to the crime, and Beth’s life before from her youth through her motherhood, and the loss of her child. Gabriel was her first love, her first heart-break. Frank is the man who picked up the pieces, he made her a mother and they continue to grieve the loss of their son Bobby.
A few years later when Gabriel returns to his family home down the road from Beth, she finds it difficult to stay away from his son Leo who reminds her of the child she lost. Animosity blossoms at the growing relationship between Gabriel and Beth and long kept secrets refuse to stay hidden as this story unfolds.

This is my favorite read of 2025 full stop.

Really fascinating book spanning a few timelines from 1950s to 1970s in a small village in England. We know the story is about a woman caught between two men, but the actual story unfolded in a fascinating way, and I went back and forth on what "happily ever after" would look like. However, we got some surprises and twists in the book (and it did change my mind a bit). Good ending and I really enjoyed the book overall.

This was a gripping, emotional, tense, and compelling novel that genre bends into romance, drama, thriller, and mystery combined. At first this seems to be a story about a love triangle set in a small village in the English country side. However, as the story begins to unfold there is also a criminal trial happening that is teased as well. The story flows from past and present and will take you on a haunting, heartbreaking, and unforgettable journey into the life of Beth, a simple country woman in love with two men. Beth was a captivating character as she grapples with love, loss, heartbreak, and grief. There is a feeling of a coming of age story as well as family drama interwoven into the plot. All the characters were raw, flawed, and felt real. I was not prepared for such an emotional journey and will admit that there were a few moments that had me in tears. I was pulled into the story from the beginning and how the story builds created such tension and suspense that I had to read it as fast as possible. The writing was phenomenal and I could imagine being in the English country side, the small farm, and the courtroom. I was absolutely blown away by this novel and it will probably be one of my favorite books of 2025.

Thank you Net Galley and Simon & Schuster for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

THIS BOOK.

It is absolutely beautiful, magical, and emotional. I have no idea how I am going to recover from this book.

This story is about so much more than a love affair. It is about Beth, a young woman who grew up in a modest home with teachers for parents, who finds herself falling in love with a man who is her complete opposite. Gabriel is born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but has no interest in pursuing the careers his mother wants him to pursue, like doctor and lawyer. He is a writer and it is how he and Beth first bond as young adults.

As the story unravels, the reader comes to learn what circumstances led to Gabriel and Beth's relationship ending, how Beth came to marry Frank, how Beth and Frank lost their son in an accident, and how Beth finds herself once again in Gabriel's, and his son Leo's, life.

This story was full of flawed, very human characters. It was also a beautiful story of a young woman finding herself, owning her truth, and being okay with who she is and was.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I know it's only January, but this book will be tough to beat as a favorite for the year.

This story is haunting…tragic and painful. However, this is a beautiful story of love lost and reborn that will stay with me for a long time! Loved it!

This is exactly what makes reading so powerful. It’s been ages since a book gripped me the way Broken Country did. Every page drew me in completely, and I genuinely felt sad when the story came to an end. Without a doubt, this is my favorite book of the year, and I’m urging everyone to add it to their list immediately. The emotions this book evoked were raw and intense—love, heartbreak, grief, anger, and sadness. You might want to have tissues on hand because the ending is deeply moving.

The story alternates between two timelines: the "Before" of 1955 and the "present" of 1968. A trial is also central to the plot, though the full details of it aren’t revealed until the conclusion. The narrative flows so smoothly and beautifully that there’s no confusion or lingering questions. The short chapters made it easy to get lost in the story and keep turning pages. The characters are so well-crafted that they feel like people you know personally, and connecting with them comes effortlessly.

I won’t delve too much into the plot since the synopsis covers it well, and honestly, I’m still at a loss for words. What I do know is that the characters—Beth, her husband Frank, and Gabriel—will stay with me for a long time.

This book is truly deserving of every single star. 🌟

4.5

Broken Country is a deeply moving tale of love, loss, and forgiveness. I was constantly surprised by the unfolding events, with each twist pulling at my heartstrings. The characters felt incredibly genuine, lovable, and imperfect, making it tough for me to take sides. This is the kind of story that will stay with me

Thank you @simonandschuster and @netgalley for this advance copy.
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If you enjoy beautifully written family dramas with a propulsive story and rich character development, add this to your 2025 TBR. An examination of grief, first love, marriage, forgiveness and murder set in a small English countryside village in the 1960s. This would make an excellent book club pick - there was so much I wanted to discuss as soon as I finished this gorgeous novel.

Wow, this book was completely out of the norm for me and I absolutely loved every moment of reading it! It sucked me in from the very first page and, surprisingly, I didnt guess the last 20%! Fab and I plan to buy a physical copy up9j release.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley

I was skeptical at first reading this due to the timeframe of the book setting, it’s from the 1960s. But let me tell you, this book was a roller coaster of emotions with each turn of the page. The tears I shed was not expected! I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it. It deserves its 5 stars and more!

This is a love story, a story shared over the years as they pass, but filled with moments that are set in a small village, where one might assume nothing much happens. But they would be wrong. It is, in part, a story of neighbors, of family, of first love, loss, a farmer whose life is upended, as well as a tangled web of twists and turns.

Set in farming country, I wasn’t expecting so many twists and turns in this relatively small village, but this story pulled me in fairly early on. There is a mysterious aura that seems to deepen as the story proceeds, but slowly, and realistically. There are also relationships that ebb and flow, as well as ‘secret’ relationships.

A story of love, loss & family.


Pub Date: 04 Mar 2025


Many thanks for the ARC provided by Simon & Schuster

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of Broken Country!

We follow dual timelines in 1955 and 1968. Beth and Gabriel meet in 1955 as teenagers in a small town and fall in love. Their romance falls apart until they are reunited in 1968 when Beth is the wife of a farmer, Frank. A love triangle ensues and leaves a path of devastation in its wake, including a murder trial that unfolds throughout the story.

Broken Country is a heart wrenching story about love and loss and forgiveness. At no point did I know what to expect next and every twist broke my heart a little more. Every character in this story was so real and loveable and flawed that I struggled to pick sides. I will be thinking about Beth and her family for a very long time. This is the type of story that sticks with you.