A gripping story about love, loss, and heartache. It took me a little bit to get into in, but once I did.... I was hooked!

I was very immersed in the setting, and had strong opinions about the characters (Beth, especially).

Definitely worth a read, and maybe even a re-read!

Thank you NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Publication date March 2025.

Despite a solid early hook, this book took me a while to get into - however by the end I was in tears. The story as a whole was impressive and I really really loved the final portion/ending, which ended up raising my final rating from a 3 to a 4. There was an unexpected twist in there that had me sobbing. It truly tugs on the heartstrings and while it wasn't the strongest start for me, I wanted to hug the book once I was done.
Trigger warnings: death of a child (not a spoiler, I believe this is discussed from the outset and included in the book's synopsis)

The story starts off with a bang, as we learn about a fatal shooting that occurs on a farm with the narrator making it clear that those involved "need to keep their story straight". Juicy! Then we get into Beth's backstory, the events leading up to the mysterious shooting, and a few foreboding glimpses into the subsequent trial. Story themes: first love, passion vs. duty, grief after the loss of a child, betrayal, loyalty, sacrifice, and forgiveness. Many of the characters are very flawed, but imo that's the hallmark of a solid story.

While I found the writing style to be simplistic, I think this type of narrative style will be very appealing to those who like to be completely engrossed in the setting. Hall does a wonderful job of painting a vivid picture of the daily life of running a farm the Dorset countryside. The pace was too slow for my preference at times, especially in the beginning where we get lengthy descriptions of farm life, but at other times I was totally sucked into the drama of the story. I often found the dialogue and storytelling to be slightly dry, but I also think it matched the tone of the book. As the book progressed, I began to become more engrossed in the emotional states of the characters - but it didn't happen right away for me. Some parts were beautifully written, while other parts felt dry and lackluster.

The narrative structure of the story was slightly jarring for me, as the story is told through alternating chapters from Beth's first-person POV in different timelines. We bounce back and forth between "Before" chapters, "1968" chapters, and "The Trial" chapters. Because most of the chapters are pretty short, I initially struggled with some back-and-forth whiplash - especially since everything is first-person POV, which requires the reader to frequently jump between Beth's internal mindset at different points in her life. Sometimes this quick timeline jolt made it hard for me to stay engaged as the story flow felt slightly jolty.

For the first half of the book, I found myself wishing the author would have used more consistent chapter-title conventions - i.e. using the "year" to label each chapter switch, rather than "Before" or "The Trial" just make it a bit easier for me to grasp exactly when we were. It took me a little while to get used to the inconsistent chapter title format, but I eventually got used to it. I usually don't mind novels covering different timelines, but due to the short chapters, the flip-flopping between the storylines were slightly disruptive for the story flow in my opinion.

I really love when I finish a book and can look back and realize how each of the tension points were very intentional by the author. For example, I often felt frustrated that Beth wasn't giving us background into certain aspects of her life (i.e. how she emotionally transitioned from deeply loving one person to marrying another so quickly), but it turns out all of her info drops/omissions/placements were very strategic. This left me feeling extremely satisfied at the end of the book, giving me several "ohhhhh" moments - the kind that I cherish.

Overall, this was a very moving novel and I was white-knuckling it through the final chapters. It's incredibly sad, but also leaves the reader feeling tender and complete. Beth’s poem...OH MY GOD. Sobbing.

This is a story about a love triangle, heart ache, and family. It is also the story of what one is willing to do to keep their loved ones safe. I honestly don't know how I feel about the main character, Beth, or the decisions she makes throughout the book but I raced through this story. It was moving and surprising and just an all around enjoyable read. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. I came upon this book as it was sent to me by Netgalley and the cover, the setting, and the author's intro appealed to me.

My summary is simply this was a "surprise and a delight". Really it was a lovely, quick read and I enjoyed it. I stayed mad at Beth, the main character through a large part of it and wasn't a fan of so much sex and the adultery, but nothing was graphic just a heavy emphasis on that aspect and that I didn't care for. But, the emotion that the story evokes is tender and made it worth the read for me.

This book had me in tears. Literally crying, it was so good! I can't wait for it to be published and of course, to be made into a movie. Because why wouldn't it be. It's that good!
While it took me a day or two to really immerse myself in the story, once I did, I couldn't put the book down. I don't usually enjoy books that skip through timelines, however, the way the author did it was not hard to follow. I think what helped was that it was kept simple. Few characters to follow, and and few timelines.
I will recommend it to everyone!

Thanks to Netgally and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for honest review!
I really enjoyed this book. I loved going back and forth in time getting glimpses of Beth's first love and her current life, when Gabriel (the first love) shows back up with his son. Beth has an amazing husband but seeing Gabriel brings up all kinds of past feelings for her.
This story is gut wrenching as much as it is heartwarming. It's hard to know what type of ending you're hoping for while reading, and somehow the author makes everything end in the best way possible. I highly recommend this book.

This is a love story, a family saga, and a character driven tale about the lengths one will go to do the right thing. It is superbly written and you’ll find yourself wanting it to go on much longer.

The book switches between timelines from the past and present and glimpses from a murder trail, that dig deep into a love triangle and multiple tragedies. Hall expertly offers just enough information to keep you reading but saves enough so there are some truly surprising plot twists.

Broken Country will leave you speechless. It had me on a roller coaster of emotions. The deeper I got into the book the wilder my emotions erupted. One minute, I am intrigued, the next moment I’m in tears and the next I’m shocked beyond repair.

The journey that the main characters went through will have you feeling like you just went through a fight and barely made it out alive.

The FMC (Beth) is complex and passionate. Her evolution from the beginning to the end of this book is evident by situations that occurred.

The two MMCs (Gabriel and Frank) give depth to not only the entanglement between their lives, but also the involvement with Beth.

This book was so thought out and concise in a way that it evoked deep thought and emotion.

I definitely would recommend any adult to read this book.

Broken Country was a tragically beautiful novel. While different than what I would normally choose to gravitate to (fantasy/sci-fi/romance), I couldn't put this one down because I needed to know how it ended.

The book switches between multiple timelines with chapters from the past and present and glimpses from a murder trail, that dig deep into a love triangle and multiple tragedies. Hall expertly offers just enough information to keep you reading but saves enough so there are some truly surprising plot twists.

I found the characters interesting, but their decisions were frustrating at times, though I do think every decision makes sense in the end. The setting is so intriguing and interesting. The book is set in a small farm town in England, and Hall uses the setting perfectly to move the story along.

What a beautiful and engrossing story! Truly felt transported by the author to Meadowlands. The book was romance and women’s fiction with the pacing of a thriller given the suspenseful questions of - who was murdered, who did the killing, and even to the romance-end - what man was Beth going to end up with. While I didn’t love the answer to some of those questions, I still can’t help but give this book 5 stars for the author’s prose, pacing, and original plot!

4.5 unexpected stars! This is essentially a family drama set against the backdrop of a country farm. The pacing was perfect, the characters heavily flawed, and there was a good dose of twists and turns. Some of the adults in the book made such stupid decisions, which is why it wasn't a 5 star for me.

This book tore my heart out on more than one occasion. I loved the suspenseful vibes that were present throughout the book in a very intentional way. The characters were very relatable and likable.

NON-SPOILER REVIEW: It's a messy love triangle that Beth finds herself in, and how that affects the events in her life unravels in both expected and completely unexpected ways.

This was a bit of a slow build in the first half, but that back half was full of payoff! There are some tough moments in this story, but it's also an honest-seeming reflection of the time in which it's set (1950's and 1960's). It comments on some of the double-standards of the past and how women are making strides in overcoming some of those barriers.

TW's: Child death, animal death, alcoholism


SPOILERS AHEAD*************



We know from the very beginning of this book that Beth's son has passed and someone else has been killed, but we don't know how. Even when I saw it coming, it was still so awful. I nearly through my Kindle across the room and yelled, "F*ck you, Frank! And f*ck you, Jimmy! And f*ck you, David!" Such a frustrating (but appropriate for the time period) view of how readily a woman's intuition and concern of safety was so readily dismissed by the men in her life. I was amazed she could go on with Frank after that, to be honest.

Yet, I was happy for them in the end. Once you get the full picture you can understand how the character reactions to all of the messed up things you just read actually make sense in context.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable book that I seemed to have a hard time putting down. The imagery from this story will be with me for a long time. I was loving the village vibe.

I’m not a huge fan on books on infidelity but this book was really good. It was a bit hard at first to keep the dueling timelines separated and not confusing. But overall there were some good twists and the authors writing made you feel the emotions the characters were experiencing.

Thanks for NetGalley for this ARC and introducing me to this author!

3.5 rounded up.

What a beautiful, powerful book! I'm so glad I was given the opportunity to read an advance copy of it thanks to the publisher and Netgalley. I might otherwise not have given this book a try, and I really would have missed out. I loved this story that has so many interesting angles, with family relationships of all kinds at the crux of everything.
The characters were perfectly brought to life by the author. Once I got into the story, I couldn't put it down. I felt like I understood what life was like on their farm and in their community, and I could understand all the momentous, life-changing decisions that were made. I think this would be a perfect choice for book discussion groups. I highly recommend this book.

With such an unlikable central character, Beth, it is hard to gather much praise for Broken Country. Author Claire Leslie Hall wants to have it all, but her bouncing plot does not help her. The other characters are interesting and the story keeps your interest, but in retrospect I wonder how long it will be before my brain lets this one go.
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

I just couldn’t seem to get into this one. But I am not giving up just yet. I have to try again when there is an audiobook I think!!

Broken Country, by Clare Leslie Hall, is a novel that has everything- a poignant love story, secrets, murder, family drama, motherhood, grief, small town life, I think I went through an entire box of tissues- but I absolutely loved every minute!!!! This book is going to make so many "Best Of" lists in 2025. A perfect book club book. Highly recommend!

Claire Leslie Hall sucked me into Broken Country! A very engaging read. I loved it! Thank you to the publisher for my chance to read.

A beautiful book full of love, life and coming face to face with the consequences of your choices. I absolutely adored the characters and was captivated by the story.