This is a story of a love triangle gone wrong that has some mystery intertwined told in first person. It begins with an accidental meeting when a Dorset farmer Jimmy kills dog that has just killed three of his lambs. It turns out the owner of the dog is the former lover of the wife of Jimmy’s brother Frank. Beth This does not, however, cause the domino effect that propels this story. It is a very minor character Tessa the mother of Gabriel whose family is the owner of Meadowlands. She is the one who connives to keep the young lovers Beth and Gabriel apart. The reader may find it odd that she is never mention again after Gabriel finds out about it. This story is told from 1st person limited so you only know what’s happening from Beth’s point of view. I does have some twists and turns that keep the reader’s attention especially at first. However, it is too of a sob story for those who are not into love triangle stories. It makes the reader ask if a woman or a man can love two people at the same time. If so, how would that resolve itself.

By the end some readers maybe asking what is the meaning of the title? how does it relate to the story; other than it’s setting is a very rural area, and because of that Beth the main character and story tell is very naive. Also, how does the poem at the very end that Beth writes to Frank relate to the story?

Clare Leslie Hall has managed to make a sleepy English farming village the setting for a surprising and sexy thriller. I tore through it in a few days. Many thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.

What a beautiful and heart wrenching story. I loved each character deeply and felt their pain and their joy. Broken Country has it all…suspense, romance, heartfelt moments, a little bit of humor, and a beautiful ending. I’ll definitely be recommending this book to friends!

This is a wonderful book about young love, changes in life giving you an unexpected turn in your path and a twist in the storyline. I fell in love with the characters of this book. Starting with innocence of Beth who becomes smitten with Gabriel very quickly with a summer love affair. Does one's love for another really die or is it hidden beneath life's changes as you grow up? Beth, with a broken heart, ends up marrying a young man who adored her since he was 13 years old. They have a very happy farm life until tragedy strikes in all sorts of forms. Your heart will be pulled in several directions at the same time as you discover choices that must be made but at what cost. Beautifully written and hard to put down. You will be smiling after reading this book.

Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall should be on everyone’s to read list for the Autumn. There is so much pain and heartache coupled with redemption and a happily ever after. It has taken me three days to think about this book and write any kind of review that does it justice.
The manner in which the narration is constructed weaves the past and the present and begs the question can we ever return to a past life and is there any point in trying to recapture a long lost love. Then characters are well developed and each plays an integral role in developing the story. These two solid literary aspects are meshed with a surprise ending (for me anyway) and I usually can figure the end out ahead of the final page. This was a tremendously satisfying read. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel.

Broken Country is a powerful, emotionally rich novel that explores the complexity of relationships, the weight of buried secrets, and the choices that shape who we become. It’s a gripping combination of psychological suspense and deep emotional introspection, where the past refuses to stay buried and threatens to unravel everything in the present.

Beth, the protagonist, is a character you can’t help but empathize with—caught between the life she’s built with her kind, dependable husband, Frank, and the echoes of her first love, Gabriel, who returns to the village with his young son. The novel deftly explores how unresolved emotions from Beth’s past pull her back into a dangerous, tangled web of memories and unfinished business. What makes the story so engaging is how it mirrors the tension many people feel between the person they are and the person they once were, a theme you might find particularly resonant given how introspective you are about past experiences and emotional complexities.

The novel’s pacing alternates between quiet, reflective moments and escalating tension. The rural setting, which seems tranquil at first, becomes a pressure cooker of gossip, jealousy, and unspoken grudges, much like the way environments can shape emotional undercurrents in subtle, yet impactful, ways. The vivid, immersive descriptions of the village life feel almost suffocating as Beth’s life unravels, which adds to the overall sense of suspense.

What stands out most is the way Broken Country explores the theme of first love—how it can haunt us, shape us, and sometimes come back to challenge the choices we’ve made. The emotional stakes in the novel are high, particularly as Beth is faced with impossible choices, not only about love but about truth and loyalty. The return of Gabriel isn’t just about rekindling romance; it forces her to confront long-buried traumas, much like how revisiting past pains can trigger new understandings of self.

The ending is a gut-punch, a reminder that the past always has consequences, and sometimes the choices we make to protect ourselves lead to even greater costs.

If you enjoy stories that explore inner conflict, layered with suspense and emotional depth, Broken Country is an evocative read that stays with you. It’s not just a thriller—it’s a reflection on identity, grief, and the thin line between love and destruction.

Beth is married to Frank and they live and work hard on the farm. Early on, we learn that they shared a young son who passed away at an early age. Frank also has a brother - Jimmy. Jimmy and Frank have always been close as after their mom died in a farm accident, Frank became Jimmy's caretaker when their father wasn't able to provide for them anymore. He loved them, but was shattered by their mom's death. Beth's world is turned upside down when her childhood love, Gabriel returns to town to live with his son, Leo, who also happens to be her deceased son's age. Beth and Gabriel were each other's first true loves and eventually find out this time that it ended under false pretenses. She now loves two men. How will this story unfold?

Broken Country was an absolutely phenomenal read with so much love and adoration, it made my heart want to explode. I don't normally go for any type of romance novels, so I went into this with a bit of trepidation. But I had no need to worry - it was an incredible story that kept me plastered to my kindle. I think I read it in about two sittings, maybe three at the most. I felt like Beth was such an honest and pure character but she was dealt an un-pure and complicated emotional decision. In most stories, you tend to blame the one who cheats, but I found myself not wanting to blame Beth for these honest and raw feelings. It was absolutely sublime!

A wonderful novel of love old and new and the choices we have to make.

Beth and Frank are a married couple who have faced tragedy but still manage to keep their marriage and love intact. When an old boyfriend shows up, Beth is torn between her life with Frank and what she once had as a young girl. It is a gripping novel that keeps the reader interested to find out who makes what choices.

Wow 🤯💔

I definitely did not expect the ending! What a powerful story of love, heartbreak & tragedy. It had my heart racing towards the end & I’m so glad it ended the way it did. My heart felt for the young version of Gabriel & Beth, but Frank’s unconditional love, devotion & selfless attributes won my heart. ❤️

Wow! I did not think I would love this book as much as I did. This book had me completely captivated. I couldn’t put it down! If I wasn’t reading it I was thinking about it. The pacing was excellent. The characters were entirely relatable and likable — all of them! The story was dramatic and shocking yet plausible. And that ending. It had me shook in satisfying tears! 😭

Loved the atmospheric story. Be prepared to sob- have tissues on hand!! So many great themes and relatable aspects. Highly, highly recommend.

This story is well told and draws the reader in from the very beginning. The characters are interesting and the plot well developed, although I struggled with the ending. Overall, though, an engaging read.

This book contains a love triangle; it includes heart breaking deaths; it includes choices and consequences as one tries to recapture "first love" of their youth.

It's a book about compassion and what it really means to love someone. What will we do for love...how far will we jeopardize our own true self? But, perhaps what really makes this book are its jaw-dropping twists.

I probably read this book faster than I have any other one in my recent reading history. It is beautifully written. Oh, and it was such a bonus that its setting was the English countryside and that it was presented with a back and forth dual timeline (1955 and 1968).

I feel as though fans of Where the Crawdads Sing and books similar to that topic and style would enjoy this new one by Clare Leslie Hall. It was beautifully written and presented. Thank you, NetGalley and Simon and Schuster, for this delightful ARC hitting shelves on March 4, 2025.

This was my first read by this author, and it won’t be my last. I downloaded this on a whim, and boy am I glad I did.

I was immediately sucked into this story, and once I started, I couldn’t stop. I read this in one night. This is a beautifully written, emotionally complex story about a woman and her love for two men - and how their love for her complicates all of their lives.

All of these characters are deeply flawed, but extremely human - Clare Leslie Hall did a phenomenal job of truly highlighting how complex relationships can be, and how some decisions can go on to have devastating consequences. This story felt believable, and I could truly empathise with all of the characters. The decisions and choices in the book made a lot of sense. This story was emotional and had me tearing up a couple of times. I definitely recommend this one to anyone who is looking for a story that will tug on your heart strings and will make you feel absolutely devastated.

Thank you to NetGalley, Clare Leslie Hall, and the publisher, Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read and review this eARC!

This book left me with so many feelings. Frank was such a good man and had so many bad things happen to him but in the end he did have his family which is all that mattered. This was an emotional and engaging story about Beth, her family and her relationship with Gabriel. She made some decisions with her heart that caused a lot of repercussions. But I could see why she made them as I read and got to know her as a character and was happy with the choice she made in the end. There is tragedy and sadness but in the end some closure and joy. I 100% say read this book!

5 stars. I was truly captivated by the depth of the storyline and the elegance of the storytelling. The author weaves intricate themes and character development that kept me engaged throughout. While there were moments that reminded me of other stories, I was pleasantly surprised by how unique and fresh the narrative felt—nothing ever seemed predictable. I found myself so absorbed that I finished the book in less than 24 hours. I can’t wait to explore more works by this talented author!

The tears are on my face as I write this… tears of joy and sadness mixed in awe of a brilliant novel. This is an exceptional book. The author has captured a way of life, an incredible cast of characters and a timeless story . I read two to three books a week and m rarely wowed. I was wowed. The author is incredibly talented. Her descriptions of Blakely Farm and it neighborMeadowlands bring you to the in ll its brilliance, color and danger. Farming can be dangerous.. life on the farm is dangerous and as the plot unwinds we are constantly aware of the danger. She carries the suspense of the outcome until the very last minute and the reader is inthralled. Yes.. that’s the word.. I was enthralled from beginning to end. A tour de force. This will be a series or a movie. It will be a classic! BRAVO BRAVO BRAVO

This was a wonderfully written tale of love, loss, and betrayal. The back and forth of timelines was a little hard to follow at first, but once I got the hang of it, it moved so fast. At times it was so heartbreaking, I could feel the characters deep pain and grief through the author’s writing. While this isn’t typically a genre of book that I would normally gravitate to, I was pleasantly surprised on how much I enjoyed it.

Would recommend this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC of this novel; all opinions are my own.

Hurricane Helene shut down the power to my house yesterday late into the evening.. Lucky me that I was invited by Simon & Schuster to download Broken Country on my trusty Kindle. I found myself totally absorbed in this story. While I wouldn’t normally enjoy a book that went from one time period to another so frequently, Clare Leslie Hall did it in a magical way for me, piquing my interest in how a teenaged romance could lead to an affair later in her life. Tears were shed as I read of the death of her son. A less skilled author would have made the events in this book unbelievable, but Ms. Hall held my rapt attention to the very last page, even a few hours after my power was restored.

I have no words really except this is an emotional reading experience. Just wow 🥹😭❤️

Thank you NetGalley for the challenge of reading this in 24 hours and just the chance to read this ARC. All options are my own.