The publisher describes Broken Country as " A love story with the pulse of a thriller...". That is the perfect way to describe this book. It's not romance and it's not a thriller. I would say it's more literary mystery/fiction. I adored this book. It just may be my favorite book of 2025. There is a love triangle. strong characters and setting and a murder trial. The setting of a rural English countryside in the 1950's and 1960 is a character in itself. We know from the beginning that someone was killed but we don't know who that is. You will find out later in the book as the story unfolds. I loved being an observer into their lives as I turned each page. Don't pass on this book. The story will stay with you.

Thank you @simonbooks for my gifted ebook. I knew I was going to love this so I also got a copy with @bookofthemonth too! Broken Country is out now and sure to be a BOTY contender!

This is an absolute must read book! It has everything: romance, drama, legal thriller, love triangle, murder, motherhood, coming of age, small town life. We get to see great character growth as the main character, Beth has a serious relationship in her teens that impacts her whole life and even after she’s married. She also deals with the death of her only child which as a new mother, was very difficult to read at times.

I loved the way this book was written. It was so easy to read big chunks at a time because you just had to know what was going to happen. I also loved the author dropped hints of the courtroom, but never mentioned who was on trial or even for what reason there was a trial.

This has easily been on of my favorite books of the year. I had such FOMO that I read it as soon as my BOTM arrived! It would make an excellent book club pick.

I thought this was an OK read, but I do think the hype got a bit big for this one. I didn't find it to be out of the ordinary amazing, just a good story told in multiple timelines.

A breathtaking exploration of love, loss, and the secrets that bind us. Reading this is an experience that will linger long after the last page.
Many thanks to Simon & Schuster and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this story of first love versus enduring love. I wept openly in public when I finished it. It hit me right in my motherhood feelings. My heart swells thinking of Frank and his dedication to Beth in this story, truly a character that exceeds comprehension with how endlessly loyal he is. I won’t forget this story for a long time. Heartbreaking with a beautiful ending. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!

"This is a love story with too many beginnings. I refuse to think about how it is going to end." AHHHH, this book! It is going to be tough for anything else to beat this one for the rest of the year; it's currently my (strong) contender for favorite book of 2025. I cannot get over how wonderfully and powerfully written this novel is and I'm so, so hopeful that the author will publish more of her work in the future.

Wow, this book has it all! It grabs you right from the beginning and doesn’t let go. The author carefully weaves the story from the present to the past as she reveals the complicated past of this love triangle she has created. I experienced many different emotions while reading this novel. Love has been very complicated for Beth while dealing with two men since she was a teenager and a devastating tragedy and of course many secrets. I loved this book and highly recommend! #BrokenCountry #ClareLeslieHall #NetGalley

Broken County is a gripping and emotionally resonant novel that I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish. The author’s writing is compelling and atmospheric, pulling readers into a richly detailed setting that feels both haunting and vivid. From the very first chapter, I was struck by how well written the book was—every scene felt purposeful, and the pacing kept me engaged the whole way through.

One of the strongest aspects of the novel is its plot development. The story unfolds gradually but with mounting tension, revealing layers of mystery, conflict, and personal trauma. Each twist feels earned, and the characters evolve naturally as events push them to their limits. There’s a sense of real stakes and emotional weight behind every decision made, which makes the narrative feel authentic and impactful.

The narrator, while compelling, may raise questions of reliability. At times, I found myself wondering whether their perspective was entirely trustworthy or if their personal biases and emotional wounds were coloring the way they saw the world around them. This added a fascinating complexity to the reading experience and made me more aware of the gaps between perception and reality within the story.

I would highly recommend Broken County to readers who enjoy character-driven fiction with a touch of mystery and psychological depth. It's a novel that stays with you after you turn the last page, both for its beautiful prose and the questions it raises about truth, memory, and healing.

Such a beautiful and heartbreaking story. Beth is wonderfully well-rounded and I kind of knew what to expect, based on the description, but the description paled in comparison to the story itself.

I received Broken Country as an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. Broken Country is the story of Beth and the people that she had loved in her life. The book takes place in the 1950s and 1960s in England. There are multiple timelines that the book covers- a trial, the 1950s where she meets her first love, and the late 1960s while she is married and reunited with the man she had previously loved. The book transcends genres and is a bit romance, a bit literary fiction, and a bit of mystery.

I found the story to be enjoyable and there were a few twists at the end that I did not see coming. I found myself wanting to know more about the trial as there was a random chapter thrown in sparsely in the beginning. The characters had depth to them, however they were not completely likable and I found myself questioning their decisions and morals. Overall it was a unique story that did capture my attention.

Not sure if you all have heard of this one...

Summary
An unforgettable story of love, loss, and the choices that shape our lives…but it’s also a masterfully crafted mystery that will keep you guessing until the very last page.

I don't often love the hyped books but I got completely swept away in this one! It was crafted in a way that secrets were expertly woven in, and distributed slowly over the course of the novel, i.e. unable to stop reading or listening and therefore devouring the book.

I won't say much more because if there is a small chance you haven't read this one (let this be the sign that you need to), I don't want to give anything away!

Thank you @netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I ended up getting the audio from @libby and preferred that format exponentially, although that's probably because then I didn't have to stop reading when I had to get up and do the things.

Have you read many of Reese's picks lately? I don't usually find myself drawn to her picks (Jenna Bush Hager is my usual go to) but this one had so much hype!
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I had heard a lot about this book and was very excited when I received the ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you). I'll tell you this, it did not disappoint. At first, I wasn't sure how the story was going to go, but I was quickly hooked. The characters felt real and alive, and their stories were so interesting. I wasn't expecting the different twists and turns that unfolded along the way, and I couldn't put the book down. I highly recommend this book.

wow
This book was a great reminder of what a truly five star read is
I’ve read a lot of good books lately, but I was waiting a great one - this was it.
I don’t want to go into too much of the story, but I just want to say
The rave reviews are right
It’s moving and emotional
Written in the style of a classic
Love story, mystery and family drama
Five absolute stars
Highly recommend

Thank you Simon & Schuster for the gifted digital copy.

Broken Country
Clare Leslie Hall
Publishing Date: March 4, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book is genre bending, my favorite kind of book! A family saga with a love story tied in and the suspense of a mystery/thriller. We hop timelines, which gives us glimpses of the history of these characters while we watch a murder trial unfold in present day.

I flew through this book in a single day. I simply could not stop listening. I was captivated by the depth of emotion, the complexity of the characters, and the need to know how things would unfold. There are plenty of twists and turns, and as things play out you see the mistakes and humanity of the characters, and how far reaching the consequences of those mistakes are. There are some really heavy moments so I would advise checking trigger warnings. There was one moment that was particularly difficult to listen to (re: child death).

I was eager to read this one after a glowing review from @brewdy_reader and it did not disappoint. A book worthy of all the hype, I anticipate seeing this on a lot of people’s top reads of the year this year.

A beautifully told story. Love and loss, romance and mystery. I loved the characters and I agree with other reviews that this book should be made into a movie!

This story is heartbreaking and beautiful…. I love a good coming of age even though this is more of a back and forth, a glimpse from past to present. There’s two love stories, mystery, murder, tragedy, and the pacing is perfect. Frank was by far my favorite character, what a beautiful human. I can see this being made into a movie or series… it’s that good!

This book read to me almost like a song, or a lullaby, but not in a sleepy sort of way…more in the form of an immense comfort. It is heartbreaking and emotional, but raw and real. I didn’t expect myself to align with every character in some way, even though they are all flawed in some way or another. A lovely transport to another place and time. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

Wow. This story is utterly heartbreaking.
This book captures its reader immediately and takes them on a devastating journey of love and loss.
The characters are beautiful, and their relationships so very rooted in tragedy.
So well written. So well done. Read this one y’all!

Book Club Alert! This is the book your book club should be contemplating for its next read. The author jumps the reader into the book that has two timelines. Immediately you know that a murder has been committed but you are unsure who was the victim and who was the perpetrator. Then you are whisked back into the time - the before of 1955 and then ahead to the present some years later, then the trial and ending it the sixties. The story tracks the lives of Beth and Gabriel in rural England. Two young teens from different social classes with an immediate attraction. Then the story goes into what happened to the two after they part, his life as a successful author, hers as farm wife embracing the country life. More than this would spoil the surprises. and twists. Wonderful characterizations and descriptions await. A book to be savored and inhaled. Highly recommended. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher.

This book was so many genres and twists until the end. Loved this so much. Recommending it to all my friends and my bookclub!