Great book! I didn’t want to put it down. All the characters were vividly described and you got to know each one of their personalities.

This book is amazing, definitely one of my top books for the year. The story is a haunting story of love and loss, sacrifice and redemption. I loved every word of this book.
The book opens dramatically - with a statement - the farmer is dead. It takes quite a while to find out who is dead and who killed them. The story unfolds layer by layer, alternating between before (1955) and now (1968). At the center is the relationship between Beth, Frank, and Gabriel. It is a story with longing and you can feel the heartache on each page.
I devoured this book in just a few hours, and will be recommending it to everyone!

Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall is a sweeping tale about love, grief and secrets.

As you can imagine, I had really high expectations for this one. But I didn’t quite love it like a lot of people do. It is an intriguing story, but this is a case where I actually think it needed to be longer (it sits at 320 pages), and I needed more character development.

But it is quite an emotional ride, and I thought the ending was good. So while it wasn’t a book I fell in love with, I did enjoy aspects. But there are also elements I was not a fan of as well. But if you didn’t love it like me, you’re not alone! Sometimes the big, buzzy books don’t work for us, and that’s okay too.

This book has it all. This is a gorgeously written, thriller, heartbreaking love story with believable characters. It grabbed me from page one and did not let me go until the unexpected ending. It is the Wow book of the year. Highly recommend – 5+stars!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an early read in exchange for a fair review. Best book of the year!

This is one of those books that grabs you right away. I am a huge dog lover, and the opening almost turned me off, but it did grab my attention. There is so much to this book - family drama, mystery, relationships, etc. Very well developed plot and characters. This will be a good book club book.

I can see why this book is so popular right now and loved by many!

This is a book about grief and forgiveness. I recently read What Happened to the McCrays? and they had very similar vibes and themes. I do kind of wished I wouldn't have read these so close to one another lol.

But, I think this was a very well written book. I enjoyed seeing the story unravel, even if it broke my heart.

I'd recommend this book if you enjoy complicated relationships, and maybe enjoy shedding a tear or two while reading 🥲

Beth lives in a quaint village in the English countryside. As a teenager in the 1950s, while most of her peers dream of marriage and babies, Beth, a studious girl, dreams of studying literature and poetry at Oxford. The summer before her final year of high school, she wanders through a meadow and meets Gabriel. They fall madly in love. Gabriel, a year older and extremely wealthy, shares her passion for writing. He is beautiful, gentle, and completely captivates Beth’s heart. However, his controlling mother disapproves, believing Beth isn’t good enough for her son. Determined to keep them apart, she does everything in her power to sabotage their relationship. Fast-forward to the late 1960s—Beth is married to Frank. Together, they run a large farm with his brother, Jimmy, while still mourning the loss of their son, Bobby. After a decade of silence, Gabriel suddenly returns. The village erupts in gossip, judging Beth for reconnecting with her first love. Through it all, kind and steadfast Frank remains unwavering in his commitment to their marriage and farm. Shifting between past and present, we are led to a courtroom trial. Someone stands accused of murder. But who is on trial? Who was killed? And why? This novel is a breathtaking rollercoaster of love, heartbreak, and secrets. Suspenseful and beautifully crafted these short, gripping chapters make it utterly unputdownable. The biggest compliment I can ever give a book: I didn’t want it to end.

I first heard about this book from the Currently Reading Murderful episode in 2024, but wanted to wait until spring time to read it because they mentioned it gave off spring time "All Creatures Great and Small" vibes meets the mystery vibes of "Where The Crawdad's Sing". They were right...now is the prefect time to read this book! I totally get why this has been hyped up by everyone and their mother...it's that good! I'm sure we are all desperate to get a hold of the author's 2 other books that haven't been released in the US...yet! Shout out to NetGalley for the ARC!

I hate to be an outlier but I did not like this book. Many people said “cheating stories bug them but not in this story”. Well they do bug me and this one absolutely angered me. The end had some good little twists that were entertaining and I enjoyed the premise. But unfortunately that is all I liked about this book.

*** BOOK REVIEW*** Book available now!

I love a good dual timeline as a way to unravel a good plot and this one is no different. The “Before” chapters provide so much detail in the background of the relationships between all the characters while simultaneously progressing through the timeline of a trial about events that occurred the year prior. I guess that makes it three timelines? It could have gotten very confusing and hard to keep track of, but it didn’t. The author did a fantastic job of weaving all three of these timelines together flawlessly. I thought I had some of the facts straight the whole way but was pleasantly surprised with the “reveals” or “twists,” if you will, at the end.

There’s a little bit of everything for everyone in this one; thriller aspects, love triangles, family drama, trial procedural, country living, etc. etc. This one deserves all the hype it’s getting.



⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#bookreview #netgalley #BrokenCountry #ClareLeslieHall #Romance #historicalfiction #Reesesbookclub #hellosunshine #bookstagram

Reese Witherspoon knew what she was talking about with this pick. This has some found family, family sacrifice, and a little bit of love. I like that the story goes back and forth between time to show you the emotions behind the present day. The characters showed their raw feelings along with why they made the choices they did during a murder trial. If you enjoyed god of the woods or these tangled vines, I highly recommend this!

When former lover Gabriel returns to the village with his son in tow, his former lover Beth is drawn back into her memories of their previous love story and of her own tragic losses. She and Frank have a good marriage. It has survived the tragic loss of their son, her own past, and the gossip of a small town. Whether it can survive this return of not just Garbriel, but the memories of the past and all that goes with them in the present remains to be seen. This is a great book that reflects the love and emotional ties that bind family and friends together. Thanks to #ClareLeslieHall#BrokenCountry#NetGallely for the opportunity to read and review this book.

4.5 stars! I’d read similar to a Jodi Picoult novel (and that’s a compliment). Starts slow and builds into a good suspense and some fun twists and crescendo of emotions. Loved reading this book

Review: Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Haunting and beautifully written, Broken Country explores grief, survival, and human resilience with lyrical prose and vivid storytelling. The characters are complex and deeply compelling, making their journey feel raw and real. While some parts felt a bit drawn out, the emotional depth and atmosphere kept me engaged. A poignant, thought-provoking read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book!

Wow! Every once in a while you come upon a story that stays with you for awhile. This one will do just that. It is my first book by this author and I hope there will be many more. Clare’s writing is submersive. I felt like I was right along side of Beth throughout the book. This book literally unfolds before your eyes. The characters are so incredibly fleshed out and entirely relatable. I found myself screaming at them at times. There are loads and loads of side stories.

The focus of the book is mostly about Beth and her life. We hear all about her adventures from a young teen until the present day. Beth is a teenager in love with a neighbor boy. Beth is a farmer’s wife, she works hard and enjoys her life as it is. It includes everything in between. We feel her emotions right alongside her.

I highly recommend this book, it will give you all the feels. There are some definite trigger warnings, so be sure to check them out.

Wow Wow Wow!! This book is incredible. I was hooked from the very first chapter to the last page. I immediately told my husband we were going to the movie when they make one, because this will also make an incredible movie.

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

On a rainy, dreary Saturday morning I sat down to start reading this book and I couldn't stop reading it. I finished it that day! When Beth's first love comes back into her life in an unexpected way, the secrets from the past collide with her new life as a farmer's wife. Can a women be in love with two men at the same time? When there is a suspicious death, the reader is left to try and figure out who has died as the story is told in flashbacks. Broken Country is emotional but also hopeful with a sweeping love triangle, twists,compelling characters and a mystery. I loved it!

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the advanced reading copy.

Alternating between dual timelines, Beth is experiencing and recalling her first love. Meanwhile, elements of a murder mystery indicate that this isn’t only a love story. The narrative contains moments of heartbreak but remains engaging. At times, Beth’s actions appear to lack conscience, especially when those around her are affected.
The book features family relationships and loyalty. Beth’s parents are portrayed as loving and admirable, and David is depicted as a special father-in-law, though his presence diminishes later in the novel.
Broken Country explores various themes, including the idea that life is not a linear track, and individuals may make different choices while respecting and supporting each other.

" The farmer is dead." With that as an opening statement, I was hooked. I found this to be an easy and interesting read. Finished it in two days as I had to find out who was dead and who was the murderer. This story takes place in the late 1960's in a small English countryside farm and town. The network of characters is relatively small. The reader gets to know them all, especially Beth who is central to the love triangle and murder. There is love, murder and twists that you don't see coming. You will cry and laugh at this heartwarming story of first loves and the reality of life. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity of reading an advanced copy. I highly recommend this book.

Broken Country was so beautiful yet tragic. The classic forbidden love intertwined with a deep deeep love story.

When I first finished the book, I was sliiiightly upset because adultery gets me every time (I can't help it if I'm lowkey judgy ok!) BUT after I sat with it, it def feels like all the characters got what they deserved.

Highly recommend - fast paced and engaging throughout! :)