Wow. I just finished this book about an hour ago, and my heart is heavy. This book about bad choices and their repercussions is tragic and heartbreaking, which is what also makes it so moving.

Be warned: several of the characters are deeply flawed and completely unlikeable at times, but they are also very real, which is something I appreciate so much in my books. There were times where I absolutely hated what was going on with the plot of this book (and the decisions the characters were making), but I understand why it was entirely necessary to the story.

I did find myself struggling with how the chapters were titled as "before" or "1968". I think it was confusing me because obviously in 2025, I think of 1968 as "before". So it kept throwing me off when it would go "back" to the 1968 chapters, because in the book, those were actually present-day chapters. I would quickly figure it out based on what was happening, but my brain never got used to that (and I honestly kept forgetting that the book was set in an older time period. It would only be when something came up that was obviously from an older time that I was remember it was set in the 60s. I don't know why it was such a struggle for me, but I definitely think that's just a "me" problem.).

Anyway, I really don't want to spoil anything, but just know that your heart will break for nearly every single character in this book, but the reasons for that heartbreak will be different for each of them. I have sympathy for all of them, even the ones I found unlikeable.

I love the way the book was laid out and the way things were revealed. It was brilliantly done, but I don't want to expand on that, because I want everyone to experience it for themselves.

I adored this book and will recommend it to anyone that likes books about families and flawed characters. Truly stunning and one that will stick with me for a very long time.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was an amazing story that I won't soon forget. It had me turning the pages into the late night. I enjoyed the pacing and characters. I'll be looking forward to reading more books by this author.

Many thanks for my gifted copy.
My full review be shared to my Instagram account @coffee.break.book.reviews

This was quite a unique and thrilling historical fiction. I was pulled into the plot right away. It's full of twists, suspense, romance, forbidden love, family and small town drama. Lots to keep you hooked the whole way through.

Taking place over dual timelines,1955 and and 1968. Beth is a teenager when she meets and falls in love with Gabriel in 1955. He ultimately breaks her heart. In 1968, Beth is happily married to Frank and living on an English sheep farm with him and his brother Jimmy. When Jimmy is forced to shoot a dog who is going after their sheep, she finds out that the dog belongs to Gabriel, who has come back to his ancestral home with his young son after divorcing his American wife. Beth is pulled back into Gabriels life and old feelings resurface. Beth is torn between her feelings for Gabriel and her loving husband Frank. But Beth and Frank do have secrets that they do not want getting out. But everything, things start to come to the surface and Beth is forced to make some very hard choices.

Wow friends ... .this one was heartbreaking and so well written. What a story. EXCELLENT!! I loved it! You can easily connect with all of the characters, and the choices they make, The ending ....😭😭😭 …That really got me! Grab the tissues and pick this book up. You will not be sorry.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

Sobbing hysterically…I’ll be back with a review when I can find the words 😭😭😭

Okay, I'm back. I had to sit with this one and digest it for a bit. I have no doubt that this book will live in my heart forever.

I went in blind and didn't try to figure out things as I went along, I simply enjoyed the ride and the heart-stoppingly beautiful prose. And then the END...man, it just blew me away. Broke my heart into a million little pieces and then mended it in the same breath.

Just astounding. A true testament to love, mistakes, forgiveness, guilt, and grief.

Everyone is going to be talking about this book, mark my words.

5 wow stars

“The farmer is dead. He is dead and all anyone wants to know is who killed him.”

This is how this fantastic book starts, and all those other 5-star reviews are spot on! Filled with love, murder, mistakes, romance, and strong storytelling, this one has all the elements I love in a book.

I was completely drawn into this one, set in the English countryside. The small cast of characters is fascinating, and I loved every minute of getting to know them.

Beth has a whirlwind teen romance with the gorgeous and wealthy Gabriel Wolfe. His mother is quick to tell Beth that it won’t last and that Beth is way out of her league. It will be especially challenging as Gabriel heads off to Oxford. But Beth is quite bright and will be interviewing for her own shot at university.

Frank, a sheep farmer like his father, also loves Beth, but Gabriel got to her first. We don’t know all the details at first, but something happens between Beth and Gabriel, and Frank ends up with the girl after all. They have embraced farm life and love their young son, Bobby. They live on the farm with Frank’s brother.

Everything changes when Gabriel moves back to town with his son, Leo. Beth can’t seem to keep away, even though it hurts Frank to the core. This part was challenging to read as I grew to love Frank and didn’t want to see him hurt.

The book is told in alternating timelines. We know there has been a murder and a trial is ongoing, but we don’t know all the details until the very end.

The pace in this one is excellent, and by the time all the pieces come together, my heart was broken. I shed ugly tears at the end, and I can’t wait to read what this author writes next.

This was such a beautifully written and nuanced book about the complexities of love and grief. I loved the storytelling provided through the various time periods and how details were included and unraveled in different parts of Beth's life. All of the characters were so well developed, and the reader is able to root for all of them.

I can't wait to recommend this book to friends so that they can all appreciate the beautiful complexities of life Clare Leslie Hall masterfully constructed in this novel. I look forward to reading other books by this author in the future.

First, thank you to Simon & Schuster and Clare Leslie Hall for allowing me to review an advance copy of this book.

I am not the sort of reader who has strong outward reactions to books I read, but Clare Leslie Hall’s 𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘺 did just what the title promised. It broke me. I found tears welling up in my eyes as I reached the end of the book. I cannot remember the last time that happened with a book I read.

While nominally marketed as a thriller - largely because the tagline/opening chapter of the book is, “The farmer is dead. He is dead and all anyone wants to know is who killed him.” - this book is for all intents and purposes a love story. Yes, we are aware from the beginning someone dies, it’s not why you keep turning the pages. You are aware a tragedy lies at the end of the novel, but the same could be said for Othello.

The book begins with Jimmy, the narrator Beth’s brother-in-law, killing a dog to stop it from mauling the sheep on the family farm. The dog belongs to Leo, the son of Gabriel Wolfe - Beth’s first teenage love and a well-known writer. Beth, however, is now married to Frank and they mourn the loss of their son Bobby. Leo and Beth strike up a friendship because he reminds her of her late son…and matters get complicated. The story unfolds on three different timelines: “before,” the present (1968), and the trial (it may have been mentioned but seems to be 1969).

The book deals with themes of loss and redemption, as well as forbidden love. Additionally, the “before” scenes between Gabriel and Beth have a bit of an Austenesque feel where they have to deal with a bit of class difference.

Also it’s just the teeniest bit spicy in places.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗱:
- The writing is engaging and evocative. As I mentioned, the book made me cry a little.
- The story pushes forward continuously. There are no extraneous elements. There is a tight cast of characters. Every element to the story serves a purpose.
- Characters. There are multiple complex, multidimensional characters. They feel like real people with real motivations and real pains. They are relatable and understandable.
- The dialogue is very believable.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
- The trial section is a little confusing because it’s meant to be vague for most of the book. They aren’t extraneous but they are a little jarring when they come up.
- This book is marketed under “mystery and thriller” which, I would argue, it is not in anyway. If you are coming in looking for a whodunnit full of suspense and murder, it’s not this book. It’s closer to literary fiction with a little bit more plot.

𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁:
I loved this book. It will be in my 2025 Christmas gifting rotation for sure.

Thank you net galley and Clare Leslie Hall for allowing me to read this book early in exchange for an honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel! I gave this book 3.75 stars but you def it up to 4 on good reads!

This book had all the elements! Mystery, scandal, romance, grief—everything that makes for a gripping story! It was different than my usual reads in the best way. I am glad to be expanding my palate in terms of reading and this was a great book to help with that. Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for the honest review.

I fell in love with Frank and Beth the moment I knew the sacrifices they made for each other, knowing them all too well myself. Thank you Clare for writing with such intensity and bringing the characters some peace for all. The twists and the court trial I could have never imagined but was much needed to close the story full circle. Wonderful, had me in tears for days! This book shows you that acceptance and grief can be a form of loving someone too.

I will admit that I struggled through the first half of this book. I felt the plot was melodramatic and you just watch these characters marching towards cliche doom.

But man, the second half got me. Compelling storytelling that took elements I thought were dumb before and weaved them into a shocking end. I went from being pretty close to disliking this book to wondering if I will ever forget it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.

Thank you Netgalley & Simon & Schuster for an eARC 😭❤️


As I emerged from the ravaged landscape of Broken Country, I felt like I'd been put through a war. My heart was shattered, my emotions were in tatters, and my very soul was scarred. This book is not just a story – it's an immersive, soul-crushing experience that will leave you gasping for air.
Beth's tale is a haunting, gut-wrenching exploration of the human condition. Her love for Gabriel Wolfe is a force of nature – a maelstrom of passion, intensity, and ultimately, devastation. As the past and present collide, Beth's world is torn asunder, revealing secrets, lies, and truths that will shatter everything you thought you knew.
With each turn of the page, I felt like I was drowning in a sea of heartbreak. The author's masterful prose is a scalpel, slicing through the façade of human emotions to expose the raw, pulsing heart beneath. I wept, I wailed, I screamed in silence as Beth's story unfolded before me like a Greek tragedy.
And yet, even in the midst of all this chaos, there's a glimmer of hope. A hope that love can conquer even the darkest of pasts, that forgiveness is possible, and that redemption can be found. But be warned: this journey will cost you. It will shatter your heart, scar your soul, and leave you forever changed.
Broken Country is not just a book – it's an odyssey of the human heart. It's a journey that will destroy you, only to rebuild you anew. So, if you dare, step into the ravaged landscape of Broken Country. But be prepared to lose yourself forever.❤️‍🩹

I really wanted to like this book but historical fiction is either just not for me.. or this book isn’t for me right now! I could see possibly picking it up again in the future but for now it is a DNF.

A love triangle + courtroom drama - one of the lovers has been murdered. I could absolutely see historical fiction fans raving about this 🤍 I truly may try again at a later date.

Thanks to the publisher for my ARC

Beautiful. Addictive. Heartbreaking. Hopeful...

"Broken Country" is set in a small farming village in the Dorset countryside in Southwestern England, where Gabriel Wolfe and Beth fell in love during the summer of 1955. He was her first love, and he broke her heart.

Beth marries Frank, a local sheep farmer. Gabriel marries an American.

In 1968, after divorcing his wife, Gabriel returns to the village with his son, Leo, who reminds Beth of her son Bobby, who died not long ago. Beth is drawn into Gabriel and Leo's lives, not realizing it will trigger events that will change their lives and families, and impact the entire village community...

"Broken Country" is as much a family story as a love story, and it quickly piqued my interest and stole my heart. Although it is told from the perspective of Beth, the protagonist, it uses a third-person limited point of view. The story is told through her eyes but not directly in her voice. It has a quiet yet distant and reflective feel, with simple writing and short chapters that make the pages flip as quickly as a thriller. The characters were fully fleshed out, making investing in their journey and engaging with the story simple.

This evocative and heartbreaking story is layered with two timelines and themes of love, loss, and the consequences of choices made. Long-held secrets will unfold, tragic events will take place, and the less you know going in, the better your experience will be.

"Broken Country" is the best book I've read this year. This is Clare Leslie Hall's U.S. debut novel, and I look forward to reading more from her. I love Literary Fiction, and this book is an example of why. I highly recommend it!

5⭐

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Clare Leslie Hall for the DRC through NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

This book is terrific. It's been a long time since I read a book that is so well done. Beth's first love was so consuming that she was totally gutted when it ended. She settled for marrying a local farmer who has loved her since he was 13. They had a son who tragically passed away after an accident. Her first love returns to town after a divorce with a son of his own. Since Beth's feelings have never died this leads to a heated situation that results in tragedy.

The book is told in different time lines, one past and one present. The reader will be drawn in and will keep wondering what is going to happen. This love will have consequences for many people including Beth. The writing is wonderful and I believe this book will have a very bright future. I would highly recommend reading this book,.

Thank you to #netGalley, #ClareLeslieHall and #Simon&Schuster for a copy of this book.
#BrokenCountry

"Broken Country" by Clare Leslie Hall is a compelling read that seamlessly weaves together dual timelines to create a rich and immersive narrative. The storyline alternates between the present day and a past filled with secrets and personal discoveries. Hall's ability to craft detailed characters and settings allows readers to feel deeply connected to both timelines. The transitions between the timelines are smooth, keeping the reader engaged and eager to uncover the mysteries of each era.

The characters are well-developed, offering a mix of relatable struggles and profound insights. The historical context is vivid and well-researched, adding depth to the story and providing a fascinating backdrop to the characters’ personal journeys. The themes explored in the novel, such as family, identity, and redemption, resonate well and prompt thoughtful reflection.

3.5! I enjoyed the story of this book, but felt as if some of it dragged on. A love triangle between Beth, Frank, and Gabriel plus murder = a pretty captivating storyline.

A story that is a forbidden love that extends over years. Second chance. Small town drama with lots of twists and turns. Lots of emotions. this story really has it all in it. It was heartbreaking at times. I wasn’t a fan of the mfc until read how strong she is. A story for all fiction readers.

Thank you to NetGalley.

Pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed reading Broken Country. I was actually on the fence about reading it but am so glad that I did. It was such a well written story with well developed characters and romance/mystery built in. This story brought me in from the beginning and I highly recommend giving this one a try 4/4.5 stars. I want to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I rated this book five stars because I was hooked from the very beginning. The opening sentence reads, "The farmer is dead. He is dead and all anyone wants to know is who killed him." Slowly, the story unravels and we figure out who the farmer is and how he died. This story involves a love, desire, grief and difficult choices. Hall is a wonderful storyteller and this is evident with each passing page. As I read, I became very invested in the story and in the characters. This book is fast paced and very easy to read. All along, I kept thinking that someone should make this into a movie. Just when I thought I knew what direction it was headed, another plot twist was thrown into the mix. At the end, we reach a very happy and satisfying conclusion for the characters. I appreciate when books, even messy ones like this, tie up all loose ends. That is exactly what the author does here. I have a good feeling that this book is going to be talked about all year long! I would love to read future works by this author. Thank you very much to Net Galley and the publishers for gifting me with the ARC.