Thank you so much to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the opportunity to read this wonderful story. It was certainly an emotional rollercoaster for the reader.
"The farmer is dead. He is dead and all anyone wants to know is who killed him."

A thrilling pace of a twisted tale of love, devotion and family. It is heartbreakingly powerful and filled with impossible choices. The story is told in the before, 1955 and the after of 1968 with reference to a trial which is taking place with little detail until near the end of the story. In between there is a love story or triangle of love and emotion and a murder mystery.
A happily married woman mourning the death of her young son is caught up in her emotions when her first love and his son return to her village. What follows is a novel in the running for one of the best of the year! Definitely put this on your list! 5 stars!

Many many thanks to Simon & Schuster for my gifted copy of this book! And to NetGalley for my e-reader copy.

Broken Country is a stellar U.S. debut novel by Hall. I couldn’t get enough and the impact it left on me, will probably secure its spot as one of my top reads of the year.

A story such as this, is why we read. It tells the story of young love and first kisses. Of saying goodbye and moving on. The pages are filled with new love overshadowed by tragedy and eventually murder. Set against the backdrop of an English farming community in the 60s, I guarantee you won’t rest until the secret they all hide is revealed.

Told in the “Before”, “1968”, and “The Trial” this book comes together seamlessly. From cover to cover, the story of Frank, Jimmy, Beth, Gabriel, Leo, & Bobby captured my heart. I was, in fact, sad to see it end.

Wow, this book surprised me in all of the best ways. I went into it blind and really had no expectations and the emotional, heartbreaking and beautiful ride it took me on was truly amazing.

The way the author weaves the past timelines with the present laying the groundwork for how we ended up where we did. The story touches on love, grief, betrayal, family - in ways that will stick with you for a long time.

Broken Country reminded me of Where the Crawdads Sing and I loved it from start to finish.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

WOW! What a beautiful and heartbreaking story! This book broke my heart into a million little pieces but it back together in the end! This story and the characters will stay with me for a long time!


Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing this E-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Beth and Frank are happily settled into a quiet farm life. But when Beth's former sweetheart, Gabriel, comes back to town, everything changes. Told in alternating timelines from 1955 and 1968, we slowly get a picture of the tragedies that will link the three of them together forever.

I was a little worried at first by the love triangle situation, but I think the author did a really great job with it. The story wasn't so much focused on the love triangle itself as it was on the impact it had on the people around them.

The story was told in a really intriguing way. We knew right away that there was a murder trial going on, but we didn't know who was on trial or who had been killed. The author did a great job of laying out all these different pieces, so by the time the big reveal happened, everything else kind of clicked into place.

Definitely a heavy and impactful read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC!

Broken Country has all the elements of an incredible story. It has a love story, a mystery, tragedy, and courtroom drama woven into the lives of Beth, her husband Frank and those they love. Told through multiple timelines, this book was difficult to put down. While decisions were made that I personally don’t agree with, the writing was excellent and emotional. Please research trigger warnings before reading, but I highly recommend this book!

A complementary copy was provided by Simon & Schuster and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Broken Country is a beautifully written, emotional journey about loss, survival, and healing. Hall’s heartfelt writing and the story’s depth make it a standout read.

I was at first a little hesitant because I absolutely loathe love triangles but honestly between murder, betrayal, love, and almost familial resurrection I was absolutely blown away. This is one of those novels that’s to atmospheric that you’re transported onto that English farm and into the almost Shakespearean family dynamic. I loved this, I cannot suggest it enough.

Broken Country is a beautifully written book about family, first loves, heartbreaking loss and the impact they have on our lives. The characters are well developed, complicated, likable and relatable. The story unfolds over a dual timeline with a final twist I did not see coming.

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by this author.

Thank you to Clare Leslie Hall, Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the opportunity to read nd review this ARC.

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me. I read the first third of the book and had trouble going back and forth from past to present. The premise sounded intriguing and this book had rave reviews from my friends who read the ARC. I will not be rating it as I feel I did not read enough to rate it fairly.

So glad to have received this ARC copy from NetGalley! This was a fantastic story and I was invested in it from start to finish.
We follow Beth on a journey from teenage love to a murder trial and a whole lot in between. There are some heavy themes but they were well done. There were a couple of twists in the book that were not unexpected to me, but it didn’t take away from the overall story.
I definitely recommend this one when it publishes in March.

****VERY UNPOPULAR OPINION***

The premise made me want to request this book. Old and returning love. New love. Hard decisions. The reading experience for this was different and at times frustrating and annoying! I do not mind multple POVs and time frames but the pacing of the book, reveals and actual storyline do not work for this book. Also these characters do so much complaining and I also almost screaming in head "SHUT THE EFF UP" and/or "GROW SOME BALLS!" I felt all three central characters had no growth from start to finish.

Overall I felt this book was a waste of my time. Cannot recommend. but I do will not judge other readers for enjoying this book more than me. This book was not for me at this time and usually I like books like this. It was just a miss.

THanks to Netgalley, Clare Leslie Hall and Simon Schuster for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 3/4/2025

This book explores the relationships between past and current loves as well as the family we apart of. I thoroughly enjoyed this plot driven book as we learned new things about Beth and her first love with Gabriel when they were young. It raises the question, can you truly be in love with two people at once?

Really loved reading this one!

On it's surface, it's a mystery that centers an affair, but it is so much more.
Layered, imperfect characters you can't help to root for. Short, fast paced chapters with changing timelines made it a quick read to binge.
And a bittersweet ending that totally honors the people involved.

Can't recommend this one enough!

Thank you netgalley for the arc of broken country in exchange for my honest review. Wow I am blown away bu this novel. Five stars. The writing style was so good that this book was hard to put down. Beth as a teen has a whirlwind summer romance with Gabriel but unfortunately for them a miscommunication leads to the end of their relationship. Beth ends up marrying Frank who has loved her since she was thirteen. Due to an unfortunate accident their son Bobby doesnt make it. Years later Gabriel moves back to their small town with his son Leo and a series of events transpire that turn all of their lives upside down. Heartbreak, tragedy, a challenges of the human spirit. This book will bring you to tears.

I may have just read my most favorite book for 2025, this one is going to be hard to beat. Wow, this was an absolute great read! The first chapter picks your interest and then the next and the next completely engulf you.
Yes, this book is a love story, but it is so, so much more. I finished it last night and have been thinking about it all day. One of those books that you sigh, when you finish and just say oh my gosh.
There were times I was impatient with Beth, but the author gives you the then, the now, the before and the trial. She makes you feel like you were just looking down upon the characters and watching it, was hard to put down. This is my first Clare Hall book, but I will certainly be looking for more from this author. Pick this one up, read it, you won’t regret it.
I received an ARC from William Morrow and NetGalley for my unbiased review. The highest five stars I can give.

I think this book will be a big hit by pub day March 4 as I have already heard so much. about it That said, I'll be brief about this book and leave it to the reader to let it unfold chapter by chapter to the end of the book that I truly loved.

Beth, a farmer's wife, finds three of her lambs killed by the neighbor's dog. The dog is killed by her brother-in-law. The story unfolds telling the complicated past with the neighbor and Beth's family. You may not like the beginning, but trust me, this is a book you will want to read to the end. It is beautifully written, with rich characters and story line that unfolds so well as to keep the reader engaged and even surprised. Love, forgiveness, redemption.

My thanks to Net Galley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy of this e-book.

I devoured this book! I was drawn in immediately and it never let up. Beautiful writing and I felt like I was right on the farm with these characters. This story looked at two different kinds of love. An all-encompassing, fated, lustful attraction and a steady, trustworthy love that can withstand tragedy. Both portrayed so well. These characters had flaws and that made them feel so real.

My heart broke several times during this story and tears were dripping down my face as I finished it. I loved this book so much and highly recommend. Thank you Simon & Schuster for the arc to read and review.

This was a very riveting story. Beth met Gabriel when she was young. They slept together and when he went off to college, that was it. She married Frank - a farmer who had been interested in her right after she met Gabriel and she turned him down at that time. They had a child who died when he was 9. Gabriel came back to town with a young son who looked about the same age as her son had been. A terrible accident happens and her husband is on trial for murder. Can they regain their trust and love. It's a powerful story with some surprises information that comes to light.

I got this story from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Truth, this novel started out slow for me and took me until about 30% to get fully invested. Normally, I would have DNF'd, but something kept nudging me to continue. Once I got to 35%, I didn't want to stop reading. I had to force myself to sleep.
I kept thinking to myself that this would be a four star book for me, but then the ending... the ending immediately made it five glorious stars for me when I bawled my eyes out. If you decide to read this one, hang in there. It's worth it!!

Beth. Frank. Bobby. Jimmy. Nina. Gabriel. Leo. (Toxic)Tessa. What a cast of characters they all turn out to be. I don't want to say much about the actual story because I don't want to give anything away. This is a must-read and it takes place in the English countryside.

This is what I will say pertaining to the story...
Young love is difficult to make last even in the best of situations. It can work out, but there's often so much growth and maturing that happens with age, so it's understandable when it fizzles out. Sometimes, young love ends in a fury of heartbreak, tears, and unforgivable circumstances. The one thing I didn't like about Beth and Gabriel's story was the lack of communication, but I do realize there wouldn't have been a story without it, but dang, does it suck.

This is a novel of happiness, heartbreak, tragedy, grief, secrets, and lies. Grief has a way of changing people for better and for worse. It's when people get stuck in it that it becomes a problem often with severe consequences. Life is full of choices. We never know how the choices we make will affect us years down the road or what we may have done differently until we're forced to examine it in a different light or until tragedy strikes.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for this eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.