Such an amazing book. Had me hanging on until the beautiful conclusion. The tone, setting and dialogue just blew me away. Definitely on my best of 2025 list.

Was a read now option, but I will provide full feedback after I've finished reading. Synopsis sounds promising

I kept putting this book on my back burning tbr cart and man it should have been first on my list. I loved reading and getting to know each character, they were all very well developed and believable. I was trying to workout from pretty early on who did what and what actually happened, trying to put all the pieces apart. I felt very surprised and loved how the ending came together. Very well written and plot twists. Highly recommended and would be a great book club discussion. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read for my honest opinion.

Beth Johnson is happy to be a farmer’s wife in 1968 England, especially when that farmer is Frank, the man who’s been in love with her since they were both teenagers. While her own family had held higher aspirations for her – ones she shared, of going to Oxford and writing poetry – she’s content now to help Frank run his family farm. They’ve been through so much together, and their relationship has only grown the stronger for it.

But when a stray dog comes running onto their fields during lambing time, everything changes. The dog slaughters several of their newborn sheep, forcing Frank’s brother Jimmy to shoot it in order to prevent any more deaths. The dog’s owner turns out to be a young boy who witnesses the shooting, sending him into hysterics. Kindhearted Beth tries to comfort young Leo, and would have done so even if he didn’t remind her of the son she lost just a few years past. Things get complicated, however, when Leo’s father enters the scene.

Gabriel Wolfe is famous for being the enfant terrible of British literature. He’s been a literary rock star ever since publishing his first bestselling novel at the age of twenty-four. But well over a decade ago, he was just a lonely teenager living at Meadowlands, the manor near the Johnsons’ farm and the village where Beth lived. He and Beth met each other by chance and fell swiftly in love. Adolescent miscommunications and emotions parted them. Now fate has brought them back together, as the wisdom that comes with age lays bare the truth:

QUOTE
Once upon a time, the only thing I wanted to know was that Gabriel loved me more than Louisa. It gives me little pleasure to hear it now. I love Frank and the life we built together so painstakingly. There will never be a time when I don’t love Frank, when I don’t need him. Even having this conversation feels like a betrayal. And yet, I feel it, the unmistakeable rush of adrenaline. A knot of excitement in the base of my stomach.
END QUOTE

Grown-up Beth is sensible enough to not only recognize these feelings as dangerous, but to do everything in her power to avoid Gabriel. His son, however, is a different story. Leo is growing up just as lonely at Meadowlands as his father once had. Worse, he reminds Beth too much of her own lost child. Soon she finds herself sucked into Gabriel’s orbit once again. At first, she tells herself it’s only because Leo needs the companionship and guidance, but when she finds herself spending increasing amounts of time with Gabriel alone, there’s no denying the spark rekindling between them.

Tongues wag in small villages, leading to tensions between Beth and Frank. Their relationship has survived so much already. Will it take yet another death to sever their bond for good?

Once I got over tut-tutting over how polyamory would have solved everyone’s problems – and in fairness, this is a novel set in a time and place where that was definitely the least likely option – I really got into how well Clare Leslie Hall explores the psyche of a woman truly torn between two lovers. This romantic turmoil would be dramatic enough. Adding murder to the mix only raises the stakes, as everything about Beth’s life is forced to change:

QUOTE
I have a new identity now. The woman who loved two men, one of them worthy of pages of newsprint, the other an ordinary farmer.

When the story first broke, photographers snuck out to the farm for shots of our beloved, ramshackle house with its peeling windows and chaotic yard until I spied them from the kitchen and ran out, screaming like a wild woman. Next day that was the photo they chose. I learned the hard way to conceal my face and never answer the questions they hurl at me. [Instead] I tell them the story we have come up with, honed, practised, perfected, day after day after day, hoping it will be enough.

How much easier it would be if we could tell the truth.
END QUOTE

For Beth has a terrible secret about that fateful day, one she’s sworn to protect. Fortunately or otherwise, Beth has a lot of practice keeping secrets, as this tender and deeply emotional novel unfolds, moving back and forth in time to reveal the painful truths that motivate our heroine’s choices. The genius of Broken Country is that Beth’s motivations are always understandable, as she makes the best out of heartrending situations.

It also helps that Gabriel and Frank are both fully fleshed out characters. Most fictional love triangles make me roll my eyes with impatience: this one, on the other hand, had me rooting for all of them. Alas that someone has to die, and someone has to go on trial for murder. I wept freely at the denouement of this tragic yet ultimately life-affirming novel of family and love.

A gorgeous and enthralling work of historical fiction, Broken Country blends elements of mystery and romance into a wonderful and engaging story. It will easily rank in my top five reads of 2025.

Thank you Clare Leslie Hall, Simon and Schuster, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster as well as the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley @NetGalley #Simon&Schuster @Simon&Schuster #ClareLeslieHall @ClareLeslieHall #BookReview #Fiction #Crime #Mystery

Title: Broken Country
Author: Clare Leslie Hall
Format: eBook
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date:March 4, 2025
Themes: Family, farm life, grief, parenting, marriage, adultery, small town mentality
Trigger Warnings: Adultery, accidental death of young child, parenting struggles, childbirth (on page), familial struggles, marital strife, sex, gun violence, murder, accidental death, alcohol abuse, gossip, scenes in a courtroom, murder trial, depictions of farm life including livestock deaths, death of a dog, lamb birthing

This was an emotional one. Beth and Frank Johnson are happily married and content working their family farm. It’s hard work but rewarding and they’re happy. Until Gabriel Wolfe, an old flame of Beth’s, returns and wants to pick up where they left off. Gabriel brings his young son, Leo, instantly reminds Beth and Frank of the son they lost in a tragic accident two years prior.
Gabrie and Leo’s lives become entwined with Beth and Franks’ lives, causing turmoil and ending in an unspeakable tragedy.

This book is a twisty tear-jerker. It’s a layered and beautiful love story meets thriller. I finished this quickly and was tired when I did. This story is made up of layers upon layers of events and emotions centered around this small cast of characters. Each character is well established and compelling. I couldn’t help becoming invested in each of them. I’m usually not a love saga/family drama kind of reader, but this is so much more than that. It’s a family drama and a murder mystery mixed in with a love story. It’s about a mother’s love and her grief mixed into a love triangle. This book was beautifully written and emotional. The twists and turns and shifting timelines kept me on my literary toes and I rode the roller coaster. It’s equal parts heart-breaking and hopeful. I cared for the characters and the ending broke me. I’m not sure what else to say. I recommend this book to any reader.

Finishing this book sitting on my balcony with my heart dog during a spring sunset felt so perfect. What a beautiful (heartbreaking) story of love in so many forms.

A truly fantastic book that kept me on my toes. I really enjoyed the guessing of who did it and who died through the whole book. A true masterpiece that even a friend read who doesn’t like mysteries thoroughly enjoyed it!

This book was so emotionally evocative. It made me cry, made me laugh, and really got me thinking.
Set in a past and present time frame. I loved the first 80%, the last 20% dragged on a bit. Overall I'd rate it as a 4.5 stars. I'll round up on Goodreads to a 5.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC

❤️‍🩹 I loved this ❤️‍🩹

Wow, this book took me by total surprise. I heard this was a tear jerker, but I wasn’t expecting all the other *feels* to bombard me while reading, including (possibly misplaced) anger at a father’s mistake; frustrations with a certain character’s choices; heartbreak over the death of a child; shock at some of the twists; and despite it all, heartwarming feelings, too.

I loved the love stories, reveled in the mystery, and basked in the idyllic British countryside setting. I had complicated feelings towards most of the characters, which I think signifies a great book. The more I talk about the book with others, I find more nuances with the characters and also understanding for them - why they did what they did.

My bookclub (@thebookandthebookclub) read this for April, and it was a giant hit. We will be meeting virtually on Sunday June 1st to Zoom with the author! If you’d like to join, comment below or DM me! All are welcome 😄

𝑾𝒉𝒐 𝑰'𝒅 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐:
Pretty much everyone. It has something in it for all: a love story, a mystery and thrills, historical fiction, and beautiful prose.

The way I needed this book. I love a good past love/present love story. I want to watch someone’s entire psyche shredded down to its most basic self when presented with their old life while living in their new one. I need it. I want it. This beautiful book delivers!

I listened to this on Spotify, which I’d highly recommend because the narrator is British, and her voice is absolutely perfect.

Beth and Frank are happily married. They have a gorgeous farm with sweet little lambs. One of the important parts of keeping their happiness intact is to not discuss the past. They had a son who died in a tragic accident that they don’t speak about. It’s not until Beth’s brother-in-law shoots a dog on their property that everything begins to change. The dog’s owner is Leo, who happens to be the son of Gabriel—Beth’s first love. He’s back in town, and he looks just the same as he did when they first fell in love. There’s a seismic shift in Beth and Frank’s life when Gabriel re-enters it. Secrets come to the surface, and the past can’t stay buried.

This is a winding, tragic, and hopeful love story. It’s about the impact that love can have on your past, present, and future. I thought this was stunning, and I want to live inside this novel.

I went into this book knowing only that it is getting great advance reviews and that it is highly recommended from my most trusted book source. It is best described as a love story, but it paces more like a thriller. That sounds like an odd combination, but it really works.

The story has a constant tension built on tragedy, love, and long-kept secrets. A young couple of different social classes are kept apart by a mother. A couple are raising a family and trying to survive the challenges of a farming life in Dorset. These stories are interwoven into overarching themes of love, guilt, grief, commitment, and loyalty. The writing is tender, raw, and heartbreakingly human. It took me a couple of chapters to get invested in the characters, but after that I was invested to the end. This book has a few surprising plot twists that you wouldn’t ordinarily expect in historical fiction, but that is what makes Broken Country unique and real.

I enjoyed this book so much that I accidentally purchased two copies of it for my library. I’m not even upset about it because I’ve already loaned the second copy to a friend who I know will enjoy the story as I did.


Thank you to Net Galley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC of this book. My review reflects my person opinion.

4.5 out of 5 stars
A gripping and beautifully written novel that examines the quiet devastation of conflict—both internal and external.

In Broken Country, Clare Leslie Hall delivers a masterful debut that blends poetic language with unflinching emotional honesty. The story unfolds with a quiet intensity, following characters who are navigating the aftermath of personal and national upheaval. Hall’s voice is both lyrical and grounded, painting a vivid portrait of a land—and its people—struggling to heal.

The narrative structure is ambitious, and while it occasionally meanders, the emotional core remains powerful throughout. Hall’s talent for evoking atmosphere and inner turmoil is truly exceptional.

A deeply affecting read that lingers in the mind, Broken Country is perfect for readers who value literary fiction that’s as introspective as it is socially resonant.

Broken Country? More like brokenhearted and left with tears in my eyes.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC.

This book had me hooked from the beginning. I enjoyed the alternating timelines, but more than that, I love how you discovered what happened as you continued reading- okay, there is a murder trial and something is being covered up, but what happened? Then, you get a flashback into the characters' lives, then back to the present and a little more is revealed. It continues that way throughout, but it was seamless and captivating! I highly recommend!

Every once in a while, I pick up a book that blows me away. Broken Country is a sweeping love story wrapped in the suspense and pacing of a thriller, and I was completely hooked from page one. It’s a sweeping love story wrapped in the suspense and pacing of a thriller, and I was completely hooked from page one. Set against the wild beauty of the English countryside, this intimate, emotional novel had me utterly invested. I couldn’t stop thinking about these characters—they felt real, raw, and heartbreakingly human.

Beth’s impossible choices and the love triangle at the heart of the story are handled with such depth and elegance. The story brought me back to the nostalgic days of my first love—those messy, unforgettable moments that stay with you forever. The past and present intertwine seamlessly, building toward a shocking finale that left me devastated in the best way.

I loved the writing—it’s tender and expressive, yet packed with tension. The twists are amazing, the courtroom scenes pulse with drama, and the emotional payoff? Absolutely worth it. There’s heartbreak, grief, longing, and a whole lot of soul.

Five enthusiastic stars for this stunning American debut. Broken Country is both aching and thrilling, a novel I’ll be recommending to everyone I know. And yes—if the movie rumors are true, I’ll be there with popcorn.

** Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for a complimentary review copy. The opinions are my own.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I didn’t really know this was a mystery when I started the book. It’s got historical fiction and literary fiction components, and at the heart, there is a mystery.

The characters are very well written and developed. The story moves well and even though it jumps through time and back again, it’s easy to navigate. I really enjoyed this tragic story, and I was even surprised by the twists.

Another brilliant #read that I can guarantee will be in my top #reads of 2025. Wow. I genuinely wasn’t sold on this one off of seeing the #bookcover alone, but the sheer amount of glowing #reviews convinced me to give it a try.

•

I was blown away by this one. I thought it was beautiful, borderline poetic, devastatingly heartbreaking, grief filled, and addicting - with ingredients consisting of a hopeless love triangle, a #murdermystery, an idyllic English countryside setting, struggles and difficulties with marriage and parenthood, class and social discrepancies, dreams made, buried, and (some) achieved, and redemption and forgiveness - this one is truly a tour de force. I cried (a lot), I smiled, I felt the strongest feelings of almost painful nostalgia, heartache, and guilt, and I thought, thought, and thought some more about what I would do in Beth’s shoes.

•

In 1960s rural England, Beth, a devoted and adoring wife and partner to her farmer husband and the land and animals they dedicate themselves, begins to feel her steady life slowly unravel as her first love, now a famous author she hasn’t seen in years, returns to the village they first met and fell in love with in what feels like an entirely different life altogether.

•

As Beth navigates her longstanding grief and her complicated feelings for Gabriel, she finds herself caught amidst a tragedy of human errors, and at the center of a murder trial. Meanwhile, the story delves into Beth’s past and the roads and choices that have led her to her questionable fate, a fate in the hands of a jury.

Broken Country was an amazing novel. I really felt for Beth and her family. I loved reading about the strong bonds between Beth and her family members. The timeline jumps presented in the novel allowed for a sense of mystery that had me guessing and wanting to read more. I could not put this one down! This would be a great read for someone who enjoys character-driven novels.

“The farmer is dead. He is dead, and all anyone wants to know is who killed him.” Now that's an explosive way to start a book! What I thought would be a mystery ended up a heartbreaking love story of Beth and the men she loves, and also with the family she loves. Heartbreaking, but in a good way. Beth's story is guaranteed to make you feel lots of feelings. There were times I wanted to cry, but I also felt contentment and happiness too as I read. This story is incredibly messy, just like real life is. Clare Leslie Hall's writing is beautiful and she expertly lays out the story in three alternating timelines, until all the pieces are brought together and the truth is revealed. I was thoroughly surprised by the ending (and wanted to cry more), gasping so loud at one point and I had to stop reading to sit and take in what I had just learned. I do love it when a book makes me feel big feelings. I liked all of the characters, even if I didn't always understand their actions. Love makes humans behave in ways that aren't always rational, because we all deal with our emotions in different ways. In the end though love prevails in a big, beautiful way. I will be thinking of this book for a long time!

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this DRC in exchange for my honest review.