Broken Country is a beautifully layered, emotionally gripping novel set in 1960s rural England. It follows Beth, a farmer’s wife still grieving the loss of her child, whose life is thrown off balance when her first love, Gabriel, returns to town with his young son. His presence stirs up old feelings and painful secrets, especially as the boy reminds Beth of everything she’s lost.

The story moves seamlessly between past and present, exploring themes of grief, love, guilt, and the quiet heartbreak of choices made long ago. There’s also a slow-burning mystery woven into the plot, adding a compelling layer of suspense.

Clare Leslie Hall’s writing is lyrical and evocative, with characters that feel real and raw. If you love character-driven historical fiction with emotional depth and a touch of intrigue, this one is definitely worth reading.

I finished reading this book a few months ago and I still randomly think about it. I'm not sure what more could be said about this novel than what I've already seen...but regardless I loved it.

This book had me hooked from the very beginning, and was absolutely one of those books that I was constantly thinking about when I wasn't reading it, as I was so enthralled to find out how it would end. It gave me so many conflicting emotions throughout, which is one of the many reasons I found it to be so entertaining. This book had me in tears, complete shock and disbelief several times and somehow these people felt so genuine and real to me. This would absolutely be a book I wish I could read again for the very first time! This is easily one of the top 3 books I've read in 2025, and I believe will stay that way even with over half of the year still to go!

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy of Broken Country for review.

In theory everything about this book should have worked for me; it's exactly the type of book I usually end up loving! Literary - character driven narratives with complex and often messy romantic entanglement(s) usually make for a compelling story. Throw in the additional element of a murder trial and we've usually got ourselves a slam dunk. Honestly, that should have been the case here and I'm just as surprised as anyone else that this didn't work for me.

"This is a love story and it is better by far than, than any of the ones I have dreamed up in the past. If I'm allowed a wish, just one, then it is this: I wish for our story to have a happy ending."

Clare Leslie Hall hooks the reader with her opening sentence, "The farmer is dead, he is dead and all anyone wants to know is who killed him." It's an ominous start to what slowly reveals itself to be a sequence of tragic errors, the first of which is the return of the farmer's wife's first love, Gabriel Wolfe, a local aristocrat and now famous writer who has decamped from London to his family's long held country home. Having spent a whirlwind summer fling as teenagers, Gabriel was Beth's first love and heartbreak. She is drawn back into Gabriel's orbit when her brother-in-law mistakenly believes a stray dog to be attacking their flock of ewes and shoots it. The dog, of course, belongs to the newly returned Gabriel and his young son. What begins as a mild interest in rekindling a friendship with Gabriel and his young son, soon becomes something much darker as events of Beth's past are brought forth and the reader begins to have a wider understanding of her relationships both in the present and the past with two men - Gabriel - her first love and Frank - her husband.

If I'm being honest, the majority of this story felt too predictable to me. Beth's motivation for rekindling her friendship with Gabriel, her husband, Frank's apathy toward their relationship and the overall history between the three of them felt contrived and shallow - not a great way to make me invested in a doomed love triangle. I just couldn't get myself to care about Beth, Gabriel or Frank. Throw in that the primary conflict is lack of communication (a tale as old as time) and that the final reveal is both startlingly heartbreaking and infuriating - the whole thing just felt like one big unoriginal Greek tragedy. It's possible that I've just read too many books with similar storylines and conflicts that I felt were more believable than this, so Broken Country wasn't as impactful to me as a reader.

While this novel was a disappointment to me, I do think it's a great choice for a book club or group. There are plenty of topics to discuss - the familiarity and intimacy that comes with a long marriage, the overwhelming feelings of a first love, family sacrifice, class differences and of course the final conclusion of the overall story. I didn't love it, but many readers that I have similar reading tastes to have it on their favorites list for 2025.
If you read Broken Country, what did you think? Love it or Loathe it?

Absolutely enthralled with this story. Wonderful writing, realistic troubled characters, relatable issues, fantastic twists. Thr pacing was done well...I had so much tensions waiting for the bad stuff to happen and be revealed. I devoured this novel in 2 days and will eagerly read anything else she writes. Well done!

About a third of the book in and the title starts to makes sense.
The class distinctions of the main characters in the before time were a red flag , and while it’s easy to ignore the obvious drunken mother- not everything she says is untrue even if it is uncomfortable.

However by the midpoint I am stunned. The one thing I love about novels is the ability to openly judge characters for their choices and then change my mind.

OMG! I would give this book 10 starts if I could, a book about family, lost & found love, children, animals and just so many emotions. It did not end at all like I though. A Very moving read. Thank you to Netgalley, Simon and Schuster and the Author for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

After finishing Broken Country I would have amended Emily Dickinson’s line “The heart wants what it wants” differently. Instead of “or else it does not care” I would say that it will get whatever it wants, whatever the cost. This novel scrapes at the memory of youthful memories of long ago loves and how far we would have gone to get what our hearts wanted at the time.

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.