This is a great novel! Moving back and forward in time Beth tells the story of her loves and losses, the sacrifices made and the rewards. I won’t spoil the novel for other readers, but suffice to say it’s a poignant love story of a farmer’s wife and her family. Written with a good grasp of a country life, the close knit community and class divide.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers John Murray Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Highly recommended reading for chilly winter weather.

Wow what a story. Thankyou NetGalley

A married lady mourns the tragic loss of her son, living in a small English village.

Then her first love moves back into the village and thus setting off a journey that will change forever.

This is the authors debut novel and what a novel. A love triangle, first love and scrifices all rolled into one.

So recommended loved this beautiful book.

A good read once I got into it. Thank you to the writer, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to review this book.

It took me a while to get into this one and I'm not sure I really ever warmed to Beth. I found some of her decisions and motivations a little off though the devastation around the loss of her son was beautifully handled.

Broken Country has been compared to Where the Crawdads Sing but that really didn’t come across for me and I didn’t feel as invested or gripped by the storyline. That being said there are a couple of twists to keep you guessing in this

Well written and after the first section, well paced ,but this was just a good rather than great read for me.

Wow so I loved this!! Didn’t know what to expect but it was so beautiful and the reveals at the end totally took me by surprised. The writing itself was so lovely and heartwarming whilst also being devastating at the same time at points! I loved that we didn’t have any unanswered questions at the end and it was resolved so nicely. Loved loved loved it!! So much I want to say but I can’t without spoilers so just read it! 😭

I took a while to get into this but when I did it really got me. The characters were were skillfully drawn and the full story was revealed slowly, with twists that changed perspective and gripped me. It's a love story but it's so much more, heart breaking, surprising and hopeful.

This story was multilayered and moved through different timelines so seamlessly.

The characters are very relatable and you feel every emotion with them like you are right there. From their teenage years right through to adulthood you see how the different choices they make weave this beautiful story together.

There is a lot of suspense and mystery as the story unravels which keeps you engaged and wanting to know what happens next. You start to wonder who will get their happy ending if anyone at all.

This book, is love, loss, grief, sacrifice and is bittersweet to the very end.

Nothing is left unknown as this story unfolds and tragedy brings unity in those final chapters. I even had a little cry 😢

There will be no spoilers from me here but if you are intrigued then this book is set to release 4th March 2025.

I really enjoyed this book and thank you Netgalley for this amazing ARC.

First things first –I kept thinking: Wow, this whole thing reminds me so much of “Where the Crawdads Sing”. And what do you know! Reese Witherspoon has already acquired film rights to “Broken Country”. So if you read any books in the Reese’s book club, you know what to expect (promise you!). I finished the book today and was not as moved as my fellow readers here by the love triangle country girl-wealthy boy-farmer, although there were a couple of unexpected twists (at least one that I didn’t see coming!).

To summarise: if you loved “Where the Crawdads Sing” you will most probably love the book (prepare to shed a few tears), if you didn’t care for/hated “Where the Crawdads Sing” – you will not be impressed (and might get very annoyed by the timeline jumps and no system to the narrative), and if you didn’t yet have a pleasure (or displeasure!) to read “Where the Crawdads Sing” – give “Broken Country” a chance. It’s a quick read and perhaps you’ll love it!

A sweet little read – no more. And the title – broken country? Why not broken hearts? Much more suitable.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was so much more than I expected - each character is crafted with a deep sense of empathy, all the shades of grey in human actions captured with balance and compassion, and the plot so beautifully, and gently, twisting it's a truly compelling insight into love, loyalty, betrayal and grief. It's exquisite.

OH MY GOD. HEARTBREAK💔
this novel is set in the 1960s in such a comforting setting. Our MC Beth has a novelty, pure kind of love in her teen years with a handsome, rich boy. This part of the novel DEFINITELY gave the notebook vibes fr. And then the heartbreak occurs. But what happens when Beth is happily married to her soulmate, a farmer and her former returns with his son years later… IT HURT FR GUYS😢. Also did I mention court scenes and one of our Mcs being blamed for a murder they didn’t commit. This book was full of surprises and is definitely a good option if u want to get into historical fiction/romance. Although, near the end some closure scenes weren’t quite as dramatic or emotional as I wanted them to be!

Fav quotes:
“I don’t know how to live without you. I never did.” (former lover)
“I don’t want a life without you in it. I never did.” (husband)
GUYS U SEE THE PARALLEL🤭😮‍💨

I was absolutely gripped by this novel and didn’t want it to end. The characters are well rounded and the book is beautifully written. I felt as though I was living through events with Beth, Frank and Gabriel, so intense was the reading experience!

Beth, a teenager from a Dorset village, falls in love with Gabriel who lives in the Manor House and they have a glorious summer together. We next meet Beth as a farmer’s wife. She is happy with her husband Frank although the couple have experienced a terrible tragedy. Then Gabriel returns. The clever structure pulls the reader in and adds to the tension. I enjoyed moving between the time zones and found the story easy to follow. The characters make mistakes but are wonderful, warm human beings. I loved the setting of the farm and the descriptions of the birds, animals and trees. A book to immerse yourself in! So, so good.

Beautiful and heartbreaking this book will stay with me always.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for my honest and unbiased opinion.

This is a lovely book deeply moving and meaningful

There’s something rather timeless is about this novel ,I could’ve been reading Thomas Hardy novel.,some of this is because of the fact that the novel is set in the 60s which is of course now a historical period but that’s not all. I think there’s something about the quality of the writing that evokes some of the classical authors.
The emotion of losing a child and the madness of romantic love as a teenager are central to this book ,as you read you really start to experience these emotions yourself. This manipulation of the readers emotions was very skilfully done by the offer.
The court case brings an urgency to the reading which adds another layer
I think I’ve worked out the potential plot twist before I’ve finished the book but .I’m not sure. I did predict probably the most obvious twist but was delighted there was another.
The character description and growth is perfectly described these are totally real people.
The setting of this novel is particularly British set as it is in a southern British village and the local stately home. The class structure in the story is very clear. This is easily understood by British reader. The significance might be missed potentially by overseas readers
I would recommend this novel if you like me enjoying a primarily relationship based novel with emotional undertones. If you like the writing of David Nichols, One day or Us for example I think you’d enjoy this book. The other British author that I feel could be compared to this offer would be Claire Chambers Small Pleasures ,Shy Creatures
I read an early early copy of the novel for review on NetGalley UK The book is publishing the UK in March 2025 by John Murray press
This review will appear on NetGalley UK, Goodreads, and my book blog bionicsarahSbooks.wordpress.com. After publication it will also appear on Amazon UK.

This book is absolutely stunning. When it is released next year I will be urging everyone to read it.
Beth is a farmer’s wife, living in a small village in Dorset. As a teenager, she fell madly in love with Gabriel, who is effectively the son of the Lord of the Manor. It didn’t end well. We rejoin the story when Gabriel makes a reappearance, along with his son, who reminds Beth of the child she has lost aged 9 (a horrifying incident which made me weep). The book also has a later time setting in court, where it is clear that there has been a murder, but the victim and perpetrator are unclear.
Bringing together all the narrative strands in a way which keeps the reader invested has been brilliantly achieved. I really entered into the worlds of these characters and felt sympathy for everyone, they are all touched by grief and grappling with how to survive.
The names chosen, and the Dorset setting, alongside the love triangle and tragedy made me think of a modern day Hardy. I think this book is going to be massive, and deservedly so. Could I already have read my book of 2025?
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Love among the haystacks this is not, but we have a village girl, the son of the Manor House and a young farmer’s son. They all have their complicated stories, and we know from the start that something tragic happens which will affect them all. Jumping about in time seems to be the norm these days, which all adds up to the suspense of who? and why? set up from the death right at the start. However, we are treated to some lovely descriptions of rural life in between, and the poignancy of loves lost and found. Tessa Wolf really is painted as the pantomime villain, a Cruella Deville without the dogs( or wolves) obsession. Every other character conforms to type, posh and plummy or country heart of gold. Having said that I enjoyed most of it, the Bobby centred break wearing a little thin but understandable nonetheless.

I am sat here with tears still drying having just finished Broken Country.

I devoured this book, ignoring chores and children to read a little bit more. It captured me, broke me and uplifted me.

Thank you toNetGalley, the publisher and Claire Leslie Hall for the copy to review. Definitely one I would recommend you read!

Beth and Gabriel fall in love in their teens. After their relationship ends she marries Frank and becomes a farmers wife.
I really enjoyed this story it was beautifully written and I found it so sad in parts that it made me cry.
This book hard was to put down and it certainly kept me engaged, It had some really good characters and some twists.
I will certainly be looking out for more books from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and John Murray Press for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of those books that speaks to your soul. Beautifully written. Though it jumps around between timelines, I never felt lost. What sets it apart is the characters. Each one is perfectly rounded and you don't hate any of them despite them sometimes doing some things that hurt other characters that we love. The loss and the love is palable and this story will stay with me for a long time.

"It is pure, unadulterated nostalgia and there is nothing more intoxicating than that."
There is nothing more intoxicating than this book. This is easily my favourite book of 2025 already. I was devastated, I was exhilarated, I was filled with longing. I couldn't help but feel just as conflicted as Beth. What a beautiful, tragic journey this book was. I highly recommend it. Buy it for your mum, buy it for your best friend, buy it for your first love, buy it for yourself.

Quite possibly the best book I have read in a decade!
The author has managed to capture the intensity of first love and the heartbreak of separation perfectly and the characters grow from those beginnings into complex storylines that are spectacular in their own right.
Every emotion leaps off the pages and when the young lovers are reunited in later life the fallout is dramatic without ever becoming unbelievable.
100% must read!