This was such a brilliant first read of the year. Set in the 1960’s, Broken Country is centred around a love triangle that has devastating consequences. This book has everything I love, a sweeping love story, a crime that leaves you second guessing until the final pages, and characters that feel so real and believable you feel like they could be living in your town. I flew through this book in a few days because I had to know what happened and had become so emotionally attached to the characters. By switching back and forth in time, information about the love triangle, and the crime that has taken place is slowly revealed, until you’re hit with an emotional gut punch in the final 50 pages of the book.

This is a well told story of all-consuming love, loss and guilt. Most of all, it is a story about grief and the effect the loss of a child has on the parents individually and on their relationship.

It is set in Hemstone, a small village full of little secrets where everybody knows everyone. The setting is highly idealised but that does not take anything away from the raw emotions experienced by the main protagonists.
The present time of the story is 1968, in which we get introduced to the main characters but it is the time ‘Before’, starting in 1955 that makes sense of the present. Simultaneously, there is also a trial going on, of which we get snippets of action without really understanding what it relates to and where it is heading until the very end of the book. Only then everything falls into place. The story is populated with likeable characters and fluently narrated – all in all a good read.

I am grateful to NetGalley and John Murray Publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was sent a copy of Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall to read and review by NetGalley. I absolutely loved this book! Not only is it a love story between people it is also a love story to the land and nature. I found all the characters to be believable and even though the passages regarding life on the farm were perhaps romanticized I still felt that this was a reasonable take on how people with generations of family farming the same piece of land may feel. This novel slowly unfolds between two timelines and the author gives the reader enough space to really connect and empathise with everything that occurs. I will certainly be searching out more of her work in the future. Well worth the maximum 5 stars and more.

Utter perfection from start to finish, I want to go back to the start and read it all again, its that good. This novel had me spellbound from the opening pages, thank goodness I wasn't working when I read it, I'd have been sneaking off to the toilets to read another chapter.

Beth and Gabriel are a thing, Gabe heads off to Uni, breaks Beths heart and local farmers son Frank picks up the pieces. Thirteen years later Gabes back, recently divorced with his son in tow.

You've read it all before and you know how this is going to go, believe me you don't. Broken Country has so much more, richly defined characters, a small community, wonderful landscape, a perfect sense of time and a knockout storyline, if you dismiss this as just another love story you really are doing yourself a disservice.

Broken Country moves seamlessly between 1955 and 1968, its characters perfectly laid out, their flaws, insecurities and dreams laid bare for the reader to indulge in. This novel is going to be huge, my first read of 2025 and I loved it.

Clare Leslie Hall delivers a gripping and emotionally charged tale in Broken Country, a novel that masterfully blends the intensity of a thriller with the yearning of a sweeping love story. Set across two pivotal timelines—the “Before” of 1955 and the “Present” of 1968—the narrative explores the haunting legacy of first love, the fragility of relationships, and the secrets that can either bind or unravel lives.

The story begins with a seemingly mundane event: Beth’s brother-in-law shoots a dog threatening their sheep. What appears to be a simple act of protection quickly spirals into something far more profound when the dog is revealed to belong to Gabriel Wolfe, Beth’s first love, and the man who shattered her heart years ago. Gabriel’s return to the village with his son Leo brings Beth face-to-face with the ghosts of her past, as well as echoes of her own grief over her late son Bobby.

Beth’s life with her husband Frank, a kind and gentle man, seems stable on the surface, but their marriage is built on unspoken truths and a shared hope that the past remains buried. As Gabriel and Leo re-enter her world, tensions within the village rise, jealousy flares, and long-buried secrets begin to surface. The novel crescendos towards a devastating climax, as Beth is forced to confront the woman she was, the life she chose, and the life she still yearns for.

Hall’s storytelling is both seamless and evocative. The dual timelines are flawlessly interwoven, with each chapter adding layers of depth to the characters and their motivations. The short, tightly written chapters drive the pace forward, making it nearly impossible to put the book down. The trial, which looms in the background for much of the story, is revealed with precision, tying the narrative together in a way that leaves no loose ends.

The characters are richly drawn, their emotions and conflicts rendered with an authenticity that makes them feel like people you’ve known. Beth is a particularly compelling protagonist, torn between love and duty, grief and hope. Gabriel and Frank are equally complex, and even the supporting cast adds texture to this vivid, atmospheric world.

Broken Country is a stunning exploration of simmering passion, impossible choices, and the explosive consequences of buried truths. Clare Leslie Hall captures the universal struggle between holding onto the past and moving forward, crafting a story that lingers in your mind long after the final page. A must-read for fans of emotionally resonant fiction with thrilling twists.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

I found this to not be what I expected. But I did in the end enjoy this book.
While it was slow starting. By a third of the way in, I started to become investing in the characters story. Figuring out what happened and why.
By the end I felt for them all. They all went through so much, in different ways.

This is a cross genre book that is both a mystery thriller and a romance. It is a tale with several narrative lines that intertwine with devastating consequences. I found it difficult at first in keeping track of the timeline but when it all starts to make sense it is worth the initial struggles. I think the author has created a very evocative setting and a good cast of characters. Some of the individual scenes were brilliantly created. I would definitely read more from this author

A love story that will make you wonder the true love you gave up years ago or the one you are with now is a better choice. It’s a thriller and romance between our choices. Really enjoyed this story.

I started to read this book a few weeks ago but stopped as I'd lost my reading mojo. After reading a couple of other books, I came back To Broken Country and I'm so glad I did this. I came at it with new appreciative eyes. What a book! I've loved Clare's previous novels but this went to a whole new level. Although it's predominately set in the 1960s, it felt as though it could have been set in any period - it's such a timeless story. The plot is gradually revealed and done in a way that you're never quite sure what's fully going on, which I found intriguing and kept me guessing. Clare Leslie Hall writes about the relationships in a beautiful and nuanced way - from tender first love to the all-encompassing love of a mother. It's a love story, a bit of crime, and elements of a saga all rolled into one. It's simply wonderful and a must-read for 2025.

I really enjoyed this book. We know from the start that someone is on trial for murder but we don't know who. Beth is married to Frank but they are both grieving the loss of their young son. Beth has never forgotten her first love, Gabriel, who broke her heart when she was 17. Now he has moved back to the village with his own young son. Can they be friends after everything they went through? This is a great read that will keep you enthralled right to the end. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

WOW!

Some books you start and they grab you immediately, you are immersed in the story instantly, its not hardwork to retain the characters, its not a struggle to stay focused...its just a joy! This is one of those books. I have been finding it hard to get into a book for awhile and even took a break. This was the perfect book to recapture my love of reading. I devoured it. I really don't want to talk about the story, the synopsis just doesn't do it justice. This story is all about the feels...I experienced every emotion while reading this...longing, sadness, heartbreak, joy, frustration, anger; it ticked every box for me. Just trust me on this, if you loved Where the Crawdads Sing and Paper Palace I am pretty sure this will be a hit for you too. I can't wait for my girlfriends to read it so we can discuss it in detail ... just have a big box of tissues ready before you start. Enjoy!!!

Thank you for allowing me to review this book. I found it a very emotional read. Such a beautiful story of a story of love, deceit, family life in a sheltered community set in 1968 and earlier. There were high points and very low points. It is extremely well written and easy to understand the characters and their emotions at the time. I highly recommend this book and completely agree with the reviewer who likened it to 'Where the Crawdads Sing'
A memorable book.

The writing style is this novel’s salvation.

Beth lives in a village in rural Dorset. Close to the village is a manor house called Meadowlands. Gabriel returns during the summer from boarding school and he and Beth meet when he finds her at the lake on his property. They fall instantly in love – sharing an interest in classic books. At the end of summer Gabriel leaves for Oxford and Beth decides to see if she can also be accepted. She goes for an interview and to see Gabriel. Beth is accepted for a place. Unfortunately, as she’s leaving to return home, she sees Gabriel with another girl and misreads the situation.

Frank has been in love with Beth since he first saw her at school. He comes from a working farming family. A family who truly live to work the land with cattle and sheep. Beth does love Frank. She finds stability that being a farmer’s wife brings. They have a son who unfortunately dies. Leaving them both heartbroken.

Gabriel returns, with his son, Leo. He has found fame as an author. Beth realises that she’s still loves him as much as she did when she was a teenager.

Clare Leslie Hall is a brilliant author. Her ability with words draws the perfect picture of the characters and the landscape. The characters jump off the page and feel as though you’re watching a movie rather than reading. The same with the landscape; the farm is real, the amount of work Beth, her husband Frank and brother-in-law, Jimmy made me feel like I was walking beside them and feeling that wonderful exhaustion that farming brings at the end of each day.

I felt restless and grumpy when I reach the end. I found the plot to be the standard format for novels featuring a love interest. Female in love with two males. Unforeseen deaths. And then finally, realisation and awakening to the truth. What made me persist and not give up was the author’s brilliant use of words.

Rony

Elite Reviewing Group received a copy from NetGalley to review.

Oh goodness me, what an emotional ride this was! The dual timeline works well in this powerful read of young love, set in a different time, loss and family. The characterisation is just beautiful and believable, especially Beth and Frank, with every page filled with emotion. A beautifully written love story which I can highly recommend. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Broken Country is an intricately woven story about first love, family and the choices we make in life.

It’s a story that will pull you in and have you in a vice like grip until that very last word.

Highly recommend.

I’m not always one for fiction that isn’t SFF, but when j read the blurb for this book I was immediately captivated. I had to wait until I felt like I was in an emotionally stable enough place to pick up this book… and even then? I am utterly heartbroken.

This book is filled with twists and turns and emotionally charged language, descriptions, dialogue, and characters. It is… for lack of a better word, spellbinding. I was invested pretty early on (not immediately, but within the first 5-10% of the book: beautifully written prose, and enlightening going on to keep me hooked. I read this book in two sittings, stopping only to carry out the daily necessities of life.

One thing that doesn’t work in its favour (for me) is the time hopping. It’s not something I can always follow, and I find it a little jarring trying to remember what date applies to which moment. Overall, however, I did follow this story and I enjoyed it. I can see why the time hopping happens. It’s just not completely for me.

There are a few warnings that should come with this book, which I wasn’t aware of before requesting it from NetGalley. Had I been aware, I might have been less tempted. But I’m so very, very glad I picked up this book. Absolute must read for 2025 if you want your heart shredded in the most beautiful way.

Gabriel is Beth’s first love, in some ways perhaps a forbidden love as they come from such different backgrounds.
Beth meets Gabriel in the grounds of Meadowlands, a large Manor House at the edge of the village. Gabriel, the only son, has had a privileged background and has been away at school so not mixed with other young people in the village.
The two teenagers spend the hot Summer together, locked in their own world and experience a deeply romantic and intense love. To Beth, who wants to study English Literature and Gabriel, an aspiring writer this is a time they will never forget.
At the end of the Summer Gabriel goes up to Oxford and Beth resumes her A level studies with the dream of joining him there the following year. However, when Beth spends a few days for her interview at Oxford she sees that Gabriel has a whole new circle of friends and part of that group is Louisa, the daughter of friends of Gabriel’s parents. Beth and Gabriel part on bad terms and broken hearted she returns home convinced that the romance has ended.
Frank, the local farmer’s son, has worshipped Beth from afar, to him she is his one true love. Seeing Beth so unhappy Frank asks her out and as Beth gets to know him better she realises that Frank’s love for her steadfast and loyal.
A decade later, Beth and Frank have experienced a deep loss in their marriage that both are finding it difficult to come to terms with even though they mean everything to each other. When Gabriel and his son Leo return to Meadowlands, past feelings are reignited and Beth finds herself torn between the two men, Frank and Gabriel.
Such a situation can only possibly lead to disaster and this love story pulled me in to Beth’s turmoil. Is it possible to love two men and how is she going to choose between them? This story had me hooked and with such descriptive writing I felt I was there with all the characters in this explosive and surprising finale. One of my favourite and unforgettable books of the year.

Broken Country is a thrilling love story with a crime. Set in the English countryside of the 1960s (with a second timeline taking place several years before), protagonist Beth is shaken to the core when an old flame returns.

The novel is beautifully told, with gorgeous imagery and heart-stopping cliffhangers. I felt totally immersed in Beth's story and found myself turning the pages quickly (and staying up through the early morning hours to finish).

It's a fantastic novel, with lots of discussion points for book groups in particular. I can tell it's going to be very big come 2025.

Thank you for the advance copy. I devoured it and was left truly and beautifully broken by it.

I’ve been hearing so much about this book already and I was so excited to receive a copy. Put simply, this is a beautifully written and heartrending book about a woman who falls in love with two different men. The book is set in a small rural Dorset village and alternates between 1955 and 1968 - with a few scenes of a court room interspersed which hints at impending tragedy.

We first meet Beth, married to her husband Frank, living a content life as a farmer’s wife. We then flash back to when Beth was eighteen and started a passionate relationship with Gabriel, the son of local gentry who lives in the manor house next door. Beth and Gabriel seem like a meeting of minds and destined to be together. However, when life and miscommunication tore them apart, Beth picked up the pieces of her fragile heart, changed her ambitions and built a very happy life and marriage with Frank on his farm. That is until, years later, Gabriel returns to the village with his son and forces each character to confront the emotions of their past and sets off a tragic chain of events.

This is such a moving and emotive book. What sounds like a very simple love-triangle plot conceals a multitude of layers. The characters are vividly realised and the reader feels for each and every one individually. The author does a really good job in not apportioning moral blame to any of the characters, so the events of the book almost unfold like a Greek tragedy. Fate brings the characters together and then tears them apart. The depictions of rural life were a wonderful backdrop to the unfolding relationship dynamics and felt entirely authentic. This is a book about love and loss, grief and life, breaking and healing. It’s sweeping, romantic and has all the hallmarks of a modern classic. The characters will stay with you for a long time after you close the book and I predict it's going to make a lot of people weep!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of the manuscript in exchange for an honest review.

When teenagers Beth and Gabriel fall passionately in love, their future together seems assured, despite his wealthy background and the differences in their lifestyles. When Gabe goes to Oxford University, however, things fall apart, and Beth rebuilds her shattered life, becoming a farmer’s wife and finding happiness in a happy marriage and a young son. Her contentment is destined not to last, though, and when Gabe returns after many years, their old feelings resurface, and the legacy of secrets and deception soon leads towards tragedy. A gripping and emotional read, the characters are vivid and relateable and the setting evocative. Sadness and joy both fill the narrative, and story is very nuanced- there are no heroes or villains here, just very human people who sometimes make bad choices which will result in trauma that they never dreamed of. A beautiful book.