Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall

 Synopsis (via Goodreads): “The farmer is dead. He is dead, and all anyone wants to know is who killed him.”

Beth and her gentle, kind husband Frank are happily married, but their relationship relies on the past staying buried. But when Beth’s brother-in-law shoots a dog going after their sheep, Beth doesn’t realize that the gunshot will alter the course of their lives. For the dog belonged to none other than Gabriel Wolfe, the man Beth loved as a teenager—the man who broke her heart years ago. Gabriel has returned to the village with his young son Leo, a boy who reminds Beth very much of her own son, who died in a tragic accident.

As Beth is pulled back into Gabriel’s life, tensions around the village rise and dangerous secrets and jealousies from the past resurface, this time with deadly consequences. Beth is forced to make a choice between the woman she once was, and the woman she has become.

A sweeping love story with the pace and twists of a thriller, Broken Country is a novel of simmering passion, impossible choices, and explosive consequences that toggles between the past and present to explore the far-reaching legacy of first love.

I had a feeling Broken Country would break my heart, and it didn’t disappoint. I was worried about how the author would tell Beth’s story, especially with two men involved (a past love and a current one), but I thought it was wonderfully written and explained in a way I could absolutely believe and get on board with. Hall expertly navigates the gray area of Beth’s love for two men, creating compelling, flawed characters who are all too easy to relate to.

I really enjoyed the dual timelines—before, when Beth met and loved Gabriel, and the present, when she’s married to and loves Frank. A lot happens in Beth’s life, and I’m sure it would have broken a weaker person. She has been repeatedly knocked down by life, yet still manages to push forward. She hopes when most would have become hopeless. I loved her relationships with both men and could totally see why she felt the way she did. She admits to loving them both, and her loss of a child, along with her current circumstances, definitely played a large role in the decisions she made.

In addition to the dual timelines, we see Beth in a courtroom with an unknown person accused of murder. We don’t learn until much later who is sitting there, or which man Beth is talking about when she discusses the case and the events leading up to it. I thought this was really well done, and the author kept me on my toes throughout the entire story. The twists and turns were unexpected, yet felt inevitable. I could wholeheartedly believe in how things played out and even understand the things I didn’t like.

Beth, Frank, and Gabriel had to make impossible choices for the people they loved. The feelings of loss and love go hand in hand in this one, and it was almost impossible to separate one from the other. Gabriel and Beth felt as though they’d lost each other, Frank and Beth lost a child and it broke something in their marriage, Beth lost her dreams and new beginnings, but there was also joy and happiness. Beth found a new love in her child, on the farm, and even with Gabriel’s son. She loved Frank and the life they had built together. She loved her brother-in-law, Jimmy, who was there for her in a crisis. Some things were bittersweet, but I never stopped hoping all three of them would get a happy ending.

Broken Country will put your emotions through the ringer, but it’s a compelling story that I absolutely loved and would definitely read again. I can’t wait to see how I view things the second time around, knowing what I know now. (★★★★★)

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.