"Broken Country" (Review)

For fans of Jane Austen's Persuasion or Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights, I recommend reading Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall. The novel begins with a death, and it follows a non-linear narrative as we unravel the events that lead up to this moment.

Beth and Gabriel fall in love, but their economic backgrounds keep them apart. Gabriel comes from a family with ambition and connections. Beth is, simply put, a country girl. Circumstances drive Beth and Gabriel apart. Fast-forward a few years, and Beth is now married to her farmer husband, Frank, and Gabriel is recently divorced and a father to a young boy named Leo.

Beth and Gabriel's paths cross, once again, after Beth's brother-in-law shoots Leo's dog, who was going after their sheep. This shooting sets in motion a series of harrowing events.

Broken Country is Reese Witherspoon's March 2025 Pick. I'm a fan of Reese's Book Club, and I have read several of her picks, including Such a Fun Age, Anita del Monte Laughs Last, Yellowface, The Firekeeper's Daughter, and Daisy Jones and the Six. Like many of Reese's Book Club picks, I found Broken Country fast-paced and entertaining. The novel was filled with twists and turns, a few that you might see coming, while others you may not. Beth, as a character, is flawed and complex. I found myself sympathizing while simultaneously disapproving of her decisions. Overall, I enjoyed the novel. I'm still trying to find the words to describe how I feel about the ending. Without saying too much, I will say this: I was not expecting a happy ending. Until then, read Broken Country and let me know what you think.