Broken Country: AMAZON'S BOOK OF THE YEAR - THE MILLION-COPY BESTSELLER
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By Clare Leslie Hall
avg rating
1 review
*****AMAZON’S BOOK OF THE YEAR*****
INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
REESE WITHERSPOON’S BOOK CLUB PICK
FEARNE COTTON’S HAPPY PLACE BOOK CLUB PICK
‘An unforgettable story of love, loss, and the choices that shape our lives . . . but it’s also a masterfully crafted mystery that will keep you guessing until the very last page. Seriously, that ending?! I did not see it coming’
REESE WITHERSPOON
‘This story of a love affair is so addictive it could be at home with the thrillers . . . A simmering book of secrets, scandal and devastating consequences’ The i
‘Excellent . . . a vivid, forceful love story which plays out at the pace of a thriller’ Irish Times
‘In this surprising romantic novel, there are decisions to be made that are heartbreaking and real, yet amid the gentle pastoral setting . . . it has all the pace of a literary thriller. A dazzling debut’ Woman and Home
‘Beautiful . . . So moving on the subject of how a tiny decision can have cataclysmic consequences’ Good Housekeeping
‘Wistful love meets murder . . . a tear-jerker’ Grazia
Everyone in the village said nothing good would come of Gabriel’s return. And as Beth looks at the man she loves on trial for murder, she can’t help thinking they were right.
Beth was seventeen when she first met Gabriel. Over that heady, intense summer, he made her think and feel and see differently. She thought it was the start of her great love story. When Gabriel left to become the person his mother expected him to be, she was broken.
It was Frank who picked up the pieces and together they built a home very different from the one she’d imagined with Gabriel. Watching her husband and son, she remembered feeling so sure that, after everything, this was the life she was supposed to be leading.
But when Gabriel comes back, all Beth’s certainty about who she is and what she wants crumbles. Even after ten years, their connection is instant. She knows it’s wrong and she knows people could get hurt. But how can she resist a second chance at first love?
A love story with the pulse of a thriller, Broken Country is a heart-pounding novel of impossible choices and devastating consequences.
‘Lyrical, brutal and passionate. I devoured it’
MIRANDA COWLEY HELLER, author of The Paper Palace
‘Evocative, sensitive and compelling . . . Fires directly at the heart and hits the mark’
DELIA OWENS, author of Where the Crawdads Sing
‘Broke my heart then mended it again. An epic, tortured love story. Bring tissues’
JENNIE GODFREY, author of The List of Suspicious Things
‘I stayed up until 4am to finish it, something I haven’t done in years. It’s a page-turner, but also beautifully written’
FLORENCE KNAPP, author of The Names
‘A love story like no other’
CHRIS WHITAKER, author of All the Colours of the Dark
READERS LOVE BROKEN COUNTRY ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘This book is everything. Love, heartbreak and hope’
‘Will break you into pieces and then put you back together again’
‘I was absolutely gripped and didn’t want it to end’
‘If I could give more than five stars, I would. Perfect’
Reviews
Carrie
I just finished Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall, and it was excellent. The author did a brilliant job of holding my attention, and I was guessing what would happen next. The final twist was unexpected and elevated the whole story. I rate it 5 out of 10.
Eve
This was a shortish book, quite easy to read. It is certainly a love story but containing a good deal of sadness. Personally I did not find the characters particularly likeable. They all felt themselves entitled to have their own way
Although the story was set in rural Dorset- it had many American ideas. I did agree with the lady who objected to 9 year old children learning to use guns, and I did not like the way that the young boys were treated and always given their own way
Despite this, I was eager to see how the story would end and quite enjoyed the book. I would give it a score of 6.
Helen
I really enjoyed this book. At first, I thought that the jumping forward and back in time would be annoying, but it quickly became apparent that this was a good way to keep my interest. I knew something awful had happened but I had to be patient to find out what this was and who was involved. I thought the story was well told, and I could picture the farm, and life on it clearly (although I don’t think setting this in the particular era added anything!). I’m sorry a dog got killed so dramatically, and Hugo the pup seemed to vanish without grace, but overall I liked the fact that the ending was not a neat fairy tale, it was a little grittier. I was left thinking that this story told how life and love can be very complicated, and that everyone needs a Frank! 9/10
Carolyn
I felt a bit indifferent towards this book, neither loving or hating it. It was easy to read though so I did finish it.I did want to find out who shot Jimmy and didn't know until the end. I found most of the characters apart from Frank quite unlovable and the end was a bit too perfect.
Score 5
Chris
I really enjoyed Broken Country (not sure about the title though). It was an easy read and the storyline kept me interested throughout. I liked the use of different time lines and the characters were well developed. Plenty of twists although the final one was a little bit far fetched. I will give it 8
Kirsty
This is the first book I have read from this author but I am looking forward to reading more of her books. I really enjoyed reading this and read it over a few days. It was an intriguing storyline and although I was not a fan of many of the characters Clare does a brilliant job of bringing them all too life. It is definitely a thought provoking and interesting story. I did find the love triangle and home life very similar to Nicholas Sparks book 'P.S I Love You' with a "poor" man falling in love with a rich woman and the parents getting rid of him as they didn't approve but with it being the woman that wasn't suitable in this case. I loved the way that the case was written throughout as it kept me trying to work out who had been murdered and who was on trial which isn't actually revealed until the end. I definitely did not consider the twist that actually happened which I was shocked by!! I say twist but there were actually several and each of them surprised me!! I am looking forward to seeing when the movie comes out as it will be interesting to see if they will do the book justice. Overall I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to reading more of her work!! I would give it a 10/10
Sonia
When I first started reading this book my heart sank at the constant back and forth in time zones which seems to be obligatory lately! However once I got past that I found it a really interesting and well written story which kept my attention through to the end. All the various twists were believable and although not a fairy tale ending in the usual sense I though it a beautifully written love story which fortunately avoided sentimentality. A good read and I would give it a 7 out of 10.
Average score : 7 out of 10
