When I first picked up Broken Country, I was totally skeptical.
Yeah, it’s a Reese’s Book Club pick, and I love Reese, but between us? Her recent recommendations haven’t really been hitting the mark for me.
I was afraid this one would be slow or kind of boring based on the description. Boy, was I wrong! Like, dead wrong.
So, why was I convinced? Haley from The Literary Lifestyle convinced me to read it on my podcast, Shelf Made Stories.
Broken Country Book Summary (No Spoilers)
What grabbed me immediately was how the book uses a dual timeline structure. Instead of dragging along like some literary dramas can, the story bounces back and forth between timelines and connected stories. I couldn’t put it down from the first page to the very last page… or second, since I listened to the audiobook.
The story revolves around Beth, a woman married to her very kind husband, Frank. Then, a little boy named Leo comes crashing into her life. At the heart of everything is this messy, complicated relationship between Beth and Gabriel Wolfe (her first love and Leo’s dad).
Clare Leslie Hall creates this intense decades-long love triangle that spirals into murder – something none of them saw coming.
Broken Country gives us this unforgettable story of love that spans a whole lifetime. It really makes you think about connections throughout the years of our lives and those impossible choices we sometimes have to make.
Did I just make it sound boring? If so, remember there is a murder mystery and some courtroom drama too. If you liked Where the Crawdads Sing, you will like this book a lot!
Broken Country Character Development
Can we talk about the character development for a minute? It’s seriously so good. You’ll find yourself loving and hating these people throughout the book – sometimes at the exact same time!
The way Beth’s relationship with her brother-in-law unfolds adds even more layers to an already complicated situation.
The story digs into how one tragic accident in their younger years completely changed the course of their lives forever.
And then years later, when they all cross paths again? All these dangerous secrets start bubbling up with some truly deadly consequences.
Broken Country Book Review
Broken Country really drives home how the past staying buried is basically impossible, and what people will do to protect the ones they love. It’s heartbreaking in so many ways, but also beautiful in how it shows human resilience.
Those twists at the end? Absolutely heartbreaking but so satisfying from a storytelling perspective. I didn’t see them coming, and they made me rethink everything I’d read before.
If you’re into emotionally complex stories and characters with real moral gray areas, you’re going to love this book. It’s a love story wrapped in a mystery, with enough emotional depth to keep you thinking about it long after you finish.
Trust me – if you want a book that’ll stick with you long after you’ve read the very last page, pick up Broken Country. Just maybe have some tissues handy… I’m not saying I cried, but I’m not saying I didn’t either.
