An “evocative, sensitive, and compelling novel” (Delia Owens, New York Times bestselling author of Where the Crawdads Sing) that explores the deadly consequences of a love triangle in an English farming village as dangerous secrets from the past resurface—perfect for fans of The Paper Palace and Where the Crawdads Sing.

“The farmer is dead. He is dead and all anyone wants to know is who killed him.”

When her 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 all those years ago. Gabriel has returned to the village with his young son Leo, a boy who reminds Beth very much of her own son Bobby, who died a few years earlier.

As Beth is pulled back into Gabriel and Leo’s lives, tensions around the village rise, and jealousy rears its ugly head. Beth and her gentle and kind husband Frank are happily married, but they have their fair share of secrets, and their relationship relies on the past staying buried. And when the truth begins to come out, events spiral out of control, 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, sexy 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 no idea what to expect going into this one, and I ended up really loving it. This novel is a beautifully written, deeply atmospheric exploration of love, loss, and the ripple effects of our past choices. Framed with the suspenseful structure of a mystery that unfolds across three interwoven timelines, this is a story about longing, healing, and the lengths to which people will go for those they love.

The premise seems pretty simple: When the book begins, we know that a farmer has been killed and someone is on trial for his murder, but we don’t know who died or who pulled the trigger. We then move fluidly between “Before,” where we witness the emerging love between Beth and Gabriel; the “Recent Past,” in which Gabriel re-enters Beth’s life, reigniting emotions she thought she had buried; and the “Present,” which unfolds during the final days of a murder trial.

At first glance, it might seem as though the novel is leading us toward a whodunit, and in a way, it is, but the real mystery isn’t just about the crime; it’s about Beth herself: how she arrived at this moment, how the choices of her past shaped the life she has now, and what kind of future remains possible for her. Each timeline enriches the others, layering the story with nuance and suspense while never losing sight of the novel’s emotional core.

What really makes the novel shine are the wonderful characters. Beth is a deeply compelling protagonist torn between the life she has built and the ghosts of her past. Her marriage to Frank is loving yet tinged with unspoken grief and buried secrets. Gabriel, the enigmatic first love who returns to disrupt Beth’s carefully constructed world, is equally well-drawn, carrying his own scars and regrets. And then there’s Leo, Gabriel’s son, whose presence evokes painful memories of Beth’s own lost child, Bobby.

I also appreciated how the author constructed a compelling story with rich characters in barely over 300 pages. Hall never over-explains or indulges in unnecessary drama. Instead, she lets the emotions simmer just beneath the surface, allowing us to feel the tension without being told exactly what to think. There are no throwaway scenes or filler moments here; every interaction adds weight to the story. The dynamics between the characters, the undercurrents of resentment, and the small-town claustrophobia all contribute to a sense of inevitable collision. It’s very difficult to keep a secret in a small town, and Beth knows this – and she should know better before doing what she does. But then, where is the fun in that?

The romance between Beth and Gabriel is passionate, but it’s not idealized. There is no simple, neatly wrapped resolution. Instead, Hall explores what it means to love someone in the face of life’s messiness. Beth’s relationship with Frank is just as moving in its own right. Their marriage is built on kindness and mutual understanding, but it’s also a partnership shaped by shared grief.

It’s rare to find a book that balances literary beauty with narrative urgency so effortlessly, but I found that this book does exactly that. There isn’t a wasted scene, a wasted word, or a wasted emotion in these pages. I finished this book several days ago, but the characters and their choices still haunt me. Of the 2025 book releases that I’ve read so far, this is the first true five-star read. If you’re looking for a story filled with amazing characters and raw emotion and a story that will make you think and feel, this one is not to be missed.

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