Book Review: "Broken Country" by Clare Leslie Hall

Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall, drops readers into a haunting corner of the English countryside, where love, loss, and long-buried secrets stir beneath the surface of a quiet village life. When Gabriel Wolfe—Beth’s first love—returns with his young son, the past erupts into the present, unsettling not just Beth’s seemingly stable marriage but the community around her.

As the emotional stakes rise, a tragic death forces Beth to reckon with memory, grief, and the echoes of decisions made decades ago. Clare Leslie Hall’s debut simmers with atmosphere, exploring how one woman’s heartache reverberates through marriage, motherhood, and everything she once believed was settled.

My Review

I rated Broken Country 4 out of 5 stars for its lyrical writing and emotionally layered characters. Clare Leslie Hall crafts a quiet, intimate story that reveals just how powerfully the past can shape—and shatter—the present.

🎨 My Scrapbook Spread

For this layout, I drew inspiration from the English countryside—moody skies, weathered homes, and winding paths. I used layered ephemera to highlight specific images and sections that stood out to me during the novel. I have an image of Gabriel's son and the image of the daughter that Beth and Frank have later in the book. I have an image of the tree that caused the death of Beth's first child.The color palette leans into deep greens, washed-out browns, and soft blues—colors that felt rooted and aching, much like the story itself.

🎥 Watch the Review

Step into this emotionally complex story with me in the full video review! I’ll take you through the novel’s key themes, my reading experience, and a look at the scrapbook layout that captures Beth’s internal journey.📺Visit YouTube Link here.