I thought that my reading for 2025 was off to a great start, but after finishing Broken Country, I would have to say that it is off to an absolutely wonderful start!

Whenever I read a book that is as stunning as this one, I often feel as though my review can’t possibly do it justice and convey everything that it made me feel. I knew very early on that this book was going to be a 5-star read, and I wasn’t wrong.

Broken Country was beautiful, passionate, heartbreaking, and tragic. There was never a moment where I wasn’t completely immersed in the characters’ lives. You always know that a love triangle is going to be messy and rife with complications and emotions, but Beth, Gabriel, and Frank’s stories were shrouded in deception, secrets, and longing.

The novel was told from different points in time. This allowed the reader to see how Beth and Gabriel’s love story unfolded. We also get to see Beth’s life in 1968, in which she is happily married to her loving husband Frank, whose lives are filled with hard work and dedication to their family farm, but also the grief from the untimely loss of their dear son. We also know that someone is on trial for murder, however, the whole story needs to unfold before we get any answers about what had actually transpired that tragic evening.

When Gabriel returns to his family’s estate, it brings a rush of feelings back for Beth, and in turn, wreaks havoc on the lives of those she loves the most. I must admit that I felt every emotion right down to my core. This was a visceral, powerful story of family, love, and redemption.

Broken Country was a beautifully written novel that touched my heart immensely. It will definitely be gracing my list of favorite books of 2025. I am looking forward to reading more novels by this talented author.

*5 Stars