March BFBC - Broken Country

Thank you again to @clarelesliehall @simonandschuster for meeting with @bookfriendsbookclub yesterday afternoon. Clare was so gracious with her time, especially considering the time difference!

One of the best parts of our zooms is the author—unlike on book tours—can speak freely because we have already read and discussed the book prior. We had so many questions—where the idea came from, research, writing style, scenes, character development and so on. We walked away with so much, but for me, I was struck by how important emotions are for the author’s writing. Emotions guide her the whole way. There’s no story—just words—if you don’t have emotions. This shined through to our group because this book made us feel so much! It’s the driving force in the incredible character growth of this story. I beg you to not get caught up that this one has a love triangle or has adultery in it because at it’s core this is a story of redemption. None of us are perfect and forgiveness and growth in life is truly a reality for so many. Reading can give you a personal connection to a story or a glimpse of a world to keep your mind and heart open to situations you’ve have never encountered.

This one is kind of hard to review without giving too much away. It’s told in Four Parts with a then and now. It has one of the most intriguing prologues especially the first line:

“The Farmer is dead, he is dead and all anyone wants to know is who killed him.”

I would describe this book as:

First-Love // Where split decisions take us // Nostalgia // Secrets // Tragedy // Grief // Fate // Class division // Farm Life // Dreams // Longing // Regret // An Undeniable Connection // Twists & Turns // Unforgettable // Beautifully Written // Wonderful Characters

Thank you to @simonbooks for the ARC + @simon.audio for the listening copy. I had to add the @barnesandnoble edition to my shelf too. It was fun to ask the author about the covers, font choices, and selections for @reesesbookclub @bookofthemonth + the hope for the screenplay!

Book Summary ➡️