What do Big Little Lies, Where the Crawdads Sing and Daisy Jones & The Six all have in common? They were all adapted for screen by Reese Witherspoon’s production company, Hello Sunshine – and they have all been previous picks in Reese Witherspoon’s book club.
While Oprah may have started the trend, a book club is the new celebrity status symbol. From Dua Lipa and Kaia Gerber to Fearne Cotton, you’re spoilt for choice – but the most popular of all is Witherspoon’s.
The Legally Blonde actor debuted her book club in 2017, growing a following of 2.5 million loyal subscribers of Reese’s Book Club and 2.9 million on Instagram. From thrillers, romances and beach reads to historical fiction and more, there’s a tome for every taste.
There’s no particular formula to choosing the books – the only criterion is that a woman must be at the centre of the story.
As for March 2025, The Reese Book Club’s pick of the month is Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall. A love story that reads like a thriller, it’s the perfect gripping read to spark conversation. Here’s everything you need to know.
‘Broken Country’ by Clare Leslie Hall, published by John Murray: £13.99, Amazon.co.uk
A story of second chances and first loves, Broken Country is perfect for fans of The Notebook.
Beth is happily married to her gentle and kind husband, Frank, but the stability in the relationship rests on never talking about the past. Some years before, 17-year-old Beth had a heady summer romance with Gabriel. She was left heartbroken when he left town, and Frank was left to pick up the pieces.
Now, 10 years later, Gabriel is back and the careful life Beth has built for herself threatens to come crumbling down. As she is pulled back into Gabriel’s life, the past and present collide, tensions around the village rise and dangerous secrets come to light. At 320 pages, it’s a slim tome to dive into over a lazy weekend.
“Broken Country is a gripping mix of thrilling murder mystery, and a once-in-a-lifetime chance to relive your truest love story all over again… plus, that ending?! I did not see it coming,” Witherspoon said.
Find more reading inspiration in our round-up of the best new books, from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie to Anne Tyler
