A really fantastic first novel. A great insight into some of the struggles of farming. A great collection of characters and I loved the way she brought the world's of sheep farming and horse racing together. The awakening of the main characters was brilliant too. Can't wait to see what her second novel brings.

I really enjoyed this book, I thought Alex and all the characters she met via the farm were really likeable and there was a nice pace to the story. There was a good amount of variety, from the syndicate formation and thawing relationship with Dickon to finding out about William and her mother, not to mention magic Mandy and learning to farm... it was easy to read and I found myself wanting to find out more, even now I've finished the book I'm wondering how she got on!

A book you’d definitely expect to be written by Clare Balding- full of horses, dogs, sheep, farming, racing and same sex relationships. It felt a bit clunky in places and the whole magic Mandy story was shoehorned in I suppose to prove a point and add romance. Other parts of the story were about a failing farm , a secret love child (easily spotted at the start) a father recovering from a stroke and a difficult mother with secrets to hide.

I enjoyed the opportunity to read it however I’m not sure it was for me, very predictable, however a sweet story with a lovely ending

Thank you to Netgalley the author and publishers for an arc in exchange for an honest review

A beautiful,feel good, debut novel!

The author has ensured the reader is engaged in the narrative, from the very first page.
We follow Alex on a funny, heartwarming, emotive journey from jet-setting around the world, writing articles for a gossip magazine, to being left a run-down farm, in a will of someone she didn't even know!
She knows nothing about farming but finds herself, before too long, being drawn to North Wales.

I would not normally read this genre but I was intrigued due to the author, & she didn't disappoint....I loved it & couldn't put it down! I look forward to owning a physical copy & hope it becomes part of a series.
Thank you to Net Galley for my ARC in return for an honest review.

I have always love Claire Balding. Her no nonsense commentary on sports a joy to listen to. Not a barbie doll who looks gd reading from an autocue but a real woman who loves sport.

I didn't know that she also wrote books. I do now. She writes good books that are as marvellous as her commentaries.

I will be packing this up to post to all my like minded friends.

Read and enjoy.

When you see a book written by a well known celebrity, I am always unsure if it will be any good or not, but I have liked Clare Balding a lot over the years and knew it would be about animals too so just could not resist and I was pleasantly surprised. It was brilliant. Not being funny but Clare really knows her stuff, Alex has been inherited a farm in Wales but she does not really know why her. So she goes there to find out more and the reality of it all shocks her, the place is a mess and needs a lot of money poured into, and bills need paying asap. There is always a nasty person that will try and do something unkind and Clare has got this character Layton to a T. It was brimming full of warmth and comfort and the gorgeous animals made it feel so homely. I cannot wait to see what Clare writes about next, because this one was a stunner. I would highly recommend.

Wow. I loved this . I like Clare Balding and I love this fiction book she has written.. You have an inheritance that does not make sense, horse racing, lambing , love , a lovely Welsh setting. A moving story at times . I love the friendship of the horse and the lamb. The ending was not as neat as I would have liked. That is just how I feel . One of my books 2025. Would highly recommend it.

An enjoyable read that gives an insight into the sheep farming and horse racing worlds. When Alex unexpectedly inherits a Welsh sheep farm she moves there from her lost job as a writer on celebrity gossip. The story highlights Alex's love of and affinity with animals. Her best friend gay Ethan is a great support to her as she discovers her own sexuality.

Alex's life isn't going too well - at thirty-nine, she's just lost her job (as a journalist writing about celebrity gossip), and her dad has had a stroke. Then she gets a solicitor's letter which she assumes is a joke - though it would be a weird one - saying a complete stranger has left her a farm in his will. Of course, it's not a joke and Alex is soon heading off to Wales, where the late William Griffiths' farm - complete with live in housekeeper and grumpy Welsh terrier - is definitely in need of more than a little
TLC.

It's a mystery as to why a man she's never met has left her his farm (except it isn't, it's blindingly obvious from early on).

The writing is on the clunky side at times, and could definitely do with more editing. ("Alex knew well enough than to stand there waiting for a reply." "Daytime TV was a bottomless pit down which she did not want to fall into." 😬) I didn't notice it so much as the story went on, so it either improved or I just got accustomed to it.

I liked the horse racing stuff, and Clare Balding as a former jockey is on solid ground here. I was less engaged with "Magic Mandy", and the romance side-plot - it's not really a plot, as nothing much really happens - didn't add a lot.

There's a bad guy (an ex-footballer with more money than manners), a Gay Best Friend, and some fun side characters (are country folk really still called Dickon these days?).

An enjoyable read, if not massively original - though as I said, could do with more editing in places.

Thanks for the opportunity to read and review!

I hope this is a start of a series of books as I really want to know how Alex, Dickon and the Starling Syndicate continue to develop. It was a lovely read and I feel like each of the characters could have an interesting backstory. I would recommend Pastures New by Clare Balding.

A pleasant meandering story. Gentle and easy to read. Set on a farm in Monmouthshire with descriptions of the countryside and its inhabitants. Perfect read for a Sunday afternoon.

Alex writes for an online magazine called Rizz but she makes a mistake and loses her job. She then gets a letter from solicitors saying she inherited a rundown farm in Monmouthshire and doesn't know why. She can't sell the farm for 5 years so needs to find the money to pay for everything