Alex has been left a farm in Wales by someone called William Griffiths. She doesn’t know who he is but it seems as though her mother could solve the problem, if only she could get her straight laced mother to talk. Unfortunately, her dad has been ill and is unable to speak well enough to talk. There are a number of likeable secondary characters. Although it was an enjoyable read I just found the plot a bit predictable. There was no surprise or twist for me. As I used to live near the area in Wales it was nice to hear some of the names of the places I’d been to. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is the perfect autumnal read as we are going into that cosy time of year where we can snuggle up under a blanket with a book to read. It’s heartwarming and if you love reading a book with animals in this is the one for you.

An easy autumnal read that brims with friendship, community and family. A perfect afternoon read that will leave you with a feel good factor,

A wonderful debut novel by Clare Balding. Alex, the main character was extremely likeable as were the supporting characters especially the animals. The story of a city worker inheriting a Welsh farm was made realistic by the author’s deep understanding of the worlds of farming and journalism and the challenges facing both. I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend this book.

Sadly, this book didn't quite have the sparkle for me to give it five starts. It was an OK book, but didn't have me rushing to finish it.

A very entertaining novel by Claire Balding who obviously knows her way around horses, animals and farming.
What initially starts as a description of Alex and her job as a journalist realising she had morals and was writing for the wrong magazine, turns into a tale of friendship, team work, honesty and hard work.
My only comment would be like a horse race, the book cantered along at an even pace but galloped too fast at the end.
I would be interested to read a sequel, to see how life has progressed for the very likeable characters.

I really enjoyed this debut! It’s full of charm, warmth , heart, it’s witty and beautifully descriptive. A story about new beginnings, resilience, community and the surprises of rural life.
Alex loses her job as a journalist and unexpectedly inherits a sheep farm in Wales. I loved Alex’s character and following her journey of self discovery as her life takes a different path.
With well written lovable characters and gorgeous setting and not forgetting about the dog and animal characters that just add to the story. What’s not to like…
Such an enjoyable read. I look forward to reading more from @clarebalding maybe a sequel or series?
Definitely recommend this book if you enjoy this genre. It well worth the read.
With thanks #NetGallery #HarperCollinsUk @harperfiction for an arc of #PasturesNew in exchange for a honest review.
Book publishes 11 September 2025

Alex’s world is turned upside down when she receives a letter saying she’s inherited a crumbling sheep farm in wildest, wettest Wales. Now, her closest companion is a grumpy Welsh terrier, she’s speed-reading The Idiot’s Guide to Farming, and her arrival has set the village gossip mill spinning. With the farm near collapse and its community now relying on her, Alex sets out to uncover the truth behind her mysterious inheritance. Then she can finally get back to the carefree life she thought she wanted.
A well written interesting debut fiction novel, it’s entertaining, the characters are likeable & it’s well paced. I really liked Alex & enjoyed this easy to read entertaining book, which is ideal as a deck chair read or snuggling down with a hot drink on autumnal days. I hope there are more books featuring Alex, Coco
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

Alex has muddled along in life for nearly 40 years. It infuriates her Mother and is a bone of contention every time they meet. On her Christmas visit, two significant things happen. The first is that she inherits a farm in Wales and the second is that her father has a stroke.
At first she doesn't believe the inheritance and thinks her best friend has set it up, but it turns out to be true.
As her father recovers, she tries to get used to the idea of owning a farm.
Then something happens at work and this pushes her to go to the farm and start taking it seriously. She makes new friends and has new experiences. As time goes on she realises that she is now enjoying life.
Sadly there are huge bills to be paid including a massive tax bill. Pushed to her limit she actually confides in her Mother and is surprised with her Mother's reaction.
An interesting book.

Easy read, heart warming and comforting book.
Alex has been working for a magazine that publishes the dirt on ‘celebrities’, which goes down great with the public, not so much with famous people! She writes one particularly damning article, which her editor thinks is great and then she’s told her services are no longer required. As she was freelance, she’s doomed as a reporter now.
Suddenly, she inherits a farm in Monmouthshire and makes her way to Wales to look at it. It’s a far cry from the bustle of London, there’s not even WiFi! She has no idea who this William Griffiths is who left it to her, her family don’t know of him either. She immediately falls out with the grumpy neighbour. There’s so much to do, it’s a sheep farm, and she’s a vegetarian! What else could go wrong?
Her bestie, Ethan, thinks it has potential, but where is the money going to come from.
Secrets, self-realisation and yet such a gentle, easy read.
I loved it.

Congratulations! Your review for Pastures New, captioned below,
has been published. Visit
<https://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=92654> to view your
published review.

Pastures New is an apt title for this charming novel about accepting change and making a move from city life to rural living. We encounter Alex, a gossip columnist with a remit to interview celebrities and dish the dirt on them afterwards with her scathing comments.

About to hit forty, this dream job in her youth is beginning to pall somewhat. Getting fired because the magazine she worked for prefers using AI instead, Alex is presented with a golden opportunity to change track, to try something new, if only she could decide what it should be.

Then out of the blue she receives an unexpected, mysterious inheritance. A dilapidated sheep farm in deepest Wales is bequeathed to her with the proviso that she doesn’t sell it for at least five years.

Having nothing better to do, she travels to the farm and finds herself in a place that feels strangely familiar. Aided by housekeeper Gwen and a host of colourful characters, friends new and old, Alex decides to embrace the formidable difficulties of turning the farm into a viable business.

Along the way she meets several challenges and develops skills she never knew she had. She surprises herself by falling in love with the farm and its endearing animals, and yearns to keep it all. Alex’s new venture also presents her with an unsought opportunity for romance.

This is a cosy country life story threaded through with Clare Balding’s trademark wit, clear love for animals and the countryside they inhabit. The warm and humorous narrative has a degree of predictability but it doesn’t detract from it being a delightful debut novel and a rattling good read. Grateful thanks to the author, Harper Collins UK and NetGalley for the eARC.

Alex is a journalist living in London but is starting to doubt that her life is what she wants it to be. When she is left a sheep farm in the middle of rural Wales in the will of a man who she has no memory of, she is left in shock. Why would this stranger do this when she has no knowledge of how to run a farm? However, with the help of friends, both old and new, she starts to see it as a possible alternative future. But can she make it a success and can she ever get to the bottom of why she was given the farm in the first place?

I’ve always been a fan of Clare Balding but haven’t read any of her other writing so I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, especially as it’s her first foray into fiction, but I was pleasantly surprised. The characters are well written and loveable and I was really rooting for all of them at different points. My only criticism is that the changes in character perspective in the story were quite sudden at times and could be a bit jarring but that didn’t take too much away from my enjoyment. And I would love this to be a start of a series of books. I could even see there being prequels to tell the early story of characters like Gwen and Rhys, Alex’s helpful new Welsh friends.

I would definitely recommend this book and thank the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read it.

Alex has inherited a financially insecure sheep farm with rundown buildings and a yard full of old, rusty and broken machinery, miles away from home. The most bizarre aspect to this tale is that the farmer who bequeathed it to her is a stranger. Not only must Alex sell her own property to pay the numerous outstanding bills, under the terms of the will she is unable to sell the farm for five years.

This had the potential to be a wonderful tale of intrigue, resilience, friendship, community and the exhilaration of living in the glorious Welsh countryside, however I was very disappointed. The writing style is quite immature and nothing was a surprise. I had the plot worked out very early on and whilst this isn't meant to be a mystery I fail to understand why Alex isn't more persistent in her efforts to get her mother to explain who her mystery benefactor is.

Alex's confusion about her feelings towards Magic Mandy are too saccharine for me, I just wanted to give her a good shake and tell her to go for it! I did love Gwen though, a delightful, loyal and down to earth, altogether wonderful lady.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for my advanced reader copy in return for my honest and unbiased review

This book is warm, witty, and full of Welsh charm. Alex inherits a crumbling sheep farm and a stubborn terrier, and suddenly her jet-setting life turns into mud, mystery, and unexpected magic

A Welsh farm and its new owner. Alex is a reporter for a society magazine but is getting fed up with it. Then she unexpectedly inherits a farm! This is a story full of characters you grow to love (mostly), including the animals. Alex soon realises her farm and her new friends (especially one) have become very important to her but then her new life is threatened, not least by the expense of it all. What she needs is a new source of income. Will something turn up before she runs out of money?

What a glorious slice of country life! Heartwarming and knowledgeable this is wonderful comfort reading and escapism, together with a load of gorgeous dogs!
Alex is a journalist for Rizz magazine which is more online these days and means she needs to be across social media. It’s uncomfortable and not what Alex had wanted to do for a career, she is not enjoying her job, so when a work trip to Dubai takes a nasty turn, is she getting the break she needs?
Alex has always had an awkward relationship with her mother and yet to find her purpose in her life. A letter from Wales is hard for Alex to believe yet could this be the escape from her life in London which isn’t working?!
Full of sheep, lambs horses and dogs! Reflective of how hard country life can be.
This book is hugely enjoyable and entertaining. I loved all the wonderful characters involved both in London and Wales. Easy reading, very relatable and would highly recommend for a great read this autumn.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the early read this was lovely and brilliant.

A debut novel which I would describe as a feel good book written with a lot of insight. I always applaud authors who write on subjects they have knowledge of as they make for an accurate story. I feel that the finish of the book leaves the author room to write a follow on book. Recommended. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

An inspiring and heartwarming read! Clare Balding’s Pastures New is full of charm, wit, and wisdom. Her genuine love for animals and the countryside shines through every page, and her storytelling is both uplifting and engaging. A feel-good book that leaves you smiling – highly recommended!

Alex mis 40. Unmarried with no responsibilities and now no job.
She receives a letter stating she has inherited a farm in Wales but she has no idea why .
It is a crumbling farm and Alex has no idea of farming but is soon determined to try and save it. However secrets soon reveal themselves and she isn't sure she can do it or if she wants to.