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Pastures New

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About this listen

 The perfect novel for anyone who has ever dreamt of a fresh start…

‘Funny, sensitive, and insightful – the perfect book to turn to at the end of a long day’ Bonnie Garmus

Alex has perfected the art of dodging responsibility during her almost 40 years – until an unexpected letter turns her life upside down.

She’s inherited a crumbling sheep farm in wildest, wettest Wales. This was not her life plan. Not at all.

Now, her closest companion is a stubborn 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, Alex sets out to uncover the truth behind her mysterious inheritance.

But as secrets surface, Alex finds her heart pulling her in a direction she never saw coming.

Will she pack her bags – or has she landed exactly where she’s meant to be?

The perfect feel-good read for Spring 2026, and a joyful celebration of new beginnings, community and rural life – buy your copy today!

Readers love Pastures New:

'Books like [this] have become my safe haven … like a long country walk with a bit of rain and a warm fireplace in the pub at the end'

©2025 Clare Balding (P)2025 HarperCollins Publishers Genre Fiction Small Town & Rural Women's Fiction World Literature Village Heartfelt Feel-Good Funny

Critic reviews

‘A moving story of a young woman finding herself with the help of a Welsh farm’ Katie Fforde

‘Warm, witty, wise, wonderful' Gyles Brandreth

'It romps along and is stuffed with appealing characters, both human and animal' Daily Mail

'Perfect if you are in the mood for something brimming with warmth and thought' Adele Parks, Platinum

Praise for Clare Balding's books:

'A heart-warming story' Jacqueline Wilson

'Funny and touching' Telegraph

'Moving, funny and larger than life' Michael Morpurgo

'Magical, enchanting, riotously eccentric' Daily Mail

'Simply fabulous' Jilly Cooper

'Funny and unexpectedly wise' Mail on Sunday

'The reading equivalent of snuggling by the fire with a labrador' The Guardian

'So good you just don't want Clare to grow up' Jennifer Saunders

‘Forthright, thoughtful, funny … reads like a Jilly Cooper novel’ Sunday Times

‘Funny and moving, James Herriot meets David Sedaris’ The Times

'You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll want a horse' Caitlin Moran
All stars
Most relevant
A compelling story, which kept you interested and engaged throughout, with believable characters and a storyline which grew with the book. Excellently read by Clare Balding and it would be lovely to have a sequel to this absorbing
tale.

An excellent read, which I would highly recommend.

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Thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook. So well written, and not repetitive and full of waffle like some. Made me feel like the characters are my personal friends. Wonderfully narrated by the author. Excellent.

Warm, feelgood read

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I thoroughly enjoyed Pastures New. I guessed early on why Alex inherited the farm, but it was lovely hearing about all the connections and relationships throughout. Well done Clare.

A lovely listen

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A really beautiful story and narration was just perfect. I felt like part of the family at the centre of the book

Just beautiful

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I've read Clare Balding's previous books so was looking forward to this one and wasn't disappointed. It was a lovely gentle read with characters you really warm to.I hope she writes more fiction.

A lovely read

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