For those who don’t know the name, Clare Balding has long been a commentator on sports, dog shows and country life. I associate her with horse racing. She has several non-fiction books and children’s books on the go, and PASTURES NEW brings her warm, funny voice to adult fiction.
 
William Griffiths passes away peacefully on his sheep farm in Wales and leaves an inheritance to someone who doesn’t know him, as he’s without family. A thirtysomething journalist in London, Alex Roberts, used to enjoy her stalking of celebrities for a gossip website. But she’s tired of tattling on people’s dilemmas and never getting anywhere in life. Her apartment isn’t nearly paid for, so she still needs her job. Until she doesn’t have a job anymore. The unexpected news about the hill farm at least gives her something to take her mind off her troubles. 
 
Saddled with debts, the traditional farmhouse and run-down outbuildings need a lot of work. Sheep apparently have good years and bad years, and the fleece, which has to be shorn, barely pays for the shearing. Lamb is the product. So the shell-shocked Alex learns from the housekeeper, Gwen, and others in the sparsely populated village. She’s travelled down to Wales with her friend Ethan, a nice, practical gay guy, for moral support. Ethan may be more interested in the talent among the lonely farmers, but he provides a book about farming for dummies, and keeps cheerful.  
 
The characters are the backbone of this adventure. Alex takes time to meet her neighbour Dickon, a racehorse trainer. He’s not had a good streak and is reduced to two horses, one presently lame. His good horse, The Skirrid, needs careful handling to bring out his talent. Even the sheep become characters, but a less pleasant one is Layton Brooks, one of the ex-football players Alex used to stalk, who takes against her early in the tale and provides a convenient antagonist. He’s a bully.
 
Alex’s family situation is complicated by the fact that her father, David, has had a stroke, and her mother, Isobel, needs to spend all her time with him. When it’s clear that they should be telling Alex more than they have about how she may be connected to the late William Griffiths. The dogs we meet in every home bring a delightful touch of realism and love to every page. While Alex’s challenges are major, including no broadband, she quickly starts wondering if she could make a diversified farm income. If you would enjoy this kind of read, PASTURES NEW provides alternative romances, and the odd community triumph to keep Clare Balding’s fans happy.