I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

A low 3 stars. Audio was the wrong format for me with this book. And while I liked it, I was ready for it to be over at a certain point!

This book is fun, chaotic and very horny! It's trying to be serious and heartfelt at the same time, which isn’t always working. It’s also too long. It would have worked better had it been around 300 pages and not 450. I really liked the first half. It was very fun! Unfortunately, the second half really dragged and some of the characters became grating.

I also think I would have enjoyed it much more if I had read it in physical or e-book form! The audio is very good, if slightly over the top when it comes to the character voices, but the story would be easier to follow in a non-audiobook format. Additionally, I would have been able to appreciate the humour more. But that’s often the case with very humorous books for me!

Fun book overall, but very flawed.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

This was definitely a wild ride! I both loved and hated it, and its been a while since I have seen such ridiculous humor in a story like this. I grew more enamored with the main characters with each chapter, and would gladly read more with them in it! The narrator did a great job.

This book was like being pulled along on a crazy adventure - I wasn't always sure where I was headed but I enjoyed the journey. The writing was clever, the narration was excellent, the whole thing was very enjoyable. Avara has such a distinct voice and I hope to see him in future books
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for my advance copy of this audiobook

I loved this book so much. A Taste of Gold and Iron is one of my favorite books of all time so I was desperate to read Alexandra Rowland's latest. Avra felt Tadek-coded in all of the best ways. I was quite literally laughing out loud listening to this audiobook (narrated by the same person who did Gold & Iron btw). I can't recommend this book enough if you want something lighthearted to read!

This book was very funny. but the pirate theme just wasn't for me. I didn't hate this book. it just wasn't for me. it was funny though, i'll give her that!!

Thank you NetGalley and Recorded Books for the ALC!

- I am absolutely obsessed with this book. Like when I finished it, I immediately started the audio back over-and that’s saying a lot because I rarely reread books! But I also cannot think of another book I’ve read that even slightly approaches the levels of nonsense in this one!
- This book is incredibly silly and absurd, and it is definitely not going to be for everyone. It does show you how silly it will be from the start, so you should know if you’ll enjoy it pretty quickly. This impressed me, because it’s so silly that Rowland can drop all sorts of random information that you don’t even notice what she’s been building to until it happens.
- I loved that Avra is cursed with good luck, because it makes it so easy to Rowland to write absolute absurdity, while it also seeming plausible because you can blame it on Avra’s curse!
- Avra is a phenomenal character (imagine the most annoyingly needy cat but make it also very horny and curse it with good luck), and the narrations take his character to the next level. I highly, highly, highly recommend the audio, specifically because of how good the narrator is at making the most strange noises (all of the reeees were done perfectly).
- I loved how the ending manages to wrap everything up while also managing to up the absurdity?

I have never laughed so hard at a book in my life. I have no idea what I was expecting going into this - high fantasy? Political machinations? Queer pirates? I got all of these for sure, but in a tone and style I 100% could not have guessed I was going to get.

THis book is a truly unique experience. This is my first Rowland book but I never felt lost with the worldbuilding, which is surprisingly comprehensive and intricate for such a comedic book. The characters play off each other beautifully and somehow manage to remain well-rounded despite the hijinks and EXTREME melodrama.

The narrator does an INCREDIBLE job with the character voices. Like seriously, they sound like entirely different people. They had the perfect rhythm for the dialogue back and forths, and really brought the characters to life along with the world. 10/10 no notes.

If you liked Our Flag Means Death, but wanted even more comedy and definitely a lot more sex, this is the book for you.

If you want an incredible funny and queer pirate book then this is the book for you.

And though most of the time it was funny, the main character Avra sometimes tried to be too funny and i found that not landing with me and instead being irritating. But thats the thing about humour, its the most difficult to make it land for everyone.

Overall it was good but the humour was the deciding factor for this book.

I found myself pulled in by the characters and the world. I love how this author crafts their queer characters. However, where I struggled was the fast-pacing and sense of chaotic-ness to the piece. I felt bounced around, back and forth and needed it to feel more linear at times. I moved from the audio to the ebook and that helped my find my place a bit better.

The narration was strong but it was the pacing that made me move from audio to ebook.

Running close to the wind was such a fun read and even better in audio! I loved the pirate theme but it was modernized. Fun adventure story.

This is my favorite book of the year, and it's not even close. Funny, charming, and full of adventure, Running Close to the Wind is the book fans of Our Flag Means Death should be reading. I was laughing with every page, but the emotional core of the book was a surprisingly sincere relationship story that tied everything together. I'll be re-reading immediately.

This book was so fun! I'd heard from a few people before starting it how funny it was and they were definitely right!

For me it was definitely the characters that made this book. While the plot was interesting, I kept reading and rated it 4 stars because of the characters. They all had very distinctive personalities that made for interesting character dynamics.

I also loved how this was a queernorm world. This book has a lot of sexual references and language but it wasn't very explicit which I enjoyed. It meant I could enjoy the humour of the book without it becoming too romance heavy. I enjoyed the casual nature of it.

This book doesn't take itself seriously and is just a lot of entertaining fun. If you go into it expecting to just have a good time and enjoy the characters then I think you'll like it.

It had a very different feel to A Taste of Gold and Iron but I enjoyed them both and looking forward to seeing what Alexandra Rowland writes next.

Thank you to Netgalley and RBmedia for this audio copy to review.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

What a good book!!! Such a good story and great writing style. This was my first by this author and will not be my last! This was a different type of book for me but I loved it!!

Running Close to the Wind was nothing that I expected, and it quickly turned into one of my new comfort books. I loved that the conflict was quickly resolved, and it was essentially a group of poor goofy pirates doing everything possible to make a name for themselves.

If you’re looking for a found family, LGBTQ+ representation, and pirate adventures, this is the perfect book for you!

Also, Fleabag would have LOVED Julian.

The author is straining every sinew here to be whimsical, funny and witty. Unfortunately, based on this book, they are none of these things. If you’re looking for swashbuckling adventure on the high seas, then there are lots of far better books. I feel like the author watched Our Flag Means Death, ignored the subtleties of the show and focused on the marketability, then set out to write the ‘feels’ with no real plot in mind. Not for me.

Thank you to Tor, NetGalley, and Alexandra Rowland for the chance to read and review this book, all opinions are my own.

Listening to audiobooks is always my preferred reading method and I was stoked to get a chance to listen to this one ahead of time. Casey Jones was a perfect narrator and did a fantastic job of differentiating between all of the many characters. Plus I want to just start laughing every time I think of "eeeee"

Now for the book itself:
I absolutely loved Rowland's A Taste of Golden and Iron and couldn’t wait to read another book in this world. I am pleased to say that if you loved the richly developed world building and characters you can’t help but fall in love with then you will definitely enjoy Running Close to the Wind. If what you loved from that book was the heartwarming and romantic relationship - well you should look elsewhere, there is no romance here!

Running Close to the Wind is the story of Avra Helvaci who is quite possibly the most disaster of a character I have ever read about. Accidental thief, unwillingly kidnapped and forced into piracy, Avra seems to have the worst luck (while also somehow being the luckiest person in the world). He is absolutely endearing and might also drive you a little crazy. I sympathize with Teveri, the pirate captain and Avra's sometimes bed partner. Their love-hate relationship dynamic was hilarious and had me laughing out loud multiple times. In fact, I loved all of the characters, even the ones we only met for a page or two. Rowland has such an amazing ability to make you care about characters you just met and want to protect them at all costs. They make the world feel so well rounded and interesting.

The humor and Avra's over the top behavior is one of the best things about this book. I know that not everyone is going to enjoy Avra's brand of humor but the good thing is that you get plenty examples of this in the first chapter and I think readers will know right away whether this book is for them or not. Things only get more silly and more bizarre as the book goes on, in the best way.

One thing I wanted more of in ATOGAI was more plot and I love that RCTTW had a very clear plot and exciting adventures while also giving us plenty of time to get to know this richly developed world - like blue dogs and cake competitions! The cake competition was my favorite part for how
absolutely ridiculous it was but also how seriously the characters take it. It is the perfect metaphor for the entire book.

There are no spice scenes in this book but there is plenty of spicy talk (Avra is not shy about his desire to sleep with just about EVERYONE) so again, if that isn't your thing, steer clear.

If you love queer pirate adventures and are super sad Our Flag Means Death wasn't renewed, this book will bring you a bit of joy!

📚Review: Running Close To The Wind 🏴‍☠️

Thank you, @tordotcompub for the #gifted copy! 😘

By: Alexandra Rowland
Publishing: June 11, 2024

Avra Helvaçi, former field agent of the Araşti Ministry of Intelligence, accidentally finds the most expensive secret in the world and the only place to flee with a secret that big is the open sea. To find a buyer, Avra asks for help from his on-again, off-again ex—the pirate Captain Teveri az-Ḥaffār. Teveri is far from happy to see him, but together they hatch a plan: take the information to the isolated pirate republic, the Isles of Lost Souls, and sell it to as many people as possible before fleeing to safety. The only things in their way? A calculating new Araşti ambassador on the Isles of Lost Souls who’s got his eyes on Avra’s every move; Brother Julian, a beautiful, mysterious new member of the crew with secrets of his own and a frankly inconvenient vow of celibacy; the fact that they’re sailing straight into sea serpent breeding season; and, almost certain doom. But if they can find a way to survive and sell the secret on the black market, they’ll all be as wealthy as kings―and, more important, they’ll be legends!

What a hilarious pirate romp!

I read this the same month as A Taste of Gold and Iron and wowza, talk about two different books! This one is allllll about humor and adventure and I loved it. I don’t think it’s going to be for everyone, especially if you’re not a little sexually open minded, but I think the people it’s intended for will love it as much as I did.

For me, the book is largely driven by the characters. I cackled reading the moments between Avra, Teveri, and Julian! Talk about chemistry and sexual tension! Avra’s “witchy” luck was so fun to see play out, especially the ways it paid off later on. Julian seems so dang hot and I respect Teveri’s leadership.

Pick this one up if you’re looking to giggle while on a high sea adventure!

Verdict: Loved 😘

Running close to the wind
3.5/5 stars
1/5 spice (but very explicit in language)
Genre: Cozy Romantasy / Magical realism
Would reread? Yes
Would recommend? Yes, to certain people
Vibes: 🐍🏴‍☠️⚓️⛵️👻🏳️‍🌈🗡️🥃💰

I should start off by saying this is one of the few pirate romances I have read and it is definitely what a pirate romance should be - a swashbuckling adventure full of rocking seas and ridiculous banter. It took me awhile to understand and "get into" the tone and humor, but I think that was part of the point. The book takes place in a queer-normative world, where everyone can be fully themselves and no one questions it. It's really beautiful.

As an aside, it is wildly surprising how little sex takes place for how often it is mentioned and how many sex jokes there are. Would have loved to see more sex lol

Some themes and tropes:
-LGBTQ+
-Hilarious, silly, witty, and WILD
-Pirates on a quest
-Magical realism🐍👻
-Single POV (with letters and journal entries from others)
-Cozy Romantasy but very explicit (tons of F-bombs, Avra thinks and talks about sex 90% of the time - not in a crude way, but in a flirty way)
-Love triangle (kinda) between a poet, captain, and a celibate monk
-Communicating with someone who doesn’t speak the same language as you

As a personal thorn, I didn't appreciate all the coersion and sex jokes made TO a celibate monk. I didn't find them funny or sexy, I found them disrespectful. We find out later that its consensual, but it would have been helpful to know this earlier on because I felt like the character Julien was getting harassed the whole time. I'm not against the sex or a love triangle - I'm not cool with lack of consent.

Thank you NetGalley for the ALC. I LOVED the narration. It was a hoot.

queer pirates. do i need to say more?

this was bizarre in the best of ways. i loved avra and i cracked up so many times while listening that i had to stop the book and catch my breath.

if you’re going to read this (which you totally should) the audiobook is the way to go. it was PHENOMENAL.