This book is about Avra, a former Arasti intelligence agent (loose on the intelligence?) who has stolen a secret from the government and fled… right into the grasp of his ex, sea Captain Teveri. Their relationship status is firmly in “it’s complicated” territory seeing as “Tev” has tried to get rid of Avra multiple times. Like, they set him adrift at sea and left him to die. But, Avra is lucky. Like. Reeeeally lucky. So he survived to pester Tev another day. And Avra is very much a pest. He is whiney, absurd, needy, and oh boy is he horny. Enter the hot priest who has taken a vow of celibacy and even more shenanigans ensue.
Comparisons to Our Flag Means Death are very apt. I definitely got that vibe from this. A friend recommended this to me as a zany adventure. And it was! I would even call this book hilarious as I laughed out loud several times. It almost has a Monty Pythonesque flow to the humorous parts. I think that I also greatly benefited from the audiobook, as it was extremely well done. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, although there were points where it did drag a bit for me. If you're looking for a light, bawdy (not smutty), queer pirate story, then this book is definitely for you.

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook ARC!

I am so conflicted about this book. There are a lot of fun moments and I mostly enjoyed the characters. Polyamorous pirates should be such an easy sell for me! I simply do not understand why it was so long. The content of the book did not support a nearly 450 page length/14 hour audiobook. The narration was also a mixed bag. I liked most of the character voices used with the exception of one of the main characters, Avra. The character is already very chaotic and the voice did not help.

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

3 stars

Let me preface this by saying I love this author's writing style, It flows, and it's beautiful and well done. Tadek and the princess is one of my favorite books ever YET dont expect the same tone if you want to read this book, which is why I struggled reading this book.
I'm very happy I got approved for the audiobook as well because I'm not sure I'd have finished this without it.
The narration was amazing. It brought the characters to life.
Now... how do it describe this book: this is one of the smüttiest books I've read. YET, there's no real smüt in it 😂
Our main guy, Avra, is the most infuriating and frustrating character I've ever read, yet it makes sense for the story.
Julian and the captain are polar opposites, and together with Avra, they work. Also, their interactions with the rest of the ship's crew are fun to read.
The poly relationship was fantastically done, so I appreciated that.
Overall, if you like crazy over the top characters, you'd like this book (definitely more than me)

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to listen to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

my thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this audiobook!
I was excited to read this--I've read some of Rowlands other books and enjoyed them. And I am always here for a pirate story! This is a light hearted romp of a story--adventure, romance, and swashbuckling, along with quite a bit of conniving and subterfuge and comedy!
Running Close to The Wind is a book about Avra--an intelligence agent; Tevari--a pirate; and Julian--an itinerant monk who is the newest member of Captain Tevari's crew.
Avra and Tevari have a long and complicated relationship that is both entertaining and at times quite fond and tender. This book has many humorous moments and the comedy is consistent and entertaining.
The world building is interesting and I liked the way it incorporated various races, religions, and cultures, as well as the cultures of the pirates and their republic Isles of Lost Souls.
It has elements that reminded me of Our Flag Means Death, with a crew that is like a family, and elements that were reminiscent of Black Sails as well. It has a diverse cast of characters and it celebrates its queer cast.
The story itself is a quick listen and entertaining overall, if a little light on background and a bit repetitive with some of Avra's dialogue.
I will say the narration was good for almost all the characters but I found Avra's voicing quite grating and irritating. More so than I expected. He's written as a polarizing and irritating character but is also meant to be quite funny and deeply endearing. The voice used for him did not feel endearing at all. That's probably my biggest quibble with this book, and considering he is the main character it did affect my enjoyment of this book.
The end felt a bit rushed and ended quite abruptly in my opinion. I had to come back and look to see it was listed as a stand-alone, as I from the ending it felt almost as if a sequel was intended?
3 stars, mainly for narration and the ending.

Damn. I mean damn!
This book was so unbelievably entertaining and hilarious!

A book about a pirate, a lucky thief and a monk. (Sounds like the beginning of some stupid joke. HA!) I really felt like I just happened to be dragged along for this story. Like I was a person of the crew that had been there the whole time and I love that.

I understand why so many people DNFed it around the 30% to 60% mark. Avra is unbelievably annoying around that time and I honestly was having second thoughts on all the praise I was giving the book until then.

I am sad we did not get to part take in being apart of any of the spicy scenes, but y'know its whatever the author want to show us. Also, Tev, please give me a chance! I love you so much!

I want more of these three very entertaining and sexy men! Please Alexandra! I need more! Please!

A big thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for sending me an advanced copy of this book.

This is a really fun romp, and the narration absolutely brought it to the next level for me. This is definitely recommended for fans of Our Flag Means Death, it's very similar in terms of mood and humor, even if the plot is very different.

Running Close to the Wind (RCttW) is Alexandra Rowland’s newest standalone novel, following former Ministry of Intelligence field agent Avra Helvaçi. After accidentally stealing what might be the world’s most coveted secret, he joins his former(?) casual(?) fling’s pirate crew. It is smart, witty, queer and kinda weird, and incredibly hilarious.

I must start this review by praising Rowland’s artistry and skill in creating a rich and colorful world, which has quickly become one of my favorite cozy spaces in SFF literature. While their books might not entirely fit under the "cozy fantasy" label, they show the reader how much better our world could be if we embraced the goodness in people rather than judging them based on identity or race. There’s no racism, queerphobia, or sexism in Rowland’s works, which, inevitably, brings me a unique type of comfort.

The plot of RCttW is straightforward, serving as a blank canvas that allows the characters to shine in every scene and drive the story forward. Personally, while I acknowledge that the cast might not appeal to everyone, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the chaotic antics of Avra Helvaçi (aka: the ADHD trash goblin). His hilarious interactions with the crew, particularly Tev and Julian, along with his absurdly good luck, made for endless entertaining and the overall absurdity sometimes reminded me of Pratchett’s Discworld, despite the content itself being nothing like Prachett.

However, it is important to note the nature of the humor in RCttW. The book features a lot of slapstick sexual jokes, unapologetic horniness, and endless innuendo. While this humor worked perfectly for me, it might not appeal to everyone. If you’re uncomfortable with this style, this book might not be your cup of tea.

Listening to the audiobook for RCttW was an absolute delight, in no small part thanks to Casey Jones' exceptional narration. Their voice is captivating, bringing each character to life with distinct and memorable nuances. The narration is seamless, and the wit and mirth from the book is conveyed with such authenticity that it's easy to get lost in the story and enjoy this fun journey.

Thank you very much to RB media and NetGalley for providing me with an Audio-ARC!

Running Close to the Wind is without question the funniest book I have read this year. Alexandra Rowland’s writing style is so unique and so damn hilarious, as always. It’s quirky and there’s less than subtle social commentary sprinkled throughout in just the most delightful ways.

I highly recommend this book if you enjoy the show Our Flag Means Death because it has the same sort of vibes (queer pirates in ridiculous situations).

There’s a weird and wonderful little love triangle (of sorts…truly you have to just read it to get it 😅) going on as well between our lusty & lucky main protagonist (Avra), the surly, gender non-conforming captain of the ship (Tev), and the unbelievably hot yet unfortunately celibate priest (Julian). I spent this entire book simping for all three of these characters because much like our hero (goober?), Avra, I’m just “a silly little slut who has been through so much!” 🤣

I will add that having read a number of Rowland’s other novels, which are all set in the same universe, there are some lovely little Easter Eggs sprinkled throughout this book that made my heart so dang happy!

I had been anticipating the release of this book for so long, and it did not disappoint. Five giant gold stars!

Also, as I was given access to an advance listening copy of the audiobook, I’ve gotta mention that once again Casey Jones slays the narration. The delivery has to be perfect to convey the jokes in this type of writing, and Jones never misses the mark!

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for the advance listening copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

This book is utterly ridiculous…but in the best way. Avra is the poster child for saying the his inside thoughts out loud. I absolutely got the most anxiety from listening to his ramblings and poor decision-making, but he’s just so much fun. The writing in this book is actually laugh-out-loud. I can see exactly where the comparisons to Our Flag Means Death come from.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this audiobook for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Oh my goodness, this was such an incredibly fun book! I came for the queer pirates and stayed for the lovable characters and utter hilarity! I truly can't remember the last time I laughed so hard at a book. I also adored the cool little details of the world, such as the island-sized turtles, the glowing blue dogs, the ghosts who needed sexy little dances to be appeased and leave people alone, and the herald cards with descriptions at the beginning of each chapter! All of these things added so much depth to an already endearing and wildly funny cast of characters.

The audiobook narration was incredible and added to the humor rife in this book. I really enjoyed how easy it was to tell which character was which from the accents and inflections the narrator added.

I am looking forward to seeing what comes next from this author and exploring her already established series!

Publication date: June 11, 2024

Running Close to the Wind was a ridiculous, goofy, and fun romp. This book will not be for everyone, but it suited my sense of humor, and I enjoyed living in this world as I listened.

Avra Helvaçi, former field agent of the Arasti Ministry of Intelligence, is a huge flirt. He spends 98% (conservatively) of the book trying to get into someone's pants - usually the Captain's or Julian's - although not exclusively. He is needy, self-absorbed, and interestingly lucky. He is so hard to take seriously, and yet, just like a pet begging for attention, he worms his way into your heart.

Pirate Captain Teveri az-Haffar is perfectly gruff and strongly feeling. He shows his vulnerability when things don't go well, and much to his own chagrin, he often falls into bed with Avra.

Brother Julian is committed to his ideals and the perfect temptation for everyone on board.

Rowland makes this wild story work with likable characters, a good sense of humor, and enough of a mystery that we all want to make it to the end (through treacherous waters and stolen salami). This is my first book by Rowland, and I would certainly read a book by them again.

Ah I'm so sad to say I DNFd this book at 18%. Unfortunately i knew quite early on that this one wasnt for me.
Written in a much more humorous tone than A taste of Gold and Iron, in the same queer norm world, Avra our suspiciously lucky but extremely horny main character was just too infuriating annoying for me and everything was just chaotic!
This one captured me with the promise of Pirates, lots of banter and potentially love triangle?
The narrator did a great job making Avra sound quite annoying haha and you can easily tell the who the different characters were, but unfortunately i didn't find the humor to my taste. It seems that nothing is taken seriously in this book.
I'm sure there is definitely an audience for this type for book, but just didn't suit me.
Thank you to Netgalley and Recorded Books for an ALC of this book.

Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ALC in exchange for and honest review!

This story primarily follows Avrfa (a self-professed silly little slut and former field agent of the Arasti Ministry of Intelligence), Captain Teveri az-Haffar (they/them and Avra’s on/off again lover), and Brother Julian (a beautiful new member of the crew with a very unfortunate vow of celibacy). Things kick off after Avra accidentally stole the most expensive secret in the world, and his only safe option is to flee to the open sea with it. He stumbles across, and ultimately seeks help from, Captain Tev. Given their history, Tev is NOT happy to see him, but become reluctant comrades as they work to see the secret on the black market. Of note, this book is incredibly hard to describe in my opinion so I hope I’m doing it justice!!

This is set in the same queer-normative world as A Taste of Gold and Iron, a highly anticipated book that has been languishing on my TBR (something I plan on correcting ASAP). I kind of love the fact that this book was my first introduction to Alexandra Rowland and their writing. This was utterly ridiculous and absolutely chaotic in the best way possible. I think it’s so fun that there are people out there in the world who are kooky/creative enough to come up with books like this. Did I always fully understand what was going on? Not necessarily, but the ride was so much fun that I didn’t really care. Avra was the sweetest and silliest little slut I’ve ever read, I’m obsessed with him! I don’t normally enjoy a lot of comedy in my books, but he literally had me laughing out loud at times. All in all…don’t pick this up if you’re expecting or looking for your usual everyday fantasy book. This was queer, crass, hysterical, sexy (much like Avra’s poems), and just a darn tootin' good time.

Also, the audiobook was FANTASTIC. Especially considering how extravagantly unique each character was, I thought the narrator did a fantastic job of encapsulating each character perfectly.

Story: 4/5
Audiobook: 4/5 (narrated by Casey Jones)
Length: 14h49min

100% absurd, raunchy, and delightful, this begs to be listened to on audio. I attempted to switch to the eBook briefly, only to switch back so that I could revel in the fun that was Caleb Jones' interpretations of Avra's trills and screeches.

Sex-positive but not spicy, queer-inclusive, and just all around fun, this was like all of the most crackiest crack!fic ever written. Multiple lols were had. Applause all around, but especially for the cake competition.

This is very much a horny pirate adventure story, and I think it will really be a hit for some but unfortunately for me I did not love the humor and it made so much of the book drag for me. I think the best part of this story was Casey Jones's narration, which was absolutely fantastic.

Story wise, this book had too much going on. Our main character is rather insufferable. He accidentally stole a state secret, has magical luck, and is incapable of shutting up. He goes to his on again off again ex for help selling this secret, and to be honest they're the most interesting part of the story. I love a gender non-conforming Over It pirate captain. There's also a monk with secrets and a "frankly inconvenient vow of celibacy", sea serpents, glowing blue dogs, and a cake competition that was more about the insults than it was about the cakes. I honestly lost track of the plot and I'm not sure if it was because I was bored or if it was because the plot was too nonsensical for my tastes.

I'm sure this will be right up some people's streets, but unfortunately it was a miss for me.

Running Close to the Wind is a hilarious upbeat nautical adventure.

Avra is irrationally lucky - even when things seem to have gone terribly, somehow it turns out to have gone his way - but he refuses to believe in luck as a concept. However when he wanders into the Arasti shipbuilders guild and wanders back out with their most closely guarded secret, even he has to believe in it a *little* bit.

This book made me laugh out loud. Avra was a hilariously endearing narrator, and I enjoyed spending time in his life. It was a definite change in tone from Rowland’s previous books I’ve read, but in a seamless way, and if you’ve read A Taste of Gold and Iron this is set in the same world so there are some cool Easter eggs to notice.

The audio narrator was fabulous and, while I have no doubt I would have enjoyed this regardless, they made the book even more enjoyable. I loved the way they voiced Avra and brought life to the characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review!

I love pirates, and so I was very excited for Running Close to the Wind. Though I haven’t read Rowland’s work before, the comps caught my eye and the synopsis seemed interesting, so I was excited to have been approved for an advanced listening copy. I had been warned beforehand to expect a more humorous tone than I’d been anticipating, and while I do typically enjoy something sillier in nature, unfortunately this one very much did not work for me.

Rowland did a good job with creating banter between all of their characters and for the most part the main cast was fleshed out well. I just personally didn’t vibe with the kind of humor Rowland deployed, or just how much of it there was. I mostly found Avra annoying and for the sheer amount of dick and sex jokes, I was genuinely surprised this was closed door. I struggled to believe that Avra was 35 and I also struggled to take him seriously. It’s difficult to get into a character driven novel when the main character does not work for you, and honestly I felt like this would have been better as a short story or novella.

Jones did a good job with the voices and making sure each one sounded distinct, and I thought the audiobook was solid, even if the book was not for me.

Ok, so the first thing to know about this book is that it's very different in tone from a Taste of Gold and Iron. For me, a Taste of Gold and Iron had recency style levels of pining, and while there is pining in this book, if is VERY different style. This is a more light hearted adventure romp.

Avra Helvaçi is an Arashti, semi-retired spy who has consistent levels of luck. Imagine a small horny, bard is the hero of the story, and that's pretty close. His on again, off again live interest, Captain Teveri az-Haffar, is the Captain of a pirate ship, who have picked up Avra, escaping with the most dangerous secret in the world, and Julian, an extremely decorative monk who has taken a vow of celibacy. Both Avra and the Captain are eager to help relieve Julian of his vows. There are secrets to hide, quests to complete and a Pirate Cake Competition to win. Hilarity and hi-jinx ensue....

The queer normative world has a much more silly and light hearted feel than Gold and Iron, and I found myself laughing outload at various points. The audio book narrator, Casey Jones, did a great job of bringing the characters to life, and giving a good variety of personality to all the different characters and pirates.

I loved the feel of this book and anticipate revisiting regularly as and environment that I will just enjoy spending more time in.

★★★½

If i had to summaries the book in one word, i'd probably say 'crack' (affectionaly). It' silly, it's fun and pure chaos - i had a good time. And that's (mostly) what i'd want from a book.

'Running Close to the Wind' (set in the same world as 'A Taste of Gold and Iron') follows former Araşti spy, Avra, who may or may not have willingly?accidentally? stolen a secret he shouldn't have and is now on the run. Where better to hide than on the pirate ship of his complicated situationship, Captain Tev of the Running Sun. Bummer tho that everyone already had enough of Avra's...Avra-ness, to last a decade. Now the crew has to decide if they'll put up with him again, for the chance of a life time by selling the most exclusive knowlegde there is (and making bank with a capital B).
Sweetening this trying times is the hot ass, witty ass, NOT BALD monk Julian, who everyone (especially Avra and Tev) lust after (understandable).
What follows are mayhem and madness, out on the sea, with a sprinkle of revolutionary sentiments and a lot of attempts of converting the smoking hot monk to hornytown.

Setting wise, it was so much fun to read more about this world outside of Araşt, especially from a completely different POV (status & political stands wise). What do 'common' people, or outlaws think? How does the outside world work? What other religious or cultural practices and institutions exists?

I loved Avra, many said it before and many will probably say it after too, but he truly is the definition of a Chaos Gremlin. Immensely annoying, the inability to stfu, more dick jokes than imaginable and the horniest thoughts in the whole of Araşt and beyond. Truly if i had to describe it, i would say his brain is playing a dancing monkey on a 24/7 loop (with the occational s*xy monk thrown in).

I just think the book would have benefited from 3 POVs. We saw some glimpses of backstory or motivation, for some more (Julian) than for others (Avra and Tev) but there was a lot of missed opportunity to give the characters and relationships more depth.

I would have loved to learn ALL about them! Not only where they came from, what they did or lived thru or who they really are (in their believes) but also their shared histories.

Also regarding the poly romance: it had such a solid foundation, they all had connections to each other (some older/newer than others) and we got to see first hand what a great addition Julian would have made to an already (somewhat, it's complicated remember?) establishment 'something' between Avra and Tev.
Case in point: The beach scene

But I felt, as someone WHO LOVED the humour, that the book commited so much to that, that it didn't want to get too serious. Be it the character profils or the relationship dilemma.
I'm especially saying this as someone who did saw so much potential in all those points (we SAW more serious moments, some deep cutting hints of a tragic backstory, some underlying trauma, the tentative development of their relationship), but it just didn't quite hit the mark it could have.

Still worth the read!!!


PS: i am solemly basing my rating by the story itself than anything else but regarding the narration - i did like it, the overall narration of the story was fine, but i do think that the Avra voice was not quite for me.

Running Close to the Wind is such a unique cozy fantasy novel with a gender non-conforming captain, a suspiciously attractive monk, blue dogs, treason, and a cake competition where they make a sport out of quips.

Hilariously horny and heartwarming. I loved every character and the casual queer representation.

Avra Helvaci is... an acquired taste. Writer of raunchy songs, ex-spy, and self-proclaimed poet, Avra is the horniest, most pathetic, annoying (and endearing), scrawny little man you'll ever meet. Casey Jones just managed to make Avra Helvaci more iconic. Avra and his "reeee" will stay with me forever.