I like Kevin Wilson's books a lot, but I think this one is my favorite yet. He is just so very good at creating these quirky characters in messy situations that feel very real. The premise of the story, like his other books, seems a bit far-fetched at first glance. However, by the time I was one page in, I had forgotten any doubts I ever had. I was immediately wrapped up in this story.

The story is set in motion when a man shows up out of the blue on the doorstep of Mad Hill's farm and claims he is her half brother then shares they actually have more half siblings spread out around the country. The plan is to round up their long-lost siblings, track down their missing father, and get some answers.

I absolutely love a good road trip story, and the characters in this one were exceptional company. I loved seeing how each sibling's life was so wildly different and watching them form connections with one another.

The narration for this audiobook is absolutely perfect. Sometimes audiobook readers can get southern accents wrong, and it borders on offensive. This reader however was authentic. I loved it.

I cannot wait to recommend this book to everyone! It is really that good.

Thanks to Harper Audio & NetGalley for providing an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED "Nothing to See Here," and I was extremely disappointed in "Now is Not the Time to Panic," like, to the point I found it to be unreadable.

BUT, a new day has dawned, and Marin Ireland narrates this audiobook! Just like NTSH. And I really like Marin Ireland. So.

This is another weird one, about a serial dad, if you will; he just leaves family after family, moving on and assuming a whole new life, right down to the career, finding new women and having more kids, then leaving again. We learn this as his oldest child, Reuben, goes in search of his sister, Madeline (our touchstone character), and the two go in search of their dad and their siblings.

This is ... quite a concept, but I'm not sure it was fleshed out successfully. It's OK, it gets you in the feels here and there, but it's ultimately just a series of character studies of odd ducks. I think that I loved NTSH (I recommended it to so many people) that maybe nothing by Wilson will ever live up to that. So maybe it's a me problem. {shrug}

The audiobook for Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson was such a fun and enjoyable treat! I always get sucked into the story and cannot stop listening to Wilson's books. The characters are well-written and you can't help but feel for them in the situations that they end up in. A very enjoyable audiobook with great narration.

Kevin Wilson brings quirkiness and heart to Run for the Hills, a funny, offbeat road trip novel with just the right touch of emotional depth. The story kicks off with Ruben—"Rube"—on a mission to find the father who abandoned him and his mom. But Charles, it turns out, has a habit of reinvention, leaving behind a trail of children and aliases.

As Rube tracks down his father’s next abandoned family, he meets "Mad," then "Pepper," then "Tom"—all siblings by blood, but strangers in experience, each left behind by a different version of the same man: Chuck, Chip, Carl. What follows is an oddly heartwarming cross-country journey as the half-siblings bond, swap stories, and search for the man who shaped—and ghosted—their lives.

The novel is laced with dry wit and an understated emotional current that keeps it grounded, despite its delightfully strange premise. Marin Ireland’s narration is spot-on, capturing the humor, heartache, and absurdity of the story in equal measure.

Run for the Hills would make a fantastic indie film—funny, poignant, and just weird enough to be memorable. If you like your family sagas with a side of sarcasm and soul, give this one a listen.

Kevin Wilson is officially one of all-time favorite writers. I have loved everything he’s published. And this one, oh my goodness, these characters are everything. They were so much to follow. I’m sad it’s over. I could honestly pick it right back up and read it again. Fantastic book.

My first 5 star read of 2025! I loved this story so much and didn't want to leave the characters at the end. It's filled with dry Humor, Quirky characters, and Memorable moments. The narrator was also great, hitting the mark with inflections and tone perfectly.

Kevin Wilson is able to take a story that has been done many times over and turn it into something of his own that readers will remember.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ALC!

Kevin Wilson does quirk like a master and you're never quite sure what to expect from his stories. In Run for the Hills, we get another story of what makes a family - nature or nurture - all wrapped up in a cross-country road trip in search of a serial vanishing father. I really loved the beginning with a stranger named Rube showing up at Mad's farm with an outlandish story of being her brother and a request to accompany him as he traces their wayward father across the country. The repartee between the two and then the other kids (Pep and Tom) that they pick up along the way is pretty funny and keeps you entertained all the way to California, which is where I felt that the story kind of lost its momentum and I almost wish they'd stopped with their found-family rather than find the real missing part of it. I thought that the narrator did a great job keeping all the characters distinct, too. I will still definitely recommend this title and would love to add it to my book club list to get a good discussion going. Thank you to HarperAudio and NetGalley for the early listen in exchange for my honest opinion. 3.5 stars.

A touching, road trip book to meet siblings and confront a deadbeat dad who was a bit of a conman. The book addresses that he is struggling with a mental illness, but he was also a coward, and his actions did so much long-term damage, it was kind of devastating to witness. It has a bit of an upbeat vibe and the ending is better than I thought it would be, but it's an emotional story with some humor thrown in. What was really lovely was how the strangers were immediate siblings, with similar dynamics to those who have spent their lives together. Their connection was palpable. Something I definitely can relate to and cherish is no matter how awful your childhood is and who hurts you, the greatest gift my parents ever gave me was my brother, and that's true for these characters, and most people I know.

I may be biased because I absolutely LOVE Kevin Wilson's books...Nothing to See Here is one of my very favorite books ever! This one is right up there with it, I didn't want it to end! 5 stars, please read it!!

Another poignant, offbeat offering from Kevin Wilson. His books never fail to touch the heart and make me smile and this one does not disappoint. I alternated between the ebook and the audiobook and found the narrator a good fit for the overall feeling of the book. Highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an audio copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. While Kevin Wilson is one of my favorite authors, this was not my favorite title from him. I enjoyed the quirky cast of characters but I found their road trip shenanigans to drag on for too long through the middle of this book. I also hoped for a bigger twist at the end. I look forward to Wilson's books for their oddities and this one did not offer enough for me. I will be recommending this audiobook to anyone who is looking for a lighter, quirky, long lost family, roadtrip story. 3.5 out of 5 stars!

I didn’t quite know what to expect when I started Run for the Hills, especially after reading Wilson’s book, Nothing to See Here. (That plot still baffles my mind. It was ingenious). Overall, I was pleasantly surprised. I adore stories about family, and the twists and turns with these newfound siblings getting to know each other warmed my heart. They each have their own unique personalities, and it was fun getting to know them all. The narrator, Marin Ireland, is incredible. It was my first time listening to her, and her somewhat monotonous tone and dry sense of humor made me laugh out loud. She did an amazing job giving each of the characters their own voice, and I would highly recommend this audiobook to everyone. I look forward to Wilson’s next book.

Kevin Wilson nailed it again, I really liked this story from start to finish. I know some people have been meh about the ending but I really liked it. The narrator was so good!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the audio ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

I love the narrator! It's nice to hear a Southern accent as a narrator, and each character had a memorable voice (and they talk a lot in this book). It's sweet and pretty funny in places. The basic plot is very simple -- children in search of their lost father.

I will say, if you like books with a lot going on, this one is not for you. We spend a lot of time in the characters' heads and there's a fair bit of time used for exposition to set up the caper. Though we do spend a lot of time with the characters, weirdly, I didn't feel like I knew them well by the end of the book.

I lost count of how many times I burst out laughing while reading this book. Shared credit goes to Kevin Wilson’s offbeat yet resonant writing and Marin Ireland’s pitch-perfect narration. I loved this author/narrator pairing in Nothing to See Here, and Run for the Hills is a spot-on reprisal.

But it’s not just about laughs. Like the best up-lit, Run for the Hills blends humor with heart. Found family isn’t just a theme here—it drives the plot: a cross-country PT Cruiser road trip to track down previously unknown half-siblings and confront the shared dad with a serial habit of skipping out on families. The characters are quirky with a capital Q, and endearing with a capital E.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Run for the Hills is a terrific road trip story of siblings who discover each other and go searching for their father, who left all of his children suddenly and without warning. The book opens at a roadside market when 34 year old farmer Madeline Hills ( nick named Mad) spots a PT Cruiser that slows and stops at her stand. Rube, a writer in his mid 40’s introduces himself as her half - brother and invites Mad to accompany him on his quest to locate their other half siblings and their wayward father, who apparently adopted a completely new identity with each new family he acquired. A story filled with heart and humor will hold readers captive.

Highly recommend.