A review by midnight_xviii
Running Close to the Wind by Alexandra Rowland

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The characters were endearing, the humour was perfectly silly, there were actually some great emotional moments and the plot was so much fun. The author mentions that they initially wanted to make the story gritty and dark, but I can't imagine the cake competition not being a vital part of the story. The plot was actually well developed, and there were some really fun twists. I think Avra's luck was also used as a pretty interesting device throughout. I will say, however, that if you do not like Avra as a character, the book will probably be downright unreadable. He does have character development, but since the book is written from his POV and he has a strong personality, he might turn people off.
Docked the quarter star because there's a couple of things that bothered me, but it's still wonderful. This is my third book by the author and they've all been different vibes and I've loved them all.
Thank you to NetGalley and PanMacmillan for providing the ARC.