3.5 stars

Four half siblings, who hadn’t been aware of each other, go on a cross country trip to confront the father who abandoned them.

I have mixed feelings about RUN FOR THE HILLS by Kevin Wilson. It explores relationships and family but I never grew attached to any of the characters. The story was a little slow but I did find the end satisfying.

This story follows Mad Hill, a 30 something woman living with her mom on an organic farm. Years prior, her father just up and left them. Fast forward to today when someone claiming to be her brother shows up and explains that their father has led multiple lives, fathered multiple children, and then gets bored and starts a new life. This is a road trip novel and Mad and her brother pick up multiple siblings on the way to confront their father.

Kevin captures the human condition and the insecurities of people so well. He does it with wit and grace. His books are usually a bit quirky and his voice is just so good. This was a hit for me!

I loved Nothing to See Here so I was excited to read another book by this author. While this one fell a little short for me, he writes in a way that is easy to follow and keeps me engaged in the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ecco for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Madeline Hill’s father left her and her mother without a trace nearly thirty years ago. Since then, she has worked contently on their family farm in Coalfield, Tennessee, but always with lingering doubts about why he left and where he went. Now, it is the early 2000s, and a man in his late-thirties drives up to the farm in a PT Cruiser to inform Madeline that he thinks they are half-siblings. Reuben Hill wants to meet the family his father created after he left him and his mother in Boston and, acting on information collected by a private investigator, wants Madeline to join him on a road trip to meet the next two families that his father created and left. Madeline, initially skeptical of this man who appeared on her doorstep out of thin air, decides to take a risk and get in the car with the hopes that she will finally get answers to the questions that have hovered over her for her whole life.

Kevin Wilson is known for quirky literary fiction, including Nothing to See Here and Now is Not the Time to Panic, and this book couldn’t fit better into his niche canon. The book is zany without being over the top, witty without being unrealistic, and heartfelt without being saccharine. If you can, I recommend listening to this book on audio. The narration was terrific and breathed fabulous life into this unexpectedly captivating novel.

🚗 For my friends who love quirky characters doing zany things with loads of heart.

RUN FOR THE HILLS by Kevin Hill (Marin Ireland, Narrator)

Thanks, @eccobooks, for the review copy via #NetGalley (and my public library for the audiobook).

Do you have an author you KNOW you can count on for the precise amount of wackadoodle, confident it will be perfectly balanced with emotion, brilliant banter, and so, so, SO much heart? AND! Do you have an audiobook narrator who can speak directly to the sarcastic soul of all that you know is true? Who can deliver snarky banter like no one else, while sounding incredibly grounded and soulful? Do you have these two people in your life?

I do. And when those two artists work together, it’s like… (Cue Tom Hanks in “Sleepless in Seattle”) MAGIC. Such is the collaboration of Kevin Hill and Marin Ireland. It’s peanut butter and chocolate, butter and popcorn, bacon and…well, anything. Two great things that make each other better.

Of all the organic egg stands in all of Tennessee, Reuben just had to pull his rented PT Cruiser up to Madeline’s. And tell her they were half-siblings. That disappearing act Mad’s dad did 20 years prior? Rube’s dad (spoiler: same guy, slightly different name) did the same thing 10 years before that. And they aren’t the only ones! Howsabout we jump in this rental car and head to California to confront him, picking up TWO more abandoned half-siblings along the way?

It would be a short book if she’d said, “No.”

Actually, it’s a relatively short book at 244 pages, but it manages to address what it means to be a family, considerations for mental illness, and a most unusual road trip. I highly recommend the audiobook for maximum enjoyment.

This was an interesting experience - an engaging, yet sometimes quiet, road trip across the country with a ragtag long-lost group of siblings just meeting each other and getting to know each other for the first time. Each of the siblings is engaged in a different pursuit (farming, writing, basketball, film), namely because they each had the same father, who zipped in and out just long enough to make a connection, fill a child with a different passion, and then take off.

The one thing interesting thing about this is I knew of Kevin Wilson's work prior to this - though this is my first encounter with him. And I do my best to keep myself shielded from any plot device or stylistic choices of the author whatsoever. I've heard from so many people that I would love his "Nothing to See Here" and "Now Is Not the Time to Panic," mostly due to their unique narrative voice that I enjoy. So I went into "Run for the Hills" expecting that, but I got a work that felt more subdued and controlled. It was a solid journey, and I enjoyed it! But I feel knowing that about some of previous Wilson's works imbued my thoughts a hair. But it looks like Wilson is a versatile author, and I definitely look forward to reading more by him.

I have loved all of Kevin Wilson's novels and this could not have been more perfect for summer reading. His characters, the significance of created/found family, the stories, the laughs, and the tears are all so wonderful, enjoyable and memorable. I have already recommended this one numerous times and will continue to read everything he publishes!

I really enjoyed the lighthearted tone of this book. I definitely think it could have been longer with more backstory. Kevin Wilson is an always-read author for me so I was glad to receive this copy! A nice story about family and forgiveness that’s sure to please!

I had the privilege of seeing Kevin Wilson speak in person and the author is just as quirky, funny, and endearing as his characters! Run For the Hills is about the search for a father and a family, all while on a road trip with strangers/half-siblings in a PT Cruiser. This book explores family bonds, both made and found, and explores the way our families shape us into who we are.

Kevin Wilson has such a unique voice. I enjoyed going along for the ride on this book about home and new beginnings. A very charming and heartfelt read…

Thank you to Ecco and NetGalley for this ARC.

I really enjoyed this book, it was over too quickly. I expected more hijinks and silliness but appreciated instead how heartfelt and quirky this story was. Though the premise seems unlikely, it feels very believable and I loved all the characters so much. This would make a great tv show! I would have loved to hear from some of the other siblings (particularly Rube) throughout, rather than have Mad be the only narrator, just for some different perspectives. I would have gladly read 250 more pages about this newly formed family.

Run for the Hills is a quirky and heartfelt family saga centered on Madeline “Mad” Hill, whose life on a Tennessee farm is upended when Reuben “Rube” Hill, a half-brother she never knew, shows up. Rube is on a cross-country road trip to find their elusive father, Charles, who abandoned multiple families over the years, reinventing himself with each new life. Joined by other half-siblings, the group embarks on a humorous and emotionally messy journey to confront their father and discover what family really means. Wilson’s trademark wit and offbeat characters shine through, though some readers felt the pacing dragged at times and the ending left questions unanswered. Overall, it’s a warm, entertaining story about found family, identity, and forgiveness, with plenty of humor and heart.

Kevin Wilson is one of the few white male authors I really look forward to reading. His latest Run for the Hills was good, not great. I was craving a bit more wackiness.

Once again, this great storyteller Wilson does not disappoint. A group of half-sibs who have never met before take a cross-country road trip to find their father, who was into abandoning families and transforming his personality with each move. Nice guy, lol! And very mysterious, which keeps us as intensely curious as the kids in the car. This is what Wilson does best—create weird family dynamics and then keep turning the screw just a little to the left, keeping us on our toes with his offbeat dialogue and plot. His characters are always quirky, enticing, and never boring. It was cool to hear how each kid experienced their father in a completely different way. Who is this guy, anyway? What’s his story?

Warmth, insights about human nature, and a talky plot that takes place mostly in a PT Cruiser are what it’s all about. Wilson is witty and wise and creates lovable, complex characters. It’s a teensy bit schmaltzy at the end, but despite that, it was cozy city for me.

This book might have a little less umph than his other books, but I still loved it wholeheartedly. Wilson is one of my favorite writers.

But yikes, I have to say I was worried silly during the first few pages because there I was on a farm! I’ll tell you right now that I don’t like farm books! Wheat talk just doesn’t do it for me! But in no time the setting changed to a comfy car, and I was off and running, glad to leave the chickens behind.

In the Acknowledgments, Wilson includes Marcy Dermansky (who wrote Hurricane Girl) and Rufi Thorpe (who wrote The Knockout Queen) as among his long list of friends. And Ann Patchett has a special shout-out. These are all favorite authors of mine, so I was thrilled to see that he likes them too!

Check this one out!

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book.

Run for the Hills is a humorous family saga by Kevin Wilson, which involves a road trip across the United States.
29-year-old Madeline “Mad” Hill lives with her mom on their farm in Coalfield, Tennessee. Her father, Charles, abandoned them 20years ago and she hasn’t had any contact with him since. Then one day a stranger pulls up in a PT Cruiser and informs Mad that he is her half-brother, Reuben “Rube” Hill. Their dad abandoned Reuben and his mom thirty years ago, and Reuben hired a detective to track down their father and his offspring. After talking for a few hours, he invites Mad to join him on his road trip to find their father and siblings.
Mad immediately sees the family resemblance between herself and Rube, so she doesn’t doubt their relationship. However, his description of their father is vastly different from the dad that she remembered. It’s like he completely reinvented himself when he abandoned Rube and his mother. Mad’s mother admits that they were never married and she was aware of his first family. She encourages Mad to go with Rube on the road trip, assuring her that she can get help from others to keep the farm going in Mad’s absence.
Mad discovers that Rube is a mystery author, having published four books. As they share stories about their lives and their memories of their father, they really begin to bond. As they meet new half-siblings, they just have more questions about the mysterious motivations of Charles Hill. They have some madcap adventures while they forge new sibling relationships. Mad has to finally admit to herself that she was not happy with her mostly solitary life on the farm and decide if she wants to change her future.
I really enjoyed Run for the Hills, with its emphasis on family love and character growth. Mad seems to be on the autism spectrum, and her thoughts and descriptions are hilarious. She’s hung up on Rube’s rental car being a PT Cruiser, even after he explains that it was all the rental car agency had available. I thought the characters were well-developed and liked how the siblings bonded so quickly. The whole mystery of Charles Hill and his pattern of family abandonment and reinvention was very intriguing. This is a great story which should be made into a movie.
I received an advance review copy (ARC) from NetGalley and Ecco for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Run for the Hills unfortunately suffered from a kind of recency bias, wherein I had just finished an amazing book about a road trip just before picking up Kevin Wilson‘s latest. I love love, love his work, and this one just fell short in my estimation.
The concept of all the children who were abandoned by the same man coming together was, in typical fashion for this author, completely unconventional and whimsical. And the story begins in that zany lighthearted way, but the quest to find this man became tired and onerous, with a depressing conclusion. There is definitely a lot to unpack about nature versus nurture, and the ways in which mental health struggles affect more than just those suffering with illness. There was also some good heartfelt content about found family, but I don’t know if it would be enough to say that I truly enjoyed it and I definitely wouldn’t categorize it as a fun summer read.

Run For the Hills is a story of family, abandonment, and unexpected connections. The story centers on Madeline Hill (nicknamed "Mad" by the father who vanished from her life) whose world is upended when a brother she never knew shows up at her door. Ruben (nicknamed Rube by the missing dad) is on a cross-country journey to track down their elusive father and meet the other siblings he left behind, and Mad decides to join the ride. Together with Rube and another sibling, Pepper, Mad embarks on an emotionally messy road trip. The trio's evolving bond, along with the eventual discovery of their father and another sibling, Theron, makes for a compelling story about chosen family. While I enjoyed the book, something about the story felt like it was missing a piece. I wanted a bit more emotional depth, particularly from the mothers who seemed oddly detached from the pain their children carried. I’ll be recommending Run For the Hills to readers who enjoy fiction about family dynamics. With its cinematic feel, I wouldn’t be surprised if this one ends up on screen and I can’t help but wonder if Kevin Wilson might give us a sequel to see where Mad, Rube, Pepper, and Theron go from here.

RUN FOR THE HILLS by @kevinwilsonauthor is about the strangest family road trip ever to exist? It starts with Mad, a farmer whose father left her when she was young. One day, a man shows up and tells her HIS father left him when he was young and oh yeah same dad. Together, they attempt to round up their other half siblings and confront their deadbeat dad on a cross-country adventure.

This book was everything I wanted it to be — funny, entertaining, heartfelt. I love when an author can make a character feel real instantly.

No one writes like Kevin Wilson. He combines quirky, original characters with a heartfelt story that has depth and nuance. Highly recommend this gem.

While I cannot claim this is my favorite of Wilson's novels, it still ticks all of the boxes read him for: funny, warm, thoughtful, and a clever, original plot. I will always recommend Wilson to my patrons and I will always add his next title to my TBR pile.

Madeline grew up with her hippy mom on a farm for the majority of her life. Her dad left when she was only a kid. Reuben Hill shows up unexpectedly and announces that he is actually Madeline’s half sibling. He hired a private investigator to track down his father. It turns out his father has remarried more than once and abandoned multiple kids a long he way. Reuben wants to take a road trip to pick up his siblings and confront their father.


I thought this book had a lot of potential. The plot seemed interesting and I wasn’t sure where it would go. Unfortunately I found the book to be repetitive and it just wasn’t for me.