My Revenant: Alternative Cover (Runaways)

This book was impossible to put down. I absolutely devoured it. Both MMCs were so perfect - broken but put each other's pieces back together time and time again. I love the way they love each other. Intense and also so tender. Also shout out to Bee for being the best friend anyone could ask for. So pumped to read My Renegade. I need to know more about Harper and Benny!!

I'd gotten sick of the dual timeline plot device. It seemed for a long time that authors were not investing in the past or the present enough to keep us interested in either. And that sucked because I love dual timelines! Then Marlow sauntered in. My Revenant is Ronan Marlow's debut and the start to the Runaways series—and a fantastic start at that. The dual timeline works here—finally! We get enough of the present to kick off a mystery that had me clutching the sheets (throw blanket, office chair—wherever the heck I was because I couldn't put it down!) with each passing chapter. Then we're moved into the past for slowest burn ever (in terms of the mystery). The past is where the bulk of our story takes place and it, too, had me on the edge of my seat. What I loved, too, is that the MCs don’t tumble into love right away. It takes time, patience and plenty of flirting (can I just say how much I miss actual flirting in books??). Even then, Jonah is a scared little rabbit who can’t help but run from his Devil. And to put it perfectly frank, these two are toxic. One probably more than the other—and it might surprise you who. They are co-dependent and eerily needy. They take the "touch him and die" vibes into the realm of dark romance. It's hard to say too much else without spoiling things that definitely don't need to be spoiled, so I'll say this: My Revenant was not what I was expecting—in the best way. Pick it up—and I dare you to put it down. (You won't.)

My Revenant is the debut novel from Ronan Marlow and the first book in the Runaways series and I absolutely loved it. As is with most everything I read, it deals with heavy topics so mind your personal triggers. I love a story in a dual time line and this was done so well. We spend most of the time in the past working up to how we got the present. This is a story of two broken boys who find a safe place in each other. They learn to love and trust each other and want to protect each other so fiercely they are willing to do anything to accomplish that. Jonah is chaotic and so full of rage. He hates everything and everyone. He runs from connection because he has never experienced it and fears further loss and loneliness. Dex seems like a violent menace who solves all his problems with his fists. Wrong. He is incredibly patient and kind, loyal and honest. He was deeply hurt and suffered a loss that changed him and the person he thought he'd be. The way he understands Jonah and anticipates his needs was so heartwarming and showed just how emotionally intelligent Dex is. We were also introduced to many side characters all of which held my interest and I can't wait to see more of their stories in the the future Runaways books. Ronan's writing was engaging and immersive and beautifully poetic. The inner monologues and banter between characters was written so well I was feeling all the feels. I laughed, I cried, I raged and I can't wait to do it all over again with My Renegade.