Book: Ravage by A.L. Rook
Reviewed by Booksbystarlightandshadows
I loved Xmen growing up and mixing in some enemies to lovers, a mysterious back story and a shady corporation lurking in the background had this book being right up my alley.
The mystery of what happened to tear Raegan and the guys apart is at the core of the story however not much is revealed in this first instalment. There are flashbacks to the island but we don't actually find out anything about the incident with Vera nor how the guys found out. I struggled with that a little as only Jackson (favourite MMC by a country mile - those paper cranes!) seemed to think anything was fishy was going on. I'd have loved more context around it as I could totally understand why Dane would be livid that his friends were open to welcoming her back if Raegan had done what they all think she did. He's not my favourite nor were his actions but I could understand where he was coming from at this point in the story. There were also a few moments where I felt like I was missing something like how the guys ended up separated and when Portia and Raegan discussed their pasts but it happened off page. I loved Portia as a character and I am rooting for her and Elias; Portia and the fork was definitely one of my highlights!
I am on the fence about Raegan's martyr complex though but I think that's largely due to having so many gaps in the backstory at this point. I understand her wanting to protect the guys from Gordon and I think when the Vera scene happens on page it'll become clearer why she is still keeping things to herself. I loved seeing her protective side with Portia but Raegan's sense of self preservation had me confused as she gets blackout drunk more than once and started diving into situations headfirst with no plan. I get the drinking as a coping mechanism but it seemed an odd choice when the goons are already circling her in the city and she was leaving herself vulnerable after learning the hard way already that people will take advantage of her.
Its a 3.5 storywise for me and I am invested (especially after that ending) however the audio is 100% 5 stars and I really enjoyed listening. The cast are all engaging; Amy Hall is great at flipping between the young Raegan and the hardened version we meet in present day. I am already a JF Harding and Jason Clarke fan but Christian Fox as Gordon honestly gave me chills. He is such a sinister character and I am dreading finding out what happened in that missing year!