SOLVED. Kids/YA book. Girl leaves mean home and goes on adventure with friend she meets along the way. [s]

[Chez]

-Read between 2014-2016 - it was a newish/modern book at the time
-Her stepfather's name is Mal (the book mentions it's French for evil/harm)
-She lives with him and her mother and is treated badly until she is able to escape
-She goes to the city (I think) and meets a boy who is also on his own and they have adventures or something
-It wasn't a romantic book that's why I said kids but it was a normal length book
-I think at some point her stepfather tracks her down and tries to get her back

[Becca]

Was it set in the real, modern world, or was it fantasy / historical?

It might be on one of these lists - Runaways in YA and Middle Grade Fiction

Best On the Run / Running Away Books

Runaway

[Chez]

it was mostly modern? (realistic but it didn't get into technology a lot)

[Chez]

SOLVED -- The Outlandish Adventures of Liberty Aimes by Kelly Easton

[Rainbowheart]

Glad you found it!

The Outlandish Adventures of Liberty Aimes for the link.