[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Adrift releases February 17, 2026

Drew and Peggy have been married for fifteen years, and are both aspiring writers. They currently live a very frugal life on a canal boat with their fourteen-year-old son, Samson.

This ‘thriller’ was night and day from what I was expecting. The blurb really emphasized isolation, but in my opinion, they weren’t isolated enough. Attending school every day, taking the bus, working at the library and interacting with other civilians — that’s not isolation.

Because this story dealt with such difficult and suffocating topics (emotional and financial abuse, gaslighting, manipulation, bullying, self-harm/attempted suicide, psychiatric evaluation), I found that the pacing wasn’t propulsive enough to offset that weight, especially for the genre.

That was truly a mesmerizing story! 📖
At times a book hits you with experiences you or a loved one has gone through, and this book did just that.

Peggy and Drew, were both young and poor when they married and had a son Samson. Both Peggy and Drew were writers trying to hit a small measure of success. They live on a boat after selling Peg's mother's house and buying the boat.

Peggy was intimidated by many things but especially by Drew. She adored her son, and did her best to care for him. When she has a possible success in one of her stories, Drew finds the boat location is not to his liking so moves the boat to where the family is more isolated.

Samson, is a fourteen year old, belittled at school, bullied unmercifully, and unaccepted by his father. He is sad and fearful, but underneath it all he is a kind soul.

Then there is Drew, a controlling husband who makes demands of Peg and Samson. He demands total silence when he writes, belittles Peg with every word that comes out of his mouth, and manipulates and cajoles the family. He is despicable, but Peg is so beaten down she acquiesces to his demands and demeanor.

Peg is finding more and more of her things missing. Drew blames it on her mental state, continuously reminding her that she had family who were confined to a mental institution. Drew is a master manipulator and controls the environment Peg lives in such manipulation, she doubts herself and thinks perhaps she does belong in an asylum. The one thing that keeps Peg going is her love for Samson. Although Drew has never physically hurt her the emotional abuse has indeed scarred her, making her self image and esteem falter and be near zero. She stays for her son.

There does come a breaking point that leads to events which are both sad and deserved. Will Peg and Samson be able to ever recover from this emotional abuse after the dam has broken? Will they ever be able to climb out of the pit that Drew has thrown them into?

An emotional and sad story that will touch many as either they themselves or others they care for have a Drew in their lives.

This is the third book I have read by Will Dean, and each one has left me literally breathless! This one focuses on a family living on a canal boat with their 14 year old son. When Peggy finds success with her book, and Drew doesn't (they are writers), things begin to escalate. Honestly, the unease and anxiety I felt was overwhelming (in a good way). Drew is a toxic man and I absolutely despised him. This book takes on topics such as bullying, emotional abuse, forced isolation, parental cruelty, and suicide. This book also shows how Drew became this way. I feel that not only was this an amazing read, but important for everyone to know the signs of a toxic partner.

The blurb for this one really attracted me. It sounded so claustrophobic, but when I started it is was just so heavy that I couldn't do it. It was also so slow moving and just kept dragging for a while so I decided to give up and DNF.

The first book I read by Will Dean was ‘The Last Thing To Burn’. It continues to live rent free in my head and I think it will be there forever.
This is another terrifying look at a small family, Peggy, Drew, and their son Sammy. Drew is described as a brilliant writer. For him to achieve his best work, he sets stringent rules for his family. The quiet he needs, his disdain for the world around him, and his insistence that his family follow his rules without question. It is not an easy or pleasant life. Sammy is mercilessly bullied at school, while Peggy just tries her best to protect him and not lose her mind. Meanwhile Drew continues his plan to ensure they are more and more isolated.
There are many subjects that could potentially be triggering. Sammy’s school life, Peggy being made smaller and smaller, and the fact that if Drew met an unpleasant end, I would feel nothing, except for relief.
Not a treadmill or beach read for me. I savored the author’s words while keeping everything crossed and wishing somehow that this would have a happy conclusion.

This thriller kept me on the edge of my seat. It was so good! This is an auto-read, auto-buy author for me! Highly recommend for the twists and turns.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for providing a copy of Adrift by Will Dean.

This isn't your typical thriller it's thought provoking and emotional as well. This book grips you and holds your attention beginning to end.

Please be aware the subject and events could be possible triggers.

This gripping thriller is told from two powerful perspectives: Sammy, a young boy, and his mother, Peggy. They live on a boat with Peggy’s abusive husband, whose controlling behavior and constant accusations create a suffocating and dangerous environment. His paranoia and emotional manipulation are central to the tension in the story, and they may be triggering for readers with similar past experiences—something I personally felt while reading.

Sammy’s journey is equally compelling. He faces relentless bullying at school and struggles with anger issues, making his chapters raw and heartbreaking. His pain is palpable, and his resilience is quietly inspiring.

Peggy, though initially portrayed as fragile and submissive, undergoes a remarkable transformation. Her growth throughout the story is a testament to the strength of a mother’s love and the lengths one will go to protect their child. Her evolution made me reflect deeply on what I would do in her shoes.

This book is not just a thriller—it’s a story of survival, growth, and the complicated dynamics of abuse and healing. It’s emotionally intense and thought-provoking, and I would definitely recommend it to readers who appreciate character-driven thrillers with real emotional depth.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Samson lives on a boat with his parents. Drew, his father, is a complicated man, and his mother, Peggy, is controlled by him. Things come to light after several alarming things happen to and around the family. An unlikely hero comes to Samson's rescue.

Vividly written characters. The novel is amazing.

Pros:

Razor-sharp psychological tension and suspense

Rich, intimate character portrayals—especially Peggy and Samson

A compelling study of isolation, control, and survival within family dynamics

Considerations:

The subject matter is emotionally heavy; it’s a slow-burn psychological thriller, not a quick-paced action story

Readers sensitive to emotional abuse or domestic manipulation will find it intense

In short, Adrift is a masterclass in gripping psychological fiction. It’s a challenging read—but one that stays with you long after the final page. If you appreciate moody, atmospheric thrillers with deep emotional currents and powerful character arcs, this is a book not to be missed.

Thank you, Atria Books, for providing a copy of Adrift by Will Dean. The prologue caught my attention right away, because yikes! I wasn’t prepared for the unrelenting ill treatment of and by some of the characters. I kept hoping for some relief, but even the short-lived “happy” moments were full of dark foreboding because I could see where they were heading. The sudden ending felt too convenient to me, but maybe by that time I was just exhausted by the endless stream of bad events. I usually love Will Dean’s books, but this was a tough read for me. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC of this novel!

Trigger warning: this novel deals with several heavy and triggering topics such as loneliness, bullying, gas lighting, emotional abuse, mental health, controlling behaviour, toxic relationships, physical abuse and manipulation.

This was a hard read - but in the best way possible. I experienced a roller coaster of emotions alongside the characters while reading this novel. Every chapter featuring the volatile husband, Drew, left me feeling weighed down and as if a boulder was on my chest. Will Dean writes in a way that has you falling in love with Peggy and Samson and screaming of hatred towards Drew.

The more Drew manipulates Peggy and forces her to doubt herself, the more I as the reader began to question the conclusions she had drawn herself. Will Dean did a fantastic job of portraying the narcissistic and manipulative partner, the toxicity of such a relationship and the realities/dangers of trying to escape. This is my first novel by this author but most certainly won’t be my last! Highly recommended read, just prepare yourself first as this is not for the faint of heart.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC to review!

3.5 stars – Adrift starts strong, dropping you straight into a tense, claustrophobic survival scenario that had me racing through the first chapters. Will Dean’s sharp prose and high-stakes setup really land at the start. But somewhere in the middle, the pace drifts—scenes stretch, momentum dips, and I found myself less invested. Some character choices pulled me out of it (like standing around debating instead of acting when danger was literally seconds away). The ending tries for impact but felt a bit rushed and underwhelming compared to the gripping opening. Still, it’s an atmospheric, page-turning read that delivers some solid tension, even if it doesn’t quite stick the landing.

Will Dean does it again! I was gripped from the first two pages and spent many nights up too late for “just one more chapter”! It was difficult to “watch” Peggy endure life with Drew but having a character yet you love to hate makes it all worth it.

this book made me physically angry - like I seriously had to force myself to get through because of how much bullying and emotional abuse was present in this story…

however, will dean’s writing style is so detailed and prose-like that I did indeed finish it! and while it was quite literally the point of the story to make the reader upset and angry on behalf of peggy and sammy, I can’t get over it 🫣

peggy is in an abusive relationship with her husband drew, and sammy, their son, is stuck in the middle - and between all of the bullying and abuse, there really… isn’t a plot y’all 😬 it’s just a character study of how deeper and deeper abuse goes

the main “twists” and ending of the story were quite predictable, especially given the history throughout the book, and I found myself wondering what the point of it all was - other than to traumatize me clearly 🤪

I would have enjoyed it more if there was more emphasis on a thriller subplot rather than shoving the abuse again and again down the reader’s throats in a thousand different examples…

and I’m still shaking in anger everyone

thank you atria for the gifted advanced copy!!

rating: 1.5 stars
wine pairing: columbia pinot noir

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC copy of Will Dean’s “Adrift”. Will Dean is one of my favorite authors and this book doesn’t disappoint. I haven’t had to put a book down because it was so intense since I read Stephen King’s “The Shining”.

Adrift by Will Dean is dark, moody, and totally immersive! I felt myself sinking right into the slow unraveling of this family. The whole setup of living on a canal boat in the middle of nowhere was creepy in the best way, and gave off claustrophobic vibes that fit the story’s descent into manipulation, isolation, and emotional tension. It’s not a fast paced thriller, but more of a slow burn psychological unraveling. I love how the author wrote this simmering tension throughout the book that makes it impossible to stop reading. If you like domestic suspense with messy and layered characters definitely give this one a read!

There’s nothing like a story that gives you a character to really hate, a plot that makes you keep turning the pages to see what’s going to happen next, a feel-good moment when a character rises up out of his/her misery to triumph in a spectacular way. This isn’t that book. This is slow-paced, repetitive, predictable, and even Drew’s inherent evil felt truncated - possibly because of the writing style. It also felt distinctly British, despite being set in the United States - the expressions the characters used, calling a pen a Biro, and sports uniforms a kit - all of it distracting enough to take me out of the story. Despite being billed as a “high tension thriller,” the story just never lived up to its promising start.

I'm a big fan of some of Will Dean's previous books, so I was very excited to get an ARC of Adrift. Whereas his previous ones balanced fast-paced plot with some levity, this one felt very, very heavy from the start. Between that and the narrative style, it just wasn't for me. I remain a big fan of Dean's writing and will absolutely read whatever he writes next.

Whew! So! As far as depth and emotion go, this will probably stick with me. The complexities in the relationships, digging through what’s true and what not. What traits we inherit, how much we trust those we love, the intricacies of how we miss terrible people. BUTTTTT the whole book felt like it was reaching for a peak that never came. Like I’ll be forever climbing a hill that never crests. It was anticlimactic and it bummed me out.