After reading Dean's book "The Last One," I was excited to reach more from Will Dean. This book left me very impressed with Dean's versatility as an author. The story of "The Last One' was large in scale with the story going far beyond the single setting and having far reaching consequences. Meanwhile, "Adrift" was hyperfocused on a claustrophobic setting that was even more unsettling. It was a masterclass in atmosphere and character that left me with a pit in my stomach the whole time. It was even more heartbreaking in the context of the authors note at the start which grounded the story in the reality that the contents of this book are many peoples lived experiences.

It was my bad, I saw the title and the author and I immediately added it to my TBR and requested an ARC in NetGalley.

If I would have read the synopsis I probably would have passed, but here is my experience reading this book.

Big part of the book makes you "watch" ( in your head of course) how Drew abuses Peggy his wife, and the kind of "show" their son Samson needs to live with while being horribly bullied at school.

The amount of gaslighting ( by the father and husband) sounds very real, the abuse seems and feels way too real, and although I appreciate bringing awareness to an issue like this, It was infuriating. My blood was boiling the entire time. Not the reaction, or feeling I want to experience as I read my books. Like I said, not for me.

The characters were really well written, but seeing somebody struggle with this kind of abuse and living IN EXTREME POVERTY, was not my idea of a good time, or read.

Now, I'm putting aside my bias to rate this book:

1) The ending was predictable, almost like the "obvious" ending. I'm not going to say happy or sad.
2) The character at the end of the book that gets somebody out of trouble with the law, felt like a hero from a soap opera. I cringed at the things that person said, and what this person was doing to save another, made no sense, at all. Made me cringe, again. That other character would have been ok, it was unnecessary. I " was hearing a violin in my head" in the background of that scene, and not in a good way.
3) It was too long, including epilogue 1 and 2. It could have been condensed and I felt like something else should have been revealed at the end, if that long of an "ending" was needed. Maybe I didn't care about the characters enough but I could have seen this happening to them. It was the obvious ending.


I was expecting a "revenge" ending, anything that redeemed this mom and son, and I felt like a Lifetime ending. If you ever watched a Lifetime movie about domestic violence, you probably will figure this ending way ahead of it. Maybe I've read too many Rachel Harrison's books and I was expecting the mom to kick some butts or something...

I need to thank NetGalley, Will Dean and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange of my honest review.

I think I'm the odd man out on this one, I hope so anyway, and that people enjoy it more than me but, CHECK YOUR TRIGGERS, if that matters to you, it touches on HEAVY topics.

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and Will Dean for the advanced reader copy (ARC) of Adrift. I’m grateful for the opportunity to read and review this gripping novel ahead of its release.

Adrfit is a chilling, psychologically layered exploration of abuse, control, and the quiet desperation that can live behind the façade of a "normal" family. Will Dean has created a story that’s as emotionally resonant as it is suspenseful, claustrophobic setting exposes the raw dynamics of power, trauma, and endurance, that far too many people have experienced.

This tense, survival thriller had me hooked from the very first chapter. Will Dean masterfully creates a sense of isolation and dread that builds relentlessly throughout the story. It took me longer than usual to finish this book, not because I wasn’t invested, but because of the intensity of the emotions it triggered in me. I felt such overwhelming anger toward Drew and deep empathy for Peggy and Sammy. Their suffering, particularly the psychological manipulation and emotional abuse they endured, was portrayed with heartbreaking realism.

Peggy, a woman trapped in an emotionally and psychologically abusive marriage. Her inner world is so vividly rendered that her fear, confusion, and restrained strength become deeply relatable. You feel her constantly weighing every word and movement, trying to protect herself and her son without triggering her husband’s wrath. Her voice is quiet, but her courage is loud in its persistence and perseverance. Her unwavering loyalty and protective essence towards her son is admirable.

Sammy, the son, is a heartbreaking portrayal of a child caught in the middle of an abusive home. His innocence contrasts painfully with the manipulation and tension he endures. His emotional confusion of trying to make sense of love and fear in the same parent, is handled with heartbreaking realism. His emotions are palpable throughout the story.

Drew, the husband and father, whose manipulative, narcissistic behavior drives the emotional and psychological terror of the book. Dean captures the insidious nature of gaslighting and coercive control of such a vile character. Drew doesn’t need to yell or hit, his power lies in fear, silence, and dominance. He isolates, belittles, twists reality, and wears Peggy and Sammy down until they begin to doubt themselves. He is terrifying not because he’s over-the-top, but because its a very accurate portrayal of an abuser.

Adrift is a haunting, emotionally charged thriller that lingers long after you turn the final page. It’s a survival story in every sense. Will Dean successfully depicted the raw and emotional turmoil of living in a cycle of abuse. The emotional depth, the psychological tension, and the powerful, relevant themes of resilience and trauma make this an unforgettable read. This novel both entertains and resonates, making it his best work to date.

Will Dean caught my attention with the very first chapter and kept me intrigued throughout the entire book!
A controlling husband keeping his family out of the way of the public eye but not enough to raise any questions. What could possibly be wrong with that? When the plot thickens the ugly truth reveals itself and will leave you in shock and wanting more.

Suspenseful, uncomfortable and with a current of ever-increasing intensity, Adrift is a psychological thriller that will make you anxious and put you on edge in a way that produces a burning desire to speed to the end in order to find out what happens to these characters. Will Dean has delivered another masterfully intense and nervy tale that is disturbing and doesn’t give you a minute of reprieve, yet you cannot look away. Providing the same feeling of dread and impending doom as Dean’s brilliantly haunting The Last Thing to Burn.

Peggy and Drew, along with their 14-year-old son Samson, live on a boat on a canal in middle America. Drew is an aspiring author, trying to find success after winning a writing prize several years ago. Peggy volunteers at the local library and takes care of her family. And while they have little money, Samson attends a prestigious school on scholarship. But all is not well with this family. Drew is domineering and gaslights his family every chance he gets. Peggy is desperate to help her family but thwarted at every turn. And Samson is relentlessly bullied at school. Eventually it all becomes too much, and events spiral out of control. But as the old saying goes: when in hell, keep going.

It's like watching a car crash in slow motion. You know the outcome is going to be bad, you just don’t know exactly how bad it’ll be. So, you keep looking, unable to tear your eyes off the impending carnage. In this case, the car crash is a toxic environment filled with emotional pain in which a violent outcome is all but certain. But there’s a question of who will perpetrate that violence and upon whom. And all the while you’ll hold onto a hope that physical hostilities will be avoided. Knowing in your heart that’s not going to be the case, so transitioning to a hopefulness that the “right” person is the one who gets it in the end.

Adrift is dark, tough, triggering and emotional stuff to read. But it’s also exceptionally crafted and executed. Another fantastic novel by Will Dean. A story you won’t stop thinking about for a long time.

It was okay. I hadn’t read this author before so adapting to a new style is always interesting. I think I would pick up another book sometime soon

This is so successful.It was so good.It was so good.It was so atmospheric.Just read this when it gets published

3.5 stars rounded up. This was my first by the author and I was so excited after reading the summary. Unfortunately, this just wasn't as suspenseful or thrilling as the summary seemed to suggest. That's not to say it wasn't a good book, I was just left wanting more. I did read this almost entirely in one sitting as it was an easy and attention keeping read but it was a very slow burn. The ending felt a little rushed and left me a little disappointed. There are some really sensitive subjects, most especially verbal and emotional abuse. There was one little surprising twist that I liked but other than that I pretty much knew where the book was headed. I think this was just less a suspenseful thriller I was expecting and more of a family drama/mystery. I do look forward to checking out more of the authors books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to Goodreads and Atria for an early copy.

I am giving this book a 3 star rating only because it was such a slow burn. The story was gripping, I wanted to know what was going to happen next. Also felt like the Peggy epilogue left what happened to Sammy open to interpretation and now I’m just wanting to know what happened to Sammy! I feel like they both should have gotten their happy ending after enduring so much abuse. Thanks for the advanced copy!

I'm claustrophobic and that was probably one of the worst books I could have read, but I loved it! I could not relax once while reading it! The fear and the tension were so intense.

Thrilling, gripping and exciting.
What an interesting plot with crazy plot twists!
I was not expecting that and boy am I happy!

Peggy and Drew are both aspiring authors. They move to an isolated canal boat, with their fourteen year old son, Samson. But things are far from perfect. Drew becomes frustrated with his wifes sudden writing success, moving their canal boat even further from civilisation. Samson is being bullied at school relentlessly and there seems to be no reprieve. Their poverty not helping any of their issues. When Drew's gaslighting becomes too much, it sets into motion a set of catastrophic events that will change the family.

Utterly terrifying and another brilliant novel by the author. This was chilling, with Drew's harrowing tactics of abuse and manipulation in a family basically living on top of one another. I absolutely love this authors novels and this is one of my favourites by him. 4.5*

After reading The Last Thing To Burn by Will Dean I knew I just had to have his newest release and Adrift was another masterpiece. It's emotional and dark but I absolutely love Deans' writing style. Thank you NetGalle and Atria for this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was absolutely incredible. The characters were so captivating and realistic they just draw you right into their minds and allow you to experience the story first hand; And what a story it is. Tragic, dark, absolutely gut wrenching, but also throw in a touch of happiness and joy. This one is a roller coaster of emotions so hang on tight. I also really loved how Dean wrote this story, the pacing and flow was very fun and interesting, for example during certain things when it starts getting chaotic or confusing he throws in quick little flashes of imagines by describing something happening in the background in between the characters thoughts or dialogue. It really just helps to immerse you into their world and their mind and gives the reader a great first person perspective.

Also a warning, there are some very sensitive themes and topics brought up in this book such as domestic violence, mental health issues, bullying, etc. I really cannot believe or imagine how some people truly live in the constant fear that Peggy and Sam did; However, unfortunately I know that too many people do and we all need to learn from this that that is not okay and NOBODY should have to live that way or be treated that way.

I have loved all of Will Dean's books, and was really looking forward to this one. I found Adrift to be really different than any of his previous novels. This one was hard to read - it deals with some tough subjects of abuse and increasing isolation for a mom and her son. I found it difficult to keep reading, but that is mainly because the author brings the characters and a difficult situation to life.

I just want to start by saying that I have absolutely loved and devoured all the other Will Dean books I have read. One was even my top read of the year last year.

So you can say I was pretty surprised when I found myself not vibing with this book. It was to the point where I almost DNF’d and questioned if I was reading the same book as all the others I’ve seen give rave reviews.

I felt like things were very repetitive and very slow. It had its moments, but I wasn’t shocked or captivated by anything that happened.

The one plus it had though, is that Will did a good job at showing the patterns and behaviors of emotional abusers and those within their grip.

However, it didn’t deliver the intensity or suspense I’ve come to expect from his books.

I wouldn’t recommend this book in particular, but definitely recommend his other stories.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for an early copy of this book.

I finished this book months ago, and even now, I’m not sure what to say in this review. It was a really dark and engrossing read about a mother, Peggy, trying to protect her son, Samson, from becoming like her abusive, manipulative, gaslighting husband, Drew. All while they're crammed into their isolated little houseboat, where Drew has rationed their food, water, money, peace, and time so he can concentrate on writing his Next Great Novel.

I was angry as she tried multiple times to leave her situation, only to fall deeper and deeper. Wish I could’ve gone into the book and pushed Drew into the water myself 😭

It was a very quick read with short chapters and compelling characters in horrendous environments. Be prepared to need breaks, but also be unable to look away as you fall deeper and deeper into this little not-so-perfect family’s life.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was the first Will Dean book that I have read and it won't be the last. This book left me with a sense of dread as I turned the pages. This story is about a gaslighting, egotistical husband named Drew and his wife Peggy and their son Samson. Drew rules his household with an iron fist and all most comply with his demands for an absolutely quiet nighttime ritual so Drew can work on his novel. He keeps moving their boat farther and farther away from civilization to keep his family isolated and controlled. Peggy volunteers at the public library but is secretly writing her own book so she can escape with Samson for a better life. Will Drew let this scenario happen?
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.
Publishing date is February 17; 2026

Adrift plunges readers into a chilling claustrophobic world aboard a boat in the canal. Peggy Jenkins, a writer, lives on the boat with her controlling husband, Drew, and their teenage son, Samson. As Drew's jealousy over Peggy's emerging literary success intensifies, he wheels the family deeper into isolation.

This book is told in the POV of Peggy and Samson. It has great character development. Drew plays mind games and Peggy is a hero. The story is an emotional journey of sadness, frustration, anger, shock and at the end there are tears! Deeply moving and powerful!

Stunning, Devasting, and Heartbreaking! 4 stars!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy! This book will be released 2/16/26.

I loved this book so much! It hooked me right from the first chapter and never let me go. I loved the writing style, it felt like you were there living life right alongside this family. The emotions it pulled from me, ugh!! I wanted to throat punch Drew 98% of the time. There where moments where I was questioning everything and everyone haha - that ending too?! Chef's kiss!

This was very well done, definitely recommend!!

Please check TW before diving in, has some heavy scenes/topics.