Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of Adrift by Will Dean due to be published February 17, 2026.

Peggy and Drew, both aspiring writers, move to an isolated canal boat with their fourteen-year-old son, Samson. As Drew moves their boat farther and farther away, it sets off catastrophic events. Can they survive?

Although this one had me hooked from the start, I found it very difficult to read. Drew’s constant gaslighting and his bullish behavior was a complete turnoff. It was riveting to see what happened and if the outcome was a good one, but I had to take short breaks to read something lighter in between chapters of this one. Not for the faint of heart!

#NetGalley #WillDean #Adrift #AtriaBooks

This book follows Peggy and Drew, two aspiring authors, who move onto a boar with their teenage son after Peggy's mother passes away. When Peggy's career unexpectedly takes off, Drew's jealousy drives him to uproot the family and push them further away from civilization - setting off a chain of events that tears them apart.

I went into this expecting a survival thriller with wilderness-based tension, but what I got felt much more like a domestic drama with thriller elements sprinkled in. The pacing was solid and the writing kept me turning pages, but I really struggled with Drew's character. He felt so unhinged and unrealistic that it honestly made the book difficult for me to finish - every scene with him left me frustrated and annoyed. The plot and character development was there, but the execution of his role just didn't land for me.

That said, Will Dean is a creative writer with a unique style, and I've enjoyed some of his other books. While this one wasn't what I hoped for, I think it will still find its audience. If you're a fan of Dean's work, I'd still recommend giving it a try - just go in knowing it's not what I would consider a typical Will Dean thriller. This one leans heavier on family drama with hints of mystery and suspense. Not a favorite for me, but I can see others enjoying the messy, chaotic unraveling of this family.

Amazing read. Characters are so real and true. It gripped me from the first chapter and never let go.
I will definitely read more from this author.

This is one of the most intense books I’ve ever read. Different than Dean’s normal quirky fare, this is a dark character study into familial relationships, domestic abuse and doing whatever we have to in order to protect those that we love. It was stark and chilling and I needed a strong gummy to relax after.

Heavy TW: gaslighting, emotional abuse, murder

The prologue gripped me instantly! INTENSE!

Oof, this was a hard read and yet I couldn't stop turning the pages.

I'm all about alternating POVs and the chapters flowed seamlessly. These are great characters that will make you feel a myriad of emotions. I myself felt anger the most.

Really well written and hard to put down. A constant sense of unease.

Adrift is the type of book I could have easily read in one sitting.

My thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for this advanced copy!

Earlier this year I went through some personal things that muted my love of reading and writing book reviews. I couldn’t find my spark, nothing resonated with me. When I saw Will Dean wrote another book the lightbulb went back on and I raced to NetGalley and crossed my fingers and toes I would get picked to read it. My first experience of his was The Last One and I devoured that in typical thriller exhilarating fashion. But I had no idea what I was getting myself into this time. There were so many times reading this that I thought I would DNF it, not because it was boring, or slow or lacked anything, no; the complete opposite actually. The level of discomfort I felt with each page caused me to read this like a snail slowly inching through a chapter or two leaving a trail of disgusted emotional slime behind, in each sitting. At least 6 or 7 times I physically drew retracted into myself and exhaled heavily and tossed my phone aside, because it was too much, too real. I had to get up to get water, to play a happy song, to pace, to move, to escape the nightmare the characters in this book could not.

I developed such a connection to these people. The fierce protection I felt over Peggy and Samson was dizzying and at times put me in a state of vertigo. Having personally been a silent survivor in my own past relationship, this was hard to read. I have spent countless hours years later unraveling my own lived traumas, and to see such similar ones laid out for these two was just world-shattering. The gaslighting, manipulation, and effortless narcissism, all just oozes from Drew so lackadaisically. The mind-bending efforts he goes through to keep these psychological restraints over his victims, is just almost executed with whimsy. It’s as if it’s this delicate dance that flows through him. But it is ingrained in him to be that way, he doesn’t have to try or think about his next move, and that is the scariest part. As each piece of the picture becomes clearer, and the cruelty deepens, you get the sense that it’s fun to Drew to play out these calculated games. He finds joy in torturing his wife and son and having them second guess every little detail and walk on eggshells constantly. Samson is molded into a weapon against his own mother. Peggy becomes her own downfall, to no fault of her own. It’s almost the more she becomes aware of the grip, the tighter its hold on her. The smallest insignificant things begin to hold so much meaning, realizing she’s not losing her mind, she didn’t have that conversation, these things were never said, she didn’t misplace her own items. Slowly but surely, she begins to shred the facade he has created for them to believe.

I hated this. I hated this because I lived it, and the author made it real again. It puts you on edge, it will dry out your mouth, give you heart palpitations and have you pulling at your roots rocking back and forth going, “no no no no no.”
Maybe not to that extent: but if you can relate, well then maybe yes.

Read this. For so many like these two characters, that feel helpless, and hopeless, and go through their life wondering if there is anything more meant for them to life. For all those stuck in a situation they dream of escaping. For the ones feeling alone and adrift from the rest of the world, like they’ll never belong and never find their purpose. Whether it’s for a moment or a lifetime on a metaphorical canal in the Midwest, read this.


Check trigger warnings PLEASE.

5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC of Adrift in exchange for an honest review.

Adrift by Will Dean is a haunting nail-biting novel about a woman who slowly realizes that her husband is not to be trusted. Really, she's known for a long time, but he's unravelling and he crosses many lines now that he has isolated their small family on a boat. Peggy, her husband, Drew, and her son, Sammy are living on a small boat that Drew continues to move further away from civilization. He is removing as many resources as he can. He scoffs at help and questions every move that Peggy makes. Eventually, Drew changes Peggy's life in an unforgiveable way. Meanwhile, Sammy is a young boy trying to navigate living under the radar at home to avoid his father's inconsistent behavior and then trying to stay under the radar while at school due to over-the-top bullying.

While the atmosphere of this book will leave you feeling claustrophobic, you will also be giving hope at the neighbor's, classmates, and community members that take the extra step to offer protection, love or whichever else is needed in that moment. Every element of this book adds to the core of the story. Sammy's balance of home life and school life showcases his moments of coming to age. Peggy's life at the library and at home showcases her quiet demeanor, but she is observing. She is utterly resilient. Drew's lifestyle and weekend job demonstrate his obsession with what a man should be.

I highly recommend this book!

This novel was a very intense, disturbing, yet riveting thriller. Peggy and her husband Drew live on a canal boat with their 14 year old son Samson. Drew is a writer who once won an award for his work, but is now struggling to write another great novel. He is controlling, manipulating and down right cruel to his wife and son. Peggy works at the library and is also an aspiring writer who hopes to earn money so she and her son can escape this awful existence under Drew’s control. Samson is bullied at school and at home and strives to gain approval from his father. As the novel progresses, Drew’s behavior becomes more and more extreme, leaving Peggy feeling frightened and desperate to find a way out. This was truly a heartbreaking novel that had me feeling so invested and concerned for Peggy and Samson. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’ve been meaning to read something by Will Dean for a while now, and I’m so glad I finally did. Adrift completely blew me away — a solid 5-star read.
The story follows Drew, Peggy, and their son Samson. After the success of his award-winning debut novel, Drew moves his family to a houseboat on a quiet canal, hoping for peace and focus while he works on his second book. But instead of finding calm, Peggy and Samson are drawn into a dark and suffocating world. Drew becomes increasingly controlling, emotionally manipulative, and cruel; especially toward those closest to him.

Samson is not only dealing with the pressure at home but is also being bullied at school, making his world feel even smaller. Peggy is desperate to escape and start fresh with her son, but when you're trapped with someone like Drew, leaving is far more complicated than it seems.

I was completely immersed in this story. I ached for Peggy and Samson and found myself rooting for them on every page. Will Dean handles this tense and emotional story with such skill, it was impossible to put down.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC. Adrift hits shelves on February 17, 2026 — highly recommend adding this to your TBR

Disturbing well written novel ! This was my first book written by Will Dean. His writing is excellent, his theme is DARK. I think the darkness of the book bother me because I realize it’s real life for many families .

The characters made my heart break at each twist and turn.

The story builds around a dominate father’s controlling abuse over his wife and son. The writer makes you feel the pain of the son being abused, and bullied. He walks you through this character becoming a man.

I’m not sure I would categorize this book as a mystery. I appreciate the depth of the writing, however the content triggered me too much to recommend it to most of my reading friends.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I am leaving my opinion of this book voluntarily.

This book had me stressed out right from the start. Will Dean is a master of psychological warfare, he does an excellent job bringing characters and situations to life. One of the better thrillers I’ve read so far this year.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for the opportunity to read this book.

I was hooked in the beginning - but this book got dark fast. I somehow continued reading because I had to know what was going to happen, and I kept waiting for a twist - a big one like his previous book I read. But it never really came. This book has a very dark MMC who is now second in my list for most hated fictional characters…

Thank you @netgalley and @simonandschuster for an ARC of Will Dean's latest novel, Adrift.

Dean is the master of claustrophobia and dread. You knew something was going to happen, but not when. His detail to building characters is immaculate. This is more of a family drama, a little outside of what I usually read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
4⭐️/5.

#bookworm
#bookstgram
#family drama
#willdean
#netgalley
#simon&shuster

this had me intriuged from the start. I havent really enjoyed a thriller mystery very much in a long time but this was a lot of fun

This was an amazing story from start to finish. I fell in love with Sammy and Peggy. Much of the plot is realistic and relatable not just for me but for most readers that have ever been in a toxic relationship. There are other characters that I treasure throughout the book and I really wasn’t sure how it would end. The plot gives enough for you to try to guess without giving it away. I really treasured this story and will think of it often.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Review will be posted on Instagram and Amazon on pub day and links added to NetGalley.

Wow! This book is a 10/10! I fell hard for these characters. Every story element complimented the narrative. This book is well-written and the story is tight meaning there are no loose ends or parts that don’t make sense. I could not figure out how this story was going to end. I was engrossed all the way through! I happened to go on a trip when I was reading this and didn’t mind the plane ride as I was able to allow myself to get swallowed up in this book, in the best of ways!

I love Will Dean‘s books. Period. If he writes it, I’m going to read it. When I saw this one advertised on Instagram (thanks, Stephanie Howell) I immediately came to NetGalley.com to try and find it. Thanks to Atria Books for the digital galley.

Is this where I tell you #HighlyRecommend? What I love most about Dean’s books are his endings. They’re twisted. There’s no other word for it. Every time I think I know what’s going to happen, it goes 180° in the opposite direction and I’m flabbergasted!

This one did not disappoint. I sort of thought I knew what he was going to do and how he was going to wrap it up, but Will Dean did it again. I don’t know how he comes up with these stories and these endings, but I’m there for every one of them.

I was completely captivated by this book in a way I never expected. This is a psychological thriller that truly hooked me from the very beginning. Each chapter built more and more tension because I had no idea what was going to happen next.
The story explores the unsettling family problems of a family living on a boat in a remote canal. As the plot unfolds, hidden truths are revealed, and you start to question everything. This is a masterclass in psychological suspense that I would highly recommend to anyone who loves to feel the tension of reading a truly great book.
The ending left me deep in thought, and the entire story was incredibly captivating. This was the first time I've read a book by this author, and I was so impressed with his writing style. Without a doubt, this book is an easy 5 stars.

Keep an eye out for this one when it releases in February!
This domestic thriller takes place on a houseboat in a canal and tells the story of isolation, abuse, and control. It is a truly harrowing tale full of gaslighting, manipulation, and abuse. It also tells the heart wrenching truth of a mother who can’t protect her child for reasons beyond her control. A must read for the winter!
Thank you @atriabooks, @willrdean, and @netgalley for the arc! 💜🖤

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC copy.
Wow!! I think Will Dean is going to be an auto buy author for me from now on.
This story is about a family, a domineering father named Drew, his wife Peggy and their son Samson. This family lives in a house boat on a canal, Drew is a writer and factory worker, and Peggy volunteers at the local library. From the outside everything looks fine, but reading what the day to day life for the wife and son is like will completely enrage you, you won’t be able to put this down.
Top emotions while reading this book were rage, frustration, and sympathy. I could not put this down!
5 ⭐️