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Adrift Without You: A Second Chance MM Romance
Could you forgive the person who shattered your heart?
Twenty years ago, Kyle left Brendan behind. They both moved on, even married other men. But when a chance encounter dredges up the pain and passion of their past, neither can ignore the pull between them.
Kyle… To the outside world, I appear to have a picture-perfect life, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. I’m drifting, numb, and full of regret. When I was nineteen, I walked away from the only boy I ever truly loved. Now fate has given me another chance—and I’ll fight to the end to win him back.
Brendan… I spent years stitching myself back together after Kyle tore me apart. It wasn’t easy, but I rebuilt from the ashes, started a business, and found love again. Now Kyle’s back, wanting something he has no right to ask for. So why is it so hard to turn him away?
Set against the tides of a Melbourne beachside town, Adrift Without You is a raw, emotional love story about forgiveness, longing, and the courage to fight for a second chance.
Twenty years ago, Kyle left Brendan behind. They both moved on, even married other men. But when a chance encounter dredges up the pain and passion of their past, neither can ignore the pull between them.
Kyle… To the outside world, I appear to have a picture-perfect life, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. I’m drifting, numb, and full of regret. When I was nineteen, I walked away from the only boy I ever truly loved. Now fate has given me another chance—and I’ll fight to the end to win him back.
Brendan… I spent years stitching myself back together after Kyle tore me apart. It wasn’t easy, but I rebuilt from the ashes, started a business, and found love again. Now Kyle’s back, wanting something he has no right to ask for. So why is it so hard to turn him away?
Set against the tides of a Melbourne beachside town, Adrift Without You is a raw, emotional love story about forgiveness, longing, and the courage to fight for a second chance.
- GenresSecond ChanceM M Romance
ebook
Published January 1, 2026
17 people are currently reading
173 people want to read
About the author
Rae Roberts
2 books20 followersRae Roberts is a queer author who writes emotional, heartfelt, and unapologetically MM romance. With a background in performing arts and a current career as a counsellor, Rae brings a deep understanding of people—their strengths, fears and fragile hopes—to every story she writes.
Her characters are raw and real, often navigating identity, grief and trauma on their journey to connection and unconditional love. Rae's stories explore the messy, beautiful complexity of queer love. The kind that lingers, transforms, and ultimately heals. She believes in a happily ever after, but only after putting her characters (and readers), through the emotional wringer.
When she's not writing or working with clients, Rae is probably dreaming up her next emotionally devastating plot, sipping a hot chocolate, or curled up on the couch binge-watching a drama series.
Pages of My Heart is her debut novel. Adrift Without You will be released in October, 2025. Rae resides in Melbourne, Australia.
"I spent much of my life concealing my queerness. But through the creative process of writing, and writing queer love stories, I found self-acceptance and the courage to live authentically. I have so many more stories to share, and I can't wait to share them with you!"
~ Rae 💜
Her characters are raw and real, often navigating identity, grief and trauma on their journey to connection and unconditional love. Rae's stories explore the messy, beautiful complexity of queer love. The kind that lingers, transforms, and ultimately heals. She believes in a happily ever after, but only after putting her characters (and readers), through the emotional wringer.
When she's not writing or working with clients, Rae is probably dreaming up her next emotionally devastating plot, sipping a hot chocolate, or curled up on the couch binge-watching a drama series.
Pages of My Heart is her debut novel. Adrift Without You will be released in October, 2025. Rae resides in Melbourne, Australia.
"I spent much of my life concealing my queerness. But through the creative process of writing, and writing queer love stories, I found self-acceptance and the courage to live authentically. I have so many more stories to share, and I can't wait to share them with you!"
~ Rae 💜
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
October 15, 2025
I just want a nice cheating romance where two good people do a very bad thing. No extenuating circumstances whatsoever. Is that too much to ask for? Apparently, yes.
I don't want a story where the partners have secretly been terrible people for the past two decades to make it okay that the MCs are cheating.
I don't want the partners to be so bad that they should be lucky cheating is the only thing that's happened to them.
I don't want to be rooting for the MCs to 'escape' a bad situation.
It doesn't really hit the same when it's like that. I want their partners to be good, loving people who have done nothing to the MCs(except love and support them). That's the only way I'll get the angst I'm looking for.
I want the MCs to hate what they're doing but be unable to stop themselves anyway. I want emotional carnage.
I don't want lavender marriages or wives from hell either. I don't want failing marriages that were already on their last legs. I want happy marriages that don't know what hit them. Actually, raise the stakes and add bi awakenings.
I want confused but inescapable.
This was not that.
Kyle is an authentic homewrecker, no two ways about it. Such a breath of fresh air.
No guilt, no self awareness of having been the one that ruined things between them two twenty years ago, no consideration for his 15 years older husband whom he now resents for having a saggy ass and loose hole.
Just an all round bad person who wants one thing in life. To get back with his married ex whom he fucked over and left to rot in prison 💀
'I want Bren’s marriage to be nothing more than a substitute, a half relationship, something he settled for.'
I mean, sure, bad things have happened to him, too, but still. He DID choose his path in life. He just made a wrong choice and now wants to derail Bren from his okay life because he' 'belongs to him'.
Have you ever seen cheaters who seem to want to get caught? Because that's Bren and Kyle. Showing up at each other's homes. Showing up at the other's workplace with flowers. Incriminating texts.
Kyle simply doesn't see them being married to other men as an issue.
He's just the devil sitting on Bren's shoulder saying 'It's okay if you don't love me now, you'll love me again.'
'Do you think staying with Chris when you're not in love with him will make him happy? Does he deserve that?'
Break up with your husband, I'm bored.
Basically, I know I fucked around on you before, and ghosted you when you were imprisoned but this time will be different.
What ruined this for me were the extenuating circumstances.
Didn't help that the situations with both husbands were resolved with a pretty bow on top.
🤦🤦🤦🤦🤦
I'm reading a cheating romance BECAUSE I want messy.
Also, I hated how Kyle talked about his husband's hairy hole like it's a bad thing? What's he smoking?
#JusticeForHairyHoles
Actually, generally the way Kyle talks about James' body throughout this book is really icky.
Oh, you married a man decades older than you and now you're acting like his body doing things bodies do is unnatural and aimed at turning you off?
🙄
I don't want a story where the partners have secretly been terrible people for the past two decades to make it okay that the MCs are cheating.
I don't want the partners to be so bad that they should be lucky cheating is the only thing that's happened to them.
I don't want to be rooting for the MCs to 'escape' a bad situation.
It doesn't really hit the same when it's like that. I want their partners to be good, loving people who have done nothing to the MCs(except love and support them). That's the only way I'll get the angst I'm looking for.
I want the MCs to hate what they're doing but be unable to stop themselves anyway. I want emotional carnage.
I don't want lavender marriages or wives from hell either. I don't want failing marriages that were already on their last legs. I want happy marriages that don't know what hit them. Actually, raise the stakes and add bi awakenings.
I want confused but inescapable.
This was not that.
Kyle is an authentic homewrecker, no two ways about it. Such a breath of fresh air.
No guilt, no self awareness of having been the one that ruined things between them two twenty years ago, no consideration for his 15 years older husband whom he now resents for having a saggy ass and loose hole.
Just an all round bad person who wants one thing in life. To get back with his married ex whom he fucked over and left to rot in prison 💀
'I want Bren’s marriage to be nothing more than a substitute, a half relationship, something he settled for.'
I mean, sure, bad things have happened to him, too, but still. He DID choose his path in life. He just made a wrong choice and now wants to derail Bren from his okay life because he' 'belongs to him'.
Have you ever seen cheaters who seem to want to get caught? Because that's Bren and Kyle. Showing up at each other's homes. Showing up at the other's workplace with flowers. Incriminating texts.
Kyle simply doesn't see them being married to other men as an issue.
He's just the devil sitting on Bren's shoulder saying 'It's okay if you don't love me now, you'll love me again.'
'Do you think staying with Chris when you're not in love with him will make him happy? Does he deserve that?'
Break up with your husband, I'm bored.
Basically, I know I fucked around on you before, and ghosted you when you were imprisoned but this time will be different.
What ruined this for me were the extenuating circumstances.
Didn't help that the situations with both husbands were resolved with a pretty bow on top.
🤦🤦🤦🤦🤦
I'm reading a cheating romance BECAUSE I want messy.
Also, I hated how Kyle talked about his husband's hairy hole like it's a bad thing? What's he smoking?
#JusticeForHairyHoles
Actually, generally the way Kyle talks about James' body throughout this book is really icky.
Oh, you married a man decades older than you and now you're acting like his body doing things bodies do is unnatural and aimed at turning you off?
🙄
November 1, 2025
With this having both the cheating trope and second chance romance, I thought it was going to have Angst you know the type of Angst that keeps you on your toes and has you yearning for more but what it just succeeded in doing was boring me out of my fucking kind bro.
There was no tension, no intimacy outside sex like literally every time this people were fucking… the story was written in past and present format so you’ll think the author would take time to show us the process of them falling in love in the past and the present but no, all they did was fuck. In the past, fucking… in the present, fucking and maybe if we’re giving points for writing intimate spice, I’ll say the author did good but that can’t be all you put into an over 600 pages romance for crying out loud.
The characters lacked any substance of any kind.. they didn’t mature and honestly they didn’t age gracefully and while we’re at it, I’m not going to ignore all the domestic violence that was glossed over in this story.. even between the MC’s and the author tried to write that shit off as passion but of all the ways to write passion, it’s punching and giving each other decidedly unsexy bruises that you went with? Seriously?
Sigh my 2 stars is for the epilogue cause I’ll admit it was cute as fuck and made me grin and laugh but everything else is just a drag tbh.
There was no tension, no intimacy outside sex like literally every time this people were fucking… the story was written in past and present format so you’ll think the author would take time to show us the process of them falling in love in the past and the present but no, all they did was fuck. In the past, fucking… in the present, fucking and maybe if we’re giving points for writing intimate spice, I’ll say the author did good but that can’t be all you put into an over 600 pages romance for crying out loud.
The characters lacked any substance of any kind.. they didn’t mature and honestly they didn’t age gracefully and while we’re at it, I’m not going to ignore all the domestic violence that was glossed over in this story.. even between the MC’s and the author tried to write that shit off as passion but of all the ways to write passion, it’s punching and giving each other decidedly unsexy bruises that you went with? Seriously?
Sigh my 2 stars is for the epilogue cause I’ll admit it was cute as fuck and made me grin and laugh but everything else is just a drag tbh.
September 27, 2025
Another great story from Rae Robert’s!
Kyle and Bren have loved each other since they were teenagers, but a series of events breaks them apart, and they lose touch for 20 years. A chance encounter brings them back into each other’s lives, and it all begins to unravel from there.
This one was just as hard to read as the first, but for completely different reasons. I always feel with this sort of plot that my conscience is in bits! I want them to get their HEA, especially after all they had to endure as kids, but my heart breaks for the Chris’ of these stories caught up in the middle. James, well, he’s another story; he deserves everything coming to him!
There is no doubt that their actions were wrong. However, the undeniable desire and need emanating from the pages made it impossible to not see how these two were meant to be. They have a very passionate relationship, and from the beginning, you know that these two aren’t going to be able to live without one another.
As with the previous book, this one was beautifully written. The emotion as the story developed had my heart sick, and yet, like I said, I couldn’t help but root for them at the same time.
Really, really enjoyed this story, and I know he was just collateral damage, but I would have loved to have heard in the epilogue that Chris had found his happiness. I can only hope!
Thank you to the author for this ARC; it was so good!
Kyle and Bren have loved each other since they were teenagers, but a series of events breaks them apart, and they lose touch for 20 years. A chance encounter brings them back into each other’s lives, and it all begins to unravel from there.
This one was just as hard to read as the first, but for completely different reasons. I always feel with this sort of plot that my conscience is in bits! I want them to get their HEA, especially after all they had to endure as kids, but my heart breaks for the Chris’ of these stories caught up in the middle. James, well, he’s another story; he deserves everything coming to him!
There is no doubt that their actions were wrong. However, the undeniable desire and need emanating from the pages made it impossible to not see how these two were meant to be. They have a very passionate relationship, and from the beginning, you know that these two aren’t going to be able to live without one another.
As with the previous book, this one was beautifully written. The emotion as the story developed had my heart sick, and yet, like I said, I couldn’t help but root for them at the same time.
Really, really enjoyed this story, and I know he was just collateral damage, but I would have loved to have heard in the epilogue that Chris had found his happiness. I can only hope!
Thank you to the author for this ARC; it was so good!
October 10, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ Toxic and messy and delicious. This book drew me in with the whimsical Australian setting and I stuck around for the mmcs who were completely down bad for each other.
- second chance
- toxic love
- cheating
- single dad(ish)
This is my second Rae Roberts book and it did not disappoint. From start to finish I was rooting for these characters to lie, cheat and fuck. The book was like a dirty little secret and I loved it. The premise is two men who live on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Australia are suddenly thrust back into each others lives and given a second chance. They were together as closeted teenagers and caused a world of hurt to each other but after 20 years they meet again by chance. Both married and settled in their lives they have to decide if an old spark is worth burning their whole lives to the ground.
Check your triggers. Deals with very heavy themes and language use.
Thank-you to the author for providing me and ARC. This review is my honest opinion.
- second chance
- toxic love
- cheating
- single dad(ish)
This is my second Rae Roberts book and it did not disappoint. From start to finish I was rooting for these characters to lie, cheat and fuck. The book was like a dirty little secret and I loved it. The premise is two men who live on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Australia are suddenly thrust back into each others lives and given a second chance. They were together as closeted teenagers and caused a world of hurt to each other but after 20 years they meet again by chance. Both married and settled in their lives they have to decide if an old spark is worth burning their whole lives to the ground.
Check your triggers. Deals with very heavy themes and language use.
Thank-you to the author for providing me and ARC. This review is my honest opinion.
October 17, 2025
4⭐️
3.5🌶️
Y’all, This Book Was Really Amazing And So Beautiful. WOW. I Even Teared Up In The End Cause The Epilogue Really Got Me It Was So Beautiful. I Highly Recommend This Book Y’all Cause Kyle And Brendan Were Just Amazing And Such An Amazing Couple And I Need You All To . It’s So Worth It Trust Me You’re Gonna Love It💕
3.5🌶️
Y’all, This Book Was Really Amazing And So Beautiful. WOW. I Even Teared Up In The End Cause The Epilogue Really Got Me It Was So Beautiful. I Highly Recommend This Book Y’all Cause Kyle And Brendan Were Just Amazing And Such An Amazing Couple And I Need You All To . It’s So Worth It Trust Me You’re Gonna Love It💕
September 25, 2025
I don’t usually read romance, so I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. But I was surprised by how much it pulled me in. What really struck me was how real the emotions felt. It wasn’t just about passion—it was about fear, regret, and what it means to let yourself be vulnerable again after so much time. I was fully invested!
For someone who’s new to the genre, this book was a great introduction.
For someone who’s new to the genre, this book was a great introduction.
January 24, 2026
Okay, this was entertaining and kept my interest throughout but that's it. There was a lot of history, events, and emotions packed into just 321 pages, which made the book feel rushed—it almost felt like going through everything that happened at 2x speed. Unfortunately, the writing left me feeling a bit distant from Kyle and Brendan, and I didn't feel much for them or the book.
I liked that we got a lot of flashbacks about their past. But I was a little disappointed with how the beginning and development of their relationship when they were young was written; it was lacking romance/feelings.
A lot happened in the book, and it covered many years (28) and history between them, as well as their current situation and relationships. However, a lot was still not covered; for example Kyle's bipolar disorder was only touched on briefly and could almost have been left out entirely as there wasn't enough room for it.
Their relationship also focused largely on sexual chemistry and their passionate relationship, but the intimate scenes were also very rushed. But overall I did like the dynamics between them.
The premises and setup of the main characters' relationship and the plot in general were initially there, and this kind of story could have been extremely good, but unfortunately, the execution fell flat. It feels like the book didn't really do justice to Kyle and Brendan's story.
_________
’Staring into his eyes is like looking in a portal to my past. I can see the good and the bad, the love and the hate, the pain and the pleasure.’
’What’s the saying? Once an addict, always an addict. Kyle is still my drug of choice, even though I’ve been clean for twenty years.’
’Ky watches me with awe in his eyes, like he’s seen something he never thought possible. He looks so young, so innocent and pure, and somehow the past and present seem to converge. My sweet, broken boy is here trying to make it right.’
I liked that we got a lot of flashbacks about their past. But I was a little disappointed with how the beginning and development of their relationship when they were young was written; it was lacking romance/feelings.
A lot happened in the book, and it covered many years (28) and history between them, as well as their current situation and relationships. However, a lot was still not covered; for example Kyle's bipolar disorder was only touched on briefly and could almost have been left out entirely as there wasn't enough room for it.
Their relationship also focused largely on sexual chemistry and their passionate relationship, but the intimate scenes were also very rushed. But overall I did like the dynamics between them.
The premises and setup of the main characters' relationship and the plot in general were initially there, and this kind of story could have been extremely good, but unfortunately, the execution fell flat. It feels like the book didn't really do justice to Kyle and Brendan's story.
_________
’Staring into his eyes is like looking in a portal to my past. I can see the good and the bad, the love and the hate, the pain and the pleasure.’
’What’s the saying? Once an addict, always an addict. Kyle is still my drug of choice, even though I’ve been clean for twenty years.’
’Ky watches me with awe in his eyes, like he’s seen something he never thought possible. He looks so young, so innocent and pure, and somehow the past and present seem to converge. My sweet, broken boy is here trying to make it right.’
September 25, 2025
jesus what a book.
if your after a second chance romance that will rip your heart out defo read this.
Kyle and bren met as kids and went through some harrowing things and they drifted apart.
20 years later a chance meeting brought them back together again.
they was both married to somebody else but their feelings for each other had never gone away.
the angst and pining in this book was brilliant, the story had me sobbing not only at sad parts but also at the good.
rae roberts is becoming 1 of my favourite authors as she knows how to pull on the heart.
if your after a second chance romance that will rip your heart out defo read this.
Kyle and bren met as kids and went through some harrowing things and they drifted apart.
20 years later a chance meeting brought them back together again.
they was both married to somebody else but their feelings for each other had never gone away.
the angst and pining in this book was brilliant, the story had me sobbing not only at sad parts but also at the good.
rae roberts is becoming 1 of my favourite authors as she knows how to pull on the heart.
October 28, 2025
Fabulous Read
4.5 stars
I love these two characters! Life is messy and Rae portrayed the drama between Kyle & Brendan so realistically I was hooked from page one. If you love a romance with more than just tropes, or are looking for a book that will make you feel all the feels, this is the book for you!
4.5 stars
I love these two characters! Life is messy and Rae portrayed the drama between Kyle & Brendan so realistically I was hooked from page one. If you love a romance with more than just tropes, or are looking for a book that will make you feel all the feels, this is the book for you!
January 10, 2026
Overall, 4 stars. I loved reading about the various choices that Kyle made later on to intentionally change his life for the better!
The switching between flashbacks and present moments were so well done, especially reading about the emotional turmoil and conflict that Kyle and Brendan experienced facing their feelings for each other while navigating their own personal challenges and respective marriages/family units.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was reading about Kyle and Brendan reconnecting with each other at the beginning and rebuilding their relationships with their friends and loved ones!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Rae’s first book, Pages of My Heart this year. So, I can’t wait to read any future books that Rae plans on writing.
*I received this ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review*
The switching between flashbacks and present moments were so well done, especially reading about the emotional turmoil and conflict that Kyle and Brendan experienced facing their feelings for each other while navigating their own personal challenges and respective marriages/family units.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was reading about Kyle and Brendan reconnecting with each other at the beginning and rebuilding their relationships with their friends and loved ones!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Rae’s first book, Pages of My Heart this year. So, I can’t wait to read any future books that Rae plans on writing.
*I received this ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review*
October 8, 2025
Adrift Without You is a second chance romance that will keep you on the edge of your seat from the very first pages, because there’s a lot of drama going on. We meet Kyle, who is basically the dream househusband stereotype, he has a successful husband who provides for him and an adorable daughter. He seems to have everything a man could ever want… except he’s been living in this constant routine of being perfect, and somewhere along the way, he lost his identity and his dreams.
He doesn’t even know when everything started to fall apart or rather, he does. He knows exactly when his world came crashing down. But he has to hold it together, because he still has that small light in his life: his daughter.
Everything changes the day he reunites with the love of his life and decides that it’s now or never.
Ky & Bren had me in conflict the entire time, on one hand, I was suffering with them, feeling every part of their story, but on the other, I wanted to scream “FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, don’t make the same mistakes again!”
But listen, these two went through so much. They barely had a break and made plenty of mistakes , which I actually liked, because it allowed us to see what truly led to their separation. There were several factors that influenced the decisions they made.
This book tackles multiple themes, and I really appreciated that because it helps us understand the circumstances both Ky and Bren were going through. It’s not about blaming one more than the other, they were both young and broken-hearted, they both made mistakes, and by the time they learned from them… it was already too late...
Well, not too late, because in the end, these two managed to find their way back to what they had always longed for.
PLEASE CHECK THE TRIGGER WARNINGS.
Star Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Spice Rating: 2.5/5 🔥 🔥.5
If you like to read:
🐚Second Chance
🚑 Past Hurt & Trauma
🐚 Regret & Redemption
🚑 Twenty Years Apart
🐚 Best Friends To Lovers
🚑 Mental Health Rep
He doesn’t even know when everything started to fall apart or rather, he does. He knows exactly when his world came crashing down. But he has to hold it together, because he still has that small light in his life: his daughter.
Everything changes the day he reunites with the love of his life and decides that it’s now or never.
Ky & Bren had me in conflict the entire time, on one hand, I was suffering with them, feeling every part of their story, but on the other, I wanted to scream “FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, don’t make the same mistakes again!”
But listen, these two went through so much. They barely had a break and made plenty of mistakes , which I actually liked, because it allowed us to see what truly led to their separation. There were several factors that influenced the decisions they made.
This book tackles multiple themes, and I really appreciated that because it helps us understand the circumstances both Ky and Bren were going through. It’s not about blaming one more than the other, they were both young and broken-hearted, they both made mistakes, and by the time they learned from them… it was already too late...
Well, not too late, because in the end, these two managed to find their way back to what they had always longed for.
PLEASE CHECK THE TRIGGER WARNINGS.
Star Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Spice Rating: 2.5/5 🔥 🔥.5
If you like to read:
🐚Second Chance
🚑 Past Hurt & Trauma
🐚 Regret & Redemption
🚑 Twenty Years Apart
🐚 Best Friends To Lovers
🚑 Mental Health Rep
October 11, 2025
A beautiful story of second chances and a love that never fades.
Kyle and Brendan’s story is one that clings to your heart long after you finish. They were once two teenagers in love with the kind of connection that only happens once in a lifetime. But life wasn’t kind. Trauma, abuse, and circumstances tore them apart, forcing them onto separate paths. Twenty years later, fate brings them back together, and with it, all the emotions they tried to bury come rushing back.
From the moment they meet again, you can feel the pull between them. That unshakable, soul-deep love that time and distance could never erase. Yet their reunion isn’t simple. Both are now married, one happily but the other not, so their choices carry weight, their love comes with consequences, and every decision feels heavy with heartbreak but also hope.
This book gripped me completely. I couldn’t stop reading because I needed to know these beautifully broken, resilient souls would finally get the happiness they deserved.
It’s a story about healing, about love that withstands the test of time, and about finding your way back to the person who has always been home. The pain they endure, hiding their relationship, facing abuse and homophobia, shattered me. But their strength, their courage to love again despite everything, pieced my heart back together.
Every moment between them is charged with longing, regret, passion, and tenderness. There’s push and pull, heartbreak and hesitation, but in the end, their happily ever after feels earned. It’s not just a love story but a journey of survival, forgiveness, and rediscovery.
If you love deeply emotional stories filled with angst, second chances, and a love that never lets go, this is one you need on your shelf. It’s raw, powerful, unforgettable and beautifully written.
Make sure to check TW's as there are some heavy topics.
Kyle and Brendan’s story is one that clings to your heart long after you finish. They were once two teenagers in love with the kind of connection that only happens once in a lifetime. But life wasn’t kind. Trauma, abuse, and circumstances tore them apart, forcing them onto separate paths. Twenty years later, fate brings them back together, and with it, all the emotions they tried to bury come rushing back.
From the moment they meet again, you can feel the pull between them. That unshakable, soul-deep love that time and distance could never erase. Yet their reunion isn’t simple. Both are now married, one happily but the other not, so their choices carry weight, their love comes with consequences, and every decision feels heavy with heartbreak but also hope.
This book gripped me completely. I couldn’t stop reading because I needed to know these beautifully broken, resilient souls would finally get the happiness they deserved.
It’s a story about healing, about love that withstands the test of time, and about finding your way back to the person who has always been home. The pain they endure, hiding their relationship, facing abuse and homophobia, shattered me. But their strength, their courage to love again despite everything, pieced my heart back together.
Every moment between them is charged with longing, regret, passion, and tenderness. There’s push and pull, heartbreak and hesitation, but in the end, their happily ever after feels earned. It’s not just a love story but a journey of survival, forgiveness, and rediscovery.
If you love deeply emotional stories filled with angst, second chances, and a love that never lets go, this is one you need on your shelf. It’s raw, powerful, unforgettable and beautifully written.
Make sure to check TW's as there are some heavy topics.
October 9, 2025
Honestly, WOW! This book is incredible! I was not expecting to be taken on such an epically emotional journey but that’s exactly what happened. I got all tangled up with the complexity and depth of my rollercoaster feelings.
Kyle and Brendan. Ky and Bren. Their lives have never been straightforward, and through incredibly detailed flashbacks, we learn both how difficult their childhoods were, while finding true friendship with each other that eventually grows into more, and how their lives diverge as they follow different paths.
Kyle’s homelife and the effects of his mental health condition properly shattered my heart but seeing him find the motivation and strength to become a more confident him after seeing Bren again was so beautiful.
I will admit I was a bit hesitant about whether I was going to like these two at first (TW), but I did really think they were meant to be. I did feel for Chris though, because he’s a decent guy; even if he’s not the right guy for Bren, he did help Bren to heal. Chris is the safe option; he’s the calm while Kyle is the storm, and that chaotic intensity has always been what Bren has craved.
If you love pining, THIS IS YOUR BOOK! Twenty years of it in fact. It’s such a raw and truly powerful account of the intense ride these two have to endure before they find their way back to each other. I got lost in the yearning and passion while devouring all those heartfelt moments between Ky and Bren. My heart squeezed at every bump in the road they encountered along the way.
This book may only be around 360 pages but so much is packed into these pages. I highly recommend you give it a go (please check the TW before reading).
Kyle and Brendan. Ky and Bren. Their lives have never been straightforward, and through incredibly detailed flashbacks, we learn both how difficult their childhoods were, while finding true friendship with each other that eventually grows into more, and how their lives diverge as they follow different paths.
Kyle’s homelife and the effects of his mental health condition properly shattered my heart but seeing him find the motivation and strength to become a more confident him after seeing Bren again was so beautiful.
I will admit I was a bit hesitant about whether I was going to like these two at first (TW), but I did really think they were meant to be. I did feel for Chris though, because he’s a decent guy; even if he’s not the right guy for Bren, he did help Bren to heal. Chris is the safe option; he’s the calm while Kyle is the storm, and that chaotic intensity has always been what Bren has craved.
If you love pining, THIS IS YOUR BOOK! Twenty years of it in fact. It’s such a raw and truly powerful account of the intense ride these two have to endure before they find their way back to each other. I got lost in the yearning and passion while devouring all those heartfelt moments between Ky and Bren. My heart squeezed at every bump in the road they encountered along the way.
This book may only be around 360 pages but so much is packed into these pages. I highly recommend you give it a go (please check the TW before reading).
October 14, 2025
3⭐
This book had everything I was looking for, but somehow it just didn't click for me.
About twelve percent into the book, Kyle made a comment that body-shamed his partner, which made me quite uncomfortable. I later saw how terrible his husband was, but that didn't really redeem him in my eyes.
For a book that features a dual timeline, there was a lot more Telling than Showing when it came to Kyle and Bren's relationship. This made it hard for me to connect with or feel the love between them. I was constantly told about their love, while most of the story was focused on Showing how bad Kyle's husband was.
It also seemed like the author dialed back on her writing compared to her first book, Pages of My Heart
This book had everything I was looking for, but somehow it just didn't click for me.
About twelve percent into the book, Kyle made a comment that body-shamed his partner, which made me quite uncomfortable. I later saw how terrible his husband was, but that didn't really redeem him in my eyes.
For a book that features a dual timeline, there was a lot more Telling than Showing when it came to Kyle and Bren's relationship. This made it hard for me to connect with or feel the love between them. I was constantly told about their love, while most of the story was focused on Showing how bad Kyle's husband was.
It also seemed like the author dialed back on her writing compared to her first book, Pages of My Heart
October 9, 2025
I love this story! It stirred up so many emotions in me! I think it touched me even more because the two of them are in the middle of their lives, so they're not the youngest anymore, and their stage of life is more similar to mine. Kyle and Brendan both had difficult childhoods and teenage years. Finding each other during these tough times brought them very close together. Unfortunately, fate tore them apart in an unpleasant way. And over 20 years later, they meet again—and the tension between them is still palpable. But their starting position is more than bad, because both are married/in long-term relationships. I loved accompanying the two of them on their journey back to each other ❤️. The spice was tender, passionate, but also incredibly hot 🔥! I really enjoyed the book and can wholeheartedly recommend it.
October 5, 2025
This book is so raw and emotional!! The turmoil of feelings the MMCs go through are not easy to deal with. Kyle and Bren have a lot of history and emotions to unpack and go through.
Even after not seeing each other for 20 years Kyle and Bren still have feelings for each other. A chance meeting brings up those unresolved feelings again, but they are both married to other people now. There's a lot of pining and angst in this book and I had tears in my eyes several times.
The way the author switches between present and earlier is so well done, and this way we get to know the characters both as teens and adults. We get a new understanding for the emotional pain with the flashbacks. It's not until the very end we have their whole story.
And I love that we got the epilogue!!
Thank you for the arc. My review is honest and voluntary.
Even after not seeing each other for 20 years Kyle and Bren still have feelings for each other. A chance meeting brings up those unresolved feelings again, but they are both married to other people now. There's a lot of pining and angst in this book and I had tears in my eyes several times.
The way the author switches between present and earlier is so well done, and this way we get to know the characters both as teens and adults. We get a new understanding for the emotional pain with the flashbacks. It's not until the very end we have their whole story.
And I love that we got the epilogue!!
Thank you for the arc. My review is honest and voluntary.
October 12, 2025
I'm not entirely sure what I thought of this book.
I was absolutely here for the mental health issues, the abuse, the tragic backstories, the angst. I was even here for the .
However, every relationship felt toxic (and not in a fun fictional way), and the characters' decision-making was frequently questionable (Kyle's was explained but Brendan's wasn't really) and Kyle and Brendan's back and forth was a bit repetitive.
The constant nicknames for Brendan were a bit odd, as was the "Melbourne beachside town" (what??) reference in the blurb - though apart from that, the setting was great.
I was absolutely here for the mental health issues, the abuse, the tragic backstories, the angst. I was even here for the .
However, every relationship felt toxic (and not in a fun fictional way), and the characters' decision-making was frequently questionable (Kyle's was explained but Brendan's wasn't really) and Kyle and Brendan's back and forth was a bit repetitive.
The constant nicknames for Brendan were a bit odd, as was the "Melbourne beachside town" (what??) reference in the blurb - though apart from that, the setting was great.
October 10, 2025
3.5 stars ☆⋆˙
Review:
Adrift Without You is a second chance romance that grips you right from the start. Kyle and Bren have loved each other since their teenage years, but circumstances tore them apart, and for twenty years they carried the weight of their past in silence.
What really stood out to me is how raw this story felt. I desperately wanted them to find their happily ever after, especially after the pain they both endured as kids. Rae does such a good job of making you feel torn between rooting for the couple and wanting to throttled them.
Ky’s and Bren’s relationship is messy, passionate, and deeply emotional, and that made it feel so real. They made mistakes, a lot of them, but it allowed us to understand what really led to their separation and how much they had to fight to get back to each other.
The emotional depth of this book was really painful at times, but I couldn’t put it down. I truly enjoyed the journey, even when it hurt. This is a powerful, emotional, and unforgettable story of love lost and found, and it’s one I really, really enjoyed.
Review:
Adrift Without You is a second chance romance that grips you right from the start. Kyle and Bren have loved each other since their teenage years, but circumstances tore them apart, and for twenty years they carried the weight of their past in silence.
What really stood out to me is how raw this story felt. I desperately wanted them to find their happily ever after, especially after the pain they both endured as kids. Rae does such a good job of making you feel torn between rooting for the couple and wanting to throttled them.
Ky’s and Bren’s relationship is messy, passionate, and deeply emotional, and that made it feel so real. They made mistakes, a lot of them, but it allowed us to understand what really led to their separation and how much they had to fight to get back to each other.
The emotional depth of this book was really painful at times, but I couldn’t put it down. I truly enjoyed the journey, even when it hurt. This is a powerful, emotional, and unforgettable story of love lost and found, and it’s one I really, really enjoyed.
October 15, 2025
I read the author's debut novel and loved it, so I wanted to read this one too. They are very different books - the first historical romance and this contemporary - but I loved them both. I'm actually impressed with their ability to write in both genres and will be interested to see what they write next.
What I loved most about this story is the exploration around trauma, and I was rooting for these two (sometimes morally grey) characters (Ky and Bren) to get things right the second time around. The author writes longing/pining very well, and I truly believed these two were meant to be. Highly recommend if you are interested in giving a new author a go!
What I loved most about this story is the exploration around trauma, and I was rooting for these two (sometimes morally grey) characters (Ky and Bren) to get things right the second time around. The author writes longing/pining very well, and I truly believed these two were meant to be. Highly recommend if you are interested in giving a new author a go!
October 23, 2025
Kyle and Brendan loved BIG as teenagers, but life circumstances and pure horror tore them apart.
Does everyone have a solemate? Maybe? Does everyone have that 1 person? Maybe? Bomb's broke that connection.
20yrs later....
Both with husbands, new lives are their obstacle this time, biggest being in a happy marriage.
*** ***
Will an innocent victim be left in their loves wake? Maybe?
*** ***
Rae Roberts is an amazing author, who puts so much love in her words
*** ***
I don't believe in soulmates, but I believe in fate. So if fate brings Brendan and Kyle back together after so long, maybe they are soulmates.
*** ***
Im a review Hallmark card.... NOT♥️
TOTALLY RECOMMEND
Does everyone have a solemate? Maybe? Does everyone have that 1 person? Maybe? Bomb's broke that connection.
20yrs later....
Both with husbands, new lives are their obstacle this time, biggest being in a happy marriage.
*** ***
Will an innocent victim be left in their loves wake? Maybe?
*** ***
Rae Roberts is an amazing author, who puts so much love in her words
*** ***
I don't believe in soulmates, but I believe in fate. So if fate brings Brendan and Kyle back together after so long, maybe they are soulmates.
*** ***
Im a review Hallmark card.... NOT♥️
TOTALLY RECOMMEND
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 20, 2025
Bren and Kyle's romance was messy, obsessive, slightly toxic, and spanned decades. while adrift with you was a bit "tell vs show" in some places, i really enjoyed Brenkyle's dynamic. i really loved the way Kyle was basically like, "you being married is a non-factor cause your new last name is bout to be Davies." it was toxic and a bit obsessed but in a way that i enjoyed.
where i think the book left me wanting was in the lack of real external angst. oh and also, i had a hard time believing that Kyle would go almost twenty years without trying to contact or find Bren. his obsessed ass could never.
where i think the book left me wanting was in the lack of real external angst. oh and also, i had a hard time believing that Kyle would go almost twenty years without trying to contact or find Bren. his obsessed ass could never.
November 20, 2025
OMG I absolutely loved this! What a beautifully heart-ripping story! I loved Kyle and Brendan so much, and the author did such a fantastic job of making them so three dimensional, flawed but loveable and realistic. There were some spots where an added comma would have been nice and a little more editing could have helped but overall it didn’t take away from my experience of the book and I am very picky! I absolutely loved the character development though the book and the maturity of the characters.
December 1, 2025
FANTASTIC
I adored this book. I stumbled across it on instagram and something about the blurb called to me. I am SO HAPPY I read it. It’s gritty and the guys are imperfect in so many ways. That HEA was very hard earned. I love both MCs. I will absolutely be reading more by this author. Y’all need this book if you love 2nd chance romance.. AND the MCs are adults with real lives. I really can’t say enough good things about this book! Make sure to read the trigger warnings!
I adored this book. I stumbled across it on instagram and something about the blurb called to me. I am SO HAPPY I read it. It’s gritty and the guys are imperfect in so many ways. That HEA was very hard earned. I love both MCs. I will absolutely be reading more by this author. Y’all need this book if you love 2nd chance romance.. AND the MCs are adults with real lives. I really can’t say enough good things about this book! Make sure to read the trigger warnings!
December 26, 2025
DNF.. What the hell. I thought this was a second chance romance and I got to about half way through and they’re both still married. With Brendan still LYING and trying to convince his HUSBAND that he doesn’t feel anything for Kyle. This was stupid like they’re both in their forties acting like they’re teenagers.
Yeah a hard pass for me only got to around 43% through and ended up skimming through a lot of it.
Yeah a hard pass for me only got to around 43% through and ended up skimming through a lot of it.
October 11, 2025
This is my first book by this author and my oh my it did not disappoint. I loved the pace of the book and how well the timelines flowed. I think I cried the last half of the book. These characters went through it! But in the end love will always win. I bought a physical copy because I loved it so much! Can’t wait to read more from this author
September 28, 2025
Amazing beautiful story, so many emotions, loss, betrayal, anger, longing, lust and passionate love. Hooked from chapter one thank you for sharing this story with us. Highly recommend.
October 12, 2025
A true page turner. I had to make myself slow down and savor the story otherwise I would’ve read it all in one sitting. Highly recommended.
February 4, 2026
The plot and characters were extremely unlikable, and there were so many topics that could have been delved into more. I think this book had so much potential, but the execution was horrible.
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