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Review: Adrift (Staying Afloat #1) by Isabelle Adler

Some jobs are just too good to be true.

Captain Matt Spears learns this the hard way after a mysterious employer hires his ship to hunt down an ancient alien artifact but insists on providing his own pilot. Ryce Faine is handsome and smart, but Matt has rarely met anyone more obnoxious. With tensions running high, it isn’t until they are attacked by the hostile Alraki that Matt grudgingly begins to respect Ryce’s superior skills, respect that transforms into a tentative attraction.

Little did he know that their biggest challenge would be reaching their destination, an abandoned alien base located on a distant moon amid a dense asteroid field. But when Matt learns that Ryce isn’t completely who he says he is and the artifact is more than he bargained for, he is faced with a difficult choice. One that might change the balance of forces in the known galaxy.

Matt doesn’t take well to moral dilemmas; he prefers the easy way out. But that might not be possible anymore, when his past comes back to haunt him at the worst possible moment. When faced with a notorious pirate carrying a personal grudge, the fragile connection Matt has formed with Ryce might be the only thing that he can count on to save them both.


As a Sci-Fi story, Adrift was a fun action adventure story. I really enjoyed the world building of this intergalactic piece. The characters were clean cut and well defined, including the secondary characters on Matt’s ship. Everyone had distinctive personalities and roles within the story. There was no pointless dialogue that didn’t lead anywhere. Character development was good for a short story.

I really liked the pacing, and the way this story gave pieces when needed but didn’t blow the whole story too soon. I had fun with Matt’s personality, and his antagonism of Ryce. Ryce appeared to be a bit of a stick in the mud, and I appreciated how Matt just went ahead and teased him anyway. We eventually find out more about Ryce and his purpose in the story, but not for a while, which makes Matt’s teasing, wicked thoughts, and antagonism important. It kept me engaged with Ryce as a character.

The plot was interesting and detailed. There were some elements that weren’t perfect but it wasn’t overly noticeable. Some questions were left unanswered but they were hinted at throughout the journey.

While this has adequate action, and lots of adventure (and really cool concepts), it isn’t a romance. While there is a thread, or a suggestion, there isn’t any action for Ryce and Matt. Readers who are okay with this, and are mostly about the adventure, will enjoy the story. I certainly did. I will be looking out for the next book in this series.

Recommended to Sci-Fi readers, or someone looking to branch out into this genre. Not recommended for those who must have a romance story within the plot of their novels.

A review copy was provided for an honest opinion


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