Adele‘s boyfriend, Rich Paul, is releasing a memoir filled with troubling childhood stories that “hit home” for the famous singer. In an interview with PEOPLE before the October 10 release of his book, Lucky Me: A Memoir of Changing the Odds, the 41-year-old sports agent revealed Adele, 35, had a tough time reading about Rich’s experiences as a child with a mother who was addicted to drugs and growing up around crime in Cleveland, Ohio. “It was very emotional,” Rich said about Adele’s reaction to his memoir. “I think a lot of it probably hit home”, he added, “so yeah, it was a difficult read [for her].”
Adele can relate to her boyfriend’s stories about having a rough upbringing. When she was only 3 years old, the “Hello” singer was abandoned by her alcoholic father, Mark Evans, who didn’t show back up in her life until she was in her 20s and her career was taking off. Adele ended up reconciling with her dad before he passed away from bowel cancer in May of 2021. “I know he loved me, and we actually got our peace before he died,” she told Vogue later that year. “When he passed, I had this sort of physical reaction. That fear left my body.”
In his People interview, Rich said that he’s “happy in all aspects” of his life, including his relationship with Adele. The couple have been dating for over two years and have recently sparked marriage rumors because of comments that Adele has made during her Las Vegas residency shows. The “Easy On Me” singer has referred to Rich as her “husband” and herself as his “wife,” leading fans to believe they secretly tied the knot, which Adele has not confirmed or denied.
Adele was previously married to Simon Konecki, who is the father of her son Angelo, 10. In an interview with ELLE in September of 2022, Adele revealed that she’d “absolutely” get married again and wants to have more children. “I’m a homemaker and I’m a matriarch, and a stable life helps me with my music,” she said. Adele also gushed over Rich in the interview. “I’ve never been in love like this. I’m obsessed with him,” she said.
Adele and Rich were friends before they started dating. They went public with their relationship when they sat courtside at the 2021 NBA Finals game. Rich is most famous for being LeBron James‘ sports agent.