Chapter 2 explores ‘passionate’ tales, recounting dramatic action and intense emotions of love, hate and anger. These are experienced through themes of intimate (dis)connection and (dis)empowerment. Using McAdams’ (1993) fairytale framework, I show how participants described identity transformation as occurring across a story arc, involving personal myths, ideological settings and nuclear episodes. We hear tales of relationship lack and loss, thwarted career ambitions, heroic and villainous figures and the resentment of lost opportunity.