Review of "Unloved" by Peyton Corinne
⭐ 4.5/5 Stars

“I think you’d be really easy to love.”
*swoon*
*cue TTPD on repeat*

Friends-to-lovers is my absolute favorite trope, and Peyton Corinne knocked it out of the park. Ro and Matty stole my heart from the first few pages.

Matty - your classic golden boy who’s always up for a good time. But underneath, he's struggling with learning disabilities and feeling like he’s hard to love.

Ro - his new biology tutor with a serious case of bad luck in love, trying to keep her hopeless romantic heart in check.

This book is such a perfect mix of humor and heart. Matty and Ro are messy, flawed, and so real. You can’t help but root for them as they navigate their friendship-turned-romance and all the chaos that comes with it. Peyton Corinne nails the college vibe while also diving into deeper topics like self-worth, learning struggles, and finding love that sees beyond your imperfections.

The friends-to-lovers trope is my all-time favorite, and "Unloved" does it so well. The witty banter, late-night phone calls, and that perfect slow-burn tension between Matty and Ro had me hooked instantly. Plus, I laughed out loud so many times—seriously, this book is so good.

If you’re into hockey or college romances, friends-to-lovers stories, or student-tutor relationships, you’ll enjoy this one. It’s my first Peyton Corinne read, but it won’t be my last. I’m officially a fan, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

I was generously provided an ARC by Atria Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own ♡

This was utter perfection. It's the follow up to Unsteady but happens along the same timeline. So we see scenes from that book, but from a different perspective. It just enhanced the reading experience so much more.

I've decided these are my favorite kinds of romance novels. Not the shorter, fluffy, formulaic ones. But books like Unloved-longer books so the characters can really struggle and grow, more substance, real trials, relatability. When it's over I feel like I see the world differently. I sound dramatic but truly, this book is going to stay with me for a long time! I love these characters like they're my children.

There are not enough stars in the world to give to Peyton Corinne for this book and series!

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the arc! I can't wait to tell everyone about this book!

4.5 stars !!!!!

we previously met freddy and ro in unsteady and because of that we should be able to say that we know them but after reading unloved i can assure you that we don’t but don’t worry, they’re better than what we could ever expect !!

our (my) fav hockey player has everything set for his nhl career but before that he needs to graduate which is difficult because nobody at waterfall uni understands his learning difficulties and just thinks he’s a pretty boy that doesn’t want to study. but this semester he gets a new tutor, our lovely ro ! she tutors students with dyslexia and adhd but she has never taught someone with dyscalculia but either way, she believes in him and that’s what everyone should do !!

unfortunately in the real world a lot of people think that someone with learning disability is just a lazy and dumb person when this is a horrible stereotype and i’m so glad peyton introduced freddy to the series because the representation? it was incredible.

while freddy has academic problems, ro has romantic problems but being fair we shouldn’t even call it that because tyler sucks and never in a billion years deserves her. he never even tried ! while freddy already knew ro’s favorite drink in the beginning of their friendship !

but i won’t lie, i felt really bad for both of them when we talk about their friends, i know sadie had a lot going on and rhys had so many things on his mind as we saw on unsteady but i can only pray things got better and they talked more ! the same goes to bennett because i really wanna find out who the girl is !!!! freddy calling it being the koteskiy-reiner duo while he’s the third wheel… can you hear me sobbing?

it was really easy to fall in love with freddy and ro, the building of their relationship was beautiful and i couldn’t have asked for anything better than this :,) freddy’s butterfly tattoo is hot but the hello kitty tattoo is even hotter ! and i got so happy to see freddy reuniting with archer :(

thank you netgalley, atria and peyton corinne for the arc in exchange for an honest review !

I thought Rhys was good, but boy Matty stole my heart. He went through a lot even though he's quite young and I was really sorry about it and how he reacted to his past. Enter Ro, who's in a toxic relationship but has had a crush on Matty ever since freshman year. She ends up tutoring him in their senior year and get close, first as friends then as something more.

Their friendship is so pure and healing for the both of them. They start hanging around a lot and both of them wants to be there for the other when things get emotionally bad for either of them. This book is really a work of art and the emotions I felt are something very precious that I will carry with me for a long time.

I'm really curious to see who's next. I want to know what's hidden behind that angry facade of Toren's and also Bennet's connections to Paloma. And I'm certain we've only seen the tip of the iceberg of the emotions Peyton Corinne can make us feel.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read this ARC, all opinions are my own.

i didn’t know how much i needed this story until i read it.

the chemistry between the main characters is truly magical, in my opinion. i can’t stress enough how much i love these two.

this book is for the sweet, soft girls with chronic anxiety. (me).

the way i felt so safe reading this book blew me away. i haven’t felt this good about a book since i read legendborn by tracy deonn!! the writing is medium paced and flows so well, in my opinion. the slow burn was burning my socks off. i haven’t gotten this excited about slow burn in a hot minute.

i knew this book would be a 5 ★ by the time i was 15% into reading it. by 17%, i added it to my wishlist and made space in my physical library for it.

i’m telling everyone i know about it until i can’t anymore.

i want to cry right now just thinking about what they went through.

the main characters are so gentle with each other and so attentive. ro and matt are the type of characters that make me ugly cry because they’re so hard to find in real life. i absolutely need more female main characters like ro, PLEASE. the little things they do for each other make me MELT. i can’t get enough of their story. this will be reread by me at least 6 times over…this year.

this story has healed me immensely. i’ll never stop thinking about it. ❤️‍🩹

this only complaint i have is tyler. that’s it. if you’ve read the book, you know the kind of person he is.

other than that, this is the easiest 5 ★ i’ve given in a long time.

thank you so, so much peyton corinne, atria books and netgalley for this e-arc!! peyton, thank you for writing this story. you gave me hope 🥹🤍

🐇🐇🐇🐇🐇/5

Not me literally wiping my tears after finishing this book and writing my review.

I didn't know I could love anything more than Unsteady but then Unloved completely swept me off my feet. Peyton, I have no idea how you can write such delicious stories with deep and profound character building and such hilarious banter, but I am forever grateful. I bow down to you and worship the ground you walk on.

Ro and Freddy are two of the softest human beings who are so deserving of such unconditional love, and for them to have found it in each other is such perfection, fate must be the only explanation.

Self-worth is a prominent theme. Ro and Freddy are squishy cinnamon rolls who are frequently taken advantage of by the worst people. They learn together how to defend themselves (and each other) against people who hurt them while still maintaining their undeniably soft nature. Reading along as they both become more confident and demand to be treated well, it is so awe-inspiring and impactful.

This book is the perfect reason why I will always stand by friends-to-lovers. If there are any non-believers, read this book and fall completely in love. The SLOW BURN. The MUTUAL PINING. It is the most delicious development built on the foundation of trust. The relationship that Ro and Freddy develop is so healthy. The communication, the emotional intelligence, loyalty, patience, mutual respect. I could go on for days. It is truly astounding.

The spicy scenes and tension are SCRUMPTIOUS. Freddy is the perfect example of "talk her through it" and I am here for it. I am still blushing, I cannot get over him.

I loved having my favorite characters from Unsteady making appearances and getting to see the different perspectives. I absolutely adore the sense of brotherhood and found family in the Undone series. I would never feel safe in a room full of men, except the Undone boys. I cannot wait for Bennett and Toren's books. I AM BEGGING.

Thank you to Netgalley, Peyton Corrine, and Atria Books for this eARC in exchange for my honest review of truly such a magnificent story.

This book hit so close to home for me. College-age Jessie felt so seen reading this story. I loved every second of this book even though my heart broke for them both. I devoured this book in 2 days. I think I loved this one more than Unsteady actually. Probably more because I related to these characters so much vs the story itself actually being better. I liked how this was happening at the same time as Unsteady so I got to see more of Sadie and Rhys from an outsider perspective. Also getting to see more of Toren's tortured but probably deep down a good guy persona. Also, getting to see more of what's actually going on with Bennet. I can't wait for their stories!

Thank you to the author and Atria books for this gifted copy!

I loved this book by Peyton Corinne. Ro and Matty’s story was sweet and full of character growth. I also loved how Peyton tied this story in the same timeline as unsteady. It was so flawlessly written. This had such great pacing and I could not put it down.

If you like these tropes it would be a good choice for you:

- athlete/tutor
-friends to lovers
- hockey college romance
- dual POV

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Atria Books for an eARC of this amazing new book. I cannot wait to read more from Peyton in the future.

*Thank you so much to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!*

Unloved follows Ro and Freddy, both of whom we meet in Unsteady. Based on the first book, Ro is Sadie’s loyal best friend and dedicated student, but here, we see so much more of her. She’s the homesick out-of-state student, a fierce competitor, and the girl you would trust with the ugliest parts of yourself. Freddy, on the other hand, is the star of the show on and off the ice. He’s the party boy with a reputation, the athlete you cannot take your eyes off of, and ultimately just trying his best.
I thought I loved Unsteady (immediate five stars), but Unloved completely stole my heart. I seriously cannot go a day without thinking of this book. I saw myself so much in these characters from homesickness to grief, I really felt understood by Corrine’s writing. She always handles difficult topics with ease, grace, and levity (when appropriate). Even throughout Unsteady I found myself amazed at her ability to gently portray who these characters are when no one is watching, but Unloved took that to another level. Corrine masterfully depicts Ro and Freddy at their core, leaving you all the more invested in their relationship. In understanding each character’s nuances, you can truly feel how and why they work together.
To be honest, I did not know how I was going to feel about Unloved after Unsteady, because Freddy and Ro were still side-characters to me. I had a vague sense of them but little else. I could not have been more wrong. In many ways I found myself relating even more to Freddy and Ro than Rhys and Sadie. Particularly when it came to their family dynamics.
Corrine truly has a gift for writing complex, dysfunctional families as a lens to understand why these people are the way that they are. While many college/contemporary romances sideline family relationships, this series places them front and center, giving each character a rich and nuanced backstory. Moreover, the overlapping timelines of Unsteady and Unloved offer a fresh take on key moments from the previous novel with new depth and insight.
Read Unloved if you are looking for characters with real emotional depth. It is perfect for those who love too hard, stay loyal no matter what, or – let's be real – are in need of a good cry and a hug all at once. This is seriously a book that will stay with me for years to come.

5/5

This book was amazing! I laughed, I cried, and kicked my feet throughout this entire book. Ro's and Matt's banter was everything to me! I love them, your honor 💗. This book is perfect for fans of Collide by Bal Khabra.

this book is so so good!! it deals with heavy topics, makes your heart hurt as you root for them to heal, breaks your heart a little and then makes it all better.

also the writing needs to be highlighted because it could have gone terribly wrong but I think Peyton Corinne did an amazing job handling the dark and/or difficult parts of this story (mainly the toxic and manipulative relationships).

WOW. I was scared to read this because of how much I loved Unsteady, but this did not disappoint!
This was such a beautiful story about love, grief and healing. It was the slowest burn in the best way. An emotional journey, both of these characters were so raw and relatable. There were so many little moments that made this story so special.
I can't wait to see more from this series!!!

Yes, yes, yes! Peyton Corinne has done it again! I absolutely ate this book up. I read it in one sitting. I fell in love with the characters and their romance. I will definitely be recommending this to everyone I know.

This book was everything!! I recently read the first book in this series and knew I had to see what happened with Ro. Ro is such a complex character! She is so bubbly to most people when really she is personally so unhappy. I loved seeing her gain so much happiness from Freddy/Matt. Freddy is someone that I was not fond of in the first book but I adored him in this book. Him and Ro were perfect together.
The biggest thing that I liked about this book is that the drama and problems that would break some characters up in other books did not cause issues in this one. I felt like the characters were able to discuss their problems and figure it out without having a huge breakup or revelation at the end of the book.
I love the closeness of the characters in the book! I really hope we get the rest of the guys' stories in upcoming books. So far this book is my favorite of the year.

I finished Unloved today and @peytoncorinneauthor has broken my whole heart.

I was not ready for just how much I would cry from Rosalie and Matty’s story.

If you’ve read Unloved, let me know what you think! Grab a box of tissues because it’s a story that’s going to break your heart.

Unloved is the second installment in the undone series by Peyton Corinne. This book is interesting because the timeline is happening simultaneously with the first book Unsteady but with Freddy and Ro’s perspective. So, this book read faster because as a reader, we already know some of what’s happening behind the scenes. As with the first book, our characters grapple with grief, trauma, and toxic relationships. Ro snd Freddy are probably two of the most misunderstood characters so it was nice to see their story play out, however, it didn’t captivate me. What I did like was the disability representation. I loved how it showed that sometimes not all professors or tutors provide appropriate accommodations for those with learning disabilities to ensure the success of their students. What I would like to see is a third book featuring Bennett. He is the most intriguing character in the book series. I want to know why he needs a service dog, why he’s grumpy and broody, and what his true story is. Also, I’d love to see a fourth book featuring Kane. He comes off as a villain in the first book, but is he really?

5⭐️ | 2.5🌶️

Every single time I’ve given a book 5 stars before this moment, I was wrong—because this book? Absolute perfection.

I usually avoid slow-burn romances, but this one had me in a chokehold from the very first page. I picked it up and didn’t stop until I was done at 2 AM—all in one sitting. I was obsessed.

Everything about this book worked for me:

✨ The friendship
🔥 The angst
💖 The slow burn

Mattie and Rosalie are everything romance should be—achingly real yet unbelievably romantic. The way their story unfolds feels so authentic, so deeply emotional, that I found myself in tears more times than I can count. I highlighted so many quotes. Just… wow.

Also, can we talk about Archer? Because I need his love story. He deserves his own HEA! 😭😭

A great slow-burn romance! I loved all the multiple conflicts that kept the reader going throughout and wondering what was going to happen. Freddy (Matt). That’s it. 😍 One thing I love that Peyton Corrine does is create playlists for the book and then incorporate said playlist within the book and mention specific songs that are playing during specific parts of the book. I think that really elevates it and helps the reader visualize everything that is happening.

I absolutely adored this book! I love the series as a whole but this book focused on two characters who had emotional trauma and turmoil that I’ve related to so heavily in my life at times. Peyton found a way to put exactly what I’ve thought for years together beautifully and accurately on paper. The character development of this book is stunning. This book is so special and I can’t wait to read the 3rd! Anything this girl writes, I’m going to EAT IT UP

First and foremost, thank you to NetGalley and Atria for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5/5 Starts

I am so unwell. Oh my goodness. I sobbed. I just want to give Ro and Marty the biggest hugs.

Ro was the biggest green flag even while dealing with her own demons. I just want to wrap her up and tell her she deserves to be loved the way she is, unconditionally. And to be loved out loud, the way Matty loves her.

Matty broke my heart into a million pieces, he was a poor innocent boy that the world failed. His school specifically. And to see Ro have his back and support him the way she did was so heartwarming.

I only want the best for them. And it was fun to see the other side of Rhys and Sadie’s story. I hope to see more of them in the future.

Now, Peyton, the Bennett tease was CRUEL. I need that book ASAP😭 and Kane!! Pllleeeaaase