When you think this series couldn’t possibly get any better, Peyton Corinne outdoes herself once again. I can’t even describe the love I feel for these characters, and considering I read Unsteady basically a year ago, I didn’t remember a lot of the other characters. This is my favorite read of 2025 so far and most definitely one of my all time favorite books. Tender love and vulnerability scenes are my perfect recipe for a 5⭐️ and this had it all and so much more. Marty’s now permanently one of my favorite book characters, not only as a ‘book boyfriend’, but he is such a kind, sweet human, and his struggles only made me love him more. Ro’s care for him is heart-warming and brought tears to my eyes, and she’s the best example of a strong soft female lead, there’s strength in her free loving spirit and I connected so much with her. The scene where she’s wiping off paint from his face is one of my favorites, and I want to cry from how much I wish I could hug this boy. Overall, I cried, I laughed, and I couldn’t have expected a better sequel. I loved Unsteady, but Unloved is by faaar my favorite and I can’t wait to read the rest of this series! The way Peyton Corinne introduces the other people in the story is also something I love, and one of the reason hers is one of my favorite writings. Honestly, in the first book I didn’t care for Toren Kane or Bennett, but this book made me intrigued and waiting to see what happens to them. Gentle, patient, careful love is the definition of this book and I couldn’t have felt it more. 🩵

Wow! I LOVE Matty and Ro! This book and love story felt SO real, so many romance novels can be so surface level and present scenarios that can be hard to picture happening in real life and create a sort of fantasy look at love but this book had me seeing through heart eyes! With the struggles of Matty being a pretty boy who was known for his looks and ability with the ladies, while Ro was stuck in a never ending toxic relationship - the friendship the two built certainly builds the relationship before they get together (love the slow burn and their ability to grow and deal with their inner demons) way to go Peyton for writing an AMAZING story!

I loved getting to know Ro and Matt! It almost felt like a slow burn their romance.

Ro was exactly what Matt needed and vice versa. I also appreciate the showcase of consent in the males perspective. The story of Matt was so sad and lowly at times, and to see how much love he had to give and desire to receive was nice to see!

Ro made me angry certain times with her lame ex boyfriend but that is just the truth of a narcissist boyfriend at the end of the day!

I tried reading unsteady in the past and never finished for some reason and really wanted to read this one. Even though you see a lot of the first couple, it was still an easy to follow read!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review!!

I absolutely adored this book. Peyton’s writing has so much emotion and depth. The way she wrote Freddy and Ro was absolutely perfect. This is the perfect follow up to Unsteady and I love the way it could be read as a tandem read. This book at its core is about grief and love and moving forward. These are things I hold so close to my own heart and the way they were done are truly so special. The other part that I believe is so exceptional to highlight is acceptance and growth. Ro and Freddy both had to do so much work separately so that they could be so good together, and it’s so beautiful to read. This book is worth the slow burn that it is because without the growth, the story would not be as special.

I cannot wait to see what Peyton brings next to the world because she is an incredible storyteller. Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC!!

When we first meet Ro and Freddy they appear to be the exact opposites. Freddy is very much the golden retriever mmc. He is known to be the happy go lucky, star player on the Waterfell hockey team, and resident campus playboy. Freddy seems like the carefree type of guy who everything comes naturally to, but underneath the surface one of Freddy’s biggest struggles is his learning abilities which interfere with his academics and his chances of graduating/joining the NHL are in jeopardy. In comes Ro who is Freddy’s new biology tutor. Ro is a much more reserved and inexperienced when it comes to college life. Ro, like myself, is a hopeless romantic whose real life involves very little romance. Unfortunately, Ro is stuck dealing with her on again off again boyfriend, while wanting a more affectionate meaningful romance. Through their tutoring sessions Ro and Freddy grow to become friends, yet there is an undeniable elephant of chemistry between them that they are desperately trying to ignore.

What makes this book stand out to me is the care and attention that Peyton Corinne puts into both Freddy and Ro’s characters. Most romance books, the main focus, even if it's dual POV, is on the fmc. We get to know the fmc on a very holistic level whether that's internal struggles, past trauma, or life experiences. We know pretty much everything about them inside and out. Whereas with the mmc, their character or portrayal is mainly rooted in relation to the romance of the story. Therefore, if we get any holistic parts of their character, it is only because it connects or serves to benefit the romantic plot line. With Unloved I feel like the focus was more on Freddy, which I appreciate because that in of itself (focusing more on the mmc and their internal battles, past trauma, and experiences) is something that we don't usually get in romance books. This is why I am in reverence of books like Peyton Corinne’s, and her Undone series, because Peyton makes sure to represent both the male and female main characters in these books in a true, holistic way; they get to share the center stage hand-in-hand in these romance books.

If I had to use one word to describe this book it would be tender. I think everything from: the way Freddy and Ro are able to truly see each other and connect, to the relationships we see with other characters in the book, and even the individual character development, all felt so tender. Even while reading my heart felt very warm and comforted by this book, it had me swooning. To me this story was like being wrapped up in a warm hug, when you finally reunite and see someone you love, but haven’t seen in a while. That hug, and this book, are so full of soft love, care, and attention and I absolutely loved it. I cannot wait to read more of Peyton’s work and the future books in this series. Freddy and Ro have a piece of my heart forever now.

I was a little nervous at first I was afraid I wasn’t gonna like this book at the beginning, but I am so glad that I stayed until the end. It was a very good book. I loved the bad reputation falls in love with the sweet innocent that’s getting treated wrong girl. It is just the cutest thing ever. I am so glad that I got this advanced read. The whole time you’re gonna wanna punch Tyler in the face!

Even though he has a contact to play hockey in the NHL, Matt is determined to finish college. Unfortunately, he's dealing with dyslexia, dyscalculia, and ADHD, and his tutors haven't been great at helping him learn and enforcing his accommodations. When Matt is passed off to a new tutor once again, Ro is his last chance to pass a class that he needs to graduate. Luckily for him, Ro is a very good tutor and also a very good person. Ro has secretly had a crush on Matt since freshman year, where they shared her first kiss before he unfortunately disappeared. Matt doesn't seem to remember the kiss, and Ro doesn't remember what she did while she was drunk right before he became her tutor, but each left a lasting impression on the party that could remember. Ro and Matt become closer, and they become fiercely protective of each other.

What is wrong with the adults in the universe? After the jerks in Unsteady, I should have expected infuriating side characters, but I don't know if I could have been prepared for Tyler, Carmen, or Matt's dad. Matt and Ro are both super sun-shiny with a lot going on under the surface, so it was interesting to see them start to see past that. Their romance was adorable, and while the book was angsty, there was ultimately a happy ending. I would highly recommend reading Unsteady first, and maybe even re-reading it before diving into this one because the timelines overlap so much.

I received an advanced copy of this book for review. This is my own opinion.

Some TWs will be below, because I think they should always be included, especially with this subject matter.

I have been sobbing for the past hour, or the finally 15% of this book. Actually, the whole thing left me feeling like I needed to cry, so prepare yourself. I think this is my first book of the year to go in the 2025 favorites collection.

We first met Ro and Matt in Unsteady, which is an absolute banger of a book and you should read it immediately if you haven’t already. Matt was Ro’s first kiss, but he doesn’t remember (for a lot of sad reasons) and she’s crushed on him since. Her ex is shitty and is Matt’s former tutor, and when she takes on the job, he’s instantly taken with her. A lot of flirting ensues, and we explore a lot of trauma. Despite being known as the school’s slut, Matt is an adorable overgrown golden retriever, and Ro is so sweet and innocent. They’ve both been so hurt, and they’re so careful with each other. I love them so much.

This series is one of my absolute favorites now. Thanks to Netgalley and Atria for the ARC! (PS I hope we get Toren’s book next 👀)

TWs:
Teacher/student physical relationship
Manipulative/narcissistic verbally abusive partner
Narcissistic parent
Death of a parent (mentioned)
Parental illness
Alcohol as coping mechanism
Sex as coping mechanism

My first ARC and the best one I could imagine! Sorry my picture is just a graphic, I couldn’t get it on my kindle, so I read on my phone!

5⭐️
2🌶️

Unloved by @peytoncorinneauthor

Unloved is the sequel to Unsteady

Matt Frederic is struggling to get by in his classes. He has dyslexia, dyscalculia, and ADHD, and if he doesn’t improve his grades, he’s going to lose his eligibility to play hockey. He gets assigned a new tutor, Ro Shariff.

Ro has been crushing on Freddy since freshman year when they shared a kiss at a party and then never saw each other again. In the meantime, she’s been dating Tyler off and on for 2 years. When he leaves her 2.5 hours from home at a hockey game, Freddy helps her get home.

They are both experiencing grief in some way, and together, they help each other through. What happens when their feelings develop?

Ok, first, no spoilers, because we saw this in Unsteady. Tyler is the freaking WORST. I hate him with every fiber of my being. Truly terrible.

The banter? 10/10. The spice? Perfect. And the character development? Incredible.

Peyton never fails to make me cry. Her stories are just so relatable and I love her characters so much. The epilogue brought me the most joy and I hope we can have some bonus scenes of these 2, because I love them more than life itself.

Unloved is out February 4th and I hope you all love it as much as I did!

I really enjoyed the character insight and development throughout the story! The slow burn is well-earned and satisfying. I would recommend this to someone looking for a very emotional and heavier romance that really focuses on trauma. The characters have a lot of bruises that keep getting pressed in this book. I struggled a bit with the weight of it and how long the book is, but that's more on me than the book!

4.75 stars
Wow. I was truly in tears the last few chapters. This book is about so much more than finding love. It's about loss, grief, self love, and overcoming obstacles that we create in our own minds (and sometimes those are the hardest battles to fight).
This book is about learning to love yourself and putting yourself first. Once you learn to love yourself that's when true and healthy love follows. We accept the love we think we deserve. The way Matt and Rosalie were able to help each other heal is a journey I feel so lucky to have witnessed. This was such a beautiful story. Thank you so much Peyton for writing something so pure and beautiful.

Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books and Peyton Corinne for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I also received a physical ARC from a Goodreads giveaway.

Ro and Freddy. Their friendship was so sweet and tender. The way they SEE and understand each other so thoroughly as friends and are able to encourage each other to work through their insecurities is so special. That type of care is so precious, I love to see it in books.

I recommend reading Unsteady first as this story builds off of that book.

Similar to Unsteady, Unloved is a book with a lot of serious topics that were handled with respect.

Ro is so thoughtful, smart and relatable. She puts others first and easily empathizes with them. Unfortunately, she is in a toxic on again/off again relationship with a classmate/co-worker in her program and he has a massive impact on her confidence.

Freddy is a hockey star and known around campus for being popular with women, he leans into this stereotype. He comes across as a nice guy who sleeps around but isn’t disrespectful or a heartbreaker - as we learn more we realize there is more to him.

Ro and Freddy meet one night freshman year and it sticks with Ro who maintains a crush on him from afar. Fast forward to current day, Ro is assigned as Freddy’s tutor. Ro and Freddy are both physically attracted to each other and quickly develop a friendship that is important to them.

I enjoyed that this book was told during an overlapping timeline as the first book, I don’t believe I have read a series like that. I’m not sure if that was why or if it was just my attention span but I did feel the middle got a little slow. I loved that you picked up little crumbs from the first book and now that I know the writing style I started picking up some crumbs for future books (I predict Bennett and Paloma will be next but weirdly am looking forward to Tor as well).

Love that the epilogue was a 5yr jump (not 3 months later).

Tropes:
Friends to lovers
Slow burn
Nickname

Dual POV

Tiny potential spoiler….read on at your own risk….did he get the butterfly tattoo after the night in the pool? The hairclips/the tattoo were discussed frequently but the connection was never really made? Or did I miss it?!

I enjoyed this book! I read the first in the series and loved how they intertwined and we got to see glimpse of Sadie & Rhys relationship - I wish there was a bigger resolution with Tinley because what she did to Freddy was horrible and she deserved more trouble than she got in. The characters were well written and complimented each other and you could feel the angst and desperation to be loved for both of them. I’m so glad they got their happy ending!

2.75 🌟

While Unloved had some potential, I found myself struggling to connect with the story as a whole.

There were moments where the book shone, particularly with Ro’s character. She’s strong and layered, and Freddy is absolutely adorable. Both characters faced their own emotional struggles, and I loved how the book focused on their healing journeys.

It was heartwarming to see the representation of ADHD and Dyslexia as part of the narrative, providing visibility for readers who might see themselves in those experiences.

However, Tyler, Ro’s boyfriend, was a character I just couldn’t stand. His presence dominated much of the book, and his actions left me frustrated to the point of wanting to punch the air. His role ultimately detracted from my overall enjoyment.

While there were definitely cute and heartfelt moments, the book fell flat midway through, and I just couldn’t connect with it the way I had hoped.

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮, 𝘼𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙖 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙋𝙚𝙮𝙩𝙤𝙣 𝘾𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝘼𝙍𝘾.

If you loved Icebreakers by Hannah Grace and the sports romances from Sarah Adams... Get yourself a glass of water, cozy chair and Unloved by Peyton! You won't stop reading once you stop! Huge shoutout to Netgalley, Peyton and my favorite publishing team over at Atria Books for this eARC!

What to Expect:
⭐ Sports Romance (Hockey)
⭐ Friends To Lovers
⭐ Dual POV storylines
⭐ Some past/present storytelling
⭐ Protective Main Male Character

TW:
⭐ Narcissistic Controlling on/off ex boyfriend.
⭐ Neglectful verbally abusive parent
⭐ Grief + loss


My Thoughts:
If you like sports romances this is right up your alley. I will say this one felt VERY VERY similar to the story line of Icebreaker by Hannah Grace. The plot/storylines run VERY close to each other but there are some major differences. In this case she is a tutor for the hockey player, she instaloves him at an earlier part of the story, BUT he is the one to fall in love with her first.

This story as a whole has a plot...more than just a story of sex/romance and instalove. I love that main character Matty is a big cheerleader for Rosalie through the whole story. He is protecting her while also encouraging her. Something I really believe is essential in real healthy relationships.

Overall a slow burn, well written main characters and secondary characters, and the EPILOGUES!!!! No spoilers but DELIGHTFUL!!!

Synopsis:
Matt “Freddy” Fedderic is all smiles—at least on the surface. On the ice, he’s the star left winger for the Waterfell Wolves with a stellar reputation in bed and a potential future in the NHL. But in the classroom, he’s barely scraping by on a 2.0 GPA, retaking dropped classes and struggling with a rough mix of dyslexia, dyscalculia, and ADHD. Freddy had plans to enter the NHL draft at eighteen, but then his estranged father added a “graduation” clause to his inheritance, and now, he needs help to pass Biology with a professor who’s already betrayed him before.

Ro Shariff is a hopeless romantic with terrible luck in love—and now, Freddy’s new tutor. She keeps telling herself that she’s very happy with her on again/off again boyfriend, but Ro is desperate for real affection. As her tutoring sessions with Freddy lead to friendship and late-night phone calls, an undeniable heat begins to simmer between them, which they’re both trying desperately to ignore.

Although they are too protective of their newfound friendship to cross that line, Ro can’t stop thinking about how Freddy was her first kiss her freshman year at Waterfell, a spine-tingling moment seared into Ro’s memory that Freddy doesn’t seem to remember, and Freddy is determined to protect Ro from his reputation at all costs. Meanwhile, Ro wants to prove to him that despite what others have led him to believe, he’s worth more than his body. But maybe, just maybe, together they can learn how easily the right person can love every part of you, even your flaws.

I think there is something so hauntingly beautiful in Peyton Corinne's writing of life's setbacks. The clocking of a teammate breathing a little harder dealing with unspoken anxiety, the yearning/need to rewire a brain after being broken down constantly, grief of a parent, etc. Matty ("Freddy") is MY SHAYLA. I connected with him on so much and just want to hold his hand constantly. The turmoil this man has been through just breaks your heart knowing how genuine and sensitive he is, but doesn't show.

Matty and Ro's friendship to then relationship is the embodiment of "to be seen is to be loved". I mean even when he interrupted Ro's introduction of him to her dad so her dad can refer to him by an easier name for her dad to say...UGH my heart. Unloved leaves you reeling afterwards, but in a good way. It is so emotional and heartbreaking, you can't help but root for the FMC and MMC during all aspects. I absolutely adore them together and individually. Also, just have to note the hatred I have for Tyler and Carmen. They make my blood BOIL.

I loved that this book correlates with Unsteady and we see more of an outsider's perspective on Sadie and Rhys. I have such a big soft spot for Bennett and I CANNOT wait for his book.

The book gives slow burn, friends-to-lovers, tutor/athlete, misunderstood MMC, and found family.

Highlights throughout the book:
"I think you'd be really easy to love."

I make a vow then to protect her, the pretty girl with butterflies in her messy curls, even if she'll never really be mine.

I think I'm in love with her--not even romantically, but on some soul level. I feel devoted to her.

In my dreams, I take care of you the way you take care of other people, and you're relaxed and calm. And before bed, you tell me how easy it is to love me. I'm starting to think I'd give up anything, even hockey, for that life with you.

"I think loving you would be the greatest thing of my life."

This beautiful, tender book has already set a very high bar for my 2025 reads. I devoured Peyton Corinne's first book Unsteady late last year and was so pleased to receive an ARC for Unloved. It had the swoony romantic moments that had me giggling and kicking my feet, but there was also such tenderness and care for the small moments. I am more than a decade older that Ro, yet I related to her so deeply I often wondered if Peyton Corinne had read my journals. I often see readers on social media wondering where all the yearning has gone and let me tell you my sweet Freddy YEARNS. I would consider this to be a slow burn, but the growth of each character both separately and together is so essential to the story. I will think about this book often and am looking forward to what Peyton Corinne releases next.

I knew i was going to love this when i read unsteady. I love this author and can't wait to read more of her work.

I really loved this book and flew through it. I knew this book was going to be 5 stars for me well before the ending. This book was just so achingly sweet in the best way possible. Ro and Matt were both total sweethearts and the way they viewed themselves after how they've been treated in the past completely broke my heart. I completely fell for both Ro and Matt and the way that they took care of each other's hearts and the way they were there for each other, understood each other and stuck up for each other.

If you like college or sports romances with emotional depth and great neurodiversity/disability rep, please read this. If you've ever been made to feel like you need to change yourself or are not good enough by someone who is supposed to care about you, then this book will definitely hit home.

This was my first book by Peyton Corinne and definitely won't be the last! I can't wait to read Unsteady to get Sadie and Rhys's story and am excited to read future books in this series.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria books for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thanks to Atria for letting me read this book early. All thoughts are my own!!

Unsteady and Unloved hit me in the gut in a way I was not expecting! I knew Unsteady was full of heavy topics, but it still managed to surprise me. Unloved is also really heavy, just in a different way. They’re both really great books, and I can’t wait to see where Peyton goes from here.

The voice notes for Freddy!! The way she cares so much for his success and advocates for him!! Ro is constantly standing up for Freddy and advocating for him when people treat him badly. She cares about him so much, and it’s SO SWEET.

The friendship they’re building before they get together OMG I LOVE FRIENDS TO LOVERS!! And The Slowwwww Burn!!! The best combination ever. I loved how well they knew each other and how deeply they cared about each other. Freddy was so gentle with Ro while she navigated the fallout of her toxic relationship with Tyler. I cried a few times. You could feel their love through the pages and in every interaction AND I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!!

Archer and Elsie OMFG MY HEART!! I loved Rhys’ parents in Unsteady, but I was not prepared for the HEARTBREAK of reading about Archer and Elsie. I’m genuinely so sad for Archer. I loved his relationship with Freddy so much.

Freddy took Ro’s last name, and they named their baby after his mom?? I’m done!! I cried. I was a sobbing mess by that point.

Do wish that Tyler and the professor chick had some resolution though because I feel like those plot points just stopped? I understand the professor not really having a part anymore once Ro quit and Freddy dropped the class. But there was no way Tyler was done. That man is vile and the scum of the earth, and I wanted to see his downfall.

Similar to how I felt that Ro and Freddy disappeared towards the last third of Unsteady, I also feel like Bennett and Paloma disappeared. I know the set up is most likely for his book to be next, but if there’s going to be a third book to follow the SAME timeline we just went through twice I MIGHT LOSE IT!!

It also makes it harder to me to connect to them as side characters when they just aren’t there by the second half of the book. And because we don’t see them interact with the main characters, it makes it harder to believe they’re as close as they say they are. You’re telling me they live together and claim to be best friends, but barely talk to each other or hang out? I had a hard time with it. It feels like a missed opportunity.


Overall, I’m really excited for the next book from Peyton, and I will be waiting impatiently to find out what and who it’s about!