Wow! Just wow! I can’t even! My heart just shattered into a million pieces got put back together and then shattered again twice!
Thanks so much to netgalley for letting this book break my heart I loved it 5 stars I’m still speechless 😶

RHYS&SADIE
•
•
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨/5
🌶️🌶️/5
•
•
“The way I feel about her is real, so deep it feels like a cord looped from inside me to her, tethering me to her.”

“Falling into Rhys feels like what I imagine falling into addiction might be like.”
•
•
MY GODDDD I PUT THIS ONE ASIDE FOR SOOOO LONG FOR NO GOD DAMN REASON AND I REGRET IT.
I loved this book once things started to take place and kick off. It showed a fantastic group of supportive and loving friends for both Rhys and Sadie and I loved the dynamic the side characters were sporting!

Rhys’ journey was my favourite part of this book, following his story of recovering from an incident that resulted in therapy and PTSD and falling inlove with a girl he never expected to because she helped him over come his trauma.

Sadie’s story as an older sister of two brothers fighting to keep them safe, happy and a roof over her head was so moving. It really stood out to me how much our older siblings would do for us if given the chance. She was the strongest person but not for herself, for her brothers and for Rhys and she’s incredible for that.

I absolutely adored this story, their love story and cannot wait to see where Freddy and Ro take us in Unloved!

Thank you to NetGalley, Peyton Corrinne, and Simon & Schuster (Australia) for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Unsteady by Peyton Corinne has been on my radar for a while, but I hadn’t had the chance to dive into it until now—and I’m so glad I finally did. Peyton Corinne delivers a powerful debut that explores the vulnerabilities and strengths of her characters as they navigate love, growth, and change.

Unsteady is a hockey/figure skating romance centered around Sadie and Rhys, two individuals facing significant personal struggles while falling in love.

“But Rhys Koteskiy could never be confined to just one song—he’s a symphony, a never-ending playlist that I want to repeat forever.”

Readers should be aware that the book touches on heavy themes such as guardianship of younger siblings, mental health, PTSD, anxiety/panic attacks, alcoholism, control, and manipulation.

Despite these challenging topics, I really appreciated how Rhys' struggles felt raw and authentic. His journey wasn’t romanticised or magically fixed just because he fell in love, which made his character even more compelling. What really stood out to me, though, was how Rhys' love for Sadie was shaped by the role models in his life. The love and care he learned from them ultimately extended to Sadie’s brothers, making his relationship with them just as heartwarming.

A beautiful aspect of the story was the love from the found family that Sadie and her brothers were able to discover in Rhys, Max, and Anna. Their bond, along with Sadie's best friend Ro, created a safe and loving support system that truly enriched the narrative.

The supporting characters—like Rhys’ parents (Max and Anna deserve a fan club!), Sadie’s brothers, and the hockey team—were all essential to the story. They brought warmth and depth to the world, enriching the relationships and making it feel lived-in.

I can’t wait to dive into the second book in this series!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5

Unsteady

✨ mini review ✨

Things I liked about this book: it was hockey based and that’s always an immediate read for me! Rhys was sooo beautiful. The way he was with her young brothers 🥺 I connected a lot with his character and he was so supportive and caring he would do anything for Sadie.

Things I didn’t love about the book: Sadie. Nothing super unhinged about her i just didn’t connect with her at all and she made me mad… a lot.

This book has a very sweet found family story and I loved it 💛

Overall I’d still recommend if you love sports romance books and maybe your experience would be different to mine 🫶🏻

Rating ⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️🌶️

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice: 🌶️ 🌶️

I feel like I say this for a lot of books but how the hell did I let this sit on my shelf for SO LONG, girls if you read a book as good as this one, please annoy me until I give in and read it! I found Unsteady so easy to read which speaks volumes as I’m currently in a small slump when it comes to reading.

I honestly adored Sadie and Rhys so damn much, both are amazing in their own right. I need to start with my man Rhys, Rhys was such a special guy. I feel like when you read a lot of hockey romance sooner or later you get a copy paste of certain things, the MMCs being one of them but Rhys was such a breath of fresh air. Seeing mental health being represented so well, and in a male character was amazing.
Then we have the amazing Sadie, oh boy did I feel so bad for Sadie. Not only is she still trying to make it through school and pursue her dreams as a figure skater but add the stress of looking after her 2 younger brothers (who are adorable) and working to ensure they have everything they need. Sadie’s parents really pissed me off haha.

Talking about parents, I can’t leave a review without talking about Rhys’ parents. Both Anna and Max are amazing both individually and together. The way they support not only their son but Sadie and her brothers without a second thought speaks volumes to their characters. I love that they all got a happy ever after.

I cannot wait to read Unloved, and I can guarantee it wont sit on my shelf as long as Unsteady did! I also fear that Peyton Corinne may have found herself on my auto buy list, though I don’t see that as a bad thing (although my TBR may disagree).

completely and utterly in love with this book! everything about this was complete perfection, words can't even describe how perfect!!

reading this story gave me the same feelings I had when reading Boys of Tommen and that NEVER happens! so to feel those feelings again is everything and more.

Sadie and Rys??? perfection! (if you can't already tell I'm obsessed!) their love was so raw and emotional, I couldn't get enough

Truly one of the best Hockey romances I've read!

This was only the second hockey romance book I’ve read and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Rhys and Sadie are complex and flawed characters who really brought to life the challenges of becoming a young adult.
Their connection was incredible, I loved the kind of slow burn and I’m so keen to hear the other characters’ stories too!
There were many moments that made me smile or giggle and this relief from the heavy topics was well written.

I recently finished Unsteady by Peyton Corinne, and I have to say, I really enjoyed it. The story follows Rhys Koteskiy, the captain of Waterfell University’s hockey team, who is dealing with PTSD and panic attacks after a serious concussion. Then there’s Sadie Brown, a figure skater juggling a heavy load of responsibilities, including financial struggles and family obligations. Their paths cross during late-night ice sessions, and what starts as a simple connection slowly develops into something much deeper.

One of the things I loved about this book was how well it handled mental health themes. Rhys’s struggles felt raw and real, and I appreciated that his journey wasn’t romanticized or magically fixed just because he found love. Sadie was such a strong character too—her resilience and determination made her easy to root for. Their relationship felt natural, and I liked how they balanced each other out—Sadie being more open with her emotions, while Rhys was more reserved and guarded.

That being said, there were moments where the pacing felt a bit slow, and while I liked the romance, I wasn’t completely obsessed with it. It was sweet and meaningful, but it didn’t give me that can’t-put-this-down feeling the whole way through.

Overall, Unsteady was an emotional and heartfelt read, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys sports romances with deeper themes of trauma and healing. It’s not just a love story—it’s also about finding yourself again after life knocks you down.

Thanks #NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. #Unsteady

Rhys Koteskiy, suffers from PTSD from a career threatening injury.

Sadie Brown, figure skater, big sister and parent for her little brothers, juggling family, school and skating all at once.

Peyton Corinne does an incredible job portraying mental health struggles with authenticity, making Rhys and Sadie’s journey feel deeply personal and relatable. Their chemistry is undeniable, and the way they support each other through their darkest moments adds layers of depth to their relationship. The pacing is just right—balancing angst, romance, and sports elements without feeling overwhelming.

“Loathing, self-hatred. If you feed them enough they grow like irremovable vines. Mine grew thorns and wrapped around me as a kid, and no one has ever bothered to try and get in. Until now"

“You are worth it, And if I have to fight the little demons in your mind that convince you otherwise for every day for the rest of our lives? I’ll happily do it.”

- Black cat X Golden retriever
- Friends w/ benefits situation
- He falls first and HARD
- Hockey Captain X Figure Skater
- Mental health rep - PTSD, anxiety, panic attacks
- Guardianship of younger siblings
- Found family

I don't think I've cried while reading a sports romance so much before - this book tugged at ALL the heart strings and had me so emotional when I (naively) went in thinking I'd just get some light-hearted fluffy romance about a hockey player and figure skater - because that alone I am always down for!
I also think this is one of the first times I've related to the main male character's struggles more than the female main character - Rhys just hit a nerve with me trying to understand his own self, the panic attacks, the anxiety - but he still wanted to make sure everyone around him was okay first, my heart was meltingggg (there's some sort of ice pun there surely...)
And my girl Sadie was just this ferocious little thing that was so snappy and angry at the world and having to work so hard to protect everyone she loves and fight for her brothers while protecting her own heart.

I LOVE a story where the guy falls first but when its two people who find the help they need through a solid FRIENDSHIP first and fall along the way SAY NO MORE!

I also love when 'side characters' are intertwined into a story so well with just enough to leave you wondering and guessing what their deal is and who they end up with as well it just makes an interconnected series so exciting - I cannot wait for the next book!

This story left a mark on my heart—equal parts beautiful and heartbreaking. I’m not sure I’ll ever stop thinking about it.

Rhys and Sadie’s story put me through every possible emotion. Now that I’m done, I feel utterly empty (in that “I-just-finished-an-amazing-book” way).

I cried. I giggled. I kicked my feet in giddy excitement. My heart cracked, slowly pieced itself back together, and then soared watching Rhys and Sadie’s growth. Their journey was raw, messy, and beautifully real.

The character development? Chef’s kiss. The emotional rollercoaster? Worth every tear. I’m going to be thinking about this book for a long time.

Thank you, Peyton Corinne, for writing such an honest, powerful story that portrays mental health struggles with sensitivity and authenticity—without ever romanticizing them. You’ve shown not only the weight of these challenges but also how healing and hope are possible on the other side.

And thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuester (Australia) for providing me with this ARC.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I do really enjoy sports romances (funny as I hate real life sports), though I think I'm starting to age out of college romances (or at least spicy ones because I feel weird reading about young people getting it on). This was a good college sports romance. It was angstier than I personally like, but I think the reasons for the angst were dealt with pretty well all round (though not necessarily delved very deeply into). I liked the author's writing, and her pacing was really good, so I would definitely recommend this book if you like the sound of the blurb. I liked both leads and that it was a dual POV story. I don't think it would have worked as well if you only got Sadies' POV.
Rhys and his parents were wonderful but also felt very realistic. Sadie's brothers were well written and felt like they were their ages (6 and 12). Rhys' friends and teammates were good, though I don't really feel super invested or like I need to read their stories. At this point Freddy is getting a book, and I assume Bennett will as well, maybe even Kane. I'll wait to see what their plotlines are about before committing.

I really enjoyed this book! Rhys and Sadie both had significant challenges that they were working through, which gave this book a lot of depth. I enjoyed that we focused on each of the characters growth through these challenges in addition to their romance. Their love for each other was so sweet, especially Rhys who was down badddd for our girl Sadie.

One of my favourite parts of hockey romances is the found family vibes, and started seeing that especially towards the end of the book. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing that develop in the series!

Peyton’s writing literally read like a movie in my head! It took me abit to connect to the main characters but then once I found my footing with the plot I understood them and felt for both Rhys and Sadie!

The emotional depth this had surprised me! My heart broke so much for all the things that Rhys, Sadie (& her brothers) had endured individually!

This story showed so much raw human emotion but also a lot of heart-warming and beautifully healing moments. Hotshot Rhys, the gentleman you are!! And I know Sadie might come off prickly initially, but she portrays such a realistic human reaction to the experience she went through, especially at her age! Sadie’s POV made me understand her more and her development was everything! The spice was great and I absolutely LOVE a book that has a playlist so I can listen to the songs as I read and I loved this even more because of it. I was silently screaming Getaway Car by Taylor Swift in the early hours whilst reading.

Tropes:
* Hockey x Figure Skater
* Black Cat FMC x Golden Retriever MMC
* Mental Health Rep
* Found Family
* Dual POV

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster (Australia) for the eARC. So excited to read the next one!!

4.25 stars

"But Rhys Koteskiy could never be confined to just one song - he's a symphony, a never ending playlist that I want to repeat forever."

Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster for gifting me a copy of this book. This book has been on my tbr for ages, and I'm so glad I finally took the plunge and read it.

Sadie and Rhys are literally my babies, I love them with my whole heart and neither of them deserved the fate that they found themselves in at the start of the book. I loved the way they became a safe-haven for one another. I think that really developed their bond as a whole, as well as provided undeniable chemistry. I liked the naturality of their storylines, where I personally felt that their love stories progressed at a realistic pace and in line with what they were going through.

The mental health representation in this book was done amazingly, and I loved to see two different struggles faced by each main character. I also really liked how the characters helped each other with their respective difficulties, allowing them to fall in love with themselves before they fell in love with each other. I personally love when books do this, so I was very very pleased to see Unsteady do the same.

I did take .75 off the ranking, only because I didn't really connect with Sadie's blunt personality, which withdrew from the book and affected my ranking, only because I wasn't able to develop a full connection to what I was reading. Other than that, it was an amazing read, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Peyton Corrine is incredibly talented and I am so excited to read Unloved (Rosalie is so precious I cannot).

I was really excited to jump into this hockey romance but unfortunately it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I struggled with the pacing and felt like the scenes were jumping from here to there awkwardly.

I didn’t particularly like the FMC Sadie and found her quite rude and frustrating. I understand she has a lot on her plate, but her actions annoyed me and her attitude felt really bitter. I did however really like the MMC Rhys and loved the mental health representation throughout the book. It was heartbreaking watching Rhys struggle through his trauma, however it was written so well. I loved how they connected through music and were both there for each other.

I love the he falls first trope but this book felt like insta-love and the plot was quite repetitive. I think if you enjoy sports romance you’ll find something in this for you!

Your honour, Rhys is my new book boyfriend & this book may be my new personality 🙋‍♀️

I didn’t expect this book to be so emotional but I thought the that Peyton did an amazing job depicting anxiety and panic disorders. I am 100% of the Sadie fan club - not only does she help Rhys navigate his own trauma but overall she is the most loyal and fierce protector to everyone she loves.
Rhys, words of affirmation, say less. Honestly, Rhys & the Koteskiys 🥹🫶 their entire family has a heart of gold.

I’m currently mentally preparing for the emotional wreck I will be after Unloved releases, wish me luck 🫠 until then you definitely need to read unsteady!! ⛸️

Read this if you’re a fan of:
🏒Black Cat x Golden Retriever
⛸️ Figure Skater × Hockey Player
🎧 Friends to Lovers
🏒 He Falls First
⛸️ Found Family
🎧 Mental Health Rep

Unsteady is an emotional, powerful, and deeply satisfying read that completely surpassed my expectations. For a debut novel, Peyton Corinne has delivered something truly remarkable. Though this is classified as a romance, it’s about so much more than just a love story - we have the whole package here ‼️

From the first chapter, I was drawn into the lives of Sadie and Rhys. Sadie, my fire-on-ice, headstrong black cat of a protagonist, stole my heart with her resilience and unshakable loyalty to her younger brothers. Then there’s Rhys—the golden retriever, Sad Boy Club VIP member🥲—whose gentle persistence and vulnerability make him impossible not to adore. Their dynamic was magnetic, emotional, and achingly real. Watching Rhys slowly chip away at Sadie’s walls at her pace was so good to read.

Both characters are so beautifully crafted, each navigating their own battles with mental health. Peyton Corinne approached these struggles with sensitivity and authenticity, avoiding the cliché of quick fixes and instead offering a realistic, hopeful depiction of growth. Their individual journeys, as well as the way they learned to lean on each other, were incredibly touching.

The pacing of the story was perfect, allowing every interaction and emotional beat to land with full impact. The mature communication and introspective dialogue between Sadie and Rhys elevated the narrative, making their relationship feel grounded and genuine. The romance itself? Absolute perfection. Rhys’ small, thoughtful acts of love- 🥰had me swooning.

The supporting characters, like Rhys’ parents (Max deserves his own fan club), Sadie’s brothers, and the hockey team, all felt essential to the story. They brought warmth and depth, making the world feel lived-in and the relationships even richer. I saw whose story comes next in the series and I cannot wait to dive back into this universe.

While this book offers so much beyond romance, I’d be remiss not to emphasise how perfectly the love story “romanced.” Sadie’s independence, her anger at the world, and her fierce protectiveness over her brothers make her a heroine you can’t help but root for. And Rhys? His patient, steadfast devotion to her-despite his own struggles-makes him a great book boyfriends.

I’m left a little speechless after finishing this because calling Unsteady a “good book” doesn’t do it justice. It’s a debut that feels like anything but, and I know it will remain a comfort read I’ll return to again 🩷✨

such a beautiful story!

i read the indie version of this so i was curious to see how the changes to this book would change the overall story, and i’m very glad to say it only made this story that much stronger. rhys and sadie have such a beautiful, deep, connection and a sweet, gentle kind of love while still maintaining this fun and sassy banter at the best of times. they are both carrying so much on their shoulders and i love that they help each other through it all as best they can. still one of my favourite books, and i can’t wait for unloved!!

Absolutely adorable! I had tears in my eyes and was a gooey mess with how amazing this book was. Finally being able to see a male character with mental health issues was brilliant and the relationship Rhys and Sadie created from helping each other was sweet. I am so not a hockey romance girly but this has sold me on the genre. Cannot wait to see what happens in Unloved.

Thank you to Netgalley, Simon & Schuster (Australia) and the author for being allowed to read an ARC of this.