I absolutely adored this book! It’s not your typical light-hearted hockey romance — this one packs a real emotional punch. Sadie’s struggle to hold everything together while caring for her brothers really hit me hard. Her determination and the shame she felt in asking for help made me feel for her in such a deep way. As for Rhys, I fell for him instantly. It was so refreshing to see a male character with such realistic and meaningful representation of mental health. His love for Sadie, and his desire to care for her, was truly heartwarming.

♥ 𝑼𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒚 𝒃𝒚 𝑷𝒆𝒚𝒕𝒐𝒏 𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 ♥

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Spice: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙎𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙮: Hockey captain Rhys Koteskiy is back on the ice after a life-changing accident, but his return comes with debilitating panic attacks. During one of his first moments back on the ice, figure skater Sadie Brown finds him having a panic attack and helps him calm down. Their shared love for skating brings them together in early-morning practice sessions where they bond over music and coping mechanisms for Rhys’s anxiety.

But Sadie’s life off the ice is anything but stable. With a drunk father, two younger brothers to care for, and multiple jobs to juggle, she’s drowning in responsibility. Sadie keeps her struggles hidden, afraid to let anyone, especially Rhys, see how broken her life really is. When Rhys learns the truth, he proves he’s there to stay, offering the kind of support Sadie never thought she could have.

𝙈𝙮 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨: I didn’t expect to love this book as much as I did, but it really surprised me. I absolutely loved Sadie. She’s incredibly selfless, strong, independent, and hardworking, taking on so much responsibility for her brothers. But because of her tough upbringing, she keeps her walls up, and at times, that makes her come across as rude or harsh. However, this flaw made her even more relatable, she wasn't perfect and I loved how real she felt throughout the book.

Rhys was also such a standout. Despite being this big, strong hockey player, he’s dealing with the aftermath of his accident, and his vulnerability made him feel so much more human. I loved this quote from him: “My body is healed, fully, every bit of it pressed back together. My mind is the thing that’s broken, permanently.” His struggle with PTSD added depth to his character, and I love it when he falls first and to see him fall for Sadie so hard there were those moments when I was kicking my feet. He’s a golden retriever boyfriend for sure —sweet, patient, and always ready to support her.

The romance between Sadie and Rhys was really sweet. Their connection felt natural, and I appreciated how Rhys was so patient with her, never rushing her into a relationship. He was there for her when she was ready, and that made their bond even more special.

My only critique is the ending—it wasn’t bad, but I found it a bit strange. I think I expected a bit more after everything they went through, but at the same time, it made sense given Rhys’s family dynamics and his career. Rhys’s parents adopting Sadie’s brothers and the idea of Rhys playing for the NHL while Sadie becomes a coach was a sweet way to wrap things up, but I still felt like I wanted a bit more closure.

Overall, this book was a really enjoyable read, and I highly recommend it for anyone who loves a sweet romance with real struggles and reversed grumpy x sunshine type dynamic

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Australia for providing me with an eARC of Unsteady by Peyton Corinne in exchange for an honest review!