4.5 ⭐️

this book was so so tender and soft, I loved matty and ro so much, each of them had their own struggles and I think those were written so perfectly, their slowburn friends-to-lovers development was absolutely everything to me!!

through this whole book I just wanted to wrap matty in a big hug and not let go, that professor deserved jail and I really hope she got there one way or another for what she did to him, but his grief, his self-loathing, was so so painful to read when you can see how GOOD he is! and ro, I felt so sorry for how she was treated, but I'm so happy with how she grew to love herself and accept everything she is!

I didn't expect to love this book as much as I did, but some of the themes felt so close to home and the characters warmed my heart in the best way possible!

thank you to Simon & Schuster UK, Peyton Corinne and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review!

I found this one a tricky beast, and I think in the end it just wasn't for me, which is fair enough. It's not so much the writing, nor the world of Waterfell University, and ultimately I was engaged enough to finish the book and be intrigued by the potential for some of the other characters' outings. But I had issues with the pacing, with the story getting very bogged down in places, and the characterisation was a bit odd - the subject matter the characters were dealing with was complex and required a bit more depth than the archetypes were able to sustain, I think. I felt like I'd read a lot of the scenarios before elsewhere, and that there wasn't necessarily anything new here - not always a problem, and god knows I've happily hoovered up enough hockey romances that I think in tropes and archetypes half the time, but generally I'm hopeful for something a little different in the execution. It wasn't badly done here, it was fine, but I was left wanting more. I also found the author's propensity to add in every. Single. Song the characters were listening to weirdly intrusive - like, I love a playlist in a book, and the odd namecheck to a song or author in key moments. But this got to the point where it was too much, and I went past annoyance and started to find it funny.

I'd also say this was in a bit of a weird position where it overlaps the previous book in the series so much that book 1 is almost required reading - it's not that it was ever going to be a 100% standalone story, but usually in a series it's possible to jump in and any key facts are introduced as and when needed. So you miss out on some context, but it's not a case of not being able to follow the continuity of the book itself. Here, though, there were a couple of things (particularly in the first half) that had zero context or introduction, so I can only assume they happened in the previous book and there was an assumption that 100% of readers would have read and retained that info prior to coming to this one. That wasn't the case for me, so it was a bit jarring.

All this could be read as really negative, but ultimately this was not a terrible book, and I'm sure its intended audience - I guess readers of book 1 with an enjoyment of music of a certain type - will enjoy it! It just really wasn't for me, and hopefully the specifics will help others to decide if it's for them or not.

2.5 stars (rounded up)

Deeply emotional and real. This book hooked me from page one and I finished it in record time...I just could not put it down.
You can definitely feel the very same emotional depth you got from Unsteady, so prepare your tissues and brace yourself.
My heart broke for Ro and Matt. Both struggling with recognizing their self-worth and willing to tolerate anything - even abuse - for even the tiniest bit of affection because, for the longest time, they were made to feel like they were unlovable. I cheered for them when they started to become friends and then more, because they finally started to help each other see that they were worthy of love for who they actually were, and did not need to change themselves or hide their struggles, their pain, their quirks or dull their entire personality.
I also loved how Ro and Matt's story was deeply intertwined with Unsteady...but still its own thing.
Ro and Matt are possibly the softest couple in the history of romance. The mutual pining was chef's kiss and the slow burn was sooo worth it!
Recommended to anyone looking for an emotional, friends to lovers, slow burn, angsty romance.

CAN I GIVE THIS ONE 10STARS OUT OF 5!

Officially obsessed with all thing Peyton Corinne - I will read everything she writes forever.


Unloved is almost an intertwined story with Unsteady I hope someone does a reading guide for a tandem read as so much of the story overlaps in key parts of each story.


I will be buying this one in every edition and screaming from the rooftops for everyone to READ THIS BOOK!

So much of the beginning of this book made me uncomfortable. I hated seeing Ro so little and insecure because of Troy. I hated Matt’s constant feeling of being unworthy of love and talking himself down because that’s all people have shown him. It’s realistic because it takes time to leave abuse, but it’s also infuriating. I had to push through the first third of the book because of this. If anything it’s a testimony to Peyton’s writing, but it doesn’t make it easier to read.

After that first struggle, I just loved it. Ro and Matt growing their relationship, helping each other see their worth, and how they deserve to be loved. Them falling for one another was so perfectly written.

ARC REVIEW- UNLOVED

Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Tropes:
🏒College Hockey Romance
🏒Friends to Lovers
🏒Hockey Player MMC x Tutor FMC
🏒Slow Burn
🏒Found Family
🏒Mental Health Rep
__________________________
Thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster UK and Payton Corrine for the ARC! I received an advance copy of the book and am leaving an honest review. All opinions are my own.
__________________________
OMG PEYTON. You didn’t have to go that HARD! I COULD NOT PUT THIS DOWN. You made me cry UGLY UGLY TEARS. And I’m not sorry about it one bit. I am OBSESSED with Freddy and Ro. #CoupleGoals. All the love for them and to them.

I read Unsteady and then immediately found Unloced on NetGalley. I was excited to get a chance to ARC read this one and I am soooo freaking glad. This is Freddy and Ro’s story. And it’s such a special story. There is just so much tenderness, love and emotion in this one. I cannot fault her at all in Freddy’s entire character arc throughout the book. It’s honestly hard to put into words how much I loved this one.

Freddy has to be the most emotionally intelligent hero I’ve read. And for someone who’s a college student. The entire arc his character goes through is so beautiful to read and I think I looked forward to his chapters/POV the most. I loved his insights and introspection. I loved the tenderness and love and loyalty he showed Ro throughout the book.

Ro is a girl after my own heart. I WAS that girl in high school. She has to be the most selfless and sweetest girl. Her confidence is in the toilet. I loved seeing her come into her own, with encouragement, friendship and love from Freddy helping her to see just how amazing she is. And how she in turn helped Freddy see that he was worthy and deserving of good things. The two of them had such a wonderful relationship develop from student x tutor to genuine friendship to love.

I am loving this series SO MUCH and I can’t wait for book 3 to come out. I’m obsessed with Peyton Corinne and will read anything she writes. I am a stan for life.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.
All you need to know is that its about two people who find eachother when they need it the most and how a beautiful friendship turns into love. The following part will have spoilers.




Matt/ Freddy, one of the few vulenerable MMC i have read about, not a lot of them out there. Grief comes at waves and it is the living who have to suffer the consequences of death, our lives change and we must find a way to navigate trought life without that person. I loved Matt.

Ro is sweet and endearing. Abuse is not only physical and it's hard and you feel confused and more so when that person is exploiting your insecurities. It was beautifully realistic how Ro realized the moment she needed to get out. Its not easy to realize you live in that sitution and to some people it sadly takes a while.


Both: I am not a friends to lovers enthusiast yet i loved it this time. I don't know how to explain it, it was slow and beautiful and gave me all the fuzzy feelings.

Other things i loved: Ro's parents, Matt and Archer, the family we make along the way.
Cons: it dragged a bit at times, the importance of the first meeting while i get it, it didnt bring anything to the table, the lack of discussion about teacher/student grooming, not even a mention about reporting it.

I loved this book, I cannot wait to get a physical copy when it is released!
My favourite part of this book that separated it from other hockey romances in the past is the emotional depth in the characters which really made it so much better

Another emotional rollercoaster by Peyton Corrine (the author of unsteady). There's something so comforting when seeing authors write about mental health and learning disabilities. Reads easy like her previous book unsteady.

[ 4.75 ★ ]

“𝙄 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚.”

— my review 💌
*no spoilers*

i don’t have the words to express my gratitude towards netgalley & the publisher for granting me an arc of one of my most anticipated reads. unsteady means everything to me, and i was ridiculously excited for book two, so receiving an early copy of unloved is surreal.

anyway, into the book!

after being switched tutors, freddy’s ready to be belittled and put down yet again, but that…doesn’t happen. instead, his new tutor, ro, is different. she’s patient and calm and sees him for him, not his body. and ro…well, the book starts with her in an awful relationship, unsure of how to get out of it really. but as she spends more time with freddy, her eyes are opened to how horribly she’s treated in her relationship and she slowly realises her worth, while also falling for the sweet sad boy.

freddy, my sad soft boy 😭. this man doesn’t have a bad bone in his body. he’s such a delicate person, and that contrasted with the front he puts on is heartbreaking. he’s so gentle with ro, showing her quiet love as well as loving her loudly, and that truly just gets me. he is the perfect man, i love him so much. there’s something about peyton corinne men, i swear.

onto my rosalie. she’s so so special. she has such a big heart—almost to a fault. my poor girls kindness got used against her on multiple occasions, and all i wanted to was shake her and say “you deserve better!” luckily freddy and sadie did that for me! she’s such a gentle soul, treating everyone around her with love and care, even those who may not deserve it. ugh! i just wanted to hug her.

unloved is so beautifully written, but that’s just peyton’s writing for you. the way she brings two characters together, the way they bond and come together, is truly something incredible. their tension, this invisible string between them, it’s all woven together so perfectly—to the point where you’ll never stop thinking about the characters. and her putting her writing out into the world is something we should all be grateful for.

spice? yes.

some tropes :
★ tutor x athlete
★ to be loved is to be seen
★ found family
★ learning difference rep
★ friends to lovers
★ slow burn

Unfortunately I struggled with this one a bit. My main issue was the pacing, it dragged too much and I found myself putting it down so often that I didn't have much desire to pick it up again.

It could be a me problem because I'm quite impatient and like fast-paced books but this didn't click for me.

4.5 THE MATT FREDERICK EFFECT IS IN FULL SWING
A book that I blasted through in one sitting! Peyton is such a poet and creates such beautiful chemistry and love between her characters and I’m in awe of her writing.
I had so many emotions reading this book. I laughed I cried and I swooned so hard. I fell head over heels for these sunshine characters and they’re the type of characters I could read about all day.
It’s a very special type of book and after reading it, the title really hit me in my core and it’s book I’m going to be thinking about for a long time.
It was a butterfly in your stomach type of read , the early 2000s romcom movie feel good vibes and just a stunning book in general.

When i started this book i was thinking vehemently that it will be such a fun and easy read.
Well the jokes were on me because this book broke me and put me back together after.
I think both Matt and Rosalie were very complex characters dealing with the pressure their environment put on both of them, to be the greatest when it came to hockey and be a carefree person, whereas for Ro to be part of an elite group of people, always the smart one, always pleasing everyone.
I find their development so so endearing, they both got to grow on their own and find their place in the world, without what other people might think of it.

And the development of their character made the romance enchanting, the man was a simp, he was yearning the whole book, i love when authors give us a cinnamon roll golden retriever who yearns as MMC’s WE NEED MORE OF THEM and i fear Matt might be their leader, undoubtedly.

Rosalie, i love that she discovered on her own how worthy she is and how much she needs to be loved the way she deserved to be. She is a fierce woman and I love her so much.

And as a member of the Dead Dad Club, i did feel very seen in this book, even though my dad passed quite recently, Matt’s words resonated with me every freaking time, i m beyond proud with how this has been portrayed and i can only congratulate miss @peytoncorinneauthor for the incredible work she’s done

Easily one of my favourite books of the year, I already loved unsteady and Peyton as an author but this only solidified her as and incredible and talented author

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to the publisher for the arc
This is out on 12 February 2025

This may be one of my favourite books of all time! Freddy broke my heart and put it all back together again. He is such a broken boy and deserves all the love in the world. I loved Ro. She was so patient with Freddy and I just adored seeing their relationship go from strength to strength. I will be thinking about this book for a long time.

4 stars - arc review. This was such a cute book, the character development was everything and how both Ro and Matt supported each other was brilliant. I loved the friends to lovers aspect as well and seeing Sadie and Rhys. There is definitely toxic people in this book though that I would’ve happily knocked out every time they spoke but it all works out in the end. I have a huge soft spot of Archer and Elsie they would’ve been the true friends to lovers. Excited to see who will be next though I’m hoping for Bennett.

After reading Unsteady a couple of months ago, I wasn’t too sure about how I felt about Ro’s story, but wow. Unloved was everything Unsteady was and more.

Ro is a really well balanced main character, that you can’t help but to relate to in some way. She was resilient and a people-pleaser, which made her character growth all the more incredible. Her growth came from a slow recognition that led to her standing for what she believed in despite everything holding her back.

Matt (Freddy) was probably the most emotionally mature male love interest I have ever read. He is kind, caring and disadvantaged by his circumstances and belittled by the people around him. He is kind and patient with Ro, which was a beautiful dynamic to see when others were not.

The romance in this book was a well paced and beautiful slow burn. You could truly see this characters falling in love with each other slowly, and then the sudden realisation of it all. I usually am not a fan of friends to lovers, but this was a beautiful story with such a realistic romance that the friends to lovers felt nothing less than natural.

God, I hope there’s another book in this series. I would just love to see Bennett and Torren meet their matches.

This is a beautifully crafted exploration of love, self-worth, and the messy imperfections that make us human.

Matt “Freddy” Fedderic is the charming hockey player whose confidence on the ice is starkly contrasted by his struggles in the classroom, and Ro Shariff is a sweet but disillusioned romantic trying to navigate her own messy love life. Freddy’s battle with learning disabilities and Ro’s yearning for genuine affection create a rich emotional foundation for their friendship, which slowly evolves into something deeper and more meaningful.

The slow-burn romance is equal parts frustrating and exhilarating. Freddy and Ro’s reluctance to jeopardize their friendship feels real, the tension between them is undeniable and their protective instincts creates an intoxicating push-and-pull dynamic. The tender moments, like late-night phone calls and quiet, unspoken connections, make it worthwhile.

This book isn’t just a romance… It’s a story about acceptance, growth, and learning to love every part of yourself, even the parts you think are unlovable. It’s also a deeply emotional and unforgettable read that will leave you swooning, tearing up, and cheering for Ro and Freddy long after the final page.

𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨 :
• friends to lovers
• opposites attract
• slow burn
• hockey romance
• forced proximity

𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 : 4.5

Thank you Peyton Corinne, Simon & Schuster UK and NetGalley for an e-ARC copy.

I loved this book!!

I love how supportive the main characters were of each other and could get really vulnerable with each other and were open with each other and discussed things they were insecure about

The spicy scenes in this book were so so good and the mouth on Freddy 👀🤭🥵

I really love Peyton's writing and the depth and layers that her stories have to them

- student x tutor
- college romance
- sports romance (college hockey)
- learning differences rep
- dual pov, first person

Ps I need Bennetts book asap, like the little bits we saw of him I'm so intrigued and have so many questions I need answering

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the eARC - all opinions are my own

this book is so beautifully real and raw - an epic friends to lovers story featuring your faves from the first book in the interconnected series.

matt 'freddy' fredderic is a hockey god playboy barely scraping by at college whilst being picked up to go pro on the ice. rosalie 'ro' shariff is the brainiac tutor best friend of sadie from the first book. she has crushed in matt since they shared a kiss at a house party in her freshman year. when she is selected to be his tutor this semester, they finally get a chance to get to know each other and work through their own baggage on the way to love.

my most anticipated reason for reading this book was the butterfly thigh tattoo .. i am a very weak woman ok?! 🫠

Reading Unloved was a fun experience, offering a tender exploration of personal growth and connection. Ro's journey throughout the book felt authentic and deeply relatable. From her insecurities to her quiet moments of courage, Ro’s inner thoughts and emotions were portrayed with a lot of sincerity. I especially appreciated her gradual character development, as it mirrored the often slow and messy nature of personal growth in real life.

One of the standout elements of Ro’s character was the beautiful imagery of butterflies in her hair. This unique and whimsical detail not only added a touch of magic to her personality but also served as a symbolic representation of her transformative journey. It’s rare to come across such a visually compelling metaphor, and I found it both endearing and memorable.

Freddy, on the other hand, provided a nice contrast to Ro’s introspective nature. He brought energy and lightness to the narrative, making for an enjoyable dynamic between the two. However, while Freddy was fun and charming, I found his character arc a bit underwhelming. Unlike Ro, his growth seemed stagnant, and by the end of the story, I was left wanting more depth and evolution from him. This was a missed opportunity, as Freddy’s potential as a character could have enriched the emotional resonance of the book.

One aspect that tempered my overall enjoyment was the pacing. While the story had its heartfelt and engaging moments, there were sections where the narrative dragged. These slower parts, unfortunately, diluted the emotional impact and occasionally left me feeling disconnected. A tighter structure or additional layers of conflict might have helped maintain a more consistent level of engagement.

Despite these critiques, Unloved remains a sweet and worthwhile read. Peyton’s writing style is gentle and evocative, capturing the nuances of her characters’ emotions with grace. It’s clear that she has a talent for crafting introspective, character-driven stories, and I’m optimistic about her future works. While I may not rush to recommend this particular series, I’ll certainly keep an eye on her next releases, as I believe her storytelling will only improve with time and experience.

In conclusion, Unloved offers a touching narrative with moments of genuine beauty, even if it falls short in some areas. For readers who enjoy character-focused stories with a hint of whimsy, this book is worth exploring.