Unloved

The Undone #2

by Peyton Corinne

The highly anticipated follow-up to the TikTok sensation Unsteady which follows hopeless romantic Ro and player – on and off the ice – Freddy as they form an unexpected bond.

Matt 'Freddy' Fredderic 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. But in the classroom, he’s retaking failed classes and struggling with dyslexia, dyscalculia and ADHD. Now tied to a National Hockey League contract upon graduation, Freddy needs help to pass biology.

Ro Shariff has a history of terrible luck in love – and now, she is Freddy’s tutor. Trying to convince herself that she’s very happy with her on-again/off-again boyfriend, Ro is desperate for real affection. As her tutoring sessions with Freddy lead to late-night phone calls and an understanding of each other’s pains, a friendship emerges between them. And, inevitably, a wistful secret pining hidden by them both.

Together, they will show each other how easy it is to love the right person, no matter their flaws.

Genres: Romance, Sports Romance, Friends To Lovers, Hockey, Sports, Hockey Romance, College

449 pages, Paperback

First published February 4, 2025

Reviews

[Marianna Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stop this was so cute and wholesome Ro and Freddy melted my heart 😭😭😭! Listen I’ve been in the biggest slump so I decided to completely switch genres and went for a fluffy hockey romance and it was a good decision…. Though I’m still in a slump I fear but I giggled and kicked my feet. I absolutely loved the first book in this series and it’s definitely my favorite of the two, but I would definitely recommend as a palette cleanser for hockey romance lovers!!

- friends to lovers
- Slow burn
- tutor FMC x reformed playboy, hockey player MMC
- Broken golden retriever boy
- Grief rep
- MMC trying navigating life after a toxic relationship
- Two people who love so deeply and just want to be loved in return

[maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

જ⁀➴ infinite stars✰

⋆𐙚₊˚⊹”I think you’d be really easy to love” ⋆𐙚₊˚⊹

Emotional, raw, relatable, spectacular, show stopping, sweet, heartwarming.

I am a firm believer that some books find you at exactly the right moment—whispering to your heart, speaking to the parts of you that need to be seen. This one was that book for me. It was everything I long for when I open a story, every emotion I hope to feel when I turn the pages. I’m going to cherish this book forever. An all time favorite💚

If I die, bury me with this book. I want every word etched into my soul, every sentence tattooed in my mind so I never forget it, at this point inject this book into my veins. I don’t think I’ve ever given an infinite rating before, but this story left me with no choice—I have no complaints, only pure love. I never expected it to be this emotional, to wreck me and piece me back together. It tugged at my heartstrings so tightly, I don’t think I’ll ever recover, and I wouldn’t want to.

I have to be honest, I don’t give authors second chances… if I didn’t liked my introduction to them, then I don’t try with any of her other books but right now I’m patting myself on the back for giving Peyton a second chance, when I read the tropes for the book I actually request the book because I have no self control in net galley lol but also because I had a feeling that this was going to be more on my league than unsteady.

My problem with unsteady was that everything was lust, they were hooking up 24/7 and I didn’t like the fmc, Sadie, as a matter of fact I still don’t like Sadie on this one, I have real beef with her. Anyways, this book was completely different, the slow burn in this? Chef kiss!!! The best slow burn I have read lately. I was giggling over the light touches of hands, kicking my feet over them hugging or just starting at each other. Slow burn = emotional connection. we love emotional connection.

Vulnerability? check ✔️
Character growth? check ✔️
Yearning? check ✔️
no third act breakup? check ✔️

The writing was beautiful, safe to say that Peyton now has a new fan. This book doesn’t just tell a story—it immerses you in the emotions of loss, the frustration of being misunderstood, and the small, hard-won victories that come with embracing who you are. Peyton’s writing makes even the heaviest moments feel like they’re wrapped in something soft and understanding. It’s the kind of book that stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page, not just because of its message but because of the way it makes you feel seen.

the characters were everything and more, I found myself relating to both of them. You can’t hate them, I accept no criticism over them. While reading I was thinking that they could actually be real people.. that realistic they felt to me.

If you've ever felt the need to shrink yourself to fit into someone else’s world, if you long for love but fear it after being let down too many times, if trusting someone feels like the scariest thing in the world, if you’ve experience the loss of a parent, then this book is for you. Or maybe you simply want to fall in love with two characters who deserve all the happiness life has to offer. Either way, this story will wrap around your heart and remind you that love, in all its messy and beautiful forms, is always worth the risk.

I need to express my love for the epilogue of this book. It is set 5 years later!!!🤭 it was so sweet.



➳ characters:


ೃ࿐ rosalie ꒰ princess🎀 ꒱

⭑.ᐟ “I’m not brave or cool or anything fun, I’m just . . . I’m careful. I’m good, and it’s still not enough. I want to be more.”

she is me, I’m her. I love her so much, my favorite hopeless romantic who loves to wear ribbons.

She is in a very toxic relationship at the begging of the book, her boyfriend at that time, Tyler, is the worst character that can ever exist. He treats her so bad, made her feel that she wasn’t enough. Because of the asshole actions she thinks that no one is going to like her the way she is, having low self esteem.

”I think it’s hard for people to like me. And I try really hard.”

She just wanted to be loved, to feel cherished in a relationship, to have someone choose her wholeheartedly. While I often found myself frustrated when she allowed Tyler to talk down to her, I also understood why. She didn’t know any better. He was her first boyfriend, and to her, this was just how relationships worked. No one had ever shown her that love should be kind, that respect should never be optional. It was heartbreaking to watch her settle for less than she deserved, mistaking indifference for affection, simply because she had never been taught to expect more.

“But it wasn’t even the romance I’d wanted. It was my desperation for wanting to feel something real. Something overwhelming, but worth it.”

I absolutely loved how supportive she was of Freddy. She didn’t just help him study, she went out of her way to research tools and techniques tailored to his dyslexia and dyscalculia, determined to make his learning process easier in a world that had never bothered to accommodate him. When no one else seemed to care about his struggles, she did.
She defended him without hesitation, standing by his side whenever he needed someone in his corner. More than that, she made sure he knew his worth, reminding him again and again that his ADHD and dyslexia didn’t make him any less intelligent, any less capable, or any less deserving. Even when he doubted himself, when years of being overlooked had made him believe otherwise, she refused to let him forget just how brilliant he truly was.

“Everyone who has touched Matt Fredderic has only fed that monster in his head, the one that says he isn’t good enough beyond what he can do for them. I’ll be patient this time, because he’s hurting. Deeply—and he’s been there when I hurt, repeatedly. Matt needs someone who stays, who is willing to prove that he is worth it all. That he deserves good things in his life.”

⤷ how can someone hate or hurt someone this sweet??😭😭


ೃ࿐ freddy ꒰ matty🏒 ꒱

⭑.ᐟ “Sex is easy to me; I’ve been a quick study since I was far too young. Hockey is even easier, and I’m better than most because I work hard beyond how much comes naturally to me. But outside of that? I’m . . . nothing. I’m a fucking failure at using my brain—anything beyond the physical is pointless for me to even attempt because I’m nothing when I’m not using my body.”

My favorite blond lover boy, just thinking about him brings tears to my eyes. His chapters were heartbreaking, each one laced with the quiet pain of someone who never felt like he was enough beyond what he could offer physically. The way he carried that weight, convincing himself that he had nothing more to give, shattered me.
I can never resist a character with layers, the kind of boy who is so achingly broken but hides it behind laughter, parties, and “a good time”. He masks his pain with charm, never letting anyone see the cracks beneath the surface. But beneath it all, he just wants to be seen, to be loved for more than what the world has reduced him to. And that makes me love him even more😔

“I can feel myself spiraling, the self-hatred growing”

Everyone failed Matty. No one took the time to truly see him, to understand the way his mind worked, to accommodate his learning disabilities in a way that made him feel capable instead of broken. He was overlooked, dismissed, misunderstood at every turn. My precious boy is still carrying the weight of losing his mother, the only person who ever truly understood him. That grief lingers, shaping him in ways he doesn’t even realize, leaving an ache in his heart that no one else has ever tried to soothe. He is like a lost puppy, searching for direction, for something, someone to anchor him. And then he finds Ro. And for the first time, someone sees him, not just the hockey star, not just the guy with a reputation, but him.

“There’s a deep hurt etched almost permanently into his eyes, the effect of a buildup of rejection.”

He cares for Ro in the sweetest, most thoughtful ways, the kind of love that feels effortless but means everything. He remembers the little things, like her favorite drink and the way she put butterfly clips in her hair, absentmindedly playing with them just to be close to her. He never lets her forget how beautiful she is, always reminding her, always making sure she knows. He watches her favorite movies, keeps them downloaded on his phone like a comfort he wants to carry with him. And he calls her princess!!!!😩 Where is my Matty???

“I think I’m in love with her—not even romantically, but on some soul level. I feel devoted to her.”

As someone who lives with ADHD, his representation felt like a warm hug, comforting, validating, and so deeply understood. I saw myself in him, in the restless fidgeting, in the frustration of giving your all and still struggling in classes, in the endless battle with organization. The way he wanted so badly to focus, to succeed, but found it almost impossible at times, it was all so real🥺

: ̗̀➛“Matt isn’t all simpering smiles and class clown romanticisms; that he’s a boy with a heart I’m starting to think is softer than my own easily broken one.”

: ̗̀➛“Freddy never makes anyone feel like an outsider, I’m realizing. He’s kind with everyone. He’s attractive, physically yes, but he’s truly attractive because of how he treats those around him.”


˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥˚✿ °. rosalie + matty:
⤷ mirrors of each other ᡣ𐭩

MATTY AND RO GET BEHIND ME, I WILL ALWAYS PROTECT BOTH OF YOU💝

They healed something in me.
They were created for me.
They belong to me now.

If I had to describe their relationship in 2 words it would be: gentle love. I absolutely adore how they started a friendship before anything. The best friends to lovers, I love these characters and this book so much, no one is ever going to understand.

“I’ll be your friend, Ro,” I say. “I want you to see me as your friend.”
“I’d like that, Matt.” She smiles, small and gentle, and I feel another layer of care and protectiveness reach out from me to her. A friend—not because of being on the same hockey team or some kind of trade-off. Just my friend, because she wants to be.

⤷ who’s cutting onions?😭

Ro and matty are so strong, they have been through so much and they still are willing to take care of the other, they are willing to open their heart one more time. I want to put both of them in my pocket and keep them safe from the world. Both of them just wanted to be loved for who they are. Their story is one of healing, of learning that love doesn’t mean changing yourself to fit someone else’s expectations, but rather being seen, accepted, and cherished exactly as you are. It’s about finding the bravery to let someone in, even when the past has given you every reason to stay guarded.

“He’s like a shower and cool sheets after baking in the summer sun. A nap after the beach, all at once comforting and invigorating. Healing.”

The way they care so deeply for each other gave me hope that one day someone is going to care about me in that way. Knowing how much their past relationship left them with insecurities they decide to be kind and careful with the other. They bring life to each other. They are soulmates in the truest sense, two hearts mirroring each other, carrying the same wounds, the same loneliness. Both of them spent so long believing they were a burden, bending over backward to please others, yet never truly feeling seen. In my eyes, they never even had close friends. They were alone. Both of them miss their families. They battle insecurities that whisper they are not enough. They fear rejection so deeply it keeps them from reaching out, from asking for what they need. And yet, in each other, they find a love that soothes, a love that says, I see you, and you are not too much. I could talk about them for hours,

To be loved is to be seen, one of my favorite things about them is how they let each other feel, no judgment, no hesitation, just quiet, unwavering support. If one of them needed to cry, the other was there, offering a steady shoulder to lean on, a safe place to fall apart. They cared for each other so effortlessly, tending to each other’s wounds, soothing insecurities in ways that felt almost instinctual, as if loving and protecting one another was second nature. Long before they were even together, they were already theirs. Already looking out for each other, already guarding each other’s hearts like something precious. I’m already crying thinking about them again.


➳ side characters:

𐙚 Bennett: first of all, he have a service dog and I’m really curious about why🫣🫣 maybe it was mentioned in unsteady or something, but I really want to read his story. And Bennett and Paloma????? Please, give me their book right now. I would do anything for it😩

𐙚 Toren: I can feel an obession starting with him… the typical bad boy with tattoos of Van Gough???? Yes please, also he is so mysterious and have trauma hehehe. Need to know moreeeeee.

𐙚 Sadie: I already mentioned that I still don’t like, I don’t think she’s a good friend to Ro, idk. I felt that she was never there for Rosalie.

𐙚 Tyler, Carmen and Freddy’s dad: they all have a special place in hell.

𐙚 Archer: now, archer have a special place in heaven😌 I wish we had a novella about him, specifically about the time between him and Elsie. I bet it would be sweet and soul consuming too.


overall, if you are looking for a good time, lighthearted, fluffy book, look somewhere else because this book destroyed me. I apologize for the long review, I had too much things to say about them.


♬⋆.˚ ro & matty mini playlistᰔ

⤷ scary love ⟡ the neighbourhood
⤷ take care ⟡ beach house { their song!!!! }
⤷ emotions ⟡ 5sos
⤷ forever ⟡ noah kahan
⤷ hopeless romantic ⟡ sam fischer { ro song }
⤷ mind is a prison ⟡ alec benjamin { matt song }


💌 tropes:

ꨄ︎ tutor x student
ꨄ︎ friends to lovers
ꨄ︎ slow burn
ꨄ︎ hockey romance
ꨄ︎ found family
ꨄ︎ dual pov
ꨄ︎ learning disabilities rep


-‘๑’- my favorite quotes { the whole book atp }
⤷ possible spoilers mentioned

ᯓᡣ𐭩 “Sometimes the people we love most hurt us the easiest, even if they don’t mean to.”

ᯓᡣ𐭩 “There’s no pressure to perform, to be what Ro wants me to be, because what she wants is me. With or without the sex. With or without the hockey. She thinks I’m smart and kind and a good person. And, as hard as it is to admit, she’s the first one to really see me like that.”

ᯓᡣ𐭩 “All I care about is who you are, with me. And with everyone around you. You’re a good person. The most emotionally intelligent person I think I’ve ever known.” Every word she says settles in my soul, building something new around the soft, damaged parts of my heart that have felt unlovable for too long.

ᯓᡣ𐭩 Patience. Kindness. Love. It pours from her like water.

ᯓᡣ𐭩 How many times have I wished for exactly this? For someone to give me simple affection and ask nothing else of my body? True comfort. So I can give her this. I want to, desperately. And not just for how good it feels to be needed, but for how it feels to be needed by someone like Ro.

ᯓᡣ𐭩 People watch me all the time, run their eyes over my body like it’s on show just for them. But the way Ro watches me feels different. Not covetous, but inquisitive, like she’s trying to see something deeper.

ᯓᡣ𐭩 Our words are all whispers, like we’re both too scared to break the other.

ᯓᡣ𐭩 Living without her at all now seems like some difficult thing. But so does living with her, because my admiration and respect for her is becoming a deep well whose bottom I’m sure I’ll never find.

ᯓᡣ𐭩“You’d never want to even chance letting someone down. You . . . you always show up.” There’s a hitch in his breath, and if I didn’t know him better—the fact that I’m sure everyone has complimented him enough to last a lifetime—I’d say he’s yearning to hear the words. They wash over him like water on a sunflower.

ᯓᡣ𐭩 He’s kinder than Tyler ever was to me. More empathetic and understanding, more in tune with those around him than anyone I know. And he’s apologizing because so many people have made him think he isn’t good at this part—that he’s not worth anything other than sex. Like he doesn’t even deserve the opportunity to try.

ᯓᡣ𐭩“Why keep trying when it hurts?”
“Because they’ve been disappointed by too many people,” he says. “And I won’t be one of them.”

ᯓᡣ𐭩 The three steps it takes to get to her feel too long. Having her in my arms has always been healing, like something soft pressing away the lingering cuts that I’ve never managed to patch.

ᯓᡣ𐭩 But I’d lived entire lives, thousands of them, in books. And part of me always imagined what falling in love would feel like. I’d longed for it.

ᯓᡣ𐭩 Looking up at her, I pause. Her eyes are on me, breath heavy and low—but it’s not arousal I see. It’s gratitude and awe, like she isn’t sure if she’s dreaming this. I feel the same. I think you’d be really easy to love. Loving Rosalie Shariff would be the easiest thing I’ve ever done—I know, because I’m already doing it. I think I’ve loved her since the day she stood up for me in that conference room.

ᯓᡣ𐭩 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.

ᯓᡣ𐭩 I already like her, want to be a friend to her. I’ve never really felt comfortable around a girl enough to want to be her friend, but this feels warm and comfortable. I want to see her around, more than tutoring. And . . . I think it could be good for her, too.

ᯓᡣ𐭩 A little of the anxiety in me fades. Mostly because when Ro looks at me, I don’t feel like she’s judging me. She might be the least judgmental person I’ve ever met.

ᯓᡣ𐭩“If you’re jumping, I’m jumping.” I shrug. “You are?” “Why not?” I smile. “Unless you want to do it alone.” Rosalie shakes her head rapidly. “I hate being alone.” Me, too. “Great. Then I’m not leaving you alone, Ro”

thank you for the e-arc atria books and netgalley

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

ᝰ.ᐟ pre-read: ᯓᡣ𐭩୭˚.

Giving this author a second chance since I dnf’ed unsteady🫣 also I have zero desire to read lately but I’ve seen so many good things about this book so I hope it gets me out of the slump🤞🏻🤞🏻

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (New House-Hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars.

I don't know if I'll come back to this one to write a lengthy review. I enjoyed the FMC , I thought she was great.

The story itself though, felt very tropey and predictable. Not super original. It wasn't bad, it just didn't wow me.

The spice was a bit ick.

💚College Hockey Romance
🏒Tutor x Student
💚Friends to Lovers
🏒Learning Disability & Mental Health Rep
💚Grief & Trauma Rep
🏒Hopeless Romantic FMC
💚Player MMC
🏒Dual POV
💚Slow Burn
🏒No Third Act

⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

[ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

*cue the song freddy my love from grease*

[aly ☆彡 (on vacation) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Heavy siggggghhhhh. If you read my earlier review of the first book, you’d know how much I truly wanted to love this one. From the very start, I found myself deeply invested in Ro and Freddy's story. Woefully, while I have a deep affection for them, I can’t deny that the story fell short of my expectations and this book failed to stand out on its own.

Undeniably, Freddy and Ro are one of the most tender-hearted characters I’ve encountered. They ache with longing, carry the weight of grief, and slowly discover what it means to be loved unconditionally. I completely empathize with Matty's pain—losing his mother, enduring manipulation from someone he trusted, and dealing with a narcissistic father. His fragility feels raw, authentic, and deeply valid.

Ro, on the other hand...
There are many times when I cried for a character and wanted them to be transparent of their feelings and cried with me, but Ro might actually cry too much it gets exhausting. While vulnerability can be powerful, her frequent crying felt excessive, overshadowing other aspects of her character and making it harder to fully connect with her journey. She comes from a loving family, and while she faces challenges like homesickness and a toxic ex-boyfriend, I felt that many of her struggles felt more self-imposed than external; especially when girl is just adventurous but held back by the fear of being judged.

Therefore, given their personalities, I found both characters to be quite passive. They spend much of their time in states of sadness, heartbreak, or moping, which made their story lack excitement and momentum. Instead of feeling dynamic or engaging, the narrative often felt flat and unnecessarily drawn out. To make matters worse, Freddy and Ro are so similar in their emotional struggles that it became difficult to distinguish between them, leaving their individual arcs feeling indistinct and repetitive.

“I think you’d be easy to love”

Lord, I wish I could say the same to this book. Even so, it feels like the author leaned too heavily on this particular quote, trying to build the entire plot around it in an attempt to tug at readers' heartstrings. Instead, it came across as forced, and I found myself unmoved as the overreliance on this element made the story feel more contrived.

One of the other biggest missed of this book is that: the series has consistently focused solely on the main characters, when there’s so much potential for deeper connections with the found family aspect. The hockey families and their partners have such rich dynamics that could add layers to the story, yet this book — like the others, felt limited. I didn’t care much for Sadie and Rhys, sure; but their presence was so minimal you could count it on one hand. Despite being meant as significant friends to Ro and Freddy (debatable), they felt very insignificant. The small tidbit at the end didn’t make up for their near absence throughout the story, consequently made me feel disconnected from the larger community I had hoped to enjoy.

Another issue I had was the storytelling itself. This book overlaps with The Unsteady, and I honestly couldn't recall much from that book. There were moments where past events were referenced, but without a clear reminder, it was hard to understand what was going on. The narrative assumes you know the previous events, but for those of us who don’t remember every detail, it left me feeling lost. Not to say, the abrupt scene jumps between chapters feel sudden and jarring, disrupting the story’s flow and leaving readers disoriented. It’s a recurring issue that was never fixed, even after being noted in the previous book.

In the end, despite being presented with a wholesome epilogue and lovable characters who learned to trust each other, I didn’t feel that they truly grew as individuals. Their personal development felt stagnant despite the super long pages (I don't think it should be this long guys). Therefore, as much as it hurts me to settle with two stars, this is where I think their story stands.

Nevertheless, if you're looking for an emotionally layered story filled with heartfelt moments and mutual longing, this book might be the perfect fit for you.

p/s: I still don't like Sadie and I dislike her more in this book for some reasons lol

[ivy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars ꕥ

↳ ᡴꪫ ⸝⸝ just like one golden summer was a surprise, this was a surprise too — in a good way, thankfully. matt and ro held such a tenderhearted and vulnerable relationship that you couldn’t help but fall in love with them. every page was addicting and i found myself not being able to put this book down — which led to problems in my sleep schedule. now i get what people say when they mean this is a romance but with lots of emotional moments.

⛸️ the characters. ᝰ.ᐟ i really, really loved them. both of them have the most precious and sweet souls ever that only the other person can uphold. i especially loved matt’s story — the playboy but nervous when he’s around the love of his life. the little things that they did for each other warmed my heart throughout the entire book. i loved how they defended each other endlessly no matter the scenario — matty with tyler and ro with professor tinley. both of them were going through hell but managed to come out holding each other’s hands.

the side characters.

- sadie. she didn’t really show up in much of the book but i liked her for what she brought
- carmen tinley. oh you sick twisted bitch. i think someone downstairs is waiting for you.
- bennett, rhys, & toren. they all brought something special to the story and i can’t wait to read their books 🤭 i need toren’s book like now
- john fredderic. treating a woman & your son like that is despicable

१˒🪄⋆ plot. there was actually so much going on throughout this book that the 454 pages flew by SO quickly. when i first saw the page count, I was a bit shocked because no romance book needs to be that long. but thankfully, this book proved me wrong because it was packed with emotional punches, shocking twists, and tender moments.

𖠵 𓂃 overall, i think everyone should give this book a try because you might just end up loving it (i sure did 🤭)

quotes ⟡𖥦⊹

◟✦ “loving rosalie shariff would be the easiest thing i’ve ever done—i know, because i’m already doing it. i think i’ve loved her since the day she stood up for me in that conference room. as a friend first, something i’ve never had, but now it’s more.”

◟✦ “to be loved is to be seen—and she’s the first person to really see him. that’s why they fall in 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”

[fadheela ♡ (mid-terms ia) · Rating 5 out of 5]

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷・❥・“𝓘 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓴 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝔀𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓫𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓰𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓲𝓷 𝓶𝔂 𝓵𝓲𝓯𝓮.”・❥・ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

🏒04/02/25
➸4.75 stars ~spolier-free review💫~

HAPPY RELEASE DAY!!! 🥰💗 I thought I would review this book tomorrow, but I couldn't contain my excitement anymore, so here's the review!!(as soon as I finished the book for once 🤭) With happy tears rolling down my face, I am writing this— I FREAKING LOVED THIS BOOK TO PIECES 😭💘 I never thought one day I would say this, but this book just made me love the "friends-to-lovers" trope, which is a trope I generally avoid. This book was impossible to put down, even for a second, once I began reading it!! I was binge-reading it the whole night & day, sacrificing my sleep and I don't have an ounce of regret in doing it, because this book was worth it!! I loved reading everything about this book, the raw & honest relationship between Freddy & Ro, and them getting closer and healing together!! 🥺❤️‍🩹

what to expect 💌:
🏒 found family
🏒 friends-to-lovers
🏒 tutor x athlete
🏒 slow burn
🏒 college hockey romance
🏒 mental health & learning differences rep.

Let's meet the cast 🎬✨:

“I'd lived entire lives, thousands of them, in books. And part of me always imagined what falling in love would feel like. I'd longed for it.”

Rosalie "Ro" Shariff 👩🏻‍🏫~ A hopeless romantic at heart, she's desperate for wanting to feel something real in her life for once. She's one of the sweetest fmcs I have read, and it really made me mad whenever her ex walked all over her, insulting her and never leaving a chance to hurt her deeply. But then enters Freddy in her life, whom she's pretty sure doesn't remember her from the freshman year party all those years ago, and now she has to tutor him for that semester.

“It's okay. The lights are off—everyone's sleeping or got headphones in. You're fine, cry if you need to. I've got you.”

Matt "Freddy" Fredderic 🏒~ He has ADHD, dyslexia, and dyscalculia, and because of this he is failing his classes. And all his previous assigned tutors have let him down and now he gets assigned to Ro, who is his only hope of passing his classes. He's the walking greenest forest ever, he made me fall in love with him the instant I met him. He never makes anyone feel like an outsider. He treats everyone with kindness, but he is not contend with himself. He felt so lonely until he met Ro. He was so gentle, caring, and protective when it came to her. He made my heart melt many times and also made my heart ache for him many times 🤧

The way Ro with her kindness and love made him believe that he too deserves all the good things, she made me fall in love with her too. I just wish I could give that girl the tightest hug, but I was so happy Freddy gave it to her.😭 If I ever get the chance to live in this book, the first thing I would do is find Tyler—punch him in the face, make his nose bleed, kick his ass, and slowly make him die a painful death for what he did to Ro, for hurting her and degrading her. 😤

Overall, I would recommend this book a thousand times!! this book was so beautifully written with short chapters, that I had to double check if I was reading the book by the same author who wrote Unsteady (book 1 of this series), which I didn't like. But I'm glad to see the improvements Peyton made with this book.🤩

🌶chps: 14, 33, 40, 44, 52, 55, 57, 59

bookstagram review here

Thank you to the Author, Atria Books, and Netgalley for giving me this wonderful ARC inexchange for an honest review!🫶🏻✨️

𝓢𝓸𝓶𝓮 𝓯𝓪𝓿𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓷𝓸𝓽𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼 💌:

“If you're jumping, I'm jumping.”
“You are?”
“Why not? Unless you want to do it alone.”
“I hate being alone.”
“Great. Then I'm not leaving you alone, Ro.”

“I wish it was always easy.”
“What do you mean?”
“I think it's hard for people to like me. And I try really hard.”

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

“Good to see you again, princess. I missed you.”

“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.”

“If you wanna kiss someone, I'm right here.”

“I think you are one of the best people I've ever known. And I think it would be almost too easy to fall in love with you.”

“I think falling in love with you is the easiest thing I've ever done.”

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷・❥・𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀・❥・ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

🏒04/02/25
4.75 stars, rtc. I FREAKING LOVED IT!😭💘 I loved everything about this book so much, to the point I forgot I was binge-reading it loosing my sleep. Review coming tomorrow as I'm going off to rearrange my thoughts. 💌

🏒03/02/25
This is releasing tomorrow, so the responsible me is finally reading my arc today!😇 I'm so excited to see freddy & ro here again! This better be worth all the hustle I went through reading Unsteady, or else... 😏🔪

[rei ‧₊˚✩彡 · Rating 4 out of 5]

╰┈➤ 4 stars!

happy publishing day to this book!!

if you ask me about friends to lovers, i’m just gonna simply mention the title of this book and let you in for a good read 🌷🫂✨

this story was about rosalie becoming matt’s tutor because other students who also does tutoring gave up on him.

little did matt know that they’ve already met years ago, and he ended up as ro’s first kiss. their lives went by for years without interacting. rosalie was stuck in a toxic relationship for YEARS, and matty playing hockey and trying to pass his classes.

as their tutoring started, they’ve also developed a meaningful friendship wherein they can lean towards each other if they need a shoulder to cry on.

⋆·˚ ༘ *minor spoilers ahead!

౨ৎ ro. she’s truly one of the sweetest characters out there, and it really pissed me off every time her ex kept on saying mean things to her. it was infuriating to see someone like him constantly belittle her, especially when she’s such a kind and caring person. despite all the hurtful things he said, she finally stood strong and didn’t let it affect who she was, which made me admire her even more. it takes a lot of courage to be able to stand up to the people who aren't good for you. she’s such a strong character, filled with so much resilience and grace. the fact that she realized that she doesn’t need to change a single thing about herself in order to fit anyone’s expectations or gain their approval is powerful.

౨ৎ matty. his character showed representations of dyslexia, dyscalculia, and ADHD, and i thought it was so important how these aspects were portrayed. he’s been through so much in his life, facing challenges that many people wouldn’t fully understand or appreciate. it’s honestly really sad to think about all he’s had to endure, and the way he’s had to navigate the world with these struggles. but despite all of that, what really stood out to me was how he managed to process everything in the right way. instead of bottling it all up, he found ways to work through his emotions and experiences, which is so inspiring. it made me feel a sense of relief and happiness for him, knowing that, even though he faced a lot of difficulties, he was able to confront them and move forward in a healthier way.

a moment that's carved in my heart is when she researched about how she could help matty was one of the purest moments i read in this book. the way she went out of her way to understand matty's struggles and find a way to support him felt so raw and genuine. it’s rare to see someone truly care for another person without any hidden motives or expectations. the fact that she didn’t treat matty as a burden, but instead showed kindness and patience, spoke volumes about the depth of her empathy. finding someone who not only understands your pain but actively works to make things better for you, without ever making you feel like you're a burden, is something incredibly special. moments like that remind you of the power of selfless love and compassion, and how important it is to have people around you who truly see you.

i really wished there had been more reactions when they found out about the things that had happened, especially the night ro doesn’t remember and the whole freshman year situation. it felt like those moments were almost glossed over, as if they were just inserted into the story to provide the characters with certain knowledge and nothing more. the impact of such revelations deserved more attention, especially when it came to how they might affect the dynamics between the characters. there wasn’t enough emotional weight or exploration of how those pieces of the past shaped their relationships or their feelings in the present. it felt like the plot used those moments to move the story forward but didn’t give them the space they deserved to fully unpack and process the emotions that would naturally come with learning such significant things.

overall, this book was so much better compared to the first one! I love how their relationship progressed from being friends then slowly realizing that they don’t want to just be simply friends. another thing is that it wasn’t insta-lust! this was indeed a type of slow burn and who doesn’t love a good slow burn?!

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and the author for the ARC in exchange of my honest review.

・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・

pre-read:

can’t believe i got the arc of this book! read the first book last year and i don’t think i enjoyed it that much, sadly. hoping to like this one more than the first book, wish me luck y’all 🥹

[julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ˖⁺‧✮

i was waiting for this book for so long and when i got the message that i was approved for the arc???

Ro was the sweetest character in the book. Her butterflies in hair and care for others was probably my favorite part from the whole series. I truly enjoyed her chapters and (i can definitely say she was the reason i was keeping reading this book). I don’t want to spoil but the way she did so much research to help others? She deserves everything and more.

"I think it's hard for people to like me. And I try really hard."

Freddy was also an interesting character but i found him too standard. you know, the general male character you find in every hockey romance book. it’s him. except his difficulties with studying and the general (no spoilers). his story is sad, not denying, but, i don’t know. i just had no interest toward him and as a character he didn’t develop as much as male character in the previous book

”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.”

the first book in the series was so much more engaging and better. the characters and their stories were developed and i just loved it. this one was less gripping but still really good. what i mean is i actually love how author showed grief throughout the story. it was very lightly written but i felt connected to the story and emotions.

spoilers (maybe)?
risk on your own

how she never found out about butterflies on his nightstand? hello? wouldn’t that be the best moment in the book? also, the way he reacted to her having a crush on him and finding out that they actually kissed earlier in college. he was protective in the moment but after that 🤷‍♀️

[buket · Rating 4 out of 5]

࣪𖤐 “𝖨 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗄 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗈𝗇𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖻𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝗉𝖾𝗈𝗉𝗅𝖾 𝖨’𝗏𝖾 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐𝗇. 𝖠𝗇𝖽 𝖨 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗄 𝗂𝗍 𝗐𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽 𝖻𝖾 𝖺𝗅𝗆𝗈𝗌𝗍 𝗍𝗈𝗈 𝖾𝖺𝗌𝗒 𝗍𝗈 𝖿𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝗂𝗇 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗒𝗈𝗎.”

mirrorball x the archer
people pleaser x people pleaser
hockey player x tutor

𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐲/𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐲🏒🪩

ִ ࣪𖤐 𝖥𝗋𝖾𝖽𝖽𝗒 𝗂𝗌 𝗐𝖺𝗋𝗆𝗍𝗁 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗌𝗎𝗇𝗅𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍, 𝗌𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗌𝗁𝗂𝗆𝗆𝖾𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖺𝖼𝗋𝗈𝗌𝗌 𝗈𝖼𝖾𝖺𝗇-𝖻𝗅𝗎𝖾 𝗐𝖺𝗍𝖾𝗋. 𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝗄𝗂𝗇𝖽 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗐𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝖻𝖺𝗌𝗄 𝗂𝗇. 𝖧𝖾 𝗌𝗆𝖾𝗅𝗅𝗌 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝗐𝗁𝗂𝗌𝗄𝖾𝗒 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖻𝗈𝖽𝗒 𝗉𝖺𝗂𝗇𝗍, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗁𝖾 𝖿𝖾𝖾𝗅𝗌 𝖽𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖾𝗋𝗈𝗎𝗌𝗅𝗒 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝗆𝗂𝗇𝖾.

my sweetest boy matty🫂 he was so selfless, so lonely and so lovely but he didn’t think anyone could love him for more than one night. he wanted to please everyone around him, he made himself so small so he wouldn’t be an inconvenience to anyone, he felt like a burden to everyone around him😭 i seriously wanted to bubble wrap him and keep him in my closet so nobody would hurt him ever again.

losing only person has ever loved him, drowning in grief, dealing with his piece of shit father he created himself a happy go lucky persona so people would want to be around him without really seeing him💔 when he met his rosalie i swear it was like the sun shining on him😭 he deserved all the love in the world and rosalie was more than ready to show him that

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

the way rosalie told him this drunkenly and forgot about it next day but he kept reminding himself this like a mantra every night😭😭 he cherished every moment he had with rosalie in case she would realize that he wasn’t smart enough or good enough for her 💔💔💔💔

PROTECT MATTY AT ALL COSTS‼️

𝐫𝐨/𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐞🎀🌷

⋆. 𐙚 𝖫𝗈𝗏𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖱𝗈𝗌𝖺𝗅𝗂𝖾 𝖲𝗁𝖺𝗋𝗂𝖿𝖿 𝗐𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽 𝖻𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖾𝖺𝗌𝗂𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖨’𝗏𝖾 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝖽𝗈𝗇𝖾—𝖨 𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐, 𝖻𝖾𝖼𝖺𝗎𝗌𝖾 𝖨’𝗆 𝖺𝗅𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝗒 𝖽𝗈𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗂𝗍. 𝖨 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗄 𝖨’𝗏𝖾 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾𝖽 𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗌𝗂𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖽𝖺𝗒 𝗌𝗁𝖾 𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗈𝖽 𝗎𝗉 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗆𝖾 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖿𝖾𝗋𝖾𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝗋𝗈𝗈𝗆. 𝖠𝗌 𝖺 𝖿𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖽 𝖿𝗂𝗋𝗌𝗍, 𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗍𝗁𝗂���𝗀 𝖨’𝗏𝖾 𝗇𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝗁𝖺𝖽, 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝗇𝗈𝗐 𝗂𝗍’𝗌 𝗆𝗈𝗋𝖾.

my baby😭😭😭😭 even though i couldn’t really resonate to her it was easy to understand her. her need to make everyone around her happy, hiding her sad moments from her parents so they wouldn’t worry about it, helping her roommate with her siblings, dealing with her abusive on and off boyfriend…💔

i’m the friend always advising break up with him!! in their every mistake so reading about the abuse rosalie went through, the way her boyfriend ruined her self esteem, the way she kept welcoming him back because he made her think she doesn’t deserve better has my hands shaking😤 my baby girl deserved so much better but it took some time for her to realize that. i’m just happy she finally realized that matty could love her as she deserves🥹

⋆. 𐙚 𝖨 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗄 𝖨’𝗆 𝗂𝗇 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗁𝖾𝗋—𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇 𝗋𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗇𝗍𝗂𝖼𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗒, 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝗈𝗇 𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾 𝗌𝗈𝗎𝗅 𝗅𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗅. 𝖨 𝖿𝖾𝖾𝗅 𝖽𝖾𝗏𝗈𝗍𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝗁𝖾𝗋.

i always have a soft spot for girly girls, the girls who loves bows and flowers and cute things and rosalie was the embodiment of a girly girl🥹 i adored her so much

𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐲&𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐞💖💫

`♡´ “𝖣𝗈 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝗆𝖾?”
“𝖬𝖺𝗍𝗍𝗒? 𝖶𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖽𝗈𝗂𝗇𝗀?”
“𝖣𝗈 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝗆𝖾? 𝖣𝗈 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝖿𝖾𝖾𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗀𝗌 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗆𝖾?”
“𝖬𝖺𝗍𝗍,” 𝗌𝗁𝖾 𝖻𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗌, 𝖾𝗒𝖾𝗌 𝗌𝗈𝖿𝗍𝖾𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀. “𝖮𝖿 𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗋𝗌𝖾 𝖨 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎. 𝖳𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾’𝗌 𝗇𝗈 𝗉𝖺𝗋𝗍 𝗈𝖿 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖨 𝗐𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽𝗇’𝗍 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾.”

MY SUNSHINE COUPLE☀️ their love was so tender so raw🥹 they were so careful with each other so tentative🥹🥹 seeing them together was like someone trying to squeeze my heart i couldn’t even breathe ugh my loves. my heart is so full of love for them💗💖💞💓💘💝🩷

`♡´ 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’m the opposite of people pleaser in fact i’m gonna self identify myself as people displeaser🤺 so reading them trying to bend for other people’s need hurt sometimes and i cringed. i was shouting at them to get a grip!! slap that bitchl!! kick him between the knee!! 😤😤

it wasn’t mentioned but i think rosalie’s mom might be Turkish?🥹 there were sudden Turkish word and dish mentions and her second name is Defne so i believe she is but ugh love love love🩷 love a sweet representation

also a very niche trope: mmc taking fmc’s last name <3 this will always be so dear to me

“𝖨 𝗐𝖺𝗇𝗇𝖺 𝗄𝗂𝗌𝗌 𝗒𝗈𝗎,” 𝖨 𝗉𝖺𝗇𝗍. “𝖯𝗅𝖾𝖺𝗌𝖾, 𝗉𝗅𝖾𝖺𝗌𝖾 𝗅𝖾𝗍 𝗆𝖾 𝗄𝗂𝗌𝗌 𝗒𝗈𝗎.”
𝖨𝗍’𝗌 𝖺𝗅𝗆𝗈𝗌𝗍 𝖺 𝗐𝗁𝗂𝗇𝖾, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗆𝖺𝗒𝖻𝖾 𝖨 𝗌𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽 𝖻𝖾 𝖾𝗆𝖻𝖺𝗋𝗋𝖺𝗌𝗌𝖾𝖽, 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝗆𝗒 𝗐𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗂𝗌 𝗌𝗈 𝗀𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗍 𝖨 𝖽𝗈𝗇’𝗍 𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖾.


this quote is for my friends. i know how much you love a down bad man like i do😽


~~~~
🕯️🧘🏼‍♀️🕯️manifesting a 5 stars🕯️🧘🏼‍♀️🕯️

[megan ◡̈ · Rating 5 out of 5]

7/7-7/9 reread - i love them even more than i did last october if thats even possible

~~~~~
*insert gif of janice from friends screaming OH MY GAAAWDD here*

rip ro shariff you wouldve loved ttpd in general but more specifically smallest man, i hate it here, the prophecy and my boy only breaks his favorite toys (tyler if i ever catch your ass 👊🏻) 🙃

yall 😭 this book was a rollercoaster of emotions from the very beginning to the very end, i have never felt more in love with two characters/a couple the way i feel with ro & matty 🥹

i read unsteady about a year ago to which it had immediately became an all time favorite, i was so insanely impressed with how that was peyton’s debut book, i was just blown away by the feelings it gave me and have been so excited about this book from all the glimpses we saw of them in book 1. as excited as i was i did not go into reading this thinking they would knock sadie and rhys off the perfect couple pedestal i had them on, but holy fuck !!!! the most perfect strangers to friends to bestfriends to lovers if i have anything to say about it 😭💚

alexa play so high school on repeat and let me swoon for another 20 years just thinking of these two, they complimented each other in every sense of the word 🥹

“Signed Matty—not Freddy. He’s mine, in that way.”

mr. lover boy who never gets chosen first and miss lover girl fighting to feel seen, safe and loved will tear your heart out time after time while simultaneously putting it back together anytime you get these two alone or they are celebrating each others small or big victories, these two built the most perfect foundation of friendship to help one another move past some really big life altering events, its most definitely a slow burn but in the sweetest (and hottest 🫣) ways.

“I spend most of it convincing myself not to follow her inside. She doesn’t need someone like me.”

to prepare yourself for reading this book i would advise you have plenty of tissues, mostly for matty’s pov and something you can throw across the room without breaking anything for ro’s. this book is one big “you never know what someone else is going through” especially the always happy, always helpful people.

matty is honest to god the most emotionally intelligent man i have ever read about before especially once he realizes Ro sees him and he lets her into his practically impenetrable fortress, literally everyone but Ro and Archer owe this man the biggest of apologies, his POV and internal monologues absolutely wrecked me, i was angry for Ro but absolutely devastated for freddy over and over again 🥲
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
now some of my favorite quotes of the two of them just being the cutest people ever and loving each other so much:

“There’s a hitch in his breath, and if I didn’t know him better—the fact that I’m sure everyone has complimented him enough to last a lifetime—I’d say he’s yearning to hear the words. They wash over him like water on a sunflower.”

“Accusing you of not applying yourself? God—I’m insulted for you. To fight me back on that? They don’t know anything about you.”

“She waited after every step for me to get bored, but I could listen to her talk about the scientific process of paint drying without batting an eye. Everything she says is enthralling to me.”

“Hey,” Matt snaps, pulling out of the hug he’d just granted his friend. “Not cool—either of you. No foreign language shit, that’s cheating.” He points toward Bennett. “And you? No cooking in front of my girlfriend—that’s . . . that’s even worse, I think.”


ANYWAYYYYYYS I DONT WANNA SPOIL ANYTHING SO IM SHUTTING UP NOW BUT MATTY AND RO ARE FOREVER MY FAVS, THIS IS MY NEW FAV BOOK PERIOD, INFINITE STARS, PEYTON CORINNE YOU WILL BE HEARING FROM MY LAWYERS AND MY THERAPIST 💚

[LiL (catching up) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⋆. 𐙚 ˚ “I think you’d be really easy to love.” 𝜗𝜚⋆₊˚

-ˏˋ4 ☆ˊˎ-

╰┈➤ Matt Frederic was Rosalie’s first kiss a few years ago but he doesn’t remember it. She has had a crush on him ever since but fate would have it that they wouldn’t interact until a few years later. Now that Freddy’s tutor dumped him, Ro is the one tasked with his tutoring sessions that quickly develops into an unexpected friendship. A friendship they can lean on to feel safe and seen and one where a bond starts to form and feelings only grow.

“I think you’re amazing and… and I hope you think you’re amazing, too.”

I really like Peyton’s way of writing and storytelling. She not only writes good characters and romance but also touches on some real and important issues. My only problem was that it began to drag a bit in the middle portion and I was expecting a “slower” burn. But it’s such a good friend’s to lovers!

“You can be whatever you want to be.”

🦋‧₊˚ Ro
Rosalie is one of the sweetest fmc’s. The kind of girl that protects other girls, as it should be! We see her go through so much because she’s in a toxic relationship and let’s just say I wanted to murder Tyler. He’s the kind of “man” that doesn’t respect or care about women and it was just painful to read the stuff he would say or do to Ro. My precious girl did not deserve that!! But I liked seeing her grow and find her worth.

“You wouldn’t have to do anything to convince me. Just a fucking smile and I’d be a goner, okay?”

🏒‧₊˚ Matty
This man is not just a green flag he’s the entire Amazonia. The kind of man you want your kid to marry. The way he respects and treats women in general, but especially the way he thinks about them!!! I was on the floor! He is so sweeeeeet! And if Ro made some comment to belittle herself in any way he’d make sure to tell her her worth. Also, I loved seeing his representation with dyslexia, dyscalculia and ADHD, and his journey through grief. He’s had to endure so much and it’s painful but inspiring the way he journeys through his struggles. Also, he called her princess!

“I’ll be your friend, Ro.”
“I’d like that, Matt.”

💚‧₊˚ Ro and Matty
They’re so pure. I swear! Both of them are chronic people pleasers that have so much to learn from one another. It was beautiful seeing Ro researching ways to help Matt and never judging him. And Matt helping Ro see that she deserved so much more. They uplifted each other in such a raw and beautiful way.

Also, I really liked seeing Sadie and Rhys again, but especially the crumbs we got from Bennett!! I think we’re getting his book next and if it’s not with Paloma, I don’t want it! Also, I need a redemption arc for Toren this instant!!

Overall, it’s such a beautiful story about two people building each other up while simultaneously cementing their love for one another.

────── ୨ৎ──────

This was the cutest romance!
RTC

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

·:*¨༺ pre-read ༻¨*:·

─💚‧₊˚Happy realease day to this book!!

This is one of my most anticipated releases, and I never expected to be this excited! I really enjoyed unsteady and after seeing some friends on here give this one such high praise already, I’m just ready to love this!!! Please don’t disappoint!

[naz · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

This book made my heart ache in the best possible way! 😭💖 5 freaking stars! Peyton took two people fighting for love affection and put them together in a story that was RAW & BEAUTIFUL 🌟

The book follows Ro, a hopeless romantic searching for that spark she only reads about in books 📚. This semester, she is tasked with tutoring a hockey player, none other than Freddy the guy she shared her first kiss with and crushed on for years. Freddy, known for his flirty persona and reputation, is unfazed by most things until one drunken confession from Ro stops him in his tracks 😳 What starts as tutoring sessions turns into an unexpected friendship, with growing feelings they’re both scared to act on. Aghhh this slow burn will have you screaming because when it burns, it BURNS 🔥🥵.

Why a 5-star? 🌟 For me, it was the inner monologues of both characters as they wrestle with what it means to love and be loved 💞 Freddy, always seen as the "pass-by guy," and Ro, feeling romantically unloved to the point of thinking she’s broken, they both find a connection that helps heal those wounds. Their journey from friendship to more is just SO FREAKING AMAZING 😍

“𝑰𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅, 𝑹𝒐𝒔𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒆,”

“𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒐 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒎𝒆. 𝑱𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒂 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰’𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒂 𝒈𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒓, 𝒐𝒌𝒂𝒚?”

The way they opened up about their pasts was raw and relatable, truly selling me on their story. Of course, being a sports romance, you get all the fun team dynamics and hockey games 🏒✨ which I forever love. Oh, and the spice? SO GOOD! With a touch of vulnerability you don’t often find in books when it comes to intimacy, which I deeply appreciated 🥰

𝑩𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒊𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒍𝒊𝒎𝒃 𝒃𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒓𝒐𝒑 𝒐𝒇 𝒂 𝒓𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒐𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓—𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒇𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒇𝒆𝒕𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒕.

There are just SO MANY reasons for this 5-star rating! I will forever recommend this book and plan to continue the series ASAP (I still need to read book 1, so will definitely change that soon 🤭📖)!

tropes
💚 hockey romance
💚 tutor x student
💚 fake dating-ish
💚 protective mmc
💚 college romance
💚 slow burn
💚 friends to lovers

Thank you Atria Books & Netgalley for my eARC in exchange for my honest review!

⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
➳ 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅ i need my comfort genre aka sports romance to cure my fantasy void 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️

Thank you Netgalley & Atria Books for this eARC

[monica ✨ romantasyreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is so special. ro and matt are two characters trying to figure out who they are and how they fit in. ro is navigating an abusive relationship and juggling school and tutoring. matt is hiding behind smiles and what his body can do for others while masking his learning differences and adhd. the two of them find each other as friends first, and their slow burn is perfect and delicious.

peyton’s second book is emotional and packed with her signature angst™️. it’s for the readers who might not know where they fit in, who feel difficult or impossible to love, and who just need to find a safe place to land. ro and matt were those things for each other and their love story is impossibly perfect.

when I picked up unsteady, I was truly blown away by peyton’s ability to weave in difficult and challenging topics surrounding mental health. and I was incredibly lucky and grateful to be a small part of the process for unloved. thank you for trusting me and bringing these two characters to life with such care. you’re a rockstar and I can’t wait to watch what you do next ♥️

what to expect
⟢ friends to lovers
⟢ slow burn
⟢ tutor x athlete
⟢ adhd and learning differences rep

[madi · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars
rtc!!
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ pre-read ♡⋆°｡⋆𐙚
⤷ i’ve only heard amazing things about this book, so i have high hopes 🤭

[lexie · Rating 4 out of 5]

2/4/25 happy pub day to this cutie!!!

EMOTIONAL DEPTH we love to see it 💫
brothers they did not get it on til like 80% through…that’s how you KNOW they fell in real genuine love first lemme tell you!

i loved them both as individual people, and seeing as this follows the same timeline of unsteady instead of being a continuation, i loved how it felt more behind-the-scenes from the tidbits we saw in unsteady 🤭 they are so stinking precious and also they delivered on the angst HELLO!!!!!

thank you to netgalley & the publisher for an arc!!!

[giu (back!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

post read

so much better than unsteady tbh… rtc


🧩. ݁₊ ⌗ pre read

i’ve waited so long to read this one, also ro looked so cute in unsteady

[sama ୨୧ (slumping.) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars ✰
⤷ this book changed my whole perspective on friends to lovers 🥹💞

💋 I think loving you would be the greatest thing in my life. 💋

omg these two were SO adorable!! freddy and ro, my loves forever <33 they built such a good friendship and then fell in love (freddy fell first though we love 🤭) and the slowburn slaps!!

🫶🏼 plot/tropes 🫶🏼

this book is a cutesy slowburn friends to lovers story where the fmc, rosalie, is in a very toxic relationship. her bf mocks her in EVERYTHING. the way she dresses, her intelligence, he even refers to her as a whore 💀💀 like get tf out. and she always forgives him.. every single time. like pls stand up

but when the guy she’s tutoring is her crush that she’s had for years, matt frederick, they develop a sweet bond. he shows to her that she deserves so much better than tyler the jackass 🤭🤭 and he falls first!! ahhh

💐 general thoughts 💐

🫂 characters. I loved both characters SO SO much, defo a lot more than the characters in unsteady (I still don’t love sadie im so sorry) they were just so sweet and the pure love they had for each other was everything. when ro stands up for matty 🥹🥹 >>>> and the fact that he was willing to just be friends at the start despite being head over heals for her UGH.

🤍epilogue. moment of appreciation for that epilogue bc it was soo freaking cute!! I don’t wanna spoil anything but it was one of the most wholesome things I ever read they’re so cute. and I love that it’s 5 years later as opposed to like A MONTH 😃

🧸 final note. everything about this was so perfect. the acts of service from matty and the words of reassurance and affirmation that ro gave him was all they needed. like matt is such a people pleaser he needed to hear that so bad. and the way he always got her her favourite chai and defended her against her crappy bf. I LOVE IT ALL!!! plsplspls read this guys, I highly recommend <33 even if you didn’t love book one (like moi)

thank you to netgalley and atria books for this arc in exchange for an honest review!!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars and I am here to admit I officially have some new fucking standards for friends to lovers. and interconnected standalone series’ in general, actually. I would literally DIE for any single one of these people and I need the next books like I need air. each and every single one of these characters is written so uniquely well I am OBSESSED with all of them. may this love hit me upside the head with a brick!!!

[Jenn (The Book Refuge) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a little wary of diving into Unloved. I enjoyed Unsteady SO much, it was in my top 5 reads of 2024. So I'm always nervous about a follow up. I was also not sure how I felt about the first meeting and scenario set up for Ro and Freddy. But I pushed through and I am so glad I did.

I was drawn into their friendship and eventual romance very deeply. My soul ached for them and their insecurities. Freddie, who is worried he's only wanted for his body and a "good time". Ro, who is constantly belittled and degraded by her partner which leads to low self esteem and self worth. I was broken for them at different points.

When they begin to spend time together, Ro tutors Freddie and helps with his learning disabilities, they find a kinship and connection that is so pure and beautiful. It takes a lot of time and heartbreak to get on the same page, but it makes the HEA so much sweeter.

There was also an added treat to see a different side to the romance between Sadie and Rhys, from their two friends. As a lover of Unsteady, I enjoyed that a lot.

5 stars
3.5 on the spice scale

CW: gaslighting, bullying, emotional abuse

*Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this title.*

[Kyrié · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️- HAGSHDKDGEAFHSHDGDGSSG THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD OMG GUYS I WAS KICKING MY FEET AND GIGGLING THROUGHOUT THIS BOOKKKKKK
ugh yall i NEEDED a good ass romance sooo badly and this book SCRATCHED my itch just like i needed
matt is FOINEE SHIT and such a good book bf and ro is the perfect match

TROPES 🎧
- hockey romance 🏒
- friends to lovers 🧸
-mistaken identity ❓
- she falls first, he falls harder 💗


PROS 🌷
- matt is the best cutest book bf
- FMC is EDUCATED and doesn’t play dumb
- hockey romance but it isn’t solely focused on hockey
- MMC isn’t a prick and is actually someone i’d like in real life
- plot was satisfying and enjoyable
-i couldn’t put the book down
-400+ pages yet i finished in less than 24 hrs
- the epitome of ROMANCE
-🌶️ scenes didnt overshadow the plot!!!

CONS 🥲
- the overuse of the nickname for the FMC (cute at first but became excessive)
- spicy scenes were a little cringy for my liking (if ur really into 🔥 books you’d like them tho, just a little much for me)
- i wasn’t satisfied with how they confessed their love
- i forgot everything from book one


overall, i so so so recommend this. the tropes + characters + plot just made it a favorite for me

[EMthebooktrovert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took me nearly half of this book before I began to enjoy this book. One reason; I really didn't like the fact that Ro was a doormat, allowing herself to go back to her asshole/bully ex-boyfriend over and over again. I was so indignant on her behalf. Took some time to understand why she acted that way. She was vulnerable and fragile, but thankfully Freddy was with her.

It was effortless to like Freddy. It was clear that he would be deemed stupid due to his ADHD and dyslexia. It doesn't necessarily mean that readers will pity him, but rather to make it known that he wasn't just another popular reformed hockey guy after meeting the fmc. And I like how their relationship blossomed over time. Overall, this was a sweet and feel-good romance.

[veerali · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I think you'd be really easy to love."

that's it. that's the review 🎀

[maelyn ! · Rating 3 out of 5]

ᝰ.ᐟ 🧩⋆. 𐙚 ˚ ┊3.5 ⭑.ᐟ
― read 04/19/25 - 04/27/25

“sometimes the people we love most hurt us the easiest, even if they don’t mean to..”

yours truly, maelyn ‧₊˚┊my thoughts… I have the up most respect for books that introduce me to new songs. I was iffy on if I should continue this series, and I did enjoy unsteady but not too a full extent. this book has more of a slow burn than anything, and another heavy read. Ro and Freddy has such a healthy relationship, and freddy knew what his intentions were from the start. there is NO third act breakup.

⋆˙⟡🍵 ─ .✦⊹₊ ݁.୨୧‧₊˚ .𖥔 ݁ ˖

introducing….

📗│ Ro Shariff ┊I’m going to be honest, I had absolutely zero interest in Ro in Sadie’s book. but, yes. overtime I did sympathize with her. I mean, there’s not much to say about her, though, she did have a dynamic outline towards the story. I would absolutely defend Ro in every single lifetime, she’s an amazing friend, and extremely supportive.

╰┈➤ “ i think falling in love with you is the easiest thing I've ever done."

🏒 │ Matthew (Freddy) Fredderic ┊the man who puts on her favorite movie when she’s feeling down. give it up for matt freddy everyone! i absolutely love men who have INTEGRITY and EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE.
i literally wanted to give freddy a big hug throughout this entire book. i’m so glad he got the ending he deserves.

╰┈➤ “i’m starting to think i’d give up anything, even hockey, for that life with you.”

│ OTHERS ┊I missed my girl sadie, I was a bit confused on when this book took place because I thought sadie and rhys from the previous book was together… but it’s just a replay on events that occurred in unsteady.

kane was another favorite of mine, he definitely deserves his own book. I fully believe there’s more to his story. somehow he’s always playing the bodyguard for every single character.

⋆˙⟡ ─ .✦⊹₊ ݁.୨୧‧₊˚ 🍋‍🟩 .𖥔 ݁ ˖

˚.💚⋆ tropes ┊athletic x smarts

[Christi (christireadsalot) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not to be dramatic, but it’s February 1st and I just read the best book I’m going to read all year. Stayed up until 430am reading this book because there was no place to just stop and not finish these two precious souls story. I love them to pieces and the way Peyton Corinne writes must be bubble wrapped and protected. I loved Unsteady, it was in my top books of 2024 list, but this book, just wow. It hits so hard emotionally and that is exactly the kind of read I want and crave and need deep in my soul.

“I think you’re amazing and…and I hope you think you’re amazing, too.”

Freddy is a left winger for his college’s hockey team, has a playboy reputation, and a potential future with the NHL hanging in the balance. But he needs to get his grades up…desperately. He’s barely scraping by with a 2.0 GPA, having to retake dropped classes, and struggling with a mix of dyslexia, dyscalculia, and ADHD. Enter Ro, his newly assigned tutor. Ro is in an on-again, off-again relationship with a toxic boyfriend who treats her horribly. And all she wants is acceptance, to be good enough, and to be loved. Freddy is wanting the same things and the way these two find one another in life is just everything.

This book slaps hard, so for anyone who has ever felt like they had to shrink themselves for someone else, sought validation from a toxic relationship (partner, parental, etc), wanted to be “enough”, or has lost who they “are” after being chipped away at…ugh this book is for you. The way this book shines a light on parts of all of us that might feel unloveable and seeing these 2 find someone who truly sees them. This book just has my whole heart. It’s tender and sweet and slow burn and real and hard and friends to lovers and this is why I read romance books.

So many other moments I loved in this book: him texting with loads of emojis, the flirting, calling her “Princess”, him googling where he can watch her favorite movie, “who hurt you?”, when he shows up with her coffee order and she’s surprised he was paying attention, “why are you crying?”, butterfly clips, tattoos, her romance books, “do you ever get lonely?”, bracelets she’s made, the protectiveness they both have for one another, he FaceTimes her mom for her when he knows she’s missing home, her turning around and asking him for help 👀, we see lots of Sadie & Rhys (her best friend and his teammate, the couple of Unsteady), her parents, his flashbacks with his mom, the ending. 🥹🥰

“If you wanna kiss someone, I’m right here.”

I received an ARC from the publisher, all thoughts in this review are my own.

[mica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Si bien me gustó tranquilamente le podrían haber sacado 80-100 páginas y hubiera quedado igual el libro. Me gusta mucho que la autora varíe con los personajes masculinos, no son el copiar-pegar estereltipado macho alfa forro de mierda incomprendido qué lleno el género de romance en los últimos años. Good for her!!!!

¿Algunas veces es medio gringe? Si, pero honestamente me chupa un huevo, es super romantico y muy linda la relacion entre ellos (algunas veces me perdia un poco con las fechas porque transcurre al mismo tiempo que el primer libro y me perdia tratando se conectar todo akshjas sobre todo porque ME OLVIDE DEL PRIMERO pero eso es mambo mio) ¿Algunas partes son demasiado cliché y se nota que las escenas están hechas puramente para tachar un "trope" o un acto en particular en vez de avanzar con la trama? Si también PERO literalmente me quedé hasta las 6 de la mañana leyéndolo sin poder parar así que algo HIZO BIEN hizo la autora.

Algunas veces simplemente necesitamos un romance medio cringe pero cute y saludable que te haga llorar un rato para sobrevivir.

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

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


There were parts of Unloved I enjoyed. The hero was just my type of hero. I loved Matty. The heroine grew on me by the end. I was so frustrated with the ex-situation throughout so much of the book. I did love how it ended, though.

Audio book source: Libby
Story Rating: 3.5 stars
Narrators: Caitlin Elizabeth & Bradley Ford
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Romance
Length: 14h 1m

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

hey so I thought this was supposed to be a fun little romance book and I’ve been sobbing for 10 minutes over the epilogue 😭😭😭

I don’t have words to even begin to say how much I loved this book and I will accept no criticism

[andrea.el · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 💚


I felt like this was a little too long, however i had a fun time reading this and it was very cute and sweet

[sashenka &#x1f5a4; · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.25⭐

I don't think I'll read this author in the future. I can't think of one thing I liked in this book to be honest. I should have DNF'd but this year, I'm trying to DNF a little less than last year. But I should have known from the start (between the praises from authors I don't read/like and the playlist) that I can be judgmental and just abandon books that are clearly not for me.
I couldn't connect with both MCs. MMC was a slut (his words) and that was it. He was nice but that's all. I almost DNF'd when he woke up in the bed of the OW (his ex fling he was in love with, btw). Even if nothing happened, I wouldn't trust someone like him in real life.
The FMC wasn't better, she was weak as fuck. I mean, I can understand innocent and low confidence, but that was too low. She kept crying and apologizing, I thought I was going to lose my shit.

This was tropey as fuck, the writing was bland and very repetitive (why was it so long?), I couldn't find the plot, it's just easily forgettable.