Unloved

The Unlucky Ones #2

by Marley Valentine, Zachary Johnson (Narrator), Michael Gallagher (Narrator)

We longed. We lost. We loved. Desperately.

I thought I had my life all figured out. But after a college football accident leaves me deaf, I was learning how to live all over again.

I expected the anger, the frustration, and the struggle to readjust, but what I didn't expect to happen amongst the chaos, was to fall in love.

Especially not with two men.

Rough-edged puzzle pieces, Rhys, Samuel, and I were nothing but aching memories, painful realities, and hidden scars.

We were products of our pasts, abandoned and unloved, messy and complicated. Individually we had baggage; together we had mountains to climb.

But when the three of us were tangled up in one another, spilling secrets in the dark, hearts beating in sync, nothing else mattered but them.

We needed to break the cycle, because they deserved love.

And who knows, maybe I finally did too.

Genres: M M Romance, Friends To Lovers, M M M, Romance, Audiobook, Found Family, Polyamory

7 pages, Audible Audio

Published May 21, 2024

About the author

Living in Sydney, Australia with her family, Marley Valentine is a USA Today bestselling author and a former social worker who uses her past experiences to write real life, emotional and heartfelt contemporary romance.

She enjoys mixing it up with both M/F and M/M Romance incorporating all forms of life, lust and love as her characters embark on their journey to their happily ever after.

When she’s not busy writing her own stories, she spends most of her time immersed in the words of her favourite authors.

Marley enjoys interacting with her readers so please feel free to reach out to her via Facebook, Instagram, email and/or subscribe to her newsletter.

STALK MARLEY

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Reviews

[Evelyn220 · Rating 2 out of 5]

2⭐️ This just didn’t make any sense. Too much was off-page. The romance portion felt super rushed. It was instalove but with no communication about their feelings, except brief mentions of conversations off-page which is so frustrating.

It focused mainly on their individual struggles—going to therapy, going to dr appts, going to the gym, chatting with the sponsor—but there was zero intimacy and communication between the three men when it came to their relationship. And communication is EVERYTHING in poly relationships.

No spice until 60% which is an odd combo with instalove. And even the spice felt rushed and mechanical.

And Rhys totally felt like a third wheel. It made me uncomfortable.

MMM is a delicate balance and this just wasn’t it.

[Iman (hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

I have so much feelings reading this one it was overwhelmingly good. Angsty, hot, sweet, and emotional. They fit so well together, I never doubted their relationship. However, upon finishing, I end up not knowing what to write about them. This is because of the lacking of certain aspects. How was Lennox and Samuel childhood like? What more happened to Rhys and his addiction? Why Rhys’ mom behaves the way she is? What kind of relationship Rhys had with his dad? Where is their love development before the sex?

I have so many unanswered questions.

I can’t help but feel that MV’s recent works all lacked of substance. They feel like a chore compared to the old ones. I wish this book focused more on their personal backstories, and their childhood, and their emotional/ love development better. The reading experience was great, I couldn’t put the book down, but the narrative left noticeable plot holes.

Read the trigger warnings!!

I must note that I do feel someone’s relapse is personal and sensitive to me. It hurt me to read the scene leading to the relapse scene that was addressed so lightly and written in a rush manner. It felt wrong. Having experienced more nuanced addiction representation in romance, I expected a more profound exploration of the emotional aspects rather than a mere plot device. I do not need struggle, but emotions. I acknowledge that in real life, someone like Rhys might struggle to express themselves, but the beauty of reading a book is the opportunity to delve deeper into a character's psyche and this book missed that.

[♡Gabi♡ [life & work is chaotic hiatus] · Rating 4 out of 5]

rhys, lennox, and sammy <3333

love this trio sm ugh. 🥹

their HEA was everything and more and the pure and raw love they all have for each other was such a delight to read about (finally!!). 🫂😭

[patrícia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know I didn’t like this as much as I thought.

It's not even a question of not liking it; I didn't feel anything reading this. And the potential was wow! An MC who has just become deaf after a sports accident, a former drug addict in recovery (and who relapses during the book), and a 3rd MC with issues of loss of people because his father committed suicide when he was 10 years old.

This would be the perfect recipe for something full of anguish, drama, love, and friendship, but no.

Honestly, Lenox and Sam's love was palpable and felt every time they looked at each other. Rhys was just there, and every now and then he was added.

There is a huge imbalance between who they are on a daily basis and when they are together sexually. Way off... Again, when there is something sexual between Lenox and Sam, then yes, there is lust and love... And poor, poor guy Rhys deserved better... He deserved someone who loved him unconditionally. He deserved the world because his strength should be rewarded in another way.

Knowing from Lenox's POV how he felt when Franckie left... well, pure rage towards Franckie, and without a doubt, he had it all too easy in the previous book. There is no quality groveling.

2.5 stars round up to 3.

[Dani (Daniiireads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew going into Unloved that Marley was going to wreck me in some way, and I was right. There are honestly no words to describe how amazing Unloved was. Seriously none.

Lennox, Samuel, and Rhys’s story was so emotional and beautifully written, and there was no denying the instantaneous chemistry between them from the moment they met. Each of them have been dealt a shitty card and been through so much hurt, but they never fail to be an anchor for each other.

I’m sorry this is so vague, but it’s just one of those books you need to experience for yourself.

[Miki_reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

It pains me to do this because I've been waiting for this book forever, and I genuinely liked all 3 of these guys. THIS NEEDED TO BE LONGER 😭😭😭. It was far too short for a book with 3 central characters, and it felt like Sam had way fewer chapters than the other 2.... there was also far too much off page development for my liking. In saying that, the dynamic was great and no one felt like a third wheel but it just needed far more for me to understand why they were in love (my only requirement for a romance novel fr). They're all still sweet af and it's a quick and easy read, but it was all a little rushed.

It was great to see my favs, Frankie and Arlo though so I can't complain too much

[lakshmi · Rating 3 out of 5]

this wasn’t bad but I think the trio had too much pain and trauma that wasn’t fully dealt with and the pacing was a bit off. It was more or less Insta love and that’s not my thing. I wanted more tension because it’s a poly relationship but overall still a good read

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is mostly about finding love even when you aren't looking for it and finding the absolutely perfect people who complete your life in the best way imaginable. It also revolves around the foster and found family of Lennox, Arlo, Frankie, Clem, and Remy...but this is Lennox's story.

He has had a life changing football injury that leaves him deaf. While saddened and working through how this will alter his life, his friends rally around and try to support him, especially his best friend Samuel and a new friend, Rhys. Samuel has had secretly had feelings for Lennox for quite some time, but has his reasons for keeping them to himself, but it was in those moments when Sammy thought Lennox might not ever e the same, that he made the decision not to let the man he loved slip through his fingers, and they became inseparable during and after those life changing moments. Their love for one another is beautiful and just as easy as putting two puzzle pieces that are a perfect fit together. However, this easy love has another glitch in this intricate relationship and his name is Rhys.

While his presence brings a sense of peace to everyone around him, Rhys' life is anything but peaceful or easy. His inner turmoil is messy and brings an emotional flair to the story that may require tissues. Don't worry, he is also the glue that holds everyone together. He is one of those characters that brings life to a story. This is a beautiful story about growth and understanding, especially in the arms of those who love and care for you.

[Liza Broadaway · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read with the audio 3/9/2024-ok. So I think I was crabby when I physically read this book or the audio is just that good and it has bumped this up to a 4.5⭐️. When listening to Lennox yell at Frankie in the hospital let me you tell you.....I totally teared up with this audio and I didn't when I read it. These narrators killed it. Is there still insta-love? Yep. Do we still have overlapping time? Yep. Did the audio make it feel completely different for me? Also yes. I also think knowing this is a story of all 3 of these guys dealing with their different level loss and pain changed how I read it. My lens was different. I truly loved seeing the guys support Rhys in his recovery and how we see Lennox support Samuel when the parallels got to close between his dad and Rhys. And then the beauty that is the whole learning a new language and navigating a world that is completely new for Lennox....they did it together-a team and I loved them.

---------------Original Review

Ah you know I love a Marley book but this one didn't hit the mark for me. For me specifically I hate reading multiple points of view within the same timeline and since this book took place the same time as Arlo and Frankie's book I just couldn't deal.

The 1st 30% of the book was too similar for me and I just wanted more. There were beautiful parts of this story and who these men could be and would be for each other but the time jumps felt that what we could've learned of their love story just felt rushed for me. Too much news off page.

Sign language is a big deal in our house and I absolutely love how she depicted its use in this book. The description of how signs were made, the family coming together for Lennox and learning it, the use of it during sex....this part of the story may have been my favorite part!!

Lennox Rhys and Samuel were beautiful together but again....it's a me thing the insta-connection to Rhys for both of the other 2 just isn't my thing. I also really felt like this was more Rhys's story than Lennox's and I missed his story....I wanted more football and who he was and how he felt about everything lost and different.

So many people will love this story and I'm glad I read it.

[Sheena · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 stars

“I love you,” he says, reading off the screen. “I love you both. I love you individually. I love us all together. All my todays are for you, and all my tomorrows are because of you.”

“You’re killing me here,” he says, his voice cracking.

I chuckle softly as he continues. 

“I’ll love you when it’s desperate and dire. I’ll love you when it’s beautiful and boring. I’ll love you from this breath to the next, and for every breath after.”

[Evelyn Bella (there WILL be spoilers) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why are these men in love? This is not a rhetorical question. I'm asking because I don't know.

Things just seem to fall into place for them. They're there, they're hot, they're queer and they're suddenly into each other (all 3 of them) no jealousy, no need for rules, no real discussions.

It just ✨works✨

They meet Rhys and all three are falling over each other to share their deepest traumas.

Why? How?

Never mind that Lennox has been in love with Sammy for a while and Sammy knew this but for some reason didn't reciprocate until the events of this book.

Why are they into each other at the same time all of a sudden? Is it because they're all dealing with other issues outside the three of them?

That's another issue I had. If I'm reading a book with three men exploring being poly for the first time with each other, I want some growing pains.

Especially with how Lennox and Sammy were with each other. Two halves of a whole yadda yadda yadda. But the introduction of Rhys into their lives, their bed, their hearts.....doesn't shake that up a bit?

Too disgustingly healthy for me.

Three men, so boring (individually and as a unit) that I was more interested in their family drama(s) than their romance.

[Em’sBookNook · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a bit disappointing and I’d been looking forward to it ever since I read Unwanted.

For me, considering Lennox was suddenly experiencing being deaf and what a huge life altering thing that is, this book felt like it focused way more on Rhyes and his struggles with addiction.

Honestly I actually felt like this book would have been better without Rhyes. I would have liked to have seen more of Lennox and Samuel navigating a new life, learning to sign and communicate and tackling the hurdles that come with that. I didn’t feel like Rhyes really added to their story and his stuff completely overshadowed Lennox and Samuel.

I also was a bit over the Mississippi malarkey. I love this Author’s writing usually and whilst I enjoyed bits of this book it was just missing the depth that you usually get from her stories. I think there were possibly too many issues to delve into all of them properly.

[babygyalreadit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Phenomenal. THE MF MATERIAL IS OUT OF THIS WORLD.

Somebody give Marley her flowers. Her ability to write romances that pack a punch in under 300 pages is CRAZY. I was down bad since chapter one bro. How does that makes sense?!? Why was my heart beating in my ass?

Ugh I ate this TF UP and I will go to war behind these boys okay.

[Cyndy · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 rounded up
I was SO looking forward to this book because I love poly stories and I’ve loved most of this author’s books but this didn’t work well for me. I feel like some parts of their connections were missing. I didn’t feel invested. Maybe my expectations were too high 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Book Binge: Reviews by Melissa DaSilva · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is Marley Valentine’s first MMM story and overall it was a good read but it is not one of my favourites. I am very particular about my MMM romances so take any of my notes with a grain of salt if you aren’t too particular about these things. I felt like it definitely could have been longer so we got to know the characters better. A lot of important scenes happened off page and I think the story would have benefited from having them included.

That said I really did like the characters. I loved following Lennox’s journey and how he came to terms with his hearing loss. Samuel was such a huge support of Lennox and Rhys had a journey of his own to get through. For the most part I felt like their relationship was fairly balanced but there were a few instances where I felt like Lennox was left out because he couldn’t hear and it just rubbed me the wrong way. Overall they do a good job of keeping him included but just a couple instances bothered me.

I’m still glad I read this book as I plan to continue the series and it’s good to know some background. I loved seeing Frankie and Arlo in this book as I loved their story. A lot of what happened in book 1 is also discussed in this book so recommend reading in order. I look forward to Clem’s story!

[kaye taz · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.4 ⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5
Format: audiobook
Narration: 🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤/5

Just like with Unwanted, I really wish this was longer.

I did feel like this was fleshed out a little better than book one. I really did connect with Lennox, Samuel and Rhys. I think maybe the relationship moved a little too quickly than I would’ve liked but I did love them together.

I felt a lot more devastation from this story. I knew what was coming with Rhys, but it still hurt a lot. I loved the support they all had for each other throughout. It was quite a lot to handle for a new relationship, especially a poly one, but I did feel like their dynamic worked well.

I just wanted more. When it was over, I felt like it truly didn’t feel finished yet. I did love the little full-circle moment of all of their “one Mississippi’s” at the end. Hit me right in the feels.

Ultimately though, it just wasn’t enough. I’m still waiting for a Marley Valentine to break me like I always hear about. Still gonna keep trying.

The audiobook was amazing. Zachary Johnson is already a favorite of mine, but the two other narrators were new to me and really knocked it out of the park.

[Nicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

After thinking about it a bit more, this needed more layers for me. The relationship between Lennox, Samuel & Rhys felt rushed. I needed more development to truly make me fully invested.

Marley is an amazing writer and an incredible storyteller. I will continue to binge everything she writes. This one just wasn’t one of my faves from her.

[Vanessa GLP · Rating 3 out of 5]

OMG el audio es tremendo, tuve que pausar varias veces pq la ansiedad de los personajes casi que activaba la mía... Me hubiera gustado un poquito más de todo

[Jenny (Nyxie) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely sadness and hurt comfort and healing.

Tags: MMM, college but MCs feel older, abuse, addiction, hurt comfort

[Thalia Ohh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.5/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️ 2.5/5

What to expect:
MMM Romance✔️
Found Family✔️
Hurt/Comfort✔️
Friends to Lovers✔️

Disclaimer: I will admit that I RARELY if ever.. read poly books.
I will admit that I ONLY read it because it is by one of my fav authors of ALL time.
& I will 100% ALWAYS be truthful and honest in my opinions in my reviews.

With that being said… Unloved is POETIC, RAW, and so FXCKN' beautifully written but I mean.. it was written by Marley Valentine. OF COURSE.. it was going to be all of this!
But because of these reasons, I COULDN'T put this book down! I NEEDED and HAD to DEVOUR it in one sitting.

Lennox, Samuel and Rhys were complicated INDIVIDUALLY. Their DARK & TRAGIC struggles so heartbreakingly POETIC that you couldn't help but BAWL. You couldn't HELP but want to be that ONE person to NEVER fail each one of them.

"If there was any more proof I needed that I was brought into this world unloved and uncared for, this is it.". <-- THIS. THIS BROKE ME. THIS is where I wanted to SCREAM and say to fictional characters..I WILL LOVE YOU. Because everyone deserves ILY🤟🏽 all 3 of you BABIESSSSS.


While MOST may deem Lennox, Samuel, and Rhy's relationship to something as SIMPLE as 'insta-love'. To me.. it was MORE. It was NATURAL, flawless, & FATED.

"It's the perfection from the very beginning of seeing someone for the very first time and not needing any reason or any rhyme to know in the marrow of your bones that they were made for you."

Is it insta-love? I just think it's your SOUL finally finding it's MATE. The way they UNDERSTOOD each other by just being NEAR each other. The LOVE they had for one another DESPITE what their "FLAWS", despite what they in their CORE believed made them so UNLOVED? gahhhhh 😭


THOSE MOTHERFXCKN EPILOGUES?!
Honestly.. I fxckn played myself! I really said 'Oh, I didn't even cry that much. 💁🏻‍♀️' .
Marley was like 'just wait and see 😎'.
"ONE MISSISSIPPI, TWO MISSISSIPPI, THREE MISSISSIPPI"
just... 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Marley Valentine has 100% become one of my fav authors of ALL TIME.
She writes LOVE so POETICALLY. Her characters find LOVE through hardships, failures, etc. yet it CONNECTS them and BONDS them like no other. Marley Valentine, you ARE the MM Romance Queen, and Unloved just continues to prove that you HOLD THIS CROWN.

Thank you to Marley Valentine & team for this ARC & as always, all thoughts & opinions are honest & my own.

[⭐Toonasa⭐ •Romance Book Lovers' Haven• · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful & emotional MMM romance with men who are a little broke but together they make a gorgeous whole 💕. MMM is my thing, & I was ready to be broken apart with this book. It made me cry, but it also put me back together. It's sad but it's also so sweet, hopeful. It snagged my attention & didn't let up, I devoured it in around 6hrs. Loved Lennox, Samuel, Rhys & their friends/support system. They're the best!

I got this as #ARC. After holidays break, I wanted this to be my 1st ARC of the year and I'm happy with it!

Lennox & Samuel have been friends for 4 years, since 1st year of college. They're also teammates on football. Rhys comes into their fold & found family. Really loved to see their connection at start & how it built. It's so cute, & low angst, most trouble is due to their situation.

And the hardships, oh gosh! My sweethearts 🥺. All have them their issues to work through. Abandonment, deafness, addiction & more (TW too). I think the book did a good job showing them. They're so same yet different. There's also a ticking bomb event, you know it'll hurt but you can't stop it 😭.

I love that the 3 had a solid emotional foundation before anything physical. Their chemistry's so hot, but it never over takes the story. Always showing their intimacy. That HEA is hard fought & won. I've made so many quote notes! RTC.

P.s. I've read Ache, is it the same Frankie? Omg! I didn't realise Frankie & Arlo already have a book, gotta check it out. The __ months later scene made me confuse about the timeline but it didn't retract much from the story, overthinking me just.

Story Ratings:

POV: 1st person, triple POV
1) Overall Enjoyment—> 5+/5
2) The Characters: 5/5
3) Top feels: 🥺💞😭😍🥵😁💕😳😕😤😟🤭🥵😏🥰
4) Steamy scenes: 3/5
5) Levels: Sweet+Swoon: 4.5/5
Angst: 2/5
Dark: 3/5
6) Creativity + world: 4.5/5
7) Plot arc: (Love, hurts, healing) 4.5/5
8) Writing style + pace: 4.6/5

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This was a highly anticipated read that unfortunately didn’t live up to my expectations. I loved the first book in this series and still remember how emotional it made me. And while this one started with the same intensity, it dissipated quickly.

In my opinion, Marley Valentine is at her best when writing angst. Even in this book, the strongest parts were scenes that took place in the past; three scenes towards the end that show defining moments for each of the leads were especially powerful.

It’s not that I want the characters to suffer, but I feel like we weren’t SHOWN the struggles these characters did have, as much as we were TOLD them. The characters grow, but we don’t see the journey as much as the before and after. By the end, the amount of inspirational quotes took this from novel to self-help book. Don't get me wrong; they were beautiful and true affirmations; they just didn't feel as earned as I'd hoped.

The characters themselves were likable and easy to root for. They kind of fall into a romance together based on an instantaneous shared but unspoken, connection. That dynamic can work for me, but here the success was mixed. I liked them together, and I never felt like anyone was left out, but as I mentioned earlier, we don’t see a lot of the journey. Much of their connection takes place off page, which is unfortunate.

The book is pretty short, so maybe some of these issues could have been handled better in a longer book.

There will be two more books in this series, so I’m still hopeful I’ll be able to recapture the love I had for book one.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although Unloved isn't my favorite Marley V book, it's still a lovely read. Lennox, Sammy, and Rhys are great characters and I loved their chemistry together. I just wish we would have gotten more of them. The book felt liked it needed more in several places. There were time skips and events happening off page for things I would have loved to read about. I wanted to read more about their connection and working through things together. I wanted more depth and angst 😭

What I really want is a good ol' fashioned dose of pain à la What We Broke. Recent Marley V books seem to only skim the surface compared to the depth and pain in her older books. While her current works are still better than average, I really hope she returns to writing more like her older novels.

I'm so glad I decided to do an audiobook re-read for this one. It was an excellent choice! 😌 Zachary Johnson is great and I adore JF Harding. It was my first time listening to Michael Gallagher and I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed his narration. It's always nice discovering new narrators that are actually good! 🙌🏻

[Toni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Defiantly different

KU Read 280+ Pages
M/M/M Romance
Found Family
Friends to Lovers
Dead MMC
Addiction/Recovery rep
I think I might have enjoyed this book more of it didn't cover so much of the first book with a time overlap but from Lennox's point of view. Reliving conversations that I have already read took away from the book for me... Maybe cos I read them both in Quick succession.
The story itself was good. Lennox is the MMC who has suffered a football injury that has rendered him deaf, Samual is his best friend who has been in love with him for years and only now are they both ready to admit how they feel about each other. Then enter Rhys. New to this guy d family, Rhys is a recovering addict who instantly clicks with both men and teach's them both asl while revealing his own battles and finding love with them both.

[Ana Nimity · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hold onto your hearts and grab the tissues

A Marley Valentine book is not something I start reading without mentally preparing for the emotional roller coaster they usually bring, and I am glad I took the time to becin the right headspace for this one.

Don't get me wrong...I love the way she can draw me into the story and rip my heart right out of my chest, then soothe the pain with beautiful prose and swoon-worthy romance. Those things all happened in this book, and then some.

Please check the content/trigger warnings because this story is a minefield of them. From suicide to addiction to parental neglect, it's not an easy story in places because each of these guys has baggage. But they fit so well together and the way they help each other start to heal made my heart happy.

Simply a gorgeous book.

[Bati · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mam problem oceną tej książki, bo była okej,dużo się działo ,a jednak coś tam nie grało, było za płasko, za szybko.

[El. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really anticipating this one, since Arlo and Frankies story was so beautiful and these three made an impactful appearance there, but it kind of disappointed me sadly.

The writing itself was as usual beautiful and flowing but the way these 3 were handled and the lack of on page healing, bonding and progress was the biggest thing missing for me.

First of all, I loved the sizzling feelings between Lennox and Sam for years to build and making a peak with an traumatic experience that cost something dearly to both of them, while I disliked the insta love between not only Lennox and Rhys but also Sam and Rhys. Both of them falling with one look and also a requited love from Rhys’s side for both of them were just hard to believe. There was the best opportunity in hand, bonding them over time with teaching sign language and their past family tragedies, though it looked like they bonded over those, it didnt feel like that.

The whole thing was too fast, too little and too much off the page happening. They bonded and started to lust over each other way to fast for me to find it genuine. And they unpacked so little of their past, it was always brushed off and mostly both trauma dealing and their individual and group bonding happened off page with time jumps and retellings. I expected this book to make me ugly cry over all of their stories but it was rather handled very lightly.

I preferred their timeline wasn’t parallel to Frankie and Arlo’s but rather followed them afterwards. But I loved their texts and the way they were all quick to shake the shock and jump in to learning the sign language, there were a lot of sweet moments among the whole group. I loved their support and friendship, made them through the worst of times. I also loved how Lennox handled his hearing loss, he shook it off rather fast and kept going with whatever he can do to go on with his life instead of falling into depression too deep and giving up.

Overall, it was an okay book which I enjoyed and read quite fast, it was light and hopeful, seeing Frankie and Arlo a lot was the best bonus. If I didn’t have expectations built on the first book I would probably end up liking it more.

I have received and ARC for this book and this is my honest review in exchange to that. Thank you Marley and her team for the ARC.

[K · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of those books where I didn’t really enjoy reading it, but I kept going because it wasn’t terrible.

Pros:
- sweet best friends to lovers
- love wasn’t written as the insta solution for drug addiction
- found family support systems

Cons:
- insta love that didn’t convince me
- I didn’t connect with the characters much, even though we were inside each of their heads. It felt like I was held at a distance, I didn’t quite get the depth of emotion I was craving.

[Laura Fabian · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC kindly provided for the author in exchange fo an honest review

Without a doubt, the wait for Unloved was SO worth it! Marley Valentine gave me everything I expected from Lennox, Samuel & Rhys: a story of true and unconditional love, with raw, beautiful, difficult and very tender moments that I really enjoyed reading. Plus, more Arlo & Frankie.

Lennox is Frankie's younger brother, a boy who lives in the constant fear of being abandoned by those he loves despite having gotten ahead after spending his childhood and adolescence infoster care, he has been heartbroken since his brother moved to Seattle four years ago, and has been in love with his best friend since he met him, but things get really tough for Lennox when a sudden accident leaves him permanently deaf and he's forced to face yet another obstacle. But I love that every step of the way Frankie, Arlo, Clem, Remy, Samuel & Rhys are always there for him, plus I loved reading Frankie & Lennox heal their relationship, especially reading Lennox understand Frankie's reasons for leaving.

Samuel is Lennox's best friend, the golden boy: football player, handsome and charming, who is also in love with his best friend but has managed to ignore his feelings for years, but when their lives take an unexpected turn after Lennox's accident, Samuel becomes his protector, his constant support and shows his sweetest and most tender side. Something I didn't expect from his character was knowing that Samuel also has a complicated, heartbreaking personal story that somehow makes him understand Rhys much more, and i love that.

Rhys comes into the lives of Lennox & Samuel thanks to Arlo, he's a recovering addict and has a very complicated family situation. I think he was the one who broke my heart the most because of his insecurities, his struggle to move on with his life and the great guilt he has on his shoulders, but I really liked that the boys were ALWAYS by his side, that they let him know he's important for both of them despite the difficulties and that Rhys finds in them the refuge he needs.

❤️‍🩹Lennox: 5/5
❤️‍🩹Samuel: 5/5
❤️‍🩹Rhys: 5/5
❤️‍🩹Plot: 5/5
❤️‍🩹Love story: 5/5
❤️‍🩹Secondary chacraters: 5/5
❤️‍🩹Universe: 5/5
❤️‍🩹Cover: 5/5
🌶️: 2.5/5

🇪🇸
ARC amablemente porporcionada por al autora a cambio de una reseña honesta

Sin lugar a dudas, la espera por Unloved valió la pena! Marley Valentine me dio todo lo que esperaba de Lennox, Samuel & Rhys: una historia de verdadero amor incondicional, con momentos crudos, hermosos, difíciles y muy tiernos que disfruté mucho leyendo. Además de la aparición de Arlo & Frankie y más detalles sobre la vida de los personajes de The Unlucky Ones.

Lennox es el hermano menor de Frankie, un chico que vive con el miedo constante de ser abandonado por los que ama a pesar de haber salido adelante después de pasar su infancia y adolescencia dentro del sistema, tiene el corazón roto desde que su hermano se mudó a Seattle cuatro años atrás, y ha estado enamorado de su mejor amigo desde que lo conoció, pero las cosas para Lennox se ponen realmente difíciles cuando un repentino accidente lo deja sordo permanentemente y se ve obligado a enfrentar un obstáculo más. Pero me encanta que ha cada pasó del camino Frankie, Arlo, Clem, Remy, Samuel & Rhys siempre están ahí para él, además, me encantó leer a Frankie & Lennox sanar su relación, especialmente leer a Lennox entender las razones de Frankie para irse.

Samuel es el mejor amigo de Lennox, el chico dorado: jugador de futbol, guapo y encantador, que también esta enamorado de su mejor amigo pero ha logrado ignorar sus sentimientos por años, pero cuando la vida de ambos da un giro inesperado después del accidente de Lennox, Samuel se convierte en su protector, su apoyo constante y muestra su lado más dulce y tierno. Algo que no esperaba de su personaje fue conocer que Samuel también tiene una historia personal complicada, desgarradora y que de alguna manera hace que él pueda entender mucho más a Rhys.

Rhys llega a la vida de Lennox & Samuel gracias a Arlo, es un adicto en recuperación y tiene una situación familiar muy complicada. Creo que él fue quien más rompió mi corazón debido a sus inseguridades, su lucha por seguir adelante con su vida y la gran culpa que tiene sobre sus hombros, pero me gustó mucho que los chicos estuvieran SIEMPRE a su lado, que le hicieron saber lo importante que es para los dos a pesar de las dificultades y que Rhys encuentre en ellos el refugio que necesita.

❤️‍🩹Lennox: 5/5
❤️‍🩹Samuel: 5/5
❤️‍🩹Rhys: 5/5
❤️‍🩹Trama: 5/5
❤️‍🩹Historia de amor: 5/5
❤️‍🩹Personajes secundarios: 5/5
❤️‍🩹Universo: 5/5
❤️‍🩹Portada: 5/5
🌶️: 2.5/5

[lauraღ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just like the couch, our bodies filled every inch of the mattress, but it felt like our determination to be next to each other is what made the three of us fit.

 
3.5 stars. This author just has such a great formula for writing angsty, emotional, heart-tugging romances. And so far, she hasn't missed for me!! This is a poly romance between two best friends who've been pining for each other, and the man that comes into their life when Lennox loses his hearing.

It's hard to make a situation like this feel even across the board; we've got one established friendship with years of history, and one person coming in from the outside. And I didn't 100% vibe with it in the beginning. I already knew a little about the characters from reading the first book; there was a god foundation for the reader. And while I did kinda buy the lightning-in-a-bottle connection the three of them had, the beginning of the book didn't really do the best job of building on it. I really liked the moment of them meeting, fresh off of Lennox's deafness, and them being the only people he felt calm and comfortable with. They're all a little hurt by events in their past, and I did like the addiction storyline with Rhys, and Samuel's long-standing grief. I just felt like the beginning of the book didn't do enough to REALLY make me feel connected?

But that changed at some point in time. If you've read the first book, you know that there's going to be a big triggering event for Rhys, though you don't know exactly what, and the tension of waiting for it to happen was awful, but effective. I really liked the way they each supported the other, were each other's landing pads. But we got to see moments where they'd break off into pairs, and there was just as much chemistry and connection. That was especially important for me with Lennox/Rhys and Samuel/Rhys. There's a little counting motif running through the book, something they all have in common without knowing it. I thought it was a little cheesy, but then the way it ties up in the end... I ended up really loving it. Something about this just got to me, more than I thought it would! The author takes a lot of care with her characters, and the disability and addiction and grief all feel really well-handled. The romance in those last few chapters,  the genuine feeling and the ways they came together to support each other... I really liked it. That scene after Rhys's overdose left me feeling especially raw, but hopeful in the end. Particularly because the conclusion wasn't too neat, and there was never that sense of anything being "solved". He might relapse again; he might have suicidal thoughts again. But the conclusion made me feel like he had such a lovely support system, with his guys in his corner. It was nice and hopeful. The reunion with the sister was a little sappy, but very much needed after all the angst.

Listened to the audiobook as read by Zachary Johnson, Michael Gallagher and J.F. Harding  and it was really great. Duet narration, which I always love when I encounter it. And in a poly romance, it's nice for everyone to have a very distinct voice. I'm glad I continue to have a good time with this series, and I can't wait to get to the sapphic romance! We got a little glimpse of them in this book, and I'm so excited. 

Content warnings: suicide attempt, overdose

After last night, I’m learning how to follow my gut, and back to them is where it continues to lead me.