Unbound

The Undone #3

by Peyton Corinne

A new “angsty, sexy, emotional” (Farrah Rochon, New York Times bestselling author) lyrical romance by Peyton Corinne that follows a college couple through first love, heartbreak, and the struggle to come together again.

Paloma Blake is, at best, antagonistic. But beneath the hairspray, attitude, and promiscuity is a scared girl whose trauma runs deep. Still, the walls she’s built are strong, ensuring everyone only sees Paloma’s sexy façade. Everyone except for Bennett.

Bennett Reiner, the carefully controlled, neurodivergent goalie, has his routines and sticks to them, which helps him keep a hold on his OCD compulsions and the crippling anxiety that comes with them. The quiet and meticulous Bennett sees everything, especially the girl beneath Paloma’s ever-present masks. And he always has.

Unbeknownst to their friends, Bennett and Paloma were each other’s first real love, which ended in crippling heartbreak. Bennett still doesn’t know what happened, and Paloma is determined to stay away from the comfort she used to find only in his arms. For years, Bennett has remained her protective shadow, coming to Paloma’s rescue whenever she asked, keeping her as close and safe as she’ll let him. But, like a tumultuous sea to a constant shore, Bennett and Paloma find each other once more.

Alternating between scenes from their past and present, Unbound contrasts the tentative tension and passionate beginnings of first love with the devastating loneliness and deep yearning of having that love ripped away from you without truly knowing why. As Bennett discovers the truth about Paloma’s past, the threads to his careful control start to come unbound, and both begin to realize that letting go of everything else might be worth it, if it means they both get the real love they once shared again.

Genres: Romance, Sports Romance, Second Chance, Hockey, Sports, Contemporary Romance, Hockey Romance

496 pages, Paperback

First published April 7, 2026

Reviews

[Marianna Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ Paloma and Bennett have my whole heart. Second Cham e romance that will rip your heart out and put it back together! These two must be protected at all costs!!!

Bennett Reiner my sweet sweet soul god I adore his character so much. His autism and OCD were depicted so well. Peyton Corinne is incredible at writing mental health rep. As someone with ocd I related to Bennett so deeply I felt like I was in my own head!!!! The way he cares for Paloma and wants nothing more than to keep her safe!! EVERY SINGLE POEM HES EVER WRITTEN IS ABOUT HER!!!

“The way I feel about Paloma Blake is both a leash around my heart and a noose around my throat, threatening me in every capacity.”

THE MUTUAL YEARNING AND LONGING!!! My chest aches! Two people that have been in love with each other for 4 years and never stopped despite everything they faced.

Paloma get behind me!!! Oh her story broke my heart. I felt such a deep personal connection to her trauma and how she dealt with it. I was so proud of both of them for how much work they put into therapy and learning each other and gahhh just everything!

“If you cut open my skin, I think his name would be written across my veins, branded on the actual muscle of my heart. And I’d bleed for him over and over to keep him away from me, from the horrid, disgusting girl I became.”

My minor issues with this book that kept it from being 5 stars:
- the past and present timeline was a bit clunky and confusing, I think this would have highly benefited from being written entirely in the past for part 1 and then having a part 2 in the present but that’s just me
- the miscommunication did start to feel a bit too dragged out in the end.
- a lot of the past seemed rushed, they spent 3 years apart I would have loved to get more glimpses of that to better understand why Paloma chose the time she did to let Bennett back in.

Other than that I loved it and omg the friendships!! Rhys and Bennett god I love them.

I know torens book is going to be my favorite I need it more than AIR!!! Like why do I feel like there’s something going on with Holden too??? What was that???!!

[Larissa Cambusano · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love them your honor. bennett & paloma are just everything. I loved seeing rhys and freddy and ro and sadie!!! this series >>

I am SAT for toren MFFF CANEEEE!!!!!!!!!

[maria (will I fully comeback?) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hi, so this book is finally out and I think everyone should go and read this masterpiece. Peyton really outdid herself with this story, I carry this book in my heart! anyways, I’m still trying to find the words so I can write my review but please, do yourself a favor and go read this beautiful story💜

____

I don’t even have words to explain what this book means to me😩😩


┆ ⤿ 🌊 ༝ pre-read:

IM DOING IT!!! Im finally starting unbound, I have been putting this off for so long cause im scared and terrified (and I read the first 20% and it was so painfully sad😭) but I also can’t stop thinking about Bennett and Paloma so here I am with tissues next to me

buddy reading this with my loveeee hoda💓. Are we going to survive this one?👀 or will it finish us?

Also I still can’t get over my loves Matty and Ro:(


⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨ᰔ୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹

GOT THE ARC!!!😭😭😭 Getting the approval felt like Christmas morning

if you know me, you know how much I love unloved and the way I NEEDED to read this book😫 can’t wait to start this next

________


A HOT NEW BOMBSHELL ENTERS THE VILLA🙂‍↕️

No one can convince me that this isn’t one of the prettiest covers ever😝

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OH. MY. GOD. THIS IS GOING TO BE SECOND CHANCE?????😭 my fav trope ever, I’m not ready.



this book is going to kill me, I can’t wait until April 2026😩 Paloma and Bennett deserves all the happiness in the world.


the scenes i found of them in unloved!!!


ೃ⁀➷ Actually, I've never seen Paloma with friends.
Not any real ones, at least, and no one I could name. She's always alone.
Thankfully when I look back at her, Bennett is already there, kneeling by her side and whispering something quickly to her, at which she shakes her head and closes her eyes. His jaw clenches tight, but he doesn't move. I relax a little knowing I don't have to watch her so closely anymore-I trust any of my team to take care of her, but Bennett above most everyone else.

╰┈➤ Paloma not having friends but Bennett being always there for her😔😔 just pull the trigger, it’s going to hurt less


ೃ⁀➷ Bennett is with a girl sitting two steps down from him, her arms wrapped around his massive thigh and calf, blond hair pouring over his jean-clad knee where his hand gently combs through the strands, careful and slow. He isn't looking at her, surveying the party as he usually might. But— Steps faltering, I do a quick double-take as we pass them and realize it's Paloma, face serene and eyes closed as she lies in Reiner's lap while the stoic goalie carefully guards over her.
He barely flicks his eyes up to meet mine, but his face is a stone mask before he nods to Ro on my heels and gives me a stern, disapproving trown.
You're the one with Paloma fucking Blake sleeping like a puppy on your thigh while you pet her hair, but sure. Let's question my decisions.

╰┈➤ HE IS PETTING HER HAIR😫


ೃ⁀➷ He opens the door wide as he speaks and his black lab, Seven, lifts his head from the bed before stepping gently over someone in Bennett's bed. I can't stop my immediate reaction. My eyebrows shoot up-because Bennett doesn't date or even sleep around, from what I know. And I've known Bennett Reiner for going on four years now.

His service dog pads toward him with a whine, and nudges his hand with a wet nose.
Bennett whispers, "Go back to her," so quietly I can barely hear him. Still, I can see Seven settling back against the lump beneath the covers, partially covered by the door and Bennett's body as he protectively pulls it further to block my now searching gaze.



ೃ⁀➷ He clears his throat before quietly offering,
"Sometimes the people we love most hurt us the easiest, even if they don't mean to.
I pause, struck a little by the statement.
"And do you forgive them?"
"Yeah. At least . . . for her. I'll always forgive her." He grips the steering wheel harder. "Don't think I could hold a grudge against her if I tried."
The confession strikes me a little. It's the most I've heard him talk, really.
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why keep trying when it hurts?" I nearly choke on the words, but Bennett only grants me a sad smile, rubbing his mouth a little as he turns down South College.
"Because they've been disappointed by too many people," he says. "And I won't be one of them." He pauses and heaves a heavy sigh.
"And ... she deserves it."

╰┈➤ THE WAY HE TALKS ABOUT HER🥺🥺

[ivy · Rating 4 out of 5]

೯⠀⁺ ⠀ 𖥻 4.25 stars ✶

⤹ BENNETT REINER. i’m hopelessly in love with this man. multiple times throughout reading this book i got genuinely depressed and hopeless because my life will literally not be complete without this man being my arms 24/7. he made my cry, giggle, my heart have dangerous palpitations, and my brain have a seizure just by how badly i need him. oh my GOD 💆🏻‍♀️🛐. don’t even talk to me right now because i’m still reeling by how much i needed him. i LOVE introspective boys, and bennett was one of the most emotionally intelligent, aware, and caring mmc’s ever. hands down, no competition 💋🧎🏻‍♀️

☆ (    a list of a few things that this man did for her   ) ...

— writes poetry ONLY for her and gives it to her
— finds poetry everyday that reminds him of her and gives it to her
— washes her hair everyday
— always keeps snacks in his big for her in case she didn’t eat that day
— COOKS FOR HER

i miss this man so much and his anxiety-ridden self (relatable) and UGH 😭 please take me back to this book where he was already PINING for her in the beginning. every move he made even when he was overthinking it was just the purest and most sincere ever. i never had any bad thoughts about this man, even at the beginning when they weren’t together, because he is the definition of genuine.

﹒ꗃ paloma, aka an FMC that swims, aka a superior FMC. i loved how she cared for bennett and wasn’t afraid or shied away from any of his nervous tendencies. she’s such a strong and independent woman and so many times throughout the book i felt bad for her but was also awed by her the entire time. i can’t put it into words, but something about her just stood out to me from all the other fmc’s — on the surface level, may be called a pick me, but when you go deeper into the book, it’s clear that those are just her nuances and not actions she does for other people. her experience as a child shook me up but peyton corrine handled it so well and with such delicacy — she didn’t try to “solve” it by the end, but instead had paloma manage it in a healthy and admiring way that added to the relationship and story, instead of taking away from it.

﹑ꕤ﹒୧ their relationship is E V E R Y T H I N G to me. this book truly is part of the “soulmates” trope, Bennett and paloma are meant for each other, and it’s exemplified through every experience they have in this book. i loved every single moment they had together, right from the beginning. their soft, gentle, and steady understanding for each other made me cry multiple times. their unwavering patience and protectiveness for each other just ugh 😭 if you’re looking for YEARNING this book won’t disappoint.

ꕤ ⊹ my only problem was this book was the length. although this passed by pretty quickly, i still had too many moments where i was bored. however, this book is around 500 pages & a romance so it was inevitable that it would drag at times, and i do understand why it would need to be this long.

୭౿ ！🗝️ overall…. please read this book 🥹 my heart isn’t mine anymore, it belongs to this book.

thank you so much to netgalley for gifting me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹


i'm in love

⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹ ﹒ ⁺ ﹒ ⊹

☆ ── preread ⊹
BENNETT AND PALOMA 😭❤️‍🩹

❍ thank you to netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

[yuvi • ia · Rating 4 out of 5]

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❀post reading thoughts❀

(★★★★.5)
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tw: on-page depictions of obsessive thought spirals, compulsive acts, and panic attacks; mentions and discussions of childhood trauma, child neglect, sexual abuse, and grooming of a minor.

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❀what to expect:

⤷mutual yearning
⤷second chance (done right)
⤷found family
⤷golden retriever mmc
⤷he falls first and harder

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second chance done right????? hell yeahhhh.
this book had everything!!!! it was heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. i loved everything abt this one (well, not everything but more on that later lmao) It was so well written. the writing was so mellifluous and alternating shift btw the past and present timelines was so seamless. i didn't find that choppy or jarring. and this book had deeply endearing and realistic characters. i'm in love with all of them. and my heart went out to them. plus the found family/ friends group part was so heartwarming.
But ummm the miscommunication had me pulling my hair out lmao. the only reason why i didn't give it 5 stars is bc of the length and pace. it felt lowk slow at times and i feel like a 100 smth pages could be cut short and it wouldn't affect the plot that much. (also, so not a fan of rhys & paloma part😭😭😭reading that physically hurt. ouchhh). also when they got back together, it felt so abrupt and rushed. i just wanted to see more ig. and i expected sm more
mehhh anyway.
despite all that, I fucking devoured this one.
plus the ocd rep was done with sm care🥹
i'm quite literally obsessed with ben and paloma🥹🥹🥹 they went through sm. neither has had an easy life. but they had each other and i'm so glad that ben had rhys too🥹 reading abt paloma's past left me in tears. oh my girllll. i just want to give them both a hug😭🩷 these two need to be protected at all costs!!!
alsoooo wdym wdym wdym that he writes poetry for her, recites her poems that remind him of her, bakes cookies for her, cooks for her, checks up on her often EVEN AFTER THEIR BREAKUP. HE ALSO WASHES HER HAIR EVERYDAY. BYE I'M DEAD. he's so down bad for her and he fuxking blushes when she even glances his way🫠🫠🫠 bennett is such a yearner🫦
AND PPL SAY THAT OUR STANDARDS ARE TOO HIGH 😤
i'm so in love with these two ydek😔✋🏻

that epilogue🥹🥹🥹🥹🩷
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❀quotes❀
━━━━━

---"The way I feel about Paloma Blake is both a leash around my heart and a noose around my throat, threatening me in every capacity"

---“If you cut open my skin, I think his name would be written across my veins, branded on the actual muscle of my heart. And I’d bleed for him over and over to keep him away from me, from the horrid, disgusting girl I became.”

---"A voice I know more intimately than my own. For a moment, I’m sure I’m hallucinating. I turn so swiftly I almost trip, coming face-to-face with a piece of my soul. The love of my goddamn life. Paloma Blake."

---"Paloma turns, looking up at me with soft brown eyes. One hand still holds the neck of her beer tightly. My body is blocking her from the others nearly entirely as my heart thunders to the same beat: Hers. Hers. Hers. She can say that we’re friends. I’ll always be hers."

---"I’ll never pressure her for anything, but I will always long for her. Fingers in soft wet hair, hands on damp skin, and Paloma Blake soft and vulnerable and trusting beneath me. Moonlight and the sound of waves. A blue backpack and stuffed rabbit. Coconut cake and salt air. Damp skin warm against mine. Words pressed from my mouth and into hers, like I could breathe poetry into her lungs"

---"I know my answer. I know what intimacy is to me. I feel it like the waves lapping over my toes across a beach I’ve spent every birthday laying on. Like the rainfall water of a shower I feel safest in. It’s hands in my hair, soothing, never painful. It’s homemade food and the taste of salt air on my lips. It’s hands on my waist only after asking Is this okay? It’s eye contact with Bennett Reiner across a crowded bar top. It’s him. Him."

---“Every poem I’ve ever written has been about you”

---“I would crawl through broken glass to get to you, P.”

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side note
started- april 13
finished-april 14

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❀pre-read❀
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too much fantasy. i need a romance now.
(also, it helps that it's one of my most anticipated books for '26 + i've heard only good things abt this one hehe)
and yes, i don't rmbr ANYTHING from the first 2 books 🙃🙃🙃(as expected)

[rei ‧₊˚✩彡 · Rating 4 out of 5]

╰┈➤ 4 stars!

unbound is the third book of peyton corinne’s series called “the undone.” the book started off really underwhelming and confusing for me, but as i went deeper into the story, it finally picked up the pace. the emotional layers slowly unfolded, and before i knew it, i was fully invested.

i have so many things to say but let us start with the main characters:

୨ৎ paloma. her story absolutely broke my heart. she’s the kind of character who thinks she doesn’t deserve care or love, even though she needs it more than anyone. her past made me so sad—how could anyone do something so cruel to a literal teenager? trauma rewires your sense of worth, and the book portrayed that with so much accuracy. what made her journey even more emotional is how she isn’t loud about her hurt; she just quietly folds into herself, convinced she’s unworthy of anything good.

୨ৎ bennett. he’s so thoughtful, so present, and so full of quiet devotion. i just wanted to hug him and remind him that he is enough, because everything he does for the people he loves is enough. i fell in love with his character because the way he shows up for paloma? this man would drop everything, literally everything, for her. their bond was beautiful. it really started from being friends before they became lovers.

and don’t even get me started on his relationship with his dad—i cried. we rarely get to see father-son dynamics this soft, this understanding. his father knows him so deeply, sees him for who he is, and loves him without wanting to change a single imperfect part. that kind of acceptance was everything. also, bennett’s friendship with rhys also warmed my heart—such a wholesome, supportive dynamic. i got to read more of bennett’s thoughts about what he thought about what happened with rhys, and i totally get him.

moreover, let’s talk about the poems?! i genuinely get so emotional because it’s paloma and bennett’s thing. it’s so raw, so vulnerable, and i love that they both have this interest because it makes them so unique and special to me. the found family aspect also warmed my heart. it made the heavier themes easier to carry, and it added such a nice sense of belonging to the story. i’m genuinely excited for the next books because this world and these connections were built so beautifully.

there’s one thing that i didn’t really like in this book and that’s the spicy scenes. while they were written well, i honestly didn’t think they added much to the story. the emotional tension between paloma and bennett was already strong enough to carry the narrative, and i feel like the book could have survived, and even thrived, without the spice. because the overall tone was so heavy and anxiety-inducing, the intimate scenes didn’t fully land for me, and instead of enhancing the relationship, they sometimes disrupted the emotional pacing. the story was already powerful without needing to rely on those moments.

one of the messages that genuinely stayed with me is that you don’t need to have your entire life figured out right away. this book really emphasizes that it’s okay to be uncertain, to feel lost, or to take things one step at a time. another thing is that healing isn’t linear—it doesn’t move in a perfect upward curve. some days you move forward, some days you slip back, and that’s still progress. the story handles that truth with so much gentleness and honesty.

i also appreciated how the book portrays growth as something gradual, something earned through moments of clarity, hurt, acceptance, and hope. it shows that becoming who you’re meant to be takes patience, and that you’re allowed to change your mind or rebuild yourself along the way.

take this as a trigger warning because the themes are heavy, and readers deserve to be prepared. but with that said, the sensitive topics were handled with a lot of care. nothing felt sensationalized or thrown in just for shock value. everything had purpose and weight.

overall, this book is emotional, and deeply human. it explores trauma, healing, imperfect families, and the kind of love that forces you to confront the darkest parts of yourself. it’s not a light read, but it is an impactful one. it reminds you that healing is messy, love can be terrifying, and found family can save you in ways you never expect. despite its flaws, it’s the kind of story that lingers long after you turn the last page.

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

・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・

pre-read:

y’all it’s my turn to read this book now 🙂‍↕️ i absolutely loved the second book and i’m SO excited for this one because just look at THAT cover?! it’s so pretty and i’m hoping that the first two books will have a cover similar with this one 🤭 going in with expectations because i have such a good feeling about this one!

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pre-release:

this book is now part of my anticipated release for next year!! the description of this book is just giving SOOOO MUCH POTENTIAL! if you’ve read unloved, you’d know that they are mentioned there and omg there’s just so much to look forward to 😩 + this is a second chance romance book!!!! A HIT OR MISS TROPE BUT I HAVE HIGH HOPPPPPEEES!🤞🏼🥹

[nadine 🧁 · Rating 4 out of 5]

if he doesn’t write me poems, I don’t want him.

[aira · Rating 4 out of 5]

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ 3.75/5

It took me forever to write this review because I really needed to let this sink in for me to properly articulate all my thoughts.

I just have to talk about how this has been such a good series so far. This book and Unloved have both been highly rated by me, literally like around 4 stars for both which is basically unheard of these days. I have yet to read Unsteady, but I'll get to it sometime super soon and I'm sure it'll be just as highly rated.

And then, there was the fact that this was a second chance romance with a dual timeline. Both of which, if executed properly, are my favorites. We all know about my second chance obsession, so I won't even bother writing paragraphs about that, but the dual timeline is something I love just as much. I love seeing how the characters have changed and evolved between the past and present. It's always really beautiful to read about.

The friendship between Bennet and Rhys was so sweet. The scenes where they all have breakfast were super cute. I loved seeing both Freddy and Ro as well as Rhys and Sadie (even if I haven't read their book). Everything that happened with Paloma made me so sad. It totally broke my heart, but I loved seeing her growth and getting her happy ending which was well deserved. I also love when books discuss a character going to therapy instead of just making them have sex as a way to heal so that was another plus point here.

Also, I absolutely loved Toren and his bonding with Bennet.

The only thing I would have to say on the flip side would be that I didn't really understand the whole need for Rhys and Paloma together in the past (even if it was for a while). It kind of felt super detached from the rest of the book, but their friendship in the present was still wholesome so it didn't take away too much for me.

It will be a huge YES from me, but like can you blame me? Second chance, dual timeline, undone universe was bound to make this a hit for me.

Thank you to Peyton Corinne, Atria Books, and Netgalley for this arc!!

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3.5!! rtc.

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ahhhhhhhhh, I got the arc!! it's second chance, nobody needs to convince me any further 🤭

[naz · Rating 5 out of 5]

“𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒆, 𝑷𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒎𝒂,” 𝑰 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓. “𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆; 𝑰 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆. 𝑨𝒍𝒍 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅—𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆. 𝑻𝒐 𝒌𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆, 𝒔𝒂𝒇𝒆, 𝒊𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕. 𝑰’𝒍𝒍 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕.”

YOUR HONOR I LOVE THEM so so so much 😭💖

This series!!!! you might think it’s just a sports romance series, but it’s so much more!!!! It intertwines with other characters and their stories, so when you read them, you get to connect the dots and get little crumbs of others in the most beautiful way ✨ I know that sentence doesn’t make sense, but it will if you read the series, so YES READ IT.

Since this is #3, some of you already know Bennett and Paloma at this point, but if you’re starting here, then I suggest you close the book and grab #1 because the reading experience is 100000% better TRUST ME. Bennett is our soft boy 🥹 hockey player goalie who has been in love with Paloma since he first met her. Meanwhile, you have our sad girl Paloma, who everyone sees as this confident popular girlie which couldn’t be further from the truth 💔. Paloma and Bennett's past is insane. The present and past timeline from all 4 years of college breaks me.

My heart is still processing this beautiful story 🩷. Peyton Corinne perfected the microtrope of “let me take care of you,” and no one can convince me otherwise!!! Ever since I met Paloma in Unsteady, I just knew that we were in for a ride, and boy do we ride, all right. The way we, as readers, start to comprehend why Paloma acts the way she does with her devastating past makes you want to go hug her, but don’t worry, Bennett Reiner has been doing it since they met and hasn’t stopped. The everlasting love he has for her is one of the reasons why I fell in love with this book 😮‍💨 Yes, you will have your heart palpitating with the past and present timelines when you connect all the dots together, but the ending is so beautiful that, trust me, it is worth the suffering (it’s the good kind of suffering i swear).

Infinity stars duh.

Please read this book, this series, anything that Peyton writes ‼️

Thank you Atria Books for my eARC.

⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
➳ 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 ᯓ★ im not emotionally ready for Bennett & Paloma's story
➳ 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅ omfg I got approved for this ARC and the way I know this will destroy me :) can't wait!!!!

[vanessa ⋆.☕︎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5 stars.
book 25 from the list of 26
This book didn’t destroy me, but it lingered.
Unbound is emotionally heavy in a quiet, slow-seeping way. It’s the kind of story that doesn’t scream for your attention; it sits beside you, presses on tender places, and waits for you to notice. I went into this expecting intensity, and while it didn’t fully wreck me, it absolutely left a mark.

The dual timeline does a lot of the emotional lifting. Watching the tenderness of first love unfold while knowing how fractured the present is creates an ache that never really lets up. The contrast works, innocence versus distance, closeness versus restraint, though at times the back-and-forth stretched certain moments longer than necessary. I felt the longing, but I also felt the drag.

── .✦

°˖➴Bennett:
Bennett was, hands down, the emotional anchor of this story for me. His reliance on routine, his anxiety, his compulsions, everything about him felt intentional and respectfully written, never exaggerated or reduced to a trait checklist. He’s the kind of character who speaks softly but feels loudly. He notices everything, loves carefully, and carries an overwhelming amount of emotion in the pauses, the restraint, the things he doesn’t say. His affection isn’t grand or performative; it’s steady, consuming, and deeply sincere. Watching his control slowly fracture was far more compelling to me than any external conflict in the book.

°˖➴ Peloma:
Paloma, on the other hand, is thorny and complex in a way that’s both understandable and, at times, distancing. Her sharpness is armor, her confidence a deliberate misdirection, and her trauma is very real. I never doubted the why behind her behavior, but there were moments when her refusal to be emotionally present kept me at arm’s length. I understood her choices more than I felt them. Loving someone who won’t let themselves be fully loved is exhausting, and the story doesn’t shy away from that truth. Sometimes that honesty works beautifully; other times, it creates an emotional imbalance that made it harder for me to stay fully immersed.

── .✦

I didn’t feel a deep, personal attachment to the characters, but I genuinely loved who they were and how their relationship unfolded. The way their bond was built, slowly, thoughtfully, and with intention, was one of the strongest elements of the story for me. Even without that full emotional immersion, watching their connection form and evolve was deeply satisfying and beautifully done.

── .✦

a list of things this man did that are permanently etched into my brain:
.✦ ݁˖ He expresses himself through verse, and she is the only person who ever gets to read it.
.✦ ݁˖ He notices fragments of poetry in the world and thinks of her every single time, making sure she knows it. P.S. I adore poetry, it's my salvation.
.✦ ݁˖ He takes care of her in the quietest, most intimate ways, like tending to her hair as if it’s second nature.
.✦ ݁˖ He’s always prepared for her needs, carrying food with him just in case she forgot to take care of herself that day.
.✦ ݁˖ He shows love through effort and consistency, cooking for her without making it a performance.

The romance itself is less about physical closeness and more about emotional gravity. The tension lives in pauses, unsaid things, and restraint. It’s a slow burn that prioritizes yearning over action, which I appreciated, though I did want the payoff to land a little harder after so much careful buildup.

What I truly respected was the handling of mental health and healing. There are no shortcuts here. No miraculous fixes. Just effort, relapse, discomfort, and growth that takes time. The representation feels researched and intentional, and it’s clear the author approached these topics with care rather than convenience.

>>> ──────── .✦
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ Okay… quick thoughts before I emotionally spiral.

This is already screaming second-chance pain, quiet devotion, and years of unresolved yearning, which are, unfortunately, all my weaknesses. A sharp, guarded FMC and a soft, observant MMC who’s been loving her silently for years? Yeah. I’m seated and scared.

This feels like the kind of romance that hurts softly, lingering looks, unspoken words, past and present colliding. Not loud, just deep. Also, I just realized I have an ARC of this book. Completely forgot. The universe really said surprise emotional damage, early access.

Here I am anyway, bracing myself. Even tough I am dealing with health issues, reading is the only way to forget a little bit, and also this is my first read of this year, it better be good. <𝟑 .ᐟ

[manas · Rating 2 out of 5]

➳ lord have mercy ☆

besties...if you love this book, please don't keep reading this. i will be going through the whole book and there will be spoilers. some‼️SPOILERS‼️are in this review. this is just my opinion — MY opinion. if you love this book, i am VERY happy for you. i am in the huge minority because everyone else loves this book including my best friends. please don't take this too literal or feel like you have to agree. this is not me influencing anyone to feel a certain way; this will just be me explaining my reasonings for why this flopped. this will only be a review of the book, NOT the author/fans of the series. please read whatever you like to read. <3

for starters, i am most excited for the final book, book four in this series. i cannot wait to get toren & lily's story because i have been waiting for this perspective from the very beginning. they are the only reason i was even able to get through this book. i did not finish this book, and i know that’s probably going to annoy people since i’ve decided to review and rate this book. however, after getting to chapter 50 — i felt like this story was moving in literal circles ultimately going nowhere. the major issues i faced while reading this were as follows:

1. zero on page chemistry or compatibility
2. mundane execution of an interesting premise
3. unclear timeline of the plot unfolding
4. excessive drama with already established side characters

so…that leaves me with nothing. i tried really hard to look past a lot of these issues, but it was rather challenging for me since the previous two books were not standouts either. to put it bluntly, this book has way too much cling on. from the very beginning, this story is too congested with several side plots that are not salient to the main storyline. even though the romance was on the front, at no point did i feel like i should root for them. a huge theme in the series is the found family. while i do you love all of the friend group and their scenes, it does get extremely annoying to constantly read about the same group of people having the same issues, even though they’ve already resolved that in their respective books. sadie is still annoying me. rhys is still the good golden boy. freddy is still a fun class clown…i mean, please stop. we got their books — i get it.

now, the central crux of the problem…nothing about these characters — paloma & bennett — outshine the previous issues i just talked about. nothing. i honestly feel really bad to say this because i do believe the representation is really well done. as someone who has OCD, i appreciate the author for taking the time to research and consult with a medical professional before she took the effort to write bennett’s story. the same goes for paloma. however, if you genuinely took out their struggles — i could not tell you a single thing about their characters or their personalties. it was really difficult for me to follow along their past and present timeline to see how they initially started to develop feelings for one another to now, where they have clearly fallen out. the flashback chapters were genuinely some of the most sloppy aspects of this book. nothing about their interactions from three years ago versus today, make any sense in the story. the editor could’ve and should’ve made this more concise to digest.

another major reason this book failed to keep my interest was the lack of progression in the plot. the entire time, bennett was only focused on taking care of her. like, ok? what else? what was the driving factor for why YOU should convince us readers that they are in love and soulmates who cannot live without each other? i didn’t feel it. bennett was constantly trying to play house with her and paloma was literally running around in circles, talking about the exact same thing for chapters at a time. this ultimately brings me to one of the biggest grievances in this book, which is that it is way too long. what is the reason for making this over 500 pages? why is this so dense? why are they not developing throughout the story? why is this so stagnant? why do they want each other so bad? why is bennett so obsessed with feeding her goldfish? why was this told to us every fucking chapter? goddamn.

this was one of the most uneven reading experiences i’ve had in a long time. this entire series is reminiscent of other popular hockey/sports romance series. while i am in NO means claiming this author copied anyone else’s work — it is worth noting that reading a similar concept and premise multiple times does not make for a compelling narrative. the first book in this series was clearly inspired by binding & keeping 13, whereas book two was indistinguishable from the deal. the prose and the dialogue are compelling enough to keep mild interest, however, overtime, this doesn’t mean that the story is by any means cogent. i am very hard on contemporary romances — so this is all personal prerogative. i prefer stories with authentic premises and nuanced explorations which was inadequate here. the layers were present, but the end product was lacking severely.

lastly, the audiobook was a hot fucking mess. stephen dexter is one of my all time favorite narrators, but even he couldn’t make this story coherent. the dual time jumps are some of the most jarring things i’ve read about in a long time. so much of the structure was unbelievably choppy — it was very awkward to read & listen to. i am, though, extremely enthused for toren’s book — as so many of you probably have seen from my updates. the streets are telling me he’s part desi…i am sat. the tattoos? his temperament? his demeanor? the fact that everyone hates him…? (i will fight you if you do)…immediately yes. i love him so much.

don’t let this discourage you from reading this book. this is a wonderful premise and has amazing delineation that clearly took time and patience. the author is very talented and i’m honestly glad i gave this a chance. i saw myself in both characters but sadly, that’s not enough to love a book. i’m holding out hope for the last book! i think that will be my favorite. and as always, a huge thank you to my favorite girl, gry, for another amazing buddy read. i love you. hopefully our next read will be so much better!

[veerali · Rating 5 out of 5]

tattoo this book on my fucking eyelids.

this is a public service announcement. if i could physically grab everyone reading this and shove this book into your hands, i absolutely would. because when i tell you that unbound is one of the most phenomenal, devastating, and best healing romance novels i have ever encountered, i need you to believe me down to your bones.

because this book hit me like a revelation. it made me cry and feel fundamentally seen, broken, and then carefully put back together. the scars remain, and that’s the point. that’s the brilliance of this story. miss peyton didn't just throw a gentle feather at me, she threw a concrete brick: hard, fast, and aimed right for the heart. i am emotionally bleeding from the impact this story had on me.


── ୭ plot and writing

unbound is built on the foundation of a second chance romance, a trope i will devour every single time if it’s done right. and oh, my god, this is done perfectly.

the story focuses on paloma and bennett, two people who were once everything to each other, only to be torn apart by one of the nastiest, most painful, and absolutely gut wrenching breakups that leaves debris scattered for years.

when they are forced to cross paths again, the tension is awkward, painful, and agonizing. i could feel the weight of every unspoken word, every lingering hurt, every ‘what if’ hanging between them. it's like a battleground of old trauma and new attempts at understanding. paloma and bennett's roads back are long, messy, and totally worth the emotional toll.

one of the reasons the story hits so hard is the dual timeline structure. we move seamlessly between the present, where paloma and bennett are struggling to build their fractured connection, and the past, through beautifully placed flashbacks.

these flashbacks are cute memories but also an essential context. they show us how deeply in love these characters were, how pure their connection started, and exactly where the threads began to fray. by knowing their history, we understand the stakes in the present. miss author handled this structural element with such ease that the transitions feel necessary, like a key unlocking the deep emotional puzzle these two characters must solve.


── ୭ characters

𖣠 paloma blake

paloma blake is a character who will stay with you long after you turn the final page. she carries a heavy weight and a lifetime of trauma and emotional baggage that impacts her ability to trust and commit.

learning about paloma’s past was an absolutely heartbreaking journey. her trauma isn't used as a cheap plot device but it’s treated with respect, and it provides real, understandable reasons for the walls she has built around her heart.

i absolutely adored her complexity. when she pushes bennett away, it hurts, but you get it. her actions are born out of a deep seated fear of rejection and pain. she believes pushing him away is protecting bennett's heart. i just wanted to reach into the pages and give her the biggest, most reassuring hug ever. she is flawed, she’s defensive, and she is absolutely, endlessly deserving of love. i'll always ALWAYS champion her.

𖣠 bennett reiner

gentle heroes. pathetic, obsessed men who put their partner first. this is my catnip, but bennett reiner has officially lifted the benchmark so high that it’s honestly not even fair to future book boyfriends.

bennett has his own set of struggles and baggage, but his eternal love for paloma is nothing short of breathtaking. he tolerates her trauma but also seeks to understand it.

lemme tell you, you have never read a mmc quite like bennett. he cooks for her. he pays attention to her needs without having to be asked. he is so damn pathetic (in the best, most romantic way) and so gloriously obsessed with paloma that i genuinely melted into a puddle every time he appeared on the page. his devotion is pure, his care is constant, and his patience is boundless.

𖣠 bennett + paloma

the chemistry between bennett and paloma is truly off the charts. it starts with small things: a gentle touch, a lingering stare, the subtle shift in the air when they are near each other. this slow, deliberate return to intimacy is what makes their relationship feel so earned and so real.

their love story is pure, despite the messy circumstances. they are two intrinsically flawed people who, despite everything they have endured (and inflicted on each other), are simply perfect together. their journey is a testament to the fact that when two people are meant to be, they will find their way back, even if they have to cross a minefield to get there. my heart still hurts thinking about everything they went through, but the ending is the most cathartic release possible.


── ୭ my thoughts and overview

beyond the steamy romance and the chemistry, the most vital part of unbound is its handling of trauma, mental health, and the healing process.

often in fiction, an author introduces a character with deep psychological wounds only to have a single romantic relationship instantly snap them back to health. this book rejects that cliché, and i adore the author for it.

the narrative makes it clear: love doesn’t fix everything.

what being with the right person can do, however, is make the act of breathing a little bit easier. bennett gives paloma the safe space and unconditional support she needs to heal herself. on the other hand, paloma is really patient and understanding towards bennett's own struggles and anxiety. the book beautifully and responsibly explores the ongoing nature of recovery. it shows the hard work, the missteps, and the slow, gradual process of learning to live with trauma, rather than just erasing it. this level of representation is why this book lands with such a deep impact. it made me feel so real, honest, and truly therapeutic to read.


── ୭ final verdict

this book is emotionally demanding, deeply beautiful, and masterfully written. if you love second chance romance, gentle mmcs, brave fmcs, and stories that prove that finding your forever person is often about finding the right support system, then you need to read this.

i'm force requesting every single one of you to pick up unbound when it is available. it is one of the most beautiful, unforgettable, and necessary stories you will ever read.

thank you to netgalley and atria books for the early access to this life changing novel. it truly is a 10/10 masterpiece!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

⊹₊⟡⋆ Paloma Blake and Bennet Reiner were each other’s first loves. Bennet saw the girl beneath the sexy façade and antagonistic attitude Paloma put on to hide the trauma and pain she’s been carrying for years. Paloma understood Bennet’s carefully controlled routines that kept his OCD compulsions and anxiety at bay and brought him peace. But their romance ended in heartbreak, leaving Bennet wondering for years what went wrong and Paloma to stay as far away as she can from the one person who made her feel safe. But no matter how hard they try, they find each other yet again and wonder if this time will be different.



꧁⎝ 𓆩༺✧༻𓆪 ⎠꧂



ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ: Too Good At Goodbyes by Sam Smith
0:39 ───ㅇ───── 3:21




⊹₊⟡⋆ TL;DR: Did I absolutely love it? No. Did I like the first half of the book? No. Did the second half make me cry and hurt my heart more than I bargained for and made me change my rating from 3 to 4 stars? Yes. Yes, it did.



⊹₊⟡⋆ I’m going to be honest, I thought this was going to disappoint me. The first half was kinda boring, and the dual timelines threw me off because it was hard to keep track of whether the chapter was in the present or the past. But once I got to, let’s say, the 60% mark? Oh lord. I was legit crying because what??? Ugh, my heart can’t take it. It–I just can’t.



I was a bit wary about how turbulent and messy Bennet and Paloma’s romance was because my life is already messy, queen. I don't need to read about it to know how much life sucks, okay? 😂 But if there’s one thing I appreciate about messy characters, it’s that they know they need help and they try to get it. I’ve mentioned in a few of my reviews that it would be nice to see characters go to therapy during the book and not just mention that they’re going in the last chapter or the epilogue, so Paloma and Bennet going to therapy throughout the book was refreshing to read. AND it’s not just a solution–it’s part of the process for their healing, and that’s what I really appreciate about this book. The highs and lows the characters faced, as they struggled with internal and external conflicts, made them realistic and relatable. What they were going through wasn’t just a label or something that defined them (for the most part)–it was something they were truly dealing with and wanted to work on. It was hard to read, but that’s life, right?

Okay, granted, I was the slightest bit annoyed with Paloma. I just wanted her to be happy and believe that she was deserving of love. But then that would make me a hypocrite because Paloma’s struggle with self-hatred was a little too, uh, relatable. 😅 And I’m just going to leave it at that. But I didn’t dislike or hate her at all. I was rooting for her, her healing journey, and being happy and in love with Bennet. I wish I could give her a hug and personally hurt everyone who ever hurt her. Ooh, I was about ready to throw hands. 👊🏼

Speaking of Bennet, he was just…so freaking sweet. 😭 The man was gentle yet obsessive. He loved cooking, poetry, and Paloma so much that it made me smile and cry at the same time. He just wanted to care and protect those he loves. I haven’t read many stories with OCD and neurodivergence representation, but I’ve heard and read that this book handled it well, so I’m just going to take their word for it. ☺ But just know that I can’t brush or wash my hair the same ever again. I’m just going to remember this sweet man and cry. 😂😭 And the author had to go and mention that he looks like freaking Tom Welling??? I was literally screaming into my pillow and kicking my feet because..golly. I’m not ashamed to admit that fact piqued my interest in the story. 😉 I'm a simple girl. What do you expect?



And can we just take a moment to appreciate Adam Reiner? He is the main reason why I had tears streaming down my face. The man wears his heart on his sleeve and just loves his son so freaking much and would do anything for him and those he cares about. You can see where Bennet got his big heart from. 🥹 Ahhh, I feel my cold heart melting!



Okay, onto the reasons why I gave this 4 stars and not 5. One of the reasons was that this was so freaking long. Well, maybe not that long, but there are almost 80 chapters, and parts of the story just dragged. I skimmed most of the first half of the book because it just felt like filler chapters. The other reason is the whole thing between Sadie and Paloma. Like, Paloma was mean to her, and they were sarcastic and short with each other, but now they’re just..friends? When did they talk things out? Did I miss a chapter or something because I don’t recall them having a conversation about their recent behavior? 🤷‍♀

Anyways, I love books that make me cry, so obviously I enjoyed this. 😏 I’m not exactly sure if I want to read the previous books in this series, and I was adamant on not wanting to read the next book about Toren and Lily because I’m not a big fan of bad boys, but I’m not gonna lie, he won me over, so I may read Undone. We shall see. 🩷

ৎ୭ Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own. ৎ୭

❗Content Warnings❗
(Copied from book) Depictions of obsessive thought spirals, compulsive acts, and panic attacks (on-page). Mentions of childhood trauma, child neglect, sexual abuse, and grooming of a minor.
Swearing: Yes
Spice: Yes (🌶🌶🌶🌶/5)

[Sylvie {Semi-Hiatus} · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an E-Arc in exchange for an honest review!*

Fastest and easiest 5 stars that I've given!

From the very first page of the prologue, I knew this book was going to make me feel everything — and it absolutely did. Even though this was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, it didn’t just meet my expectations… it exceeded every single one of them and instantly became one of my favorite books of the year.

What makes it even more special is how deeply I connected to the female main character. On paper, we don’t share many similarities personality-wise, yet somehow I saw myself in her in ways I didn’t expect. Her journey truly got to me.

This series has followed me in the funniest way — once upon a time I had Unsteady on my TBR before it mysteriously disappeared, then friends kept recommending Unloved, and before I even realized how everything connected, I was seeing promos for this book everywhere. Getting approved for the ARC felt magical, and reading it felt even more so.

I’m beyond grateful I got the chance to experience this story early — it’s emotional, beautiful, and one I already know I’ll cherish for a long time.
__________________
Story time:

Once upon a time, I had 'Unsteady' , the first book in this series, on my TBR. A little while later, it disappeared out of the blue… but that’s a story for another time.

Then, earlier this year, many of my book friends recommended Unloved, the second book in the series. I never got the opportunity to read it, though it’s definitely one I plan to pick up in the (near) future.

Lastly, I’d been seeing promos for THIS book, Unloved, all over Instagram, and with each post, my interest only grew — without even realizing it was connected to the previous books I mentioned. Magically, I got approved for an ARC, and as you can probably tell, I’m very excited to read it in the very near future!

[Nerlie౨ৎ&#x1f3a7;&#x1f4da; · Rating 5 out of 5]

⋆˚࿔Review 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
5⭐️

(Spoiler alerts ‼️ I don’t know what you might consider spoilers but just in case here’s your warning)
SORRY FOR THE LONG REVIEW😭

“You’re the only person who has ever had me, All of me.”

★ ̗̀⇢ Thoughts on the book as a whole

I went into this completely blind, just trusting the author because I loved their previous work… and I genuinely was NOT prepared for what this book was going to do to me.
This wasn’t just a story.
This felt like something deeply personal, something raw and intimate that I almost felt like I shouldn’t be witnessing.
The emotional intimacy between them was so so intense at times I had to pause because I felt like I was intruding on something sacred.
I cried.
Not once, not twice… I was crying almost every single chapter.
And the worst part is it wasn’t even the kind of pain you want to escape from. It was that beautiful, aching kind of hurt that you just sit in. The kind that makes your chest tight but you don’t want it to stop because it means something.
I usually HATE dual timelines, like I avoid them at all costs… but this??
This was the exception. It was done so perfectly. Every shift added more depth, more pain, more understanding. It made everything hit harder, deeper, sharper. And the fact that they call each other “love”… did something to me, I’m usually so used to only her getting a pet name, but both of them sorry I actually can’t handle that 🥹 It felt so soft, so intimate, so theirs.
They are soulmates in the most devastating, consuming way.
The kind of love that feels written into their bones, like they were always meant to find each other no matter what.
I truly thought Ro and Freddy had my whole heart… but yeah, no.
Bennet and Paloma took that spot without even asking.


°ᡣ𐭩.°.જ⁀➴ Bennet

I don’t think I’ve EVER read a man who yearns the way Bennet does.
Like this is not normal yearning. This is soul-deep, all-consuming, can’t-breathe-without-you type of love.
Nothing could have prepared me for how deeply he feels.
Being in his head… it changed everything.
His diagnosis, the way it affects him, the way he processes everything, the way he LOVES … it made me understand him in such a real, heartbreaking way.
Everything he does is centered around her. Not in a shallow way, but in a way where she is literally woven into how he exists. Every time she was near him, it felt like he was on the edge of unraveling. Like he was holding himself together just enough to not completely break in front of her. And the fact that she broke his heart…
and he STILL told her to use him… just so he could stay close to her???I was DONE . Completely destroyed 😭
He was so gentle with her.
So careful. So intentional in every single interaction. They felt so real to me 😭
And his obsession with her hair, the way something so small meant EVERYTHING to him??? I was actually losing it
All he wanted was to take care of her. In any way. In every way. Even if it hurt him.
And his poems…
OH MY GOD HIS POEMS.
Every single one about her felt like a piece of his soul laid out on the page.
It was so raw, so vulnerable, so painfully beautiful that I had to stop and just breathe.
I genuinely don’t think there will ever be another Bennet.
He is that kind of character that stays with you.
He made it into my top 10 book boyfriends instantly… honestly probably top 5.
And I don’t even feel like that’s enough to explain what he is.

°ᡣ𐭩.°.જ⁀➴ Paloma

And Paloma…
Bennet might love loudly, intensely, overwhelmingly… ( not out loud but in his head)
but Paloma??
She loves in a way that is just as deep, just as consuming, but quieter. Softer.
And that’s what broke me even more.
She has been through SO much.
Her life hasn’t been kind to her, and yet she still chooses to show up, to care, to give, to love.
The way she understands Bennet???
Not just on the surface, but deeply, instinctively… like she sees him in a way no one else ever has.
She meets him where he is. She doesn’t try to change him, she just… understands him. And the way she tries to make him feel better, the way she puts him first even when she’s hurting… it broke my heart in a completely different way.
I was so, so happy she got her happy ending.
She deserved peace. She deserved love. She deserved HIM.
Her finding Lilly is so important to me, they needed each other so badly. That connection felt so important, so healing.
I do wish we had more of her POV, because Bennet’s intensity kind of takes over sometimes, but Paloma is just as layered, just as deep. (That’s because I miss her 😭) She’s just quieter about it. I was so proud of her 🥹


To conclude my long yapping sesh

This book didn’t just make me emotional.
It sat with me. It stayed.
It hurt me in the most beautiful way possible.
And I don’t think I’m ever going to fully recover from Bennet and Paloma 😭🤍📚


ෆ ༚︶︶︶︶ෆ ༚꒰ ෆ ꒱༚ ෆ︶︶︶︶༚ ෆ ෆ ༚︶︶︶︶ෆ ༚꒰ ෆ ꒱༚ ෆ︶︶︶︶༚ ෆ ෆ ༚︶︶︶︶ෆ ༚꒰ ෆ ꒱༚ ෆ︶︶︶︶༚ ෆ





⋆. 𐙚 ˚ pre read ⋆. 𐙚 ˚

Me being late to read my ARCs nothing new, but I managed to start this before publication day so a win right? 😭

[TheConnieFox · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a beautiful college hockey romance novel. It is extremely emotional! If I could give it more than five stars, I would. This is the third book in the series, but can be read as a standalone. This book made me feel happy, made me cry, and made me feel sympathy for both of the main characters. This storyline and the characters were very real to me. I felt like I was reading a true story, even though this is not one. It comes with different timelines, the characters change and grew in the story, it is memorable and hopeful.

The tension was intense between the main characters. It’s about two people that have very different traumas of their own. Both of them really want to get past their traumas and work things out with one another. One of the main characters comes with an OCD and anxiety representation, while the other character is a survivor of abuse. This book is all about second chances, is definitely character driven and portrays trauma and healing. This book also comes with spicy scenes. Overall, I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars rating!

It gave me the book “Icebreaker” by author Hannah Grace vibes. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who is interested in reading an emotional romance!

Thank you to NetGalley, author Peyton Corinne and Atria Books for this great eARC of this book, in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This book is set to be published on April 7, 2026

[chan ☆]

struggling to know how to rate this one. i think i'm finding that this author's tone and style largely do not work for me. she is SO talented and clearly does her research when it comes to the tougher stuff/representation in her books. but each one is a little more depressing than the last.

and i don't want authors to shy away from the realities of life. but i also need levity to balance hard stuff in a romance. a book that comes to mind is And Now Back to You by BK Borrison. tough stuff handled but tonally didn't feel suffocating.

i am really desperate for Toren's story so i will be sticking around for that but i think i'll start really looking at reviews before picking up more from this author.

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 5 out of 5]

My "I'm not crying, you're crying" moment with this book could last forever! Okay, if you happen to be passing through WeHo and spot some blotchy, red-nosed, red-eyed, emotionally disturbed nerdy figure drinking Chardonnay while scream-crying into the pages of a book—that's me you're seeing! This book is absolutely amazing! But I need to be honest: it's not for everyone. If you dare to cry it all out, if you want to give a million hugs to the main characters and wish you could invent a protective cocoon to shield them from the world, then dive right in! Oh boy, this one will wreck you in the best possible way.

Dear Paloma—this young woman who's suffered through so much—reading about her story involving all those triggering subjects may break your heart into irreparable pieces. Her journey is raw, painful, and deeply moving. But I advise you to put on your big girl pants and bravely read each chapter, which is heartbreaking yet also healing. This is an evolving second-chance story about suffering, pain, and angst, but more importantly, it's about breaking through your barriers, learning to be open and vulnerable, and allowing yourself to be emotionally naked in front of the one person who deserves you forever.

And Bennett—oh, Bennett! This neurodivergent goalie who likes to stick to his daily routines, who only wants to protect the girl he's fallen hard for, who's ready to burn the entire world to ashes if it means providing her with the protection and support she needs—this young man is the kindest human being you can imagine. I loved how they met, how they crashed into each other's lives, how they burned bright and fierce, how they evolved separately and together, and how they found their way back to one another with just the slightest intervention from the universe. Some parts of their story hurt too much to read—so much that I had to pause, breathe, and let the tears fall freely.

But Peyton Corinne has achieved something remarkable here. She doesn't sugarcoat anything. She doesn't soften the pain or smooth over the hard edges. Instead, she gives us raw, natural, realistic moments without agitating or exaggerating the trauma. She treats her characters—and her readers—with respect, giving us enough emotional space to absorb what we're reading and connect with our own inner pain. The result is a story that feels authentic, lived-in, and deeply cathartic.

This is my first book by this author, and I'm absolutely certain this is just the beginning of my journey exploring her creative mind. I will definitely be reading more of her books in the near future. For now, I'm giving this one my five blazing stars while singing (sorry to my neighbors for the torture I'm inflicting on them) Taylor Swift's "You're in Love":
You can feel it on the way home
You can see it with the lights out, lights out
You are in love, true love
You are in love

Because that's exactly what this book made me feel—that overwhelming, all-consuming, beautifully devastating kind of love.

Millions of thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an ARC copy of this amazing book that brought out my ugly cries in the best way possible, in exchange for my pure, honest thoughts.

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[kella ౨ৎ {midterms ia} · Rating 5 out of 5]

˖ ⁺ ౿ 📄🌅⋮ 4.75 stars .ᐟ
⤷ paloma + bennett deserve the world

༘࿐ ⊹ “if you cut open my skin, I think his name would be written across my veins, branded on the actual muscle of my heart.”

🎧⋮ hideaway by cas
come on, baby
we’ll make it alright …
and you put your arms around me
take me back into that hideaway

⋆˚࿔ my thoughts
oh em gee i adored this book 🥹 our characters were so complex and so lovable. their story stole my heart <3 furthermore, the mental health rep and inclusion of more hard-to-swallow topics in this was everything ! 🫶
this story is a second chance romance, with dual-pov and dual-timelines, which i thought was executed so well!

⋆˚࿔ characters
🌊 𖥻 paloma blake
at first glance, a lot of people mistake paloma for a certain type of persona, but once you get to know her and the experiences that have shaped her, you develop such empathy towards her. she was so strong—and i think she was the strongest when she let herself be vulnerable to bennett and open up about her past ❤️‍🩹
seeing how she blamed herself for the longest time about what she suffered through, as though it was her fault ☹️🩹 it makes you want to give her the biggest hug <3 but thankfully she has bennett.

🧸 𖥻 bennett reiner
bennett is diagnosed with autism and ocd; it was refreshing to see that being represented in a mmc 🥹 since we got his pov, we were able to see his thought processes and spirals, which really provides and insight into what his mind is like, enlarging understanding and compassion 🫶
at the same time, although his conditions are an integral part of his character, it’s not all that determines who he is. bennett was the most caring and good to paloma. he would write poems about her, let her know he was there without pressuring her, cook for her to make sure she ate, wash her hair, ensure she was safe, etc. he was the sweetest !!

🔏 𖥻 paloma + bennett
they’re genuinely soulmates ugh. i love the way they found and saved each other, saw each other. their bonding over poetry felt so intimate and i loved it 🥹 the epilogue made my heart so happy gah ! i adore them so much.

⋆˚࿔ concluding thoughts
this became one of my top reads of the year so far! i need to read peyton corinne’s other works now 👀

୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ thank you to the publisher, netgalley, and peyton corinne for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review ! 💫 unbound is out on april 7th! (aka my bday tehe)

⋆˚࿔ quotes
“Let me decide. I should get to decide that, right? Show me—whoever you think you are—I’m not going anywhere.”

“Trust me to hold this for you. To never leave you alone in this pain. Be mine. Trust me enough to fall in love with me the way I am falling in love with you.”

“He takes my hand. I can feel that touch in my soul, like the darkness is slowly washing away. Permanently.”

“‘What is intimacy to you, Paloma?’
It’s hands in my hair, soothing, never painful. It’s homemade food and the taste of salt air on my lips. It’s hands on my waist only after asking Is this okay? It’s eye contact with Bennett Reiner across a crowded bar top. It’s him. Him.”

“Words pressed from my mouth and into hers, like I could breathe poetry into her lungs.”

“every poem I’ve ever written has been about you”

“‘Words are hard for me. It’s easier to show how I feel, I guess.’
I love you. That’s what he’d been trying to say.”

“I know he picked the poem with the same gentle intentionality that he does everything.”

“I’ve been that girl. The one who wanted friendship so desperately she would’ve bent herself into every shape to capture it.”

“Like a piece of his soul runs through my bloodstream.”

—

˖ ⁺ ౿ 📄🌅 ⋮ pre-read .ᐟ
⤷ started 03.12.26

taking it as a sign that this releases on my bday tehe 💝 so happy i got the arc and very excited to read this since a lot of my faves love it !!

[joni ౨ৎ - hiatus · Rating 5 out of 5]

𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── 5 stars

guys can i just say again how much i adore peyton and her writing and her characters and just everything about her?!! like my queen yall her writing is to die for and i just live for this series atp

i went through every single emotion while reading unbound, paloma and bennett destroyed me and stitched me back together piece by piece. they both are such deep and complex characters with struggles that have been hurting them for their entire life. i love how gentle they are towards each other, the acts of love and the acceptance no matter what. paloma has genuinely gone through so so much and i would've never known based on the previous books, which is something i took away after reading unbound - how everyone is going through something and you can know them for a long time and have zero clue. peyton does such a great job writing flawed and relatable but very much loveable characters, she doesn't diminish one's mental health struggles for the other's. bennentt's relationship with paloma is something so soft and so beautiful, he adored her and with all the pain he's carried since they broke up, all he wants for her is to be happy and cared for. i'm crying thinking about them and how happy they are now, that paloma has a family for the first time, and soon her new best friend lily will join. bennett also has his own struggles and battle, his autism and ocd - which he felt like was a burden, when in reality he's so loved and cared for by his team. i like his growing friendship/truce ish with toren and his relationship with his father stood out to me, all he wanted was for his son to feel like he belonged and was loved for. broken girl x guy who'd do anything for her is one of the best tropes ever may i say? i don't know how to explain how much peyton's writing and stories mean everything to me, i would read anything she published and know it'll be a painful masterpiece.


you guys there is SO many freaking mentions of toren (aka the loml) so you're in for soo many teasers. we get to know a lot about his love interest... and im a bit scared for how it's going to play out. from what we can see on her insta she has depression & in this book [redacted] is such a sweetheart. she and toren have a past but not a romantic one per se? he's super protective and would do anything for her. anywho im very excited for everyone to read this!!!

i rlly do not know what to do now



𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── pre-read
ignore how many books im cr but this is worth it?!!! like my most most most anticipated title yet

SECURED THE ARC!!!! - fastest approval ever too?!!

buddy reading with one of my favs julia <33 this will be a 5 star and full of tears!!!


–––



₊⊹⁀➴ 𝐩𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞
it's on netgalley?!!! pls pls pls arria i'd do anything


–––


edit: someone check on me i just saw the cover on insta and im not okay like what

this is my most anticipated read of 2026 !! when the cover gets released s&s canada will be hearing from me 🤭

guys SECOND CHANCE?!! OCD rep !! hello peyton is doing it again 😫

this is going to serve sooo hard omg

[mags · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️

"If you cut open my skin, I think his name would be written across my veins, branded on the actual muscle of my heart."

"Every poem I write is about you"

"I will never pressure her for anything, but I will always long for her."

"You're the only person who has ever had me. All of me."

"I would crawl through broken glass to get to you, P."

there are not words to describe how much i DEEPLY love paloma and bennett. they are so so special to me and will always have a place on my heart

both of these characters struggled so much and yet loved eachother so wholeheartedly, it was beautiful to read about 🥹 despite any circumstances, their love for eachother never wavered for even a second

seeing paloma get the family and support she never got had me sobbing. and bennett is my perfect angel man, i ADORE him. i love adam so much, he was such a good dad to bennett and just loved him so much. toren and paloma friendship was also so sweet, they are very much different sides of the same coin

bennett is PERFECT. always cooking for her, washing her hair, getting her the kid snacks she likes, writing poetry for her, always showing up when she needs him 😭😭😭 oh how i love that man. his obsession with her hair was so adorable


also- i can not WAIT for toren's book

thank you so much netgalley for this arc!!

[abby :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

- just finished my first reread, of many i am sure, and i am still just as in love with bennett and paloma!! the softness of this book is really what makes it so special to me, i love seeing the safe space these two create with each other. i do have some issues with the narrative choice, like some of the back and forth is odd but its nothing compared to the connection i feel to the characters. this reread just made me infinitely more excited for toren and lily. i genuinely won't be a complete person until i get all the lore on them. their book better be just as long, if not longer, than this one... I WANT YEARS OF HISTORY AND YEARNING!!!!!! in the end i just love this little family! -

i lasted a total of five minutes before seeing this hit my inbox and downloading it. yes, i read it in seven hours and i’ve never been prouder of myself.

peyton knows what she’s doing, the sweet men she concocts with her words, i love her and i love them. i’ve been waiting for this book and with every tiny scene of them in the other two stories i grew more impatient. i couldn’t be happier that they exceeded my expectations and if you read this and don’t love them… please don’t call.

bennett is just the sweetest human being and he’s so protective and smart and lovely, i need him. paloma, my dear girl, has been through so much and she’s so strong and i love her. the friendships she forms in this book, the family she creates, i couldn’t be happier for her and i just want to give her a hug. bennett loves her so much and it’s so clear, peyton you’ve outdone yourself!!!

finally, i can’t write a review for this series without mentioning my love, toren kane!!!! guys he has page time in this book and lines and i love him more if possible. i cannot wait to see what peyton does with this next book becuase i have so many theories and there’s so much to say about him… about ****, about holden… ITS ALL SO GOOD!!!!!!

i honestly have so much more to say about them but this review would be a novel and the book isn’t out for six months so i have to chill. i’ll be back in april!

*thank you netgalley and atria for the copy!*

[maelyn (hiatus)]

take my money

[cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Know her? Sure. If by know her, he means that she is half of my soul. The tumultuous sea to my constant shore.

INFINITY STARS FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL STORY 🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼✨✨
If you didn’t like this book this is your warning right now to move along and don’t read this. (and just know I will never take a book rec from you serious ever again because this was absolute perfection and no one can convince me otherwise.) Also PLEASE check the TW list at the beginning of the book. There are some heavy topics discussed in this story.
Now to the good part…

I knew this book would mess with me, but I didn’t expect it to haunt my brain like this. From page one, it felt like someone cracked open a memory box of first love and said, here, relive this slowly—painfully slowly. And then the story said, oh, you think you’re prepared? (I was absolutely not 😭 )

The past and present switch back and forth throughout 3 years. THREE. WHOLE. YEARS. And every transition felt like emotional whiplash. One second they’re clumsy, awkward, discovering how to love someone for the first time (my cheeks actually hurt from smiling so much), and then we’re yanked to the present where they can barely stand to look at each other. THE ANGST. OHHHH THE ANGST.💔💔 (I swear my heart dropped into my stomach so many different times.)

Bennett. Oh Bennett 🥹🥹🥹 Watching him love in any timeline is both the softest and hardest part. He doesn’t just like routine—he needs it. His anxiety, the rituals, the way he panics when something changes? It’s not played off as a cute little quirk. It’s real. It’s raw.

Paloma… where do I even start? She’s sharp, loud, confident on the surface, but everything underneath is cracked and scared. She pushes away the exact person she wants to run toward. And yes, sometimes I wanted to shake her (like full body shake), but the more I learned about her, the more it felt like watching someone drown quietly. It’s so frustrating to love someone who won’t let you love them.

And the way Bennett loves her? Obsessive in the gentlest way possible. Not jealous. Not controlling. Just this constant need to care. His obsession with her hair?? Don’t even get me started. 🤚🏼 I can already see people getting annoyed because it was mentioned so frequently but SERIOUSLY??? The way he yearns to touch it, play with it, wash it… Just shows his true heart in how he wants to take care of HER. He’s always paying attention. Always making sure she’s okay. (Imagine someone memorizing the way you fall apart just to make sure you never have to do it alone again 😭😭🥹) It’s devotion without trying to make it look like devotion.

The slow burn nearly killed me because it wasn’t just “will they kiss already?” It was ”will she ever stop being afraid of a love that never stopped choosing her? The tension wasn’t even physical first. It was emotional, building in silence, in eye contact, in near-touches that meant more than actual touching. (I had to close the book multiple times to breathe because I was so anxious for them. 😭)

The portrayal of therapy, healing, and coping? Chef’s kiss. 🤌🏼 Not a cure. Not a quick fix. Actual work. Actual grief. Actual change. (I could cry again just thinking about how carefully it was written.) And speaking of representation… Peyton Corinne once again puts genuine research, nuance, and heart into portraying neurodivergence. The anxiety, OCD, and autism aren’t treated as buzzwords or personality decorations; they’re explored with depth, respect, and lived-in accuracy. You can tell she truly cares how these experiences are represented. She lets characters exist in their routines, discomforts, and coping mechanisms without apologizing for them. And Paloma’s childhood trauma? The grief isn’t thrown in as a twist—it’s layered, complicated, and painfully human.

By the end, I wasn’t just rooting for them to fall in love. I was begging them to finally let themselves be loved. This book didn’t just give me a love story. It gave me a slow, unsteady unraveling that made the healing feel like the reward. And I’m keeping this one in my heart forever because once a story like this gets ahold of you… you don’t walk away from it tied up—you leave completely and utterly ✨ Unbound ✨

ALSOOOOOO. For those of you who have been waiting for Toren’s story??? After the little teasers… Oh. Oh no. Oh YES. Let’s just say I’m suspiciously prepared for a trio instead of a duo, and if I’m wrong, fine 🤚🏼—BUT IF I’M RIGHT? (Screaming. Actual screaming.)

-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-favorite quotes-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-

”If you cut open my skin, I think his name would be written across my veins, branded on the actual muscle of my heart.”

“Her eyes are locked on me; the warm feeling of being observed by her feeds my soul.”

“He runs his pinky over mine, linking them with such tenderness I feel him in my toes. Like a piece of his soul runs through my bloodstream.”

“Bennett is more intoxicating than I'd imagine any
drug or drink might be.”

“My heart tugs like the organ is trying to burst from my chest and into his hands, where it's always belonged.”

-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-♡-

things to know about the book ↓

📝 friend→lovers
📝 he never stops loving her
📝 second-chance
📝 SO MUCH ANGST
📝 cinnamon roll MMC
📝 aftercare 👏🏼 (he enjoys it almost more)

A huge thank you to Netgalley, Atria Books, and Peyton Corrine for allowing me to read this arc. These are all my honest opinions in this review.

spice rating:【 🌶️🌶️🌶️ 】
language: yes

⸻⸻⸻

・❥・⁀➷ pre-read

I actually screamed when I saw I was approved for this arc 😭 I was OBSESSED with Unloved. Brb as I spend the next day only reading this 🥹

[Lucia · Rating 4 out of 5]

one of my most anticipated reads of '26, and i know it won't disappoint
♡♡♡♡♡♡
omg omg omg i got the arc!!!! i'm so happy and excited!
♡♡♡♡♡♡

I finished this in record time! This book was truly so beautiful and well-composed. It had amazing representations of mental health and trauma, as well as the non-linear yet so important process of healing and growth. The charecter dynamics were to die for, and I love Paloma and Bennett so much, and Lily is a complete sweetheart. I really enjoyed the first two books, but this one I truly loved with my whole heart!! If there's one thing about me, it's that I deeply connect with my closed-off self-sabotage girls; they're my babies.

Anyway, on to the most important part: Toren Kane a.k.a. my book bf who doesn't even have his own book yet. All of the little cameos of him and Lily were literally to die for. He has Van Gogh tattoos and she has Van Gogh prints, he has a tattoo of a Lily (her name), they clearly have history, and I'm just so incredibly excited for their book!!

Also I got this as an ARC in exchange for an honest review, so THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU Payton Corinne, Arria Books, and NetGalley!! This made my day <3

[Crystal's Bookish Life · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book sets out to do several ambitious things and pulls them off perfectly. Not only do we have a story of first love, between two people struggling with the hand life has dealt them and finding love despite of that, but we also have an extended amount of time they are apart, a break up, and a second chance at true love.

The stakes were high, to each person internally, and that feeling translated SO well here. Every time apart, every shift closer, was communicated to the reader in such a clear and visceral way that I couldn't help but experience the entire range of emotions that our characters were.

This is a unique and beautiful second chance romance that gave me everything I wanted when I am looking for a deeply moving and emotional romance (which is always)

Will definitely be a favorite of the year.

I received an audio ARC for review via Libro.fm

Full review in real time will be in my next vlog 😍

[Kelsey reviews•books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy pub day!! My heart beats for Paloma and Bennett. This series is the closest thing to the feeling that Boys of Tommen by Chloe Walsh gave me that I’ve found yet. Unbound is book 3 in the Undone series and should be read in order.

▹My ⭐ Rating: ★★★★.25 out of 5
▹Format: 📱 eReader
A massive than you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this advanced electronic copy. These are my honest opinions.
─────────────────────────

○★○ What to Expect from This Book: ○★○

– About: Paloma and Bennett met during fall of Freshman year in college and quickly become each other’s lifelines. But when both of their pasts collide, they learn that some demons can’t be outrun.
– FMC: Paloma Blake (aka “P” or “love”). Tries to hide in the shadows because she’s often been compared to her mother's good looks and that’s gotten her into terrifying situations in the past. Is patient and kind but weighed down by trauma and doesn’t know how to cope.
– MMC: Bennett Reiner (aka “Ben” or “love”). “autistic guy with OCD”/“silent hockey goalie who doesn’t like people” Sweet and caring of those in his inner circle. Loves Paloma’s hair (like an obsessive amount).
– Location: Massachusetts
– POV: Dual first-person / dual timeline
– Spice: 9 open-door spicy scenes (some more explicit than others, many romantic vs. vulgar)
– Tropes: strangers to lovers, second chance, virgin MMC, hockey romance, college/new adult, it’s always been you, poetry lovers,
– Content warning: obsessive thought spirals, compulsive acts, panic attacks, childhood trauma (specifically child neglect, sexual abuse, and grooming of a minor), mild violence, depression, anxiety, sudden breakup, corrupt law enforcement
– Representation: mental health (autistic MMC, OCD MMC, depression/anxiety MCs), therapy, therapy dog

─────────────────────────

↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ 1:00 ──ㅇ────── 4:12

Now Playing: Stay by Michelle Featherstone

╰┈➤ ❝If I build a wall a hundred feet tall, would that keep you in? If I shackled your feet so you couldn’t leave, would you try and run?...Or would you stay?❞

─────────────────────────

★○ If You Like the Following, You Might Like This Book ○★

➼ Boys of Tommen series by Chloe Walsh, Say You Swear by Meagan Brandy, and Collide by Bal Khabra
➼ Emotional romances with broken characters and a fair amount of spice

─────────────────────────

⍟»This or That«⍟

Character Driven———✧————————Plot Driven
Fast Burn——————✧—————Slow Burn
Sweet————————✧———Spicy
Light/Fluffy———————✧————Heavy/Emotional

─────────────────────────

🎯 My Thoughts:

My heart beats for Paloma and Bennett. I could tell just by the little glimpses we got of them in Unsteady and Unloved that their story was going to pack a punch, and this book delivered on that front. The trauma and hurdles that both Paloma and Bennett have in this book will touch many readers—Paloma with her complicated and abusive past and Bennett with his highly relatable autism and OCD. Their story unfolds as a second chance of sorts, complete with a tear-jerking catalyst for the reason the broke up in the past.

Some readers, however, may find the pacing and layout of the timeline disorienting. There were a few times I was reading a chapter and had to refer back to the chapter header to confirm if I was actually reading something in the past or present, because they shift often yet they parallel so much. I believe this is intentional, as it definitely mimics and puts the reader through a thought spiral. There were times where it felt so abrupt to me that it took me out of the story, though, so others may feel the same way.

That said, the representation in this book was painfully beautiful, and I loved that the story was also told in tandem with poetry—some real, some written by the author as the characters. I also loved the inclusion of Bennett's therapy dog, Seven, who is the bestest boy.

I cannot wait for more from this series and Peyton Corinne in the future.

Would I Recommend?: Yes, please read this series—especially if you love emotional romances.

╰┈➤ ❝Take the time you need, but then you have to get up. That’s what we do. We get up. We keep going. Women can survive anything. We’re the stronger ones—remember that when someone tries to make you feel small or weak.❞

—————————————-
Pre-read thoughts: I just got approved for this ARC!!!! I had given up, but happy early Christmas to me :)

[Gry ☾]

°. *࿐pre-read:

oh wow peyton got a BUDGET UPDATE for her covers.
buddy reading with my faves of all faves manas

[poppi ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

thank you to netgalley and peyton corinne for this arc. i am finally getting around to writing this review and it's long overdue. it's difficult for me to write reviews so early on and give all my thoughts, without any spoilers, but i'm going to try.

5☆

this book was everything. i thought it was going to be difficult to beat out unloved for my top spot in this series, but this one did it.

——— ⋆. 𐙚 ˚ ———

bennett reiner, you must be protected at all costs. i am in love with this man. each and every little detail about him is perfect. he is so caring and so thoughtful, so worried about everyone around him that he tends to forget about himself and his own wellbeing. i just want to scoop him and put him in my pocket and take him everywhere with me! he's genuinely just so precious. i don't know how else to describe him. he's the embodiment of an angel.

paloma blake is so misunderstood, it genuinely breaks my heart. while reading undone and unloved, you genuinely do not see this woman as a whole, and once you get to know her to her core, she grows on you, so much. i am obsessed with her and the strength that she possesses. i want to protect her at all costs too. she was failed day in and day out by those who were meant to protect her. i am so sorry for all that she has endured. my girl deserves nothing but the best and i will fight tooth and nail for that.

the two of them together is everything. i could not get enough of these two. when they finally stopped orbiting around one another and gave him, it fell perfectly in place. these two have been through hell and back but only came out stronger at the end of it all.

seeing the two of them get their happy ending healed something in me because nobody deserves it more than they do. to know that they have one another in their corners and fighting for each other makes me so happy. their connection is so strong, so beautiful, so real and so raw. full stop.

𐙚 ‧₊˚ ⋅

this book broke me and healed me all at once. peyton corinne, you are a genius and i am so grateful that you have shared your talent with us once again. this time, though? you have genuinely outdone yourself on a deeper level that i am so grateful i was able to witness at an earlier date.

book four, though? i am so ready for you. i fear i may not ever recover.

[Lilyya ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

if i could resume 𝑈𝑛𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 it would be: gut-wrenching and character-driven. i honestly still can’t quite articulate what it did to me. it was one of those relentless reads that breaks you from the opening line to the very last.

I can, without contest, count Paloma as one of the most guarded and layered characters i’ve met. diving into her journey after being caricatured as a detestable personage in the author’s previous works painted her under a new light, a whole new perspective.
even though nothing about her was softened it was definitely, painfully understood. the way she is, the way she reacts, the way she holds herself.. it all started to make sense, piece by piece. her past was revealed in fragments, like pieces of a patchwork you have to gather carefully until you get the agonizing final answer, and when it does, it’s a hard freaking pill to swallow.

the narration of the story ricocheted between past and present chapters. it let you see them then and now, and somehow realize that nothing essential between them ever really changed. even after everything, they were still soft with each other. still careful. still carrying that same quiet tenderness in the way they spoke, in the way they showed up.

and Ben… i don’t even know how to put him into words. seeing him like this (not just steady, but vulnerable) added so much depth to him. their journeys didn’t mirror each other, but they met somewhere in between. they didn’t fix each other, they just… understood. they held space for one another in a way that felt real, almost instinctive.

this book hurt. a lot. but it was also beautifully written in a quiet yet heavy manner. i know i’ll be carrying it with me for a while.

many thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review!