What do you think?
Rate this book
The Undone #1
Unsteady
Rhys Koteskiy is back — at least, he's supposed to be.
During last year’s Frozen Four, the Waterfell University hockey captain, and NHL legacy, took a brutal hit that left him with a concussion and a new discomfort on the ice. Plagued by nightmares and panic attacks every time he attempt to skate, Rhys wonders if he’ll ever play again — if he’ll ever want to.
Sadie Brown is staying focused this semester — no matter what.
Currently drowning in debt, custody hearings for her younger brothers and skating practices, she's just trying to make it to the next day. A spitfire figure skater known for her bad attitude and frequent disappearing acts, she has a reputation on campus. And it’s not a pretty one.
When she accidentally witnesses one of the golden boy hockey captain’s panic attacks and attempts to help him, a strange sort of understanding strikes up between them.
No questions asked. Just comfort.
But Rhys finds himself drawn to Sadie. Where he feels empty, a shell of the man and player he was before, Sadie is so full of everything it bursts from her; every emotion she feels seems like it’s blasted at max. Rhys is desperate to feel anything, Sadie wants to stop feeling so much.
But healing doesn’t mix with secrets, and they’re both skating a thin line, unsteady .
During last year’s Frozen Four, the Waterfell University hockey captain, and NHL legacy, took a brutal hit that left him with a concussion and a new discomfort on the ice. Plagued by nightmares and panic attacks every time he attempt to skate, Rhys wonders if he’ll ever play again — if he’ll ever want to.
Sadie Brown is staying focused this semester — no matter what.
Currently drowning in debt, custody hearings for her younger brothers and skating practices, she's just trying to make it to the next day. A spitfire figure skater known for her bad attitude and frequent disappearing acts, she has a reputation on campus. And it’s not a pretty one.
When she accidentally witnesses one of the golden boy hockey captain’s panic attacks and attempts to help him, a strange sort of understanding strikes up between them.
No questions asked. Just comfort.
But Rhys finds himself drawn to Sadie. Where he feels empty, a shell of the man and player he was before, Sadie is so full of everything it bursts from her; every emotion she feels seems like it’s blasted at max. Rhys is desperate to feel anything, Sadie wants to stop feeling so much.
But healing doesn’t mix with secrets, and they’re both skating a thin line, unsteady .
480 pages, Paperback
First published November 3, 2023
5525 people are currently reading
93772 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 9,578 reviews
June 25, 2024
picked this up because it was giving me johnny and shannon vibes, it was entertaining!
July 10, 2024
If you were to take a shot every time the word “small” was used in this book, you would die from alcohol poisoning.
.
2.5⭐️
.
2.5⭐️
April 19, 2025
4.5 ⭐️This book was like a warm hug I desperately needed!! Everything I wanted and then some out of a college hockey romance. I seriously and so in love with Rhys it’s not even funny. The way he shows his love for Sadie had my heart MELTING and had me sobbing on multiple occasions. I genuinely was not expecting to love this book as much as I did, this is exactly what I want out of a sports romance!! The author captures anxiety and PTSD perfectly to the point where this book hit very close to home. I NEED the next books in this series NOW!
For lovers of:
✔️reverse grumpy sunshine
✔️golden retriever MMC
✔️he falls first
✔️mental health rep
✔️found family
✔️ANGST
✔️college hockey romance
For lovers of:
✔️reverse grumpy sunshine
✔️golden retriever MMC
✔️he falls first
✔️mental health rep
✔️found family
✔️ANGST
✔️college hockey romance
December 28, 2023
★ 3 stars
i have mixed feelings about this... listen, it is not a bad book, i liked it — but i just didn’t love it, you know? and that makes me feel a bit disappointed because i really wanted to love it.
okay, let’s get into it.
i’m gonna start talking about the characters first;
Sadie, the FMC, has the weight of the world on her shoulders. with an absent mother and an alcoholic father, she didn’t have a chance to have a normal childhood and had to shoulder responsibilities from a very young age. she has to take care of her two younger brothers, Oliver and Liam, work multiple jobs, worry about figure skating, school and other stuff. the girl has a lot on her plate and it’s definitely not easy.
it hurt my heart to know the things that she had gone through, it was just so sad. what i liked most about Sadie’s character is that she’s selfless, strong, determined, independent and hardworking. though i gotta admit that at times she annoyed me with her rudeness and some of her actions made me upset, but deep down i could understand why she acted the way she did and i can’t say i hated her for it. Sadie being flawed actually made her seem more realistic and i still think she’s a good character despite everything.
Rhys, the MMC, also has his own struggles. he’s the captain of a hockey team, and last season he had a brutal accident on the ice that left him with PTSD and panic attacks — for that reason, he feels anxious every time he attempts to skate.
seeing him struggling and constantly thinking he was broken was truly heartbreaking, i just wanted to give him the biggest hug. Rhys deserves the world. he’s so caring, protective, gentle, understanding and easily lovable. believe me when i tell you it was impossible not to fall for him because it’s the truth. i swear, not even 100 pages in and i was already head over heels for this guy. well, how could i not? he’s such a sweetheart. Rhys is, without a doubt, one of my favorite things about this book.
the romance was enjoyable for the most part. i mean, i always eat up the golden retriever boyfriend & black cat girlfriend trope so of course i’d enjoy it. Rhys and Sadie might have different personalities, but that doesn’t change the fact that they are a perfect match. they are just lovely together and i’d be lying if i said they didn’t have great chemistry. what i most liked about them as a couple is that they were able to find comfort, peace and strength in each other. it was heartwarming to see these two healing and growing together.
however, i have some complaints about their relationship. my biggest complaint is that it felt very insta-lovey and i don’t think there was enough build-up. i was expecting slow burn, but that’s not exactly what Rhys and Sadie delivered given the fact that they met once and already started liking each other. then they had their first kiss and, although the scene was cute, i don’t think it should’ve happened too early. this book has 425 pages (on my kindle) and they kissed at page 97 — i don’t know about you, but for me that’s fast. i feel like it could’ve waited a bit more. giving them more time to know each other, taking things slowly and keep the tension growing would’ve been more fun in my opinion. my another complaint is that the spicy scenes were not pleasant, i found myself cringing a lot while reading them and that’s why at some point i started skipping those scenes. i couldn’t enjoy the way some things were written. lastly, i personally think that the romance was missing something. don’t get me wrong; as i said, it was enjoyable for the most part and the main characters are adorable together, i just think that something was lacking in their relationship and i can’t pinpoint *exactly* what it was. perhaps more depth and more angst? a little drama? i don’t know... probably.
but, those things aside, i still enjoyed reading Rhys and Sadie’s romance. a cute love story regardless.
as for the story in general... well, it started out strong and, despite the insta-love, i was enjoying it a lot at the beginning. but as the story progressed, i started getting bored because it became repetitive in some aspects and i had the impression that most of the times there was not much going on plot-wise so that made me lose my interest a little. also, there were a few plot holes and loose ends. some stuff definitely needed to be more explained and detailed, because even after finishing the book i still have questions left unanswered. and i found the pacing of the story a bit off, sometimes it was too rushed or sometimes it was too slow. for example, the last few chapters really dragged on, but on the other hand, the epilogue felt very abrupt (and unsatisfying).
overall, the book as a whole isn’t bad. even though my thoughts on it weren’t all positive, i can’t say that my experience reading it was the worst. fortunately, i was able to enjoy some things which is great — but the thing is that the execution just wasn’t the best and for this reason i couldn’t love it as much as i hoped. it could’ve and it had potential to be way better. nonetheless, i can’t deny that i was impressed to know that this was the author’s first book. despite its flaws, i have to admit that it was really good for a debut and i’m interested in reading more books by Peyton Corrine in the future. i genuinely believe that her next books will improve.
───────────
pre-review:
starting my 100th read of the year and i’m beyond excited!! please be a good book 😭🙏🏻
buddy read with my gorgeous girl nina 🧸
i have mixed feelings about this... listen, it is not a bad book, i liked it — but i just didn’t love it, you know? and that makes me feel a bit disappointed because i really wanted to love it.
okay, let’s get into it.
i’m gonna start talking about the characters first;
Sadie, the FMC, has the weight of the world on her shoulders. with an absent mother and an alcoholic father, she didn’t have a chance to have a normal childhood and had to shoulder responsibilities from a very young age. she has to take care of her two younger brothers, Oliver and Liam, work multiple jobs, worry about figure skating, school and other stuff. the girl has a lot on her plate and it’s definitely not easy.
“I picture her, as a sixteen-year-old girl, less angry and caring for children, budgeting, cleaning up her father even when he didn’t deserve it. To protect her brothers. To keep them close, because there wasn’t one adult in her life she could trust. And no one was taking care of her.”
it hurt my heart to know the things that she had gone through, it was just so sad. what i liked most about Sadie’s character is that she’s selfless, strong, determined, independent and hardworking. though i gotta admit that at times she annoyed me with her rudeness and some of her actions made me upset, but deep down i could understand why she acted the way she did and i can’t say i hated her for it. Sadie being flawed actually made her seem more realistic and i still think she’s a good character despite everything.
Rhys, the MMC, also has his own struggles. he’s the captain of a hockey team, and last season he had a brutal accident on the ice that left him with PTSD and panic attacks — for that reason, he feels anxious every time he attempts to skate.
“My body is healed, fully, every bit of it pressed back together. My mind is the thing that’s broken, permanently.”
seeing him struggling and constantly thinking he was broken was truly heartbreaking, i just wanted to give him the biggest hug. Rhys deserves the world. he’s so caring, protective, gentle, understanding and easily lovable. believe me when i tell you it was impossible not to fall for him because it’s the truth. i swear, not even 100 pages in and i was already head over heels for this guy. well, how could i not? he’s such a sweetheart. Rhys is, without a doubt, one of my favorite things about this book.
the romance was enjoyable for the most part. i mean, i always eat up the golden retriever boyfriend & black cat girlfriend trope so of course i’d enjoy it. Rhys and Sadie might have different personalities, but that doesn’t change the fact that they are a perfect match. they are just lovely together and i’d be lying if i said they didn’t have great chemistry. what i most liked about them as a couple is that they were able to find comfort, peace and strength in each other. it was heartwarming to see these two healing and growing together.
“You are worth it. And if I have to fight the little demons in your mind that convince you otherwise for every day for the rest of our lives? I’ll happily do it. Do you understand?”
however, i have some complaints about their relationship. my biggest complaint is that it felt very insta-lovey and i don’t think there was enough build-up. i was expecting slow burn, but that’s not exactly what Rhys and Sadie delivered given the fact that they met once and already started liking each other. then they had their first kiss and, although the scene was cute, i don’t think it should’ve happened too early. this book has 425 pages (on my kindle) and they kissed at page 97 — i don’t know about you, but for me that’s fast. i feel like it could’ve waited a bit more. giving them more time to know each other, taking things slowly and keep the tension growing would’ve been more fun in my opinion. my another complaint is that the spicy scenes were not pleasant, i found myself cringing a lot while reading them and that’s why at some point i started skipping those scenes. i couldn’t enjoy the way some things were written. lastly, i personally think that the romance was missing something. don’t get me wrong; as i said, it was enjoyable for the most part and the main characters are adorable together, i just think that something was lacking in their relationship and i can’t pinpoint *exactly* what it was. perhaps more depth and more angst? a little drama? i don’t know... probably.
but, those things aside, i still enjoyed reading Rhys and Sadie’s romance. a cute love story regardless.
as for the story in general... well, it started out strong and, despite the insta-love, i was enjoying it a lot at the beginning. but as the story progressed, i started getting bored because it became repetitive in some aspects and i had the impression that most of the times there was not much going on plot-wise so that made me lose my interest a little. also, there were a few plot holes and loose ends. some stuff definitely needed to be more explained and detailed, because even after finishing the book i still have questions left unanswered. and i found the pacing of the story a bit off, sometimes it was too rushed or sometimes it was too slow. for example, the last few chapters really dragged on, but on the other hand, the epilogue felt very abrupt (and unsatisfying).
overall, the book as a whole isn’t bad. even though my thoughts on it weren’t all positive, i can’t say that my experience reading it was the worst. fortunately, i was able to enjoy some things which is great — but the thing is that the execution just wasn’t the best and for this reason i couldn’t love it as much as i hoped. it could’ve and it had potential to be way better. nonetheless, i can’t deny that i was impressed to know that this was the author’s first book. despite its flaws, i have to admit that it was really good for a debut and i’m interested in reading more books by Peyton Corrine in the future. i genuinely believe that her next books will improve.
───────────
pre-review:
starting my 100th read of the year and i’m beyond excited!! please be a good book 😭🙏🏻
buddy read with my gorgeous girl nina 🧸
May 19, 2025
Ummm excuse me?!? This was so cute, are you actually kidding me?! Painful at times, but definitely cute
December 14, 2023
「 ★ ★ ★ ★½ 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀 」
⤷ ˗ˏˋ꒰ they’re both skating a thin line, unsteady. ꒱
no better book could have been chosen for a buddyread than this one.
i found it easy to fall in love with this book as it gave me the exact same feeling as the boys of tommen series. the feeling of a found home, friendship, endless love and support.
unsteady is just the hockey version of that and i can‘t stop thinking about it because reading this book felt like being wrapped in the biggest, coziest hug.
🏒｡⋆୨୧˚ rhys koteskiy
⤷“falling into rhys feels like falling into addiction, or what i imagine that might be like. everything with him feels easier.“
rhys is a ray of sunshine despite the trauma of his incident on the ice. while reading his chapters, i wanted to give him a big hug. i loved the way peyton represented his mental health and vulnerability. he wasn’t afraid of showing how he‘s feeling. the way rhys loves is so gently but intense and unconditionally. there was never any doubt that he would ever leave her, no matter how difficult the times may be.
BUT i must admit that my feminism has left my body at times, especially when he says things like that‘s my girl and good girl 🧎🏼♀️ H-O-C-K-E-Y men. that‘s all i‘m gonna say !! (pls marry me asap)
✧˖°⛸️⋆ ˚ sadie brown
⤷ my heart broke for this girl. the way she had to take care of two kids from such a young age and put her own life on the side. yet she is such a confident character who doesn’t allow herself to be played with so easily.
the love she has for her brothers is indescribably beautiful ngl. i love the soft side of her that comes out whenever she‘s with the boys. “love you, nugget” she deserves EVERYTHING especially someone who finally takes care of her. she may well be one of my fav fmc now. i just love her.
ೃ⁀➷ i cannot believe that this book was peyton‘s debut book. i can assure u, i‘ll cherish this book for an eternity.
*ೃ༄ some of my fav quotes ˚◞♡ ⃗
❝ and nothing—no dark part of you, or your life, will ever change that. so, like i told oliver, if you don't want me anymore, that’s something I’ll have to deal with. but there will never be a day that I do not want you.
❝ you are worth it. and if I have to fight the little demons in your mind that convince you otherwise for every day for the rest of our lives? i’ll happily do it. do you understand?
❝ do you know what kotyonok means?” she laughs, smiling wider than i’m sure i’ve ever seen. “it means kitten, my love.
┈ *:･ﾟ｡ pre-review *ੈ✩‧₊˚ ｡ﾟ┈
reading this w my most precious fav bsf
i‘m in need of a good hockey romance
⤷ ˗ˏˋ꒰ they’re both skating a thin line, unsteady. ꒱
no better book could have been chosen for a buddyread than this one.
i found it easy to fall in love with this book as it gave me the exact same feeling as the boys of tommen series. the feeling of a found home, friendship, endless love and support.
unsteady is just the hockey version of that and i can‘t stop thinking about it because reading this book felt like being wrapped in the biggest, coziest hug.
“i start to wonder if cartoon hearts are
popping up over my head. everything in my system calms. it’s never like this with anyone else. absolute peace. It leaves me full, unprotected, unaware of anything except the softness of her skin and
the hard pillars of stone that guard her heart.“
🏒｡⋆୨୧˚ rhys koteskiy
⤷“falling into rhys feels like falling into addiction, or what i imagine that might be like. everything with him feels easier.“
rhys is a ray of sunshine despite the trauma of his incident on the ice. while reading his chapters, i wanted to give him a big hug. i loved the way peyton represented his mental health and vulnerability. he wasn’t afraid of showing how he‘s feeling. the way rhys loves is so gently but intense and unconditionally. there was never any doubt that he would ever leave her, no matter how difficult the times may be.
“rhys koteskiy could never be confined to
just one song—he’s a symphony, a never ending playlist that i want to repeat forever.“
BUT i must admit that my feminism has left my body at times, especially when he says things like that‘s my girl and good girl 🧎🏼♀️ H-O-C-K-E-Y men. that‘s all i‘m gonna say !! (pls marry me asap)
✧˖°⛸️⋆ ˚ sadie brown
⤷ my heart broke for this girl. the way she had to take care of two kids from such a young age and put her own life on the side. yet she is such a confident character who doesn’t allow herself to be played with so easily.
“loathing, self-hatred. If you feed them enough they grow like irremovable vines. mine grew thorns and wrapped around me as a kid, and no one has ever bothered to try and get in. until now.
the love she has for her brothers is indescribably beautiful ngl. i love the soft side of her that comes out whenever she‘s with the boys. “love you, nugget” she deserves EVERYTHING especially someone who finally takes care of her. she may well be one of my fav fmc now. i just love her.
ೃ⁀➷ i cannot believe that this book was peyton‘s debut book. i can assure u, i‘ll cherish this book for an eternity.
*ೃ༄ some of my fav quotes ˚◞♡ ⃗
❝ and nothing—no dark part of you, or your life, will ever change that. so, like i told oliver, if you don't want me anymore, that’s something I’ll have to deal with. but there will never be a day that I do not want you.
❝ you are worth it. and if I have to fight the little demons in your mind that convince you otherwise for every day for the rest of our lives? i’ll happily do it. do you understand?
❝ do you know what kotyonok means?” she laughs, smiling wider than i’m sure i’ve ever seen. “it means kitten, my love.
┈ *:･ﾟ｡ pre-review *ੈ✩‧₊˚ ｡ﾟ┈
reading this w my most precious fav bsf
i‘m in need of a good hockey romance
September 11, 2024
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ 2.75 𝓢𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓼 ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
This was a fun read as part of my Kindle Unlimited membership – I honestly couldn't even tell you what initially drew me to it - I guess I'm really in the mood for cooler weather already and who doesn't enjoy a good hockey player x figure skater trope every now and again?
The chemistry between Rhys and Sadie kept me reading, particularly as I was wondering how Corinne would resolve their varied and many challenges (individually and together).
At times, Sadie’s story felt like a mild episode of Shameless or a dysfunctional character’s secondary plotline in a teen drama. It worked well having two very different characters be brought together by Rhys’s challenges getting back on the ice. Also, we can all agree Sadie’s parents suck (I could go on after the frustrations of this storyline … could the poor girl not catch a break).
This was a pleasant read, although at times it felt like everything was wrapped up and resolved too quickly. Do I think the ending was realistic? No. Would I have ended things differently? Maybe. It was a nice HEA though.
╰⪼ 🩵Hockey Romance
╰⪼ 🤍Golden Retriever MMC
╰⪼ 🐈⬛Black Cat FMC
╰⪼ 🤍Opposites Attract
╰⪼ 🩵Hockey Star x Figure Skater
This was a fun read as part of my Kindle Unlimited membership – I honestly couldn't even tell you what initially drew me to it - I guess I'm really in the mood for cooler weather already and who doesn't enjoy a good hockey player x figure skater trope every now and again?
The chemistry between Rhys and Sadie kept me reading, particularly as I was wondering how Corinne would resolve their varied and many challenges (individually and together).
At times, Sadie’s story felt like a mild episode of Shameless or a dysfunctional character’s secondary plotline in a teen drama. It worked well having two very different characters be brought together by Rhys’s challenges getting back on the ice. Also, we can all agree Sadie’s parents suck (I could go on after the frustrations of this storyline … could the poor girl not catch a break).
This was a pleasant read, although at times it felt like everything was wrapped up and resolved too quickly. Do I think the ending was realistic? No. Would I have ended things differently? Maybe. It was a nice HEA though.
╰⪼ 🩵Hockey Romance
╰⪼ 🤍Golden Retriever MMC
╰⪼ 🐈⬛Black Cat FMC
╰⪼ 🤍Opposites Attract
╰⪼ 🩵Hockey Star x Figure Skater
August 29, 2025
— 1.5/5 stars ☆
this book was a battle. a 400-page war between me and the characters, and unfortunately, I lost. I picked this up because some people (now my sworn enemies) told me it was similar to Binding 13. let me tell you nothing about this book gave Binding 13. not the vibe, not the characters, not the emotional depth. I went in expecting a slow burn with layered characters, and instead, I got… whatever this was.
➷ sadie: I genuinely don’t think I’ve ever been this irritated by a main character before. And listen, I love a misunderstood, grumpy heroine. If she’s rude and defensive because she’s been through some things? I’ll probably end up loving her. But Sadie wasn’t just closed off she was downright a nasty bitch. Her sense of humor was nonexistent, her attitude was exhausting, and she acted like the world personally owed her something. I get it, her mom left, and she had to step up and raise her siblings. That’s a lot. but the book just made her come across as bitter, and not in a way I could sympathize with. She pushes everyone away, but the way she treats Rhys made me hate her more.
➷ Rhys: he was one of the most pathetically down bad men I’ve ever read. and not in the good, swoony way. He spends the entire book chasing after Sadie, taking care of her brothers, trying to be there for her, and she treats him like dirt. and what does he do? He just keeps coming back for more… dude stand up!! the man had no self respect. every other chapter, he was sulking about how he’s not good enough for her while simultaneously begging for any scrap of attention. It gave major “pick-me boy” energy. It got to the point where I wasn’t even rooting for him to get the girl I just wanted him to grow a backbone and walk away.
— and don’t even get me started on the romance. If you can even call it that. This was 90% Sadie rejecting Rhys, 5% Sadie having one nice moment with him before pushing him away again, and 5% of them finally getting together when I had already stopped caring. The back-and-forth between them was exhausting. I don’t mind slow burns, but this wasn’t a slow burn it was just Sadie being indecisive for hundreds of pages. and let’s not forget the insta love trope?! tell me why Rhys said that “she anchors his existence” like 4 chapters into the book 😭 BRO WHAT
at the end I just did not care. not about the characters, not about their struggles, and definitely not about their romance.
──────── ✿ ─────────
˚⊱🎀⊰˚ pre-read:
saw some people said it’s similar to binding 13 so let’s see!!!
this book was a battle. a 400-page war between me and the characters, and unfortunately, I lost. I picked this up because some people (now my sworn enemies) told me it was similar to Binding 13. let me tell you nothing about this book gave Binding 13. not the vibe, not the characters, not the emotional depth. I went in expecting a slow burn with layered characters, and instead, I got… whatever this was.
➷ sadie: I genuinely don’t think I’ve ever been this irritated by a main character before. And listen, I love a misunderstood, grumpy heroine. If she’s rude and defensive because she’s been through some things? I’ll probably end up loving her. But Sadie wasn’t just closed off she was downright a nasty bitch. Her sense of humor was nonexistent, her attitude was exhausting, and she acted like the world personally owed her something. I get it, her mom left, and she had to step up and raise her siblings. That’s a lot. but the book just made her come across as bitter, and not in a way I could sympathize with. She pushes everyone away, but the way she treats Rhys made me hate her more.
➷ Rhys: he was one of the most pathetically down bad men I’ve ever read. and not in the good, swoony way. He spends the entire book chasing after Sadie, taking care of her brothers, trying to be there for her, and she treats him like dirt. and what does he do? He just keeps coming back for more… dude stand up!! the man had no self respect. every other chapter, he was sulking about how he’s not good enough for her while simultaneously begging for any scrap of attention. It gave major “pick-me boy” energy. It got to the point where I wasn’t even rooting for him to get the girl I just wanted him to grow a backbone and walk away.
— and don’t even get me started on the romance. If you can even call it that. This was 90% Sadie rejecting Rhys, 5% Sadie having one nice moment with him before pushing him away again, and 5% of them finally getting together when I had already stopped caring. The back-and-forth between them was exhausting. I don’t mind slow burns, but this wasn’t a slow burn it was just Sadie being indecisive for hundreds of pages. and let’s not forget the insta love trope?! tell me why Rhys said that “she anchors his existence” like 4 chapters into the book 😭 BRO WHAT
at the end I just did not care. not about the characters, not about their struggles, and definitely not about their romance.
──────── ✿ ─────────
˚⊱🎀⊰˚ pre-read:
saw some people said it’s similar to binding 13 so let’s see!!!
July 21, 2025
Given the mostly stellar reviews this book has received, it's hard not to raise my expectations before diving into it. However, in my dictionary of three-star-rated books, this is nowhere up to par, at the same time also does not deserve to be in my other two-star-rated books which leaves me on the fence.
For starters, I appreciate this book for deviating from the typical jock story formula that often dwells solely on providing endless smut scenes in the end. Instead, it delves into deeper themes, particularly focusing on mental health, which is destigmatizing, fostering understanding and empathy for both of our main characters who are each grappling with their struggles. The narrative is crafted to be emotionally resonant and relatable — it goes beyond the usual sports romance, offering a sense of validation that is not commonly found in this genre.
And do I need to say more about Rhys freaking Koteskiy? He embodies the 'guy falls first' trope with a character so captivating it's almost bittersweet to acknowledge he's not real. Corinne's meticulous portrayal of Rhys feels too good to be true, yet it's evident she invested thought into shaping his sweet and charming personality. His endearing qualities are rooted in the love he witnessed growing up with his parents, adding a touching layer to his character. While it admittedly felt a tad unrealistic at first, I now came to understand and appreciate the profound emotional foundation behind his character.
Undeniably, Corinne too, has skillfully written Sadie Brown into a resilient woman; balancing three jobs, keeping her brothers fed, and on a schedule for her figure skating scholarship amidst the challenges of having an alcoholic father and an absent mother. Her tough exterior is entirely justified given her circumstances, and I can't fault her for maintaining a defensive (at times, seemingly rude) demeanor, considering the surreal contrast between her traumatizing home life which is something that could not be altered overnight even after experiencing the unconditional love from a certain golden boy.
Nevertheless, while the love interests seem to complement each other well — bolstering their personal development and offering unwavering emotional support, the chemistry between them feels somewhat lacking. It almost ticks all the right boxes in creating a good one but becomes disjointed with occasional jumps, missing details, or then too many details somewhere that it gets super long and drawn out (e.g: when there's a whole plot during the FWB deal).
Even in the beginning, Rhys's intense infatuation with Sadie feels somewhat abrupt, bordering on "insta love" which is a major undoing for me. While I loveee the guy-falls-first trope, this portrayal appears overly idealistic. She helped you once during your panic attack episode and you find yourself obsessing over her afterwards??? Also, I am not sure if this was intended but Corrine is trying so hard to make Sadie be the baddest FMC to the point she becomes annoyingly independent, then juxtaposed with the portrayal of a super nice guy, creating an unsettling fit within the storyline.
Whereas this is not poorly written, it also does not stand out as the best. One noticeable aspect is a tendency toward repetition in the writing, which became apparent even during a more immersive reading experience. Like geez I get it... he is a golden boy or an amazing person with a bright future or whatever there else is that Sadie can't stop monologuing or saying.
The ending also left much to be desired, lacking sufficient explanation. Don't get me wrong, it is still a HEA, and I don't expect an overly traumatic event to explain Rhys's anxiety after the incident, but the details of his development remain unclear. Another example is also apparent during one of Corrine's attempts to build suspense around Sadie's video with her manipulative, abusive coach during the tournament which eventually fell short. It felt rushed and didn't align with the book's consistent highlighting of the coach's creepy behavior and seemed like just a quick trip to provide a good ending.
For what it is worth, this book stands out in the realm of sports romance, offering a refreshing perspective through Sadie's journey. On another good side, I am also looking forward to a potential book for the other besties as undeniably I find myself drawn to their story more. So here is hoping Corrine delivers an even more compelling tale in the next installment.
[2.5/5 ☆]
For starters, I appreciate this book for deviating from the typical jock story formula that often dwells solely on providing endless smut scenes in the end. Instead, it delves into deeper themes, particularly focusing on mental health, which is destigmatizing, fostering understanding and empathy for both of our main characters who are each grappling with their struggles. The narrative is crafted to be emotionally resonant and relatable — it goes beyond the usual sports romance, offering a sense of validation that is not commonly found in this genre.
And do I need to say more about Rhys freaking Koteskiy? He embodies the 'guy falls first' trope with a character so captivating it's almost bittersweet to acknowledge he's not real. Corinne's meticulous portrayal of Rhys feels too good to be true, yet it's evident she invested thought into shaping his sweet and charming personality. His endearing qualities are rooted in the love he witnessed growing up with his parents, adding a touching layer to his character. While it admittedly felt a tad unrealistic at first, I now came to understand and appreciate the profound emotional foundation behind his character.
Undeniably, Corinne too, has skillfully written Sadie Brown into a resilient woman; balancing three jobs, keeping her brothers fed, and on a schedule for her figure skating scholarship amidst the challenges of having an alcoholic father and an absent mother. Her tough exterior is entirely justified given her circumstances, and I can't fault her for maintaining a defensive (at times, seemingly rude) demeanor, considering the surreal contrast between her traumatizing home life which is something that could not be altered overnight even after experiencing the unconditional love from a certain golden boy.
Nevertheless, while the love interests seem to complement each other well — bolstering their personal development and offering unwavering emotional support, the chemistry between them feels somewhat lacking. It almost ticks all the right boxes in creating a good one but becomes disjointed with occasional jumps, missing details, or then too many details somewhere that it gets super long and drawn out (e.g: when there's a whole plot during the FWB deal).
Even in the beginning, Rhys's intense infatuation with Sadie feels somewhat abrupt, bordering on "insta love" which is a major undoing for me. While I loveee the guy-falls-first trope, this portrayal appears overly idealistic. She helped you once during your panic attack episode and you find yourself obsessing over her afterwards??? Also, I am not sure if this was intended but Corrine is trying so hard to make Sadie be the baddest FMC to the point she becomes annoyingly independent, then juxtaposed with the portrayal of a super nice guy, creating an unsettling fit within the storyline.
Whereas this is not poorly written, it also does not stand out as the best. One noticeable aspect is a tendency toward repetition in the writing, which became apparent even during a more immersive reading experience. Like geez I get it... he is a golden boy or an amazing person with a bright future or whatever there else is that Sadie can't stop monologuing or saying.
The ending also left much to be desired, lacking sufficient explanation. Don't get me wrong, it is still a HEA, and I don't expect an overly traumatic event to explain Rhys's anxiety after the incident, but the details of his development remain unclear. Another example is also apparent during one of Corrine's attempts to build suspense around Sadie's video with her manipulative, abusive coach during the tournament which eventually fell short. It felt rushed and didn't align with the book's consistent highlighting of the coach's creepy behavior and seemed like just a quick trip to provide a good ending.
For what it is worth, this book stands out in the realm of sports romance, offering a refreshing perspective through Sadie's journey. On another good side, I am also looking forward to a potential book for the other besties as undeniably I find myself drawn to their story more. So here is hoping Corrine delivers an even more compelling tale in the next installment.
[2.5/5 ☆]
December 30, 2023
This book surprisingly made me really emotional and I was nottt prepared for tears to be streaming down my cheeks during a sports romance 😭🤚
Rhys and Sadie’s love filled my heart with warmth and comfort especially bc we got both their povs and seeing them thinking the most wholesome things about each other gahhh Rhys’s povs were my fav bc he was so down bad for her and I loved every second.
I loved loved loved the whole cast of characters in this book with my entire heart 🥹 each character had depth and weren’t just included as a plot device. Ugh I could go on and on about Rhys’ parents omfds they were the stars of this story AND Liam too- can’t forget Liam 😌
The writing needed a little more finesse but I thought it was rlly good for a debut novel. The characters are what made me grow to love this book and I will definitely cherish their story forever 🤧❤️🩹
𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲:
Ik how Freddy and Roras story is gna go so I’m more interested in knowing Paloma’s LI(which I suspect is gna be Bennet) and Toren’s story w the redhead 🤭
Rhys and Sadie’s love filled my heart with warmth and comfort especially bc we got both their povs and seeing them thinking the most wholesome things about each other gahhh Rhys’s povs were my fav bc he was so down bad for her and I loved every second.
I loved loved loved the whole cast of characters in this book with my entire heart 🥹 each character had depth and weren’t just included as a plot device. Ugh I could go on and on about Rhys’ parents omfds they were the stars of this story AND Liam too- can’t forget Liam 😌
The writing needed a little more finesse but I thought it was rlly good for a debut novel. The characters are what made me grow to love this book and I will definitely cherish their story forever 🤧❤️🩹
𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲:
Ik how Freddy and Roras story is gna go so I’m more interested in knowing Paloma’s LI(which I suspect is gna be Bennet) and Toren’s story w the redhead 🤭
December 4, 2023
naaaur bc this one surprised me so much 😮💨🤚🏼
rtc
𓏲 . ˙ ˖ 🧸 ꒱ pre-reading 𓏲 . ˙ ˖ 🧺 ꒱
the slut era has come to an end (for now my lovely gremlins 😩🤚🏼 don’t you go crying please, i’ll be back soon) and the soft, cute and lovable cottage fairy that lives in me resurrected from the dead and crawled her way to the surface 👼🏻💋💌 so fingers crossed for this one 🤞🏼✨ bc if this put me in a reading slump, there will be bloodshed 😤🫵🏼
rtc
𓏲 . ˙ ˖ 🧸 ꒱ pre-reading 𓏲 . ˙ ˖ 🧺 ꒱
the slut era has come to an end (for now my lovely gremlins 😩🤚🏼 don’t you go crying please, i’ll be back soon) and the soft, cute and lovable cottage fairy that lives in me resurrected from the dead and crawled her way to the surface 👼🏻💋💌 so fingers crossed for this one 🤞🏼✨ bc if this put me in a reading slump, there will be bloodshed 😤🫵🏼
April 27, 2025
╰┈➤ 2 stars!
i honestly had a hard time piecing together my thoughts about this book. i wouldn’t necessarily call it bad, but i can’t say it was good either—it just falls somewhere in between. that said, i can’t help but feel a little disappointed with how the story unfolded.
౨ৎ sadie. i completely understand that her upbringing played a huge role in why she struggles with commitment—probably because, to her, it would feel like adding yet another responsibility she’s not sure she can carry. she had to grow up way too fast, stepping into a parental role for her younger brothers, and that—without a doubt—is one of the hardest things life can throw at someone. i truly sympathized with her at the beginning.
however, the deeper i got into the story, the more frustrated i became with her character. at first, i genuinely thought she and rhys were meant for each other—they had that spark—but somewhere along the way, it just felt like she had so much emotional baggage that trying to build a relationship wasn’t even something she could prioritize. i understand her fear and her decisions, but i couldn’t help feeling frustrated that rhys always seemed to be the one paying the price for her indecisiveness.
౨ৎ rhys. as the captain of the hockey team, he had been pushing himself to move past the trauma he endured—but the scars ran deep, leaving him battling PTSD and panic attacks. reading his point of view was absolutely heartbreaking, seeing how much it continued to take a toll on his life and dreams.
even when the new season began, rhys was still struggling to show up for himself. it completely shattered me when he admitted that, while his body had physically healed, his mind remained permanently damaged. trauma has a way of dimming a person’s passion—and that was so clear with him. another thing that made his character even more painful to read was how deeply he loved sadie. he was down bad for her—truly worshipping the ground she walked on. and yet, despite that, sadie still chose to walk away whenever things became overwhelming.
one of the major things that felt missing for me was rhys’ journey back to reclaiming his role as captain. i wish there had been more depth to his healing process—not just him throwing himself back onto the ice and hoping for the best. it would’ve been more powerful if we saw him slowly rebuild his trust in his body and skills, maybe through small steps or targeted training. yes, it was comforting that he had sadie to call when the panic set in—but it would’ve been even better to see a fuller, more detailed picture of how he truly fought his way back, piece by piece.
・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・
pre-read:
reading another sports romance book! heard mixed reviews about this book so i’m reading it without any expectations
i honestly had a hard time piecing together my thoughts about this book. i wouldn’t necessarily call it bad, but i can’t say it was good either—it just falls somewhere in between. that said, i can’t help but feel a little disappointed with how the story unfolded.
౨ৎ sadie. i completely understand that her upbringing played a huge role in why she struggles with commitment—probably because, to her, it would feel like adding yet another responsibility she’s not sure she can carry. she had to grow up way too fast, stepping into a parental role for her younger brothers, and that—without a doubt—is one of the hardest things life can throw at someone. i truly sympathized with her at the beginning.
however, the deeper i got into the story, the more frustrated i became with her character. at first, i genuinely thought she and rhys were meant for each other—they had that spark—but somewhere along the way, it just felt like she had so much emotional baggage that trying to build a relationship wasn’t even something she could prioritize. i understand her fear and her decisions, but i couldn’t help feeling frustrated that rhys always seemed to be the one paying the price for her indecisiveness.
౨ৎ rhys. as the captain of the hockey team, he had been pushing himself to move past the trauma he endured—but the scars ran deep, leaving him battling PTSD and panic attacks. reading his point of view was absolutely heartbreaking, seeing how much it continued to take a toll on his life and dreams.
even when the new season began, rhys was still struggling to show up for himself. it completely shattered me when he admitted that, while his body had physically healed, his mind remained permanently damaged. trauma has a way of dimming a person’s passion—and that was so clear with him. another thing that made his character even more painful to read was how deeply he loved sadie. he was down bad for her—truly worshipping the ground she walked on. and yet, despite that, sadie still chose to walk away whenever things became overwhelming.
one of the major things that felt missing for me was rhys’ journey back to reclaiming his role as captain. i wish there had been more depth to his healing process—not just him throwing himself back onto the ice and hoping for the best. it would’ve been more powerful if we saw him slowly rebuild his trust in his body and skills, maybe through small steps or targeted training. yes, it was comforting that he had sadie to call when the panic set in—but it would’ve been even better to see a fuller, more detailed picture of how he truly fought his way back, piece by piece.
・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・
pre-read:
reading another sports romance book! heard mixed reviews about this book so i’m reading it without any expectations
June 6, 2024
2 stars
Nothing worse than getting into a book thinking its gonna be a new favourite and for it to end up being this disappointing!
I hated the characters. I love “the guy falls first” trope but in our hero’s case it was weird and kinda desperate (not even the good kind of desperate) He instantly fell in love with her after maybe one interaction. Also, no matter what she did or how bad she treated him he would still desperately want her. I just really didn’t like their weird dynamic.
As for Sadie, I get that the author was trying to make her that independent overwhelmed heroine that’s struggling but keeping it all together. However, I really didn’t like how she treated Rhys. I don’t know, most of the time it felt like she’s rude and a not so nice person.
I just really didn’t like their dynamic. There was never any build up for their relationship and it felt so insta-whatever. I guess this is like the first time I didn’t enjoy the “black cat/golden retriever” trope. In addition to that, the book was kind of so unnecessary repetitive and long.
Nothing worse than getting into a book thinking its gonna be a new favourite and for it to end up being this disappointing!
I hated the characters. I love “the guy falls first” trope but in our hero’s case it was weird and kinda desperate (not even the good kind of desperate) He instantly fell in love with her after maybe one interaction. Also, no matter what she did or how bad she treated him he would still desperately want her. I just really didn’t like their weird dynamic.
As for Sadie, I get that the author was trying to make her that independent overwhelmed heroine that’s struggling but keeping it all together. However, I really didn’t like how she treated Rhys. I don’t know, most of the time it felt like she’s rude and a not so nice person.
I just really didn’t like their dynamic. There was never any build up for their relationship and it felt so insta-whatever. I guess this is like the first time I didn’t enjoy the “black cat/golden retriever” trope. In addition to that, the book was kind of so unnecessary repetitive and long.
Want to read
October 18, 2023LAST 21 DAYS IM SO EXCITED can’t wait to add one more men WHOSE NAME IS RHYS to my book bf list hehe✍🏻
July 7, 2025
7/7 reread - absolute utter perfection
~~~~~~
without a doubt the best debut book i have ever read 😭
i HATE that i have to wait for more of her work to come out one day however i can confidently say that peyton corinne will be a future auto buy/read, no doubt about it
hopefully a better review to come in the future, im just entirely too tired and lazy rn lol however i recommend this book with my whole heart
~~~~~~
without a doubt the best debut book i have ever read 😭
i HATE that i have to wait for more of her work to come out one day however i can confidently say that peyton corinne will be a future auto buy/read, no doubt about it
hopefully a better review to come in the future, im just entirely too tired and lazy rn lol however i recommend this book with my whole heart
February 18, 2024
152626273 that’s how many times i rolled my eyes while i was reading 🙂
It started really good. I was actually enjoying it until it started to be very annoying and boring.
- the fmc was so annoying and rude and kinda of stupid too. Yes i felt bad for her, yes her story broke my heart but hello that doesn’t mean that i have to justify the way she was so rude and mean to the mmc for literally nothing!! Sometimes the way she treated him made me feel like she didn’t even love him lmaoo. She snapped at him. Told him the rudest, harshest words and she knew that she was hurting him and she didn’t back down!!!! It annoyed me so much that i was praying that he would finally break up with her because no one deserves to be treated like this ✋🏻
- the mc. Can you be any more dignity-less?? Im so convinced that if she cheated on him and didn’t apologize to him. He will take her back!! That’s how desperate he is. I was bagging him to be angry! To leave her for even a day just to make a point or something! To snap back at her! But he never did!! She dumbed him over the phone and he looked himself in the bathroom refusing to let anyone in but her!! Grow the fuck up and have some self respect for the love of god!! To my future boyfriend if i did anything like this to you. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE BREAK UP WITH🙏🏻🙏🏻
- the plot soo similar to binding 13 but with very childish and annoying characters!! I was more interested in the side characters than i was interested in the main characters ( yes toren kane and freddy I’m talking about u 🫦). I wanted more if her relationship with her father or her relationship with her brother but w didn’t get this and the smut felt a little cringe I didn’t like it at all. The ending was so rushed I felt like i was messing something.
It started really good. I was actually enjoying it until it started to be very annoying and boring.
- the fmc was so annoying and rude and kinda of stupid too. Yes i felt bad for her, yes her story broke my heart but hello that doesn’t mean that i have to justify the way she was so rude and mean to the mmc for literally nothing!! Sometimes the way she treated him made me feel like she didn’t even love him lmaoo. She snapped at him. Told him the rudest, harshest words and she knew that she was hurting him and she didn’t back down!!!! It annoyed me so much that i was praying that he would finally break up with her because no one deserves to be treated like this ✋🏻
- the mc. Can you be any more dignity-less?? Im so convinced that if she cheated on him and didn’t apologize to him. He will take her back!! That’s how desperate he is. I was bagging him to be angry! To leave her for even a day just to make a point or something! To snap back at her! But he never did!! She dumbed him over the phone and he looked himself in the bathroom refusing to let anyone in but her!! Grow the fuck up and have some self respect for the love of god!! To my future boyfriend if i did anything like this to you. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE BREAK UP WITH🙏🏻🙏🏻
- the plot soo similar to binding 13 but with very childish and annoying characters!! I was more interested in the side characters than i was interested in the main characters ( yes toren kane and freddy I’m talking about u 🫦). I wanted more if her relationship with her father or her relationship with her brother but w didn’t get this and the smut felt a little cringe I didn’t like it at all. The ending was so rushed I felt like i was messing something.
February 4, 2025
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷・❥・𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀・❥・ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
🌊02/02/25
2.75 2.5 stars, rtc, maybe? (giving this that extra .75 stars felt unacceptable after reading Unloved) I can finally breathe *sighs in relief after escaping Rhys & Sadie*. I really didn't like this book that much, it was just meh imo. 80% of this book was them lusting after each other?😃🔫 I almost dnf'd but pushed through it, because I need to read Unloved next. I'm so sleepy now after this book, so I'm off to get some rest.😌
🌊01/02/25
I got the arc for book 2 which is like releasing in 3 days & I have not read this book yet, because I kept putting it off my tbr for over a year as I'm not a fan of sports romances. So it's either now or never 😃 Hoping this doesn't make me fall in a slump again, let's gooooo 🏒
🌊02/02/25
🌊01/02/25
I got the arc for book 2 which is like releasing in 3 days & I have not read this book yet, because I kept putting it off my tbr for over a year as I'm not a fan of sports romances. So it's either now or never 😃 Hoping this doesn't make me fall in a slump again, let's gooooo 🏒
August 28, 2025
3.5 ★
ngl this book was good, not the best but i appreciated it. i think there was something missing. i felt no plot twist, no dramas: nothing. rhys is such a good and kind boy and i enjoyed a lot the way they talked about his trauma. on the other hand sadie is so caring, and so are her brothers. i only saw this: the story of the two characters and their events. nothing more.
⋮ @┆quotes
ngl this book was good, not the best but i appreciated it. i think there was something missing. i felt no plot twist, no dramas: nothing. rhys is such a good and kind boy and i enjoyed a lot the way they talked about his trauma. on the other hand sadie is so caring, and so are her brothers. i only saw this: the story of the two characters and their events. nothing more.
⋮ @┆quotes
“I thought maybe you could listen to it while you skate and… I don’t know. It’s stupid—” “It’s not,” I cut her off vehemently. “You made me a playlist.” “Yeah.”
“I like anything when it comes to you,” he confesses, and my heart clenches.
“I don’t know the song.” “You don’t know ‘Getaway Car’?”
“That’s nice,” Liam mumbles quietly. “What is, bud?” He tucks his head into my neck. “That you have a mommy. And a nice one.”
Oliver crashes to the floor almost instantly, quietly begging Liam not to wake me. But Liam ignores his plea and walks right over to my bed. I shut my eyes tight, feigning sleep, and he presses a gentle kiss to my forehead before whispering, “Sweet dreams, Sissy.”
Liam howls and elbows me in the side. “I’m gonna be the loudest one so Sissy knows it’s me.”
But Oliver was too old, and he understood everything, which meant that he wanted to protect me. So he always lived on edge, ready to fight for me.
April 27, 2025
way bigger fan of book #2 but still amazing audiobook! Rtc
➳ 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅ I read the second book first but since I'm meeting her in May I decided I need to read this one too! and what better way than to listen to it hehe
➳ 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅ I read the second book first but since I'm meeting her in May I decided I need to read this one too! and what better way than to listen to it hehe
March 21, 2025
✩ 3 stars ✩
What to Expect:
➼ He Falls First
➼ Hockey Player x Figure Skater
➼ Black Cat x Golden Retriever
➼ Found Family
➼ Alcoholic Father/Absent Mother
➼ Mental Health Rep
➼ College Romance
➼ Sports Romance
➼ Duet Narration
➼ Duel First Person POV
I’ve been really struggling with this review. I would describe this book as having high readability and I flew through it as a result, but there were some key details that just weren’t quite right. I liked their initial meeting, but from there, the way their relationship developed felt very rushed and left me feeling like there were deleted scenes. They spent a decent amount of time together on the ice, but it read like they were just in the same place at the same time and not really interacting or doing anything that would grow their relationship. They jumped rather abruptly into a benefits only relationship, but there is a long stretch of time where they don’t have sex so they felt pretty much like a couple from the start.
The FMC has an alcoholic father and an absentee mother, which leaves the care of her two younger brothers to her. She has an abusive coach who overtrains her and threatens repeatedly to have her removed from the team. Since this would result in the loss of her scholarship, she is desperately trying to keep it all together in the hopes that she will one day be able to formally adopt her siblings. It’s no easy task as she juggles her grades, her training schedule, and works to earn enough money to support them while also bearing the sole responsibility as caregiver for her siblings. Some of her actions were kind of frustrating, but as an oldest girl who’s practically incapable of asking for him, I can relate. 🙃
The MMC suffered a serious injury on the ice that nearly killed him and is now struggling with fear and panic attacks as he tries to prepare himself to return for his upcoming season. For the most part, I really liked the way his character was written. He definitely had golden retriever energy and I loved how thoughtful he was. Him purchasing a car seat for her brother was particularly adorable. 💗
I have to say that Rhys’s parents were really the stars or the show! My favorite part of the book was when Rhys’s hockey player father told him he didn’t care if he ever played hockey again and basically that he just wanted him to be happy and that he would be there to support him no matter what he chose. I really wish I would have bookmarked that part when I read it so I could include the whole quote! It was so sweet! In deciding to date Sadie, Rhys was committing to much more than just her, so Rhys having such a solid support system made me feel much more optimistic about their chances of staying together.
The author came through in the end. I just wish she would have cleaned up the beginning a little bit. I’ve spent way too long trying to write this so I’m gonna have to just hit send. Sorry if there are typos. 😅
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: I’m to chapter 68 of 80 in The Ashes & the Star Cursed King and I need to shift gears for a bit! I’ve been enjoying it mostly, just needed a little break.
Hopefully this will be a fun detour! 🤞🏻
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Connect with me on Instagram
What to Expect:
➼ He Falls First
➼ Hockey Player x Figure Skater
➼ Black Cat x Golden Retriever
➼ Found Family
➼ Alcoholic Father/Absent Mother
➼ Mental Health Rep
➼ College Romance
➼ Sports Romance
➼ Duet Narration
➼ Duel First Person POV
I’ve been really struggling with this review. I would describe this book as having high readability and I flew through it as a result, but there were some key details that just weren’t quite right. I liked their initial meeting, but from there, the way their relationship developed felt very rushed and left me feeling like there were deleted scenes. They spent a decent amount of time together on the ice, but it read like they were just in the same place at the same time and not really interacting or doing anything that would grow their relationship. They jumped rather abruptly into a benefits only relationship, but there is a long stretch of time where they don’t have sex so they felt pretty much like a couple from the start.
The FMC has an alcoholic father and an absentee mother, which leaves the care of her two younger brothers to her. She has an abusive coach who overtrains her and threatens repeatedly to have her removed from the team. Since this would result in the loss of her scholarship, she is desperately trying to keep it all together in the hopes that she will one day be able to formally adopt her siblings. It’s no easy task as she juggles her grades, her training schedule, and works to earn enough money to support them while also bearing the sole responsibility as caregiver for her siblings. Some of her actions were kind of frustrating, but as an oldest girl who’s practically incapable of asking for him, I can relate. 🙃
The MMC suffered a serious injury on the ice that nearly killed him and is now struggling with fear and panic attacks as he tries to prepare himself to return for his upcoming season. For the most part, I really liked the way his character was written. He definitely had golden retriever energy and I loved how thoughtful he was. Him purchasing a car seat for her brother was particularly adorable. 💗
I have to say that Rhys’s parents were really the stars or the show! My favorite part of the book was when Rhys’s hockey player father told him he didn’t care if he ever played hockey again and basically that he just wanted him to be happy and that he would be there to support him no matter what he chose. I really wish I would have bookmarked that part when I read it so I could include the whole quote! It was so sweet! In deciding to date Sadie, Rhys was committing to much more than just her, so Rhys having such a solid support system made me feel much more optimistic about their chances of staying together.
The author came through in the end. I just wish she would have cleaned up the beginning a little bit. I’ve spent way too long trying to write this so I’m gonna have to just hit send. Sorry if there are typos. 😅
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: I’m to chapter 68 of 80 in The Ashes & the Star Cursed King and I need to shift gears for a bit! I’ve been enjoying it mostly, just needed a little break.
Hopefully this will be a fun detour! 🤞🏻
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Connect with me on Instagram
Read
February 19, 20242 lies i told Hoda today:
1- telling her i’m taking this off my tbr and start reading it immediately 😔
2- telling her i wouldn’t even update this on my gr(i did) and sending her screenshots of some scenes even though she hated this😔
since i’m done with my bad friend duties today, i want to say that:
this was the most pathetic mmc i’ve ever read. think of the most pathetic shit you’ve ever seen and multiply it with ten thousand🫦 i love it.
my honest reaction;
no rating because i read this solely for his pathetic behavior and don’t remember anything about the plot🤗
1- telling her i’m taking this off my tbr and start reading it immediately 😔
2- telling her i wouldn’t even update this on my gr(i did) and sending her screenshots of some scenes even though she hated this😔
since i’m done with my bad friend duties today, i want to say that:
this was the most pathetic mmc i’ve ever read. think of the most pathetic shit you’ve ever seen and multiply it with ten thousand🫦 i love it.
my honest reaction;
no rating because i read this solely for his pathetic behavior and don’t remember anything about the plot🤗
July 5, 2024
I’m happy to report that the itch in my brain looking for a good, angsty sports romance has been scratched! I feel so satisfied. 😂
Was this book objectively well-written? Not really. Was it groundbreaking? No. Did I still eat this shit up? Yes! 🥹
Might do a mini review for this!
Was this book objectively well-written? Not really. Was it groundbreaking? No. Did I still eat this shit up? Yes! 🥹
Might do a mini review for this!
February 22, 2024
5 ★
“And I want to be hers, almost more than I want her to be mine.”
okay, so last year I read Love Redesigned and Done and Dusted and didn’t think I’d love a contemporary romance as much as them, but then i read this book. i don’t know if it’s because this book is getting me out of my reading slump or what, but this is easily one of the best romances i’ve ever read and the best book i’ve read this year. and it’s a debut??? i’m peyton corinne’s new biggest stan. so get ready because this is just going to be my love letter to unsteady.
｡･:*˚:✧｡ The Book Itself
aside from the wonderful characters, the book itself was absolutely amazing. it was well-paced for me, and while the romance was the primary plot of the book, there were other meaningful plot points that I enjoyed. the writing (which will often make or break a book for me) was also amazing, and although it took me a while to finish because of my slump, there was never a time when i wasn’t interested and engaged while reading. the most beautiful thing about this book to me, though, was the mental health representation. how peyton corinne addressed and described the trauma and mental health issues her characters were working through was so validating. i’ve read books before where reading them feels like a healing experience in itself, and unsteady is certainly one of them.
｡･:*˚:✧｡ Sadie Brown
“Loathing, self-hatred. If you feed them enough they grow like irremovable vines. Mine grew thorns and wrapped around me as a kid, and no one has ever bothered to try and get in. Until now.
the characters in a book can really make or break the reading experience, and for me, sadie was a beautiful fmc. she’s blunt, cold, and downright mean at times. but this is something we understand given her horrible circumstances. she’s deeply traumatized with scars that have—and continue to—impact her life. the way she handles herself in light of all this is what truly made me fall in love with her character. her hard exterior is a mask for the love she unconditionally holds for her brothers and those close to her, as well as the love she seeks for herself. watching her grow through her trauma and find the love and support she deserved was the most beautiful thing.
｡･:*˚:✧｡ Rhys Koteskiy
“My body is healed, fully, every bit of it pressed back together. My mind is the thing that’s broken, permanently.”
as sadie says, falling into rhys is like an addiction. it’s easy because he is that lovable of a character—never mind the fact that all feminism levitated out of me whenever this man was talking. like sadie, rhys is learning to grapple and grow through his own trauma and ptsd. he is so caring and loving and gentle, so watching him experience what he did was the most heartbreaking thing. mans deserves the entire world, and i was in love with him the second i met him. watching him overcome the trauma he had from his accident was so inspiring, and the way he fought for sadie and her brothers had me SOBBING my way through the end of this book.
｡･:*˚:✧｡ Sadie and Rhys
“And nothing—no dark part of you, or your life, will ever change that. So, like I told Oliver, if you don't want me anymore, that’s something I’ll have to deal with. But there will never be a day that I do not want you.”
sadie and rhys are the epitome of black cat girlfriend and golden retriever boyfriend, and i ATE IT UP. they are just so so sweetand sexy 🤭 together, and i just can’t take it!! my heart broke for both of them and seeing them understand and help each other was the most beautiful thing about this book. out of anyone rhys could have met, he met sadie, who understood him and his feelings when he didn’t even understand them himself. and sadie, with walls as high as a mountain, found rhys, who climbed those bitches even when she didn’t want him to. the support and love they have for each other just furthered my love for their story and i am once again encountering a book bf who’s raising my standards to insane levels (and i’m not mad about it)!
the side characters in this book were just as wonderful. i loved sadie’s brothers and aurora. i adored rhys’s parents and his friends. and the way sadie and her brothers were able to find their happy family in the end warmed my heart so much <3
this book is so good, i cannot recommend it enough!! and i will 100% be rereading it soon.
｡･:*˚:✧｡ More Quotes I Loved
“You are worth it. And if I have to fight the little demons in your mind that convince you otherwise every day for the rest of our lives? I’ll happily do it. Do you understand?”
“Falling into Rhys feels like falling into addiction, or what I imagine that might be like. Everything with him feels easier.“
“I will spend every day forever reminding you how amazing and special you are. How lucky I am to have someone so brave and smart and talented and beautiful love me. I see the way you love your brothers. I know how special your kind of love is.”
“I’m so proud of you,” I whisper. “I know it takes a lot for you to ask for help. But, I’m so proud.”
“Say it again,” he demands.
“I love you.”
“Good girl.”
“Can’t even make it through a few hours, huh? Need me that badly, kotyonok?
“You don’t need to say anything right now, okay? I can love you enough for the both of us.”
“For now,” I blurt.
“For now, kotyonok.”
“Rhys taps on the glass with his glove, waiting until the guy stares him down. My boyfriend is smiling, his eyes dark. “Look at her again, see what happens.” The threat is clear, menacing despite the dimpled fake smile stretching his cheeks. He smacks the glass hard with the end of his stick, making the guy jump back as a roar of laughter echoes around them.”
~
everyone stop—this is my new favorite contemporary romance book!! it is quite possibly the best book I've read in a while. rtc 🤭
~
reading this with my hosab reread bc i know I'm gonna need a buffer 😭
“And I want to be hers, almost more than I want her to be mine.”
okay, so last year I read Love Redesigned and Done and Dusted and didn’t think I’d love a contemporary romance as much as them, but then i read this book. i don’t know if it’s because this book is getting me out of my reading slump or what, but this is easily one of the best romances i’ve ever read and the best book i’ve read this year. and it’s a debut??? i’m peyton corinne’s new biggest stan. so get ready because this is just going to be my love letter to unsteady.
｡･:*˚:✧｡ The Book Itself
aside from the wonderful characters, the book itself was absolutely amazing. it was well-paced for me, and while the romance was the primary plot of the book, there were other meaningful plot points that I enjoyed. the writing (which will often make or break a book for me) was also amazing, and although it took me a while to finish because of my slump, there was never a time when i wasn’t interested and engaged while reading. the most beautiful thing about this book to me, though, was the mental health representation. how peyton corinne addressed and described the trauma and mental health issues her characters were working through was so validating. i’ve read books before where reading them feels like a healing experience in itself, and unsteady is certainly one of them.
｡･:*˚:✧｡ Sadie Brown
“Loathing, self-hatred. If you feed them enough they grow like irremovable vines. Mine grew thorns and wrapped around me as a kid, and no one has ever bothered to try and get in. Until now.
the characters in a book can really make or break the reading experience, and for me, sadie was a beautiful fmc. she’s blunt, cold, and downright mean at times. but this is something we understand given her horrible circumstances. she’s deeply traumatized with scars that have—and continue to—impact her life. the way she handles herself in light of all this is what truly made me fall in love with her character. her hard exterior is a mask for the love she unconditionally holds for her brothers and those close to her, as well as the love she seeks for herself. watching her grow through her trauma and find the love and support she deserved was the most beautiful thing.
｡･:*˚:✧｡ Rhys Koteskiy
“My body is healed, fully, every bit of it pressed back together. My mind is the thing that’s broken, permanently.”
as sadie says, falling into rhys is like an addiction. it’s easy because he is that lovable of a character—never mind the fact that all feminism levitated out of me whenever this man was talking. like sadie, rhys is learning to grapple and grow through his own trauma and ptsd. he is so caring and loving and gentle, so watching him experience what he did was the most heartbreaking thing. mans deserves the entire world, and i was in love with him the second i met him. watching him overcome the trauma he had from his accident was so inspiring, and the way he fought for sadie and her brothers had me SOBBING my way through the end of this book.
｡･:*˚:✧｡ Sadie and Rhys
“And nothing—no dark part of you, or your life, will ever change that. So, like I told Oliver, if you don't want me anymore, that’s something I’ll have to deal with. But there will never be a day that I do not want you.”
sadie and rhys are the epitome of black cat girlfriend and golden retriever boyfriend, and i ATE IT UP. they are just so so sweet
the side characters in this book were just as wonderful. i loved sadie’s brothers and aurora. i adored rhys’s parents and his friends. and the way sadie and her brothers were able to find their happy family in the end warmed my heart so much <3
this book is so good, i cannot recommend it enough!! and i will 100% be rereading it soon.
｡･:*˚:✧｡ More Quotes I Loved
“You are worth it. And if I have to fight the little demons in your mind that convince you otherwise every day for the rest of our lives? I’ll happily do it. Do you understand?”
“Falling into Rhys feels like falling into addiction, or what I imagine that might be like. Everything with him feels easier.“
“I will spend every day forever reminding you how amazing and special you are. How lucky I am to have someone so brave and smart and talented and beautiful love me. I see the way you love your brothers. I know how special your kind of love is.”
“I’m so proud of you,” I whisper. “I know it takes a lot for you to ask for help. But, I’m so proud.”
“Say it again,” he demands.
“I love you.”
“Good girl.”
“Can’t even make it through a few hours, huh? Need me that badly, kotyonok?
“You don’t need to say anything right now, okay? I can love you enough for the both of us.”
“For now,” I blurt.
“For now, kotyonok.”
“Rhys taps on the glass with his glove, waiting until the guy stares him down. My boyfriend is smiling, his eyes dark. “Look at her again, see what happens.” The threat is clear, menacing despite the dimpled fake smile stretching his cheeks. He smacks the glass hard with the end of his stick, making the guy jump back as a roar of laughter echoes around them.”
~
everyone stop—this is my new favorite contemporary romance book!! it is quite possibly the best book I've read in a while. rtc 🤭
~
reading this with my hosab reread bc i know I'm gonna need a buffer 😭
November 25, 2023
rushed but unnecessarily long at the same time??
November 8, 2023
yeah sure "the first time i saw you like this, I thought you were too small for me. but you fit me like a fucking glove, baby" is hot...
but not having 3/4 book breakup bc he doesn't believe in the whole "we need to break up for ur own good" but instead believes in something i think he said is called communication? or maybe it was bummonication. who knows. never read it before. healthy relationships? now that's hot.
but not having 3/4 book breakup bc he doesn't believe in the whole "we need to break up for ur own good" but instead believes in something i think he said is called communication? or maybe it was bummonication. who knows. never read it before. healthy relationships? now that's hot.
December 11, 2024
₊⊹⁀➴ 3.4/5 ⭐️
“You don’t need to say anything right now, okay? I can love you enough for the both of us.”
[❄️ ] — OVERVIEW: a heavy read I must say, this book covers a lot of hard subjects, so please check the TW’s. sadie and rhys were absolutely adorable, though I didn’t like how their relationship started with lust, they truly grew on each other. this book deals with the golden retriever boyfriend, and the black cat girlfriend trope. this book does have smut in it, but you can easily skip the scenes with it
────୨ৎ────
[ ⛸️] — SADIE: first let’s talk about her music taste because I need her music taste injected into my bloodstream (now please). my heart goes out to sadie, she went through hell and back during this book, and she just wanted someone to see that she was trying. that was, until she met rhys. I agree she is a pretty complex character, that many wouldn’t understand. yes some of her actions were questionable at the start, but once you truly get to know her, you can see why she does the things she does.
[ 🏒] — RHYS: man he was YEARNING for her, he even got her fancy headphones? where are my fancy headphones? I love how he was such a golden retriever, and he would literally do anything for her. he really fixed her. rhys was such a gentleman to sadie, he was so patient with gentle love, always fighting for her. no matter what. showing her that she can finally let her guard down, and he’ll take care of her.
"I'm not gonna leave her, Oliver. Never,
okay? She may ask me to go one day, but I will never leave her. Not her, or your brother or you. Tell me you understand that."
[ 🤍] — OLIVER AND LIAM: the brothers of sadie brown. my sweethearts, oh my god they remind me so much of tadhg and ollie. I love how much they cared for sadie and rhys, they deserve nothing but a big hug.
────୨ৎ────
[ ☃️] — QUOTES:
“They all sing at the top of their lungs to the Taylor Swift song blaring, so loud I can’t really make out their voices in the mixed chorus.”
“I don’t know the song.”“You don’t know “Getaway Car?”
“Does she know is kneel for her forever if it meant she’d look at me like that?”
“and i want to be hers, almost more than i want her to be mine.”
"I just don"t want this to be why you leave." Another punch to the stomach. Another reason I'm planning to never let these kids out of my sight again. I'd mary Sadie tomorrow if it meant fit got them out of this damn house.
Who am I kidding? I'd marry Sadie tomorrow. Period. No stipulations.”
“Be mad. Yell at me if you want, but it’s not going to stop me from caring, and it’s not going to stop me from trying to help you, no matter how many times you push me away.”
“You don’t need to say anything right now, okay? I can love you enough for the both of us.”
[❄️ ] — OVERVIEW: a heavy read I must say, this book covers a lot of hard subjects, so please check the TW’s. sadie and rhys were absolutely adorable, though I didn’t like how their relationship started with lust, they truly grew on each other. this book deals with the golden retriever boyfriend, and the black cat girlfriend trope. this book does have smut in it, but you can easily skip the scenes with it
────୨ৎ────
[ ⛸️] — SADIE: first let’s talk about her music taste because I need her music taste injected into my bloodstream (now please). my heart goes out to sadie, she went through hell and back during this book, and she just wanted someone to see that she was trying. that was, until she met rhys. I agree she is a pretty complex character, that many wouldn’t understand. yes some of her actions were questionable at the start, but once you truly get to know her, you can see why she does the things she does.
[ 🏒] — RHYS: man he was YEARNING for her, he even got her fancy headphones? where are my fancy headphones? I love how he was such a golden retriever, and he would literally do anything for her. he really fixed her. rhys was such a gentleman to sadie, he was so patient with gentle love, always fighting for her. no matter what. showing her that she can finally let her guard down, and he’ll take care of her.
"I'm not gonna leave her, Oliver. Never,
okay? She may ask me to go one day, but I will never leave her. Not her, or your brother or you. Tell me you understand that."
[ 🤍] — OLIVER AND LIAM: the brothers of sadie brown. my sweethearts, oh my god they remind me so much of tadhg and ollie. I love how much they cared for sadie and rhys, they deserve nothing but a big hug.
────୨ৎ────
[ ☃️] — QUOTES:
“They all sing at the top of their lungs to the Taylor Swift song blaring, so loud I can’t really make out their voices in the mixed chorus.”
“I don’t know the song.”“You don’t know “Getaway Car?”
“Does she know is kneel for her forever if it meant she’d look at me like that?”
“and i want to be hers, almost more than i want her to be mine.”
"I just don"t want this to be why you leave." Another punch to the stomach. Another reason I'm planning to never let these kids out of my sight again. I'd mary Sadie tomorrow if it meant fit got them out of this damn house.
Who am I kidding? I'd marry Sadie tomorrow. Period. No stipulations.”
“Be mad. Yell at me if you want, but it’s not going to stop me from caring, and it’s not going to stop me from trying to help you, no matter how many times you push me away.”
April 24, 2024
THIS MANS DAD 😍😍 I NEED A BOOK FOR JUST HIM EVEN THOUGH HES MARRIED
July 24, 2025
4.5 stars for the book that single-handedly changed my outlook on a hockey romance. may this love hit me like a f**king freight train. <3
March 5, 2024
LOOOVVEEDDDDD this book so much. He's a hockey player with anxiety and PTSD about skating and she's a figure skater helping him feel comfortable on the ice again. And she's helping raise her three younger brothers??? I loved it so much. There was so much angst because she's used to everyone leaving but they can't help falling for each other. SO GOOD.
November 4, 2023
4.5⭐️ 2🌶️
This was sooo freaking cute and endearing!! A hockey romance where he has golden retriever vibes and she gives black cat vibes, honestly say no more, because I had such a fun time reading this! Freaking Rhys and Sadie were so adorable, the moment they met I was so in deep in them and seeing them from the beginning to end was such a perfect journey of healing that Peyton executed with such care!! This is a debut novel from Peyton and I was highly impressed and would recommend to anyone looking to read a love story with lots healing, comfort, angsty/tension moments!!
What to expect:
College hockey romance
Black cat fmc/golden retriever mmc
PTSD/ Mental health rep
He falls first
This was sooo freaking cute and endearing!! A hockey romance where he has golden retriever vibes and she gives black cat vibes, honestly say no more, because I had such a fun time reading this! Freaking Rhys and Sadie were so adorable, the moment they met I was so in deep in them and seeing them from the beginning to end was such a perfect journey of healing that Peyton executed with such care!! This is a debut novel from Peyton and I was highly impressed and would recommend to anyone looking to read a love story with lots healing, comfort, angsty/tension moments!!
What to expect:
College hockey romance
Black cat fmc/golden retriever mmc
PTSD/ Mental health rep
He falls first
Displaying 1 - 30 of 9,578 reviews