When I think of new adult sports romances, especially hockey related ones, Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy immediately come to mind as my favourites of the genre. So when I heard of Unsteady by Peyton Corinne, at first a viral TikTok sensation of 2023 that was then picked up and published by Atria books, I was curious to see if it would live up to my high expectations. I’m happy to say that it did!

Rhys Koteskiy is the captain of the Waterfell University hockey team. During a tournament the previous year, he suffered a hit that caused him to have a serious concussion. Recovery had been long and stressful and he has PTSD, giving him nightmares and affecting his return to the ice. Showing up at the rink in the early hours of the morning to coax himself to get back into the game, he discovers he’s not the only one hiding out on the ice.

Sadie Brown has lots to occupy her mind – debt, custody hearings for her younger brothers due to her father’s alcoholism, intense skating practices, and schoolwork that she absolutely cannot afford to fall behind on as doing so will risk her scholarship. But when she witnesses Rhys having a panic attack on the ice during an early morning skate, she is able to set aside her own problems to help him. This cements a connection that only grows as they keep meeting at the rink. But with everything that’s going on in their lives, will a relationship be given the space to grow?

I really enjoyed this story. Sadie is expressive with her emotions, where Rhys is more reserved. The opposites-attract romance that develops is believable and cemented by their sharing their problems with each other, even if at first Sadie is reluctant to reveal too much of her home situation to Rhys. Having a father who is often found passed out, and two younger brothers for whom Sadie is basically a full-time caregiver isn’t something she wants people to know, but Rhys gains her trust and with it, the ability to do something for Sadie in recognition of her support and encouragement for helping him get back onto the ice and become the great captain of the team that everyone expects. Mental health representation, neglectful parenting, and the intensity of sports training are just some of the topics covered and handled very well. And the romance between Sadie and Rhys is sexy and sweet.

Therea a few plot issues that keep this from being a DIK, though. Sadie has a scholarship so she lives on campus during the week but her childhood home is in the same city, so she constantly is at home taking care of her brothers (and sleeps there on the weekends). What I didn’t understand is why, if she’s so concerned about their welfare, she lives in a dorm when she could be staying at home regularly to keep an eye on them instead of often having them come to sleep in her dorm room with her. And issues with her coach and the reality of what it’s been like under his tutelage are mostly skated over until it becomes a major plot point near the end – which should have been more front and center.

But from start to finish I was hooked on Unsteady and rooting for Sadie and Rhys to work through their problems together and find their happy ending which they do. And I’m definitely interested in reading more by this author and am looking forward to some of the secondary characters get stories of their own! If you are a fan of new adult sports romances, this is an author to watch.