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.
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.
Title: Unbound (The Undone #3)
Author: Peyton Corrine
Publisher: Atria
Expected Publication Date: April 7, 2026
Review:
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I was so excited for this story. I absolutely loved Bennet in the other books in this series and really needed to hear the story of this quite, broody hockey player. I was not so crazy about learning about Paloma as I wasn't much of a fan of hers when she was introduced to the reader, but I knew Corrine would make a redemption arc that would more than likely change how I viewed her. Unfortunately, there were so many things with this book I didn't enjoy it was hard to find the things I did.
Before I start, I highly recommend you read the first two books in this interconnected series prior to this. While this could be read alone, you are introduced to these characters (and the minor characters) in the prior books and those introductions set the tone for who these main characters are. In my opinion, the reader will be lost if they do not first read the prior books.
Let's start with the characters. Did I love Bennet and Paloma as a couple? I wanted to. I really did. But their relationship was so co-dependent it was unhealthy. Did I understand each character's issues? I did. I loved the mental health representation. I do believe Corrine took her time to research this and presented it well on the page. But the mental health issues were all the main characters were. There was nothing more to Bennet and Paloma. There was no exploration of them outside of the autism and OCD for Bennet or the abuse Paloma endured. Their mental health issues are their entire identity. And, while I understand this was the major point of their characters and the books, there really was nothing else. Paloma is the epitomy of the miscommunication trope which I normally do not dislike but it was so overdone in the story it was annoying. I just could not connect with the two characters we are meant to watch grow, develop, and ultimately understand. I also found their love to be a bit too all consuming. They could not see beyond one another, ever. And their obsessions with each other didn't seem to make sense to me. Especially with the three years that happened between when they met and broke up. One other thing I would have loved to see is Paloma making friends. She so alone and it makes no sense that she doesn't find people who can support her. We do get introduced to her new roommate but we have zero idea of who she is. We don't see their relationship grow despite Paloma saying she's her best friend. It just made no sense.
Then we can talk about the pacing of the book. I understand the author wanted to keep a bit of mystery as to why this couple has spent three years apart, but it was so drawn out. Nothing happens until the last 20% of the book. Normally I love a dual perspective as it allows me to connect on a deeper level with each character. And I did like that aspect in this story. But Corrine also utilized past and present chapters which didn't always lend to pushing the story forward. The point of going to the past is to help the story develop in the future and that just did not happen. Add to this the flashbacks within the chapters and it just got totally confusing. The flashbacks were so random and not separated in any way that made any sense. I found myself constantly trying to figure out if I was in the present or the future and sometimes even forgetting who was narrating the chapter. Finally, for a romance this was way too long. I feel like things were harped on over and over again to make the book so much longer than was necessary including all the inner dialogue from both Paloma and Bennet. So much unnecessary stuff that ended up being repetitive rather than helping the characters grow and change. And the epilogue: TEN YEARS? It was just such a jump it made zero sense for me.
I was surprised to find so many plot holes in the story, as well. Things that we are introduced to that I thought would lend some understanding of the characters but were never resolved or even revisited. Characters who are introduced but we have no idea of the relationship they had with our main characters or how that relationship even came to be. Paloma gets kicked out of her dorm but we never find out why. She has a relationship with Alessia but she hasn't spoked to her in three years and suddenly they are back to being besties? What is Paloma's relationship with her mom? We are told about it but it's never shown to us in any way. The rift between Bennet and his dad which truly just didn't make any sense. These things are never addressed. On top of this, there were moments that were introduced that could have been explored more deeply but were just glossed over.
And the drama! There is so much drama throughout the book and never anything good or funny or fun. It makes the book so heavy, which I know is part of the point, but even heavy books can have moments of levity that help the reader want to move along in the book. This story is just trauma, intense feels, and repressed emotions.
Where was the hockey? It's there but it's not. This is a hockey romance and we really don't get much of it in this book. Part of the reason I read sports romance is for the sport, But it's glossed over and there's no true exploration of it as it pertains to the story line.
I did love seeing the side characters that we have met in the previous books. It was fun to see them following their happy endings. I loved the found family aspect of this book, as well. It's super important for both main characters. Corrines theme of it's ok to not be ok is also important. This is something that needs to be shown to many and can definitely be relatable to most. And, as I previously stated, Corrine absolutely took her time to approach difficult topics with sensitivity. And I cannot wait to see where Toren's story goes because he is such a bad boy, mysterious character who needs to be explored.
Overall, I was disappointed with this installment. Will I continue to read the series? Absolutely. I adored the first two books. And I love that Corrine explores mental health issues within her stories.
2.75/5 stars rounded to 3
Author:
Peyton Corinne is a writer of romances with imperfect characters, angst and lots of heart. Her stories come with a healthy dose of swoon and angst, of hurt and comfort, and—though it make take them some time, they always end with a happily ever after.
She has been writing since she was young, but is finally letting those stories live further than her notes app.
If she's not writing, she's probably making another cup of coffee, rewatching Twilight and frantically reading through her own endless TBR.
Peyton loves to laugh, but her books might make you cry.
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