Spiral by Bal Khabra

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pub Date: January 28, 2025

Spiral is my first 5 star read of 2025 and I’m not mad about it! Seriously, this book was THAT good. I haven’t read Collide yet, but it is definitely on my list.

Synopsis: Sage Beaumont is struggling to break through as a ballerina and Elias Westbrook is the target of the infamous tabloids. After a chance encounter, fake dating might be the answer to all of their problems.

Elias and Sage are great characters that complement each other really well and were also strong individually. Elias was gentle and reserved for a hockey player which made him more endearing to me. Sage was confident, flirty, and funny, but also fiercely independent. She does not like asking people for help even when she really needs it. Sage kind of reminded me of myself…If I was super confident😂

Something about this book gave me Vancouver Agitators and Meghan Quinn vibes. Maybe it’s the group chat with the guys, the bonding between the girls, and the overall feeling.

Spiral is a cozy, sweet, romantic, and hilarious read that deserves all of the stars! It’s even in the running for my favorite book of January (let’s be real…it’s my favorite so far).

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this arc!

IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS ONE!!! such a cute stinking book!!! I am so glad to have gotten a copy because all of my friends have been raving about this series. I am hooked and this one was SO cute! I’m in awe of how well their chemistry was and how this gave me butterflies inside while reading it. Eli and Sage were the perfect couple and I just wanna be friends with them asap! I loved that they ended up being roommates and it just added to the tension and chemistry. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to try someone new and is itching for their next 5 star read!

Everything about this romance felt too rushed, and at times it was a bit contradictory. The main characters would say one thing and then do another but the emotion or reasoning behind those actions didn’t make sense. They went from not knowing each other to being overly intimate—and I mean that in a platonic way—very quickly. Like, in basically one week they went from strangers to her living with him. It just didn’t feel realistic.

Also, at various points in the story information was revealed almost as a second thought to the reader. For example, we find out they’re married in the epilogue as an off-handed comment that isn’t addressed for a few more pages. It was distracting.

——
Thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn't able to finish this book, but I did love the first in the series and hope to thoroughly enjoy this one as well.

Bal Khabra raised the bar(re) with her sophomore novel. Spiral is a cute, steamy story full of heart and passion. Elias and Sage are so cute together, and I couldn’t put the book down.

The found family in this book is so lovely! Sage learns so much about how to accept help from others, and how to lean on people and build support for herself. I loved seeing her friendships grow throughout the book, and her confidence with them.

Elias is such a sweetheart! He is so kind and caring, and watching him learn his self worth was really satisfying.

And, of course, their relationship was so cute! It definitely doesn’t feel like the fake dating that it’s supposed to be, but because of that we get so many cute moments.

Read this book if you love
🩵 sports romance (hockey and ballet)
🩶 forced proximity (only one bed)
🩵 caregiving
🩶 found family

I will say that it felt like there were too many mini-villains that didn’t actually amount to much. I wish that there had been fewer of them with more impact instead.

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the free copy of the book!

Any time I read a hockey romance I am hoping for something different. This will be a hit but it's very similar to everything else out there

WOW. This is exactly what a sports romance should be. Not only is it a hockey romance, but our FMC is a dedicated ballerina! It is a dual sports, dual POV romance, what more could I have asked for!?

I honestly cannot rave enough about this book, it threw you into the story from page one. The reader connected to Sage immediately, the more I read about her, the more I fell in love. She is what a strong FMC looks like, holding the world on her shoulders and never complaining. She truly touched my heart and I was rooting for her through the whole book.

When we move onto our MMC, I fear he might rival our Sage for selflessness. WHAT. A. MAN. I can't even count the amount of times I screamed into the void because of Elias!! THAT MAN DEFINES SUAVE!! This is just adding to the fact that he is exactly what she needed. Someone who listens and acts, sees that she needs help and does it by whatever means possible. It is truly so wonderful to see a character learn how to let people in and accept a helping hand.

Another aspect that connected me to this book was the level of emotion that the characters backstories held. There was so much thought and love put into both their stories, I felt as though I was living these moments with them.

When the author understands her characters to such an extent, that their partner is perfect for them in every way. Well that is a book worth reading. Thank you so much Berkley Publishing for this ARC, it truly meant everything to me. I cannot wait to continue with this series!

spiral follows a determined ballerina named sage and a rookie hockey player, elias, who arrange a fake dating scheme to help each other out. but as they get closer and spend time together, their natural chemistry muddies their rules and arrangement into something more. i swear, these two had me giggling and kicking my feet the entire time. they were just so sweet. i felt an immediate pull toward sage, being the big sister who often has to take care of her younger siblings and putting their needs before her own. i loved the fact that elias was always there to comfort her and show up to take care of her. the little gestures (and big ones) had me swooning! i loved their banter and quips, sage has a sharp tongue and their deeper conversations also had me melting on the spot. i was also (equally) heavily invested in both sage’s ballet & elias’s hockey careers, both which were put on the line and stakes were somewhat high.

spiral by bal khabra was such a sweet and fun romance in the “off the ice series” which releases on january 28! thank you to netgalley for the arc, in exchange for a review!

4.25⭐️ Second book in the Off the Ice series and enjoyed it even more than the first!

This book follows Eli, a rookie hockey player in the NHL, & Sage, a professional ballerina as they find themselves entering into a mutually beneficial fake relationship. The two have clear rules & and an expiration date but we all know fake relationships tend to cross the line when there is a sizzling connection.

Wow this book was fun! I ate it up but not a 5⭐️ as there were a few plot holes and it felt unnecessarily long. But still a very fun hockey romance!

This was an advanced read copy I received through Netgalley so it’s not going to be officially published until January 28, 2025! But this is my honest review!

Add this book to your to read list, I promise you won’t regret it! & then let me know what you thought!

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What a good time sports romcom! I think I liked this one just as much as book one. I love the way this author blends the cutesy characters and story with serious topics and issues and does it so seamlessly. I noticed this in book one and really saw this aspect of her writing shine through in book two. Amazing work and a stand out read!

Spiral by Bal Khabra is a captivating fake-dating sports romance filled with witty banter, heartwarming moments, and endearing characters. Get ready to be swept off your feet by this delightful tale of love and friendship.

2.5⭐️3🌶️

Sports Romcom
Hockey romance
Pro-sports romance
Forced proximity
Fake dating
Slow burn


The main characters were charming, and I particularly enjoyed the ballet focus of the FMC (female main character). However, I felt that the potential for exploring themes like Misty Copeland and the broader impact of ballerinas of color wasn’t fully realized. I would have liked to see this aspect expanded upon.

While the characters were likable, they lacked depth, and I found myself not fully connecting with them.

The celibacy plotline felt forced and, at times, uncomfortable. It seemed out of place, particularly with the unexplained detail about the male lead’s piercing, which felt both strange and disconnected from the character.

As for the plot itself, it followed a fairly typical fake dating scenario, with social media acting as the central plot device. While the pacing was consistent, the story didn’t quite build the momentum I was hoping for, and the payoff ultimately felt flat.

Ultimately, the book didn’t leave as much of an impression as I had anticipated. I wanted to love it, but it fell short. Unfortunately, I don’t think this author’s style resonates with me.


Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

5 🌟

THE WAY I DEVOURED THIS AND ABSOLUTELY ADORED IT???!!! This book is everything I didn’t know I needed and more! Wholesome, emotional, and beautifully written—I’m obsessed. 💖 Sage is such a quirky, introverted-extroverted ray of light who unapologetically embraces her unique self. She wears her heart on her sleeve, and her character had me smiling, laughing, and tearing up all at once. And don’t even get me started on Elias. Swoon.

Elias is the KING of acts of service—the way he quietly and intentionally expresses his love through actions had me clutching my chest. Whether it’s the smallest gesture or the grandest sacrifice, he shows his love in a way that makes your heart melt. A hockey player and a cinnamon roll of a man? Be still, my heart.

Hockey player x ballerina? Fake dating? Forced proximity? Found family?? And a slow burn that was downright scorching?! This book delivered on all my favorite tropes and then some. The tension, the push-and-pull chemistry, and the banter (ugh, the banter!) made me giggle, gasp, and cheer like a fool. I usually don’t have the patience for slow burns, but THIS? This was next-level worth it. Their vulnerability with each other, the way they peeled back their layers and truly saw each other—it was everything. My heart is still recovering.

Sean deserves a special shoutout too—his character was such a standout! I am begging for a spinoff book about him. The found family vibes were chef’s kiss, and the way they all poured so much love into each other was beyond beautiful. I felt every ounce of emotion, and let me tell you, I was a puddle of feelings by the end.

Elias has officially joined my book boyfriend hall of fame with zero regrets, and Sage is hands-down one of my favorite heroines of the year. This book is unfairly good and has cemented itself as one of my top reads. I’m counting down the days until I can see it sitting proudly on my shelf!

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group, and the author for this unforgettable ARC! 🩰🏒✨

This book was perfection! Eli stole my heart with the way he showed love to Sage. The way he expressed his love was through acts of service, and that’s my love language. Everything this man did warmed my heart. This book made me feel so many emotions—crying being one of them, which is rare for me.

Sage, on the other hand, was so strong and determined. Even though she wasn’t dealt the best hand in life, she made the most of it and still pursued her dreams. When Eli and Sage start fake dating, feelings begin to surface that they can no longer deny. Sage and Eli support each other and never let the other give up, even when they want to.

I loved the found family dynamic in this book—that’s a trope I will always adore. I devoured this story and enjoyed watching these two characters grow individually and as a couple. Plus, all the side characters were so much fun, and I loved how they always had each other’s backs.

I could go on and on about all my favorite moments, but that would give away too much.

Thank you, NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.75🌟 rounded up!!
OH MY GOD!!!! This is my first read of 2025 and I am so glad it is because I absolutely loved and adored it!

I loved Sage as a fmc. As the oldest daughter, I totally related to her with everything she did and felt. She was so strong, selfless, caring, funny, and hard-working. I genuinely rooted for her the entire time because she deserved to be taken care of by Elias. She deserved to let herself relax and not stress all the time, and Elias gave her that. I loved her so much!!

Okay, Elias was AMAZINGGGG. An acts of service KING!! Literally could go on and on about the things he did for Sage but I'll just name a few: taking care of her little brother, buying her different flowers because he didn't believe that she didn't have a favorite, THE TATTOO. I'm deceased. His vulnerability felt so realistic and I loved the way him and Sage treated each other with such tender love and care.

I loved that this was a slow-burn. Their relationship development felt so realistic. They were so sweet and funny together, I found myself giggling and kicking my feet so many times throughout the book. They not only had so much love for each other, but they also had so much respect for each other whether that be in their professions or for their pasts, which I totally adored. Sage needed to learn how to let others in and take care of her while Elias needed to learn how to trust others, and I thought the way they helped heal each other was beautifully done. The found-family aspect is also really fun and enjoyable. I really just loved them so much!! I will NEVER stop thinking about Elias, he is a top tier book boyfriend and I need him ASAP!!!!!!

+Fake Dating/Forced Proximity
+Sports Romance (Hockey + Ballerina)
+ Slow burn

Sage Beaumont, is a ballerina who’s not only trying to pirouette her way into Swan Lake and parent her little brother but also just trying to keep her life from becoming a full-blown disaster. When her dream role gets snatched away because she doesn’t have enough Instagram followers, Sage is left questioning if her big break will ever come.

Enter Elias Westbrook, aka Eli, the shy NHL rookie struggling to score his first goal. Poor guy is drowning in media chaos, bad publicity, and all the expectations of being hockey’s next golden boy. Between being unfairly labeled a playboy and psyching himself out on the ice, Eli’s confidence is skating on thin ice (sorry, I had to, the pun was right there.)

This is a slow burn romance - emphasis slow. You don’t get to the truly spicy bits until about 80% into the book (chapter 37, if you’re keeping track). But trust me, the build-up is so well-written. Eli and Sage have this delicious tension that’ll have you screaming, “Just kiss already!” Eli’s love language? Acts of service. Reading how these two characters open up and be vulnerable with each other is swoon-worthy.

Sage’s “eldest daughter energy” really jumps off the page. She’s sweetly protective of her little brother, stepping into a parental role with a mix of tenderness and stubbornness. Her refusal to let her uncle, who by the way is an NHL team exec, help out was so questionable to me. But hey, I’m an only child, so what do I know about sibling dynamics.

Overall, Spiral is a heartfelt, slow-burn romance about two people trying to chase their dreams while life keeps throwing them curveballs. It’s got heart, humor, and just enough angst to keep you hooked. I will circle back to read Collide so that I can discover Aiden and Summer’s love story.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the eARC! Sprial will be released on January 28, 2025, and is available for pre-order now.

4/5⭐️

Oh man, I love this series! I enjoyed Summer and Aiden’s story so much and I was ecstatic when I heard Eli was getting his own book.

Sage? An icon👑 I just love when an FMC is confident in her own power, skill, independence and sexuality instead of the meek, “I’m not like other girls” FMC that rose to popularity as I was growing up. She’s a baddie and I love that for her. And Eli???? Sir, I apologize I was not familiar with your game before reading Spiral cause DAMN DOES HE HAVE GAME. He was just as sweet as I expected him to be but also so much more and half the stuff that came out of his mouth made mine drop open and I LOVED IT.

My only qualm with this book is I want MORE SPICE🔥🔥🔥🔥 I completely understand that the lack of/delayed spice is an important part of the plot but that doesn’t mean my thirsty ass has to be happy about it✋🏼

I love Bal Khabra’s writing and I hope we get more of this series in the future because I truly believe she could be the next Elle Kennedy and Hannah Grace of the hockey romance genre.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my open and honest review. Every thought and opinion expressed in this review is entirely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

dnf @ 26%

I previously read Collide and while I did not love it, I wanted to give this author a second chance but I’ve realized this author and their writing style are not for me. The writing is easy enough to read and get through quickly, but it and the characters fell flat.

જ⁀➴ 4.75/5 ⭐️

<i> </i> ꒰🧾꒱ 𝚜𝚙𝚒𝚛𝚊𝚕

<i> thank you so much to berkley for this arc </i>

꒰ 💜 ꒱ - this book is actually adorable and perfect in so many ways. ugh like i’m already missing sage and eli sm. bal’s writing style is so refreshing and endearing. i am in love with spiral and i read collide earlier last year and devoured that book. i am sage, she is me. what’s it with bal and peyton when it comes to writing THE most relatable fmc’s ever (personally.) like i feel so exposed when reading these books (in the best way tho). it’s acc insane how emotionally connected i am. eli is for the quiet misunderstood people, the ones who let people walk over them and put others before themselves. this book does have smut.

────୨ৎ────

꒰ 🩰 ꒱ 𝐒𝐀𝐆𝐄 - my girl. i love her so much, and i can’t even begin to describe how i felt so seen and understood while reading about her. her behaviour and feelings, how she cared for her brother and put him before everything. sage is for the people pleasers and the eldest sisters who want to be taken care of but don’t want to ask for it. she seems like an openbook, tells people (almost) everything and is an oversharer, but it’s a facade she hides behind. not who she actually is. eli explained it perfectly:

“she hides her guarded heart beneath a cloak of openness that not many have the privilege to pull back.”
➵ lives were changed!! how is my entire being described in one simple sentence. like oh my gosh… bal how do you keep writing characters that are so deeply connecting to me and hit really hard. like why am i learning so much about myself reading this (LOL)

“it’s like no matter what i do, no matter how much i try, i’ll always be scraping by.”
➵ damn okay.

꒰ 🏒 ꒱ 𝐄𝐋𝐈 - um, he’s perfect and the new loml. (hehe) why can’t he be real? this man wore eye masks for her on her self-care night, posted a picture with them both wearing them as her fake boyfriends, and captioned it best part of my day? ughh actually invested in this guy. also googled her dance moves for her performance right before so he could understand them better, brought her extra glue and crystals:

“you told me that one time they came off before you even got onstage and how upset you were. I didnt want that happening again.”
➵ screaming rn - brb.
okay so um when do i get my own elias westbrook. i’m patiently waiting for my hockey boyfriend. 🙏he literally makes sugar free cupcakes for her younger brother because he’s diabetic (did i mention he’s a baker + chef?!!) like my heart is breaking that he’s not real. he used micellar water to remove her makeup when she was exhausted, like he’s perfect y’all.

꒰ 💖 ꒱ 𝐒𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐗𝐄𝐋𝐈 - goals literal goals.
life goal: to have a relationship at least half as amazing.
i need someone to love me like eli loves sage. Like someone who can see right through me. being an over sharer who doesn’t actually share enough about their life?

“sometimes i think you do too much for me.” - sage
“nothing is too much when it comes to you.” - eli

“i’m a people pleaser” - sage
“then let me be the one to please you.” - eli

➵ these two omigosh. ahhhhh squealing!! their actually adorable and so sweet

────୨ৎ────

꒰ 💟 ꒱ - definitely recommend if you love hockey romances and found family! loved every drop of this book and will read anything by bal. first review of 2025!! also how blessed am i to be given arc’s of spiral & unloved?!! forever thankful to berkley for this arc 🫶🏽

I LOVED Eli and Sage as characters and I think Bal found the perfect sweet spot for lovable and light characters with interesting and complex histories that result in fulfilling and warming character growth.
Sage’s journey with ballet and Eli’s journey with hockey being things the other never lets them falter on even through their struggles but still validating the feelings and experiences the other is going through was SO refreshing to see in a romance novel. Bal’s special talent for writing banter that is endearing and revealing of her characters’ depth is unmatched in this one. I absolutely loved how Sage’s character was written and developed and I can’t wait for the world to meet her!!