Sports romance has never steered me wrong and this book is no exception to that. Spiral was a pleasant read with two great characters and an equally great plot. I loved the dynamic between Elias and Sage. Grumpy/sunshine is always fun to read. What makes a book great is the development of the characters. Sage was a compelling character for me. She wasn’t just a sunshine character, there was more to her which I loved. Elias was also perfect. Portrayed as a playboy but the reality was shocking. Spiral was an enjoyable read and I can’t wait to read more by this author.

Fake dating but OH NO they have to live together?? 🔥🔥🔥I ate this one up. I listened to the audiobook and both narrators were incredible.

I don’t feel like I’ve been seeing a ton about this book, but I ADORED it. If you like a man with emotional intelligence, who wants to spoil his love interest, and who has an amazing friend group, I think you will love this!

Sage is struggling to make ends meet, and is frustrated that the ballet world keeps casting people with large social media followings. Elias needs a fake girlfriend so maybe his fans - and the press - will give him some space. They meet at a dating auction, where Elias’s best friend convinces Sage to bid for Elias to save him from a slightly stalkerish fan. Eventually, they come up with a mutually beneficial fake dating plan.

Pick this one up if you love:
💖 fake dating
💖 forced proximity
💖 hockey romance
💖 ballerina FMC
💖 good girl / player

I loved both Sage and Elias so much, and loved watching them fall in love!

My one complaint is that this book centered around Swan Lake, and during Sage’s audition it talked about her completing the “grande finale” of the black swan dance with a grande jete, but that choreography famously ends with a series of fouettes. She also said they were doing a version where the Swan Queen and Prince live so maybe the choreography is different for that one. If someone knows, please tell me. I absolutely adored the rest of the book, I just needed to nerd out for a minute.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Spiral by Bal Khabra!

I just finished *Spiral* by Bal Khabra, and wow, this book truly blew me away. The pacing was impeccable from the first page, and I found myself completely immersed in the twists and turns of the story. Khabra has a talent for blending suspense, mystery, and complex character development in a way that keeps you guessing until the very end.

What I loved most about *Spiral* was the depth of the characters. The psychological elements of the story were executed so well that it was hard not to get lost in their minds. Each character felt real, flawed, and unpredictable, which made every chapter feel like a fresh new ride.

The atmosphere Khabra builds is thick with tension, and the writing style is incredibly gripping. It’s one of those books that you just can’t put down, and when you finally do, you're left thinking about it long after the last page. The ending? Absolutely wild—no spoilers here, but I didn't see it coming!

A huge thank you to NetGalley for providing me with the ARC of *Spiral*. It was an incredible read, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to dive into it early.

For more of my thoughts on this book, be sure to check out my review on my YouTube channel here: [Kiana Lashay](https://www.youtube.com/@KianaLashay1). Don't forget to subscribe for more bookish content and reviews!

Spiral follows Elias (Eli) Westbrook, a rookie hockey player for the Toronto Thunder. Eli is navigating the challenges of fame and media scrutiny and has already grown tired of the spotlight. especially since the tabloids are making it their mission to imply that Elias is more interested in women than he is in playing hockey.

Sage Beaumont is a ballerina who dreams of joining the Aurora Ballet Theatre and dancing the lead in Swan Lake. She is dismayed to learn that her lack of a social media following online is proving to be her biggest obstacle to making her dream come true. While attending a charity auction, she does a friend a favor and bids on handsome hockey player, Eli Westbrook. Sage and Eli hit it off and realize they can help each other out and decide to fake date. Dating a superstar hockey player will give Sage the publicity she needs, while dating Sage should help take the pressure off Eli so he can focus on scoring his first career goal.

Sage is such an easy character to root for. Not only is she trying to follow her dreams, but she is also a parental figure to her brother. She’s strong and independent, but also has a hint of vulnerability. I loved how Elias becomes so supportive of her, even as he’s dealing with his own issues, particularly getting stuck in his own head and overthinking every time he’s on the ice, and how Sage reciprocates that support to try to help him. I just loved how Khabra wrote this aspect of their growing relationship.

This is also a spicy romance, but it’s a slow burn with lots of sexual tension since these two are trying to keep to the terms of their agreement. Once the spice hits though, it’s everything I could have hoped for.

Spiral by Bal Khabra is an absolutely captivating, beautifully emotional & refreshing fake dating of a sports romance between a professional hockey player & a ballerina.

This is already going to be one of my favorite books of the year. I highly recommend giving this author a read!

This is book #2 in Off the Ice series. It is the first book I’ve read by this author & can easily be read as a standalone. However, I loved this so much that I want to go back & read the first one ASAP!

Spiral is great for those looking to read…
💜 Sports Romance
💜 Pro HockeyPlayer x Ballet Dancer
💜 Fake Dating

This has a really interesting & fresh take on the sports romance. I love the combination of incredibly talented professionals of very different athletic pursuits & points in their careers. They both had so much personal history, multi-faceted stories with difficulties to overcome. I love the connection of the heroine & her brother. I also appreciated the two main characters’ wonderful authentic selves, both separately & together & the chemistry they brought, which spiraled off the page.

This author is now going on my list of I cannot wait to read more & I really hope this series continues.

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Berkley for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

"There's nothing I wouldn't do to make you believe you're worth every bit of worry and care"

I loved how elias was the ultimate acts of service boyfriend which goes great with eldest daughter! I think there dynamic was really sweet and elias def won me over. I loved seeing sage go for her dreams and learn more about herself.

I really liked this hockey/ballet romance. Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, and this was well done. I loved both Eli and Sage, and thought that both characters were well rounded. Both brought baggage to the relationship, and both dealt with it in a healthy way.

As someone who took ballet when I was younger, I especially loved Sage’s POV. When she was burning the tips of her pointe shoes, I felt that. But I also enjoyed Eli’s POV working through his issues as a rookie trying to score his first goal.

This was a cute romance that I enjoyed. And the epilogue made me cry happy tears. I definitely recommend this to fans of sports romance and fake dating.

I loved it! It was so well done, and OMG Eli has my heart. I love everything about this one. I can't wait for more from the series.

Bal Khabra was en pointe with this fun, lighthearted ballet-hockey romance. Sage was been spiraling trying to secure an audition for her dream company. The press is saying that Elias is checking out after being unable to score in his first few NHL games. When their paths collide there seems to be an agreement that benefits them both. By fake dating Sage will get the publicity she needs to secure her audition and a long-term girlfriend will get the press of Elias's back. However, they can't dance around their undeniable connections forever. Is their duet meant to last?

Khabra does it again! She is able to create such relatable, fully fleshed characters that are entertaining and love-able. I TORE through this book and just want more. This book is one of few that accurately portray fun tropes and a healthy relationship. It is so easy to go down the red flag rabbit hole, but not in "Spiral"!

This was so cute and a pretty quick read for me. Fake dating is probably one of my favorite tropes to read.

First of, Thank you to Kim over at Berkely, PRH for sending me an early copy of this book!

As someone who missed the release of Collide in both indie and tradpub I wasn't sure how I would like the off the ice series. However after after reading Spiral I can day that WHATEVER Bal Khabra writes, I will read!
The way thing book made me giggles, kick my feet, laugh and cry is like a breath of fresh air in the sports romance genre.

Spiral is a fake dating romance between an aspirating ballerina and a newly signed rookie in the NHL. Both have found themselves in a situation where they want the medias attention in different ways. Sage need a little limelight to get her name and face in front of those who have power in the ballet world and Elias wants to shift the perspective of his private life that the media has created however they cant help form a friendship and maybe more throughout their time together.

Tropes:
Fake dating
Roommates
Forced proximity
Found Family
interconnected standalone

As a lover of hockey and college romances, I was so excited to read this one! THIS MAN, you all! So sweet, kind, caring, and just a really big heart!! We love a shy guy! This story was such a cutesy, fun read!

2.5 ⭐️
This was by no means a bad book!! I just didn’t connect to the characters & I didnt care about the story at all.
I liked how hard working both of the mcs were, that they were there for each other through every thing and the friend group is also cute! I could see the ending from a mile away, that thing with Elis dad and Sage working so hard to get that specific role just for someone trying to take it from her. It was a bit much imo.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this arc. If you like fake dating, new friendships, a couple who supportive from the very beginning definitely give this one a try! Like I said this was not bad at all but it just didnt hit for me idk why. Im excited for the next book though cause I really enjoyed the male mc as a side character in this book.

4⭐️

This one was cute, but definitely not as good as Collide. I found the last half to drag a bit because the FMC & MMC fell for each other so early. That’s not to say the story wasn’t good because it was, but it did seem boring and “routine” at times

*4.5* Oh boy did I love this one! Khabra’s second installment in the Off the Ice series follows Eli and Sage as they navigate their fake relationship and achieving their goals. I was obsessed with this book from the beginning! I fell in love with Sage immediately, and the dialogue between her and Eli is top tier. These two characters felt so natural! They had chemistry, there was yearning, and absolutely no overly dramatic third act breakup! I also appreciate how much we get friend group interactions in this book. Khabra’s ability to write hilarious banter and heartwarming scenes within the friend group is unmatched. My only qualm with this book is that I actually want an entire book on the events mentioned in the epilogue! Eli and Sage will forever have my heart!

Thanks NetGalley and Berkley for the advanced copy!

Thank you to Berkley and PRH Audio for the complimentary physical and audio copies of 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐥! #prhaudiopartner #BerkleyPartner #berkleybookstagram

I think Bal Khabra is a fan of “Romance Tropes Bingo”, because 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐥 hits all of my favorites and then some! 🙌

Read if you 💖:
•💋 Fake Dating
• 💞 Opposites Attract
• 🏡 Found Family
• 🛏️ Forced Proximity

The narrators, Nia Serge and Aaron Shedlock, are experts when it comes to portraying a slow burn with tons of tension! 🔥 Elias and Sage’s chemistry is electric, and even though their fake relationship starts as a strategic move, it’s impossible to ignore the very real feelings growing between them.

While I wanted a little more of the PR chaos, the emotional depth and swoon-worthy moments made this story so satisfying. The many moments with Sage’s younger brother and her students were so sweet and emotional.

Also, for the fans of the first book, don’t worry: there are plenty of Summer and Aiden moments! 😍

If you’re in the mood for a heartfelt, slow-burn romance with just the right amount of spice, be sure to grab a copy of 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐥 from your favorite local bookstore or audiobook website! 💜

Sage and Eli are an awesome couple. Sage is a ballerina who has been trying to move beyond teaching for a space starring in Swan Lake. Elias is a lovable hockey rookie who is trying and trying to make his first goal on the ice before the team trades him. He's known as a playboy in the media, but it's largely a false narrative. Sage discovers that she needs to increase her social media following for the dance companies to consider looking at her. Followers equals sold seats. She devises a plan for them to help each other out. Fake dating never goes wrong, does it? She's wildly independent and reluctant to ask for anything beyond basic dating, but a fire pushes her to move into Eli's apartment. So we've got lovable characters in forced proximity, fake dating. Even the team members, Sage's brother and uncle are enjoyable. It's a steamy tale that you won't want to put down. I would definitely read this author again!

Sage is auditioning for a huge part in a local ballet production. Unfortunately the ballet company she's auditioning for takes into consideration your social media presence, and the more followers you have, the more likely you'll see selected for a part, and she's followed by very, very few. Tabloids are breathing down Elias’ neck, and not in a good way. They are hounding him on his constant rotation of hookups in his life and the fact that he has yet to score any goals in his first professional season. Elias is looking to get away from the spotlight and repair his image. Sage wins a date with Elias at a bachelor auction when his friend sends Sage a bunch of money to make sure that she is the winning bidder and not Elias' stalker. When Sage and Elias finally meet up, they decide fake dating is the way to go to benefit them both.

Elias and Sage are both great characters. The story holds your attention well, but honestly, this book was a little too YA for my liking and I didn't realize that going into it. I do love me a guy who knows his way around the kitchen like Elias does, so that was a plus. Oh, and Elias buys Sage all the flowers since she doesn't know what her favorite flower is. I also loved the relationship Sage has with her brother. She clearly wants to give him a better life than they had growing up. Overall, this was a good book and I wouldn't hesitate at picking up another from Bal as this was my first book by her.

A big thank you to Berkeley Romance for an advanced copy of this book. Opinions are my own.

THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU IF: You're looking to read something light but still interesting with fun characters and a somewhat deep background.

Spiral was a straightforward contemporary romance where the reader might be reminded about believing in the power of love and perseverance. Whether you're a fan of sports, dance, or romance, this book has something for everyone. I did think it read a bit young at times but that happens sometimes with NA. Great depiction of found family.