Tropes: ▪ Slow Burn ▪ Fake Dating ▪ Roommates ▪ Hockey/Ballerina ▪ Found Family ▪

I really enjoyed this book; i don't always love a slow burn because they have a habit of being boring, this was anything but boring! I definitely preferred this book to the first, I'm not sure why, I think thr story just flowed better for me.

Elias has got a bad name for himself as the newest rookie, that apparently has a womanising problem, although that couldn't be further from the truth! Sage has dedicated her whole life to her brother and to ballet, she's just struggling to get the right person to notice her. That's when Sage and Elias realise they could be good for each other.

I genuinely loved that this was a slow burn and how their realtionship developed. I enjoyed seeing the friends from Collide in this book! Definitely give this book a go!

After absolutely loving Collide last year, I was so excited for Spiral, another hockey romance, this time with a ballerina love interest!
Spiral follows Eli and Sage as they fake date whilst navigating their growing feelings for each other. I enjoyed getting to know both love interests and also loved still seeing Aiden and Summer, as well as other characters from Collide.
Although I did enjoy the book, I did struggle with Spiral a bit for a few reasons. I found it very slow at times in terms of their build up - I like a slow burn but it felt too stilted for me. I found Eli's celibacy to be an interesting storyline - I've not really come across that with a male lead in a romance so I liked that. However, I didn't like how much he ended up playing with Sage's emotions, especially with sex and his celibacy vow; I felt like he was really leading her on at times and that made me a bit uncomfortable. I also found the end to be quite slow and there were sudden threads with her ballet that seemed a bit unnecessary - it could have ended a bit earlier, for me.
I did enjoy Spiral but not as much as I was hoping to. I absolutely loved Collide though so would still read more by Bal Khabra!

I loved collide so as soon as I saw spiral available to request I was super excited and knew I needed to request it! I initially found this story a little slower to get into than I did collide, but once I was into it I couldn’t put it down. I really enjoyed how the main characters developed and the chemistry they had. Overall another fantastic book which I loved and would highly recommend!

“There’s no room for clouds over my head when I have a ray of sunshine in my hands.”

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Elias Westbrook, a newly drafted hockey player for the Toronto Thunder, is facing the challenges of fame and media scrutiny. With a growing fan base and too many expectations on his shoulders, he’s struggling to make his first career goal. The tabloids are reporting on his every move, including which woman he was last seen with, but all he wants to do is escape the spotlight. Enter from stage left Sage Beaumont, an aspiring ballerina with dreams of joining the Aurora Ballet Theatre, but her lack of popularity online leaves her at a major disadvantage for securing the lead role. When Sage finds herself with the perfect opportunity to make her dreams come true by fake dating Elias, she takes her shot. Soon enough, the flimsy fake-dating rules they set in place fall away in the face of their sizzling connection. But before things spiral out of control, Sage and Elias will have to decide if they’re willing to take the leap together or if they'll call it quits.

Sage wants the best for her family whilst being desperate to achieve her biggest dream. She has the weight of the world on her shoulders, and she does her very best not to let it show. I think Sage is such a brilliant character because there is so much depth to her. I found I could relate to her on so many levels and my heart ached constantly when she felt she wasn’t good enough. Her thought process is so similar to my own that I immediately connected with her and loved her from the very beginning. I love the arc she undertakes throughout the book and the confidence she builds. A brilliant character from top to bottom.
Elias is just a big teddy bear. He is doing his best to keep his public image clean but everything ends up going wrong for him instead. His dedication to his team was incredibly admirable - but more so was his dedication to Sage. The softness he has for her and the vulnerability he displays in her presence was the absolute sweetest. I loved his interactions with his friends and teammates. An all around wonderful guy. I’d like an Elias please and thank you!

After thoroughly enjoying Collide, I knew that I was desperate to read anything else this author released. So when the opportunity came to read an early copy of the sequel (second standalone in the series) I rushed at the chanced and squealed when I was approved! This plot is just absolutely stunning. I’m a massive sucker for the fake dating trope anyway but this was done so brilliantly and with such a fantastic and easy flow that I could scarcely put the book down! It incorporates two sporting worlds impeccably whilst also showcasing real issues too! The characters were wonderful and I adored that we got so many familiar faces from the first book as well! Khabra could have very easily kept the previous characters interactions to a minimum but I am so, so thrilled this wasn’t the case. They really helped solidify the unfolding story. No fake dating trope is complete without a whole load of angst and accidentally falling in love with one another. The romance was absolutely stellar from start to finish. My heart was going pitter patter, I had a goofy smile on my face and I practically have cavities from the sweetness. The spicy moments too were so, so good as well. They helped elevate the story perfectly and never felt forced or out of place. That ending felt like utter perfection to me. I was literally beaming as the story finished. This is definitely an amazing book.

Overall, Spiral is another stunning sports romance that I couldn’t put down!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you again to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for an advanced copy of this book. Review will be live on my blog on 20th January and is available now on Goodreads.

There was so much I loved about this book and I won't like, Eli was probably 90% of it!
Sage saves Eli from a potentially disastrous situation the first time they meet and after pressure from other factors, end up fake dating. The two couldn't be more opposite but they work so well together and complement each other in every way. Sage has a super lively personality, she was flirty, cheeky and so much fun, but underneath it all she's just trying to prove to herself and everyone around her that she isn't a failure. Eli is the shy, quiet type he keeps his head down and works hard but he has a wicked sense of humour and a really really sweet side.

This ticked all the boxes for a fake dating/forced proximity situations. There was tension, angst and amazing chemistry for the slowest, hottest burn! But there was also so much fun and banter, especially from the hockey family in the first book. I was laughing one minute and swooning the next.

What I love the most about Bal's characters is that they are so grounded and feel real. It doesn't feel like their personalities are only there to serve a purpose, their different moods and emotions all make up who they are as a character that drive the plot, not the other way around.

Thank you to netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the ARC, this is my honest review.

An okay story but not one I will remember. The chemistry felt forced for some reason. I liked the characters individually but them together made no sense to me. I did like them learning to be emotionally vulnerable and how they supported each other and their dreams, as it should be!! Especially Sage's feelings of responsibility and carrying the weight of the world felt verly real and tangible.

It was nice to see a Black ballerina and how Misty Copeland was such a huge inspiration to Sage as the first Black ballerina to land a principle role! And I loved how body image issues were brought up and how messed up the industry can be, but it was nice to see Sage had learned to love or at least accept her body regardless.

Eli being adopted was a nice touch too, I don't see that very often in books and it made trauma bonding easier between Eli and Sage.

But Aiden and Summer felt different from how they were in Collide, and I read Collide and Spiral back to back so the difference was really noticable. I can't put my finger on what was different, but they did not feel the same at all.
So there were nice things, but it just did not click for me personally and I'm really bummed about that :(

I should have loved this book because of the themes, and I hope you will love it if you like these things:
🩰 Black ballerina
🏒 Adopted Ice Hockey Player (NHL rookie)
🩰 Little brother with Diabetes
🏒 Forced Proximity
🩰 Open door Spice (eventually)
🏒 Trauma because of child abuse/neglect
🩰 He buys her flowers
🏒 He cooks for her
🩰 Found Family

I really enjoyed Spiral, it’s my favourite in the series so far. Elias ticked all the boxes! I enjoyed Sage’s character a lot. And I can’t forget about the found family, honestly they just make the book even better! Will be adding a more detailed review to my goodread/instagram soon

This is the first romance I have read in a while (fantasy lover here) but it was such a good book!

Elias was yummy and I really enjoyed the slow burn!!

Thank you NetGalley for the E-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed parts of this story, in particular I really liked Sage and Eli as characters. Both were super likeable and really sweet. Plus I love hockey player/ballerina romance. I feel like there was a bit of development missing on specific scenes - Eli’s situation with his dad and what was happening with Sage’s ballet company at the end felt very rushed and not thought out fully.

I absolutely loved this book. I adored both main characters, Elias and Sage, and thoroughly enjoyed their fake dating slow burn romance.
It was dual pov, which I always love, and there was a lot of emotions and tension from both sides.

🩰hockey player x ballerina
🩰 fake dating scheme
🩰 and they were roommates
🩰 tensions and emotions
🩰 slowish burn
🩰cameos from summer and aiden

Highly recommend!

I’M SCREAMING.
I DID NOT EXPECT THIS. LIKE, I’M ACTUALLY SPEECHLESS RN.
Why didn’t I read this book sooner? Major regrets, because I’m only 44% in, and I’m fully obsessed. This is definitely gonna be my favorite — especially since Collide didn’t exactly blow me away.

But Eli? OH. MY. GOD. AHHHHHHHH 😍
HE’S LITERALLY OUT HERE RAISING MY STANDARDS.
I’M KICKING MY FEET, BLUSHING, AND MAKING WEIRD FACES THAT I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW I COULD MAKE (all good things btw).

Like, Eli isn’t just a book boyfriend — HE’S A GIFT TO WOMANKIND. My top-tier book bfs better start fighting for their spots because Eli is taking over.

AND NOW IT’S OVER 😭
I DID NOT WANT THIS BOOK TO END.

Tbh, I had low expectations because Collide wasn’t really my thing. But this book? It BLEW. ME. AWAY. Hands down, my favorite read of the year. Like, it gave me everything — the laughs, the butterflies, the shivers, the feels. THIS is what I want in a book.

Huge shoutout to Bal Khabra for creating this masterpiece and giving me Elias Westbrook. My man, my man, my man.
Also, thank you for letting me read an ARC — I’m so, so grateful. This was perfection.
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

You know the feeling of immense longing after finishing a romance book with the sweetest couple? Yeah, this book almost made me cry because of how perfect Elias and Sage are for each other.



This is an incredibly soft and sweet romance, Elias is the biggest walking green flag imaginable and Sage deserves everything. The characters have had difficult pasts that have shaped them and added to their insecurities but throughout the book, you can see them break through each other’s barriers and just be there for each other.


The slow-burn, fake-dating and forced proximity in combination with a passionate and determined FMC and an incredibly sweet and caring MMC made this a very joyful read. I loved the romance. If you are looking for a book that will make you fall in love with love again, give this one a go!

The reason this only gets four stars is because there were a few things with the plot that didn’t fully tie up in my opinion. One being the whole side plot with her ex-boyfriend.. I didn’t really see the point of introducing him when he didn’t add much to the story. But I have to say, that none of it was bothersome in any way and the beauty of the romance is 100% retained.

Spiral ist out January 28th 2025!

Thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing and NetGalley for an ear in exchange for an honest review!

A fun escapism romance which is a little predictable, but at the same time you’re urging the characters to just get on with it and to show their true feelings; to stop hiding, stop pretending. This makes one of those books were you’re kind of shouting out loud “JUST tell them how you feel”. It’s a good ‘feel good’ read however as everything turns out OK in the end and whilst I kind of knew what was coming, I was still hungrily turning page after page and then was sorry when the pages ran out and I realised it was finished.

So Elias is meant to be this very hot rookie ice hockey player who was hired for his impressive college team goal average, but since joining the Thunders can’t seem to get his puck into the goal. Now after a press video went viral, he’s being stalked by fans and paparazzi alike, none of which helps relieve his goal drought. Sage is an excellent ballerina determined to dance the principal role of Swan Lake in the well know NBT ballet company, but is constantly overlooked, seemingly as she has zilch social media presence. When an unexpected encounter puts Elias and Sage together, they find their problems improve. With the fans thinking Elias has a girlfriend, they and the press find him less interesting whilst Sage’s link to Elias has her social accounts soaring. But is this ‘fake’ relationship what they really feel and what will happen when each reaches the goals they set themselves???

Oh my GOSH, I need a moment to pick my jaw up off the floor because wow—this book delivered! As a die-hard hockey romance fan (who’s also very particular and protective of the genre), I went into Spiral by Bah Khabra with high expectations and, much like Collide, it did anything but disappoint. I honestly don’t even know where to begin because there’s so much to love.

This is a hockey player x ballerina romance with a fake dating trope, and oh my, the tension is absolutely palpable. The slow burn had me racing to turn every page, desperate for more. And the forced proximity only added to the angst! It was downright delicious and may or may not have left me staying up way too late. Both main characters had pretty tough pasts, and watching them slowly open up and find comfort in each other brought me so much joy. I loved how their relationship felt real and raw, with just the right balance of vulnerability and sweetness. The story also did a great job showing how hard it can be to stop being a people-pleaser and finally put yourself first—to feel like you’re worthy of being chosen and experiencing good things.

The chemistry between these characters was so intense it had me staring at the page in total shock, wondering if I was actually reading what just happened. Their interactions were everything—funny, emotional, and sometimes so charged I couldn’t help but giggle or kick my feet like a freaking child. This book left me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside and already wishing I could read it the next one BECAUSE DYLAN here we come.

This is a fantastic slow burn romance, I love that we got to see more of Aiden & Summer after Collide as well as some guest appearances from Dylan and Kian (hoping they get a book at some point). The way that this delved into the self doubt that both main characters have in multiple aspects of their life was handled so well and beautifully written. I love the found family that Eli had already found but instantly accepts and includes Sage without a second thought. I loved everything about this book - which is surprising as fake dating is not my go to trope.

Spiral by Bal Khabra is a delightful ice hockey romance that hits all the right notes. The story follows two strong, charismatic protagonists—Sage, an up-and-coming ballerina, and Elias, a a newly drafted rookie for the Toronto Thunder—who can't seem to resist their undeniable chemistry. The novel is fast-paced, flirty, and immersive, making it the perfect quick read for romance lovers. Khabra masterfully blends sports action with steamy, witty banter, creating a fun and engaging dynamic between Sage and Elias. Their sizzling, slow-burning tension and playful interactions kept me hooked from start to finish, with both characters developing in ways that made their relationship feel authentic and earned. While the plot is predictable in parts, the sharp dialogue and the vibrant, competitive setting of the ballet and hockey world kept it fresh. If you're looking for an easy, feel-good read full of sparks, Spiral is a must-read for any romance fan!

if you want a cute, easy read, fast paced romance book that’s also really, really good - read this!
i really enjoyed reading this book! it had a little of everything: banter, teasing, spice!!
will definitely read other books by this author!!
4,5⭐️

Firstly, thank you so much for letting me read spiral early.
Ice hockey and ballerina fake date.
They both are not achieving their goals with their careers. But when they are spotted together by the paparazzi, they come up with a plan which should help them both.
I highly recommend this beautiful book.

He was a top draft pick and is currently playing for Toronto. As far as everyone can tell he’s living the dream. The media isn’t a big fan of his performance and the pressure is getting to him. One day he runs into Sage, an aspiring ballerina but her lack of popularity puts her at a major disadvantage. Fake dating is the perfect solution to both of their problems. Before things spiral out of control they have to decide if they’re willing to take the leap together.

This is one of if not my favorite hockey romances novel and that’s saying something because I’ve read quite a few. The characters have a lot of depth and relatable struggles. Watching them being vulnerable and opening up to one another made me emotional. Elias is the most caring, sensitive and giving man ever. One of my new favorite book boyfriends.

The forced proximity and Elias vow of celibacy makes for an incredible slow burn romance. The tension between them is ridiculous. Couple goals!!

It’s an incredible novel however it could’ve been a bit shorter but that’s just me being nitpicky.

This is the perfect book for hockey romance girlies. If you’re not the biggest fan of slow burn this will change your mind. Keep an eye out for this one, it’ll be out early 2025.

Read this is you like
❄️Hockey romance
🔥Slow burn
💜Opposites attract
💫Fake dating

After not overly enjoying the first book in this series, I hoped this one would be better and it really was. The characters remained true to themselves throughout which is something I felt the first book didn't have. I loved how sweet Eli and Sage were together and how they brought out the best in each other too. The writing style flowed and the development of different relationships felt like it was organic and natural. I would definitely read this one and again and can't wait for the next in the series