Sage and Elias were two characters I immediately fell in love with from the start. They’re both incredibly complex individuals who came from deeply traumatic childhoods, Sage in particular, yet they both remained resilient and loving in who they were. The more we learned about Sage and all she endured in her past, the more I wanted to shelter her from any harm and I loved that Bal gave us Eli to do just that. From the start, their dynamic contained humor, thoughtfulness, and consideration and I genuinely loved them together. This was a fake dating story that developed from strangers to lovers and I really enjoyed how we got to see them grow as people and as a couple.

An added bonus is that we got to see characters from the past woven seamlessly into the story in a way that really emphasized the idea of a found family within the pages. The way we got to see BOTH of them in their element and supported holistically in their respective sports made it even better.

Note: due to the nature of what some of the characters endured in their past and the frequency of which it is mentioned, this book needs trigger warnings. Though it takes on a jovial tone at times, I would not characterize this as a lighthearted romance in any regard, and it’s important to consider the weight and depth of not only what these characters experienced, but the societal repercussions of its depiction.

Bal Khabra, I don’t know what kind of crack you put in this book but I’m obsessed. This book was SO good. The banter!!! The pining!!! The tension!!! The love!!! It was all perfect.

I thought Aiden was the best book boyfriend, but I was proven wrong by Mr. Elias Westbrook himself!!! I loved every bit of Eli’s character. He’s sweet, sexy, insecure, protective, and thinks the world of Sage which is so beautiful. Sage is incredible as well. She’s so resilient and smart and determined and thoughtful. The former ballerina in me just fell in love with her.

This book deserves all the stars and I can’t wait for the rest of the world to read it!!! Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley for the arc, it meant the world to me <3

Sooooooooo, I don’t want to say it, but I think that this author isn’t for me. Trust me, I really did try to give her another spot. I didn’t really like the first book in the series, but I wanted to give her another chance with the second book in the series. And I didn’t like neither.

It was an okay romance read. Nothing too special or loved so much. I just didn’t like the pace of the story or the characters. I didn’t find the chemistry between them. It just felt weird. Sorry, but I’m just not going to read her books anymore.

Spiral by Bal Khabra is the follow up to Collide and it is just as epic!

I absolute love Collide so I was very excited for Spiral and it did not disappoint. What I love about Bal's writing is the dynamic that she creates with her characters. Elias and Sage were so lovable from the start. I loved the fake dating, I loved that they were both passionate athletes. She's a ballerina and he's a hockey player. I loved how caring and protective he was of her and how he wanted to make sure she knew that she wasn't alone. I loved the vulnerability in her character and her tenacity and drive. She is such a lovable character who's so strong and kind hearted and would do anything for her brother. I loved the found family trope in this book and we get to see familiar faces from the previous book and see how they all become one close family. I loved the sports element, the way they both balance and compliment each other. I loved that Bal went with a lot of swoon romance but also goes in depth to their relationship and how they go from fake to real and their deep conversations, adversity that they both go through and help each other with. I loved them so much. I loved learning about ballet and the good and bad and how sage's career path forges and Elias supports her and the way they support each other and become a power duo. The epilogue was so perfect. I was so emotional reading it. I couldn't have thought of a better way to end their story. I loved this book so much and I cannot wait to read what Bal Khabra has in store next!

Really cute, funny little romance and really fast pace. I really liked the character, Sage and Eli are so sweet and cute together. Also loved to see Summer and Aiden evolution together. But I would have liked to have more context on both character's past, there was a little but not enough to fully understand the whole situation and character in my opinion.

Can you hear that? It’s me gnawing at the bars of my enclosure because this was so unbelievably good!!! Hockey player x ballerina with fake dating and a rule that there’s no pda whatsoever and oh they can’t fall in love with each other either. SHUT UP!!! It’s actually so criminal that this is one of my top romance reads this year and it doesn’t even release until Jan 2025!! I don’t even know where to begin on what I loved the most, the most deliciously mouth watering slow burn ever, tension and angsty parts that came with the forced proximity or the fact that the Elias had me barking like a dog the entire time.
There was so much vulnerability between Elias and Sage, the pair of them having gone through so much and opening up to one another had me genuinely sick to stomach. I LOVE THEM YOUR HONOUR!

I have been waiting for this book since I finished reading Collide back in April!

Khabra has done it again ya’ll! I still love Aiden the most, but Elias is right there with him at the top of the hockey boyfriend list! He’s sweet, thoughtful, caring, considerate, and sexy as heck! And Sage, she was my spirit animal with her hilariously inappropriate sense of humor!

I have to admit I did not expect the whole Elias celibacy thing and as much as I wish they had done it from day one, the slow burn was pretty epic!! Sage riding his thigh was so funny and totally relatable :P Their “Elias and Sage unfiltered" promise was everything!

“Because I know that no matter where I am, I’ll always be home as long as I have her.”

The ending had me in tears. I loved that everyone got a HEA and now I’ll be impatiently hoping and waiting for Kian and Dylan’s books!

I am a sucker for the cutesy romance and Bal Khabra has out done herself! I was over moon being approved for this and it did not disappoint.

Bal Khabra certainly knows how to write a cute romance with swoony male leads. Spiral is book 2 of the off the ice series that follows the story of eli and sage. Another bang on hit by Khabra after the bestseller- Collide.

#Netgalley #Spiral

Big thank you to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing Group for providing me an arc to read in exchange for my honest review.

I gotta admit I was nervous about starting Spiral by Bal Khabra. Mainly because I read Collide, the first book in this romcom series earlier this year. And after finishing Collide I had some mixed feelings. Like I enjoyed the characters and the overall story arc but felt some parts slow, boring and overhyped. Even with all that said I still wanted to give Spiral a shot because I really enjoyed the introduction we had to Elias in book one.

And let me tell you Elias storyline did not disappoint. I started this book last night right and I wanted to devour it in one sitting. However, I had to unfortunately be an adult and wake up and go to work. But once work was done I could not be stopped. Elias and Sage story was truly relatable and heartwarming. Honestly I’m not ready to let them go. PS Bal may we have more extended epilogues please ;)

I don’t want to go too much more in depth because I want to stay away from spoilers. So I’ll leave you guys with this. Please buy this book when it releases in January 2025. You will not be disappointed!

Sweet, warm, and heart-warming. Everything I want in a hockey romance! I liked this one more than Collide which surprised me! Excited for the rest of the series and more from Bal!

I’ve been so excited for this one because of the cover and after reading Collide! Elias & Sage are so mom & dad coded and this story was sooo freaking cute. All the small moments like the wrist kisses. the TATTOO, the cooking and the drive-in movie, ugh I’ve been SWOONING. Don’t get me started on that epilogue it had all the feels. I loved that this one let us follow Eli on his journey and meet sage who i think is my fave fmc. I don’t laugh while reading books but this one had me laughing out loud more than once. Y’all the SMUT lol Bal knows what she’s doing. I enjoyed every second and overall its a sweet comfort read that i devoured in 2 days.

The way their pretend relationship evolves into something real and deeply emotional is beautifully done. With its perfect mix of romance, tension, and heartfelt moments, this book is a delightful rollercoaster that I couldn’t put down. I was captivated by every page and loved every moment of their incredible journey. It’s sweet, fun and entertaining.