4.5 stars! Such a good sports romance with well-developed characters, emotional depth, and strong subplots. If you like fake dating and slow burn romance, you're going to love Spiral!

Elias and Sage were adorable together. Their chemistry was amazing, and the combination of slow burn and fake dating was top notch. I was dying for them to kiss the whole time and when they finally did, I cheered. The forced proximity and being roommates only added to the tension. Elias...love a man who can cook. And I loved how confident and blunt Sage was. She and Elias complemented each other in the best way, and I loved how they worked together through challenges and trauma. Also it's such a relief to have a hockey book where the MMC isn't the star. Elias struggled professionally, and I liked how he had to overcome that.

The pacing felt a bit off during the last 25% of the book. I didn't love the third act breakup/miscommunication. It almost felt like the ending could've wrapped up faster. But overall, loved this!

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance for sending me an ARC of Spiral. As always, my reviews are one hundred percent voluntary and all opinions are my own :)

Bal Khabarovsk has created an entertaining hockey world, and I really enjoy her writing, and getting to know her characters. Sage is a strong, independent FMC, which is always my favorite, and I also found her dance career to be really interesting. Elias is interesting, and I was rooting for him to get it together and work through the issues he had going on. I loved their banter, and how their relationship progressed.

Read/listen if you like ⇣
•Hockey Romance
•Ballerina FMC
•Roommates
•Fake Dating
•Found Family
•Slow Burn
•Dual POV
•Spice

Thank you Berkley Romance and NetGalley for the ARC!

Bal’s Off the Ice series had me in a chokehold with book one but our FMC, Sage, in book two might be my favorite character ever written. It was so intense reading my personality and character traits in a book. Sage and I are so similar that I connected to her immediately. From striving to be the best in her career, taking care of everyone around her, loving a good cry, and then finding the sweetest love, she is me. I am her. I loved reading her and Elias’ story just for the fact that it’s so similar to mine. But more importantly, Val wrote characters that were relatable and nuanced and funny. I honestly can’t wait to see who book three will be about. I’m so happy to have gotten an ARC for this so THANKS NETGALLEY.

Spiral, a fake dating, professional hockey romance, follows Elias Westbrook, a rookie hockey player for the Toronto Thunder and Sage Beaumont, a struggling ballerina who plays primary guardian to her teenage brother, Sean. Sean and Sage’s parents up and abandoned them after a long-string of childhood disappointment, and Sage works tirelessly to provide for the two of them. Sage’s uncle Marcus, and the GM to the Toronto Thunder supports his niece dearly; invites her to a team event in which she earns herself an auctioned date with none other than Elias Westbrook - struggling rookie and the object of everyone’s desire.

Despite his reluctance, following their date and Sage’s proposal the two strike a mutually beneficial fake-dating arrangement. For Sage to boost her social media presence in order to gain favour and opportunity as an emerging principal ballerina, and for Elias to wave off scrutiny and media interest in his personal and romantic affairs. The couple’s arrangement quickly becomes much more confined when Sage finds herself staying at Elias’ and Aiden’s apartment, after a near disastrous fire took over her own home. The constant forced proximity, and all their public and private time together develops both Sage and Elias’ feeling more — though neither pushing to take their arrangement any further; primarily accountable towards Elias’ four-year celibacy vow.

“Spiral”, part two of Bal Khabra’s Off the Ice series , is a forced proximity, fake-dating hockey player and ballerina romance. Two things I am a major fan of - hockey romance and a fake dating trope! I really loved delving into this read, and sparked a greater interest for me in this series! Two words - Elias Westbrook; this man is battling his way to the top of my book boyfriend roster and I can’t even be mad about it. His maturity, to his softness, and caring personality puts him miles ahead of my perfect book boyfriends, and had me swooning at every page. Elias’ and Sage’s familial pasts both hurt my heart; but then their sense of found family not only with each other but friends and teammates is so beautiful, how am I not supposed to cry?

Thank you Netgalley & Berkeley for the chance to read and review Spiral — and thank you Bal for the perfection that is Elias Westbrook 😭

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

Putting my feelings about this book into words seems almost impossible at this point.

I. Absolutely. Loved. This. Book.

Fake dating is a troupe that I will always stand behind and Sage and Eli had me rooting for them from the beginning. I read in one sitting because I didn’t want to leave them😭! Everything you could ever need and more in a romance.

Thanks @berkleyromance for providing a #free advanced copy💕

I also yapped about this book a bit over on youtube!!! 🔗

https://youtu.be/tg62sSM1oQg?si=ryyovm0lwil3q2UN

Bal Khabra can do no wrong! I'm not typically a huge contemporary romance reader but I was obsessed with "Collide." Khabra does it again by delivering a sweet and spicy romance, perfect for fans of the genre and those who (like me) typically don't read it! I squealed so many times. A delectable read!

Another stellar hockey romance. I loved Sage and Elias's journeys both separately and together as a couple. All of their choices made sense given their histories. And the drama was delicious while not being over done just for the sake of more drama. Definitely continuing this series!

4.5 stars
2 spice

Thank you, @berkleyromance and @berkleypub , for an advanced digital copy of this book!

Spiral had me smiling, laughing, and tearing up all the way through. The love story between Elias and Sage exceeded all expectations—genuine, sweet, and so incredibly special.

Elias is an absolute sweetheart and definitely a new favorite book boyfriend. I loved how he consistently showed up for Sage, making her feel valued. Their chemistry was electric, and their moments together had me grinning like a fool. Watching their romance unfold, despite all the obstacles, was both heartwarming and emotional. The slow-burn tension was perfectly paced, and I loved how their connection deepened with every page. Their relationship was healthy and built on strong communication and reassurance, which was so refreshing.

I adore the fake-dating-turned-real trope, and watching their friendship blossom into something more was heartwarming. The secondary characters were also fantastic, and I’d love to see more from this series. Overall, Spiral is a charming, steamy sports romance that’s both easy to read and impossible to put down.

4.5⭐️ there is just something about a fake dating, hockey romance that i always eat upppppp. Eli deserves the whole freaking world. My god that man is perfection and so so so sweet. And his relationship with Sean and the things he did to help him without Sage knowing?😭 I loved Sage’s sense of humor and take no shit attitude, and refusal to give up on her dreams no matter what. Reading about these two falling in love and overcoming the things they went through in their pasts was everything. These are two characters who i honestly think would last after the last chapter.

That bathtub scene will live rent free in my head forever.

Sage Beaumont is a hardworking ballerina who aspires to be a principal in the Aurora Ballet Theater. Elias Westbrook is a rookie, recently drafted hockey player for the Toronto Thunder who has yet to score a goal. They both could use a career boost, and pretending to be dating to enhance their social media presence is the way to go. In the process they find so much more. Sage has learned to rely on herself, denying her own needs to provide for her brother; and Elias has closed himself off from romantic relationships because of a past mistake. But being together provides a profound emotional bond that has been missing from their lives. When they achieve their career goals, how will they be able to end their fake relationship that has become very real?

Spiral is a fake dating relationship book with authentic characters and real emotions. Elias is a wonderful guy. His degree of caring and consideration for Sage makes readers sigh with contentment. Although he guards and exercises so much control over himself, his actions speak larger than words, such as cooking and baking for Sage and giving her massages, showing what a real sweetheart he is. Sage is plain-speaking, nurturing, and fun, with a unique ability to bring Elias out of his shell. Watching them fall in love provides that serotonin boost that romance lovers crave. The way they watch out for and support each other is relationship goals. Khabra establishes an emotional connection that makes their sexual encounters so satisfying, which is great as this book gets very steamy. Their friends and family are intrinsic to their story, because it’s very apparent how much they love them, and both Sage and Elias work so hard to make their families proud of them. Readers are sure to fall in love with this couple and their relationship. The inclusion of diverse characters is great, but more exploration of Sage’s ethnic heritage would be appreciated as she seemed very racially ambiguous for most of the book. This book incorporates tidbits of the lives of hockey players and ballerinas in a way that is naturalistic, adding to the three-dimensional feel of the characters. Spiral is a thoroughly enjoyable steamy contemporary romance with real heart.

4.5 stars.

“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘬𝘢𝘺, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐’𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘪𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴, 𝘐’𝘥 𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘩 𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”

elias and sage unfilitered is my new mantra 😭😭😭💗 you can write that on my tombstone please and thank you

get you a hockey player who buys you a different bouquet of flowers every week while you’re fake dating just to help you decide which ones are your favorite (because you’ve never received any in your life)

get you a hockey player who can cook and experiments with sugar-free ingredients to help feed your diabetic little brother

get you elias westbrook.

i genuinely loved the hockey player x ballerina story. both tough careers, both hitting rock bottom, and yet they lifted each other up and kept hope alive for one another 🫶🏻❤️

fake dating used to be my all-time favorite trope when i got back into reading and there’s a reason why it’s still top 3 to this day. THE TENSION BETWEEN ELIAS AND SAGE WERE 😮‍💨🤤

lastly, the found family between the hockey team and sage? for the girl who got abandoned by her own parents and had no friends because all she ever did was work to provide for her little brother? 😭😭 absolutely heartwarming !!

if a sports romance doesn’t have found family in it, don’t even give it to me.

i loved this book so much and was the cutest palate cleanser! add it to your tbr if you need a simple, sweet romance read 💗

I read about a third of this and was mildly entertained but just feeling kind of bored. The lesson for me I think is that I just don't find new adult engaging as a genre and I shouldn't read them. I liked the relationship between the characters, but just didn't really feel compelled or excited about their romance. I love a fake dating story, but this one just wasn't capturing me. Thanks to Berkley for this arc.

I really enjoyed the first half of this book! I loved all of the communication between the two and that they were sharing feelings/reassurances. I felt like the relationship developed/progressed pretty naturally. The slow burn and found family tropes were perfectly done which is not an easy feat.

If you like slow burn, sports romance or found family i highly highly recommend.

I took my time reading Spiral by Bal Khabra, and it was SUCH a good decision! Sage and Eli are my new favorite book couple and their story was just what I needed this week! Both are high-level athletes (ballet and hockey) with something to prove. What’s the solution? Fake dating, of course!

There’s so much more and I read it *mostly* without any pre-reading and was so glad with my choice. Both had so much character development throughout, and I loved the care and devotion they show each other and their family - including found. A joy to read and sports romance lovers will want to snag this series asap! I Received an advanced reading copy, receipt of which did not impact my review.

Spiral shoots and scores with its fake-dating, found family love story. A perceived bad boy on the team, aligns himself with the niece of the teams front office staff, to solve problems each are facing on and off the ice. As lines get blurred, these two realize their smitten with each other.

The caring nature of Elias was the sweetest. The love story featured mature communications and realistic thoughtfulness. The hockey family delivered needed friendships and a found family for this couple to move forward. Spiral, much like book one in the Off the Ice series, gives the reader humor, angst and some steamy scenes.

A must read for sports romance fans!

Thank you, Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley

Thanks so much to berkley romance for the free book!

i pulled an all nighter to finished this book… I really liked the book it was cute to pass the time but I wish sage race was more clear as it a back and forth of black and moroccan? I dont know

overall the story Is very funny and cute. want to read the next one!

I enjoyed this one. It was a cute, fun, fake dating, hockey player x ballerina romance. Sage was abandoned by her parents and left to raise her younger brother on her own, so she’s not used to relying on anyone or asking for help. She’s strong, but also has a hard time believing in herself. Eli is sweet, caring, and protective, but is closed off to relationships and romance because he had a bad experience four years ago. They agree to fake date to help his hockey career and her ballet career, and they inevitably fall in love. Eli fights it, but Sage is loving and patient with him, and I loved how she supported him and his decisions. If you want a sweet, short read, you’d like this one.
🩰
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️
🩰
Read if you like:
▫️he’s a pro hockey player
▫️she’s a ballerina
▫️fake dating
▫️found family
▫️dual POV
🩰
Thank you to Berkley Romance, Bal Khabra, and NetGalley for the ARC. I received an advanced copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

I had the absolute best time reading SPIRAL!
I am a fake dating girlie and I ate this up
The pining was everything!

Both characters have past trauma but they helped each other heal and move on!
Being each other’s biggest cheerleaders too 😭

I really enjoyed Collide and was super excited for more of the friend group!
Y’all he removed her makeup for her because she was too tired & I was deceased 😍

Spiral follows Elias as he is playing his rookie year in the NHL and Sage as she struggles to get auditions as a ballerina and therefore struggling financially. Elias has yet to score his first career goal which has caused the media to question his ability to play the game and question his "party boy" lifestyle which is totally fabricated. Sage is told that if she had more instagram she could get an audition. When they meet an an auction because Sage saves Elias from his stalker they go out on a charity date and the idea is planted: we should fake date. Now let me tell you something about fake dating, it is my favorite dating trope.

I wanted to love this book so bad but I ended up liking it a lot. I thought the entire setup was so clever but I thought that their backstories were comically tragic. Summer and Aiden had their sad stories but they were just silly goofy, for some reason in the BKBU (Bal Khabra book universe) Elias and Summer's backstories were Greek tragedies, like what was that? Don't get me wrong, the book was really fun whenever we had the fake dating, the forced proximity, and the yearning. I loved the yearning so much! I feel like there's not enough yearning in books nowadays. I would recommend this book to anyone who can just look past the tragedy and focus on how fun the rest of the book is.

Tropes: slow burn, fake dating, forced proximity, one bed

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley, and Bal Khabra for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance for an advance copy of this!

I first read Bal Khabra's book Collide last year through Berkley and comparing the way that one was written to this one, you could see Khabra's growth! Collide felt like it was a debut book and I know it originally was an indie turned traditionally pub so I'm not sure how much was changed from the original format. But this one felt so much more polished!

"You shouldn't look at me like that, you know?"
"Like what?"
"Like I'm yours to look at."
"What if I want to?"

Without knowing it, I read two romances simultaneously that started off with a the FMC bids on the MMC at a charity event and yet they both were done so differently and well done. Sage bids on Eli while working at a charity event which leds to them hanging out. Eli is smitten with Sage from the start.

I thought this was such a cute read! Sage had been through a lot and had to grow up quickly. She felt like she had to be the one to take care of her brother and put everything for him before she could focus on herself. Ballet was her life and her dream was to play the title role in Black Swan. When a fire at her apartment caused her to be displaced, sweet Eli was kind enough to let her stay with him. I love the found family feeling that came across on how his group of friends took her in.

Eli doesn't have the best reputation in the NHL and is painted as a playboy. But playing hockey is what he wants people to be talking about except he has yet to score a goal. Once him and Sage start seeing one another, his luck changes, There was an incident that caused him to be a little extra cautious in his love life. Eli is very very into Sage but doesn't allow himself to indulge. I thought that was an interesting choice by the author! Especially for someone who has written very spicy scenes in the prior book. But don't worry Eli could only resist for so long because he knew Sage was different than other women that had been in his life. I love how supportive he was of Sage and knew that she could achieve her dreams. And don't get me started on how sweet he was towards her brother!!

Overall I thought this was a fun, quick romance and I recommend if you are looking for a romance buffer between heavy reads! You do not need to read Collide to understand this. Summer and Aiden do make appearances throughout the book.

4.5