Thoroughly enjoyed this book & the way the author wrote this! The chemistry between the main characters was sweet.

Spiral by Bal Khabra 🩰🏒

Sage Beaumont is an independent and determined ballerina, trying her best to keep her head above water so she can support herself and her younger brother. Despite impressive ballet auditions, the roles are not going her way, but rather to dancers with a strong social media presence.

Elias Westbrook is generating more interest for his antics off the ice rather than for his efforts on the ice as part of the Toronto Thunder Hockey Team. He is struggling to make a name for himself as a player after not meeting the expectations of his trade and for some unfortunate run ins with other players.

When Sage finds herself at a NHL auction, she ends up winning a date with the perceived playboy, Elias. After talking to one another, they realise that both of their situations could be improved by a social media overhaul. Cue fake dating as the answer to their troubles. Sage needs a larger social media presence to secure her dream role and Eli needs the press off his back and for them to see that he has settled his wild ways with a steady girlfriend.

But what starts as fake dating quickly spirals into something more. 😍

The chemistry between Eli and Sage is a sweet slow burn with a unique type of forbidden romance that really ups the tension! Plus being told in dual POV, you get a real insight into Elias and Sage’s developing feelings. Spiral was an easy and engaging read with a cast of loveable side characters who I can’t wait to read about in their own books! 🤞

Spiral is book 2 in the Off the Ice Series, but it can be read as a standalone.

A big thank you to @netgalley and @bloomsburypublishing for my review copy. 💜 Spiral is out now! #spiral

#hockey #hockeylife #hockeyromance #romancebooks #romancereader #love #hockeyplayer #ballet #bookstagram #ebooks #ebook #read #bookreview #bookrecommendations

This book was so damn cute!! Fake dating, hockey romance with No third-act break-up??? Sign me up!
everything about this was executed so well and flowed flawlessly.

the dynamic between Sage and Elias was captivating from start to finish, the way their relationship developed throughout the story felt so authentic!

Elias, the man he is!! oh my lord, he had me swooning - I'd consider this a pretty slow burn but my gosh was it worth it!

Overall such a sweet hockey romance that completely hit the spot - did I mention that this was also binged in one sitting? yeah I could not put this down!

Sprial was such a good read!!
If you're into slow burns, sizzling chemistry, and characters who make you feel all the emotions, Spiral is an absolute must-read. Can't recommend this one enough!

Let’s talk about Elias for a second — he was such a sweetheart. The perfect book boyfriend to add to the ever growing list of book boyfriends!!
And then there’s Sage — she was such an amazing FMC!

Elias and Sage really compliment each other as a couple, I loved them both from the moment I started reading this one

Honestly a GREAT read, highly recommend this one

The PERFECT follow up to 'Collide'. Different characters, but that same feel-good romantic story with new twists and stakes. I loved getting to know Eli and Sage, and omg the way they ticked so many of my fav trope boxes.....fake dating? forced proximity? nightmares? I'M SO HERE FOR IT. This hockey player x ballerina romance is sure to make you swoon and help this book climb into the ranks of your fluffy (and SPICY) favourites.

I absolutely devoured this book!!!!
✅ Fake dating
✅ Ballerina / pro hockey player
✅ amazing chemistry

3.75⭐️
This one was super cute!! I am a huge fan of both fake dating and hockey romance so I absolutely loved seeing them done together in this book 🤭

I loved Elias and Sage together, and I also thought the pacing was much better than Collide!
When sports romance interconnected standalones start with the first book set in collage but subsequent books take place after graduation, I’m always a little hesitant. I RARELY see this done well and I’m often left missing the found family and overall college vibes.
However, this was not the case for Spiral. With Elias rooming with Aidan and their friends frequently visiting, the initial found family vibes remained, which I couldn’t get enough of.

Thank you so much Bloomsbury Australia for the ARC!!

my god do I love fake dating and this was done SO RIGHT! i had such high hopes after reading Collide and this book definitely surpassed mg expectations.

Eli and Sage’s meet-cute was just too good, and I loved seeing more of Elias and the way he deals with the media’s perception of him. Sage is so strong and kind, and has been through so much yet she keeps persevering. .

They have such a gentle, caring love, and as an acts of service girl myself, Eli and Sage’s relationship in this way was right up my alley. Their change from fake dating to real feelings, and the story development felt so natural and flowed so easily. I loved this book so much and can’t wait for book 3!!!

Spiral by Bal Khabra


Elias - A newly rookie that has joined the Toronto Thunder, facing the challenges of being in the big leagues with fame and misleading media scrutiny, with everyone watching his every move, he just wants to escape from it all.


Sage - An inspiring ballerina has always wanted to be apart of the Aurora Ballet Theatre but hasn't had the luck gaining entry to get in due to the dwindle of popularity but she comes up with the perfect idea to get in.


The second book of the 'Off the ice' series, the banter, chemistry, golden retriever energy and grumpy sunshine plus the spiciness with hockey/ballerina, it's everything we romance girlies need in a book.


I love how Sage was so strong/confident and always putting everyone she cares for first but holding back on others caring for her since she's been hurt before in the past. Elias is such a sweetheart with golden retriever energy wanting to support sage everyway she can while trying to hide from the fame in the media. As i haven't read the first book yet (definitely after this i will) i was truly immersed in this book.

If you like:

Hockey Romance
Fake Dating
Golden retriever energy
Grumpy/Sunshine
Spice

Then you truly have to read this one.


Thank you so much Bloomsbury AU and Netgalley for letting me read this arc for an honest review.

We love an acts of service king!!

This book completely took me by surprise—I adored every second of it and absolutely loved Eli & Sage!!

Let’s dive into the tropes:
Sports Romance (Hockey & Ballet)
- Fake Dating
- Forced Proximity
- Roommates
- Found Family
- No Third Act Breakup (yes, you read that right!)

Eli and Sage are such loveable, relatable characters. I won’t even lie, Eli is basically the perfect book boyfriend—not the kind that makes you roll your eyes and want to put the book down, but the kind you just can’t get enough of. And Sage? She’s a total gem. Hardworking, witty, and not afraid to speak her mind. What’s not to love?

The tension between them? Undeniable from the moment they meet. It’s hot, heavy, and oh-so-palpable! Oh, and did I mention it’s a slow burn? Because it is—and it is done so damn well. I was devouring every single moment they shared on the page.

Spiral is an absolute must-read for me, and here’s why:
- Steady, engaging plot that keeps you hooked
- Complex character arcs that make you care
- Jaw-dropping tension, banter, and sizzling chemistry
- A romance that will have you grinning like a fool

Thank you to Netgalley & Bloomsbury ANZ for the ARC of Spiral!

Elias Westbrook ARE YOU KIDDING ME
Mr "I'm gonna buy you a different bouquet of flowers each week until we find you a favourite flower."
stop it, i'm begging you, please leave some rizz for the rest of the male population.

i loved how Sage found her people with Elias' friends. and also the EPILOGUE! i was crying.

First of all thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing, Net Galley and Bal for allowing me to read this as an ARC. I loved reading the first of this series “Collide” and was so excited to hear there was a second book and it was about hockey x ballerina romance. As a fellow dancer I was so excited! This story explores fake dating, found family, “I can do it myself” meets “let me do it for you” as well as a little twist that I wasn’t expecting but was really interesting to read about. Bal babe, I am so so so grateful you chose Sage to call him Elias instead of Eli. I have a family member called Eli and I wouldn’t have been able to do it if you made her call him Eli like his friends, so thank you for thinking of me xx overall this was a super cute read and definitely recommend if you want to giggle and kick your feet.

This was so good - the slow burn was REAL and the tension between Elias and Sage was palpable. I absolutely loved Elias, he was so sweet and caring and very much an acts of service king. I loved he noticed that Sage had spent her whole life taking care of others so he took care of her 🥹 Sage was such a great FMC - she was so determined and focused but she had a playful side that came out with Elias, they just balanced each other out so well!!!

Thank you to NetGalley for the gifted advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Elias Westbrook, the MAN you are. This is the second book in the Off the Ice series and I flew through it - the writing as always, was a treat to read, and every character feels so vivid and real to me. This had the depth I look for in romances as well, and Elias and Sage unfiltered will always have a special spot in my heart. I feel so honoured to have gone through their journey alongside them, and cannot wait to keep reading this series.

Thank you to Bloomsbury ANZ, NetGalley and Bal Khabra for providing me with a copy of Spiral to review!

When we meet Hockey player Elias Westbrook, he is struggling under the weight of public perception during his rookie season. Meanwhile, aspiring ballerina, Sage Beaumont, is facing her own challenges both on and off the stage.

When a good deed throws the two together, they quickly agree that fake dating could be the answer to all their problems! It isn't long until real feelings start to creep in, and the two must decide whether they can put their past hurts behind them to take a chance on something real.

Elias and Sage's story is an absolutely delicious slow-burn that will have you curling your toes! While Spiral is the second book in the "Off Ice" series, it also works perfectly as a standalone. The characters are well-developed and will earn your respect as much as they will steal your heart.

With some well-placed forced proximity and a connection between the main characters that develops true depth, Bal Khabra has absolutely nailed the recipe for a five-star sports romance. Run, don't walk to get your hands on a copy on January 28th! 🩰⛸️

🌷 ARC review

Spiral by Bal Khabra 🩰🏒🤭

I absolutely DEVOURED this book.
I mean, I enjoyed Collide as much as the next gal, but this book??? This book is like crack.

Elias (mmc) emits massive golden retriever vibes - I love how gentle and kind he is despite his reputation as this womanising, heartbreaking, hockey player. Similarly, I found Sage (fmc) to be extremely likeable. I love how witty and sarcastic she is but also how dedicated she is to her sport AND to those she cares about.
The chemistry between the two is just off the charts. You could cut the sexual tension with a knife.

I really love that right from the get go they are upfront and honest with one another. I love that they communicate effectively the entire way through, and that even when their feelings are big and scary they never dwell on it long before confiding in the other.

There were a few things that I felt were glossed over quite quickly. Things that I wished the author elaborated on just a little bit more. But overall this book was so fun, sweet and easy to read.
I read it in a single sitting and even the epilogue swept me off my feet - I’d highly recommend to a friend.

⭐️ - 4.5/5
🌶️ - 2.5/5

🤍 Spiral is out January 28th

A massive thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for supplying me with this ARC! 🥰

Spiral is such a refreshing and different romance within the genre!

The book follows Elias, a rookie hockey player, and Sage, a ballerina, who decide to fake date to further both of their careers.

Spiral was so much fun! The story is messy and dramatic and so hot! Sage and Elias are so cute but also flirty as hell!

The story subverts typical conventions of the romance genre like the ballerina character type, the fake dating and forced proximity tropes, which makes the story refreshing and different and made me want to keep reading.
Sage and Elias feel like real people, it is baffling to me that Elias isn't a real hockey player in Toronto and Sage isn't a hard working ballerina, but just made up characters on a page. I think that's a testament to Bal Khabra's writing, that she writes deeply real stories that do truly feel like real people.

I do think there were a couple of things that sadly brought the story down ... I thought that the book was a touch too long, which is some ways makes sense because we get to truly see Sage and Elias in their relationship and as a strong couple and all the different subplots get tied up, I just also felt it dragged on a little. Also, despite how unbelievably real the characters feel, some of the plotlines felt a little too unrealistic, which I get because it is a work of fiction, but some would make me confused and take me out of the story.

Overall, I am loving the Off the Ice world! The way that all the characters are interconnected is perfect and I can't wait for the next book!

Spiral by Bal Khabra 🩰 🏒✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is the second book in the Off the Ice series, I absolutely loved Collide & I loved every minute of Spiral just as much!

I really loved seeing Eli & Sage’s communication throughout the story, and Eli’s acts of service put him high on my lists of book boyfriends!!
I love how Bal writes her characters & the dynamics between them - we see characters from Collide & get to see that found family in this book too 🥹🫶

I fear I’m now in my ballerina x hockey player romance era 😂 I can’t wait to get a physical copy of Spiral on my shelf 🩰
I definitely recommend this to any hockey romance lovers 🏒🫶🥲

Read this if you’re a fan of:
🩰 Ballerina x Hockey Player
🏒 Fake Dating
🩰 Roommates
🏒 Found Family
🩰 Friends to Lovers
🏒 Acts of Service

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I will admit I tend to avoid ice hockey romances these days but I ate up Collide so I when I saw Spiral I just had to read it and it did not disappoint.

One thing about me is I absolutely love a good fake dating book, there's just something about them that draws me in. Elias needs to change his image from the media and Sage is a struggling ballerina where her dream role is partly casted based on social media following so naturally they end of fake dating to help each other. I loved the instantly had chemisty these two had and how you could see them slowing falling in love with each other.

Eli is the most thoughtful man I've ever read about and is the standard. I loved seeing Sage achieve her childhood dream and seeing the struggles of being a ballerina. I loved seeing all of my favourite characters from Collide and how they adopted Sage into their group. Found Family hits every time.

Thank you to Netgally for the oppotuinity to read this as an arc!

Sprial comes out on January 28th and I recommend giving it a read!

ahhhh guys Miss Bal Khabra is literally such a QUEEN!!! I ate this book up and seriously had so much fun. I will admit, I think I liked ‘Collide’ a bit more but not by much. Sage and Eli were so so perfect!

Sage is a struggling ballerina and Eli is having his own problems on and off the ice so OF COURSE fake dating each other is the only way to solve both of their issues 🤭

Sage was literally sooo funny and witty and no matter how hard he tried Eli simply could not resist her charm 😭 Sage was also such a relatable character, always taking care of others and neglecting her needs but still working so hard to achieve her dreams. Eli my poor boy just had a string of bad luck on the ice and had some family issues that definitely affected his performance.

Yet, Sage helped him overcome his trauma and fears while he taught her how to let go and allow someone else to take care of HER!! It was all just so fricken sweet and cute and the writing is sooo good! And don’t even get my started on those “jealousy” scenes 🤭 no matter how many times I read it I will never get bored of the “we’re not really together but I’m jealous when you’re with someone else and I don’t know why” scenes 😭

Also Eli’s love language being “acts of service” 😍🤞 this man was just so incredibly thoughtful and considerate HE LITERALLY CHANGED THE LAYOUT OF HIS KITCHEN SO SHE COULD REACH THINGS and like he didn’t even think he just DID IT!!

Bal Khabra has quickly become a favourite author of mine and I’ve only read two of her books 😭