I was very excited to read this book as I loved Collide, and I am a big fan of the fake dating and sport romance tropes, but I ended up a little bit disappointed...

I really enjoyed Collide, and I was excited to go back to the same world and group of friends, so I was a bit confused at first that it wasn't based in college anymore, but we still got some scenes with the Dalton team, which I loved! We had already met Elias, so I was excited to meet Sage. I enjoyed the start of the book, but their reasons for fake dating felt a little bit unrealistic, especially Sage's. I liked their banter and how they get to know each other, but I struggled a bit to get invested in the romance as I did not feel their emotional connection. I'm not going to lie, I was a bit enraged about the celibacy storyline, like seriously!!! I understand it, and it added a little bit of angst to the story, but for me, I think it would have made more sense and added more to the story if it had been introduced earlier on. I did enjoy the spice once it happened, and it helped to like the characters a bit more.

The pace felt very weird at times, and some things were solved or brushed off very quickly and easily, and I would have liked to see more development and depth. I did not understand why the drama with the ballet was starting after the 80% mark. I would have preferred to have it earlier on in the story, because it felt as if it was mostly focused on Elias side of the story, and once that was solved, then it was Sage's turn... I would have liked to see them navigate the highs and lows that happened to them at the same time. I liked Sage's relationship with her brother, and I could related to her worries as an older sister. I do wish their relationship with their uncle would have been more developed though.

The ending dragged on for a while, and there were at least 3 or 4 chapters that the book could have ended with, and yet, it kept going. Overall, I would have liked to see a more emotional connection between the characters, but it was a fun and easy read!

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

*Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of this book in return for an honest review*

I love love LOVE the fake-dating trope, but when you add in sports romance, ballet and fantastically written chemistry between characters, I was in love!

I was a bit worried to read this as there was no way any couple could live up to Summer and Aiden but damnnnn Sage and Elias were so well matched that I was instantly hooked and rooting for them. I really enjoyed the strength of Sage’s character and the fact she was a ballerina that was focused on having a strong and healthy body rather than a thin one.

The reason I couldn’t give this 5 stars was because of the lack of development with the backstories. The history was there but it wasn’t properly explored and Aiden’s ‘dad’s’ faux pas was too convenient and then he just disappeared I guess? I just would have preferred to have their stories more developed

However, I have to admit that I am desperately awaiting more books from this universe now.

I was kind of underwhelmed by this book. I didn’t feel like there was a whole lot of plot apart from “I hope I get this ballet role”.

The concept that the ballet lead roles were being given to people with large social media followings was odd and not really a believable idea. It’s ballet not TV. And then she goes from barely scraping by to suddenly getting Odette/Odile in an audition where she’s supposedly so good they give her the spot then and there, because she “dances with such emotion.” Ok….. so that kind of negates the plotline that she “had to date a hockey player to get social media followers to get the lead role in the ballet”. I don’t know, it’s a bit of a mess.

The celibacy thing??? Not really sure what the point was. Of course it wouldn’t last to the end of the book. Felt like a waste of time.

The adoption of the girl at the end of the book was so random and underdeveloped. As well as the ex-boyfriend scenes. Added nothing to the book.

I can’t really think of much I liked in this book unfortunately. I thought it would be right up my street being a former ballet dancer and a hockey romance fan but it was just so flat and shallow.

Two characters that I absolutely adore.

The banter and chemistry was everything in this book. The FMC is one of my favourite voices that I've read this year. She knew herself and I loved her confidence.

Beautiful slow burn with delicious tension.

I am lapping up this series!

LOVED LOVED LOVED this book

We have fake dating, the one bed, slow burn 🔥

And it did not miss.

This book starts with Eli moving into the NHL alongside aiden doesn’t really go to plan as he’s in the media for all the women he is entertaining and not for goals being scored on the ice

S loved balllet and always hard particularly when life at home was hard. Her dream was to be the lead in sean lake but after audition after audition and rejection after rejection she is giving up on the hope

Until someone tells her that having a larger social media following will help her case

*Insert Eli the failing hockey player on her uncle team who is getting a lot of media attention right now*

The only rule to the fake dating pact - don’t fall in love

and i have to say i absolutely loved eli all the little things he did for like the sugar free cup cakes i can’t 🥹

and S is a strong FMM who brings laughter to ELI’s life

there are some more serious topics covered in this book so it’s not all light hearted but the friendship and these 2 do their best to find the light

i’d say the only thing for me was the ending was a little bit dragged out and i found i did start to lose interest a little bit once they did get together but other than that rate 4.5 🌟

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC and the opportunity to give my honest feedback.

Spiral by Bal Khabra is the second book in the Off The Ice series. It is a hockey x ballerina romance story that follows Elias Westbrook, newly drafted hockey player who is feeling the pressure from not scoring a single goal to his name yet and Sage Beaumont, who dreams to be Aurora Ballet Theatre but due to her social standing and lack of followers comapred to her peers, fears her dreams may not come true any time soon.

Following an auction where Elias is up for a date, Sage is asked by his teammate to place the winning bid. Aftter winning the date, they begin to talk and with Elias’ “womanizer” ways in the media and Sage’s lack of social media followers, they both come to a beneifical arrangement which will help Elias’ in the media while also helping Sage with her social media following. Soon enough, the lines between what is real and what isn’t begin to blur.

This book is such a cute and easy read. I feel it is a strong follow up and probably my favourite of the two books in the series so far. Elias and Sage both have their baggage and their vuneralbilites into why they fear about committing, but when they both begin to let the other in, you can see their worries melt away and their trust in one another strengthen. Their chemistry and banter is done very well and I just fell in love with the both of them. Just watching them naviage their fake relationship versus their real one is just chefs kiss honestly.

Honestly, I recommend this book if you are looking for sports romance, fake dating and friends to lovers.

Really enjoyed this second book by Bal Khabra. It was a tad insta love but sweet story. I thought the epilogue was a bit crazy like how old are they supposed to be? But still good book

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I absolutely adored this book – it was so heartwarming, and I fell in love with the characters all over again. After being introduced to them in the first book, Collide, I’m thrilled that we get to explore their stories further and meet new ones as well.

Sage is unapologetically herself, always wearing her heart on her sleeve, and I love that about her. Then there’s Elias, our caring ice hockey player, who is the perfect gentleman.

The way Sage & Elias opened up to each other and allowed themselves to be vulnerable in ways they couldn’t with anyone else was truly heart-melting. The tension, the push-and-pull chemistry, and the banter were everything – I loved it all!

I hope the series continues with the side characters, Dylan and Kian, but I also really want to see more of Sean and watch him grow!

Tropes:
💖Hockey player x ballerina
💖fake dating
💖forced proximity
💖found family
💖slow burn

Thank you to Netgalley, Berkley Publishing Group, and Bal Khabra for this arc.

Hockey sticks and ballet slippers might seem like an odd mix, but Spiral by Bal Khabra proves that opposites really do attract and sometimes, they fake date their way into a steamy sports romance that will leave you swooning!

Meet Elias Westbrook, the Toronto Thunder’s newest (and hottest) hockey player. He’s got the world at his feet, except for that one tiny problem: scoring a goal. He’s drowning in media pressure, tabloids speculating about his love life, and a fan base that’s more obsessed with who he’s dating than how he’s playing. Enter Sage Beaumont, a ballerina with her own dreams of fame. She’s graceful, determined, and just one viral moment away from landing the lead role in the Aurora Ballet Theatre.

But here’s the catch, while Sage can pirouette like a dream, she doesn’t have the social media clout to make the cut. What’s the solution? Fake date Elias, of course! It’s a win-win: Elias gets to calm the tabloids, and Sage gets the attention she needs to secure her big break. Easy, right?

Well, not so fast, because sparks start flying faster than a puck on the ice, and soon their “just-for-show” relationship is anything but.

Watching Elias and Sage navigate their not-so-fake feelings is like watching the perfect pas de deux, every step is full of tension, chemistry, and moments that will make your heart race. Sage’s elegance and Elias’ brooding charm are a match made in sports romance heaven. The push and pull of their relationship is both sweet and sizzling, and let’s just say, the rules of fake dating don’t stand a chance against the heat these two generate.

But Spiral isn’t just about romance, it’s also about chasing dreams, facing insecurities, and figuring out how to balance the expectations of others with what you truly want for yourself. Both Elias and Sage are fighting their own battles, on and off the ice and stage, and their personal growth is just as satisfying as their romantic chemistry. And while their worlds seem worlds apart, their struggles with fame, pressure, and self-doubt are strikingly similar.

If you love fake-dating romances that combine sports, ballet, and a whole lot of heart, Spiral will twirl its way straight onto your favourites list. With a perfect balance of humour, heat, and heart, Elias and Sage’s story is one you won’t want to miss.

Where do I even start! I haven’t been this excited for an ARC ever!! I absolutely loved collide and I had such high expectations with this book. I adore Sage and Elias. Both of them are so adorable. I love how they have a backstory that explains why they act the way they do. Bal’s writing is so phenomenal as well. I couldn’t put the book down. I know this is not going to come as a surprise to anyone that knows me but I 120% recommend the book. It’s a 5/5 for me, no doubt!!

For everyone who is a fan of sports romance this is the book for you! This was such a good follow up to Collide. I love how we moved onto the world of professional hockey instead of staying in a college setting. We have Elias who is so down bad for the main girl that you are just kicking your feet. He’s the quiet kind caring guy that would do anything for her. Then we have Sage the independent strong willed girl that secretly loves having someone take care of her. They were a match made in heaven and I loved the banter between them. If you are looking for a fun and quick read then check this book out.

I really loved this book!
The characters were everything. Elias is such a sweet and caring guy, he is definitely a new favourite book boyfriend.

I really love Bal Khabra's writing style, it's fast paced and very fun.
She has a lot of humor in her books, while still having serious topics. Will defenitly read more by her!

Acts of service >>

"He grabs the plates even though they’re in reach now that everything is moved down one shelf"
He noticed she was too short to reach the stuff so he movee everything down🥹❤️

Spiral swept me off my feet with its intoxicating blend of romance and yearning. From the moment I dove into this enchanting tale, I was captivated by the chemistry between the characters. The prose is lush and evocative, creating a vivid backdrop that pulls you into their world. I found myself lost in the beauty of their moments together; the tender touches, the quiet conversations, and the passionate encounters that ignite a spark between them. What truly made this story shine is how the author captures the thrill of falling in love. You can feel the pulse of desire and the sweetness of vulnerability, making every page a delicious escape into a world where love conquers all.

𝟒.𝟓 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 .𐦍༘⋆
this was such a cute read!
i was genuinely intrigued from beginning to end. i’m so happy i was able to read this as an arc.
sage and elias have my heart <3

𐙚 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚𝙙:
i loved how real the characters felt, i think in romance books especially in sports romance books some authors don’t find that sweet spot of the sports:plot:romance ratio but it was done so well in this one. i loved that the characters felt like real people outside of their sport and romance plot.

this book was also really well written and the flow and pacing was perfect. the plot in general had me fully entertained, i love a good fake dating trope.

character wise i adore all the characters in this book except for owen and ashley (iykyk). i think they all had great chemistry and genuinely felt like a real friend group and hockey team. i also really liked that this book dealt with deeper themes and topics when it came to elias and sage’s parents and their careers not being exactly how they wanted it to be yet.

𐙚 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚: (minor details)
certain aspects of the writing was just a bit weird for me, like minor details. eli getting a safe tattoo after being together after only a few months was a bit impulsive and weird to me.

the amount of dirty jokes / talk that sage is able to make in the beginning without really knowing eli also just felt really random & weird to me.

elias’s dad trying to do a press release and passing out was also a really random scene that i didn’t think we needed, it was really short and we had all this build up for his dad to retaliate and it was a bit lacklustre in my opinion.

having people want to sabotage sage’s career should have come a bit earlier on in the book in my opinion so it could have lasted a bit longer, again i feel like it was such a short part of the story but it could have definitely been a bit more.

This was amazing! The fake dating trope as well as the grumpy vs sunshine was so good! I absolutely loved the main characters and you just route for them through the whole book. Parts really made me laugh too!

In the beginning I had my doubts about the romance between Sage and Elias because I didn't quite see the chemistry between our couple, but, I'm happy to report that around the 70 page mark things came together and I was absolutely hooked and devoured it in a matter of days.

This is definitely for readers who enjoy a good college romance. It will give you those same feelings and the reason why I'm hesitant to give it a higher rating is because I personally feel that it would have worked better in that setting. I sometimes forgot that Elias & Sage are actually newly out of college and trying to figure life out.

It is an emotional read as our couple is dealing with some serious childhood trauma relating to poor treatment by their parents. Even with that heavy theme the story was easy to fall into, I loved seeing their growth and watching them overcome their issues so they could be together.

It is a fake dating story and that element was handled really well and added a fun layer. The banter was excellent and the sex scenes had just the right amount of steam.There is a reveal with the hero that I wish was something that was talked about more with men but was refreshing to see. It definitely added to my enjoyment.

I highly recommend this if you want a good time with some light hockey in between. If you want to try some hockey romance to see if it's your thing, this is a good place to start. For my seasoned hockey romance readers I'd still say to give it a try just be aware that there isn't that much action on the ice.

CW: parental abandonment, mention of body image issues.

This is one of those books I would happily re read for the romance storyline. I read the first book and loved Aiden and Summer but in all honesty, Elias and Sage topped it for me. Ice hockey player struggling to fit in in the big leagues and a ballerina aiming for the big leagues, what could ever go wrong with a fake dating trope?

This was just so cute. How he realises she is a people pleaser and he wants to support her and please her. How he wants to help her with things she struggles with. How he looks after her (and her family) as much as he can. Pure kicking your legs smiling romance vibes. It has to be said.

Undercurrents and frequent visits to different family types, found family and touches on topics like dr*gs and alc*hol ab*se and blackmailing.

So, a lot of peple wanted Elias' story to be with Amara but I was excited to read a new character created by Bal Khabra.

Elias is, if you've read Collide, our wonderful mother goose of Dalton University's hockey team. He has made it to the NHL and is, shall we say, underperforming on the ice. Pair this with multiple tabloids painting him as a womaniser and playboy, he's not having a great time. Enter Sage. Aspiring ballerina and niece of the general manager of the very NHL team that Elias is now playing for.

I enjoyed seeing so much of the character's from Collide and one of the main things I enjoy about Bal Khabra's writing is that there is always a strong element of friendship present throughout each book.

My notes on this book consist of a lot of exclamation marks (pierced for her pleasure!) and I also wrote "ice hockey!" no fewer than 6 times, so clearly I was not thinking stragith whilst reading this.

I read this book in one sitting and I absolutely loved it. The book is so well paced and the writing is amazing. I love seeing character's grow on the page and the chemistry between Elias and Sage was evident from the very beginning.

Elias is up there with the top book boyfriends and Sage is an absolute (people pleasing) BAMF. One of my favourite things about this author is that no one ever gives up their dreams for anyone else and the couples will ALWAYS lift each other up.

I'm always a lover of an epilogue too, so that's a bonus!!

I absolutely want more of this series and am excited to read any future books in this universe.

TROPES:
- Ice hockey MMC
- Ballerina FMC
- Fake dating
- Friends to lovers

Book review 📚
Spiral by Bal Khabra
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

I thoroughly enjoyed Collide by Bal Khabra and I knew I wanted to read Spiral. So I was a kid at Christmas when I got the ARC gifted to me.

Now best way to describe this book is – Icebreaker. She’s an ballerina and he plays ice hockey. So obviously you question whether this will ever work between them? Ice hockey is a brutal sport, and being a ballerina is calm and majestic. But they say opposites attract, right?

Both the FMC (Sage) and MMC (Eli) are absolutely perfect. She’s calm, collected, and a bit of a perfectionist and he’s the a-typical jock, BUT only on the outside, he’s actually sweet, caring and loving. From the get-go I felt these two were perfect for each other. They didn’t work but they also did. The romance between them was just so heartfelt and wholesome. It’s the perfect slow burn, WITH SPICE!! Perfect, it was just perfect.

I absolutely loved Khabra’s writing style in collide and the way she sets the scene with such imagery. Her details, from small to big, make such a huge difference to readers. It feels as though she goes above and beyond just for the readers. This is the perfect cute and cosy romance you need for those rainy autumn nights.

Practically perfect. I had a ball reading this book with the beautiful dancing the bloodthirsty hockey and the way life had made things difficult for Sage and Elias. Both Sage and Elias have had things tough., and they both wrap themselves up with a protective outer shell. Small things chip away at their shell and they slowly start to let each other in. The book looks at the realities and the hardship of being in the public eye as a hockey player as well as life for an excellent ballerina., trying to make it in the commercial world. The book really digs into emotions of the couple and how they try and make their fake relationship work. Ten Out of 10.