I adored this book so much!

I loved the initial meet cute, it felt really creative and Aiden made such a seamless cameo which was really well done. I found sometimes characters from previous books are forced into the narrative but I honestly couldn't fault it one bit. The number exchange was also really cute and authentic, once again something that is usually ignored in romance novels but they made it a cute moment!

Now lets talk about Sage! Her character felt really realistic and I loved how her identity of being a ballerina is woven into her character. There is so much care and attention to detail taken with her character and all the ups and downs felt so true to being a creative. Also her being a ballerina was so refreshing and interesting to read and really adds colour to her character. It was so nice to read a FMC who is passionate about something other than the MMC. As well as her profession, the rest of Sage's character was painted really well. I particularly enjoyed the references to Sage's vanilla scent as this built on her description outside of the classic physical description. She was also undeniably hilarious ('if it helps, it's just me and one very reliable battery-powered friend').

The narrative was written really cleverly and the MMC/FMC entered the scenes in usually an unpredictable but still realistic and exciting way. Khabra is such a good storyteller and I really think this might be her best work yet.

Eli is an absolute dream boat. I loved how ferociously caring his character was and the scene where he cooked food then brought it to Sage's house for her was beyond adorable. He is also such an honest guy who wears his heart on his sleeve 24/7 which was so lovely as I read a lot of bad boy MMCs which can be fun but usually miscommunicate a lot. He's also really thoughtful - everything from keeping spare face gems on him for Sage's ballet performance to grabbing her a bottle of water out of the fridge when she comes home from work. Both characters also have an equally interesting backstory that is both devastating and pulls at every heart string which gave the characters so much depth.

The romance itself was so wholesome and starts off so cute and innocent (then becomes very spicy, don't worry hehe!) It's such a gorgeously slow burn. There were surprisingly spicy moments sprinkled in throughout (cue Sage licking Maple Syrup off Eli's thumb), Another aspect of this book that is done superbly is the emphasis on friendship and the this book had many scenes where Sage and Eli hung out together with friends which made this such a well rounded book.

There were also a couple of life lessons which I really didn't expect. These characters are very wise! 'Good things need to be celebrated, because bad things will find a way to be acknowledged regardless' - *mic drop*. Another life lesson, 'note to self: when one door closes, smash the window.'

There was only a couple little points that I feel like didn't make sense - but they are very minor. Sage peels off her face mask and places the used mask in a basket with nail polish...why? This kind of grossed me out and felt super unhygienic. Sage also took a selfie at one point and managed to fit her entire body in the selfie which felt unrealistic - in the scene you can literally see her toes and her whole face/body. Also it felt a bit random when the plot jumped from a scene to all of a sudden Sean is staying with Eli and Sage.

This book has such an undeniable personality and specific lore and blueprint. When I think of vanilla, immediately Sage comes to mind and similarly Eli represents small kind gestures (buying flowers etc) and alcohol free beer. Both characters are hilarious 'I'm beginning to think Elias Westbrook could tell me to bark and I would' and so well rounded!

This adorable story about phoney dates in high-stakes dance and hockey is Spiral. Sage Beaumont, an aspiring dancer who wants to make more money online, and Elias Westbrook, a junior NHL player under media scrutiny, form a fictitious relationship that works out well for both of them. The notion creates a thrilling slow-burn connection as their chemistry makes their phoney dating genuine.

Bal Khabra creates complex personalities. Elias is charming and sensitive, highlighting Sage's strength and ambition. Electric chemistry, witty banter, and heartfelt moments keep you engaged. The story's romance, personal growth, and job love make it engaging.

Though the ending is too neat, the tale flows effectively and the characters develop. Khabra's debut novel, Collide, has familiar characters, and the idea that this world is still happening makes it even more fascinating.

Spiral is a wonderful sports story with strong characters, sizzling passion, and emotional depth. This comfortable and pleasant retreat will make you adore Elias and Sage.

Spiral is a fake dating ice hockey romance between rookie NHL player Elias and Ballerina Sage. They agree to fake date when Elias wants to shed the medias false perceptions of him a playboy and Sage learns that ballerinas are hired on social media following more than talent. They promise now to fall in love but the lines begin to blur.
I enjoyed their strong chemistry and level of spice. Elias and Sage gad a great banter together and you believed their romance as it developed. Having Aiden and Summer around from Collide was nice and I hope to read more in this world.
The only part I wasn't a massive fan of was the epilogue as it just felt too perfect and wrapped up in a bow and I would have liked either a longer time gap or not as much to have happened to them in the 3 years. This just made the ending feel rushed whereas the beginning and middle felt so well paced. Otherwise I enjoyed the characters and plot of the book and will be reading whatever Bal Khabra writes next.

Bal Khabra is an incredible author!

Collide was wonderful, but Spiral, wow, it has a special hold over me. Easily a 5-star read.

Elias is the swoonworthy lead we all need, patient, passionate, and dedicated to himself in a way that’s inspirational.
Sage is strong, loyal, and the role model we’d all hope for.
I loved the way characters from Collide were woven into Spiral, the chemistry continued to build and I can’t wait to see Dylan and Kian’s stories (pretty please!?)

The romance builds like a wildfire between Elias and Sage, and when they come together it’s spicy and sweet, the perfect combination.

Sage’s growth throughout the book is *chefs kiss* she starts out hard and tough, determined to face the world alone, providing support for everyone else. But when she starts to let Elias into her heart, and opens herself up to support, and friendship, and realises that she is worthy of love, worthy of having someone take care of her, it’s perfection.

I’ve never fallen for two characters so quickly, and I think they’ll stay with me for a long, long time.

I went into this blind having not read collide, well that needs to change! I loved this book and it's characters. The pacing was perfect I'm not usually one for slow burn but this kept my interest until the characters admitted their feelings for each other. I loved the romance and the fact that the spice added to the story and wasn't just thrown in to make it good as I have seen that before. Final thoughts? Everyone should have an elias.

Absolutely love this romance.

It's an interconnected standalone with Collide (which I haven't eead but will now be reading), and followed a hockey player and ballerina as they fake date.

The main character is an absolute cinnamon roll, and he can probably bake you one as well.

Such a cosy read and I just devoured it ❤️

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The way I screamed when I was approved for this is slightly concerning but it was the most appropriate way to handle the situation. I absolutely loved this book! A hockey player and a ballerina fake dating with rules that include no PDA and not falling in love? Spectacular, give me 14 of them right now!

I don't even know where to start with what I loved about this but I will have to say as a someone who doesn't like slow burn this hit differently! The tension was thick and agonisingly good. Elias Westbrook is perfection in every form with a love for cooking and I love how chaotic Sage is. Together they are a brilliant balance. This is shown in the occasions where either of them are spiralling a little bit. They ground each other and managed to bring each other back from the brink. I also enjoyed that when either one of them were dealing with something they talked it out when they were ready. Healthy communication in relationships is something I appreciated seeing.

The one thing I would say I was looking for but didn't get is a big fall out. I would have loved the drama of the fake dating coming to light or a bit more from Eli's dad. I wanted to see how the two would have navigated through that. Especially when about 70% through the book it felt like it was just going through the motions little bit. It was nice but I wanted a big drama!

Overall I really enjoyed this and I'm so excited for people to read it next January!

3.5 stars

I had really high hopes for this book because the first book collide was amazing. This book however just didn’t do it for me.
Don’t get me wrong the book was still a cute romance but it just felt so different from the other book that I couldn’t connect fully.

Well I ate this up I absolutely loved it . Hockey romances it turns out are my thing throw in an extra sprinkle of a beautiful ballet dancer and I’m all yours. Loved this even more then i loved Collide!!

Just an absolute delight to read! It didn't use any of my brain power, and it certainly didn't change my life, but it was delightful and it made an afternoon pass by easily.

ballerina x hockey player!??? shut up!!!
i loved how vulnerable elias was and how he made sage open up slowly but surely!! they were so so soft and cute together that i really couldn’t put it down once i picked it up.


eli is the softest sweetest man ever, think ryan shay & west belmont that’s who he is giving!
sage is so strong and wanting to keep her distance in the beginning as she’s been burnt in the past, but he knocks her walls down with a sledgehammer and slides into her heart (and mine tbh)

loved this book & will definitely be reading more of bals work

i absolutely loved this !! i loved this a million times more than collide. this was so fun, emotional and beautiful all at once. this was so cute and wholesome i was smiling, laughing and crying the whole way through. i can’t wait to get the physical book and annotate it !!

“Like a ray of sunlight, Sage cuts through the dark clouds distorting my vision.”

“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to make you believe you’re worth every bit of worry and care.”

ice hockey player x ballerina / fake dating / found family / SLOW burn

Bad Khabra knows how to do it!

She knows exactly what her reads want and hands it to them on a silver platter. I finished Spiral so quickly and will always go absolutely feral for a sports romance book.

Elias was such a lovable protagonist and I loved how he and Sage continued to build each other up throughout the story! The story was very singable and the humour and banter really made it for me. I loved the tender moments and found family elements, but also appreciated the hardship for both of the main characters. The slow burn was perfection and really built up the tension.

Towards the end, I did feel that the story was a little too long and found myself getting a little bored, but the primary plot of the story was really interesting.

Overall, I really enjoyed this and will definitely continue to read Bal’s books as they’re released

4.5 stars, rounded up! Bal Khabra truly redeemed herself with Spiral. While I didn’t enjoy Collide, I loved this one! Eli and Sage were perfection from start to finish.

The only reason for the half-star deduction is that around the 70% mark, it felt like the book dragged a bit and could have been shorter. The final 30% felt rushed in resolving some plot points, though Sage’s ballet arc was perfectly paced.

The tension and slow burn were incredible—so many near moments of explosion that left me craving more. Eli is the perfect man, and Sage is chaotic yet graceful. Overall, a fantastic read!

Thank you NetGalley for the E-Arc

This book was honestly such a cute and funny read and every chapter I was laughing at the funny moments and umming at the tender moments between the characters. I absolutely loved the found family aspect and how the hardships the characters went though made them into the strong characters they were at the end allowing each other in.
It was definitely the best slow burn in the best way and I was finding I couldn't put the book down always wanting to read more. I honestly fell so in love with both the main characters and honestly I identified with Sage's feelings of trying to people please everyone and make sure everyone around her is good before thinking about herself.
There are so many tender sweet moments in this book that honestly just have my heart. A massive thank you the Bloomsbury and NetGalley for allowing me to receive an ARC of this book for an honest review and I can't wait for it to come out as I will be picking my copy. My review and Instagram post will be posted closer to publication date

Spiral was a very cute book with the softest book boyfriend
Very bingeable, full of tender moments, humor, found family, hardship for both our main characters, a little bit of everything and an insanely good slow burn that I devoured and couldn’t stop thinking about it for DAYSSS
And throw some fake dating plus ballerina and hockey player into it ???? I ate it up
If you’re looking to add a book for your next year’s tbr then this is the perfect book for it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to the publisher for this amazing book

I don’t care what you say, I loved every single bit of it! My romantic heart lapped this one up.

Eli, our broody ice hockey Rookie needs a new spin on his reputation. Sage is stuck in a rut of dead end ballet auditions and could use a bit of a help lifting her profile, sounds like a perfect match for a fake dating deal.

I don’t know what happened, or how it happened I fell hard for both of these MCs. Eli, oh Eli, you made us all fall in love you with you. I mean this is why women have such high standards. I already had words with my other half, he needs to be more Elias.
My love language is acts of service and this guy, THIS GUY, let’s say he speaks my language 😍

Sage’s constant need to take care of everything and the battle to keep all the plates spinning, the reluctance to accept help but somehow she let Eli in. Relatable on so many levels, and it’s not like she ever asked for the help but she needed and deserved it so bad.

I love a good hockey romance, but so many leave out the hockey and just a nod to the sport. Good to see both hockey and ballet got the page time deserved and although I’m not too familiar with the correct terms it felt researched and authentic and added a legitimacy to the story.

I was engaged the whole way through.

The tea ☕️

🏒 - hockey romance
🩰 - ballerina
🥸 - fake dating
🛌 - one bed
🔒 - close proximity
🔥 - slow burn
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 - found family
🌶️ - 3/5 spice

- - HIGHLIGHTS - -


WHEN LIFE GIVES you lemons, it douses you in acidic juices that burn your skin too.


I’m sniffing Elias’s body wash. I’d pay good money to have it injected into my veins.


(He brought stick on rhinestones to her performance 🥹) -
“You told me that one time they came off before you even got onstage and how upset you were. I didn’t want that happening again.”


I can’t help the way my heart flutters when he presses a small kiss to my wrist or brushes my hair from my face like he hates that it obstructs his view.


The unsnappable string that tethers me to her


“Real. So fucking real.”


“I’m a people pleaser.” “Then let me be the one to please you.”


“Let’s go home,” she whispers into the crook of my neck. I nod, but she doesn’t know that I’m already there.

Let me just start by saying Hockey player x Ballerina romance? SIGN. ME. UP. This book had my interest just from that. And the tropes? Fake dating, no PDA and they’re not allowed to fall in love? Well I think we can all guess what happens 😜 I loved this read so much. I fell in love with Sages personality from the beginning - I’m a sucker for banter and sarcasm! It also had a hint of Grumpy vs Sunshine which Bal pulls off beautifully.
The Spice was chefs kiss 💋 perfect! A slight tease and then oh my you’ll need a cold shower after reading.
The only thing that didn’t quite hit for me was the HEA ending it just felt slightly rushed but other than that it left me feeling happy and satisfied (no pun intended). If you’ve read Collide by Bal Khabra you’ll definitely want to read this!

I am all for sports based romance and add in a little spice and I’m definitely going to want to read it. This was no exception, I had not read Collide by Bal Khabra previously and I do want to now.
This wasn’t the most memorable of books and that is probably just these particular types of characters. Eli is a new hockey recruit and struggling with being famous, getting negative attention/ bad press but is actually a good guy. Sage is happy to stay in the shadows and has had a hard life but will do anything for her family but is struggling to make it in her own career (ballet) or even life really.
These two come together….kind of fake date (is it really fake)!? Obviously we know the answer
But Eli was all about doing everything for Sage and she was all about being independent and then of course being a martyr….its just not what I love most in my romance characters so I think my 3 star rating is a personal preference rather than a reflection on what is a really good sports romance.

I received this book as an ARC through NetGalley and provide my honest opinion

In this book we read from two perspectives, one perspective is the one of Elias Westbook, a newly drafted hockey player, who is facing the challenges of fame and media scrutiny. With getting more and more fans, and having too many expectations on his shoulders, he's struggling on the ice. There is a lot of pressure, so much pressure that he is struggling to make his first career goal. The tabloids are following his every move, including every woman he is seen with, but all Elias wants, it to escape the spotlight.
The other perspective we read from, is Sage Beaumont, an aspiring ballerina with dreams of joining the Aurora Ballet Theatre, but sadly they are looking not for a ballerina with the most talent, but with the most online following, which leaves her at a disadvantage for securing the lead role. When the opportunity arrises to make her dreams come true by fake dating a popular hockey star, she takes her shot.
With fake-dating comes rules to keep up the "fake" appearance, but soon enough the rules are starting to get blurry. They both have to decide to take the leap together, or call it quits forever.

Overall this was cute read, which I'm going to stand by. It is one of the "lighter" romances out there, which makes it for a much easier read.
The one thing that I loved, and that can be a dislike for others, was the banter between our characters, and the way they are behaving. Sage can be seen as a bit "childish" with her interactions, maybe even more as a teenage boy of 13 years old who giggles at the word boobies and makes some "inappropriate" comments. And that is something you have to enjoy, because if you don't, please skip this one. This is a reoccurring theme, and I liked it and could laugh about it, but if you cannot, then this isn't the book for you.
The one thing that made me be like "why??" was the piercing thing, it just did not fit the whole book (note: I haven't read the first one, don't know if it had a theme there), but it just didn't fit the whole book. And felt more thrown in to hit some sort of "kink" thing in a book, it was just weird, and way too random.
Was the book spicy? Yes, I gave it two 🌶️ out of 5. Not super spicy, but enough that makes it fitting with this type of romance.

Overall just a cute romance, definitely one you should read if you enjoy character banter!