Tour Review & Giveaway - - Spiral

Spiral

by Bal Khabra

Off the Ice - Book 2

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: January 28, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

 

He’s on edge while she’s en pointe in this fake-dating sports romance from the author of the smash hit Collide.

Elias Westbrook, a newly drafted hockey player for the Toronto Thunder, is facing the challenges of fame and media scrutiny. With a growing fan base and too many expectations on his shoulders, he’s struggling to make his first career goal. The tabloids are reporting on his every move, including which woman he was last seen with, but all he wants to do is escape the spotlight.

Enter from stage left Sage Beaumont, an aspiring ballerina with dreams of joining the Aurora Ballet Theatre, but her lack of popularity online leaves her at a major disadvantage for securing the lead role. When Sage finds herself with the perfect opportunity to make her dreams come true by fake dating Elias, she takes her shot.

PJ's Thoughts:

Spiral is my first book by this author but the hockey-ballet romance angle had me eager to dive in. I hadn't clued in to the fact that the main characters are early twenties until I started reading. I admit, I tend to lean more toward older couples so it took me a bit to settle into this story but once I did, it proved to be an enjoyable read that took me on a satisfying journey...and brought back a few memories of how it felt to be newly out of college and beginning my adult life.

Sage and Elias are good together. I really like the way they support one another, especially the way Elias supports and encourages Sage's professional dreams as well as her individual worth. Their banter sparkles and their chemistry is on pointe (pun intended). I enjoyed the caring friendship that develops between them during their fake dating that provides a solid foundation leading into their slow-burn romance. There are times when they seem very young but also others when they feel older than their years. Life has thrown some wrenches at them that have given them more depth than usually found at their age yet they also feel like they're still figuring things out. It makes them feel authentic and relatable. 

I appreciated the epilogue that takes readers a few years into the future, giving us a look at the growth of the main characters as well as their relationship. 

If you enjoy New Adult romance with snappy banter, complex family situations, friend groups, endearing romance, and an added bonus of hockey and ballet, you may want to give this one a try. 

Are you a hockey fan? Do you enjoy sports-themed romances? Have you read any recently that you would recommend?

How about ballet? Have you read any romances that feature a ballerina? 

One person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, February 9 will receive a print copy of Spiral.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18