canyonmoonreads's reviews
265 reviews

I received this arc through Netgalley. 

Tropes: 

Forced proximity 

Fake dating 

 

Spice: generous 3/5 

 

Spiral is book 2 in the Off the Ice series, after Collide. The story takes place about a year after Collide ends. 

 

Since being drafted, hockey player Elias is having a hard time dealing with the fame and expectations of a professional hockey player. Typically a homebody and reserved man, the media has reported him as a womanizer and the constant scrutiny has caused enough stress that Elias is struggling to make his first career goal. 

 

Sage is an aspiring ballerina with big dreams, but her hyper-independent personality makes it extremely hard to ask for help. It’s her against the world and only she can save herself. 

 

This book gave me everything: Not corny banter, giggling and kicking my feet, blushing and overall falling in love with Sage and Eli. This was the cutest love story and I really enjoyed reading it. 

 

If I had any criticism, it would be that towards the middle end of the book it dragged a little and I wish Sage wore a bonnet to bed. I know that is random, but as a black girl with curly hair part of my bedtime routine is preparing my hair for bed which includes a silk/satin bonnet. This girl takes care of herself so I was surprised when her hair care didn’t match with her hair type. 

Trope:
Roommates to lovers
forced proximity
meddling granny
grumpy x sunshine
mmc - chef
fmc - doctor

I really enjoyed this story. Adi is a strong woman and knows what she wants and goes for it. But her people pleasing personality causes her burn out when she is constantly taking care of her family. She can never say no, even living miles away from them. 

Rian is a very grumpy chef with a horrible mother and has found family in friends. Due to his mother's controlling behavior, its hard for him to let people in and be vulnerable. Obviously this played a major role in Rian and Adi's relationship.

I thought the pacing of their relationship was really believable. They didn't just fall in love in 2 weeks which I appreciate. I did think the steamy scenes were a little random at times, but still enjoyable. I also enjoyed learning about Desi culture with these characters. 

I was very bored. Also the fmc seemed extremely immature for her age idk

The age gap was definitely a choice and a bad one at that. 20 y/o girl and 33 y/o man. I could POSSIBLY get over it if he didn’t know her when she was a child!!! And the more you read it’s glaringly obvious that she’s 20, the way her mindset was. He is too grown and experienced to be messing with his bff’s daughter that he’s known since she was 14/15. She’s had a crush on him since she met him and I’m shocked to think he didn’t know at the time. If she was maybe 22 about to turn 23 instead of 20 I could probably stomach this, or even if he was a little younger but it’s all so sus. It felt inappropriate to even read their spicy scenes.