Spiral

Elias Westbrook has just been drafted by the Toronto Thunder, and the attention is heavy. Fans are multiplying, expectations are high, and he still hasn't scored his first career goal. The tabloids track his movements and the women he is seen with, while all he wants is to get out of the spotlight.

Sage Beaumont is a ballerina who hopes to join the Aurora Ballet Theatre. Her small online following puts her behind in the race for the lead role. A fake relationship with Elias offers her the visibility she lacks, and she takes the chance.

This is a fake-dating sports romance, and it follows the genre's familiar shape. The pair set ground rules for the arrangement, but the rules are flimsy and give way as the attraction between them heats up. The connection is sizzling, so expect a steamy tone alongside the career pressure on both sides.

The central question is what happens once the pretence stops holding. Sage and Elias have to decide whether to commit to each other for real or end it before things get out of hand. It is a light, romantic read built on two people who each need something from the public eye.