I thought Spiral was my favorite in the series – until I read Revolve. For anyone thinking about picking up Bal Khabra for the first time, a quick warning: while each book can technically be read as a standalone, there’s too much character crossover and ongoing development to simply jump in at any point. The stories do focus on their main characters, but there are spoilers for previous couples and inside references that won’t land the same if you haven’t been here since the beginning. If you’ve been along for the ride since Collide, you’re in for a treat. While I wasn’t the biggest fan of Collide, I stuck with the series through Spiral – and I’m so glad I did, because Revolve takes the best of both and gives you two characters you can’t help but love.

One miscalculated reverse lasso. One injury that nearly ended her career. One recurring nightmare she still can’t wake from. Despite it all, Sierra is determined to get back on the ice and reclaim what should have been hers. She wants to – scratch that – needs to qualify for the Grand Prix. But the skating community is a superstitious bunch, and no one wants to be her partner. She can’t let them win – especially not her former partner. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and when the recently benched captain of the hockey team finds himself with more free time than he knows what to do with – and a loophole to regain ice privileges – Sierra goes against every instinct she has to prove she still has what it takes.

Life just can’t seem to cut Dylan Donovan a break. Sure, his coping mechanisms for dealing with family chaos haven’t been great, but he was always careful – until he wasn’t. One bad phone call and a night of epic debauchery lead to a failed drug test, and suddenly everything he ever wanted is on the line. Captain title – gone. NHL future – on hold. Despite his friends’ previous efforts to help, it takes this brutal wake-up call for Dylan to finally face the mess he’s made. The path forward? Dust off his figure skating past and partner with the most uptight – yet irresistible – woman he’s ever met. Determined to be good and play nice, Dylan starts to see a side of Sierra no one else gets to witness and finds himself pulled toward her in a way he’s never experienced. The question is, will she ever see who he really is – or just the persona he’s perfected to hide what he believes no one wants to handle?

My heart ached for this book. Two people who never felt they were enough, who believed their true selves were their biggest flaws, try so hard to keep up the act – and somehow become the only ones who truly see each other. Sierra tried to push her best friend Scarlett away after her injury, but she never left. Even when her ex-partner Justin made Sierra feel like she wasn’t enough, she still had that safe place to be vulnerable. With Dylan, it was the reverse: he was himself only with his family and played the carefree role with everyone else. When he and Sierra met, she finally started to feel like her old self again – but it took someone caring with patience and conviction to draw out Dylan’s real self. It was such a brilliant way to show their growth. They brought out just enough of the worst in each other to tear down their walls – only to reveal the best parts underneath.

I applaud the growth of Bal’s character development as the series progressed. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Collide because I struggled with how Summer treated Aiden while trying to protect her heart. But in Revolve, Bal got it just right. She allowed Sierra to protect herself and be vulnerable – guarded but still compassionate. That push and pull between her and Dylan was perfectly balanced: showing interest but staying cautious, opening up but holding on to control.

And Dylan? No complaints – Bal consistently excels in the creation of her male leads, making them book-boyfriend worthy every single time. With Sierra, he empowered her every step of the way. He gave her space to move at her own pace, to take two steps forward and three steps back if she needed to. He reminded her she was in control – something she hadn’t felt since her accident. He wanted to be better, do better, for her – and she consistently reminded him that every version of himself was worthy of being admired. Their pairing was absolute perfection. I don’t think I’ve ever loved a couple this much. Watching their story unfold, you feel how deeply they deserve each other.

The spice level? Sahara-in-July. I can’t recall any scenes from the other two books, but I know some of the ones in this one are going to live rent-free in my head for a long time. Beyond the heat – and yes, at least one scene absolutely made my eyes pop – the beauty of those moments was in Sierra’s growth. This is a woman who hated her body, who felt betrayed by it, who couldn’t even look in the mirror. And yet, through every passionate encounter, Dylan showed her how beautiful she was – scars and all. That shift in her self-esteem made even their quietest moments feel powerful.

Dylan’s family side story was another highlight. We saw him starting to spiral previously, but never knew why. Getting a glimpse into what was really going on – and why he kept it hidden – was such an “ah-ha” moment. It showed us who he truly was, not the fun-loving, hockey-obsessed guy he pretended to be. He was self-medicating deep pain, and that extra layer made his story so much more real. The way Bal wrapped it up warmed my heart – and actually made me cheer. And then she topped it all off with an epilogue that still has me smiling days later.

Revolve is a beautiful story on its own, but if you’re a fan of authors like Peyton Corinne or Elle Kennedy, you need to pick this one up. With three books in, Bal has done an incredible job developing her characters – but most of all, she’s made us quietly fall in love with Kian (Dylan’s childhood friend, roommate, and teammate). If he doesn’t get his own book, I’m going to be so upset. If we get three more (including Sebastian and Cole’s stories)? I’m definitely not complaining.