Single Sundays: Spiral by Mila Ferrera

Single Sundays: While this blog may be focused on reviewing book series as a whole, we can’t forget about the good ole’ standalone novel! On Sundays, I will review a novel that is considered to be a standalone novel. Here is this week’s offering:

Synopsis for Spiral (from Goodreads):
Nessa Cavanaugh, psychology student, knows how to stay on an even keel. Despite the urging of her mother and her academic advisor to get a life and have some fun, “all work and no play” sums up her plan to survive her grueling internship year at a children’s hospital. She doesn’t want to end up like her father, whose constant ups and downs broke her family, and avoiding unnecessary emotional entanglements is a must.

Then she (literally) runs into Dr. Aron Lindstrom in the middle of her disastrous first day on the job. The attraction is instant—and terrifying. Nessa knows she should stay away—especially when she finds out he has a reputation for being a player—but Aron is brilliant, intense, and as sexy as they come. When he challenges her to take a chance on him, her plans to stay focused on work start to crumble.

But what begins as passion takes on a dangerous edge, becoming an emotional roller coaster that’s frighteningly familiar. As things spiral out of control, Nessa must decide whether she should hold on for the ride or run … even if it means leaving her heart behind.

Author: Mila Ferrera
Genre: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Mental Health, Realistic
Heat Rating: really warm
Point of View: First Person, Single
Publication Date: July 9, 2013
Source & Format: Own–eBook

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

I read Mila Ferrera’s novel Everything Between Us years ago and enjoyed it a lot. I like the mental health aspects she incorporates into her reads and the complexity of her characters. I find the stories to be real and fascinating, always grabbing my full attention with their approach. I bought Spiral during a bulk buy and it got buried under the mass of Kobo books I own until I pulled it out for my Rock my TBR Challenge in April.

The Concept:

This novel isn’t your everyday romance novel though it starts off that way. It does a fantastic job of exploring mental health and the stigma around it. Perhaps that is a bit of a spoiler but I feel like if a reader goes into this novel thinking it’s about some hero who has a tragic past that the heroine saves him from, you won’t enjoy this book for what it really is: an exploration of mental health in relationships.

The Plot:

Like I said before, this book starts off like your everyday romance novel. Boy meets girl and their explore their connection. But the drama of it all comes from the barriers they soon discover about themselves. Of course, there are some other dramatic elements at play but I found they never took away from the main story which is Aron and Nessa attempting to navigate their relationship and new-found careers.

The Characters:

I really warmed up to Nessa as the story progressed. I’m not sure what I found off-putting about her at the start but I didn’t immediately love her. But as I learned more about her character and saw how she interacted, I really respected her as a character. She was a solid character and does a great job of carrying this story.

Aron is also great. Again, a strong character that has great development despite the fact that we don’t get his POV directly you still have a firm grasp on who he is.

The Romance:

This was a really sweet romance to watch unfold. I was worried it was going to be a little “love-at-first-sight” with the way it was initiated but it really develops into something strong and solid. They have great chemistry so the sexual tension really drives the story forward. This story is really about the romance and the partnership that comes from it and it was definitely my favourite aspect of the novel.

My Rating: 4/5

If you enjoy romances that focus more on the mental health aspect of its characters, this is a great novel for you to read. It’s sweet but powerful and will have your full attention from start to finish.

Read if You Like: stories about mental health
Avoid if You: want a “lighter” read

• Everything Between Us by Mila Ferrera
• Heartless by Catou Martine
• Addicted to Him by Lauren Dodd

Connect: