Making the Bed – Olivia Rodrigo
“Sometimes I feel like I don’t wanna be where I am. Countin’ all of the beautiful things I regret. But it’s me who’s been making the bed.”
In Revolve, Sierra’s story takes place after a fall on the ice shatters everything she’s worked for. One second, she and her partner are chasing Olympic gold. The next, she’s disqualified, injured, and forced off the ice. In the skating world, being gone for a year feels like a lifetime, and for Sierra, it’s almost like a death sentence.
This song captures the raw, messy part of her after the accident. The version of her that’s drowning in anxiety, bitterness, and fear. Most of all, she hates that she feels like a victim, and that others see her that way now. It begins her anger with feeling stuck in her head and trapped in a body that gave up on her.
We learn that these wounds are carried over from before the accident. Sierra has tried everything to keep up her image as the golden skater everyone expects her to be while losing her passion for her sport. As a solo competitor, she felt like she was just pretending, hiding the cracks beneath the sequins. But now, stripped away from the spotlight and on the ice again, those cracks are impossible to ignore. We meet her here, flawed, fiery, and hurting, but also on the edge of transformation.
In the Flesh? – Pink Floyd
“If you want to find out what’s behind these cold eyes, you’ll just have to claw your way through the disguise.”
This song plays during the first party Sierra goes to after coming back from her year-long hiatus. She’s out of her comfort zone, and every glance makes her self-conscious about whether people recognize her as the girl they should pity or the athlete. That’s when her eyes connect with Dylan Donovan, the cocky hockey player who watches her with interest. And just like those lyrics about cold eyes and clawing through the disguise the book unravels, and Sierra realizes she’s not as invisible as she thought.
The Greatest – Billie Eilish
“I’m trying my best to keep you satisfied. All my love and patience. All my admiration. All the times I waited for you to want me naked. Made it all look painless. Man, am I the greatest”
This song ties directly to Sierra’s ex-partner. She spent four years by his side, convinced he was the one, pouring everything she had into the relationship. She did everything to keep him satisfied, always trying to be enough, but no matter how much she gave, it never felt reciprocated. And when he finally gave her what she thought she had been waiting for, it didn’t heal her. If anything, it left her emptier, like proof that all her sacrifices had been for nothing. And after her accident happened, the one where he dropped her on the ice, he abandoned her in a second. The person she trusted most had left her at her lowest. And that is perfectly encapsulated in this song.
Mirrorball – Taylor Swift
“I’m a mirrorball. I can change everything about me to fit in.”
When I write dual POV stories, one of my favorite things is throwing two characters together who are complete opposites. It’s chaotic, it’s electric, and it always keeps the reader wondering how they would ever come together to make the perfect couple. But with Dylan and Sierra, they’re not opposites at all—they’re mirror reflections of each other. Both are carrying wounds that still sting, and both have built walls so high it feels impossible to climb over. Around other people, they slip into roles like it’s second nature. Dylan becomes the life of the party, loud and effortless, even if it means spiraling when the music fades. Sierra takes center stage, dazzling everyone, but it’s never really for her—it’s always for the crowd, the judges, the expectations. That’s what makes them so magnetic together. They see through each other’s disguises in a way no one else has, and that connection changes everything.
Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You Baby – Cigarettes After Sex
“Nothing’s gonna hurt you, baby. As long as you’re with me, you’ll be just fine. Nothing’s gonna hurt you, baby. Nothing’s gonna take you from my side.”
This song ties directly to one of the rawest scenes in the book where Sierra pushes herself too hard at practice. She nearly hurts herself, and Dylan steps in and gently dismantles those walls she’s built so high. He takes her pain and promises her to stay by her side, and he can feel his own heart breaking when she feels like this. It mirrors another moment later, when the roles are flipped. Dylan finally lets his walls down about his complicated relationship with his dad, and it’s Sierra who catches him this time. She gives him the same kind of comfort, the same steady presence, and it becomes clear that they’re not just partners on the ice. They’re partners in every way that matters. Both would rather break themselves than break each other’s hearts.
REVOLVE by Bal Khabra
The road to redemption is far from smooth as ice in this sweeping romance between a figure skater and hockey player from the USA Today bestselling author of Collide.
Sierra Romanova was an Olympian figure skater before a life-altering accident on the ice left her with panic attacks every time she enters the rink. Now, back for her final year at Dalton University, she’s ready to reclaim the spotlight, with all eyes on her…including those of hockey player Dylan Donovan, whose audacious words goad her back into her skates to prove him wrong.
After getting kicked off his hockey team for his reckless behavior, Dylan is left with slim chances of making it to the NHL draft. But Dylan’s whole world revolves around the ice, and if hockey is forbidden, well at least there’s figure skating. Even better, it means more time at the rink with Sierra. Sure, he’s helping her rebuild her confidence, but pushing her buttons along the way? That’s just a bonus.
As the figure skating world awaits Sierra’s comeback, she finds herself in need for a new pairs partner. The only person she knows who can match her skill on the ice is none other than the cocky hockey player who refuses to cut her any slack. Dylan’s a wildcard, Sierra’s a seasoned pro, but together, they might just be the perfect match on the ice.
Audiobook Narrators- Erin Mallon, Liam Cortright
Romance Contemporary | Romance Sports [Berkley, On Sale: October 14, 2025, Trade Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9780593818305 / eISBN: 9780593818312]
Buy REVOLVE: Amazon.com | Kindle | BN.com | Apple Books | Kobo | Books-A-Million | Indie BookShops | Ripped Bodice | Libro.fm | Audible | Walmart.com | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon DE | Amazon FR
About Bal Khabra
Bal is a Canadian writer, romance enthusiast, and book lover. Before she decided to jump into the romance pool, she spent her time gushing about books on social media. When inspiration strikes, she is found filling her notes app with ideas for romance novels. Like her heroine Summer, Bal has been woven into the fabric of two cultures and finds herself creating characters that represent the beauty of both. Whether it’s through language, a box of her favorite sweets, or a cup of chai, we can find hints of her South Asian roots throughout her writing. She loves reading about love, watching movies about love, and now, writing about it herself. There really isn’t much else that gets her heart fluttering the way HEAs do. She fell in love with writing and hopes to continue living out her romance author dreams.
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