Review: Spiral by Mila Ferrera

Title: Spiral
Author: Mila Ferrera
Pages: 204
Publisher: Mila Ferrera Books
Release Date: July 7, 2013

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.

My Thoughts: Oh my god... This book. It broke my freaking heart!

From reading other reviews, I knew something major was going to happen in Spiral, but I had no idea the direction the story was going to take. It was totally unexpected. The reviews I read also mentioned how different this book was from most new adult books out there, and comparing it to all the ones I've read, I definitely have to agree. Spiral was unflinchingly raw and honest, and it makes me eager to read the rest of Mila Ferrera's novels.

The beginning started off a bit like other new adult stories. There's Nessa who has just moved to a new city for an internship at a children's hospital. She bumps into a gorgeous doctor named Aron who's intelligent and mysterious. Although she struggles with the idea of having a serious relationship after a tragic event years ago left her questioning her own mental state, she can't help but to be drawn to Aron. Nessa's fears, combined with the unfortunate rumors swirling around about Aron, complicates things and eventually distracts her from what's unraveling right before her eyes.

It took me a couple of chapters to warm up completely to Nessa and Aron. Nessa kept running away and using excuses, and I wondered when she'll start focusing on something other than work. And I have to admit I was suspicious of Aron's true intentions with Nessa. All of that made me question every little thing the characters did. It wasn't necessary though, and after awhile I relaxed and stopped overanalyzing things and was able to really appreciate Nessa and Aron and their journey. Not only that, once I noticed how the plot was moving in a direction that was darker and not the norm, I began enjoying the book even more and didn't want to stop reading!

I couldn't wait to see where Nessa's story went, no matter the outcome. I thought both her and Aron were amazing people, and I adored them so so much. I loved that they decided to take their relationship slow, even though their attraction was intense. Their romance was all-consuming and very steamy and hot (get your fan ready). I couldn't get enough! What made it even better was how well they complemented and looked out for one another. It was wonderful to see how much they cared and loved each other, especially when things took an unexpected turn. Neither were the same person by the end for various reasons, some good and some heartbreaking, but ultimately Nessa's connection with Aron made for a powerful and hopeful read.

Before I reached the end, I knew Spiral would become one of my favorite new adult novels ever. It was a refreshing and breathtakingly realistic read. It may have broken my heart, but I absolutely loved it and I'm so glad I have more books by Mila Ferrera to look forward to! If you start reading Spiral and assume it's going to follow the typical route, trust me. It will surprise you. Hopefully in a good way.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars