Heated Rivalry

A 2019 gay hockey romance novel by Rachel Reid, following rival professional players Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov as their private relationship develops alongside their careers.

Connect

Game Changers series: Rachel Reid’s series of gay romance novels centered on professional hockey players. Heated Rivalry is one installment in this connected series.
Heated Rivalry (television series): A television adaptation of Rachel Reid’s novel, starring Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie. It adapts Shane and Ilya’s romance for the screen.
Shane Hollander: A Canadian professional hockey player and one of the protagonists of Heated Rivalry. His disciplined public image conflicts with the secrecy surrounding his relationship.
LGBTQ representation in media: The portrayal of LGBTQ people and experiences in films, television, books, and other media. The novel gives a central love story to two male professional athletes.
Rivals-to-lovers: A romance trope in which characters who compete or oppose one another develop a romantic relationship. Shane and Ilya’s competitive public relationship drives their attraction.
Role Model: A Game Changers novel by Rachel Reid about hockey player Troy Barrett and Harris Drover. It revisits characters and the hockey world established across the series.
Ilya Rozanov: A Russian professional hockey player and one of the protagonists of Heated Rivalry. His confidence and teasing conceal a more vulnerable side of the romance.
Coming out: The process of disclosing one’s sexual orientation or gender identity to others. The possibility of disclosure shapes the couple’s choices and stakes.
Gay romance: Romance fiction centered on love stories between men. The novel’s central love story places it within gay romance.
The Long Game: A Game Changers novel by Rachel Reid that continues Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov’s story. It directly follows the couple beyond the events of Heated Rivalry.