Popular 2SLGBTQIA+ Romance TV series takes the world by storm
Heated Rivalry has quickly taken Canada by storm! The sports romance drama series follows two hockey players from rival teams as they navigate a brewing relationship while facing the pressures and publicity of being elite athletes. Blending athletic rivalry with emotional vulnerability, the series has become a must watch this winter season for fans of both romance and sports drama. Heated Rivalry was adapted by Jacob Tierney from the popular novel series Game Changers written by Rachel Reid, a Mt.A alumni! Viewers should note that Heated Rivalry carries an 18+ rating due to its explicit scenes.
Heated Rivalry is adapted from the popular novel series Game Changers by author Rachelle Goguen, known by her pen name Rachel Reid. Reid is a Mt.A alumni who graduated in 2002 and currently resides in Nova Scotia. Her hockey romance book series Game Changers went on to become a New York Times bestseller, beginning with the first novel being published in 2018. The following year, Reid published the highly anticipated sequel Heated Rivalry, both books serving as the base material for the first season of the TV show Heated Rivalry by Jacob Tierney. Reid has since expanded the book series with four more instalments and with a fifth and final novel in the series set to come out later in 2026. Each of Reid’s books follows a new couple, with mentions of past characters in each new release. In a 2020 interview discussing her third book Tough Guy, Reid said as a long-time hockey fan, she always found professional hockey players inspiring “because they give so little of their personalities away.” Reid continues saying, “I love creating hockey player characters that I can dig into and show their depth.” This curiosity and passion has led Reid to a prolific and successful career. The screen adaptation is written by Jacob Tierney, taking the same name as Reid’s second novel. The show stars actor Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov and Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander, both of which have skyrocketed to fame since the show’s release. Heated Rivalry’s seven episode run covers Reid’s first two books, focusing primarily on the story of Shane and Ilya. The show also features actor François Arnaud playing Scott Hunter, a character from the first book.
The first book, and name sake of the series, Game Changer follows professional hockey star Scott Hunter, and his budding romance with a barista named Kip Grady. The book highlights the new couple as they try to keep their relationship a secret, fearing its harm to Hunter’s career. Heated Rivalry, the second entry in the series, follows Shane Hollander, a professional hockey player and in-universe captain of the Montreal Voyageurs, as well as Ilya Rozanov, captain of the Voyageurs rival team the Boston Bears. Their relationship begins casual, but deeper feelings soon develop leading to the struggle of keeping their relationship out of the public eye.
If you have already watched Heated Rivalry and are itching for more, consider reading Reid’s Game Changers books for extra content. Fans say the show stayed faithful to the novels. However, it is normal for content to be cut when adapting books to the small screen. Heated Rivalry is no exception, thus providing fans with extra content to nibble on while they wait for the show’s second season. Or perhaps, consider checking out the third installment in the book series, Tough Guy, rumoured to be the inspiration for the show’s second season.
One Response
Loved Leon’s article on Rachel Reid and Heated Rivalry! Though I knew the author was an MtA alumnus before reading this article, it’s awesome to have her and her work promoted in the Argosy! Maybe it will entice more individuals to give an eye 👀
Great job Leon <3