Heated Rivalry Book Review: Why This M/M Hockey Romance Is a Must-Read
Disclosure: We are part of the Amazon Affiliate/LTK Creator programs. We will receive a small commission at no cost if you purchase a book. This post may contain links to purchase books & you can read our affiliate disclosure here.
If you’ve been here awhile, you already know that I’ve been waiting years—literally five—to talk about Heated Rivalry in a big way. And now that the TV show has officially premiered on HBO Max in the U.S. and Crave in Canada, I finally get to scream about it with you. Two episodes are out as of December 1, 2025, and yes, I watched immediately. Yes, they’re that good. Yes, I’m fully obsessed.
And if you’ve blown through the episodes and need more? The book is available digitally (no U.S. paperback yet), and it’s currently #1 in the Kindle Store, which makes my bookish heart so happy.
Let’s get into my updated thoughts on the book, my history with the series, and of course—a curated list of M/M hockey romance books to read next.
⭐ My Heated Rivalry Origin Story
My relationship with this book goes back to 2019–2020, when I first read it with my friend Amanda. Back then, it was only available as an ebook from Carina Press—not KU, not in paperback, just quietly existing as one of the best romances I’ve ever read. We were obsessed. We even interviewed Rachel Reid way before the sixth book was released, just praying we’d someday get Ilya and Shane’s endgame story. (We did! More on that below.)
So yes, Heated Rivalry has been living rent-free in my brain for years.
⭐ Book Review: Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid
Heated Rivalry is book two in the Game Changers series, and while it’s part of a connected universe, it absolutely works as a standalone. The first book follows a New York captain and the smoothie-bar worker he falls for, but book two shifts into one of my all-time favorite romance tropes: rivals-to-lovers with seven years of secret rendezvous and unbearable longing.
💫 What This Book Is About
Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander have been rivals since their junior hockey days—before the NHL, before fame, before they even understood what this pull between them was. They were drafted #1 and #2, pitted against each other by the media, compared endlessly in international play, and basically raised to believe they had to hate each other.
But behind the scenes?
They’re sneaking off to hotel rooms.
Stealing glances from across the ice.
Pretending they’re unaffected when they are the most affected.
Over seven years, their rivalry becomes a secret love affair full of tenderness, longing, and explosive chemistry.
Ilya is the chaotic bad boy with bisexual disaster energy. Shane is the golden boy with the spotless record. Together, they are combustible.
🔥 Spice Level
This book is spicy. R-rated with tension that practically shakes the pages. It’s not wall-to-wall sex—it’s slow, intimate, emotional, and charged. So charged.
🧡 What I Love Most
- The long-term, secret relationship arc feels so fresh and emotionally rich.
- The angst is exactly the kind of angst I love—the “will they won’t they” that keeps you holding your breath.
- The duality between their public rivalry vs. private tenderness is masterful.
- It ends with a Happy For Now, which fits their reality so beautifully.
While the book focuses more on the relationship than the hockey scenes, I genuinely feel the show balances both perfectly. The adaptation gives the on-ice dynamic more room to breathe, and I love that.
📚 For Series Readers
Their full HEA is in Book 6: The Long Game, which explores how they navigate coming out, media scrutiny, and a real partnership after years of secrecy. It is everything.
Related Posts:
- Books Like Heated Rivalry | M/M Hockey Romances
- 6 Hockey Romances to Pick Today (All Available on Kindle Unlimited)
- 10 Dark Hockey Romances Available on Kindle Unlimited
Subscribe