Why Everyone Is Talking about Heated Rivalry Right Now (and the Books You Need to Read ASAP)
It's the queer sports romance taking over the internet
We're just two weeks into 2026, and you've probably noticed that Heated Rivalry is already dominating every social feed, group chat and viral award season clip. The TV show, which is based on the queer sports romance books by Rachel Reid, has become a phenomenal success since its release, premiering in the US in late November before finally reaching UK viewers on January 10th.
So - what can fans expect from Heated Rivalry? What's the storyline, who stars in the show, and will there be a second season? Plus - how can you read the popular books if you haven't yet? Here's everything you need to know about the show that everyone is talking about.
Heated Rivalry - the Trailer, Plot, Cast and Ending
From the show's stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, to the season one finale, plus all the info we have on Heated Rivalry season two - here's the lowdown on the TV adaptation of Rachel Reid's popular books.
Heated Rivalry - The Main Cast and Characters
- Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams)
- Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie)
- Scott Hunter (Francois Arnaud)
- Cliff Marleau (Franco Lo Presti)
- Hayden Pike (Callan Potter)
- Jackie Pike (Kamilla Kowal)
- Svetlana Sergeevna Vetrova (Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova)
- Christopher 'Kip' Grady (Robbie G.K.)
- Yuna Hollander (Christina Chang)
- David Hollander (Dylan Walsh)
- Rose Landry (Sophie Nelisse)
What's the storyline of Heated Rivalry season one?
The book follows the popular enemies-to-lovers romance trope, and the show stays relatively faithful to Rachel Reid's original story. Heated Rivalry season one follows Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, two professional ice hockey stars who play opposite one another in competing teams. In public, their sporting rivalry is well-documented by the media and buoyed by their fandoms - but behind closed doors, the pair start a fling that ultimately leads to a lot more than they initially bargained for. As they juggle their careers and burgeoning romance, Shane and Ilya must decide if they can have love and success.
The show is based on the books by Rachel Reid - where can I find them?
The Game Changers series by Rachel Reid includes: Game Changer, Heated Rivalry, Tough Guy, Common Goal, Role Model, The Long Game, and Unrivaled (which is set for release in 2026). The show has been so popular with Australian viewers that Booktopia has been selling more than 100 copies of the book per day.
The second book in Rachel Reid's Game Changers series, it follows Shane and Ilya's love story both on and off the ice.
The follow-up to Heated Rivalry, Shane and Ilya's love story picks up ten years later when the pair must make the choice between love and hockey.
If you loved Heated Rivalry, Game Changer is the first book in Rachel Reid's series and follows Scott and Kip's secret romance.
Where can I watch the trailer?
The trailer is currently available via YouTube, and you can watch the full teaser below:
How does season one end?
At the end of the season, Shane is enjoying a summer getaway with Ilya when his father arrives at their cottage unexpectedly and sees them kissing. They decide it's time to tell Shane's parents together, and drive over to their home; he comes out to them, and Ilya calls him his boyfriend. After sharing how much they love one another, Shane's parents are kind and supportive, and the couple drives off into the distance together.
Will there be a Heated Rivalry season 2?
Yes! Since the release of season one, it was confirmed that Heated Rivalry season two is happening. According to Connor Storrie, filming could even begin as soon as this summer. In an interview with TODAY on January 14th, he said: "I think Jacob [Tierney]'s still writing it. I think we're going to be filming... I don't know when, exactly."
When the host asked if "soon" could mean the summer, Storrie added: "Yeah, I think about then."
