Heated Rivalry: Should You Read the Book or Just Watch the Show
In short: Either order works. The show (Crave and HBO Max, from November 28, 2025) follows Rachel Reid's 2019 novel closely, so fans of the book mostly embraced it. The book gives you Shane and Ilya's inner thoughts; the show gives you the chemistry of Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie. Season 2 is due in April 2027, and a new novel, Unrivaled, is due June 1, 2027.
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Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov are the two biggest young stars in professional hockey, rivals on the ice and, secretly, lovers off it. Over years of games, hotel rooms and careful silence, their arrangement turns into something neither can risk admitting. Shane is anxious and image-conscious; Ilya is cocky, Russian and more vulnerable than he lets on.
How faithful is the show?
Very, by adaptation standards. Jacob Tierney, co-creator of Letterkenny, keeps the novel's timeline and its explicitness, and adds Scott Hunter and Kip from Game Changer as a parallel story. Hudson Williams (Shane) and Connor Storrie (Ilya) were largely unknown before the show; their chemistry is the main reason it took off. Rachel Reid is a consulting producer.
What each does better
- The book: alternating inner voices, so you understand why Shane hides and why Ilya pushes.
- The show: the hockey, the glances and the slow-burn tension that a performance can carry without narration.
How big a hit it was
Heated Rivalry became one of the surprise streaming successes of the season: HBO Max called it its top-rated live-action acquisition ever, and US viewership more than doubled after the finale. It was renewed for a second season in December 2025, which was set to shoot in summer 2026 for an April 2027 premiere.
What's next
Reid's sequel, The Long Game (2022), continues Shane and Ilya's story and is the natural next read. Unrivaled, the seventh Game Changers book, follows them married and playing on the same team amid a backlash; it was moved from September 2026 to June 1, 2027.
Frequently asked questions
Should I read Heated Rivalry before watching? Either way works. Read first if you want the characters' inner lives; watch first if you want the performances fresh. Both are explicit.
Is there a sequel to Heated Rivalry? Yes. The Long Game (2022) continues Shane and Ilya's story, and Unrivaled, the seventh Game Changers book, is due June 1, 2027, after being moved from September 2026.
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