Have you heard of the viral TV series Heated Rivalry? No? Well, you might be the only one.
Ever since its release in late November, the queer sports romance has captivated and titillated audiences all over the world. But before it was a TV series, Heated Rivalry was a steamy best-selling romance novel written by Rachel Reid.
It was part of her YA series Game Changers which features six books all about gay hockey romance. The series was particularly popular with online romance circles, getting #BookTok and real life book clubs a little bit hot under the collar.
For everything you need to know about the spicy, smash-hit series — including where to watch it — keep on reading.
What is Heated Rivalry about?
Heated Rivalry follows the story of two professional ice hockey players from rival teams. There’s Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams), Canada’s golden boy who is the captain of the Montreal Metros and Ilya Grigoryevich Rozanov, a Moscow-born Russian player who is also the captain of the Boston Raiders.
Heated Rivalry follows Shane and Ilya’s enemies-to-lovers journey from when they first meet as confused rookie hockey hopefuls at 17 to established beloved hockey players, eight years later.
In the public eye, pair are rivals due to their matched skills and positions as captains. They’re often pitted against each other by fans and the media. Behind closed doors, Shane and Ilya have been sneaking around for saucy rendezvous ever since their first season.
But eventually, their relationship becomes more than just physical. With homophobia rife in the hockey world, can they continue to chase the glory on the ice whilst coming clean about their love?
Where can I watch Heated Rivalry in Australia?
When the book adaptation of Heated Rivalry was first announced, fans were outraged that only the Canadian streaming service Crave had picked up the rights. However, after some serious chatter online, HBO Max stepped in.
You can now watch Heated Rivalry on HBO Max.
Will there be a Heated Rivalry season two?
Thanks to the huge success of season one, the series creator Jacob Tiernay has confirmed that Heated Rivalry will be coming back for season two.
“Watching our show become an international phenomenon has been extraordinary,” Tierney and executive producer Brendan Brady said in a statement.
“We’re profoundly grateful to everyone that has been on this journey with us. Being renewed for a second season so early is a true honour, and we can’t wait to bring you even more of what you love.”
HBO Max also confirmed the news in an Instagram post: “The game’s not over. Season 2 of Heated Rivalry is coming to HBO Max”.
While we don’t know what the plot will be for sure, it’ll likely follow the trajectory of Rachel Reid’s sixth Game Changers book, The Long Game, which continues Ilya and Shane’s story.
You can watch season one of Heated Rivalry on HBO Max.
