Rachel Reid’s Heated Rivalry era may be years old on paper, but it’s still finding new ways to feel current.
In a recent update to her official website’s Q&A section, the New York Times bestselling author revealed that her publisher is “working on” a potential tie-in cover for Heated Rivalry featuring Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, the actors who brought Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov to life in Crave’s hit television adaptation. While nothing has been finalized, the mention alone was enough to send fans into speculation mode.
Reid also addressed another long-standing wish from readers: the possibility of Williams and Storrie recording audiobook editions of the series. Her answer stopped short of confirmation, but she didn’t shut the door either, a detail that feels especially notable given the show’s growing cultural footprint.
A Franchise With New Life
The renewed buzz comes as Reid prepares to expand the Game Changers universe once again. The author is releasing Unrivaled, the seventh novel in the series and a direct sequel to Heated Rivalry and The Long Game. While screenshots of a Barnes & Noble listing circulated online earlier this month, the book’s existence was only officially confirmed this week.
Unrivaled returns to Shane and Ilya at a very different stage in their lives. Once rivals hiding their relationship from the hockey world, the pair are now out, married, and playing on the same team, the Ottawa Centaurs. Visibility, however, doesn’t equal peace.
“For the first time in their professional hockey careers, Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander have nothing to hide,” the official synopsis reads. That freedom comes with complications, as backlash builds within parts of the sport, fueled by a hostile podcast and the fictional #TakeBackHockey movement.
The story leans into themes that have always powered Reid’s work: the cost of visibility, the tension between public approval and private happiness, and the reality that acceptance is rarely unanimous.
From Cult Favorite to Bestseller
Reid’s novels saw a dramatic resurgence following the release of Heated Rivalry, the Crave-produced series that now streams on HBO Max in the U.S. Both Heated Rivalry and The Long Game recently landed on the New York Times bestseller list, years after their original publication, underscoring how adaptation can reshape a book’s legacy.
Even earlier entries in the series benefited from the spotlight. Game Changers, the first novel, appeared onscreen during the show’s third episode, a subtle nod that longtime readers clocked immediately.
Crave has already renewed Heated Rivalry for a second season, with HBO Max confirming its continued U.S. rollout. Series creator and director Tierney is set to return, though he previously told The Hollywood Reporter that he’s considering expanding the writers’ room as the show grows.
Why the Cover, and the Voices, Matter
A tie-in cover featuring Williams and Storrie wouldn’t just be a cosmetic update. It would reflect how decisively the screen version has shaped the public image of Shane and Ilya. For newer fans, those faces are now inseparable from the characters, and for longtime readers, they represent a rare case where adaptation expanded, rather than diluted, the emotional core of the story.
The audiobook question carries similar weight. Casting the show’s leads as narrators would blur the line between page and screen in a way romance franchises rarely attempt. Even without confirmation, Reid’s openness to the idea suggests she’s paying close attention to how her audience engages with the series today.
Whether through a new cover, a fresh sequel, or voices fans already associate with these characters, Heated Rivalry continues to evolve, and it’s clear the final buzzer hasn’t sounded yet.
