Warning: Heated Rivalry and The Long Game spoilers ahead.
Big news for Heated Rivalry fans! It appears Rachel Reid is releasing a second follow-up to Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov’s love story.
For those who don’t know, Reid is the author behind Game Changers, a queer romance book series centered around professional hockey players. While there were six books to choose from, Heated Rivalry creator Jacob Tierney adapted the second novel into the hit Crave Originals series, which follows two rival hockey players that fall in love over the course of a decade.
Tierney has already confirmed the second season will jump straight to the sixth book of the series, The Long Game, in order to stick with the show’s central love story. Now that Shane (Hudson Williams) and Ilya (Connor Storrie) have figured out their next move at the cottage, fans can expect to see them navigate their secret relationship in much closer proximity after Ilya leaves the Boston Raiders to play for a Canadian team.
Heated Rivalry star Hudson Williams opens up about the cottage scenes that make him cry, relating to Shane Hollander over sudden fame, and witnessing a darker variation of the Scott Hunter kiss.
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Fans have widely predicted that Tierney would split The Long Game into two seasons in order to do justice to the heavier themes and because, frankly, they’re hoping for at least three seasons of their new favorite show! While Tierney may give some other Game Changers couples the Scott Hunter (François Arnaud) and Kip Grady (Robbie G.K.) treatment in season 2, he’s been pretty clear that he intends to “keep it spiritually the same show.”
Well, he’s about to have even more material to work with. On January 10, fans discovered a Barnes & Noble listing for a seventh Game Changers novel that’s set to be released this upcoming September. Stop reading if you don’t want to know what happens in The Long Game, because we’re about to share everything we know about the new Hollanov book so far.
We’re skipping right to book six—and maybe book seven?
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What is Game Changers 7 called and what’s it about?
According to the Barnes & Noble listing, the seventh book in the Game Changers series is called Unrivaled and will pick up after Ilya and Shane’s wedding. Unfortunately, not everyone in the hockey world is ready for the couple to play on the same team, literally and figuratively. Here’s the full description:
Based on social media responses, fans are pretty excited about the unexpected development.
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When is Unrivaled coming out and can it be preordered?
Per the listing, Unrivaled is set to be released on September 29, 2026. Fans are already able to preorder the Barnes & Noble exclusive edition for $19.99 on their website. The exclusive paperback features “a special cover, designed sprayed edges, and exclusive content unique to this edition.”
What has Rachel Reid said about Unrivaled?
Though Reid has yet to make an official statement about Unrivaled, The Times already confirmed her plans to announce details about a new book this week.
Just last month, she played coy about continuing Ilya and Shane’s story during an interview with Elle India. “It’s not a no — it’s a maybe,” she said in late December. “I’d only do it if I had the right idea. I wouldn’t write it just because people want it, or because it would sell. I don’t want to ruin the series by forcing it. It would have to feel necessary. And if that happens, then yes, I’ll do it.”
It seems like she already had “the right idea” for Unrivaled, and we can hardly wait until September to read it.
François Arnaud discusses 'Heated Rivalry' episode 5, what may come in season 2, and why he responded to Jordan Firstman's controversial comments about the show.
