Although I consider myself a fit and active “Sporty Spice” type of gal, I’ll admit I’ve never been much for watching sports. But if any book could make me instantly turn on the sports channel and buy a jersey, it’s the BookTok sensation, Heated Rivalry. So, when I heard that the smutty LGBTQ+ love story about hockey-playing rivals falling in love was headed to the big screen, I was absolutely giddy. And once the trailer dropped?!? Well, the internet and I instantly lost our collective minds.
For those who need a quick catch-up, the novel Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid (a Canadian, Halifax-born author) follows Ilya and Shane — NHL players on rival teams — through eight torturous years full of sex, romance, tension, and yes…hockey.
Shane Hollander (played by Hudson Williams) is the captain of the Montreal Voyageurs — a fictional Canadian hockey team — when he faces off against the Boston Bears and meets his professional rival, the sexy Russian-born Ilya Rozanov (played by Connor Storrie). Shane thought nothing could distract him from the game, but it seems he may have met his match in Ilya, both on the ice and in his bed.
And if you think it couldn’t get any steamier, it was announced that each episode will feature three sex scenes. So while the story is mostly set on ice, it’s nothing but hot. And we truly can’t wait to take it all in.
When the story blew up on BookTok, it left fans craving more. And lucky for us, we’re getting just that — in a six-part television series. Heated Rivalry is pure Canada-core. It’s filmed in Ontario and Quebec, centers around our national sport, and is a Crave Original — a Canadian streaming service. Honestly, it’s practically dripping in maple syrup.
And since it was gaining so much buzz, even before the Crave premiere, an international release was quickly announced, as fans worldwide gushed over the series adaptation of the beloved book and pleaded for access to it in their own countries. So no, USA, you won’t need a VPN to watch Ilya and Shane fall in love.
And although the tension, pining, and chemistry in the trailer and teaser alone are enough to make anyone spiral, we get to unfold over the six-part series. With a second novel already written by Rachel Reid, it wouldn’t be surprising if we get even more Canadian hockey smut on screen in the future.
And if I didn’t gush enough, here is what the internet is saying:
Heated Rivalry premieres its first two episodes on Friday, November 28th, on Crave in Canada and HBO Max in the U.S. and Australia, with new episodes dropping every Friday. So make sure you tune in. Let me know in the comments if you’ll be watching it along with me.