Heated Rivalry fans delighted as author Rachel Reid announces new book in hockey romance series

Good news for Heated Rivalry fans as the love story of hockey stars Shane Hollander and Ilya Rosanov is set to continue in the new book Unrivaled just announced by author of the Game Changer series Rachel Reid.

It will be the seventh book in the hockey romance series, and will serve as a sequel to Heated Rivalry (2019) and The Long Game (2022).

The wildly popular TV series Heated Rivalry is an adaptation of Reid's second book of the same name, and the third episode is a book-to-TV adaptation of the first book in the series Game Changer (2015) that chronicles the romance between hockey star Scott Hunter and Christopher "Kip" Grady.

In the show, which has since been confirmed to be returning for season two, Shane Hollander is played by Hudson Williams, Ilya Rosanov is played by Connor Storrie, while Francois Arnaud plays Scott Hunter, and Robbie GK plays Kip Grady.

So what can fans expect from the last instalment in the popular book series? Here is everything we know so far.

What is the book about?

Harlquin

"They’ve gotten a lot of love from fans who are thrilled for them," the book's synopsis reads. "But some people in the hockey world are still reeling from their relationship reveal, and the backlash — led by popular hockey podcast Top Shelf and the #TakeBackHockey movement — is getting louder."

"Ilya and Shane are finally able to stand together in the light, the way they’d always wanted," it added. "And now they might be facing their biggest challenge yet."

What has author Rachel Reid said?

Photo by Harold Feng/Getty Images

"I'm really excited to have the chance to continue their story with Unrivaled," Reid told PEOPLE.

"I’m writing this one for all the Hollanov fans, old and new," she added. "I can’t tell you how much the love my characters have received over the years means to me. It has been a blast writing these guys again, and revisiting the entire Game Changers cast."

Taking to Instagram, Reid admitted how it's "really, really, really, really surreal to be here writing the next Ilya and Shane book while watching jokes about Ilya and Shane live on television from Hollywood at the Golden Globes," referring to Williams and Storrie presenting an award at the star-studded ceremony on Sunday night.

She added, "I hope you like the book."

When will 'Unrivaled' be released?

It won't be too long to wait for fans, as they will be able to get their hands on Unrivalled later this year, as it is set to debut on September 29 and is available for preorder now.

Fans react to news of new book Unrivaled

Since the news dropped that there's a new book coming to the Game Changer series, and readers are getting more Shane and Ilya, they've shared their excitement on social media with some guessing what it might include.

"Unrivaled plot," one person wrote, sharing a still from the show where Ilya says, "Montreal goes home crying. Please, please!"

A second person said, "Imagine if Unrivaled closes on an epilogue of Hollanov playing for Canada at the 2026 Olympics?"

"If anything can bring back lining up at the bookstore at midnight to get the first copies …" a third person added.

A fourth person shared, "I’m seated: the Barnes and Noble employees are pissed because it’s 'not September yet' but I’m simply too seated," referring to the Ayo Edebiri meme.

"In celebration of the Unrivaled news, I will be rewatching this scene a million times today," someone else posted, showing a clip of Shane and Ilya playing hockey together in the All-Stars tournament in the show.

Another person responded, "Heated Rivalry flip it around UNRIVALED," referring to Michelle Yeoh's "MM Flip it Around Wicked Witch" meme.

Elsewhere from Indy100, Heated Rivalry star says closeted athletes are reaching out, and Heated Rivalry season 2 confirmed - everything we know so far.

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