Gay hockey romance Heated Rivalry has been inspiring obsession on BookTok since it was released in 2019, but now that a limited series adaptation is being made, fans have a new hyper fixation: the bromance between the lead actors.
The enemies-to-lovers M/M romance novel, about two closeted hockey rivals who have a secret years-long fling, is chock full of extremely spicy gay sex scenes, punctuated by yearning, a feud, and a little hockey.
Main characters Shane Hollander of the Montreal Voyageurs and Boston Bears captain Ilya Rozanov are being played by Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, respectively, who have developed an adorable bromance off-screen with each other that fans are hoping will have real life mimicking their fave romance book.
Countless shows have teased fans with gay subtext without ever giving us the queer romance we’re craving. But Heated Rivalry will have actual gay characters, having gay sex and falling in love — no “bury your gays” trope to be found!
But what is Heated Rivalry, who are the actors behind the show, and just how steamy is their budding friendship? Keep reading.
What is 'Heated Rivalry'?
The upcoming Heated Rivalry miniseries is based on bestselling author Reid’s Game Changer series, where every book is about a different gay hockey couple falling for each other — and having lots of sex along the way.
Much like the book, the series will focus on the enemies-to-lovers romance between two real hockey legends who start out as friends with benefits who are also fierce rivals on the ice before developing feelings for each other and ultimately getting their happily ever after.
“Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov are two of the biggest stars in Major League Hockey, bound by ambition, rivalry, and a magnetic pull neither of them fully understands,” an official synopsis reads. “What begins as a secret fling between two confused teenagers at 17 evolves into a years-long journey of love, denial, and self-discovery. Over the next eight years, as they chase glory on the ice, they struggle to navigate their feelings off of it. Torn between the sport they live for and the love they can’t ignore, Shane and Ilya must decide if there’s room in their fiercely competitive world for something as fragile — and powerful — as real love.”
The series will be released on the Crave streaming service, so it’s hard to tell if the show is going to be as delightfully filthy and full of gay sex as the book, but we’re living in hope that it does!
Who are the stars?
Both Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie are relative unknowns, and Heated Rivalry will be both actors’ first big break.
Williams has mostly one-off roles on TV shows like Tracker and made-for-TV movies like All I Need for Christmas, and Storrie has acted in short films and had an unnamed role in Joker: Folie à Deux.
What about that bromance?
Shane and Ilya have an extremely spicy romance in the book, so when the two stars started posting photos and videos together on social media, it started a frenzy.
While filming the show over the summer, the stars got close and have been posting photos and videos of themselves spending time together, going on hikes, and even getting matching tattoos. But it’s the kisses on the cheek, shirtless hugs, and wrestling around on the floor that have fans speculating that they have more than just a bromance going on. Or at the very least, have insane chemistry that will be fun to watch on screen.
Williams and Storrie may not have started out as enemies like Shane and Ilya, but friends-to-lovers is a romance sub-genre too. Just sayin’.
When does the show come out?
Heated Rivalry is a six-part limited series that will air on Crave starting either later this year or sometime in 2026.
Since there is a sequel to the original book, if the show does well and racks up enough viewers, there is plenty of material to pull from for a follow-up show or movie.
There are also six book in the series so there are four other spicy gay stories waiting to be capture on screen!
