We’re finally getting a sneak peek at Heated Rivalry!
Normally, we ignore men’s hockey in favor of being obsessed with women’s professional hockey and the out queer couples who play the sport, but we’re making an exception for the upcoming gay hockey romance series Heated Rivalry.
For weeks now, the two stars of the adaptation of Rachel Reid’s spicy M/M hockey romance — Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie — have been driving fans wild by posting photos and videos of their budding off-set bromance. Now, we’re finally getting official images from the show.
Deadline just released the first promotional photos for the adaptation of the Booktok fave, and it looks like the actors’ off-screen chemistry is going to translate to heat in the adaptation of the extremely spicy enemies-to-lovers romance novel.
The plot of the upcoming six-part series revolves around Shane Hollander (Williams) of the Montreal Voyageurs and Boston Bears captain Ilya Rozanov (Storrie) meeting for a series of secret sexual rendezvous over the course of years while acting out a public rivalry on the ice. What starts as palpable chemistry and sizzling hot hate sex turns into a true romance.
The two photos that have been released show Shane and Ilya fending off questions about their hockey rivalry at a press conference, and the second features a sweet private moment where they are pressing their foreheads together.
“Their connection feels so real, as Rachel allowed for this complicated dynamic that grows over seven years,” producer Jacob Tierney told the publication.
The photos have reignited fan excitement for the series, and not only are fans looking forward to seeing gay sex on screen, but they are making apt comparisons between the promotion of Heated Rivalry and the off-screen chemistry we saw in the lead-up to the release of Red, White & Royal Blue — although if the books are any indication, Heated Rivarly is poised to be much spicier.
