Heated Rivalry fans, if you’ve been counting down the days until Rachel Reid’s next Game Changers novel, you might want to grab a cozy blanket and your favorite mug—because the release of Unrivaled, the 3rd book in the series that inspired Heated Rivalry, has officially been postponed to June 2027. While this news may sting a little, Reid’s transparency and dedication make it easier to swallow.
The author, who recently shared that she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease just days before being approached by Jacob Tierney to adapt the books into the hit hockey series, explained in a heartfelt Instagram video:
“I can’t really put into words what any of this feels like for an author. My life has gotten very different in the last couple months, and although it’s all good, it’s also taken away my ability to have quality time to write. There’s nothing more important to me than Unrivaled being the best book it can possibly be.”
Reid continued with a dose of honesty that only makes her fandom love her more:
“I think when good things happen, sometimes the universe hands you some worse stuff to balance it out. For me, that’s been that my Parkinson’s symptoms have gotten a bit worse, and it’s made it difficult physically to write. I’m definitely a lot slower. And that’s just something I need to learn how to navigate and kind of face instead of ignoring. Ultimately, it’s gonna be a much better book and that’s the most important thing to me. It’ll be better for the readers, and it’ll be better for the characters.”
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Picking Up the Story: Shane and Ilya’s Next Chapter
For those of you living in Heated Rivalry bliss, you already know the delight of seeing Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov finally out and proud. Unrivaled will continue where The Long Game left off, showing our favorite hockey stars navigating public life, marriage, and professional hockey together.
“For the first time in their professional hockey careers, Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander have nothing to hide. For more than a decade, they kept their love a secret, but now they’re out, married and even playing on the same team. The support is incredible. Most of the time,” reads the official synopsis.
Fans can expect to see the couple face their biggest challenges yet, including backlash from traditionalists in the hockey world, the notorious #TakeBackHockey movement, and some shady commentary from the popular hockey podcast Top Shelf. But with love on their side, Shane and Ilya are ready to stand together in the light—and Reid assures us the story will be worth the wait.
“We’re going to be patient because we know we can trust Rachel Reid to bring us the best out of the Game Changers universe!”
Your Chance to Step Into the Show
And speaking of dreams becoming reality… the cottage from Heated Rivalry is now available to book on Airbnb starting March 3 at 12 PM ET. Yes, you read that right: the iconic Cottage, where Shane and Ilya’s chemistry lit up the screen, is ready for fans to live their Heated Rivalry fantasies firsthand.
The modern luxury cottage features nearly 400 feet of private waterfront, three bedrooms, three baths, and all the Muskoka sunsets your heart can handle. It’s perfect for group getaways, romantic escapes, or just pretending you’re sitting by the fire while Shane and Ilya spill their secrets. Twitter is already buzzing:
“Me booking this with my friends: THIS IS WHERE THEY BOTH LEARNED THEY HAVEN’T BEEN WITH SOMEONE ELSE, THIS IS WHERE THEY SAT IN FRONT OF THE FIRE AND ILYA TOLD SHANE ABOUT HIS MOM, THIS IS WHERE THEY BOTH SAT IN FRONT OF EACH OTHER AND SHANE ASKED ILYA NOT TO MARRY SVETLANA”
“We are going to the cottage, for real this time.”
“Hopefully they have cleaning supplies on standby cause…”
The countdown to Unrivaled might have gotten a little longer, but the magic of Heated Rivalry isn’t going anywhere. With Reid’s heartfelt dedication, Shane and Ilya’s unstoppable love, and the chance to step into their world via Airbnb, this fandom has more reasons than ever to celebrate—and maybe book a waterfront view while they wait.