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Rachel Reid’s beloved hockey romance Heated Rivalry has reached an entirely new audience thanks to its screen adaptation, which critics have praised for staying true to the intensity, rivalry, and emotional payoff that made the book such a fan favorite. Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander’s high-stakes NHL rivalry — and undeniable chemistry — quickly turned the show into a hit, especially among longtime readers.
Now that the season has wrapped up, many fans are left with the same problem: what do you read next when nothing quite scratches the Heated Rivalry itch? Whether you’re here for the competitive hockey energy, the emotional slow burn, or the unapologetic spice, these books are perfect for Heated Rivalry and The Long Game fans looking for their next obsession.
More Books for Heated Rivalry Fans
Coming in First Place by Taylor Fitzpatrick
Taylor Fitzpatrick excels at writing hockey romances that feel brutally intimate and deeply character-driven, and Coming in First Place is a standout for fans who loved the long game of Ilya and Shane.
This rivals-to-lovers story follows NHL rookies David Chapman and Jake Lourdes, whose competition on the ice quickly turns personal. David is disciplined to the point of obsession — strict training regimen, strict diet, strict emotional walls — so it’s infuriating that Jake, a golden retriever in human form, keeps coming out on top.
This series is packed with angst, yearning, and painfully slow emotional payoff, making it perfect for readers who loved watching rivalry slowly curdle into something inescapable.
Him by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy
If you loved the mix of humor, heart, and heat in Heated Rivalry, Him is a classic MM hockey romance worth revisiting. Ryan Wesley and Jamie Canning grew up as best friends at a summer hockey camp — until one dare changed everything. Years later, they reunite as counselors at the same camp, forcing them to confront unresolved feelings and a chemistry that never really went away.
This duology delivers childhood friends-to-lovers, laugh-out-loud banter, and plenty of spice, making it an easy recommendation for fans who want something lighter but still emotionally satisfying.
The Trade Deadline by A.L. Heard
After a fleeting one-night stand during their junior hockey days, Ryan Russell and Lars Nilsson don’t expect to ever cross paths again — until they’re suddenly traded onto the same NHL team years later. Ryan braces for awkwardness and unresolved tension, only to discover something worse: Lars doesn’t remember him at all.
This book is catnip for Heated Rivalry fans who love angst, forced proximity, and elite athletes with terrible emotional communication skills. The inclusion of media snippets, interviews, and fan reactions adds an immersive layer that makes the hockey world feel vividly real.
For the Fans by Nyla K.
If it’s spice you’re craving, For the Fans delivers it in abundance. This hate-to-love romance follows Kyran and Avi, stepbrothers who start an OnlyFans account to deal with mounting financial problems during college. The chemistry is explosive, the tension relentless, and the emotional fallout surprisingly raw. While step-sibling romance isn’t for everyone (they don’t grow up together), fans who loved the intensity, obsession, and emotional vulnerability in Heated Rivalry will likely find this one impossible to put down.
Loving the Legend by Kit Grey
For readers who loved watching Ilya and Shane compete against each other at the highest level, Loving the Legend offers that same electric rival energy — this time on the basketball court. Rookie phenom Ty “Pretty Boy” Washington shatters records previously held by league legend Sid “The Wonder Kid” King, igniting a rivalry neither of them expects to turn personal. Forced together during an interview, their chemistry is immediate and undeniable. This debut balances competitive tension, emotional vulnerability, and steamy moments in a way that will strongly appeal to Heated Rivalry fans.
Garron Park by Nordika Night
Devon Sawyer and Maddox Kane are rivals in every sense of the word — in motocross, at work, and in their personal lives. Their hatred is long-standing, mutual, and deeply ingrained. Everything shifts the night Devon shows up on Maddox’s doorstep after being beaten by his father, forcing them into uneasy proximity neither of them is prepared for. What follows is a volatile rivals-to-still-rivals-but-also-lovers romance packed with grit, raw emotion, and explosive chemistry.
With nonstop tension, messy feelings, and characters who never stop pushing each other’s buttons, Garron Park is a great pick for Heated Rivalry fans who love angst-heavy romances where rivalry and desire are impossible to untangle.
All For The Game by Nora Sakavic
If relentless competitiveness is what hooked you in Heated Rivalry, All for the Game is a cult favorite worth mentioning — with a caveat. The trilogy follows Neil Josten, a runaway with a dangerous past who joins a Division I Exy team (a chaotic, violent sport best described as hockey and lacrosse on steroids).
Romance exists, but it’s very much a slow, background burn until the final book. The series deals with heavy themes including violence, abuse, and trauma, so it’s definitely worth checking the trigger warnings before diving in. For readers willing to commit, the emotional payoff is intense, unforgettable, and deeply earned.
Every Breath After by Jessie Walker
If the angst, longing, and painfully slow-burn evolution of Shane and Ilya’s relationship in Heated Rivalry and The Long Game was what ruined you — I’m talking years-in-the-making emotional damage — Every Breath After is a must-read. The story follows Mason and Jeremy from childhood into their twenties, tracking a bond that deepens, fractures, and reshapes them over time.
The angst here is top-tier: Jeremy falls in love with Mason while Mason falls in love with Izzy, Jeremy’s twin sister. When tragedy strikes, Mason and Jeremy become each other’s anchors in a deeply toxic, codependent way that’s as devastating as it is compulsive to read. This book deserves every star — just go in knowing the sequel isn’t out yet, and emotional closure will have to wait.
Call It Home by Catherine Cloud
Catherine Cloud is a must-read author for fans of slow-burn MM hockey romance that prioritizes emotional depth. Call It Home follows Ryan Harris, a former rising star traded after a PR scandal, and Louie Hathaway, a struggling player from hockey royalty who gets called up from the farm team. As the new guys, they decide living together will make things easier — emotionally safer, even. It doesn’t.
What follows is a quiet, devastatingly tender story about identity, pressure, and falling in love when you least expect it. If you loved the emotional evolution of Ilya and Shane, this one hits the same nerve.
Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat
If you loved the intense rivalry between Shane and Ilya and are ready to take that dynamic several steps deeper into true enemy territory, Captive Prince is the ultimate recommendation. Often considered the gold standard of enemies-to-lovers romance, the series follows Damen, the warrior heir to the throne of Akielos, who is betrayed by his brother and sent to Vere as a pleasure slave. There, he’s placed under the control of Laurent, the calculating Prince of Vere — whose brother was killed by Damen in a past war.
The emotional tension, layered power dynamics, and slow, agonizing shift from hatred to trust are masterfully done, with political intrigue heightening every interaction. This one is dark, intense, and deeply rewarding — but definitely check the trigger warnings before diving in.
Upcoming Releases with Heated Rivalry Energy
Star Shipped by Cat Sebastian (March 3rd)
If you loved the yearning, tension, and public rivalry between Ilya and Shane, Star Shipped might be your next obsession. This enemies-to-lovers rom-com follows two actors forced to coexist while starring on a wildly popular sci-fi TV series — despite their very public dislike for each other. With sharp banter, slow-burn attraction, and plenty of industry pressure, this upcoming release channels Heated Rivalry’s emotional push-and-pull in a completely different setting.
Thirty Love by Tom Vellner (March 10)
Tennis rivals? Say no more. Tom Vellner’s debut follows Leo Chambers, an American tennis star determined to win the US Open before turning thirty — if only he could get past his longtime nemesis, Gabe Montoya.
Packed with rivalry, ambition, and unresolved tension, this rivals-to-lovers sports romance feels tailor-made for Heated Rivalry fans who want the same competitive obsession in a new arena.
Hold Me Like a Grudge by Celine Ong (March 31)
Move over hockey — wrestling takes center stage in Celine Ong’s debut sports romance. Two professional wrestlers locked in a fierce rivalry are stunned by their off-the-charts chemistry as they battle for the World Championship. The problem? The industry has carefully crafted them as nothing but bitter enemies, forcing them to question whether there’s any room for something real behind the personas.
With public rivalry fueling private longing, this delivers major Heated Rivalry energy — especially for readers who loved how external pressure made Ilya and Shane’s connection feel dangerous, secret, and irresistible.
The Open Era by Edward Schmit (June 2)
The Open Era is especially exciting. This debut centers on two rival tennis players battling it out during the US Open, with competition blurring into something far more complicated. Early buzz suggests plenty of rivalry-driven tension — the kind that Heated Rivalry fans can’t get enough of.
AO3 Fiction for Heated Rivalry Fans
Impaired Judgement by Taylor Fitzpatrick (youcouldmakealife)
Impaired Judgement is a long, immersive MM hockey romance on AO3 that spans years, making it a great pick for Heated Rivalry fans who loved watching Ilya and Shane grow up together. It follows seventeen-year-old hockey prospect Jared, who clashes immediately with Bryce, an NHL player sent to coach at a summer camp after earning a bad reputation. Their rocky start slowly softens into a relationship shaped by miscommunication, long-distance challenges, secrecy, and the realities of pro hockey schedules. This is a commitment-heavy read, but the emotional payoff is well worth it for readers who want a deeply detailed hockey romance that unfolds over time.