Rachel Reid announced the next installment in the Heated Rivalry story, confirming a release date for the upcoming novel Unrivaled. The author revealed that the book will continue the storyline of Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov. It will be part of the expanding Game Changers series.
Unrivaled to come out in September
Unrivaled, the seventh novel in Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series, will be released on September 29, 2026, according to Variety.
The book continues the story of hockey players Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, whose romance began in Heated Rivalry (2019) and progressed in The Long Game (2022). The upcoming installment follows the pair after their marriage and public coming out. Reid stated, “I’m really excited to have the chance to continue their story with Unrivaled. I’m writing this one for all the Hollanov fans, old and new.”
Published by Harlequin Books, a division of HarperCollins, Unrivaled is currently available for pre-order through retailers including Harlequin, Barnes & Noble, and Books-A-Million. The novel picks up after Shane and Ilya begin playing on the same team, newly out and married.
Per the synopsis, “They’ve gotten a lot of love from fans who are thrilled for them. 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.”
“They’re finally able to stand together in the light, the way they’d always wanted,” the synopsis continues. “And now they might be facing their biggest challenge yet.” A viral video caught the couple kissing. The footage exposed their relationship and pushed them to come out publicly, despite opposition from league leadership.
The Canadian TV adaptation Heated Rivalry boosted attention for the Game Changers series. HBO Max picked up the show and renewed it for a second season in December 2025. Hudson Williams plays Shane, and Connor Storrie portrays Ilya.
