Author Rachel Reid also signaled “some announcements” are coming this week “about some things that I think people will have been hoping for.”

New Heated Rivalry book release delayed, author cites ‘very busy’ life and health issues

Author Rachel Reid also signaled "some announcements" are coming this week "about some things that I think people will have been hoping for."

By Nick Romano

Nick Romano is a senior editor at ** with 15 years of journalism experience covering entertainment. His work previously appeared in *Vanity Fair*, Vulture, IGN, and more.

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February 24, 2026 11:22 a.m. ET

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Connor Storrie (left) as Ilya Rozanov and Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander on 'Heated Rivalry'. Credit:

Courtesy Bell Media

- *Unrivaled*, the latest *Heated Rivalry *book from Rachel Reid, has been delayed to 2027.

- Reid cited her "very, very busy and overwhelming" reaction to the TV show taking up time, as well as her Parkinson's condition.

- The author signaled "some announcements" are coming later this week.

The ravenous *Heated Rivalry* fandom will have to wait a bit longer for the release of *Unrivaled*, the next book from author Rachel Reid in the Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander romance saga.

Reid shared a video on Instagram announcing that the book had officially moved from its planned Sept. 29 launch this year to June 1, 2027. Multiple reasons are involved, Reid explained in the video.

She describes the newfound *heat* the Canadian TV series adaptation cultivated as "beyond a dream come true," but added, "It's also been very, very busy and overwhelming. My life has gotten very different in the last couple of months, and although it's all good, it's also taken away my ability to have quality time to write. And there's nothing more important to me than *Unrivaled* being the best book it can possibly be."

Reid, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, also shared a health update, noting her symptoms "have gotten a bit worse and it's made it difficult physically to write." She clarified the writing process has been "going well." However, "I just need a little more time," she noted.

To "soften the blow," Reid signaled "some announcements" are coming later this week "about some things that I think people will have been hoping for."

At the very least, it gives newcomers to Reid's MM hockey romance world more time to catch up on the six other books in the *Game Changers* series: *Game Changer*, *Heated Rivalry*, *Tough Guy*, *Common Goal*, *Role Model*, and *The Long Game*.

*Unrivaled* will be the third Shane and Ilya book in the series, following 2022's *The Long Game*.

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*Heated Rivalry*, the show created for Canada's Crave streamer and released in the U.S. on HBO Max, adapted the main events of Reid's second book, about two rival professional hockey players, Ilya (Connor Storrie) and Shane (Hudson Williams), falling in love in secret off the ice. Season 1 also incorporated storylines from the first book that involved the love story of hockey pro Scott Hunter (François Arnaud) and smoothie barista Kip Grady (Robbie G.K.), as well as the presence of Kyle Swift (Matthew Finlan), a main character from Reid's *Common Goal*.

While the TV series will continue to follow Shane and Ilya in season 2, showrunner Jacob Tierney also teased in recent press the arrival of Troy Barrett, another athlete whose narrative with social media guru Harris Drover is the center of Reid's *Role Model*.

Author Rachel Reid with the cover of 'Unrivaled'.

Caleb Latreille; Harlequin

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As for *Unrivaled*, Harlequin released a plot synopsis for the next phase of Ilya and Shane's arc.

"A line has been drawn — and the hockey world is divided," it read. "For the first time in their professional hockey careers, Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander have nothing to hide. After more than a decade of keeping their love secret, they’re out, married, and even playing on the same team. The support has been incredible. Most of the time. While fans celebrate them, others in the hockey world are still reeling from the reveal. A growing backlash—led by the popular hockey podcast Top Shelf and the #TakeBackHockey movement—is making its presence felt. Standing together in the light was everything Shane and Ilya ever wanted. Now, they may be facing their biggest challenge yet."**

And as for the show, season 2 will start filming later this year with a premiere planned for 2027.

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