The world, as we knew it, changed when Heated Rivalry, Crave’s steamy queer hockey romance TV series, premiered on 28 November 2025. While many fans thanked their stars for getting to witness Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander’s love story come alive on screen, the real MVP here is Rachel Reid, the author of Heated Rivalry (2019) and five other books in the Game Changers series.
Game Changers is a popular queer YA romance series containing six novels and two short stories. The hit TV show is adapted from book two of this series, which heavily features the enemies-to-lovers trope. So, if you’re left with a hockey puck-sized hole in your heart after watching the finale of the six-episode series, you can dive right back into the world of Ilya (played by Connor Storrie) and Shane (played by Hudson Williams) by reading the Game Changers books. Especially now that season 2 has been greenlit.
Speaking to Deadline, executive producer Brendan Brady and Jacob Tierney, the writer and director of the series, said, “Watching our show become an international phenomenon has been extraordinary. We’re profoundly grateful to everyone that has been on this journey with us. Being renewed for a second season so early is a true honor, and we can’t wait to bring you even more of what you love. (sic)”
So, if you can’t wait to watch season 2 and see where Ilya and Shane’s story goes, reading the Game Changers books can help you pass the time. And the best way to do that is to read the books in their correct chronological order.
Your guide to reading the books from Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series in order
1. Game Changer
Synopsis: Scott Hunter, the captain of the New York Admirals hockey team, takes his sport and his smoothies, a pre-game ritual, very seriously. So, when barista Kip Grady whips up a smoothie that ultimately leads to Scott breaking out of his athletic slump, he makes it his life’s mission to get to know Kip on a personal level. But when a single kiss turns into a full-blown affair, the star player is forced to choose between love and ambition.
About the book: The Game Changers book series begins with this novel. If you loved Scott (played by François Arnaud) and Kip (played by Robbie G.K.) in the Canadian show and had a few complaints about them not getting enough screentime, let this book be the justice you deserve.
Year of publishing: 2018
Pages: 400
Price: INR 1,580 (Paperback)
2. Heated Rivalry
Synopsis: Shane Hollander, the captain of the Montreal Voyageurs, and Boston Bears leader Ilya Rozanov share an epic rivalry. But their animosity is limited only to the rink, because outside of it, they can’t seem to keep their hands off each other. As their mutual attraction increases, so do the threats to their careers.
Year of publishing: 2019
Pages: 375
Price: INR 399 (Paperback)
3. Tough Guy
Synopsis: Ryan Price is a hockey star recently traded to the Toronto Guardians. Determined to make a fresh start in this new city, Ryan tries to get acquainted with Toronto’s queer community, only to find himself bumping into Fabian Salah, a musician with whom he shares a rich history. But is this just a blast from the past or something deeper?
Year of publishing: 2020
Pages: 292
Price: INR 1,585 (Paperback)
Also read: Best queer YA shows to add to your watch list today
4. Common Goal
Synopsis: Retired goaltender Eric Bennett might have given up playing hockey, but his dating game seems to have just begun. With a new life ahead of him, he does something he’s never tried before — dating men. So, when sparks fly between him and Kyle Swift, a graduate student, they decide to have some mutually consensual fun with no strings attached. Until, of course, they realise they both want something more.
Year of publishing: 2020
Pages: 333
Price: INR 1,566 (Paperback)
Also read: How to read The Housemaid books in order
5. Role Model
Synopsis: Troy Barrett’s life is a mess, to say the least. As if a breakup and being traded to the worst team in Ottawa weren’t enough, Ottawa Centaurs’ social media manager, Harris Drover, is constantly on his case, trying to build his “online image”. But as sparks begin to fly between the chirpy manager and the brooding player, Troy realises that to be with Harris, he will have to reveal parts of himself that he’s kept hidden until now.
Year of publishing: 2021
Pages: 323
Price: INR 1,569 (Paperback)
6. The Long Game
Synopsis: It’s been 10 years since Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov started seeing each other, and although many other things have changed in their lives, much to Ilya’s frustration, their relationship still remains a secret. Shane knows the clock is ticking, but can he make the right decision in time?
About the book: The final book in Reid’s Game Changers series acts as a sequel to Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov’s story. According to People, season 2 of Heated Rivalry is expected to be based on this novel.
Year of publishing: 2022
Pages: 479
Price: INR 1,591 (Paperback)
Bonus content for fans of the Game Changers books
Apart from these six novels, Reid has also written two short stories that are a part of this series.
Merry Christmas, Scott & Kip is an epilogue to Game Changer and builds on Scott and Kip’s story after book one as they spend their first Christmas together in Brooklyn.
Similarly, My Dinner with Hayden is a short story connected to Heated Rivalry. In this, Ilya and Shane try to host a dinner party for Hayden. According to Reid, the events of this story take place almost 16 months after the last chapter of Heated Rivalry and about three weeks before the epilogue.
Also read: 10 LGBTQ+ romance novels to read if you liked Red, White & Royal Blue
(All images: Courtesy of Amazon)
Note : The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.