Early Book Review: Heated Rivalry (Game Changers) by Rachel Reid

Heated Rivalry is the second book in the Game Changers series by Rachel Reid. It is currently scheduled for release on March 25 2919. While returning readers to this series will recognize some of the major players, each book also stands up well on its own merit.

Pro hockey star Shane Hollander isn’t just crazy talented, he’s got a spotless reputation. Hockey is his life. Now that he’s captain of the Montreal Voyageurs, he won’t let anything jeopardize that, especially the sexy Russian whose hard body keeps him awake at night. Boston Bears captain Ilya Rozanov is everything Shane’s not. The self-proclaimed king of the ice, he’s as cocky as he is talented. No one can beat him—except Shane. They’ve made a career on their legendary rivalry, but when the skates come off, the heat between them is undeniable. When Ilya realizes he wants more than a few secret hookups, he knows he must walk away. The risk is too great. As their attraction intensifies, they struggle to keep their relationship out of the public eye. If the truth comes out, it could ruin them both. But when their need for each other rivals their ambition on the ice, secrecy is no longer an option.

Heated Rivalry is not the boy meets boy that one expects. This book spans years as Shane and Ilya have a hidden relationship, and find their way toward more than secret meetings that are completely separate from the rest of their lives.  So much of this book is about Shane figuring himself out and what he wants, and Ilya doing the same as most of their time is spent apart, and on very different paths. I liked seeing them come together, and come to terms with what they need for themselves and from each other. This is not a straight forward or traditionally told love story. I found it to be more real in its emotional complexity and the real life obstacles that haunt our couple. I very much enjoyed seeing Ilya find a happy place, and look forward to reading more from Reid.

Heated Rivalry is different, but wonderful. I love Reid's work because books like this are about the characters being themselves and understanding themselves just as much as it is about finding their happy ending.