Heated Rivalry

Written by Rachel Reid

Narrated by Tor Thom

Nothing interferes with Shane Hollander's game-definitely not the sexy rival he loves to hate.

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 . . .

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Oct 22, 2019
• ISBN: 9781541431638

Rachel Reid

Rachel Reid has always lived in Nova Scotia, Canada, and will likely continue to do so. She has two boring degrees and two interesting sons. She has been a hockey fan since childhood, but sadly never made it to the NHL herself. She enjoys books about hot men doing hot things, and cool ladies being awesome. You can follow Rachel on Instagram at rachelreidwrites and Twitter @akaRachelReid, and on Goodreads. Her website and blog, where she writes more things, is www.rachelreidwrites.com.

Reviews for Heated Rivalry

[Taima Rolle · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I absolutely loved this book. It was amazing to see how their relationship grew over the years and how their feelings for eAch other was constant regardless of their rivalry on the ice. I hated that they couldn’t be out and open with their love. Ilya was such a sweetheart with a tough exterior because of the way he was brought up. This book gave me all the feels and it was a joy watching them fall completely in love with each other. The way that Shane’s family responded to him being gay warned my heart. I felt that Ilya needed to see that because he didn’t have that within his win family. The foundation for mental illness was a hit for me. Five amazing stars for this gem of a novel.

[Amy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I fell in love with the characters a proper ferl good book with a happy ever after. Just what I needed. The characters are well written and are fun. I had heartache in the middle but obviously it ended well.

[Ezinwanyi1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of the best enemies to lovers stories I’ve ever read. Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov are now my favorite book characters. Hockey players who fought on the hockey rink and in private, battled an attraction to each other. If you like angst sports romances, this book will meet that need. Loved this one

[tuusannuuska-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I've read this book so many times it's shameful. A completely self-indulgent read, but at this point it's just so comforting for what ever reason. Objectively this is far from the best romance I've ever read, but I just feel so attached to the characters. I just can't help it, leave me alone.

[Beaulha · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Speak about gratuitous sex. Lots of it....the story is unnecessarily lengthy, some parts of their life should have been summarized. It drags on so much by the 90% mark you don't care for the ending really.

With that said. It's a good read. You can listen to it while relaxing, doing stands at a busy mall, because some parts could be easily skipped and you will lose nothing.
The characters are enjoyable. They mature with the story. They don't fight enough, that's one side one misses from a fully rounded story.n

First narrator did it for me, that when I started the long game, it took me a full day to get back to it.

Still, smuty, Loved Illijah.he was my favourite. Illija, is a guy that annoys you so much but you just fall in love, Shane, revels from being good and being the best. 4 stars because it is an MM romance, we don't expect much from them.

[Megan Preece · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love this book and this series but this was not the right narrator! Why do Shane’s parents have southern accents half the time! The cadence of the narration was strange too.

[Dana Copeland · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Love, love, love! Skipping straight the the last book to finish the love story

[natali shafran · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this one. At first, I felt there were missing lots of content between the guys. I mean, it felt very superficial. But as it progressed you could feel the relationship shifting and morphing to something amazing. At the end I couldnt stop grinning. I would have loved another epiloge after they came out about their relationship.

Totally recommend it

[dawn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid is a wonderful sports rival to lovers book. I like how they never really hate each other, but are just under each other's skin.

Tor Thom did a much better job narrating this book than the absolutely intolerable job he did on Game Changer. I was worried since he was going to do another accent. His Russian accent was so much better than his "New York" accent. Seriously, I still can't get over Game Changer. He did such a bad job on that book.

[Makeda · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was everything everyone said it would be! Loved it so much❤️❤️

[pameladana8288 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very ???! But ultimately the character development of both main characters is what had me give the 5 star rating! I loved watching their relationship develop and grow! It felt honest and vulnerable! ❤️

[akbouterse · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was cute! I didn't really know much about this going in except that it was a hockey romance and that it was M/M. This definitely not a five star read for me but I did still really enjoy this.

There wasn't really a lot of plot in this book. There are some hockey scenes but this book mostly follows the lives of Ilya and Shane and their relationship to each other. I typically prefer a bit more plot in my romances but I did think the characters and the relationship between them are strong enough to carry this book. This book does cover a lot of time in a relatively short book. I think this helped with showing the development of the relationship but did make it so there wasn't a lot of room for plot. Some interesting stuff was set up with Ilya's family and I would have liked to see the plot thread wrapped up a bit more at the end of the book.

The relationship was really strong and I can see why so many people like this part of the book. We get to see Ilya and Shane grow into their careers together and become closer and we get to see how their feelings towards each other evolve. I liked that we started the book when they were a bit younger because we got to see that development and it also showed how insular these sort of top sports communities can be. I really liked that even though hockey wasn't a huge part of the actual plot, the author still sets the scene for what it's like to be a professional athlete.

This was a really good romance and I would definitely consider reading more books by this author. I probably won't read any more from this series because none of the other books are as highly rated but I did like Reid's writing style and I would recommend this book.

[spinsterrevival · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was amazing, and I loved it so much. It was great to go back in time to see how they got to present day, and there was just a gorgeousness when they finally came together for good. It feels very true in that there can’t always be a massive coming out, but I know that Shane and Ilya will be together always.

[elenaj-147457 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the platonic form of an enemies-to-lovers hockey romance novel.

[samnreader · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book starts off a bit choppy, hot but choppy. Shane's vulnerability and Ilya's mystery and charm suck you right in though.

It's told in a series of hook-ups, underscored by intense chemistry. Slowly, the pair of them reveals more about themselves, while the other is pulling him in, all the while fighting how this can't be a thing. So, because this is told in a series of hook-ups when Shane & Ilya are in the same city, it may not be for those of you that prefer a slow burn. To me, this felt like Hate to Want You in the secrets, the rivalry, and the fact that through 8 years, the couple meets up only a few times a year (and without the childhood history). Except imagine you see all the annual interactions of Nicholas - Livvy... And you have the middle part of this book. And I'm not going to sugar coat this, it hurts.

We watch them slowly fall in love with each other, shedding animosity, and basically both know they are more, yet NHL among other external factors threaten their relationship. I found this so excruciating. And here I'm offer my second warning: they are not exclusive for a good 2/3 of the book.

If you can get past those things, or enjoy them, they end is well worth it. We're suddenly seeing Ilya's wonderful direct wit,
Ilya was wearing a Boston Bears shirt.
"That's not going to help."
"Oh, do they not know I play for Boston?"
and I could swear this author lifted a conversation or two from my own home:

"Why the fuck are you making eight burgers?"
"That's what the recipe was for!"
"You can't do math? Cut it in half"
"Leave me alone."

These delighted me in their authentic feel.

So for a good last portion of this I was smiling, chuckling, and rewarded for my heart feeling squeezed for the first 3/4 of this book.

Shane laughed. "You wanna kiss me on television?"
"Yes. After I win the Stanley cup."
Shane spread his arms out. "Oh, so in this scenario, you've just defeated me?"
"Yes. Sorry."

And because I usually mention this in a novel with a hero whose first language is Russian... It's hard to go all in with this one, I understand...but it was sorta turned on and off in odd ways, which I found distracting.

[dlynch-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Rachel Reid melts the ice with HEATED RIVALRY, the second book in the Game Changer series. Captain of the Montreal Voyageurs, Shane Hollander, and Boston Bears captain, Ilya Rozanov, are rivals. They both share a secret that could alter their lives. This contemporary sports romance is suitable for adult audiences.I really liked Shane’s and Ilya’s characters. Their rivalry kept reminding me of Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin. The media has always played them against each other since the World Junior Hockey Championships and Draft. Shane is a humble, serious, and a good role model. He has an awesome family. Ilya is pretty much Shane’s opposite. He is arrogant and obnoxious. Ilya does not have a great family life. Both characters are lovable in their own ways. Their competition makes them better players. I enjoyed the plot. There were interesting twists. The story was believable and heartwarming. This is the first book that I have read by Rachel Reid. I enjoyed her writing style. HEATED RIVALRY was skillfully-written and executed. I want to go back and read book one, GAME CHANGER. I could follow this book with no problem having not read the first book. However, Scott Hunter from book one is referenced in this novel, and I want to read his story. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.