Fated Mates Podcast RERUN: Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid

Release Date: November 28, 2025
Hosts: Sarah MacLean (bestselling romance author), Jen Prokop (romance critic/reader/editor)

Episode Overview

This Fated Mates episode is a rerun of Sarah and Jen’s beloved exploration of Heated Rivalry, the second book in Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series. The conversation dives deep into why this queer hockey romance is so iconic—tracing its depiction of forbidden love, masculinity, and the real-life challenges faced by queer athletes—while also reflecting on its enduring emotional power. The hosts discuss the book's nuanced characters, the evolution of sports romance, and what makes Heated Rivalry such a foundational read in contemporary romance.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Collections and Microtropes: Discovering More Romances

• [00:09] The episode opens with Jen’s excitement about the new collections project on the Fated Mates website:
  • Collections are curated book lists based on microtropes or themes (“Virgin Heroes,” “Food in Historicals,” “Basketball Romances”).
  • Aim: Improve romance book discoverability, which has become harder online.
  • Community involvement: Listeners and favorite romance voices contribute collections, e.g., “Getting Sprung” (prison breaks), “First Come First Curve” (plus-size heroines in historicals), and “From Starchy to Feral” (heroes who lose their decorum).
  • Notable quote:
    “If you find a collection that has, okay, two books on it you really loved, you can kind of like, hey, I'm probably gonna like the rest of these, right?” — Jen, [04:17]
• [06:11] Collections include all Fated Mates deep dives and 'best of' lists for easier access.

2. Bookish Community & Bookstore Love

• [06:56] Sarah introduces Pagebound, a growing online community for book lovers, highlighting its romance-friendly vibe.
  • Rich discussion threads; listeners pose questions like what book Sarah and Jen haven’t talked about that the community loves.
• [08:54] Reflections on Independent Bookstore Day:
  • Sarah did a “bookstore crawl” in Brooklyn; Jen visited new and Black-owned bookstores in Chicago.
  • The impact of big-box retailer sales seemingly timed to undercut indie celebrations is discussed, but they notice a groundswell of community support for small bookstores.
  • Memorable moment: Sarah visits The Ripped Bodice on a bustling Saturday night.
• [15:47] Book shopping confessions: Both hosts share recent purchases for themselves and children, reinforcing their roles as dedicated readers and bookish parents.

3. Pop Culture Moments

• [15:59] Sarah recounts taking her 11-year-old daughter to the remastered Pride and Prejudice (2005), reflecting on the film’s emotional resonance and its role in awakening her daughter’s appreciation for romance.

  • Notable quote:
    “She was leaning forward on the couch and she went, kiss, kiss, kiss.” — Sarah, [17:16]

• [19:41] Imagined Fated Mates movie nights are proposed (“we should just do that more”)—a humorous interlude on the joys and absurdities of fangirl gatherings.

Main Deep Dive: Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid

Context & Canon Status

• [24:55] Jen expresses nerves about discussing a modern classic:
  • “What are the books that you think of as being so beloved by so many people that they become… there’s a small number of books that have become just like beloved.”
  • Sarah and Jen both missed this “zeitgeist” book on release, weighing the outsized expectations felt when tackling a universally praised romance.
• [25:39] Reflections on how the romance “canon” shifts—ten years ago, “Lord of Scoundrels” or “Bet Me” were entrypoints; today’s list is more complex.

Summary & Structure of the Book

• [31:36] Heated Rivalry (2019) is the second book in the Game Changers series.
  • Set in a “real world” NHL where queerness is largely closeted.
  • Focuses on Shane Hollander (Montreal’s captain, Canadian, sweet, single-minded) and Ilya Rozanov (Russian, Boston’s captain, brash, overtly masculine).
  • Their rivalry hides a long-term, secret sexual relationship, begun as teenagers in hockey camp.
• [33:18] Book is divided into four distinct parts; each represents an evolution of their dynamic:
  • Part 1: Introduction; years of erotic, emotionally walled-off hookups defined by rivalry and secrecy.
  • Part 2: Hint of more; Shane tries to create safety (buys them a secret apartment to meet).
  • Part 3: The romance peaks—emotional and physical vulnerability, tenderness emerges.
  • Part 4: Post-catalyst denouement—they seize their chance at real intimacy.

Depiction of Masculinity, Secrecy, and Emotional Growth

• [34:45] Character study:
  • Shane: Naïve, closeted, uncomfortable with identity, “It has never occurred to Shane to be gay” ([34:45]). Hockey is his whole life.
  • Ilya: “His job is fucking people” ([35:14]), hypermasculine, jaded, Russian (so greater threat), emotionally complex beneath bravado.
  • Their rivalry is integral to their chemistry—Jen: “We have no idea how they could have been with each other if it had not been for the fact they were set up to be rivals” ([53:54]).
• [44:37] They are "kings"—the best of the best, but unable to claim true happiness until overcoming threats, fears, and societal expectations.

Stakes and Social Context

• [40:35] Real-world stakes:
  • Still, in 2025, there are no openly gay NHL players. The book’s anxiety about outing and career repercussions remains very real.
• [46:46]-[47:09] The existential threat of being outed is ever-present; both must “overcome their own insecurity about everything” (Sarah).

Emotional Highs: Key Scenes and Microtropes

• [58:47] The Russian confession: Ilya, wracked with grief after his father’s death, calls Shane from Moscow and, unable to express his feelings in English, confesses his love in Russian while Shane listens and supports.
  • Notable quote:
    “Say it to me in Russian. I won’t understand, but I’m gonna listen.” — Shane, [58:47]
  • Both hosts identify this as a “god tier romance moment.”
• [61:47] The first use of first names:
  • “When he said Shane, I was like, that’s over… This is a God. Tier. Microtrope.” — Sarah, [61:47]
  • Transformation from public personas (last names) to private intimacy.
• [73:57] Shane's injury (concussion): Drives further closeness and showcases the physical dangers these athletes face—a favorite romance device for the hosts (“if I’m reading hockey romance and nobody’s getting a concussion, why am I even here?” — Sarah, [74:00]).

Resolution and HEA (or HFN)

• [78:10] Catalyst: An out, celebrated gay player (Scott Hunter from book 1) wins the Stanley Cup and kisses his partner on TV, sparking new hope in Shane and Ilya.
• [79:45] The final part is idyllic: The two retreat to the cottage, are “out” to Shane’s family, and map out a way to be together off the ice and in life.
• [82:24] Parental acceptance (especially from Shane’s hockey-obsessed mom) is heartfelt and hilarious:
  • “You never let him win, did you?” — Shane’s Mom, [82:24]
  • “I don’t need anybody to let me win.” — Ilya, [82:49]
• [85:29] The book’s epilogue shows increasing acceptance; the couple are cautiously out to more people, but a fully public, queer-affirming HEA is deferred to the sequel The Long Game, which gives them open community and validation.

Broader Reflections and Cultural Relevance

• The book is praised for:
  • Authentic depiction of the pressures on closeted queer athletes.
  • Realistic emotional growth: “These two are kids and… are very aware of the pressure… I didn't ever find that I was like disappointed or thought that they should have [come out]…” — Jen, [42:48]
  • Wrenching emotional journey (especially Ilya's vulnerability).
  • Detailed, insider-y hockey elements.
  • Skillfully structured pacing, paralleling erotic tension and emotional intimacy.
• The hosts discuss missing elements (queer community, public acceptance), and how The Long Game sequel addresses these needs, shifting from a personal HFN to a communal HEA.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments with Timestamps

• “If you find a collection that has… two books on it you really loved, you can… like, hey, I'm probably gonna like the rest of these…” — Jen, [04:17]
• “She was leaning forward on the couch and she went, kiss, kiss, kiss.” — Sarah describing her daughter and Pride and Prejudice, [17:16]
• “What are the books that you think of as being so beloved by so many people that they become… beloved?” — Jen, [24:55]
• “It has never occurred to Shane to be gay.” — Sarah, [34:45]
• “Say it to me in Russian. I won’t understand, but I’m gonna listen.” — Shane to Ilya, [58:47]
• “When he said Shane, I was like, that’s over… This is a God. Tier. Microtrope.” — Sarah, [61:47]
• “If I’m reading hockey romance and nobody’s getting a concussion, why am I even here?” — Sarah, [74:00]
• “You never let him win, did you?” — Shane’s Mom, [82:24]
• “I don’t need anybody to let me win.” — Ilya, [82:49]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [00:09] – Collections and microtropes
• [06:56] – Book community shout-outs, Pagebound
• [08:54] – Independent Bookstore Day stories
• [24:55] – Canonicity and pressure of beloved books
• [31:36] – Book context, characters, setup
• [33:18] – Structure and timeline of the novel
• [44:37] – "Heroes have to be kings” discussion
• [58:47] – Ilya’s Russian phone call moment
• [61:47] – First names microtrope
• [73:57] – Injury/fake out as plot device
• [78:10] – Outness, catalyst, resolution
• [82:24] – Family coming-out scene
• [85:29] – Epilogue, sequel discussion

Final Thoughts & Recommendations

• Both hosts enthusiastically endorse Heated Rivalry as a transformative, deeply felt sports romance that stands the test of time—even if they personally best connect with the novel’s second half (the emotional pay-off).
• Listeners are encouraged to check out both Heated Rivalry and its sequel The Long Game for a full, open-hearted HEA.
• Additional recommendations and collections can be found on the Fated Mates website for those who love sports romance, hockey stories, or Rachel Reid’s writing.

For more, visit fatedmates.net and explore Collections, Show Notes, and community discussions.