 Heated Rivalry, by Rachel Reid.
I like this book significantly better than the previous one, Game Changer, and I had to think about why. The characters are more compelling, the conflicts more complex, the emotions examined rather than bluntly stated. Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov are rival hockey players, stars of their respective teams. Shane is a tightly wound Canadian with a wholesome image; Ilya is a swaggering, playful Russian on a US team. What starts as a onetime hookup turns into an enemies-with-benefits arrangement. When love threatens to break through their defenses, both struggle with the emotional vulnerability as well as the risk of getting caught. As with all the books in this series, there's a lot of explicit sex. Their encounters chart a journey toward intimacy. My favorite moment: Ilya calls Shane from Moscow, where he's dealing with his father's death. He can't find the words in English for what he's feeling, so Shane suggests, "Say it in Russian. I won't understand you, but maybe it will help." Ilya reveals more than he'd been willing to admit, even to himself. Reading this book and the next one, I'm enjoying the author's world building. Game Changer introduced Ilya and hinted that he might not be as straight as he pretends. That book ended with a grand romantic gesture between its main characters, which served as a catalyst for Shane and Ilya. Heated Rivalry introduces Ryan Price, the main character in the next book, Tough Guy, and Shane and Ilya play a small but crucial role in that book. Speaking as someone with very little interest in hockey, I can't wait to check out the rest of the books in the series - especially The Long Game and the forthcoming Unrivaled, which once again center Shane and Ilya. Popsugar Reading Challenge: A love story that defies social boundaries. 52 Book Club Challenge: Related to the word "nemesis." Booklist Queen Challenge: Becoming a movie or TV show in 2026.
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