Heated Rivalry’s author addresses sexuality speculation
Heated Rivalry author Rachel Reid. (Getty)
Heated Rivalry author Rachel Reid. (Getty)
The author of the books Heated Rivalry is based on has addressed speculation around her sexuality and people asking about it.
Rachel Reid‘s Game Changers novel series serves as the basis for the hit TV series about two rival ice hockey players and their passionate love affair.
Starring Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, the show has become an undeniable phenomenon in the few weeks since it first debuted.
Joining the latest episode of the podcast I’ve Never Said This Before with Tommy DiDario, Reid said life “still doesn’t feel real” following the success of the show.
Asked: “What is one thing that you’ve never said before that you want to share today?” Reid, who is married and has two children, carefully considered her words.
Explaining that she doesn’t talk about her personal life “for the sake of my family, and my children, and, you know, privacy”, she shared her belief “I don’t think it ultimately matters” when it comes to her sexuality and how that impacts her writing.
Addressing people’s questions about her life she said: “As much as I know people want to know, I don’t think it ultimately matters.”
The author argued that what matters is being “sensitive and thoughtful when you approach these books, whatever you’re writing”.
She also said: “I would not ever try to use my sexuality as a way of being like, ‘See, I have the right to write these books,’ because I don’t think that that’s how it works.”
Supported in this by DiDario, Reid went on to say in the podcast’s closing moments that people should separate the work from the artist.
“Criticise the work,” Reid said. She added: “Criticise the person making it if they deserve it, but criticise the work first.”
Heated Rivalry has been a smash success since it first debuted at the end of November.
In December it was confirmed to have been given a second season. With several more books in the Game Changers series, there’s ample material to develop.
The show’s first season will premiere on Sky in the UK and Ireland from 10 January 2026.
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