Heated Rivalry: Everything we know about upcoming Game Changers novel Unrivaled
Unrivaled by Rachel Reid will come out on September 29, 2026 (Harlequin)
Unrivaled by Rachel Reid will come out on September 29, 2026 (Harlequin)
Heated Rivalry fans are in shock at the news that author Rachel Reid has written a new Game Changers instalment titled Unrivaled, which is set for release later this year.
The new book will no doubt be a welcome distraction, helping tide fans over until season two of the hit show based on the novel series arrives.
Unrivaled is the seventh book in Reid’s hit series. The book follows Game Changer, Heated Rivalry, Tough Guy, Common Good, Role Model and The Long Game.
The Crave original show adapted Heated Rivalry, a queer hockey romance that follows closeted Canadian prodigy Shane (Hudson Williams) and bisexual Russian star Ilya (Connor Storrie).
The two athletes are at the top of their game, in a fierce rivalry, as they navigate a passionate, almost decade-long illicit romance.
Unrivaled by Rachel Reid listed on Barnes & Noble website
On Saturday (10 January), fans noticed that a new book from Reid was quietly uploaded onto the Barnes & Noble website.
Quickly, fans flocked online to share their theories that this will be a continuation of Shane and Ilya’s love story. This is seemingly confirmed by the book description.
“They better publish enough copies of unrivaled because im prepared to fight black friday 2000s style for this book,” one fan noted.
Another wrote: “game changers #7 being a new hollanov book all we literally do is win unrivaled i love you already.”
Also over the weekend, Storrie and Williams attended the Golden Globes, and presented an award.
On Instagram, Reid shared her joy for the two actors portraying her characters and seemed to hint towards the new book rumours being true.
“I’m having a glamorous night, too. Styled by deadline stress,” she posted on her Instagram story with a selfie.
Then, on Monday (12 January) the news we’d all been waiting for broke: Rachel Reid’s publisher Harlequin officially announced that yes, Unrivaled is real, and scheduled for release on September 29 this year.
In the press release, Harlequin say: “Building on the overwhelming worldwide success of the Heated Rivalry TV adaptation, Harlequin is thrilled to announce UNRIVALED, the seventh book in the Game Changers series by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Rachel Reid.
“Global enthusiasm for Reid’s universe and its unforgettable characters continues to grow, with more than 1.3 million copies of the series sold across North America. Heated Rivalry and The Long Game recently reached a new milestone becoming New York Times bestsellers.”
What is the plot of Unrivaled?
The plot description indicates that this book will follow Ilya and Shane’s romance, continuing from the novels that previously focused on the couple, Heated Rivalry and The Long Game.
“A line has been drawn—and the hockey world is divided,” Unrivaled’s synopsis reads.
“For the first time in their professional hockey careers, Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander have nothing to hide. For more than a decade, they kept their love a secret, but now they’re out, married, and even playing on the same team.
“The support is incredible. Most of the time. They’ve gotten a lot of love from fans who are thrilled for them.
“But some people in the hockey world are still reeling from their relationship reveal, and the backlash—led by popular hockey podcast Top Shelf and the #TakeBackHockey movement—is getting louder.
“Ilya and Shane are finally able to stand together in the light, the way they’d always wanted. And now they might be facing their biggest challenge yet.”
With Heated Rivalry confirmed for three seasons, some have theories that the book will be adapted. The show’s second series may follow the plot of The Long Game while the third series could adapt Unrivaled.
When is Unrivaled being released?
As per the press release above, Unrivaled will hit bookstore shelves on September 29.
Unrivaled is available to pre-order now.
