Jan. 22, 2026 – The show "Heated Rivalry" is burning up TV screens and social media right now. The story of two rival hockey players who start a secret steamy love affair is based on books in the "Game Changer" series by Rachel Reid. They've exploded in popularity - the library recently ordered several extra copies - so if you're waiting for your hold to come in, or if you just want more love stories with similar vibes, we've put together a book list for you.
Cedar Rapids Public Library supporter and romance novel enthusiast Chelsea Priest served as a guest curator for this list, recommending several authors, including Elle Kennedy, Sarina Bowen, and Emily Rath, who have written entire series of hockey romances. Use the books on this list as starting points for their novels.
"I think the reason I like hockey romances so much is there's always really, really good yearning and longing, because part of being a hockey player is being on the road a lot, and so while you're off playing all these games you have to really build your relationship via texts and phone calls, and then where you're there you have to make it count. So there's so much good yearning in a hockey romance," she said. "I also love the camaraderie we get to see among the different players on the team. And there's also a lot of competition in those books, whether its among the love interests or among the players or rival teams, and I just think that adds a lot of fun tension.
"Why I loved 'Heated Rivalry' is it does all of those things so well. There's so much tension, there's so much yearning. The yearning, it just went on for year, there's yearning for years and years and years. And there's so much competition between the two characters."
Read Chelsea's recommendations below. We've also included some additional hockey romances, plus some additional sports stories featuring rivals-to-romance plots. And of course, the list starts out with "Heated Rivalry" itself, plus the sequel, "The Long Game" for even more of Shane and Ilya's story.
"Heated Rivalry" by Rachel Reid (2019)
Nothing interferes with pro hockey star Shane Hollander's game. Now that he's captain of the Montreal Voyageurs, he won't let anything jeopardize that – definitely not the sexy rival he loves to hate. 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. Publicly, they're enemies. Privately, they can't stop touching each other. The smart thing to do? Walk away, once a few secret hookups turn into a struggle to keep their relationship out of the press. The truth could ruin them both. But for Shane and Ilya, secrecy is soon no longer an option.
"The Long Game" by Rachel Reid (2024)
Ten years. That's how long Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov have been seeing each other. How long they've been keeping their relationship a secret. From friends, from family ... from the league. If Shane wants to stay at the top of his game, what he and Ilya share has to remain secret. He loves Ilya, but what if going public ruins everything? Ilya is sick of secrets. Shane has gotten so good at hiding his feelings, sometimes Ilya questions if they even exist. The closeness, the intimacy, even the risk that would come with being open about their relationship ... Ilya wants it all. It's time for them to decide what's most important – hockey or love. It's time to make a call.
"The Deal" by Elle Kennedy (2015)
While Hannah Wells might be confident in every other area of her life, she's carting around a full set of baggage when it comes to romance. If she wants to get her crush's attention, she'll have to step out of her comfort zone and make him take notice ... even if it means tutoring the annoying, childish, cocky captain of the hockey team in exchange for a pretend date. All Garrett Graham has ever wanted is to play professional hockey after graduation, but his plummeting GPA is threatening everything he's worked so hard for. If helping a sarcastic brunette make another guy jealous will help him secure his position on the team, he's all for it. But when one unexpected kiss leads to more, it doesn't take long for Garrett to realize that pretend isn't going to cut it. Now he just has to convince Hannah that the man she wants looks a lot like him.
"The Prospects" by KT Hoffman (2024)
Gene Ionescu, a gay trans man in his third year in the minors with the Beaverton Beavers, is a solid shortstop, but he's no one's idea of a major league prospect. He's just happy to be here, though, getting underpaid six months of the year to play the sport he's loved since childhood – a game that favors underdogs and optimists. He likes to keep his hopes in the day, inning by inning and game by game. But his plans go awry when Luis Estrada – Gene's rival since their college days – gets traded to his team ... and promptly takes Gene's position. After Gene's coach forces him over to second base, he and Luis can't manage a civil conversation off the field or a competent play on it – a major issue for the team since their two positions make up the critical keystone combination on the infield. But when Gene finds Luis having a panic attack in their shared hotel room, he offers to start extra practices together. After all, the better Luis plays, the more likely he is to get called up to the majors and out of Gene's life. However, as they grow closer and the Beaverton Beavers gain playoff traction for the first time in over a decade, Gene's private dream of playing in the major leagues becomes a threat to his team's success – as well as his burgeoning relationship.
"Thrown for a Loop" by Sarina Bowen (2025)
Zoe Carson, former figure skating queen, needs a fresh start as a hockey skating coach. An NHL gig with the New York Legends is her big chance. Unfortunately, that means facing off against the star player who broke her heart ten years ago. Chase Merritt knows his game is off, and he's on the verge of losing sponsors. But he doesn't need the ice princess from that intense college summer showing up and telling him what he's doing wrong – even when she's right. On the ice, they're magic. Off the ice, they're nothing but heat and stubbornness, and everyone on the team is enjoying the show. But when an old video of Zoe and Chase's figure skating routine goes viral, they're forced to work together more intimately than ever before. Can the two get it right this time, or will the whole world watch them crash and burn?
"Icebreaker" by Hannah Grace (2022)
Anastasia Allen has worked her entire life for a shot at Team USA. It looks like everything is going according to plan when she gets a full scholarship to the University of California, Maple Hills and lands a place on their competitive figure skating team. Nothing will stand in her way, not even the captain of the hockey team, Nate Hawkins. Nate's focus as team captain is on keeping his team on the ice. Which is tricky when a facilities mishap means they are forced to share a rink with the figure skating team – including Anastasia, who clearly can't stand him. But when Anastasia's skating partner faces an uncertain future, she may have to look to Nate to take her shot.
"Cleat Cute" by Meryl Wilsner (2023)
Grace Henderson has been a star of the US Women's National Team for ten years, even though she's only 26. But when she's sidelined with an injury, a bold new upstart, Phoebe Matthews, takes her spot. Twenty-two-year-old Phoebe is everything Grace isn't – a gregarious jokester who plays with a joy that Grace lost somewhere along the way. The last thing Grace expects is to become teammates with benefits with this class clown she sees as her rival. Phoebe Matthews is too focused on her first season as a professional soccer player to think about seducing her longtime idol. But when Grace ends up making the first move, they can't keep their hands off of each other. As the World Cup approaches and Grace works her way back from injury, a miscommunication leaves the women with hilariously different perspectives on their relationship. But they're on the same page on the field, realizing they can play together instead of vying for the same position. With every, tackle the tension between them grows, and both players soon have to decide what's more important – being together or making the roster.
"Revolve" by Bal Khabra (2025)
Sierra Romanova was an Olympic figure skater before a life-altering accident on the ice left her with panic attacks every time she enters the rink. Now, back for her final year at Dalton University, she's ready to reclaim the spotlight with all eyes on her ... including those of hockey player Dylan Donovan, whose audacious words goad her back into her skates to prove him wrong. After getting kicked off his hockey team for his reckless behavior, Dylan is left with slim chances of making it to the NHL draft. But Dylan's whole world revolves around the ice, and if hockey is forbidden, well, at least there's figure skating. Even better, it means more time at the rink with Sierra. Sure, he's helping her rebuild her confidence, but pushing her buttons along the way? That's a bonus. As the figure skating world awaits Sierra's comeback, she finds herself in need of a new pairs partner. The only person she knows who can match her skill on the ice is none other than the cocky hockey player who refuses to cut her any slack.
"Shoot Your Shot" by Lexi Lafleur Brown (2025)
Jaylen “JJ” Jones’s hockey career is over. After not securing an NHL contract with the Seattle Rainiers, Jaylen decides to bid the city farewell with a final night of fun, blowing off steam with an anonymous one night stand. But when a last-minute roster spot opens up on the Rainiers, he connects his luck to the girl he spent the night with. Superstitious Jaylen is desperate to keep her around – his career depends on it. Aspiring tattoo artist Lucy Ross isn’t so sure about the proposition to remain Jaylen’s lucky charm – she’s been called a lot of things in her life, but good luck has never been one of them. But stuck in a career slump, Lucy has everything to gain. Hoping for an apprenticeship hasn’t offered much stability, and Jaylen is willing to pay any price to get Lucy to agree … so maybe sending him a routine text message before each game won’t be too hard. What starts as an agreement to trade favors – a good luck text in exchange for tattooing practice for Lucy’s portfolio – quickly turns into sizzling chemistry that’s too delicious to deny.
"See You at the Finish Line" by Zac Hammett (2025)
George and Lucas can't stand each other – which makes it awkward being on the same Cambridge University rowing team. The uber-charming, womanising George got parachuted into Cambridge from America for his sporting prowess, despite his subpar grades, whereas Lucas worked for everything he's got – which sadly doesn't include a boyfriend. When George is told that this year he'll have to sit his exams fair and square, Lucas agrees to help him study – in exchange for help in wooing his crush, Amir. Together, they embark on a journey to seduce, cheat, and beat their way to the top. They face rivals within their own squad, cutthroat competitors at Oxford, and their own annoyance with each other. But as they get closer, they find that they actually make a great duo.
"The Au Pair Affair" by Tessa Bailey (2024)
When Burgess, a battle-scarred hockey veteran and newly single dad, offers Tallulah a job as his live-in nanny, she jumps at the opportunity to get paid while living in a super fancy neighborhood and being around Lissa, his cool but introverted tween. Her tween charge isn't the only one who could use some help fitting in, though. According to ... well, everyone except Burgess, he needs to get back on the dating scene, and adventurous Tallulah is just the girl to show him how. But as boundaries are slowly crossed and Burgess finds himself pulled between his daughter, who wants her parents back together, and his insane chemistry with Tallulah, a huge rift is formed, and Tallulah does the 'right' thing – breaks her own heart and walks away. Though Burgess knows it's for the best – he's too jaded, with too much baggage – a chance meeting, and a new push from his daughter, forces him to put everything on the line and fight to prove he learned his lessons well and is worthy of a happily ever after with Tallulah.
"Pucking Strong" by Emily Rath (2025)
The Jacksonville Rays' Swedish star forward Henrik Karlsson and team physical therapist Teddy O'Connor stage a very real fake marriage when Henrik gains custody of his young niece following his sister's tragic death. Wih a new hockey season about to start, Henrik can’t possibly care for her alone. In fact, the Swedish government won’t let him. Teddy agrees to help him, but the Rays PR Director want this marriage to look real. The team’s public image, their jobs, and Henrik’s custody agreement all depend on it. Teddy's problem isn't that he doesn't love his fake husband. His problem is that he does.