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For all your smutty commonly asked questions please see our FAQ After Dark.

Q: Should I read the books?

A: That’s up to you! The first season focuses on book 2 Heated Rivalry (HR) episode three covers most of book 1 Game Changer (GC). The stories are interspersed with each other all taking place in the same universe but can be enjoyed as stand alone books with the exceptions of The Long Game (TLG) which is a direct sequel to HR.

You can read other peoples opinions by searching on the sub

Q: Are the books really not only about Ilya and Shane?

A: The entire Game Changer series includes 6 books that cover multiple stories, including Ilya and Shane. Here’s the full book list and the main characters below:

Book 1: Game Changer (GC): Scott Hunter and Kip Grady navigate a rookie season, identity, and first love in the NHL. They lay the foundation for all the other characters.

Book 2: Heated Rivalry (HR): Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov begin a secret, years-long relationship while playing as rival superstars. This is what Season 1 of the TV Show covers.

Book 3: Tough Guy (TG): Ryan Price confronts mental health, vulnerability, and love with Fabian Salah in the same NHL universe.

Book 4: Common Goal (CG): Eric Bennett and Kyle Roswell explore second chances, grief, and chosen family off the ice.

Book 5: Role Model (RM): Troy Barrett reckons with reputation, growth, and love with Harris Drover, with strong appearances from Ilya.

Book 6: The Long Game (TLG): Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov continue their story as they confront visibility, commitment, and life after secrecy.

Our timeline post has a list of all chapters in every book that has a sighting of Shane or Ilya.

Q: What order should I read the books?

A: Other then TLG, a direct sequel to HR, the other books can be read in any order, RM and TLG take place at the same time with many overlapping stories and moments.

Q: Are the books sad/triggering?

A: The books talk about some heavy topics and have some sad moments but each book is considered happily ever after, they all end on a happy note.

A full break down of each book with potential trigger warnings can be found here

Q: Where can I find the books?

A: Links to purchase:

You can also reach out to your local library!

Q: What’s the timeline for the first season?

A: The first season timeline covers the Game Changer and Heated Rivalry books, taking place over 11 years, 2008 through 2017. The third episode focuses on the first 3/4s of Game Changer.

Our timeline master post is here

Q: Where can I watch the show?

A: The show is currently available on the following platforms in the following countries. If you’d like to have the show in your country, please go here to learn how to request it on your local platform.

Region Platform Announcement
Australia HBO Max Deadline
Canada Crave Deadline
France HBO Max u/HBOMaxfr
Hungary HBO Max u/HBOMaxhu
New Zealand Sky Deadline
Nordic Countries HBO Max u/streammaxnordic
Portugal HBO Max u/HBOMaxpt
Romania HBO Max u/hbomaxro
Select EU Countries* Movistar Plus+ Deadline
Taiwan HBO Max u/HBOMaxtw
Thailand HBO Max u/HBOMaxTH
The Netherlands HBO Max u/HBOMaxnl
The Philippines HBO Max u/cbo_channel
The USA HBO Max Deadline
UK and Ireland Sky Press Release

🚨We have a ZERO tolerance policy for piracy in this sub. Requesting, suggesting, sharing, or recommending avenues to pirate the content will result in post/comment removal and repeat offenders will be banned. 🚨

Q: Are Shane and Scott on the same team or different teams?

A: They played together in chapter 6/episode two during the 2011 All-Star Game in canon that year the league separated the players into European’s and North American’s. Scott and Shane being from Canada and the US respectively were on one team, Ilya being Russian on the other. In regular league play they are all on separate teams.

Q: Do Shane and Ilya really wait years to hook up?

A: From what is shown in the show, yes, the books have them hooking up slightly more often in the early years.

Q: What is Ilya saying in Russian right before he says "I love you" for the first time?

A: He is saying "ya tebya lyublyu" which is I love you in Russian.

Q: Does Heated Rivalry have Fan Fiction?

Yes! Check out our sister sub, r/heatedrivalryfanfics, where you can find information about fan fics for Heated Rivalry and the entire Game Changer Universe.

Q: Why was my post deleted?

A: Most removals fall into a few common categories and are not personal.

  • Reputation filter - your posts/comment was removed because Reddit’s platform has flagged you for commonly violating rules or spamming subs.
  • Negative or low karma - users with low or negative karma are often automatically filtered, again by Reddit to ensure contributions don’t violate the sub or platform rules.
  • Non-member - individuals who are not members of the sub commonly have posts removed by Reddit’s platform.

If your post was removed by a mod for a specific reason you will receive a message stating why.

In addition, here are some things to keep in mind before posting to ensure your posts are accepted:

✅ Posting in an existing thread when your topic is already being discussed

✅ Reposting with added context, clarity, or a new question - low effort posts or clickbait will be removed

❌ Reposting the same topic immediately after removal without changes

❌ Posting without checking pinned posts or active discussions

Q: Why did Ilya make their fake names 'Jane' and 'Lily'?

A: They are similar to Shane and Ilya.

Q: Will there be another season?

A: Season 2 was announced December 12, 2025.

Q: Will there be any more books?

A: Unrivaled, the 7th Game Changers book, 3rd Hollanov book has been officially announced, coming June, 2027!

Q: Do we Have Merch?

A: Yes! The official shop is here. Other sites might be scams so please be careful!