It’s been a while since I’ve followed my own, sage advice. I read Rachel Reid’s novel, Heated Rivalry AFTER I watched the series. Well, technically I finished them both on the same day, but it still counts. More of the show was watched before I started reading and that’s what matters.
I also did something I don’t normally do and that was not starting with the first novel in a series. But the show was based on the second book, and based on what I saw in the show, it didn’t really seem like I needed to start at the beginning. Especially since it would involve characters that were only secondary in the show. I’m sure the context from the book would end up being helpful, but I think I did just fine.
What really impressed me was hoe much of the actual novel was adapted to the screen. Were talking a lot of scenes word for word adapted – how cool! But in this book, we get alternating perspectives from star hockey players Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov. They first meet as teens just before some sort of world championship where it ends up being Canada verses Russia. Each of them are the most talented on their teams, but Russia sqeaks out the win. That both irritates Shane, but also humbles him a little to finally be playing against someone of his caliber.
The next time they meet it’s at the draft, where they are the top two picks, but they’re is still just a simmering irritation between them. Though very, very late at night in the hotel gym, it seems like maybe there is something more there than hate. There first time doing something more together comes almost two years after they first met, but that ends up being the start of a decade-long affair. They only meet each other when playing in the same city, and only for a few hours at most. But as the years go by and they each try to replace each other with different women, and probably some other men, to no avail. It’s kind of hard to pinpoint who exactly fell for who first, but it’s clear that by the time they try and do something about their situation that they are both in love with each other.
In their professions, being in love is easier said than done. Not only are their sexualities a secret, but so is the fact that they are even friendly with each other. Thoguh they do finally get the courage to spend more than one night with each other when they see an American player kiss his boyfriend for the entire world to see. That starts to give them hope. And after just a couple of weeks in Shane’s summer cabin, both men realize they can’t go back to how things were. And they don’t want to either. As far as I’m concered, it’s a pretty solid plan. And I’m even more happy to know that a second novel exists that will be able to tell me if that plan actually succeeds (I assume not exactly, but it will all be good in the end).
Overall, I’m mainly just surprised at myself for having never heard of this series. Or who knows, maybe I had. There was a point in time where I was searching for the next version of Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy’s novel, Him, also about hockey players. This is certainly fitting the bill! I’m excited to check out the next novel in Shane and Ilya’s story, and I’m sure I’ll be checking out the rest of Reid’s work next year. Stay tuned!