Bestselling romance author Rachel Reid is heading back to the world that made sports romance so popular. Her new novel, Unrivaled, returns readers to the memorable love story of Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, now entering an exciting new chapter together.
Part of Reid’s much-loved Game Changers universe, Unrivaled revisits the hockey rivals-turned-lovers first introduced in Heated Rivalry, one of the most celebrated queer sports romances of recent years. While Heated Rivalry followed Shane and Ilya through years of secrecy, rivalry, and longing, the upcoming novel asks a different question: what happens after the happily-ever-after?
Unrivaled, coming out in Fall 2026, puts Shane and Ilya in a whole new situation. They are no longer hiding. Now married and openly together, they are also playing on the same professional hockey team. Many fans support their relationship, but not everyone accepts it. As the story goes on, backlash appears in the hockey world, fueled by loud media and people who resist change.
Instead of focusing on forbidden desire, Unrivaled looks at visibility, commitment, and resilience. Shane and Ilya are finally living openly, side by side in the spotlight they once feared. But with this visibility comes pressure, testing not only their relationship but also their sense of safety, identity, and belonging in a sport still working toward inclusivity.
For Reid, coming back to these characters is deeply personal. She has called Unrivaled a love letter to longtime fans, often affectionately known as “Hollanov” readers, who have taken Shane and Ilya’s story far beyond the page. Writing about them again, she said, was both joyful and grounding—a chance to reconnect with characters who helped change how romance is seen in professional sports.
The timing of this announcement stands out. Heated Rivalry recently reached more people through its screen adaptation, bringing Shane and Ilya’s intense, years-long romance to life for a new generation of fans. This adaptation helped make Reid’s work a key part of modern queer romance, mixing emotional depth, sexual tension, and thoughtful ideas about masculinity, fame, and self-acceptance.
Along with Heated Rivalry, the Game Changers series includes Game Changer, Tough Guy, and Common Goal. Each book explores different relationships in the same hockey world.
Unrivaled is scheduled to release on September 29, 2026, and is already available for preorder. For readers who have followed Shane and Ilya from teenage rivalry to hard-won love, this novel offers something rare in romance: a story about staying in love when everyone is watching, not just about falling in love.