Heated Rivalry Author Rachel Reid on How Jacob Tierney Is Changing Romance TV

The author of the hit novel says creator Jacob Tierney approached her steamy hockey romance with a seriousness rarely given to the genre. His adaptation, now streaming on HBO Max, has quickly become a word-of-mouth sensation for its faithful and bold translation of a “high heat” book to the screen.

Rachel Reid on Jacob Tierney’s Vision for the Show

Author Rachel Reid has been vocal about her trust in and admiration for series creator Jacob Tierney. Their collaboration began in 2023 when Tierney, known for the Canadian sitcom Letterkenny, reached out to Reid via Instagram to express his love for her Game Changers book series. Reid, who was consulting producer on the show, said she felt confident after their first conversation that her story was in good hands.

Reid emphasized that Tierney took the project with a level of dedication that surprised her. In a recent interview, she stated, “Jacob took it very seriously. Like more seriously than romance ever gets taken”. She believes his approach could reshape how romantic stories are adapted. “I hope it’s going to change the way romance gets filmed. I don’t think anybody thought you could actually take a high heat romance and really film it, you know? And he did”. Reid described watching the series as giving her the same intense feeling as reading a steamy romance novel, calling the result “really brave”.

A Faithful Adaptation with Minor, Smart Changes

The TV series follows the secret, years-long relationship between two professional hockey rivals: Canadian star Shane Hollander (played by Hudson Williams) and Russian phenom Ilya Rozanov (played by Connor Storrie). While staying remarkably true to the spirit and plot of the 2019 novel, the writers made a key pacing adjustment.

In the book, the characters’ physical relationship progresses faster. For the show, the team moved a major intimate scene to the second episode to avoid cramming too much into the premiere. To fill the narrative gap this created, they added new story elements like a snowstorm that delays a meet-up and extended a period of tense texting between the characters. Reid has joked about who is to blame for the change, but she confirms it’s one of the only significant departures from the source material.

Addressing the HBO Max Streaming Controversy

Shortly after the series debuted on November 28, 2025, fans on social media noticed a problem. Viewers comparing the HBO Max version to the original Canadian broadcast on Crave observed that the HBO Max stream was noticeably darker, particularly during intimate scenes. This led to online speculation about possible censorship.

Jacob Tierney quickly addressed these concerns. He explained the issue was a technical error, not a creative choice. “It’s just a mistake,” Tierney said. “They’re fixing it. There’s no controversy”. He attributed the problem to the rapid three-week turnaround between HBO Max acquiring the show and its premiere, which led to a rushed technical process. The show’s cinematographer was among the first to notice and report the problem, and Tierney confirmed that HBO Max is working on a correction.

The Cast and Their Instant Chemistry

The success of the adaptation hinges on the believable tension and connection between the two leads. Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie were cast after a chemistry read that impressed the creative team. Storrie noted that filming the show’s many intimate scenes required a strong foundation of trust and respect with his co-star.

The supporting cast includes François Arnaud as Scott Hunter, a character from the first book in Reid’s series who gets his own focused storyline in Episode 3. The cast also features Christina Chang and Dylan Walsh as Shane’s parents, and Sophie Nélisse as an actress Shane dates.

Release Schedule and How to Watch

Heated Rivalry premiered with its first three episodes on Friday, November 28, 2025. New episodes are released weekly. The season consists of six episodes total, with the finale scheduled for Thursday, December 26, 2025.

The show is a Canadian production that streams on Crave in Canada. For international audiences, including in the United States, it is available exclusively on HBO Max. The simultaneous global release was a welcome surprise for fans who were prepared to use VPNs to watch it.

The Cultural Impact of a “Defiantly Sexual” Show

Since its release, Heated Rivalry has become a major talking point, consistently ranking in HBO Max’s Top 10 most-watched series. Its popularity has even caused the original novel to sell out on Amazon. Tierney describes the show as “defiantly sexual,” arguing that the physical relationship is inseparable from the story of two men figuring out their feelings for each other. “The only times they’re being honest with each other is when they’re having sex,” he said.

The show arrives during a boom in popularity for hockey romance novels, a niche genre that Reid helped popularize. It stands out for presenting a queer love story that is passionate and focused on the characters’ joy and connection, rather than tragedy. As Rachel Reid sums it up, “I hope that people learn that and think about it more because there’s some great writing in the romance genre and I don’t think it gets respected very much. So God love Jacob Tierney for changing that”.

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