The stars of the hit series Heated Rivalry are teaming up again, but not on the ice. Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie will voice a new audio romance project called Ember and Ice, giving fans a new story to enjoy while they wait for the show’s second season.
This new project is a three-part audio series for the platform Quinn. Williams and Storrie will play two fae princes from rival kingdoms, continuing their on-screen chemistry in a completely different fantasy world. The first episodes are set to release on December 30.
What is the New Project About?
Ember and Ice is described as an immersive audio romance. Williams and Storrie play Dane and Finn, princes from the feuding Solari and Lunare kingdoms. The story follows their years-long forbidden affair, which builds toward a major moment at a treaty signing between their families.
Unlike some other audio stories on Quinn, this series does not feature a self-insert character where the listener is part of the story. Instead, it positions the audience as an intimate observer of the tension and relationship between the two princes. The official description says the story is about “choosing love in defiance of expectation”.
Caroline Spiegel, founder and CEO of Quinn, commented on casting the popular actors:
“Hudson and Connor have a really special chemistry, and we feel incredibly lucky to work with them,” Spiegel said. “The way they connect with audiences and show up in the cultural conversation is exciting to watch.”
A Playful Reunion for the Actors
The actors have already shown their trademark humor in promoting the project. In a teaser clip, Williams jokingly arrived at the recording session with his hockey gear, clearly referencing their roles in Heated Rivalry. Storrie had to remind him, “You don’t need that. Remember? We’re doing romantasy smut for Quinn. This is not [Heated Rivalry]”.
Williams then returned wearing fairy wings for his role as a fae prince. He also talked about the unique experience of recording for an audio-only format. “I think there is something very interesting about exploring sensuality and erotica just with your voice,” Williams told Cosmopolitan. “It’s like you’re private, you’re alone there with a mic and an audio engineer and you just get to kind of be in your own world”.
A key difference fans will notice is that Connor Storrie will not be using a Russian accent for this role, unlike his character Ilya Rozanov in Heated Rivalry. The platform Quinn even posted on social media, “We tried,” indicating they attempted the accent but decided against it.
Where to Listen and What It Means for Fans
Ember and Ice will be available exclusively on the Quinn app. The first two episodes of the three-part series are scheduled to debut on December 30. This release comes just days after the Heated Rivalry Season 1 finale aired on December 26, a day fans had nicknamed “Cottagemas”.
This new project serves as a perfect stopgap for fans facing a potentially long wait for more Heated Rivalry. While Season 2 has been officially confirmed, production is not expected to begin until the summer of 2026, with a release likely in 2027. Showrunner Jacob Tierney has been clear about not rushing the process, stating, “I don’t want to put out a rushed shitty second season just because the show is very popular”.
The Lasting Success of Heated Rivalry
The quick reunion of Williams and Storrie for another project highlights the massive and sudden success of Heated Rivalry. The show, which premiered in late November 2025, quickly became a major hit for Crave in Canada and HBO Max internationally.
Casey Bloys, CEO of HBO and Max Content, expressed surprise at how widely the show was embraced, noting it reached a much broader audience than initially expected. He called the acquisition “an incredible investment” and stated the show is HBO Max’s “top-rated live-action acquisition ever”.
The story of Shane and Ilya resonated deeply with viewers. Bloys reflected on why the show’s intimate scenes felt so powerful: “for anybody who has been closeted for any amount of time… the sex was a little bit more reflective of that feeling of ‘You’re never going to find this again.’ It was intense, but to me, it amplified what they were trying to do with the storytelling”.
What’s Next for Shane and Ilya?
While fans enjoy Ember & Ice, the story of Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov will continue. Season 2 of Heated Rivalry has been greenlit and will follow the plot of The Long Game, the sixth book in Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series.
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The next chapter finds the couple over a decade into their secret relationship. The continuous hiding has taken a toll, forcing them to confront whether their careers or their love for each other is more important. In a playful tease about the upcoming season, Hudson Williams described it simply as “hotter, wetter, longer”.
Both actors have contracts for three seasons of Heated Rivalry, and discussions about potential spinoffs exploring other characters in the Game Changers universe are already happening. Justin Stockman, Vice President at Bell Media, said plainly, “We know we want more.” He added that conversations are ongoing about “how many seasons can we get out of the Shane and Ilya story versus what else could be sprinkled in”.
For now, the immediate future holds fantasy and fae princes. The release of Ember & Ice on December 30 gives the show’s dedicated fanbase a new way to experience the chemistry between Williams and Storrie, proving their partnership extends well beyond the hockey rink.
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