Sports romance has officially entered its golden era — and the explosive popularity of Heated Rivalry is proof.
Rachel Reid’s LGBTQ+ hockey romance, first published in 2019, was already a bestseller long before it ever reached the screen. Along with the other five novels in the series, the book had built a devoted following. But its recent television adaptation, starring Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, has transformed Heated Rivalry into a full-blown cultural phenomenon and pushed sports romance into the mainstream spotlight.
Although interest in the genre has been steadily growing for several years, readers are now embracing sports romances at an unprecedented rate. According to the digital lending platform Libby, activity around Heated Rivalry surged dramatically following the show’s premiere. Within just 21 days of the first episode airing, checkouts, tags, and hold requests for the book jumped by 698 percent. Compared to 2024, overall engagement has skyrocketed by an astonishing 10,534 percent.
The book’s enduring appeal hasn’t gone unnoticed by booksellers. Taylor Capizola, general manager of the Culver City romance bookstore The Ripped Bodice, told Vanity Fair that Heated Rivalry has remained a strong seller since its release — but its popularity has now reached a whole new level.
“It’s the book we hand to almost anyone,” Capizola said. “If someone mentions wanting something queer, something sports-related, or something erotic, we’re practically throwing Heated Rivalry at them. It’s usually the very first recommendation our staff makes.”
While Reid has described the sudden surge in attention as a “weird adjustment,” she has been openly enthusiastic about the television adaptation. Writing in an essay for Maclean’s, she described the series as nothing short of ideal.
“Not every author is happy when their work is adapted for the screen,” Reid wrote. “But for me, Heated Rivalry is a perfect adaptation.” As a consulting producer, she remained closely involved throughout development, reviewing scripts early, visiting the set, and watching rough cuts of all six episodes before release.
Reid admitted she never expected the show to become such a runaway success. “It was unlikely this series would take off the way it did,” she said. “But I’m genuinely happy people are enjoying it. I hope its success pushes publishers to actively seek out queer romances — and to promote them loudly.”
At the same time, Reid has been candid about the darker realities that shaped the story. Like many authors writing in the sports romance space, she is acutely aware of the cultural problems within professional sports. She has said the novel grew out of her understanding of how hostile elite sports environments can be, particularly for queer athletes.
“When I started writing the book, I kept thinking about how hard it would be to live as a closeted professional player,” she explained. “I wanted to explore what that experience might look like — and what could happen if someone chose to come out.”
As Heated Rivalry hits what feels like a turning point for the genre, other romance authors are reflecting on what its success could mean for publishing more broadly. Lana Ferguson, author of the hockey romance The Final Score, told Harper’s Bazaar that the show’s popularity sends a clear message to the industry.
“I think it would be almost negligent to slow down now,” Ferguson said. “There are so many marginalized voices in romance, and so many powerful stories waiting to be told. Heated Rivalry proves that readers are hungry for them.”
The momentum extends well beyond hockey. Readers looking to dive deeper into sports romance can find stories centered on nearly every athletic world imaginable. Recent favorites include Zac Hammett’s See You at the Finish Line, Bal Khabra’s Revolve, Chloe Liese’s Everything for You, Ana Huang’s The Striker, and Peyton Corinne’s Unsteady, among many others.
According to Edward Schmit, author of The Open Era, the genre’s appeal lies in its natural tension. “Sports romances come with built-in stakes,” he said. “In a rivalry, someone has to win and someone has to lose — yet the characters still have to share a bed and work through the fallout. That emotional collision is incredibly compelling. And honestly, sports romances are just really sexy stories.”
For readers shouting “put me in, coach,” the message is clear: the sports romance genre isn’t just having a moment — it’s redefining the future of romantic fiction.