Heated Rivalry author Rachel Reid says Shane is “Our Hero” of the trilogy

Rachel Reid, bestselling author of the Game Changers series, tells Out that her upcoming novel Unrivaled will continue the love story of Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, picking up where The Long Game left off. The book will focus on both characters as they navigate life in their 30s, with Shane remaining central to the trilogy’s narrative.

“I do think that the three books, as a trilogy, it's Shane who has like the hero's arc,” Reid said. “I think, even in The Long Game, it's Shane. As much as the book focuses on Ilya, Shane is the one with that arc, and I do think that continues into this one [Unrivaled]. I do think Shane sort of is the main character of these three books. It's pretty even, I think, in this one, because it's really about them as a unit. They're not apart very much. It's probably a little more even than the other ones. But, ultimately, Shane is our hero.”

Reid also shared her excitement about writing characters transitioning from their 20s into their 30s. “I mean, hockey players are like… 30, in hockey years, is a lot older than 30 for most people,” she said. “Like, that's getting old for a hockey player. So, yeah, it's been fun kind of writing them — especially Shane, having to face the fact that he's not going to be playing hockey forever. You know, his body's gonna start to not do what it used to do.”

The author explained that this stage of life allows her to explore different themes. “I think having them at an age where maybe they're starting to think about the future, beyond hockey, and their lives together, is nice. It's a very different vibe from writing them in their teens and early 20s, much like anyone's thinking about different things, usually, when they're into their 30s.”

Unrivaled marks the seventh installment in Reid’s Game Changers series, which also follows other couples such as Scott Hunter and Kip Grady, Ryan and Fabian, and Troy and Harris. According to the official synopsis, Shane and Ilya, now married and playing on the same team, are living openly as a couple for the first time. “For more than a decade, they kept their love a secret, but now they're out, married, and even playing on the same team. The support is incredible. Most of the time.”

With Unrivaled, Reid continues to explore love, growth, and identity, cementing Shane Hollander’s place as the central hero in a trilogy that has captivated readers and fans of the TV adaptation alike.