'Heated Rivalry' season 2 is coming—and here’s what the books promise

If you’re still not over Heated Rivalry season 1, same. The hockey romance that gave us secret hotel hookups, press-conference tension, and one of the most feral rivals-to-lovers arcs in recent romance memory has the internet in a chokehold. And with an ending like that, the question is inevitable: what happens next?

Here’s the good news we’ve all been waiting for—Heated Rivalry has officially been renewed for a second season, thanks to the mammoth success of its debut run.

For the unversed, Heated Rivalry is originally a book by Rachel Reid, and ardent fans already know that the story doesn’t end where season 1 stopped. There’s more angst, more longing, and yes, far more emotional payoff in the sequel novel, The Long Game. Which means season 2 already has a roadmap—heartbreak and all.

A quick recap of Heated Rivalry season 1

Season 1 followed star hockey players Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov as they hated each other professionally and desperately wanted each other privately. The raunchy escapade begins in their rookie days, when a chance hookup during a playoff tournament turns into a decade-long secret affair.

It’s only been a few weeks since the show ended, and some scenes are already iconic: that first hotel room encounter where neither of them plans to ever speak again, only to keep running into each other season after season; the way they pretend not to know each other in public, then immediately fall back into bed the moment they’re alone; the tension during international tournaments where one wrong look could expose everything. And, of course, the emotional gut-punch when Hollander realises he’s in love and Rozanov absolutely refuses to say it back—only to say it later (and how).

Season 1 ends exactly when things finally start looking up. Rozanov confesses his love to Hollander at the infamous cottage, Hollander comes out to his family, and the two—now officially a couple—begin to plan how to make both their professional and personal lives work. But then comes the big question: what next?

What to expect from season 2?

If season 1 is based on Heated Rivalry, then season 2 will naturally draw from The Long Game. And this is where the story shifts from secret lust to real-world consequences.

The rivalry is still there, but the stakes are higher. Careers are on the line. Feelings are unavoidable. Public scrutiny is intense. The question is no longer “Do they want each other?” but “Are they brave enough to choose each other?”

If the book is anything to go by, season 2 won’t be about sneaking around anymore. It will centre on coming out, choosing love publicly, and dealing with what that means in a brutal, hyper-masculine sports world.

Emotionally, the second season is heavier. Rozanov is no longer just the charming, reckless antagonist of the story. Viewers will see his vulnerability, his fear of losing hockey, and the weight of being a queer Russian player in the National Hockey League. His decision to leave Russia and play for another team also comes with immense sacrifice—all for the sake of Hollander. Hollander, on the other hand, is steadier, at the peak of his career, and finally ready to ask for more than stolen nights.

Expect scenes book fans swear by: long-distance yearning when trades put them on different teams; quiet domestic moments that make your heart flutter; and major emotional confrontations where Hollander finally has to confront the battles Rozanov has been fighting silently for their relationship.

There’s also a clear tonal shift in season 2. It’s less about heated escapades and more about trust and long-term commitment. Still sexy, still intense—but grounded in real emotional growth.

Will season 2 be happier?

Do you really want a spoiler? Let’s just say season 2 doesn’t rush the payoff. Viewers will watch Hollander and Rozanov stumble, mess up, and figure out what love looks like when it becomes increasingly impossible to hide. Will they finally navigate the complexities and meet in the middle—or does fate have something else planned? We’ll have to wait and see.

All in all, if season 1 was about wanting each other in secret, season 2 is about choosing each other out loud. And honestly, that’s exactly why we’re already obsessed.

Lead image: IMDb

Also read: What does it mean to be queer after 'Heated Rivalry' ended?

Also read: 10 queer shows and movies that bring the same messy, steamy heat as 'Heated Rivalry'