The Long Game

Game Changers #6

by Rachel Reid

To the world they are rivals, but to each other they are everything.

Ten years.

That’s how long Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov have been seeing each other. How long they’ve been keeping their relationship a secret. From friends, from family…from the league. If Shane wants to stay at the top of his game, what he and Ilya share has to remain secret. He loves Ilya, but what if going public ruins everything?

Ilya is sick of secrets. Shane has gotten so good at hiding his feelings, sometimes Ilya questions if they even exist. The closeness, the intimacy, even the risk that would come with being open about their relationship…Ilya wants it all.

It’s time for them to decide what’s most important—hockey or love.

It’s time to make a call.

Genres: Romance, Sports, LGBT, M M Romance, Sports Romance, Hockey, Queer

479 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 26, 2022

About the author

Rachel Reid is the pen name of Rachelle Goguen. She chose it because it is much easier to say, spell and remember than Rachelle Goguen!

Rachel writes cute, romantic smut, mostly about hockey players. Her Game Changers m/m hockey romance series is available from Carina Press.

Rachel/Rachelle lives in Nova Scotia, Canada. She has always lived there, and it's looking like she probably always will. She has two boring degrees and two interesting kids.

Reviews

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tears, laughter, angst, happiness... I went through the ENTIRE range of emotions with The Long Game, the long-awaited sequel to one of my all-time favorite books, Heated Rivalry. And I loved every. single. moment.

For those super-fans of Ilya and Shane, you won't be disappointed. In fact, you'll be downright thrilled with The Long Game.

I can't tell you how badly I wanted this book to be amazing. Rachel Reid has written a lot of stellar books in the Game Changers series, but none have the humor, passion, intensity, and the emotional range of Heated Rivalry. It was painful to imagine this author not doing Shane and Ilya justice with their sequel, and I'm beyond pleased to report that she told the next part of their journey beautifully.

That being said, this book isn't without some heart-wrenching pain and more than a little frustration. (Trigger warning: depression) You will absolutely be near tears for Ilya at times, and I guarantee you will want to knock some sense into Shane on more than one occasion. However, for me, the book straddled all the lines perfectly, and though we feel some extreme highs and lows emotionally, ultimately, the book was a joyful reading experience.

My favorite part of the book is Ilya, because of course, ILYA. Reading his sections, I laughed, and I literally cried buckets of tears. Ilya is SO vulnerable in this story. He is unwavering in his love for Shane, and coming to terms with his own buried feelings and unacknowledged needs. I couldn't get enough of him. Shane might anger some readers at times, but I thought, though he was inexcusably self-absorbed, he loves Ilya with all of his heart and will always be team #ilyaandshane in his soul.

Truly, what a magnificent book. My buddy read partners and I all read the entire story in less than 24 hours, and it kept me up until nearly 4 am today. Though the books is angsty and incredibly emotional, there are no silly communication errors and dumb plot points to wade through (though there are a few loose ends and holes that I would have liked wrapped up more cleanly). Just pure, excellent writing, and an ending that had me clutching my Kindle in joy. Rachel Reid should be so proud of this story. Readers, get ready to be wowed.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

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[Marianna Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

6⭐️ No guys like I cannot even explain how disgustingly obsessed I am with these two like IM SICK!!!!!! I need help because Ilya and Shane live rent free in my head 24/7 it’s not healthy but I literally don’t care!!!!! No like someone lock me up because I’m gonna go insane without reading about these two because what do you mean I don’t get more?!!!!! Oh god I’m gonna be so much more insufferable when the show comes out. And UGH THIS BOOK?!!!!! Somehow even better than heated rivalry?! The way I cried so much, these two ripped my heart out in the best way and perfectly pieced it back together. Ilya. My SHAYLA!!! No don’t even start with me. Shane I love you so much but your man’s just has me by the throat. He ruined me in this, I was literally cheering him on from the sidelines the whole time, the mental health representation was absolutely perfect. WOW I am feeling so many things. These two are perfect. I was so proud of them for staying together even through the most difficult times, there was something so healing about their relationship my heart is gonna explode. Like how do I read another romance after this that isn’t them???? How. No I can’t. I giggled and sobbed and smiled so hard my face hurt and you’re just gonna expect me to move on? No. Never.

Ilya and Anya >>>>>>>

“I already chose you Hollander.”

Bye just kill me at this point.

[chan ☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

my brain is fucking rotted.

27th: heated rivalry reread
28th: watch the show 50 million times
29th: read the long game

30th? idk pray for me, i have DAYS before episode 3 comes out and punches my emotional ass in the throat.

actual review:

very complicated feelings about this one. i LOVE that it is basically ilya's book. but i didn't love shane in this book and i don't think it's shane fault.... i just think he was largely ignored. also some of the things that happen felt a lil corny/convenient. like it's still a 5 star. don't get me wrong. but like... mixed feelings.

[Riley Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stories like Shane and Ilya's are why I read.

[Shawn McComb · Rating 5 out of 5]

cock

[Claudia Ramírez Lomelí · Rating 5 out of 5]

La verdad es que estoy biased pero… LA CANTIDAD DE VECES QUE LLORÉ DE FELICIDAD?

Todo es culpa de Hudson Williams y Connor Storrie.

[Charlotte (Romansdegare) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will say right off the bat that if you consider plot events that happen past the beginning of a book to be spoilers, this review will contain spoilers. As a matter of semi-principle, though, I am not going to use a spoiler tag for the big "plot surprise" at the end of this book, in part because most of this review is going to be about how strongly I object to its use as such.

The Long Game is the long-awaited sequel to Heated Rivalry, a book which I personally really enjoyed. A lot of what made Heated Rivalry a successful romance is also present here: polished writing, a great sense of humor, and a couple with chemistry for days, who have very realistically moved from rivals-and-opposites-to-lovers. I was excited for the chance to check back in on them, now with their relationship more established, and on that count this book delivered. What I'm going to talk about in this review is less about the romance itself, and more about a series of narrative and plot choices that made the book land poorly for me, and which I think are worthy of more in-depth discussion. 

This is the second in a series of two books about hockey rivals Shane and Ilya. They meet as rookies in book one - as the top two players in their league - and, over the course of a decade or so, fall in love. The primary structuring principle of their relationship is that they do not want to be outed to a fanbase which would be potentially hostile to two rivals dating each other. In the first book, their relationship conflict came from a variety of sources: Shane's hesitancy (and sometimes internalized homophobia) as he discovers his sexuality, dating logistics, Shane and Ilya's mutual disbelief that they might be falling for a rival, their concern over being discovered. In the second book, their relationship conflict focuses constantly, and nearly exclusively, on the fear of forced outing. Other potential sources of relationship conflict are suggested and then discarded in ways that range from garden-variety plot-lazy to actively problematic. This book is all about Shane and Ilya trying to decide - and not always agreeing on- how and when they can come out on their own terms, safely and together. 

And then, at the 80% mark, they are forcibly outed. 

And that... is a choice. To have two characters fight and strive to avoid a single traumatic thing, and then have that traumatic thing happen to them. I don't want to bury this review under an unreadable pile of disclaimers, But I should say that I am not against books portraying fear of coming out/forced outing. I also understand that plot conflict is created by having things that characters might not like nonetheless happen to them. But to my (very subjective) reading, the way homophobia functioned in the world of this novel felt exclusively designed to punish the main characters. And to present said punishment in the guise of plot. 

The Long Game is book 6 in a series, which means that we have already seen other hockey players come out in this fictional constructed universe. And while each book acknowledges that homophobia exists and affects its characters, it also affords every other couple a happy, celebratory, and supportive HEA both inside and outside the sporting world they inhabit. Which feels consistent, to me. Bigotry exists. It does not stop marginalized people from being happy. 

However, having 4 successive queer couples met with widespread fan and colleague support means that book 6... kind of needs to start reaching to convince us why Shane and Ilya fear having a different experience. Which, to me, didn't feel that different from searching for ways to punish them in order to manufacture a different experience for the sake of plot conflict. No one else faces widespread hatred for coming out, only... direct rivals? And only if they've been hiding it for a long time? And only if they live in certain cities, or interact with specific evil commissioners? The search for circumstances that would threaten Shane and Ilya specifically started to feel actively punitive to me. As did the ultimate choice to have them forcibly outed, when we'd watched so many other couples come out on their own terms and be celebrated for it. 

But what I most fundamentally can't wrap my mind around, was the differing reactions of Ilya and Shane's teams to their eventual outing. Which boils down to: Ilya's team (Ottowa) was 100% understanding, caring, and supportive. And Shane's team (Montreal) was 100% homophobic, aggressive, and accusatory. Which, again, is not totally unrealistic: different organizations have different cultures, and acceptance can be cultivated through good leadership practices. But looking at it narratively, I couldn't figure out at first why Shane would have to suffer SO MUCH when Ilya didn't. 

And the unfortunate answer I came to (though this is just one possible interpretation and thus very subjective) is that... Shane's traumatic experience of being outed acted as a kind of "rebalancing" for his relatively less turbulent experience of being closeted throughout the book. A source of minor conflict for Ilya and Shane is that Shane is out to a small number of people in his life (his parents, his best friend, a former partner), he plays for a better team, and is garnering more success, while Ilya is alone, having sacrificed his career to move closer to Shane with nobody he can be out to. And rather than have the two men truly talk through this imbalance, it felt like the book decided that, at the end, it was Shane's turn to suffer. Via forced outing and a truly appalling loss of support from his entire team, the media, and his coach. And I'm deeply uncomfortable with something so traumatic feeling like a kind of... narrative punishment for feeling safer in the closet? (The book also clearly does not explore the ramifications of a gay man of color having a more traumatic outing than his white bisexual partner, because past the 10% mark I swear this book forgot Shane was half Japanese)

Also, and it would take an entire second review for me to unpack this, but the way that Shane's clearly disordered eating is magically cured once he and Ilya are forced to go public is a real problem. Disordered eating is not a metonym for control, nor is forced outing a stand-in for "learning to let go" of control over one's life. 

There are... still things to like in this book. Ultimately, Shane gets to move to Ottowa, and his HEA with Ilya feels well-earned. Reid's writing remains eminently readable, and the chemistry between the characters shines. But personally, I simply could not escape the impression that this book felt manipulative, confusing constructing plot with selectively doling out trauma to queer characters. To say I'm disappointed would be... an understatement. 

[EmmaSkies]

I’ve absolutely slammed through over 800 pages of this queer hockey romance in the last 36 hours 😵‍💫 i don’t even know where i am or what day it is right now

[Emmy Rosam · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️♾️

[ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨this book hurt in the best way possible.✨

this was filled with equally light-hearted, tender moments and hard-hitting, painful ones. but that being said, this was such a feel good book, god i had the best time reading it! to think, i didn’t quite believe i could love Shane and Ilya more than i already did, but wow🥰

my heart was seriously pounding in overdrive the whole time, especially in the last 20% of the book... and did i cry on several occasions?👀 i got choked up a lot, while the ending had me fully bawling. and i don’t cry too often at books, but i seriously couldn’t help it here.

this is gonna be a completely spoiler-free review! but i will scatter some out of context quotes throughout like crumbs i am feeding a bunch of raving pigeons in a park :) enjoy them. i feel powerful af right now, ngl.

Shane wondered if Ilya was as dizzy with happiness as he was. Sometimes he still couldn’t believe they were actually together. That Shane could have this.

i do i wish i could go into detail of all my lil favourite moments bcos there were so many interactions that i know will have y’all squealing like an idiot... bcos i may have also been squealing like an idiot. but everyone should be totally surprised by this wonderful book and the all-consuming love of Ilya and Shane.

the intimate moments. the inside jokes. the taunting and teasing, even when they were thousands of miles apart. it was so damn perfect, i was grinning the whole time. gah, seriously wish i could fangirl over the different moments that had me in a chokehold, but i want everyone to experience this just how i did. i think everyone is gonna be so happy with this book! Rachel Reid truly knocked it out of the park here.

i think it’s best i give some vague bullet-points of the themes in this book? can y’all tell i am not used to censoring myself so much when it comes to reviews?😭 i kinda just word-vomit all my thoughts 90% of the time, but i can’t do that here.

✨ the pacing. the beginning is definitely a slow build up – i think it worked so well bcos we really get reacquainted with Ilya and Shane again, where they are now three years after the end of Heated Rivalry, and their dynamic now as a solid couple. then, the second half was a blur for me bcos i couldn’t stop devouring this.

“You had a cigarette last night.”
“How do you know?”
“I have a nose.”
Ilya booped the tip of Shane’s nose. “A cute one.” Shane tried to glare at him, but he couldn’t keep it up. Not when Ilya was smiling at him like that.

✨the exploration of mental health! it was handled wonderfully. and it was definitely unexpected, for me anyway, but actually made so much sense to the story and character arcs. it was beautiful and heart-wrenching.

Shane exhaled slowly. “I don’t think I like Troy.”
“Why? You have a lot in common. You both are short, gay, and both think I am hot.”

✨the domesticity. it was so satisfying. i think that’s what a lot of us craved in book one, right? by the time the pair finally get together, they don’t spend as much time together as an official couple like i imagined a lot of us wanted. but The Long Game makes up for it and then some.

“Yes. Was probably true. I look at you and I am just…” Ilya opened and closed his fist several times in front of his chest. “My heart goes crazy, you know?”
Shane’s own heart started going a little crazy. “You should see a doctor about that.”

✨the intimacy. because lemme tell you the softness had my heart in tatters. like the way their relationship has blossomed? how freely they vocalised their feelings with one another, with no shame? my internal (and my occasional external) squealing was constant.

But all Ilya said was, “I love you so much, Shane.”
Shane knew it, but hearing Ilya say it in such a raw, unguarded way cut through him like a blade. The pain of not being in the same room as Ilya felt physical.

✨the humour. Ilya is still as hilarious as ever. my god, i was legit two chapters in and had laughed out loud about ten times already. every few pages i snorted at the shit he said. while Shane and Ilya’s banter was still god-tier, mainly Ilya teasing Shane constantly while Shane pretends he hates it.

“Thank you, moy gazonokosilka.”
This was a game Ilya liked to play where he used random Russian words as pet names, to test Shane. Shane thought hard for a moment, trying to guess the word’s meaning, but ultimately surrendered. “No idea what that one means.”
“Is, um…for cutting the grass.” “Lawnmower?”
“Yes.”
“Weird.”

✨the family dynamics. seeing Ilya interact with Shane’s family, being a part of Shane’s family?🥺someone pass me the goddamn tissues, eurgh. seeing them as a family made my heart melt bcos it was finally what Ilya deserved after everything we know he’d been through with his family in the first book. it was for sure one of my favourite parts. i was seriously sobbing in some parts, it was just so heartwarming and adorable.

“I’m exhausted,” Shane said. “Let’s go to bed, okay?”
“Sure.” But Shane didn’t move. He wrapped his strong arms around Ilya’s waist and held him, breathing slowly against Ilya’s neck. Ilya rocked them a bit, gently, from side to side, and enjoyed the quiet.

any conflict that arose was handled and executed amazingly, in my opinion. it felt necessary, you know? it wasn’t useless shit to stir up drama and heighten the angst. it was raw and stemmed from the underlying themes that ran through the book. the conflicts made sense. and in turn, they were that much more gut-wrenching bcos it all felt so real.

and i seriously can’t wait for everyone to meet Anya, too ;) a new character who may have stolen the show?👀

i could endlessly fangirl about this book. it will have me in a chokehold for weeks, months, years to come. i truly cannot articulate how perfect this was. i kept trying to draw out the experience but also couldn’t stop devouring every page. the ending was more than satisfying and a real tear-jerker. can’t wait for everyone to read this and experience all the feels too!

im also super thankful i got an arc too bcos the official release date is during the beginning of my end of semester assignment deadlines... i have a degree to finish but would have put it off just to read this masterpiece. it was just everything id want from the conclusion of one of my favourite couples! definitely one of the best books of 2022.

thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with an arc of the book in exchange for an honest review! seriously so grateful!

Shane loved Ilya so much it physically hurt to contain it some days.

[moonlight ☾ [semi-hiatus] · Rating 5 out of 5]

reread: may 2022
here comes another book to add to my weekly rereads pile, alongside my other favorites. 🥺

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*:･ﾟ

❝Yes. Was probably true. I look at you and I am just...❞ Ilya opened and closed his fist several times in front of his chest. ❝My heart goes crazy, you know?❞
Shane's own heart started going a little crazy. ❝You should see a doctor about that.❞
Ilya grinned and shook his head. ❝Is just being in love, I think.❞

it's been five days since i've finished this book and just stared at my laptop, trying to think of the right words i could use to show how much ilyashane mean to me, how much both heated rivalry and the long game mean to me but i was always bad with expressing my feelings of things i treasure the most bc i just wanna ramble on and on. since this was my most anticipated book of the year, i wanted to give this review the spotlight it deserves but there aren't enough words to explain my love so, to keep it short, all i'm going to say is i couldn't have asked for a better conclusion to ilyashane's story (if you loved heated rivalry but wanted more from ilya and shane, there's a high chance the long game will be satisfying for you) and these two will always be special to me. 🥺

here are some gifs that best explains how i felt while reading this book:






it's the way i could just reread heated rivalry and this sequel for the rest of my life and be happy with the outcome. that is all. 🥰

p.s. feel free to check out ellie's review if you want a more in-depth fangirling. she was able to convey words i couldn't and it was perfection. 😌✨

thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review. super grateful, you've truly made my year!

[Bailee · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I tell you this was such an improvement from book one… the emotional depth alone??? I CRIED???? WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME????

Omg season 2 of the show is going to be phenomenal and I can’t wait. LOVED this book!!!!!

[Ali L · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you, Iike me, found the ending of Heated Rivalry so unsatisfying you wanted to throw hands over it, you may be relieved to learn that our beloved dummies got a second book. While Heated revolves around Shane and Ilya coming to terms with their feelings for each other (and just coming (a lot)), its sequel focuses more on Ilya’s mental health and Shane honestly being kind of a self-centered B (he gets better). Ilya has left Boston to join a crappy Ottawa team to be closer to Shane, and Shane is on the most annoying diet in the world - as someone whose partner has partaken in weightlifting and physique competitions, Rachel Reid was not making any of the food stuff up; it is all 100% accurate. There is a puppy that makes Ilya cry; there is an airplane emergency that makes me cry; there is a Snickers bar that makes Shane cry. There is therapy and trophy room sex; but most importantly, there is a happy ending for the tired, triumphant, horny boys.

[Mariah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Rachel Reid, Carina Press/Harlequin Books and Net Galley for ending (and simultaneously prolonging) the 912 days of suffering I went through since first reading Heated Rivalry by providing this long time fan with an e-galley of "The Long Game". You've made my year.

February 4th, 2022:

Did i finish this book or did it finish me.

Have I emotionally recovered from the 3 year wait or the actual wild ride that was "The Long Game" by Rachel Reid? Not even a tiny bit.

There are so many quotes I want to share, but it is way too soon and this book is so nuanced and filled with so much yearning that parts of it can't exist in a vacuum and hold the same weight and meaning.

I innocently stumbled onto "Heated Rivalry" in the summer of 2019 and thought to myself "great, another queer sports romance, that's right up my alley." I added it to my TBR, and figured that was that.

A month later, I read it in one sitting and then reread it the next two days while taking copious notes and unshufulling the back and forth timeline.

In the time since, these two have never been far from my mind. Always the both of them, as individuals and together, for very different and yet deeply personal reasons.

"The Long Game" delivered on every level. It is filled with the humor and banter we expect from these two, and so much love and deep emotion that I was overcome from the very first chapter.

My chest swelled with pride, my jaw clenched with rage, my heart shattered into a million tiny pieces and was then gently put back together.

This and HR are and will always be two of my favorite books of all time, with two of my favorite characters, and Shane and Ilya remain, proudly, one of my OTPs.

"The Long Game" will be out on April 26th, 22, but you can grab "Heated Rivalry" right now.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

EDIT: October 29th, 2020

release date: April 26th, 2022
Will be available in Paperback.


Rachel said 2022. Rachel said she hasn't started writing this (as of October 29th, 2020).
I cried a little bit. But these boys are so worth the wait.

July 19th, 2020:

Most anticipated book of 2021. I said what I said.


Heated Rivalry has an official sequel.
I repeat. HEATED RIVALRY HAS AN OFFICIAL SEQUEL.

No more feeding off of mentions of my boys.
No more crumbs. Here comes a whole meal.
I am overcome.

Rachel said “I promise that Shane and Ilya being in a somewhat stable relationship won’t mean that they will stop being antagonistic shitheads to each other” and I wept.
OTP of chaotic assholes is where it's at and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

[Cadiva · Rating 5 out of 5]

A powerhouse demonstration of how to write an epic love story

It's been a long wait for this book. I suspect the pressure on Rachel Reid for writing this book was immense.

Their original decade long love story was told so beautifully in Heated Rivalry that, although it finished with them both still closeted, their own HEA felt very much a guarantee.

What I didn't want from this book was anything which messed with that solidity, that hard-fought for place they'd reached when all the world thought they were rivals.

Ilya Rozanov is on my top ten list of favourite MM characters ever, he's the almost perfect depiction of what I'd hope to see in a Russian star Ice Hockey player.

He has attitude, he's a god on the ice, in perfect control of the puck, he's ambitious, arrogant.

But, he's also vulnerable, he hides great pain and hurt, he has a darkness inside him that he fears my take him down the same road as his mother Irina.

And he has Shane.

Shane Hollander, who is a character I alternate between loving almost as much as Ilya and, not quite hating, but finding it very difficult to be sympathetic towards.

He has always been the centre of Ilya's world, but sometimes the reverse hasn't always felt true and a lot of the tension points in this narrative come from his fears over what might happen if they're outed and his career was affected.

And I get it, I totally understood Shane's fears, they're not coming from nowhere. This book obviously loosely overlaps with everything onwards from their first appearance, but more specific attention is paid to the same period as Troy and Harris' story in Role Model so we've seen what the League can threaten to those it feels don't "fit in".

But, when push comes to shove, Shane shows not only Ilya, but the world, that he is a one-man guy and will never be anyone else's but his Russian's, and it's a moment that brought tears to my eyes.

I don't think there was an emotion I passed over while reading The Long Game. It took me from humour through happiness, into confusion, anger, despair, back into hopefulness.

There is heat which scorches, intimacy which brings tears to the eyes, passion which could light a room, fear which would fell even the strongest army.

But it ultimately all folds together into a bone deep satisfaction for not only a story well told but for a pairing that is as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar.

Do what makes you happy. Live how you want, love who you want. People will judge you, hate you , criticize you, but plenty more will support you and love you. And, in the end, no one matters except the people you care about.

I care, I care about Ilya and Shane. I love that there was no dramady made up purely for plot tension, I loved that they had moments where their love was so palpable I could feel it surrounding me as I read.

I loved that Rachel took two men and the journey they'd already been on through 10 years of hiding their love and gave them an ending which will make your soul sing.

This Game Changers series has been immense, while Ilya and Shane might stand out as the couple most readers fell for, for me every book has brought something new to the sports romance MM sub-genre and I really hope there might still be more to come.

[Snjez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I think this was a great sequel to Shane and Ilya's story. It was sweet and emotional at times. I couldn't wait to reach the part of the story that has the same timeline as book 5, and it was wonderful. It was also lovely seeing the characters from previous books, especially Troy and Harris.

There are a couple of things that I wasn't 100% happy about:
1) While Ilya was amazing here, Shane sometimes didn't feel like the same character that he was in book 2. It made me sad, because I absolutely loved him in that one.

2) I was a bit underwhelmed with how everyone found out about them. I expected something more epic and on their terms. I get why the story ended the way it did and I liked that, but again, I couldn't help feeling sorry for Shane because of how his teammates treated him. He is bigger than that.

I'm still giving this 5 stars, because Shane and Ilya are one of my favourite couples and, even though the story didn't end with a bang, I was fully invested in it and I loved all the heartfelt moments between them. And there's a new dog. 🥰

Edit: Lowering my rating. The author's portrayal of Shane in this one bothered me too much.

[Chelsea (chelseadolling reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolutely WEPT finishing this. i felt feelings during this book that i hadn't felt from a romance in years and my heart is FULL but also BROKEN bc it is OVER and i am so sad!!!! hollanov forever

[len ❀ · Rating 1 out of 5]

good thing i won’t be missing these two any time soon because i finished it a minute ago and already forgot everything 🥱

[Laura Greenhalgh · Rating 5 out of 5]

INCREDIBLE 😭🌟 the mental health rep in this was brilliant and I really appreciate that there wasn’t a magical ‘oh and now he’s no longer depressed and will never be depressed again’ moment. The conclusion of Shane and Ilya’s story was so satisfying and felt like it came full circle. I’m so obsessed with these two and this was without a doubt my favourite book in the series 🥹

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this even more than Heated Rivalry and that's saying a lot!!
They are absolutely perfect together, my obsession knows no bounds.. Me having read both books in a day tells you everything you need to know..

I was already too far gone watching the show, this just made it worse.. I know I'm not exactly objective, because I went into these books already loving the characters, but it really was amazing.

Ilya deserves the world, I love him so much, I would go to the ends of the world for him!! The mental health representation was everything, I saw so much of me in him.. He'll forever be my favourite!! He was so vulnerable here and always so in love with Shane.. And him and Anya were so cute, almost as cute as him and Shane..
I adore Shane, but I wanted to strangle him at times.. I was frustrated at him for not seeing, but Ilya never really communicated certain things either.. I understand them both, but that scene before they cleared the air absolutely gutted me and then the plane scene ended me..

“𝓘 𝓪𝓵𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭𝔂 𝓬𝓱𝓸𝓼𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾, 𝓗𝓸𝓵𝓵𝓪𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓻.”

Luckily, Shane got his shit together fast and it was so special, seeing them truly happy made it all worthwhile.
I loved how their relationship developed, all their moments, the teasing. This book gave me so many moments I was craving in book one, I could honestly read a thousand pages of them just existing together..

While most of book one was focused on the physical part of their relationship and them denying their feelings, we got all the emotions in this one. Don't get me wrong, it was still smut heavy, but we got so many tender moments too. It also made me cry so much, they deserve all the happiness!! My heart is full now.
I still need a novella though, I need to see them win the Stanley cup, be obnoxiously cute and have children!!

I have to say, Shane deserved so much better than what he got from his team, I'll never forgive J.J..
Hayden and Scott were the real MVPs and I loved Ilya's team.
Shane's parents were the best though, I love the way they accepted Ilya into their family and how they always supported Shane!!

[Renae Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shane and Ilya finally get the HEA!!! I laughed, I cried and completely loved seeing the natural progression of the heartfelt, soulful and true connection between Shane and Ilya. The Long Game is their perfect conclusion.

[nark · Rating 5 out of 5]

✦ "i love you. always. maybe from the first time i saw you."

✦ "do what makes you happy. live how you want, love who you want. people will judge you, hate you, criticize you, but plenty more will support you and love you. and, in the end, no one matters except the people you care about."

✦ "i am so glad i met you."

✦ "Shane grinned up at him, all flushed skin and freckles and bright eyes. Ilya wanted to, like, crawl inside him somehow."

✦ "Shane loved Ilya so much it physically hurt to contain it some days."

✦ "he glanced down at Shane and gave him a small, grateful smile. Shane smiled back, and traced a little heart on Ilya’s back with his finger."

✦ "i choose you, Ilya. i promise i will always, always choose you.”

- i think these quotes say all there is to say.🖤

[Miranda Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

"He'd always imagined that the hockey world's reaction if he and Ilya were ever found out would be the biggest nightmare ... Maybe keeping how he felt about Ilya a secret was more draining than facing the backlash."

Hockey superstars Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov have spent a decade on the ice playing up their bitter rivalry, their competitive nature always pushing them to play harder and fiercer than before.

And they also secretly hid their love for each other. For a decade. .

"You are the best thing in my life."

They've lived on stolen kisses, in secret apartments, and a few glorious summers in the cottage.

But ten years is a long time to keep a secret. Shane cannot stop feeling wound up - so he buckles down on his diet, his exercise, and making sure that not a single person finds out.

Meanwhile Ilya feels unwound - he feels like he's drifting. He wants to be with Shane - at all times - but this constant pressure and need for secrecy is slowly eating away at himself

Yes, the two hockey players had a plan - to fulfill their careers and come out when the time is right...but they cannot keep this bottled up much longer.

"We are very good at pretending to not be in love. Maybe we are bad at showing it when we are allowed."

Whew. I did not invest 5 books of time into this series for anything less than perfection. And this was worth every minute.

I had a lot of fun reading about these characters again. I loved getting little snippets of Ilya and Shane throughout the other books in the series, so when we finally got a book from their perspective, I was pumped.

And dare I say it? A book that was over half spice was still worth reading for the plot. (I know, I know).

Normally when a book is rather spicy, I end up rolling my eyes a bit at the absurdity of it all...and yet I was there for it. The scenes were fun, but they also did a great job of contributing to the overall plot.

And the plot was a bit light - a will-they-won't-they come out sort of deal (and as the audience, we all know there's only one answer)...but at the same time, I was totally along for the ride.

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Long Game is book six in The Game Changers series by Rachel Reid. This is the continuation of Ilya and Shane’s story that began in book two, Heated Rivalry. You don’t need to have read the rest of the series but do need to have read that book. Although these two do make little appearances throughout the rest of the series. Now, at long last, we get the rest of their story and wow, it was everything I hoped it would be.



Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander are both now twenty nine years old. I should probably admit up front here that it’s Ilya that really holds my heart. That man feels so much and I think his heart is as big as the house he lives in. My stomach is getting all twirly just typing this.



Both Ilya and Shane are pro-hockey players. Ilya for the Ottawa Centaurs and Shane for the Montreal Voyageurs. They have been secretly seeing each other for ten years, three of them in a committed relationship, the last two where they were both in Canada. The entire hockey world, press, players and fans alike see them as rivals because that is how they started out. They still are super competitive in so many things. Now they run a charity together so people had to adjust that they became friends. But they both knew that no one would ever except that they were more. And they had no idea if their jobs would be secure if anyone found out and that’s not something they were willing to risk because hockey is both of their lives, besides each other. No one in Ilya’s life knows about them but a few people in Shane’s does.



During the off season, they spend every moment together but during the hockey season, it’s not unusual for them to have to go three weeks without being together. It’s hard for both of them but to me, it was hardest on Ilya. He truly had no one. Even with all of their obstacles, though, it was clear how deeply these two love each other. The author did a fantastic job of making their love just fall off the pages. I do have to admit, though, that I might have felt a TINY bit frustrated with Shane a time or two because I felt like he was just so dedicated to his team, to keeping their secret, that he failed to really pay attention to what was going on with Ilya.

“He closed his eyes and focused on how good it felt to be with Shane, alone in the dark, and tried not to wish it could be the same in the light.”

This book is one of those that just keeps your heart doing that flip flop thing all the way through. Their love is just so huge. Above everything else in their lives, they love each other so much and they verbalize it all of the time which I dearly love. I believe of all the thousands of books I’ve read, they are one of my top two or three couples ever. They have struggles to overcome but through everything, their love holds strong. What more could you ask for?



I don’t know if there will be more in this series. It kind of felt like it could be the end but I have no idea. Reading this book was both wonderful and sad because I knew it was the end of Ilya and Shane’s story. They will forever live in my heart.

For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...

[Alec ⚣ · Rating 5 out of 5]

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Re-read. 4/28/22-5/2/22All you guys reading it on release week made me need to read it again!😍💜**

**Updated Review Below! When I first wrote my review, the book was months away from being released. I didn't want to post anything with even mild spoilers. And while I'll still aim to keep this as spoiler free as possible, please be warned there will be a few quotes and plot points in this updated version. So read at your own risk.**

*Also-My friend Marie asked how many gifs were going in this review. I said five and three would be David Tennant. She then said she was onto me and would ignore my star ratings from now on and just look for how many David Tennant gifs I put in. 😂*



"Someone might notice my heart eyes." "Your what?" "Heart eyes. Hayden said I look at you with heart eyes." "Yes. Was probably true. I look at you and I am just..." Ilya opened and closed his fist several times in front of his chest. "My heart goes crazy, you know?" Shane's own heart started going a little crazy. "You should see a doctor about that." Ilya grinned and shook his head. "Is just being in love, I think."

You guys. My heart is so full right now. This beautiful, beautiful book.

Rachel Reid didn’t just give us a happily ever after. She gave us a happily ever after and a half. I loved it so much that words can't do it justice. Allow David Tennant to try and show you.



Nope. Still not enough to describe my love.

I joke that my bias would make me rate this five stars no matter what. My love for Ilya and Shane runs deep. But I’d like to think I’d be able to admit if it wasn’t perfect. Or at least give it four stars if that was the case. 😂

But it doesn’t matter because I think it fully deserves the five stars. I was a tiny bit nervous going in to it. For one, I thought Heated Rivalry ended perfectly. For me it wasn’t a happily for now. It was a happily ever after. Sure I didn’t know what would happen but I knew Ilya and Shane would stay together. Secondly, book three aside and, to an extent book five, I simply haven’t cared too much for the other books in the series. And for me, none of them came close to Heated Rivalry . But I was only worried a little. Somehow I think I knew Rachel Reid would do right by Ilya and Shane. And she really did.

So who would have known, going into Heated Rivalry that Ilya would be the one wanting to take things public and be together in the open? Not me. And I was a goner for pining, reluctantly mushy Ilya. I love what a secret sweetheart he is in general.

"I know, moya lyubov." Shane grinned. "I know that one." "Ah," Ilya said in mock despair," then you know my secret." "That you love me?" "That I am very mushy inside."

I confess I felt a little bit upset with Shane in places. Not for not being able to move at the same pace as Ilya. His fears and anxieties were deep and he was struggling too. I felt a lot of sympathy for him in this. What upset me was how it took him so long to realize Ilya had given up so much (everything) for him. Still, I found his journey incredibly moving and realistic. It was bumpy but he got there. And not once did I doubt his love for Ilya during it, even if I did get upset.

"I choose you, Ilya. I promise I will always, always choose you."



Another thing I want to note is I really liked how the issue of mental health was handled here. My heart broke for Ilya struggling with his depression. What I liked was how it wasn't magically fixed. Because from experience I can tell you it doesn't work that way. Yes he had issues going on in his life and resolving those did help him to an extent. But it was clear that his depression was something he was going to have to work on, possibly for the rest of his life. And that's ok!

You didn't think I was going to leave out how damn HOT this book was did you? It was. It definitely did not suffer in that department. Like AT ALL. For me, so many of the steamy scenes were intensified in this book because of the love involved. So many tiny, tender moments mixed in with the sizzle. Heated Rivalry had some of that but not as much because they weren't in love through the whole book. So this was good in a different way.

Ilya laughed, and kissed behind Shane's ear. "We do not talk about these freckles on the back of your neck enough." "I'm not-" Shane's breath hitched as Ilya increased the speed of his strokes. "I'm not too familiar with them." "They are just here. A little group of them." Ilya's lips brushed the base of Shane's neck, making Shane shiver. "Adorable."



Finally the ending. I won't spoil anything but like I said at the beginning, it was a happily ever after and a half. My heart felt so full. I longed to go find a meadow to go twirl around in. Sadly, my life is not a Disney movie so this couldn't happen. But because I'm a little nuts, it was happening in my head. I feel sad my time with Ilya and Shane is over. My wish is that Rachel Reid will just give us little snippets every so often of them being adorable. But if she doesn't, I'll just reread the heck out of this one and Heated Rivalry. In fact, I'm going to reread this one soon. Writing this review and seeing everyone read it has me dying to jump in again.

Thank you for coming to my gushing Ilya and Shane TED Talk.

Ilya laughed. “I love you so much it sucks.” Shane beamed at him. “That’s too bad, because this is as good as it’s going to get.” “No,” Ilya said fondly. “I don’t think it is.”

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read #2

I fall more in love with Ilya with every book in this series, but this one always has me crying so hard at Ilya's pain. I love the mental health representation and that his depression isn't magically cured just because he has a run of good days.

Ilya's struggles were so painful to read because I absolutely love his character, and him being unhappy is unbearable. There were times throughout where I was so mad at Shane because he was being really self-centred and taking Ilya for granted, but they really are so good together and deserved their happy ending. You can really feel their love for each other and I would read absolutely anything about Ilya and Shane.

I love how Ilya is the heart of this whole series, and he's there supporting everyone in his own way. His friendship with Troy and Harris is the cutest!!

Shane is much more difficult to like for a lot of this book, and it sounds mean but I think his team needed to turn on him that way so that he finally realises what it's like to not have all of his perfect ducks in a perfect row!! I do like Shane, and when he's not being selfish, the relationship between him and Ilya is so great. I don't like how he makes assumptions about things and that he treats Ilya like someone to be slotted into his perfect life to make things more convenient. Ilya deserves the world!!

I would love an update to see them in future though.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will be giving this book 5 stars and an explanation for this rating as follows:

6 stars for Ilya, and for scenes involving Ilya petting or being excited about dogs. (and for Ilya just existing at any time, on any page)
-1 stars for SHANE, and Shane's existence. 🤷🏻

Idgaf if you're a big old celebrity with "everything to lose" and by everything, he means..... literally nothing..... Still a millionaire, still a hottie, still a famous hockey super star, still gets Ilya........
Shane LITERALLY ruined this book, and I venomously hated him for MOST (63%) of this book, and even the apologising after all the shit he did/didn't do, and the awful things he says to Ilya and his feral fuck behaviour IN GENERAL... was WEAK AF.
There was no crawling through glass and breaking of bones for Ilya's forgiveness.... and that wasn't good enough for my sad boi Ilya who deserves the universe packed into a little present and left at his godly feet.
His food elitism and judgment of others, was ICK AF MY DUDE.


Bless Rachel Reid for this fucking amazing series as a whole, the amount of joy as a whole, is ASTRONOMICAL.

💖Troy and Harris 💖
💖Anxious baby bean Ryan 💖
💖Fabian the singing hottie 💖
Scott and Kip... who... exist I guess... 💖
The couple of book 4 who I can't even remember the names of lol. no heart for you. but thanks for coming.
ANYWAYY, WHAT AN AMAZINGGGGGGGG FUCKING SERIES



I can't believe this is the (possible) end 😢😢😢😢
Someone come hold and comfort me.











LET'S FREAKING GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
BOOK 6 OMGGGGG

[bookluvr · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 ⭐️ lmao, this duet has been one of the biggest bamboozles of my life! this second book in it was a teeny tiny bit better for me than heated rivalry, so i’ll give it an extra half-star than i gave that (probably because i went in with lower expectations compared to the sky-high ones i had going into heated rivalry and crashing out on my utter disappointment in it) - but i STILL don’t like rachel reid’s writing style, nor do i stan her ability to plot, pace or inject depth and feeling into a story to deliver a coherent and cohesive end-product. it’s vapid almost all of the time.

disclaimer: i have not read any books by this author other than these two shane x ilya ones, so my opinion about her writing is limited to this specific story and the two books over which it’s told. i skipped the rest of this series. this review is not complimentary, and no hate to anyone who loved this or thinks that this is good - me saying this is terrible is really just me saying it was terrible FOR ME. all of this ranting is highly subjective. i know this has a cult following - but it was ass to me.

ok, moving swiftly on:

much like how i felt about heated rivalry, the writing in this sequel was perfunctory, scenes felt haphazardly flung together with a clunky flow, and something about shane and ilya’s chemistry was so mechanical and dry. i do think that the tv show will be a hit, but that’s because i can see and feel the chemistry between the actors in the promotional stuff - but that chemistry and vibe is nawt in these books in the way that they are written!

i was really confused about what this book was trying to achieve. it tried for some deeper topics, but it was too unfocused and its impact was diluted because the writing isn’t strong or emotive enough. it tried to be a fun romcom, but the humour and banter was trite and stale (and juvenile). no buoyancy, no aura. it tried to be an erotic sexy time, but the mcs had no tangible chemistry like i said, and the spice was boring, repetitive and unimaginative (save for maybe like 1-2 scenes out of many that did a lil something) - so literally, what was i supposed do about all this?🧍🏾‍♀️

let me start with the most obvious problem about this book first: it was completely unnecessary and redundant as all hell. literally, almost nothing happens in it. this couple actually didn’t need more than 1 book, given the way that they’re written. the only noteworthy plot points of this sequel (the will-they-won’t-they-ever-go-public point and ilya’s mental health arc) could have been compressed and folded into the first book, which was severely lacking in substance anyways (so it could have used this material in some way, shape or form to make that book a touch more interesting and less one-dimensional of a tedious plotless smut-fest). otherwise, everything else in this sequel was boring filler and a waste of time. also, the coming out plot and trying to stay a secret was getting way too dragged out - like it was getting so repetitive. we’ve been on the same thing since the damn prologue of their first book. how was this still going on?? omfg. not only was it more than a decade into the story, but it was shaving decades off my life, having to keep cycling through the same thoughts and internal conflicts on a loop! i felt like i was stuck in some groundhog day nightmare!

because of the above, this book was way too long for what it was serving. and that’s really saying something, because i rarely complain that a book has too many pages. i’m typically quite happy to read long contemporary romances if i’m having a good time and/or the real estate is used well, but this one being over 400 pages of pretty much nada was…it was something, alright. at most, if ms rachel insisted on writing a sequel to give fans more shane x ilya, this should have been a bonus novella instead of a mostly-filler full-length book.

a lot of the stylistic, development and character problems i had with their first book carry over into this one, so i won’t re-hash those things (any more than i already have) and it’s probably not healthy for me to rant and ruminate all over again - my review of heated rivalry was loooooong and heated as is.

i will repeat myself on one (more) thing though from back then: i still found shane utterly insufferable. he was so whiny in heated rivalry and he did NOT grow on me in this sequel. somehow i disliked him even more in here and he turned the whine-factor up to level 100000000. i’m a little impressed by that, actually, so kudos to him for that. he’s genuinely so annoying, my god. he was also incredibly self-absorbed in this book to the point of tunnel vision. everything had to be about his preferences and on his terms. ilya made way too many concessions for shane’s narrow ass. while i wasn’t a big fan of ilya in heated rivalry either, i didn’t despise him as much as i did shane in that book, and he was aight in this sequel - i went from not liking him to being mostly indifferent about him and also feeling bad for him in some parts, so that was an improvement on their first book at least.

i also thought that these two had terrible communication and very low emotional intelligence when it came to discerning and intuiting how the other person was feeling and dealing - and for people who’d been together for as long as they had been, that was quite concerning at this stage of the game. i never quite believed in their so-called emotional / love connection. it felt very told rather than shown and it was mostly lust and i love yous - that felt like the extent of their romance.

another thing that i found a bit odd in here was that this book constantly felt the need to make reader aware of other people the mcs found attractive (outside of each other). it happened way too many times for my comfort. and on a similar note, there was this hyperfixation on the love lives / crushes / sexualities of side characters??? i was like…why? because i haven’t read any of the other books in this series, maybe these plugs were nods to other romances in the universe and if reader is in tune with all the material on offer, they’d find these mentions to be enjoyable easter eggs, but for me i just found it all very strange and once again, a source of pointless and cringy filler.

there was also way too much hockey in this book for my taste - but that’s a me problem! i don’t like hockey romances most of the time and can’t find it in me to care about the sport. i had to skim a lot of the final 20% because i was so bored.

so to sum things up about the duet as a whole, i really don’t get how this has reached the cult status that it has because the writing quality (especially in heated rivalry) was beyond terrible lol. it’s slighter better in here (maybe some experience helped since she wrote a few books inbetween), but it’s all still very perplexing. it’s just baffling to me that this is as lauded as it is. maybe i’m the problem, idk 😅. i just think that there are so many better rival-to-lovers romances, forbidden romances, sports romances, mm romances, sexuality discovery romances - everywhere this could intersect with other books - there’s just so much BETTER out there 😅. how this has become a flagship romance book(s) for the nature of its content, i really can’t comprehend…

with better writing, this story really could have done something for me because the premise of shane and ilya was so promising (and i really do see good energy from the tv adaptation based on the trailers and teasers released so far that i’ve seen - so imma watch) but as books, i couldn’t find it in me to care. these are so blandly written, and poorly plotted and paced. there were some sporadic sparks of good in this book (more so than in heated rivalry where i was annoyed almost all the time from near page 1) - but the execution in the long game was still not it, holistically. this author’s pen game just doesn’t hit for me, i’m so sawri. i know people love this couple and these books, but i have to speak my truth lol.

i’ll just go ahead and close up by saying it point-blank: i think these two are MASSIVELY overhyped. i’ve read way better mm romances with overlapping themes (and to some extent, even forbidden / must-remain-a-secret mf romances) - and that’s on story, chemistry / romance, character work and writing, technique-wise.

—————————————————————————————


‼️ overt spoilers incoming below‼️

…

two things:

1) their wedding was anticlimactic and so boring hahahahahaha - i literally felt nothing. they didn’t even write their own vows. everything was so banal.

2) i found myself really checked out in the last 20% because the conflict of the whole book started feeling overly dramatic to the point that it didn’t feel realistic. i’ll be the first to admit i know next to nothing about how the NHL works, but i just think that for a book set in the time around when it was written (i assume), would their being queer really have elicited such a reaction from the league and other players? to the point of almost losing their abilities to play and being threatened with bench time and loss of career? even almost losing friends and teammates? even if they were rivals in the media? ion know about all that…things felt a bit over-exaggerated and tonally off from the times (but i could be wrong - i really don’t know how things are in professional hockey leagues but this is my perception. we were doing way too much here)

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Representation: gay main character, bisexual main character, Japanese-white main character, m/m romance, side trans man character, side gay characters, side characters of colour

Content warnings: explicit sexual content, homophobia, mentions of drug use, alcohol consumption, implied transphobia, discussions of depression, mentions of past suicide, disordered eating public outing

...

I think it’s safe to say the most popular book in the Game Changers series is the second book: Heated Rivalry. Much like its title would suggest, the book’s trope is a romance between two rivals. It was wonderfully done, ending with the characters Ilya and Shane not coming out as you would expect from a book handling this trope. All in all, it made sense for this book to get a direct sequel.

I really liked the build up to this book through the cameos in other books; especially in the fifth book Role Model. The Long Game also takes place during parts of Role Model. And some parts of the book does mention things that happened in Role Model.

I loved how this book played out. It took place over the length of a year, starting at the hockey camp Ilya and Shane had created for their charity. I think that was a good place to start, and it was cool to actually see it after seeing discussed in previous books. I could tell both Ilya and Shane really loved hosting the camp as well. This also gave the chance to bring in a few other friendly faces, as well as some new characters. I would’ve liked to see some of these characters more so I do hope they appear in future books.

Of course, one of the highlights of this book was getting to actually to see Ilya and Shane in a relationship. A particular niche romance trope I enjoy is established relationships; so ones that come in the form of a sequel are ones I really love. It’s especially rewarding to see with Ilya and Shane. Their relationship in Heated Rivalry has really stuck with me and I have read it five times at this point. I had wondered for a while, especially after cameos in the proceeding three books, what their relationship was like now that they were honest to each other about their feelings. There were a couple of glimpses of it through the short stories Reid posted on her blog but this book gave you the fullest feel. The biggest thing is how much they genuinely love each other and the good and bad that came with being together. The bad mostly stemming from the difficulty of not being out and for the longest time, feeling like they cannot come out until their careers are over.

A lot like Game Changer the book touches on homophobia within the NHL. In that book, we see the difficulty with being out as queer in the NHL, whether that came from hockey fans or from players. The Long Game references how Shane has teammates on Montreal who aren’t exactly pleased about him being gay, and this is while being unaware of his relationship with Ilya. I think this is also a good way to highlight that Scott’s coming out didn’t solve anything. This has been apparent throughout the entire series and most importantly, it has completely zero affect on Ilya and Shane’s ability to be an out couple. Regardless of the situation, their relationship is somewhat scandalous as an extension of the lack of out NHL players. Being the first in anything like that would be difficult for anyone; especially with how reserved Shane personally is. While he is at the point of being out in the league wherein he’s okay for other players to know and wouldn’t deny it, he also isn’t out publicly. There is a certain implication that if he were out publicly, he’d want Ilya by his side. In contrast, Ilya isn’t out as bi to anyone but those who know about him and Shane, as well as eventually Troy as we see in Role Model. Ilya makes an internal comment where he feels if people knew that he was bisexual and that Shane was gay, people might be able to figure out that they’re a couple. Which is a fair assessment to make, especially with how the public knows that they’re at the very least friends and Role Model showed Troy guessing almost immediately.

I wouldn’t say not being out had taken a toll on their relationship. But it was clear it was becoming too much effort for them to hide it. Watching them both consider what their future would look like was important to see. It is what made sense to follow Heated Rivalry. I also liked seeing more of characters like Hayden, his wife, and Shane’s parents as well as briefly Ryan and Fabian from Tough Guy who knew doubt their relationship. I liked seeing their support and how Shane and Ilya acted around people who knew. I do kind of wish there was a little more interactions with other queer people, especially after Shane acknowledged to himself he needed to be around non hockey players who were queer, so I hope we see that in the future. I was also expecting after Tough Guy that there was more to do with Ryan since he knew about their relationship, at least more than one scene where Shane and Ilya went on a double date with him and Fabian. But I guess it makes sense why there was so little. There was also a few bits and pieces of more queer characters in the form of a trans man named Max who used to play on team Canada in the women’s league with his wife prior to his transition. I hope we get more of him and his wife Leah as I really enjoyed what we saw of them.

Something in this book that I also loved that was brought over from Role Model was just the absolute positive energy of the Ottawa team. As mentioned in my review of the previous book where Troy was gobsmacked by the stark difference in environment between Toronto and Ottawa, the same went for Montreal vs Ottawa. Not to the same extreme but there were a lot of signs that it wasn’t the best environment was Shane. That is all I’ll say about it without getting into spoilers.

I did overall truly love this book. It had everything that I love about this series. I hope the series does continue, and I do have a theory of who a potential future book could be about. At my time of writing this review I have already read it twice. It truly is a great sequel to an already great book.