Heated Rivalry author reveals dramatic plot of new Shane and Ilya book Unrivaled

14 January 2026, 13:59 | Updated: 19 January 2026, 19:53

By Sam Prance

When does Unrivaled come out? Do Shane and Ilya stay together? Here's what Rachel Reid has revealed about her new Heated Rivalry book.

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Heated Rivalry fans assemble! Rachel Reid is officially releasing a new Shane and Ilya book called Unrivaled and she's unveiled the release date and teased exactly what happens to our favourite hockey couple in the upcoming novel.

Fans of Heated Rivalry will already know that the first season is a loyal adaptation of Rachel Reid's book of the same name with elements of her Scott and Kip novel, Game Changer, weaved in. As for Heated Rivalry season 2, Rachel has teased that it will adapt her second Shane and Ilya book The Long Game as well as her novel Role Model.

Until now, there have only been two Shane and Ilya books but Rachel has now confirmed that she's released a third book about the couple. Unrivaled will come out later this year and it could be Rachel's most dramatic book yet.

Read more: Do Shane and Ilya end up together in Heated Rivalry? Here's what happens in the books
Read more: Heated Rivalry season 2 will introduce fans to a new gay hockey couple

WARNING: The Long Game plot spoilers below

Heated Rivalry cast learn season 2 is happening

What happens to Shane and Ilya in Unrivaled?

Rachel Reid's second Shane and Ilya book The Long Game ends with Shane and Ilya both finally coming out publicly, marrying each other and getting their happily ever after. However, the official plot summary for Rachel Reid's new book Unrivaled suggests that Shane and Ilya still have some major obstacles to face.

Check out Rachel Reid's official plot synopsis for Unrivaled below:

For the first time in their professional hockey careers, Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander have nothing to hide. 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.

They’ve gotten a lot of love from fans who are thrilled for them. But some people in the hockey world are still reeling from their relationship reveal, and the backlash — led by popular hockey podcast Top Shelf and the #TakeBackHockey movement — is getting louder.

Ilya and Shane are finally able to stand together in the light, the way they’d always wanted. And now they might be facing their biggest challenge yet.

So what does this mean for the future of Shane and Ilya?

Do Shane and Ilya stay together in Unrivaled?

Despite the inherent drama that Shane and Ilya will face in Unrivaled, Rachel Reid has reassured fans that Shane and Ilya won't split up. Talking to Matthew Francis, Rachel said: "They've never really been a couple in a normal way and they're basically never apart now. I’m not doing anything awful to them. I don’t want people to worry about that."

She added: "That is not what this book is for. It is largely nice. I had no interest in writing [Shane and Ilya] again if I had to drag them both through hell. It’s really a good vs evil story. The conflict is largely external. It's a lot about backlash."

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When does Rachel Reid's Unrivaled come out?

Unrivaled is currently available to pre-order on all major platforms. The highly-anticipated book is set to be released on September 29th 2026. While Unrivaled is Rachel's third book about Shane and Ilya, it's the seventh book in her Game Changers series.

All six Game Changers books are available to purchase now and focus on different queer couples in the world of hockey.