If you’ve missed HBO Max’s latest sports-romance sensation, Heated Rivalry, you might just be living off the grid. The six-part series is adapted from Rachel Reid's Game Changers, an anthology series of six books set in a fictional hockey universe. The show stars Hudson Williams as Ottawa-born Asian Canadian ice hockey player Shane Hollander and Connor Storrie as Moscow-born Russian ice hockey player Ilya Rozanov.Heated Rivalry follows the passionate relationship between Shane and Ilya, two fiercely competitive and rival hockey players, who begin a secret fling in their rookie years that grows into a complicated yet meaningful relationship over the years.Fans can't stop obsessing over Shane and Ilya's heated chemistry on and off the ice. As the show continues releasing episodes to strong viewer interest, fans are increasingly curious: will the story continue beyond Season 1? While HBO Max and Crave Canada are yet to renew the series, the groundwork for further storytelling is already in place.Seasoned Shane and Ilya fans would be delighted to know that Heated Rivalry has a sequel titled The Long Game, which offers deep insight and a definitive happy ending for the couple.More on this in our story.Rachel Reid's Heated Rivalry has a sequel titled The Long Game View this post on Instagram Instagram PostBefore diving into the juicy details of the Heated Rivalry sequel, The Long Game, it is important to understand Reid's Game Changers Universe. Ever since the debut of Shane and Ilya's passionate story on HBO Max, new fans have shown interest in the author's fictional hockey universe, which kick-started with Game Changer in 2018.The first book follows the adorable love story between New York Admirals center forward Scott Hunter and smoothie barista Kip, featured in Heated Rivalry Episode 3 titled Hunter. Since Reid's Game Changers is an anthology series set in the same universe, Shane and Ilya's story begins in Book 2 and unfolds till the sixth and final book, The Long Game. While Shane is barely mentioned in the books following Heated Rivalry, Ilya is the only character to be featured in all six Game Changers books, especially in Book 5.While Rachel Reid always planned on writing one standalone book for every couple, Shane and Ilya's popularity motivated her to continue their story in a sequel, making them the only couple to have more than one dedicated book. Book 2 features a contained happy ending for Shane and Ilya but the sequel further explores their relationship, testing their compatibility as a couple.In 2019, Reid announced The Long Game on her official website as:“Just to be clear, this will be a full-length Shane and Ilya novel that will give them a more definite happy ending. More of a ‘happily ever after’ than a ‘happy for now.’ I am very excited to have the opportunity to write them again, and to continue their story.”Even before the Heated Rivalry sequel, the author wanted to explore the couple's story further, as she revealed to her fans:“There’s a reason why I left the ending where it was. It was like wrapping up a season of a television show that you aren’t sure will be renewed — I tried to leave Shand and Ilya in a good place in case I never got the chance to finish their story.”To Reid’s surprise, Shane and Ilya’s explosive chemistry didn’t just captivate readers but it also helped propel the story to an HBO Max adaptation, which is now winning hearts of its own.The Long Game ignites fan hopes for Heated Rivalry Season 2 View this post on Instagram Instagram PostWith only two episodes remaining, fans are already wondering about Shane and Ilya's fate in Heated Rivalry Season 2. While Crave Canada and HBO Max are yet to seal the show's fate, its growing popularity and buzz on the Internet instill hope among fans. Additionally, The Long Game provides the perfect source material for a second-season adaptation.In an interview with Teen Vogue, creator Jacob Tierney teased the future of Reid's adaptation:“I think Rachel created a cool universe, and if people like it and respond to it, we are happy to keep making more — not forever, but there’s certainly more road to pave.”While loyal fans would want Season 2 to continue Shane and Ilya's story, other couples featured in Reid's Game Changers are also equally deserving and could very well earn their own adaptations.Till then, you can catch the remaining two episodes of Heated Rivalry on HBO Max, which releases every Friday.For the latest scoops on your favorite TV shows and movies, follow SoapCentral.