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Heated Rivalry is HBO Max's latest drama miniseries and is based on the steamy story between hockey players. With the show arriving soon, fans are buzzing with curiosity about the series and its storyline.
Now, one of the most common questions about the show is whether it is based on a true story.
Heated Rivalry explores the steamy on-ice and off-ice romance that goes on between two hockey players, Shane Hollander (played by Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (played by Connor Storrie). The show has already garnered quite the buzz.
However, the show is not based on a real-life story.
Heated Rivalry is based on a novel series by Rachel Reid
Although Heated Rivalry is not based on real-life events, it does have some source material. The show is based on a novel series by Rachel Reid, named Game Changers. The series consists of six volumes, each focusing on a different gay hockey romance.
While each book features different stories, some characters remain consistent across the books, among them Shane and Ilya.
The official synopsis of the show reads as follows:
"The series chronicles the story of rival hockey players Shane and Ilya. Shane Hollander (Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Storrie) are two of the biggest stars in Major League Hockey, bound by ambition, rivalry, and a magnetic pull neither of them fully understands. What begins as a secret fling between two fresh-faced rookies evolves into a years-long journey of love, denial, and self-discovery. Over the next eight years, the pair chase glory on the ice while struggling to navigate their feelings off it. Torn between the sport they live for and the love they can’t ignore, Shane and Ilya must decide if there is room in their fiercely competitive world for something as fragile and as powerful as real love."
Aside from Hudson Williams and Connor Storries, the show also features other prominent actors like François Arnaud, Christina Chang, Dylan Walsh, Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova, Sophie Nélisse, and Callan Potter.
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Heated Rivalry will release for streaming on HBO Max, and the first two episodes aired on November 28, 2025. The remaining four episodes will be released on a weekly basis, with the first season concluding on December 26, 2025.
READ MORE: Heated Rivalry Episode 1: Release date news, time, streaming details and more about the premiere
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