Fantastic enemies to lovers M/M erotica I thoroughly enjoyed. This is book 2 in the series, which I didn't know until I was half way through, but the books stands on its own perfectly. The characters are compelling, the sex is hot, the romance is touching, but the truly pleasant surprise is how often I laughed out loud. This book is an absolute delight.

Heated Rivalry, which can be read as a standalone, is very different from the first book in the series. It's edgier and has bitter undertones, while the first book was all sweetness.

This is a true enemies-to-lovers story in that the two MCs are huge rivals on the ice while fucking each other's brains out off the ice. Their torrid affair is super hush-hush.

The story spans several years. There is some angst, a lot of smokin' sexy times, and a strong HFN.

I loved both MCs and the secondary characters.

I was a little disappointed with the ending, mostly because the MCs remain in the closet and only a few people know that they're a couple. I'm not saying this isn't realistic for two professional hockey players, but I prefer more gooey HEAs.

I love Rachel Reid's writing style and am looking forward to the next Game Changers book.

As many know, hockey romances are all the rage. That said, they tend to be very heteronormative. So the discovery of Heated Rivalry was very exciting. I haven't read book one, and it looks like it ties in slightly, but all it did is made me want to read book one. One of the things I loved about it was that the two guys who end up falling in love are also bitter rivals. Though that's more because the media pitted them against each other than anything else. The characters felt really authentic, and I loved watching their multi-year relationship develop. I loved that they'd known each other, and even been together, for a while before finally realizes just what they were feeling for each other.

Rachel Reid has done it again!
I was completely invested in the relationship between Ilya and Shane. No Spoilers here but...... They really were made well for each other.

The only downfall is I want more!! I want to see when certain events that are discussed happened and I just want more time with these characters.

And I demand a full scene where Ilya is teaching Shane Russian 😍

I can't wait for the next book from this author, her romances are flawless! And sexy to the core.

Thank you! Netgalley for letting me read this early and of course opinions are my own.

Steamy, emotional, and alluring!

In this second novel in the Game Changers series, Heated Rivalry, Reid gives us a sweet and spicy, enemies-to-more romance that highlights the struggles and hardships of falling in love with someone of the same sex when you’re a professional athlete.

The prose is tender and titillating. The characters are bold, driven, and charming. And the plot is a sultry, push-pull tale full of sexual innuendoes, red-hot chemistry, flirty banter, familial drama, friendship, competition, support, acceptance, love and hockey.

Overall, Heated Rivalry is a smoldering, tantalizing novel that reminds us that sometimes you have to follow your heart regardless of the consequences and is a fabulous addition to a series that is, undoubtedly, quickly becoming one of my all-time favourites.

My first book from this author, and I enjoyed it. A sexy hockey romance, which is definitely something I alwats love!

My first 5* MM tale of 2019. And, possibly one of the most romantic books I've read in the last 46 years.

I discovered Rachel Reid last year when I was having a book drought, and ended up knowing that she was one of the best discoveries I'd made all year. I'd ignored Game Changer for a while because the blurb wasn't the most exciting, but ended up loving the tale - and suspecting that Ilya would be getting his tale next. I'm so glad that he and Shane did. This has ended up being one of the most romantic books that I've read since I first started reading 46 years ago.

I expected there to be rivalry. I expected there to be snark. I expected there to be hot sex, possibly hate-sex. I expected clandestine encounters. I expected lies and subterfuge and secret-keeping. I got all of the former, in spades. I. Did. Not. Expect. The. Utterly. Brilliant. Romantic. Sweet. Sexy. Heartwarming.Tale. That. Rachel. Reid. Delivered. This has gone on to cement her as an autobuy, and yes, there are hints of whose book we can expect next, and I am so glad that there will be at least one more after that, as the way this tale ends? I need to see how Ilya and Shane's lives pan out, with their plans, their hopes, their dreams.

I can't detail this book, or I'd spoiler it, and it's far too good for that. But, let's just say that when it starts, around the time that Game Changer ends, the guys have already been in it for the long game. And, as time goes on, it's clear that they're both feeling more than just being f-buds, and I for one totally believed in them. I loved the way that RR told their tale, how their relationship changed over time, and what they began to mean to each other. I loved how we got both guys' thoughts and saw their feelings. Yes, their professions and the sport, and the country in which Ilya lived and played, meant that they had to be hidden and under everyone's radar, friends, family, press and teammates. And, RR told their love story in such a believable, romantic, sweet and yet non-sappy way, that I adored it. I totally did not expect the romantic element and I didn't expect that both guys would be such decent, sweet types with dreams of a future consisting of love, happiness and a family.

This is my first 5* read of 2019, and I expect that I'll have at least one more from RR before the year's out. Let's hope that there's a lot more of these guys as the series goes on, as I haven't had enough of them.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Carina Press, for my reading pleasure.

OMG THIS WAS SO AWESOME! Totally loved this enemies to lovers, "we're just fuck-buddies" - "OMG noo we caught feelings" romance! Funny and cute and too much for my heart to handle.

Review to follow soon!