HBO Max’s newest series has viewers buzzing. “Heated Rivalry,” a romantic drama inspired by Rachel Reid’s book series “Game Changers,” dropped its first two episodes on the streaming service on Nov. 28 and left viewers wanting more.

Based on the novels by Rachel Reid, “Heated Rivalry” follows “two rival hockey stars [Williams stars as Shane Hollander and Storrie stars as Ilya Rozanov] at the top of their game face an unexpected challenge when they develop feelings for each other, complicating their careers and the sport’s expectations,” per an IMDb synopsis.

There's some tension between the HBO Original series I Love LA and the HBO Max-acquired series Heated Rivalry.

Heated Rivalry Season 1 Episode 5, titled I’ll Believe in Anything , is scheduled to premiere on Friday, December 19, 2025 exclusively on HBO Max. Each new installment becomes available at 12 a.m. PT / 3 a.m. ET on its Friday premiere date.

HBO's Heated Rivalry is captivating audiences — but what did the TV adaptation change from Rachel Reid's Game Changers book series? Based on the hit book franchise, Heated Rivalry follows two rival professional hockey players Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie),