{"id":613441,"date":"2026-04-19T00:45:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-19T00:45:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/613441\/"},"modified":"2026-04-19T00:45:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-19T00:45:09","slug":"jacob-tierney-teases-heated-rivalry-season-2-with-this-rachel-reid-romance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/613441\/","title":{"rendered":"Jacob Tierney teases ‘Heated Rivalry’ Season 2 with this Rachel Reid romance"},"content":{"rendered":"

NEW YORK \u2013 Much to the disappointment of fans, \u201cHeated Rivalry\u201d stars Hudson Williams<\/a> and Connor Storrie<\/a> did not join the show\u2019s panel at BookCon. But they did get a few Season 2 insights.<\/p>\n

At the first in-person BookCon in seven years, approximately 3,000 fans of the steamy hockey romance greeted author Rachel Reid and show creator Jacob Tierney<\/a> with ear-splitting screams on April 18. Many sported shirts that read \u201cI\u2019m coming to the cottage<\/a>\u201d and \u201cAsk me about our lord and savior Ilya Rozanov.\u201d<\/p>\n

The two extra chairs on the stage caused a stir on social media and in-person ahead of the talk. Would Williams and Storrie make a surprise appearance? They did not, though the show’s stars did send in questions for Reid and Tierney. Storrie\u2019s was a voice memo recording played for the crowd, a consolation prize. The extra chairs were simply the default setup for the weekend, BookCon organizers told USA TODAY.<\/p>\n

\"Rachel<\/p>\n

Rachel Reid and Jacob Tierney kicked off BookCon with a panel about the journey of taking “Heated Rivalry” from book to screen.<\/p>\n

Rachel Reid, Jacob Tierney tease \u2018Heated Rivalry\u2019 Season 2<\/p>\n

\u201cHeated Rivalry\u201d sSeason 2 will largely be based on \u201cThe Long Game,\u201d set 10 years later. But, like Scott and Kip\u2019s \u201cGame Changer\u201d storyline in Season 1, another couple will also get airtime. Reid and Tierney teased that the second season will also include \u201cRole Model,\u201d<\/a> a grumpy-sunshine romance between Troy Barrett, a recently traded player, and Harris Drover, the team\u2019s chipper social media manager.<\/p>\n

\u201cTroy’s a really damaged guy, and Troy is quite damaged on the show. I would say we’re digging into that harder, because that’s what’s interesting and that’s all there in those books,\u201d Tierney said. \u201cThat’s why it’s such a fertile playground for me as a creator to have fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added, \u201cBut Ilya and Shane are the heartbeat of this series, of my show. It’s always going to be about Ilya and Shane.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though he told Deadline in a recent interview that he was weighing splitting \u201cThe Long Game\u201d into two seasons, he kept mum when asked about it on the panel.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt really is different. The challenge of it is from an adaptation point of view is that you’re in much more serious territory. There’s still lots of flirting and there’s lots of sex. (But) it\u2019s like this kind of danger, this kind of hotel room, adolescent sex stuff is largely gone. And so it presents really new challenges.\u201d Tierney said. \u201c\u2018The Long Game\u2019 is an emotionally sophisticated book that takes this couple seriously.\u201d<\/p>\n

The ‘whole world seems to care’ about Ilya and Shane<\/p>\n

While fans await a release date and casting decisions for Season 2 (even Jill Biden threw her hat in the ring<\/a>), they at least know Reid\u2019s new novel, \u201cUnrivaled,\u201d will be out June 1, 2027.<\/a> Shane and Ilya\u2019s third story was initially set for a September publication date<\/a>, but Reid pushed it back because of how overwhelming the last few months have been.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a little bit of regret deciding to write a book at the same time, but I am excited,\u201d Reid said on the panel. \u201cI’m in a place where the whole world seems to care about what happens next to these characters or has thoughts about them. \u2026 But I’m still determined to try to just stick to what I have always done when I was writing, just kind of pretend that I’m just writing for me and I hope other people like it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clare Mulroy is USA TODAY\u2019s Books Reporter, where she covers buzzy releases, chats with authors and dives into the culture of reading. Find her on Instagram<\/a>, subscribe to our weekly Books newsletter<\/a> or tell her what you\u2019re reading at cmulroy@usatoday.com<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ‘Heated Rivalry’ creator gives Season 2 teaser at BookCon<\/a><\/p>\n