Rachel Reid Confirms ‘Unrivaled’: A Seventh Game Changers Book Is Officially Coming
Over the weekend, chaos (the good kind) broke out across hockey romance corners of the internet when eagle-eyed fans noticed a mysterious new listing on Barnes & Noble’s website. The coverless book, titled Unrivaled, was credited to Rachel Reid and positioned squarely within her beloved Game Changers universe. The summary sounded real, the premise made sense—especially given the runaway success of the Heated Rivalry TV adaptation and what Reid herself had previously hinted about returning to these characters. Still, there was no official confirmation, so we collectively tried to keep our excitement in check. Tried being the keyword.
Well, we don’t have to pretend anymore. In an exclusive reveal with People today, Rachel Reid officially confirmed that yes, a seventh Game Changers book is on the way. Unrivaled is set to be released this fall, with Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander reclaiming center ice. That makes Unrivaled the third book in the series centered on the iconic couple, following Heated Rivalry (book #2) and The Long Game (book #6). Hollanov truthers, this one is for us.
According to the newly released synopsis, Unrivaled picks up with Ilya and Shane finally living openly. After more than a decade of secrecy, they’re out, married, and even playing on the same professional hockey team. While much of the fan response has been overwhelmingly supportive, not everyone in the hockey world is ready to embrace that visibility. A growing backlash—led by the popular hockey podcast Top Shelf and the ominously named #TakeBackHockey movement—threatens to turn their hard-won joy into yet another battleground. For the first time, Ilya and Shane are standing fully in the light… and facing what may be their biggest challenge yet.
Reid told People, “I’m really excited to have the chance to continue their story with Unrivaled. I’m writing this one for all the Hollanov fans, old and new. I can’t tell you how much the love my characters have received over the years means to me. It has been a blast writing these guys again, and revisiting the entire Game Changers cast.”
And honestly? We feel that love right back. We’re beyond excited to step into this new chapter of Ilya and Shane’s life, especially one that directly tackles queerness, visibility, backlash, and chosen family within a traditionally hostile sports culture. Also, can we talk about the title for a second? Unrivaled is simply brilliant, we’re obsessed already.
The book is set to be released on September 29 and is available for pre-order now through all major book retailers. For those looking to (re)visit the rest of Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series, the full lineup includes Game Changer (book #1), Heated Rivalry (book #2), Tough Guy (book #3), Common Goal (book #4), Role Model (book #5), and The Long Game (book #6).
Of course, this announcement lands at a time when the Game Changers universe is bigger than ever. The Heated Rivalry TV adaptation has taken the world by storm over the past five weeks, becoming the number one show everywhere it’s currently available and catapulting its stars Hudson Williams (Shane) and Connor Storrie (Ilya) into bona fide breakout territory. The series was renewed for a second season before the final two episodes of season one even aired—a clear sign of its massive success—with season two expected to premiere in early 2027.
Between the books and the show, it’s never been a better time to be a Rachel Reid fan. And this fall, Unrivaled is ready to remind us exactly why this queer hockey love story continues to mean so much.
Update: On February 24, Rachel Reid took to Instagram to share that the release date for Unrivaled has been moved to June 1, 2027. In the video message (which you can watch in full below), Reid explained that managing her Parkinson’s has made the writing process more challenging, and she wants to ensure the book is the best it can be before it reaches readers. Pre-orders remain open.
Unrivaled is available to pre-order through all major book retailers. Follow us on X and Instagram for all queer stuff!
Featured Image: Image via Instagram @rachelreidwrites.
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