Heated Rivalry (2025)
If you’re like me, you started Heated Rivalry for the spice and stayed for the story. The TV drama is the newest Canadian indie success story written and directed by Jacob Tierney and based on the male-male romance novels by Rachel Reid. If you recall the celebrated African American popular romance author E. Lynn Harris, you will know that female readers gravitating to gay male romance has happened before. The central context is two-closeted, professional hockey players. We watch as their desires and internal struggles play out across an eight-year affair. The first season spanned six episodes, and the show has been confirmed to return for a second season.