Caution: This article contains spoilers for Heated Rivalry. Quotes have been edited for clarity.

Photo Credit: Bell Media

I received such beautifully worded answers to my questions about the importance of libraries providing access to content such as the Game Changers book series and why librarians connect so much to it and to the Heated Rivalry TV show that I wanted to share some of them in their own article. If you’re already a fan, you’ll be nodding along with the librarians quoted here. If you’re not (yet) a fan, you’ll learn why this show and book series have gotten so popular.

Jessica Hilburn, executive director, Benson Memorial Library in Pennsylvania

I love so much about the show. The performances, the photography, the lighting, the writing—I could (and have been known to) go on for days. But my favorite part is the way it made me feel. The world has been beyond terrible. Every day there is a new BIG BAD thing that the average person has little to no control over or say in while also dealing with work, life, and the daily challenges of being alive. It’s so easy to feel despondent and disconnected and downtrodden.

This show brought a new warmth into my life when I really needed it, and I’ve been feeding off it ever since. It’s impossible to remain distant from humanity when a show viscerally reconnects you to that pit-of-your-stomach-butterflies-feeling and you watch love grow and see much-needed representation of normal human beings in all their positive and negative qualities. Bad things are always going to happen, and our fight is not over. But there is still sunshine. And there will still be sunshine. And no matter how many dark days and events and nefarious characters try to destroy us, we ultimately must insist on finding the light. This show was that for me.

Photo Credit: Bell Media

Robin Rousu, assistant managing librarian, outreach and mobile services, The Seattle Public Library in Washington

What we are seeing with how deeply viewers and readers are connecting to Heated Rivalry is exactly, as a librarian, what I want to have happen. It is a testament to the power of fiction and storytelling when characters get stuck in our hearts and brains and inspire memes and art and fan fiction. When people are talking about books, we want to be part of the conversation! 

The show takes the books, the characters, and the audience seriously, and we don’t get that very often in romance adaptations. What the romance genre does so well is give you a safe world in which you can care deeply about the characters and join them on their emotional journey in an unguarded state. The show translates that beautifully, using everything from the editing and the cadence of how the story develops to the impeccable details in the acting, like Ilya’s eye movements and Shane’s chin wobbles.

Photo Credit: Bell Media

Samantha Mills, Dunbar branch head, Vancouver Public Library in Canada

I think it’s incredibly important for libraries to stay connected to what is happening in the world generally, and in popular culture in particular. It used to be, back in the early- to mid-20th century, that the library was there to TELL YOU what you needed to read to be an educated person. I think that we still do have an important role in selecting, collecting, and showcasing important works and voices—but it is also so vital to our mission for us to meet people where they are. To not just feed their brains, but their souls too, by celebrating the stories they love and using that as an entry point to encourage more reading, more learning, more exploration, and more fun! The world needs joy more than ever these days—maybe that’s one reason this show exploded. 

If I interrogate why we all got so into this show, and what I personally love about it, on one level it’s pretty obvious—I’m a queer Millennial woman who’s a librarian, so a queer romance based on a book series is a pretty good fit for me. But it’s more subtle than that too. For one, it’s just a good show—the acting, writing, direction, cinematography, music supervision … none of those things NEED to be this good for the show to work, but they ARE, and you can tell that’s because it was a real labor of love. I think also, as a queer romance reader, there’s an element of this show’s success and quality that feels very vindicating. It’s putting a spotlight on identities and interests that are often sidelined—often because they are beloved by women. I’ve seen show creator Jacob Tierney talk a lot about the respect he had for the books and the commitment he made to adapting them faithfully, and a big part of those discussions has been about acknowledging the contributions of women, and queer folks, to the romance genre—as writers and readers.

Jacob Sefton, reference associate, Fargo Public Library in North Dakota

I grew up reading Nora Roberts books because my grandma always had the trade paperbacks and I just read anything. However, in my adult years, I leaned more into fantasy to science fiction to cookbooks but now back to some romance books. And for some readers, we just want a good, happy story, and I think that the Game Changers series does that, especially in these cold and overcast days when you want to curl up and read a book.

“Heated Rivalry Author Says TV Success Led to Help With Her Parkinson’s” is an article about the author, Rachel Reid, and what the popularity has meant for her, especially for her diagnosis with Parkinson’s. That is another reason I like popularity of the series. An absolute good has come from it.

Photo credit: Bell Media

Joey Schenning, collection development support supervisor, Baltimore County Public Library in Maryland

The primary driver for me was that it was a happy story. Not to say there weren’t sad or tense moments in the show (of course any good story needs to have drama), but there weren’t people dying of AIDS, no terrible family/friend drama—all the sad tropes that were in so much LGBTQ media of the last two decades. It was also beautifully shot, with a great soundtrack and no big-name actors that could steal the spotlight (this is like what The Office did). And it came in such a terrible year and during a season where so many of us have big feelings, which probably helped grab our attention as well.

Beyond the actual show, the fan connection has been crazy. I’ve seen so many reels/posts about this great little show from Canada. If anything, it’s proof that you don’t need to throw all kinds of money at something for a good product.

Lauren Flores, Perry Hall branch librarian, Baltimore County Public Library

There are SO MANY amazing scenes from the show, but I have to say Ilya’s monologue in Russian when he first confessed his love to Shane is in my top three favorite moments. Also, when Shane and his mom had their heart-to-heart once Shane came out was perfect and made me so emotional. However, my all-time favorite scene in the entire show was (of course) Scott and Kip having their big moment on the ice and the cut to Ilya realizing he can also have that for himself to then calling Shane to say “I’m coming to the cottage.” I have seen the show at least five times at this point, and each and every time I am floored at how well that scene was shot! I am obsessed and truly cannot stop watching. 

I do not have a ton to say about the books because I am currently reading Game Changer (book one) for the first time, but I already LOVE it and Rachel Reid’s writing. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series and be ready for season 2!

Photo credit: Bell Media

Sarah Weaver, collection development librarian, Halifax Public Libraries in Canada

We want to make sure we are always promoting our collection in a fun and relevant way. In these tough times, libraries are more important than ever, and our community deserves to have access to all the latest and greatest trends. Heated Rivalry is a lot of fun, but it’s also now receiving recognition in the media for its depiction of queer joy and characters with autism. It’s also inspiring important conversations about hockey culture. We want to make sure we are keeping our collection relevant and filled with the resources and stories that our community members are looking for.

A staff member, Halifax Public Libraries

I think for me, the biggest appeal is the yearning that happens between Ilya and Shane. These two men, who are in stereotypically masculine roles, become vulnerable as their feelings for each other grow. As readers, we see a side of men in romantic relationships that we don’t typically see in romance novels. They have feelings they’re afraid or unable to admit, and it makes the wait for them to declare their feelings even more emotionally charged. When they are finally able to admit their feelings, and truly love each other, you’ve become so invested in the outcome that it feels like YOU as a reader are truly feeling all the same romance.

A staff member, Halifax Public Libraries

All my friends are currently reading and watching and it’s been so much fun to share clips and memes and to talk about the story. I love that it’s opened up so many people to exploring queer fiction and romance in general. 

A staff member, Halifax Public Libraries

I loved the use of music in the show to highlight plot points but also the emotional state of our main characters. I specifically think of the finale of episode 4, which featured a remix of t.A.T.u.’s iconic gay anthem “All the Things She Said.” The original song plays during a club scene—lyrical meaning not subtle or lost on the audience—but the scene shifts, adding a heavy tension, and with it, the song changes. The lyrics are the same but deeper, heavier, more intense. It added SO MUCH to the scene. I was obsessed.

A staff member, Halifax Public Libraries

I loved the evolution of Shane and Ilya’s relationship and that the story allows a longer timeline for it to happen organically. It felt like a rare time where an enemies-to-lovers trope felt believable for me!

A staff member, Halifax Public Libraries

The phone call from Russia in episode 5. When Ilya was grieving and Shane encouraged him to vent in Russian and it was the first “I love you” even though Shane didn’t realize it. Yeah, I was sobbing on the couch.

A staff member, Halifax Public Libraries

Loved the inclusion of Scott and Kip’s story! I could see how this could have been excluded if production was pressed for time, as it’s not the main story, but I LOVED this couple. I was kicking my feet every time Scott came in to flirt-order another smoothie. And that coming out and embrace at center ice was maybe the most heartwarming moment of the show.

Martha Hansen, assistant director and head of adult services, Woodstock Public Library in Illinois

For me, it is the tunnel scene. The anguish and emotions that Ilya expresses is so evocative and beautiful. I also really love the scene in Room 1217 during the All-Star Game in Tampa where Ilya and Shane truly start communicating with each other. That conversation and the truths they share is the turning point from them going from a situationship to a relationship.

Photo credit: Bell Media

Emily Bishop, library clerk, Parma Public Library in New York

Romance especially has really hit a wave of popularity and has been able to encourage larger demographics to reach for a book who may not have otherwise, and it has also expanded genre reading for those who often feel themselves gravitating towards one subject matter or another. There’s something special about romance that I’ve heard many new reading fans describe as approachable or less intimidating. I think people can often forget that reading is not all about classics or super-emotional reads; it can also be silly and fun, which romance tends to be. As library employees and as readers, we have a double experience of wanting to expand what the library offers as well as wanting to check out the materials we want to read, which often aligns with what is new and what is popular.

What I love about the books is the fact that they’re all connected. I remember when the show was releasing episodes weekly, and the Scott and Kip episode came out, and people who had not read the books were confused as to the diversion from Shane and Ilya. Well, book fans like me were evil-villain-like, rubbing our hands together, muahahaha-ing, because we know, having read Game Changer and then Heated Rivalry, that Scott and Kip are a major reason for Shane and Ilya deciding to try to make a committed relationship work. But the character crossovers don’t end there. I think Ilya makes at least one cameo in every book and says something quippy before popping back out. We also see more Scott and Kip in Common Goal, which is equally fun, seeing how they’ve spent their time after being out as a couple for a couple of years. Pretty much each main character of all the books, post-Game Changer, you meet at least once before their book. By the time you get to that next book starring either Ryan, Kyle, or Troy, you’re so excited because you want to know the internal world of those characters. I think that’s why I like Role Model so much, because you meet Troy during Tough Guy when he’s hiding behind this “macho guy” mask and contributing to a lot of those negative masculine stereotypes about hockey. And then some stuff happens (no spoilers) where he realizes that he’s been connecting himself with bad people and hurting others by contributing to certain expectations. Then he’s traded to a new team and is in brand-new territory where he feels super-isolated and is able to confront all of that and make an active change in his life to better himself and his community. So yes, there is that fluffy romance of it all that is always so endearing, but then there is also seeing characters you have already read and seeing how they’re doing on top of the real character growth that keeps readers invested in the series as they move from one book to the next.

Grace Engelbrecht, library director, Parma Public Library

Participating in the cultural conversation allows an organic way to connect with our community and patrons. When we know what people are watching, reading, or talking about, it provides greater knowledge to us on what we should have in our collection and be able to serve people with things that are in demand and relevant to them. Having our pulse on that also offers connection and visibility online, and it’s always encouraging when libraries are talked about positively!

Photo credit: Bell Media

Cat Dwyer, outreach and reference librarian, Duxbury Free Library in Massachusetts

With ongoing political challenges in libraries, being a part of pop culture movements such as this is vital. So many people forget what libraries provide—and yes, it’s more than hockey smut: We connect unemployed people with their next big career move, students with their tutors, those who are struggling with community support, film buffs with an old favorite, and readers with their next obsession. By showing the community that we’re listening, that we’re paying attention, we can provide the community with what it needs, along with what it wants.

I’ve been engaging in a good deal of online discourse regarding Shane being confirmed by the author as being autistic, and how important it was to actor Hudson Williams to give the portrayal the grace it deserved. It’s opened up the conversation on autism in adults and how those with autism are often handled with gloves on by the media: Williams’ performance brings visibility to the syndrome without any harm. It’s been an incredible triumph for Canadian media—and I can’t wait for season 2!

Sam Correia, outreach and reference librarian, Duxbury Free Library

Not only is the show great, but it also has the added benefit of getting people into reading who maybe want to join the pop culture conversation. In the same way that Heated Rivalry has gotten people into hockey (myself included—I’ve been watching a lot of PWHL Boston Fleet games recently), I think the show is getting people into reading as well. I personally love a pop culture moment, and we know our patrons do too. We want to connect people to the things that they love, or didn’t know that they would love.

We think about who is underrepresented at the library, who is not getting the library services they need, and how we can meet people where they are out in the community. Our “patrons” might have never stepped foot in a library, but they’re still our patrons because they live in our communities and deserve to get access to public services. So their needs and their interests are inherently our needs and interests.

I think the general public has this idea of libraries as a thing of the past, but obviously we know that this is not the case. Part of changing this public narrative is growing and adapting the types of services we provide, which most libraries already do (tech help, addiction recovery resources, free food pantries, programming, ESL classes, Library of Things, GED and literacy services, the list goes on and on). And part of changing this public narrative is buying books that actively reflect the lives and experiences of our community members. So that means buying books written by BIPOC authors, LGBTQ authors, immigrant authors, and more. And it means being willing to go to bat for these books by marginalized authors when these books are under attack. Because when we go to bat for these books, we send a message to our communities that we will stand up for you.

There are a lot of people online talking about exactly why Heated Rivalry has become such a cultural phenomenon. There are a lot of reasons—great actors, amazing writing, etc.—but what I think is most important is that it’s a show about queer love and queer joy. So of course, the “Cottage Episode” is my favorite part of the show (and also the book) because we get to see a representation of queerness that is not intertwined with tragedy, as so much queer media has been historically. And that’s when you can find queer media; as many of us know, LGBTQ media is actively being censored in schools and libraries all across the country. Or, in other cases of censorship, being quietly removed from streaming platforms and government websites. Our history is being actively erased before our eyes, and public libraries play a part in preserving this history and making sure it doesn’t get hidden.

Not only are LGBTQ books being banned across the country, but I talk to so many fellow queer/trans library workers about their experiences in this current moment. Library workers are being called “groomers” and “pedophiles” for daring to buy LGBTQ books, for not succumbing to the wills of homophobic and transphobic book banners. This is not just about the removal of books from libraries (though this needs to be taken seriously); people are also attacking LGBTQ programming and any library worker in general who dares to uphold intellectual freedom. Queer and trans library workers are especially at risk, as they are often the ones dealing with the majority of these harmful remarks, along with any homophobia/transphobia they may face from the general public. We not only need to advocate for our LGBTQ patrons, but also our LGBTQ staff too. One of the central tensions of Heated Rivalry is that Shane and Ilya both worry about coming out. It’s not a leap to make the connection that this is relatable to many LGBTQ library workers who fear repercussions from their employers. 

As librarians, we want to show to our patrons that stories of queer joy matter, and their joy matters, and that their stories deserve to be told and shared. So libraries talking about Heated Rivalry in this moment is not just to hop on the pop culture train, but it’s also to show our patrons that we not only value but celebrate queer joy. And that we, as library workers, take our queer joy very seriously. Our government is actively trying to erase queer and trans people from public life. I am overjoyed—and simultaneously, cannot believe—that a story like Heated Rivalry gets to exist.