Heated Rivalry

“You were hard, weren’t you? For how long? The whole game?”

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REVIEW

Would I read this again? Yes No Maybe

Spicy Level Legend How spicy is this book?

Tropes	Trigger Warnings
Hockey romance, MM romance, Enemies to lovers, Slow burn, Hidden romance, Forbidden romance	Death of a parent, Mild homophobia

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SUMMARY

Want to just skip to the spice? I got you: Prologue, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 18, 20, 23, 25, 26, Bonus

Shane Hollander is the best young hockey player in Canada and his team is going up against Russia - and the best young hockey player in Russia, Ilya Rozanov - in the World Junior Hockey Championships. Ilya is interested in Shane as in who is this person that I keep getting compared to and why does he think he’s better than me? They meet outside of the arena but Ilya doesn’t say much, except to talk smack (which is what he does). Shane thinks he’s kind of a dick and Ilya thinks Shane is adorable with his freckles. Ilya ends up winning the Championship.

They meet again 6 months later in LA, at the NHL draft. Ilya gets picked as the number 1 draft pick and goes to the Boston Bears. Shane gets drafted second to the Montreal Voyageurs. The sports world was already comparing the two of them since they were considered the best at the time, but once they both got drafted 1 and 2, and to two teams that already had a rivalry, so the press is pretty excited. Shane isn’t happy that he came in second to Ilya (again) but he’s happy about Montreal. He grew up in Ottawa, which is only two hours away so he’ll be close to home.

That evening, Shane can’t sleep and he decides to go to the gym thinking working up a sweat will help him sleep. He starts running at an easy pace. Then Ilya arrives and gets on the treadmill right next to Shane. Ilya starts running but at a slightly faster pace. Shane turns up his speed. They go back and forth increasing their speeds until they are sprinting. Shane doesn’t want to quit first but he ends up hitting the emergency stop first. They both end up sitting on the floor, incredibly out of breath. Shane can’t stop looking at Ilya and he starts thinking what would it be like to kiss him. And then he’s like wtf, I’m not gay.

I cannot properly capture the yearning but ugh…its perfection.

They see each other again 6 months later in Ottawa for the World Junior Hockey Championships. This time, Shane wins. On his home turf.

Seven months later, they see each other in Toronto. They are filming a commercial together. After, in the shower, Ilya takes the one directly across Shane. Shane can’t help but admire Ilya in the shower and realizes that his dick is also admiring. He doesn’t get turned around fast enough before Ilya sees it. Shane is embarrassed but then Ilya starts stroking himself and Shane’s like oh…wait a minute. Shane tells him not here and he leaves the shower. In the locker room, Shane tries to be like we can just forget that. Ilya asked him what room he is in. Shane quickly answers. Ilya says what if I show up around 9pm, Shane says I might answer, Ilya says I might knock.

Shane spends the time freaking out until Ilya shows up. They make out…they blow each other. Ilya tells him he has been with a man before, his coach’s son back in Russia. Shane admits to never doing this before.

3 months later (we are now in October 2010), they play their first game against each other in Montreal. The NHL makes a point to constantly point out that its Rozanov vs Hollander - their rivalry is good for business. Ilya loses and is so mad at himself for losing to Shane. He is back in his hotel room when he gets a phone call from his brother, Andrei, in Russia. Andrei is asking for money. Ilya doesn’t want to but knows if he doesn’t, he’ll just get a phone call from his father, so he agrees to send the money in the morning.

January 2011, they are in Nashville for the All Stars Skills and Game and the NHL wants them to do a press conference together. During it, one of the reporters asks a very long convoluted question, Ilya hesitates and Shane can tell he is trying to translate all of those English words, so Shane answers first. Ilya is grateful and just says he agrees with everything Shane says.

One of the skills they are competing against each other is the shot accuracy competition. Ilya goes first and hits all 4 in 8 seconds. Shane goes next and hits all 4 in 6.7 seconds. Not only beating Ilya but beating the previous record of 7 seconds. Before Ilya leaves, he mentions he’s going to bed early and then whispers his room number to Shane. They hook up again and Ilya mentions wanting to have sex with Shane. Shane says not here. Ilya says okay, well we play Montreal in two weeks, we can meet up there. Ilya takes Shane’s phone and adds himself to it as Lily. Shane is Jane on his phone.

Two of my favorite lines from the show happen here, “You are homeless?” “Hollander, you are having panic attack.”

Two weeks later, in Montreal, Shane gets a hotel room in the same hotel as the Boston Bears, just a few floors up. He feels weird having Ilya come to his house because what if someone sees? Also, that makes it feel more than just hookups if they are at each other’s houses.

After the game, Ilya makes good on his promise to fuck Shane.

June is the month of the NHL awards that get held in Las Vegas. Shane and Ilya were both up for Rookie of the Year but Shane ended up winning. He looked around for Ilya at the after party and couldn't find him. He decided to go up to the roof to get some air and check out the Vegas view. He finds Ilya up there. He thinks Ilya is pouting but Ilya makes a comment about how he has to go home to Russia for the summer. Even though Shane is not observant enough to notice, we (the readers) know that Ilya is dreading that. Hence, his bad attitude. Also, he is going to go home to his father (who sucks) and have to hear about how he didn’t win Rookie of the Year. Ilya ends up pushing Shane against a wall and kissing him. Shane (eventually) pushes him off and says we can’t do this up here. (Geez Shane it's always “not here” “not here”).

On a flight in December, we meet Ryan Price. He got traded to the Bears and he’s having a hard time fitting in. Ilya tries to talk to him when he notices Ryan having anxiety on the plane. Ryan admits to having lots of anxiety issues but Ilya kinda likes him anyways.

The next night before the game against Montreal, Ilya texts Shane and Shane gets annoyed because he thinks he’s trying to fuck with him before they play each other. After the game, Shane texts Ilya an address. When Ilya shows up he thinks maybe Hollander is going to punk him or kill him because it's an abandoned building and Shane said go around back. But Shane opens up the door, lets Ilya in, then yells at him for texting him before a game. “You were hard, weren’t you? For how long? The whole game?”

Shane did not invite Ilya to his house but to an investment property that Shane bought. Shane bought them a building to fuck in. Which Ilya really likes. Shane obviously really likes it too, and it's been awhile, because he gets off without Ilya even touching him. Which Ilya can’t help but make fun of him for. “Hey, remember when you shot your load for like no reason at all?” Ilya can’t help but smile all the way back to his hotel.

February 2014 the winter Olympics are being held in Russia. Shane wants to see Ilya but knows that he shouldn’t because they’re supposed to hate each other, they’re playing for their own countries, and Russia has a thing against gay people so better not out Ilya. Shane does try to talk to him once only for Ilya to shoot him down and tell him to go away. But Ilya is dealing with his own shit. His dad (who sucks) has dementia and is in denial about it. Not only is he in denial but so is Andrei. Also, have I mentioned his dad sucks?

Ilya’s team sucks in the Olympics and they lose pretty quickly. Canada vs America and America wins (good job Scott). Ilya uses this as fuel to win the Stanley Cup later that year.

They don’t see each other again until June in Vegas for the NHL awards. They are presenting an award together, Most Sportsmanlike, which is the NHL way of making a joke out of their rivalry. Shane gets nervous because Ilya isn’t there yet and they go on within a minute. Ilya meanwhile is freaking out in a backstage bathroom because he hasn’t seen or talked to Shane since the Olympics but he has thought about him every day and that’s already concerning enough. He spotted Shane backstage without Shane seeing and he felt like he might have a panic attack. He pulls himself together and goes out in time to go out on stage. During, the NHL have them do this skit where Ilya asks for a picture together with Shane and then is supposed to ask for his phone number so he can text it to him. All in haha they’re such rivals fun. But Ilya really does take like 6 pictures of him and Shane.

After they present, Shane goes straight to a bathroom and Ilya follows. They banter back and forth and Ilya offers a deal. If Shane wins MVP tonight, Ilya will do whatever he wants, but the same goes if Ilya wins. He kisses Shane and quickly pulls away. He wants to do nothing else but kiss Shane for the rest of the night.

Ilya wins MVP and Shane ends up in his room later. Ilya tells Shane he wants him to “Show off for me...is my special night, Hollander. I want to watch you.” He is trying to play it cool and indifferent but when Shane says, “Please. I - I need…you”, Ilya loses the game he was trying to play. He talks to Shane in Russian and says, “Why does it have to be you? Why are you so perfect? It’s fucking awful.” (And all of our hearts break for him). They fuck but they don’t kiss. Ilya wants to kiss him, he wants to fall asleep kissing him, and wake up kissing, and just never stop. Shane tries to have a conversation with him about the summer, but being reminded he has to go back to Russia, makes Ilya shut down. Shane leaves after Ilya makes a comment about going to sleep. Shane realizes later that they didn’t kiss and he hates how much he regrets it.

October 2016 - Ilya comes to Montreal and beats Shane. They meet up at the building and Shane is not in a good mood. He is trying to convince himself that he really does hate Ilya like everyone thinks and he is definitely ending whatever this is soon. Afterwards, Ilya looks at Shane a little too softly and tells him that he’s beautiful. So Shane deflects. Ilya makes a joke that hits too close to home, that he has ruined Shane for anybody else. As Ilya is leaving, he apologizes for having to go and Shane says that he doesn’t care, they’re done here right? Ilya kind of stares at him and then is like yeah… I guess. They agree they will meet up in three weeks when they play each other again.

Three weeks later, they meet up at Ilya’s apartment, the night before the game. Ilya wants Shane to be on top so he can see him and he makes a point to put his hand over Shane’s hand. He also calls him “sweetheart” during. After, and after he gets cleaned up, Shane thinks he should go but Ilya taps the bed and Shane willingly goes back to it. Ilya just lightly kisses Shane’s face and neck. Murmurs to him in Russian. Then asks Shane to spend the night. Shane’s like I can’t do that. Ilya says he isn’t done with him yet, why can’t they have all night? Ilya convinces him to stay and, against his better judgement, he agrees. They make out for a bit and then Ilya wants to make him food. Ilya makes them tuna melts and they sit on the couch watching hockey. They talk - about hockey, about how Ilya hooks up with women, how Shane should hook up with women and Shane tries to not blurt out that he doesn’t want to do that. Ilya gets a phone call from Russia (his sucky dad) and Shane inwardly freaks out thinking about how he doesn’t really like women at all…or maybe he hasn’t met the right one…but then a thought comes to his head, “No one makes me feel like Ilya Rozanov does.”

When they finish their tuna melts, Ilya sits right next to Shane on the couch and moves Shane around so that his back is resting against Ilya’s side, and they’re cuddling. Then they fool around again, this time when Ilya finishes he says, “Oh god. Shane…” instead of Hollander. Shane looks at him and they’re both like oh fuck. Then Shane says “Ilya” and Ilya kisses him. Shane (like he does) freaks out and says he needs to go. Ilya is confused, because Shane said he’d stay the night. When he realizes Shane is actually leaving, he looks upset and confused, and then tries to act like he doesn’t care. Shane wants to stay. He wants to continue kissing Ilya. He wants to go to bed and wake up next to him. So he forces himself to leave. Because he can’t have these feelings. Towards a man. Especially a man that everyone considers to be his arch-rival.

A week or so later, JJ (Shane’s friend and teammate) invites him out to a bar. Says the cast of a new movie is there which includes Rose Landry, a hot, single, actress. Shane goes out because JJ won’t leave him alone. He ends up meeting Rose and they hit it off. Shane was pretty excited to realize that he might actually like a girl.

A month later, it's all over the internet that Shane and Rose are dating. Ilya’s like no, no, not happening. (But really Ilya, you fuck all the girls, so shush).

Another month later and more and more pictures of them are everywhere. Ilya does acknowledge to himself that it shouldn’t matter because he is having sex with women all the time. But Shane doesn’t do that. And neither one of them go out on consecutive dates with the same woman.

When Montreal and Boston play each other next, Shane expects Ilya to message him, but he doesn’t. He ends up going out with Rose after the game to a club and who is at the club? Ilya. Grinding up on some girl and making out with her. Shane sees it and feels sick and wants to leave immediately but he is kinda stuck staring at him. Ilya sees him staring before Shane leaves. Ilya leaves (alone) and is pissed off in his hotel room refusing to acknowledge why he is mad (that he’s in love with Shane) and thinks it's just because he now has to share his favorite toy with an actress.

A week later, Shane and Rose go out on a date. Rose tells him she has a lot of fun with Shane but maybe….is he gay? Shane (of course) freaks out. They break up but Rose tells him that she really does like him and wants to be friends. They agree to keep in touch.

That same night, in Boston, Ilya is with his long term hook up Svetlana. They are friends with benefits. Her father was a hockey coach so Svetlana knows a lot about hockey, and speaks Russian, so double win for Ilya. Ilya shocks himself and Svetlana by not wanting to go for round two and telling her to get dressed so they can eat. Ilya thinks to himself that he wouldn’t have asked Shane to get dressed.

Later that month, at the All Stars in Tampa Bay, Ilya finds out that Shane and Rose are not dating, and for once they are put on the same team so they’re allowed to hang out around each other. It won’t be seen as weird. They meet up one night and Shane tries to talk about his feelings but Ilya shuts him down. Tells him he can’t do this, he can’t be gay, he could never go back to Russia, and all the shit happening right now with his dad and his dementia. They kiss, fuck, kiss some more, cuddle a bit. Ilya wants Shane to stay but Shane says it's too risky with all the other hockey players in the hotel. Shane asks Ilya what he would do if he didn’t have to go back to Russia over the summer. Ilya says he’d love to go somewhere with Shane that no one would know them. Shane’s like it would never work. They call each other their first names again which makes Shane smile all the way back to his room.

Starting in February, they start texting more. Shane wonders why they never did this before. Usually just talking about hockey. Ilya opens up more about his family - how his stepmother and brother hit him up for money all the time. How his dad isn’t doing well. After the game, Ilya was going to call Shane to come back over, but he got a phone call from Andrei. His dad died and Ilya rushes home to Russia to deal with it. Shane wonders why Ilya didn’t get a hold of him and the next day he finds out that Ilya didn’t travel with the team. He eventually gets so worried that he calls Ilya - something they have never done before. Ilya doesn’t really want to talk but Shane tells him to call him if he needs him.

Two days later, Ilya calls. He tells Shane it's just a lot and it's hard to say it all in English. Shane tells him to just let it all out in Russian. He won’t understand it but it might help. So Ilya unloads (feelings this time not…other things). Ilya said a lot but ended with telling Shane he thinks he’s in love with him. In Russian. Which made him feel better because technically he said it out loud to Shane, but Shane just didn't understand. Before they hang up, Shane tells Ilya he wishes he was there. And then is like oh shit we don’t do that but Ilya responds that he feels the same.

The next day, they video chat. They talk about lots of stuff. They video chat the next night too. They talk, they jerk off on video, they talk some more. Ilya realizes it's not a “thinks” he’s in love. He knows he’s in love. And this wasn’t supposed to fucking happen.

In April, Boston and Montreal are playing against each other when Shane gets hurt. He ends up breaking his collarbone and getting a concussion. Ilya freaks out but knows he can’t be outwardly freaking out. (We find out in The Long Game, when Shane watches a clip, how Ilya hovers over Shane, how they have to force him to move, how he stays close until Shane gets off the ice. Shane can’t believe that no one knew from that incident what they meant to each other.) The next day, Ilya goes to the hospital to check on Shane. Telling himself that it's not abnormal for the captain of the opposing team to go check on an injured player. Shane is upset because he’s out of the playoffs and he doesn’t know when he will see Ilya again. Shane invites him to come to his cottage in the summer and Ilya says maybe.

In May, Boston loses to New York (aka Scott Hunter) in the playoffs. In June, New York wins the Stanley Cup and Scott Hunter grabs his boyfriend, Kip, and kisses him on TV.

Ilya and Shane had been texting. Ilya is still trying to decide if he’s going to the cottage or not. When Scott kisses Kip, they are both freaking out. Ilya calls Shane and says he’s coming to the cottage.

Before heading to the cottage, Ilya goes to Vegas for the NHL awards, and then goes out to a gay bar for Scott Hunter Night. He tries to make nice with Scott but…he’s Ilya and he just likes to start shit. But he is there to support him.

In July, Ilya heads to Ottawa to the cottage. At first, they feel a little weird. They’ve never spent this much time together before. But they get over that quickly. Ilya admits to Shane that he hasn’t been with anyone since they were last together in February. Shane is really happy about this. Shane wants them to be honest with each other over the next two weeks and Ilya says he will try.

They talk a lot. Share a lot. Ilya mentions he would like to get his citizenship to America or Canada. He could always marry Svetlana for citizenship. Shane asks him if he wants to marry a woman. And Ilya says he has this terrible problem, he has all these sexy women, but he can’t stop thinking about this stupid hockey player with freckles, and he wishes all the women were him. Shane asks him if he wants the problem to go away, Ilya says never. Shane says “Don’t marry Svetlana”.

They start trying to come up with a plan. They think that maybe if they can convince the hockey world that they are friends, and not arch rivals, that maybe eventually, their rivalry will calm down. Ilya thinks maybe if he didn’t play for Boston, maybe the rivalry would die down. Montreal and Boston are big rivals anyways so that’s never going away. Ilya says he’s a free agent after next season, so maybe, he could join a Canadian team, and then he could get citizenship eventually. Shane loves this idea.

Shane thinks maybe he should try and sign with Ottawa. They need someone in Ilya’s position, plus they’d only be two hours away from each other then. And maybe, they could start a charity together. A hockey camp for kids and all proceeds could go to mental health services. Shane said we could just say that they approached each other, developed respect, and maybe, one day, when they retire, they can be together for real. Ilya is shocked that Shane is thinking so far ahead. He (FINALLY) tells Shane that he loves him and Shane says it back.

The next day, they are making out on the patio, when they hear a noise and Shane’s dad is inside the house staring at them. His dad quickly leaves. Shane goes after him but he’s already gone. Ilya finds this a little funny. They head over to his parents house. His dad said he had tried calling, but he just needed to borrow some dishwasher pods. His parents are shocked. Not so much that Shane is gay, but that he is with Ilya. His mom is like but you hate him. Shane’s like no, not really, I actually love him. Which is more shocking to his parents. Shane tells them that they’ve been hooking up since 2010.

They tell his parents about their idea. His mom is shocked that Ilya would leave Boston for Shane. His parents accept it pretty easily and make them promise to come around for dinner before Ilya leaves. Shane feels like this has been the weirdest day of his life, meanwhile, Ilya thinks it's been the best day. He had a shitty family, but Shane has the best family, and he thinks he’ll be welcomed with open arms. They talk some more, Shane making his plans, and Ilya trying to distract him. But they’re going to do this. Ilya will join Ottawa, they will start a charity, they will be friends, and one day, they’ll get married.

November 2018 - So far, the plan is going well. Ilya has moved to Ottawa, they have started a charity and will be announcing it in two weeks. Hayden (Shane’s teammate and friend) found out about Ilya and isn’t super happy about it. Ilya is kind of an asshole and Hayden can’t figure out what Shane sees in him. Shane and Ilya invite Hayden and his wife over for dinner. It doesn’t go well. Hayden is being a dick, Ilya can’t stop being a dick, and Shane is annoyed with both of them. Ilya tells him he’s sorry for ruining the night but he loved it - being with Shane, having friends over. He would give up hockey today if Shane wanted to tell everyone they were together. He will always choose Shane. Shane doesn’t want him to do that, and Shane doesn’t want to give up on hockey. Shane just keeps saying one day, one day.

Two weeks later, they announce their charity, and their friendship, with the proceeds going to mental health services.

Their story continues in The Long Game.