TL; DR: 

• Relationship Focus: Ryan Price (Defenseman - Toronto Guardians) and Fabian Salah (Musician)
• Book Club Etiquette: Follow the sub-rules, literary critiques are welcome (be respectful), cover your spoilers, and don’t forget our safe phrase: “Agree to Disagree.”
• Listen to the Tough Guy Spotify playlist, curated by Rachel Reid herself.

—--

Hey Loons!

If you’ve been sticking with us, we’re just starting the back half of Book 3: Tough Guy. And, yes, we are posting slightly ahead of schedule because...why not? This gives us an extra day to share our thoughts on the back half of this book.

Speaking of, it's been so fun chatting with you all so far, and I'm anxious to read what you think about this book once you're done. There have already been some thought-provoking takes in our Week 6 thread, so I'm looking forward to more of that this week!

Oh, and if you'd like a GC Universe timeline view of this book, check out this one (SPOILERS ahead) created by u/andyfromhk: Tough Guy Timeline (Instagram Post)

🗺️BOOK CLUB TIMELINE:

🎻Tough Guy (Ryan & Fabian) • Week 6 - 7 • Jun 27 - Jul 11

• ✅ Week 6: Prologue & Chapters 1 - 14
• ⏭️ WEEK 7: CHAPTERS 15 - 27 & EPILOGUE • JUL 5  JUL 4 - JUL 11

 

View the full week-by-week schedule here. For your convenience, a condensed version of the timeline can be found below:

• 🍹 Common Goal (Eric & Kyle) • Week 8 - 9 • Jul 12 - Jul 25
• 🍎 Role Model (Troy & Harris) • Week 10 - 11 • Jul 26 - Aug 8
• 🦆The Long Game (Shane & Ilya Pt. 2) • Week 12 - 14 • Aug 9 - Aug 29

🧐ABOUT THIS BOOK:

>Pro hockey star Ryan Price may be an enforcer, but off the ice he struggles with anxiety. Recently traded to the Toronto Guardians, he’s determined to make a fresh start in the city’s dynamic LGBTQ Village. The last thing he expects to stumble upon in his new neighborhood is a blast from his past in the fabulous form of Fabian Salah.

>Aspiring musician Fabian loathes hockey. But that doesn’t stop him from being attracted to a certain burly, ginger-bearded defenseman. He hasn’t forgotten the kiss they almost shared back in high school, and it’s clear the chemistry between them has only intensified.

>Fabian is more than happy to be Ryan’s guide to the gay scene in Toronto. Between dance clubs and art exhibits—and the most amazing sex—Ryan’s starting to feel something he hasn’t experienced in a long time: joy. But playing the role of the heavy on the ice has taken its toll on his body and mind, and a future with Fabian may mean hanging up his skates for good.

(source: goodreads • content

🎵MUSIC: Tough Guy - Spotify - Rachel Reid

🔢BINGO: Download the Tough Guy BINGO Card! Still no BINGO Winner just yet! 

• Mark spaces as you go.
• Share context for each marked space in the comments
• The first to share BINGO will be awarded a unique flair and receive a post announcement under our “Trophy Room” tag See our most recent winner!

🤝ETIQUETTE: A few ground rules for participating in the Game Changers Book Club evnet:

• Follow the sub rules. You love HR. We love HR. Follow the rules. Don’t be rude. We’ll have so much fun…together.
• Literary critiques are absolutely welcome. Reading is fundamental, and so are literary critiques. It’s part of the game. We encourage you to use this time to discuss and evaluate the words in front of us, ask questions about specific literary choices, or share a theory about how the story develops. Sharing that is normal, healthy, and very much encouraged. 
• Use the Book Club safe phrase, “Agree to disagree.” Consider this your “safe phrase.” Everyone brings a unique perspective to the reading experience, and not everyone’s analysis of a scene or character will be the same, and that’s okay. If you find yourself entering an exchange that is no longer on a path to mutual understanding and respect, say “agree to disagree.” At this point, the involved parties should stop responding to the thread. Full stop. Consider it a moment where the exchange has run its course. 
• Sort comments by “New” to see the most recent reactions and add to the conversation. These live threads can hold a lot of information, so feel free to treat each “comment” as its own mini-post. Reply to the OP, ask questions, and jump in! 
• Cover any spoilers. Since we're covering a lot of ground this week, please use spoilers over critical plot points so we don't spoil the magic for new readers.

🔗QUICK LINKS:

• The Game Changers Book Club Wiki  - About the GC Book Club, the Book Club schedule, live thread links, where to find the books, and more!
• r/heatedrivalry FAQs - FAQs about the GC universe and the sub.
• Heated Rivalry Wiki - A website for sharing show/book timelines, analyses, and more!

Happy Reading! 🤓

TL; DR: 

• Now Reading: Tough Guy - Ryan and Fabian’s story • Prologue & Chapters 1 - 14
• Relationship Focus: Ryan Price (Defenseman for the Toronto Guardians) and Fabian Salah (Aspiring Musician)
• Book Club Etiquette: Follow the sub-rules, literary critiques are welcome (be respectful), cover your spoilers, and don’t forget our safe phrase: “Agree to Disagree.”
• Listen to the Tough Guy Spotify playlist, curated by Rachel Reid herself.

—--

Hey Loons! We’re just about at the halfway mark, and we’re kicking off this next stretch of the read-along with the Prologue & Chapters 1 - 14  of Tough Guy! 

This book is special because it introduces two characters who will be part of Season 2 of the show. Can't wait to hear what you think about Ryan and Fabian's story!

🗺️ WE ARE HERE - SERIES TIMELINE:

BOOK	WEEKS	DATES
🎻Tough Guy (Ryan & Fabian)	Week 6 - 7	Jun 27 - Jul 11
📌 WE ARE HERE → → →	Week 6: Prologue, Chapters 1 - 14	Jun 27 - Jul 3
	Week 7: Chapters 15 -27 & Epilogue	Jul 5 - Jul 11

View the full week-by-week schedule here. For your convenience, here’s a condensed version of the schedule below:

BOOK	WEEKS	DATES
🍹 Common Goal (Eric & Kyle)	Week 8 - 9	Jul 12 - Jul 25
🍎 Role Model (Troy & Harris)	Week 10 - 11	Jul 26 - Aug 8
🦆The Long Game (Shane & Ilya Pt. 2)	Week 12 - 14	Aug 9 - Aug 29

🎵MUSIC: Tough Guy - Spotify - Rachel Reid

🔢 BINGO: Download the Tough Guy BINGO Card!

• Mark spaces as you go.
• Share context for each marked space in the comments
• BINGO is achieved when you fill in 5 squares in a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal row.
• The first to share BINGO will be awarded a unique flair and receive a post announcement under our “Trophy Room” tag!

🤝 ETIQUETTE: A few ground rules for participating in the Game Changers Book Club event:

• Follow the sub rules. You love HR. We love HR. Follow the rules. Don’t be rude. We’ll have so much fun…together.
• Literary critiques are absolutely welcome. Reading is fundamental, and so are literary critiques. It’s part of the game. We encourage you to use this time to discuss and evaluate the words in front of us, ask questions about specific literary choices, or share a theory about how the story develops. Sharing that is normal, healthy, and very much encouraged. 
• Use the Book Club safe phrase, “Agree to disagree.” Consider this your “safe phrase.” Everyone brings a unique perspective to the reading experience, and not everyone’s analysis of a scene or character will be the same, and that’s okay. If you find yourself entering an exchange that is no longer on a path to mutual understanding and respect, say “agree to disagree.” At this point, the involved parties should stop responding to the thread. Full stop. Consider it a moment where the exchange has run its course. 
• Treat each Book Club post as your live chat/thread. Comment as much as you’d like! Select the three dots (•••) and “Follow Post” at the top of this post to receive comment notifications. 
• Sort comments by “New” to see the most recent reactions and add to the conversation. These live threads can hold a lot of information, so feel free to treat each “comment” as its own mini-post. Reply to the OP, ask questions, and jump in! 
• Cover any spoilers. Since we're covering a lot of ground this week, please use spoilers over critical plot points so we don't spoil the magic for new readers.

🔗 QUICK LINKS:

• The Game Changers Book Club Wiki  - About the GC Book Club, the Book Club schedule, live thread links, where to find the books, and more!
• r/heatedrivalry FAQs - FAQs about the GC universe and the sub.
• Heated Rivalry Wiki - A website for sharing show/book timelines, analyses, and more!

Happy Reading! 🤓

TL; DR: 

• We’re finishing off Heated Rivalry (Book 2) by reading: Epilogue (end of the book), My Dinner with Hayden, Halloween with Ilya
• Next Book: Tough Guy - Ryan and Fabian’s story, where “opposites attract when a hockey enforcer and a musician collide for the second time."
• Relationship Focus: Shane Hollander (Captain of the Montreal Voyageurs) and Ilya Rozanov (Captain of the Boston Bears). 
• Book Club Etiquette: Follow the sub-rules, literary critiques are welcome (be respectful), cover your spoilers, and don’t forget our safe phrase: “Agree to Disagree.”
• Share all of your thoughts below! Sort by “New” to view the most recent comments and respond to other Loons.
• BINGO Winner: u/Crafty-Syllabub-2736 (view answers) - you’re still welcome to download a BINGO card and see what you come up with here.
• Listen to the Heated Rivalry Spotify playlist, curated by Rachel Reid herself.

—--

Hey Loons!

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading the inner dialogue, thoughts, and feelings from two of our favorite hockey players. Before we move on to the next book, we figured we’d dedicate this week to a few bonus stories from the Heated Rivalry (Book 2) timeline: 

• The Epilogue - found at the end of the book, it's a look at life immediately after making the commitment to give things a try.
• My Dinner with Hayden - a comical guess-who ’s-coming-to-dinner-style bonus story that sets the tone for Hayden and Ilya’s relationship.
• Halloween with Ilya - Ilya demonstrates the art of multi-tasking by simultaneously rage-baiting the love of his life while handing out candy to his neighbors.

We hope you enjoy these final chapters of Part 1 of Shane and Ilya’s story and keep sharing what you think about the dynamic between Shane, Ilya, and now Hayden below. 

🎻Next week, starting June 27, we begin Tough Guy. This story centers around Ryan and Fabian, where “opposites attract when a hockey enforcer and a musician collide for the second time.”

🗺️ WHERE WE ARE IN THE BOOK/SERIES:

BOOK	WEEKS	DATES
🔥 Heated Rivalry (Shane & Ilya Pt.1)	Week 3 - 5	Jun 6 - Jun 26
	Week 1: Prologue, Chapters 1 - 14	Jun 6 - Jun 12
	Week 2: Chapters 15 - 27	Jun 13 - Jun 19
📌 WE ARE HERE → → →	Week 3: Bonus Stories:  Epilogue, My Dinner with Hayden, Halloween with Ilya	Jun 20 - Jun 26

View the full week-by-week schedule here. For your convenience, here’s a condensed version of the schedule below:

BOOK	WEEKS	DATES
🎻Tough Guy (Ryan & Fabian)	Week 6 - 7	Jun 27 - Jul 11
🍹 Common Goal (Eric & Kyle)	Week 8 - 9	Jul 12 - Jul 25
🍎 Role Model (Troy & Harris)	Week 10 - 11	Jul 26 - Aug 8
🦆The Long Game (Shane & Ilya Pt. 2)	Week 12 - 14	Aug 9 - Aug 29

🔢 BINGO WINNER:

Hang their banner in the rafters! This book's BINGO winner is defending Champion, u/Crafty-Syllabub-2736! Check out their answers here!

If you're interested in still finding your own clues, download this book’s BINGO card here. BINGO winners will be awarded a unique flair and receive a post announcement under our “Trophy Room” tag

🤝 BOOK CLUB ETIQUETTE:
And as a reminder, here are our ground rules, with two additional recommendations: 

• Follow the sub rules. You love HR. We love HR. Follow the rules. Don’t be rude. We’ll have so much fun…together.
• Literary critiques are absolutely welcome. Reading is fundamental, and so are literary critiques. It’s part of the game. We encourage you to use this time to discuss and evaluate the words in front of us, ask questions about specific literary choices, or share a theory about how the story develops. Sharing that is normal, healthy, and very much encouraged. 
• Use the Book Club safe phrase, “Agree to disagree.” Consider this your “safe phrase.” Everyone brings a unique perspective to the reading experience, and not everyone’s analysis of a scene or character will be the same, and that’s okay. If you find yourself entering an exchange that is no longer on a path to mutual understanding and respect, say “agree to disagree.” At this point, the involved parties should stop responding to the thread. Full stop. Consider it a moment where the exchange has run its course. 
• Treat each Book Club post as your live chat/thread. Comment as much as you’d like! Select the three dots (•••) and “Follow Post” at the top of this post to receive comment notifications. 
• Sort comments by “New” to see the most recent reactions and add to the conversation. These live threads can hold a lot of information, so feel free to treat each “comment” as its own mini-post. Reply to the OP, ask questions, and jump in! 
• Cover any spoilers. Since we're covering a lot of ground this week, please use spoilers over critical plot points so we don't spoil the magic for new readers.

🔗 QUICK LINKS:

• Heated Rivalry Spotify Playlist - Check out this Spotify playlist, along with others, curated by Rachel Reid herself!
• The Game Changers Book Club Wiki  - Our sub wiki page detailing the Game Changers Book Club timeline with links to previous read-along sprints, information for where to find the books, and a recap of our original Book Club announcement.
• r/heatedrivalry FAQs - Our sub’s wiki sharing answers to all of your most frequently asked questions
• Heated Rivalry Wiki - A website sharing show/book timelines, analyses, and more!

Happy Reading! 🤓

TL; DR: 

• We’re starting Heated Rivalry (Book 2): Chapters 15 - 27
• Relationship Focus: Shane Hollander (Captain of the Montreal Voyageurs) and Ilya Rozanov (Captain of the Boston Bears). 
• Book Club Etiquette: Follow the sub-rules, literary critiques are welcome (be respectful), cover your spoilers, and don’t forget our safe phrase: “Agree to Disagree.”
• Share all of your thoughts below! Sort by “New” to view the most recent comments and respond to other Loons.
• Download your BINGO card to level up the reading experience.
• Listen to the Heated Rivalry Spotify playlist, curated by Rachel Reid herself, here.

 

—--

Hey Loons!

Today starts Week 4 of our read-along series, where we’re reading Chapters 15 -27 of Heated Rivalry (Book 2 of 6). This continues the story of Shane Hollander (Captain of the Montreal Voyageurs) and Ilya Rozanov (Captain of the Boston Raiders). This is the final block of this book before we dive into a few fun extras, starting June 20: 

• Epilogue
• My Dinner with Hayden
• Halloween with Ilya

🗺️ WHERE WE ARE IN THE BOOK/SERIES:

BOOK	WEEKS	DATES
🔥 Heated Rivalry (Shane & Ilya Pt.1)	Week 3 - 5	Jun 6 - Jun 26
	Week 1: Prologue, Chapters 1 - 14	Jun 6 - Jun 12
📌 WE ARE HERE → → →	Week 2: Chapters 15 - 27	Jun 13 - Jun 19
	Week 3: Bonus Stories - Epilogue, My Dinner with Hayden, Halloween with Ilya	Jun 20 - Jun 26

View the full week-by-week schedule here. For your convenience, here’s a condensed version of the schedule below:

BOOK	WEEKS	DATES
🎻Tough Guy (Ryan & Fabian)	Week 6 - 7	Jun 27 - Jul 11
🍹 Common Goal (Eric & Kyle)	Week 8 - 9	Jul 12 - Jul 25
🍎 Role Model (Troy & Harris)	Week 10 - 11	Jul 26 - Aug 8
🦆The Long Game (Shane & Ilya Pt. 2)	Week 12 - 14	Aug 9 - Aug 29

🧐 THE OFFICIAL BOOK SYNOPSIS:

Nothing interferes with Shane Hollander’s game—definitely not the sexy rival he loves to hate.

Pro hockey star Shane Hollander isn’t just crazy talented, he’s got a spotless reputation. Hockey is his life. Now that he’s captain of the Montreal Voyageurs, he won’t let anything jeopardize that, especially the sexy Russian whose hard body keeps him awake at night.

Boston Bears captain Ilya Rozanov is everything Shane’s not. The self-proclaimed king of the ice, he’s as cocky as he is talented. No one can beat him—except Shane. They’ve made a career on their legendary rivalry, but when the skates come off, the heat between them is undeniable. When Ilya realizes he wants more than a few secret hookups, he knows he must walk away. The risk is too great.

As their attraction intensifies, they struggle to keep their relationship out of the public eye. If the truth comes out, it could ruin them both. But when their need for each other rivals their ambition on the ice, secrecy is no longer an option. (source: goodreads.com). 

Content warnings found here.

🎵SPOTIFY PLAYLIST: 

I'm not sure if others are like this, but I love listening to music while reading to make it feel like a totally immersive experience, and Rachel has created playlists for 5 of her books on Spotify that give a unique look into each book's soundtrack.

Here’s one Rachel made specifically for Heated Rivalry on Spotify. Give it a listen this week!

🔢 HOW TO PLAY BINGO:
For those looking for a bit of a guided/enhanced reading experience, download this book’s BINGO card here. 

• Save a BINGO card & mark spaces as you go.
• Be prepared to share context for each marked space. 
• BINGO is achieved when you fill in 5 squares in a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal row.
• The first to share BINGO will be awarded a unique flair and receive a post announcement under our “Trophy Room” tag See our most recent winner!

🤝 BOOK CLUB ETIQUETTE:
And as a reminder, here are our ground rules, with two additional recommendations: 

• Follow the sub rules. You love HR. We love HR. Follow the rules. Don’t be rude. We’ll have so much fun…together.
• Literary critiques are absolutely welcome. Reading is fundamental, and so are literary critiques. It’s part of the game. We encourage you to use this time to discuss and evaluate the words in front of us, ask questions about specific literary choices, or share a theory about how the story develops. Sharing that is normal, healthy, and very much encouraged. 
• Use the Book Club safe phrase, “Agree to disagree.” Consider this your “safe phrase.” Everyone brings a unique perspective to the reading experience, and not everyone’s analysis of a scene or character will be the same, and that’s okay. If you find yourself entering an exchange that is no longer on a path to mutual understanding and respect, say “agree to disagree.” At this point, the involved parties should stop responding to the thread. Full stop. Consider it a moment where the exchange has run its course. 
• Treat each Book Club post as your live chat/thread. Comment as much as you’d like! Select the three dots (•••) and “Follow Post” at the top of this post to receive comment notifications. 
• Sort comments by “New” to see the most recent reactions and add to the conversation. These live threads can hold a lot of information, so feel free to treat each “comment” as its own mini-post. Reply to the OP, ask questions, and jump in! 
• Cover any spoilers. Since we're covering a lot of ground this week, please use spoilers over critical plot points so we don't spoil the magic for new readers.

🔗 QUICK LINKS:

• The Game Changers Book Club Wiki  - Our sub wiki page detailing the Game Changers Book Club timeline with links to previous read-along sprints, information for where to find the books, and a recap of our original Book Club announcement.
• r/heatedrivalry FAQs - Our sub’s wiki sharing answers to all of your most frequently asked questions
• Heated Rivalry Wiki - A website of sharing show/book timelines, analyses, and more!

Happy Reading! 🤓

Don't forget to register to join this 1.5-hour virtual live discussion on Zoom with fellow Heated Rivalry fan and death doula Abby Goelzer aka u/GhostHunter-444.

Together we will enter the intersection of masterful storytelling and healing and reflect upon her essay "Did You Hear About Rozanov?" We will stand with Ilya at "The Five Gates of Grief" and journey with him through love, loss, and liberation. To register and spread the word, please use this link: https://luma.com/nixtdnqh 

The concept of "The Five Gates of Grief" was developed by the psychotherapist, author, and soul activist Francis Weller in his book “The Wild Edge of Sorrow”. We will witness and discuss how Ilya arrives, stands at and crosses every gate, coming to the other side as a more evolved character in Season 1. It will also provide you with frameworks to deepen your understanding of his development in the upcoming seasons. The Five Gates of Grief include:

1. Everything we love, we will lose
2. The places that have not known love
3. The sorrows of the World
4. What we expected and did not receive
5. Ancestral grief

If you decide to come along for this live journey, register here: https://luma.com/nixtdnqh
Use the Luma link to spread the word if you know people who would love to join.

What you will need for the ride: first and foremost, reading Abby's essay; a pen and paper or your favorite journal, your comfort drink of choice, and a calm, cozy space for yourself. Keep your streaming service ready for a very intentional reheat as we might view some of the scenes before discussing them in depth.

Looking forward to seeing you on June 13th at 11 am EDT.

Much love,
Abby aka u/GhostHunter-444, u/i-bleed-red and u/wildwomanlove

TL; DR: 

• We’re starting Heated Rivalry (Book 2): Prologue and Chapters 1 - 14
• Relationship Focus: Shane Hollander (Captain of the Montreal Voyageurs) and Ilya Rozanov (Captain of the Boston Bears). 
• Book Club Etiquette: Follow the sub-rules, literary critiques are welcome (be respectful), cover your spoilers, and don’t forget our safe phrase: “Agree to disagree.”
• Share all of your thoughts below! Sort by “New” to view the most recent comments and respond to other Loons.
• Download your BINGO card to level up the reading experience.

—--

Hey Loons!

This week, we're continuing our read-along series with the hit TV show's namesake, Heated Rivalry (Book 2 of 6). Over the next three weeks, we'll be making our way through the story of Shane Hollander (Captain of the Montreal Voyageurs) and Ilya Rozanov (Captain of the Boston Raiders).

Whether this is your first or hundredth time reading, we're excited to (re)visit these beloved characters' internal dialogue, panic moments, and the slow realization that maybe they can be more than just rivals....I think so, probably, yes.

🗺️ WHERE WE ARE IN THE BOOK/SERIES:

BOOK	WEEKS	DATES
🔥 Heated Rivalry (Shane & Ilya Pt.1)	Week 3 - 5	Jun 6 - Jun 26
📌 WE ARE HERE → → →	Week 1: Prologue, Chapters 1 - 14	Jun 6 - Jun 12
	Week 2: Chapters 15 - 27	Jun 13 - Jun 19
	Week 3: Bonus Stories Epilogue, My Dinner with Hayden, Halloween with Ilya	Jun 20 - Jun 26

View the full week-by-week schedule here. For your convenience, here’s a condensed version of the remaining schedule below:

BOOK	WEEKS	DATES
🎻Tough Guy (Ryan & Fabian)	Week 6 - 7	Jun 27 - Jul 11
🍹 Common Goal (Eric & Kyle)	Week 8 - 9	Jul 12 - Jul 25
🍎 Role Model (Troy & Harris)	Week 10 - 11	Jul 26 - Aug 8
🦆The Long Game (Shane & Ilya Pt. 2)	Week 12 - 14	Aug 9 - Aug 29

🧐 THE OFFICIAL BOOK SYNOPSIS:

Nothing interferes with Shane Hollander’s game—definitely not the sexy rival he loves to hate.

Pro hockey star Shane Hollander isn’t just crazy talented, he’s got a spotless reputation. Hockey is his life. Now that he’s captain of the Montreal Voyageurs, he won’t let anything jeopardize that, especially the sexy Russian whose hard body keeps him awake at night.

Boston Bears captain Ilya Rozanov is everything Shane’s not. The self-proclaimed king of the ice, he’s as cocky as he is talented. No one can beat him—except Shane. They’ve made a career on their legendary rivalry, but when the skates come off, the heat between them is undeniable. When Ilya realizes he wants more than a few secret hookups, he knows he must walk away. The risk is too great.

As their attraction intensifies, they struggle to keep their relationship out of the public eye. If the truth comes out, it could ruin them both. But when their need for each other rivals their ambition on the ice, secrecy is no longer an option. (source: goodreads.com). 

Content warnings found here.

🔢 HOW TO PLAY BINGO:
For those looking for a bit of a guided/enhanced reading experience, download this book’s BINGO card here. 

• Save a BINGO card & mark spaces as you go.
• Be prepared to share context for each marked space. 
• BINGO is achieved when you fill in 5 squares in a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal row.
• The first to share BINGO will be awarded a unique flair and receive a post announcement under our “Trophy Room” tag! See our most recent winner!

🤝 BOOK CLUB ETIQUETTE:
And as a reminder, here are our ground rules, with two additional recommendations: 

• Follow the sub rules. You love HR. We love HR. Follow the rules. Don’t be rude. We’ll have so much fun…together.
• Literary critiques are absolutely welcome. Reading is fundamental, and so are literary critiques. It’s part of the game. We encourage you to use this time to discuss and evaluate the words in front of us, ask questions about specific literary choices, or share a theory about how the story develops. Sharing that is normal, healthy, and very much encouraged. 
• Use the Book Club safe phrase, “Agree to disagree.” Consider this your “safe phrase.” Everyone brings a unique perspective to the reading experience, and not everyone’s analysis of a scene or character will be the same, and that’s okay. If you find yourself entering an exchange that is no longer on a path to mutual understanding and respect, say “agree to disagree.” At this point, the involved parties should stop responding to the thread. Full stop. Consider it a moment where the exchange has run its course. 
• Treat each Book Club post as your live chat/thread. Comment as much as you’d like! Select the three dots (•••) and “Follow Post” at the top of this post to receive comment notifications. 
• Sort comments by “New” to see the most recent reactions and add to the conversation. These live threads can hold a lot of information, so feel free to treat each “comment” as its own mini-post. Reply to the OP, ask questions, and jump in! 
• Cover any spoilers. Since we're covering a lot of ground this week, please use spoilers over critical plot points so we don't spoil the magic for new readers.

🔗 QUICK LINKS:

• The Game Changers Book Club Wiki  - Our sub wiki page detailing the Game Changers Book Club timeline, information about where to find the books, and a recap of our original Book Club announcement.
• r/heatedrivalry FAQs - Our sub’s wiki sharing answers to all of your most frequently asked questions
• Heated Rivalry Wiki - A website of sharing show/book timelines, analyses, and more!

Happy Reading! 🤓

Hey everyone! As part of The Game Changers Book Club, we’ve included unique BINGO cards for each book we'll be reading in the series. Participation is completely optional, and it offers another fun way to engage with the books by picking out key moments using the clues on each card. 

✨✨✨As promised, we wanted to formally highlight this week’s winner, u/Crafty-Syllabub-2736 ✨✨✨
Peep their full list of moments/clues here! As a reminder, winners receive an exclusive Trophy Room flair post (like this) and a BINGO champion user flair.

Before we go, everyone’s welcome to continue playing! We’re still finishing up Book 1: Game Changer before dusting off our copies of Heated Rivalry to start our next 3-week read-along sprint on June 5! We look forward to hearing what you’ve found in our final Game Changer recap post at the end of the week. More to come!

ICYMI, here are a few quick reminders: 

• We're still reading Book 1: Game Changer. Add your thoughts/analyses in the LIVE thread here! 
• If you still want to see how many big moments you can find on your own BINGO card, download a copy here.
• Find the full Book Club schedule here.

 

HAPPY READING, LOONS! 🤓

TL; DR: 

• Currently reading: Book 1: Game Changer - Chapters  15 - 29 and the Epilogue
• Relationship Focus: Scott Hunter (Captain of the New York Admirals) and Kip Grady (local juice bar barista)
• Book Club Etiquette: Follow the sub rules, literary critiques are welcome (be respectful), be mindful of spoilers for new readers, and don’t forget our safe phrase -  “Agree to Disagree.”
• Treat the post as this week’s live chat/thread!
• Download your BINGO card to level up the reading experience
• 🥇🥇🥇!!Update!!: The BINGO winner for Book 1: Game Changer is u/crafty-syllabub-2736!!

—--

Hey Loons!

We’ve just wrapped the Week 1 of The Game Changers Book Club, and now we’re moving forward with Week 2 by reading Chapters 15 - 29 and the Epilogue to Book 1: Game Changer. 

As a reminder, this book covers the relationship of Scott & Kip, the couple that started it all, but in Week 2, you’re probably gonna read more about their relationship that wasn’t captured in the show! You all shared a lot of great comments in last week’s post, so I’m sat for your analysis this week!

🗺️ WHERE WE ARE IN THE BOOK/SERIES:
This week, we’re covering Chapters 15 - 29 and the Epilogue. Download your BINGO card here for a little added razzle-dazzle to your reading experience. 

BOOK	WEEKS	DATES
🥤 GAME CHANGER  (Scott & Kip)	Week 1 - 2	May 23 - Jun 5
	Week 1: Chapters 1 - 14	May 23 - May 29
📌  WE ARE HERE → → →	Week 2: Chapters 15 -29, Epilogue	May 30 - Jun 5

View the full week-by-week schedule here. For your convenience, here’s a condensed version of the schedule below:

BOOK	WEEKS	DATES
🔥 Heated Rivalry (Shane & Ilya Pt.1)	Week 3 - 5	Jun 6 - Jun 26
🎻Tough Guy (Ryan & Fabian)	Week 6 - 7	Jun 27 - Jul 11
🍹 Common Goal (Eric & Kyle)	Week 8 - 9	Jul 12 - Jul 25
🍎 Role Model (Troy & Harris)	Week 10 - 11	Jul 26 - Aug 8
🦆The Long Game (Shane & Ilya Pt. 2)	Week 12 - 14	Aug 9 - Aug 29

🧐 WHAT’S THIS BOOK ABOUT?

“Pro hockey star Scott Hunter knows a good thing when he sees it. So, when a smoothie made by juice bar barista Kip Grady precedes Scott breaking his on-ice slump, he’s desperate to recreate the magic...and to get to know the sexy, funny guy behind the counter.

Kip knew there was more to Scott’s frequent visits than blended fruit, but he never let himself imagine being invited back to Scott’s penthouse. Or kissed with reckless abandon, nevermind touched everywhere all at once. When it happens, it’s red-hot, incredible, and frequent, but also only on Scott’s terms and always behind his closed apartment doors.

Scott needs Kip in his life, but with playoff season approaching, the spotlight on him is suddenly brighter than ever. He can’t afford to do anything that might derail his career…like introducing the world to his boyfriend. Kip is ready to go all-in with Scott—but how much longer will he have to remain a secret?” (source: goodreads.com)

Content Warnings: Queerphobia, Death/grief (source: romance.io)

🔢 HOW TO PLAY BINGO:
For those looking for a bit of a guided/enhanced reading experience, download this book’s BINGO card here. 

• Save a BINGO card & mark spaces as you go.
• Be prepared to share context for each marked space.
• BINGO is achieved when you fill in 5 squares in a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal row.
• The first to share BINGO will be awarded a unique flair and receive a post announcement under our “Trophy Room” tag.

🥇🥇🥇!!Update!! The BINGO winner for Book 1: Game Changer is u/Crafty-Syllabub-2736!!

🤝 BOOK CLUB ETIQUETTE:
And as a reminder, here are our ground rules, with two additional recommendations: 

• Follow the sub rules. You love HR. We love HR. Follow the rules. Don’t be rude. We’ll have so much fun…together.
• Literary critiques are absolutely welcome. Reading is fundamental, and so are literary critiques. It’s part of the game. We encourage you to use this time to discuss and evaluate the words in front of us, ask questions about specific literary choices, or share a theory about how the story develops. Sharing that is normal, healthy, and very much encouraged. 
• Use the Book Club safe phrase, “Agree to disagree.” Consider this your “safe phrase.” Everyone brings a unique perspective to the reading experience, and not everyone’s analysis of a scene or character will be the same, and that’s okay. If you find yourself entering an exchange that is no longer on a path to mutual understanding and respect, say “agree to disagree.” At this point, the involved parties should stop responding to the thread. Full stop. Consider it a moment where the exchange has run its course. 
• Treat each Book Club post as your live chat/thread. Comment as much as you’d like! Select the three dots (•••) and “Follow Post” at the top of this post to receive comment notifications. 
• Sort comments by “New” to see the most recent reactions and add to the conversation. These live threads can hold a lot of information, so feel free to treat each “comment” as its own mini-post. Reply to the OP, ask questions, and jump in! 
• Cover any spoilers. Since we're covering a lot of ground this week, please use spoilers over critical plot points so we don't spoil the magic for new readers.

🔗 Quick links, if ya need them!

• The Game Changers Book Club Wiki  - Detailed book club timeline, where to find the books, and announcement recap (also, original post here)
• r/heatedrivalry FAQs - Our sub’s wiki sharing answers to all of your most frequently asked questions
• Heated Rivalry Wiki - A website of sharing show/book timelines, analyses, and more!

Happy reading!

TL; DR: 

• Currently reading: Book 1: Game Changer - Prologue and Chapters  1- 14
• Relationship Focus: Scott Hunter (Captain of the New York Admirals) and Kip Grady (local juice bar barista)
• Join our current discussion here to see what other Loons are saying!
• Download your BINGO card to level up the reading experience

----

Hey Loons!

We’re halfway through our first week of The Game Changers Book Club, and we’re currently reading Chapters 1 - 14 of Game Changer. This book focuses on Scott Hunter and Kip Grady’s relationship, the two who were a big part of episodes 3 and 5 of the show. 

Join our current LIVE THREAD here to see what other Loons are saying about the book, and to join BINGO.

----

Here are a few quick links if ya need them!

• Live thread - Book 1, Week 1 Game Changer - Join this live thread alongside other looks for this week’s discussion for Game Changer 
• Announcement Post - The Game Changers Book Club - The original announcement post sharing why  we started the book club, who it’s for, and how to participate
• Wiki Page - The Game Changers Book Club  - Detailed book club timeline, where to find the books, and announcement recap
• r/heatedrivalry FAQs - Our sub’s wiki sharing answers to all of your most frequently asked questions
• Heated Rivalry Wiki - A website of sharing show/book timelines, analyses, and more!

Happy reading!
Mod Team

***Since this is just a quick reminder, this post has been locked to funnel all the great convo to our current live thread. We can't wait to see what moments stand out to you from the book!

TL; DR: 

• The Game Changer Book Club starts TODAY!
• Relationship Focus: Scott Hunter (Captain of the New York Admirals) and Kip Grady (local juice bar barista)
• Book Club Etiquette: Follow the sub rules, literary critiques are welcome (be respectful), and don’t forget our safe phrase -  “Agree to Disagree.”
• Treat this post as this week’s live chat/thread: Comment with all of your thoughts, and sort by “New” to view the most recent takes and respond to other Loons
• Download your BINGO card to level up the reading experience
• Small edit:
  • We're reading Chapters 1 - 14 this week (no Prologue).
  • Please cover spoilers for new readers.

—--

Hello, fellow Loons! 

Welcome to the first live thread of our The Game Changers Book Club. This week, we’re starting with Book 1: Game Changer of this six-book series, created by Rachel Reid. 

🗺️ WHERE WE ARE IN THE BOOK/SERIES:

This week we’re covering Chapters 1 - 14. As you’re reading, be sure to download and start using your BINGO card here.

BOOK	WEEKS	DATES
🥤 GAME CHANGER  (Scott & Kip)	Week 1 - 2	May 23 - Jun 5
📌  WE ARE HERE → → →	Week 1: Chapters 1 - 14	May 23 - May 29
	Week 2: Chapters 15 -29, Epilogue	May 30 - Jun 5

View the full week-by-week schedule here. For your convenience, here’s a condensed version of the schedule below:

BOOK	WEEKS	DATES
🔥 Heated Rivalry (Shane & Ilya Pt.1)	Week 3 - 5	Jun 6 - Jun 26
🎻Tough Guy (Ryan & Fabian)	Week 6 - 7	Jun 27 - Jul 11
🍹 Common Goal (Eric & Kyle)	Week 8 - 9	Jul 12 - Jul 25
🍎 Role Model (Troy & Harris)	Week 10 - 11	Jul 26 - Aug 8
🦆The Long Game (Shane & Ilya Pt. 2)	Week 12 - 14	Aug 9 - Aug 29

🧐 WHAT’S THIS BOOK ABOUT?
This book covers the relationship of Scott & Kip, the couple that started it all, and also the one where we witnessed a certain someone taking their sweet time getting down to the ice. IYKYK (refer to episode 5).

Official Synopsis: 
Pro hockey star Scott Hunter knows a good thing when he sees it. So, when a smoothie made by juice bar barista Kip Grady precedes Scott breaking his on-ice slump, he’s desperate to recreate the magic...and to get to know the sexy, funny guy behind the counter.

Kip knew there was more to Scott’s frequent visits than blended fruit, but he never let himself imagine being invited back to Scott’s penthouse. Or kissed with reckless abandon, nevermind touched everywhere all at once. When it happens, it’s red-hot, incredible, and frequent, but also only on Scott’s terms and always behind his closed apartment doors.

Scott needs Kip in his life, but with playoff season approaching, the spotlight on him is suddenly brighter than ever. He can’t afford to do anything that might derail his career…like introducing the world to his boyfriend. Kip is ready to go all-in with Scott—but how much longer will he have to remain a secret? (source: goodreads.com)

Content Warnings: Queerphobia, Death/grief (source: romance.io)

🔢 HOW TO PLAY BINGO:
For those looking for a bit of a guided/enhanced reading experience, download this book’s BINGO card here. 

• Save a BINGO card & mark spaces as you go.
• Be prepared to share context for each marked space. (We want to know more about the moments that had you gagged!)
• The first to share BINGO will be awarded a unique flair and receive a post announcement under our “Trophy Room” tag.

🤝 BOOK CLUB ETIQUETTE:
And as a reminder, here are our ground rules, with two additional recommendations: 

• Follow the sub rules. You love HR. We love HR. Follow the rules. Don’t be rude. We’ll have so much fun…together.
• Literary critiques are absolutely welcome. Reading is fundamental, and so are literary critiques. It’s part of the game. We encourage you to use this time to discuss and evaluate the words in front of us, ask questions about specific literary choices, or share a theory about how certain scenes developed with others. Sharing that is normal, healthy, and very much encouraged. 
• Use the Book Club safe phrase, “Agree to disagree.” Consider this your “safe phrase.” Everyone brings a unique perspective to the reading experience, and not everyone’s analysis of a scene or character will be the same, and that’s okay. If you find yourself entering an exchange that is no longer on a path to mutual understanding and respect, say “agree to disagree.” At this point, the involved parties should stop responding to the thread. Full stop. Consider it a moment where the exchange has run its course. 
• Treat each Book Club post as your live chat/thread. Comment as much as you’d like! Select the three dots (•••) and “Follow Post” at the top of this post to receive comment notifications. 
• Sort comments by “New” to see the most recent reactions and add to the conversation. These live threads can hold a lot of information, so feel free to treat each “comment” as its own mini-post. Reply to the OP, ask questions, and jump in! 
• Cover any spoilers. Since we're covering a lot of ground this week, please use spoilers over critical plot points so we don't spoil the magic for new readers.

Happy reading, and start dropping your progress below! If you have any other questions about the Game Changer universe and this Book Club series, consider the following links: 

• Announcement Post - The Game Changers Book Club - why we started it, who it’s for, and how to participate
• Wiki Page - The Game Changers Book Club  - Detailed book club timeline, where to find the books, and announcement recap
• r/heatedrivalry FAQs - answers to all of your most frequently asked questions
• Heated Rivalry Wiki - show/book timelines, analyses, and more!

Cheers! 
Mod Team

TL; DR: 

• We’re launching the Game Changers Book Club, starting May 23.
• We’ll cover all six books (Book 1: Game Changer → Book 6: The Long Game) in Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series over a 14-week period. 
• Posts will be made weekly to guide discussion, along with other reminders, announcements!
• Join BINGO for a unique way to engage with the books. Grab your BINGO card for Book 1: Game Changer here.

----

Hello, fellow Loons! We heard you, we’ve seen the interest, and we’re excited to announce we’re launching The Game Changers Book Club, starting May 23. Special thanks to u/coveredinsnouu for partnering with us to make this happen!

❓WHAT IS THE GAME CHANGERS BOOK CLUB?
The Game Changers Book Club is a virtual read-along event where we’ll read all six books in Rachel Reid’s Game Changer Series over a 14-week period, starting May 23. 

You’re welcome to pop in and out as you please, join discussions alongside other Loons, and participate in our exclusive book club BINGO challenge. 

👤 WHO IS THIS FOR?
Everyone. Tell peepol! 

But, in case you need a visual, here are the types of folks we look forward to seeing join the event!

• Rookies. Never read any of the books? This is the perfect time to start! Now you can read things like Scott and Kip’s full story and learn about the “missing years” from the show. You’ll also get to read Shane and Ilya’s inner dialogue and peek inside their heads. So join us! We’ve been waiting for you 🙂
• Powerplayers. You’ve read Heated Rivalry and The Long Game more times than you can count. Now it’s time to fill in the gaps and finally discover why you keep seeing fancasts for Fabian, Harris, Ryan, Troy, Eric, and Kyle nonstop.
• All-Stars. You’ve read all of the ancient texts, perhaps you even read them [gasp] before the show even aired! You’ve likely annotated each book to the point of oblivion, but we still want you to join and share your literary wisdom. And who knows…you might even learn something new from a Rookie, or even two.

 

✍️ HOW TO GET READY: 

1. Review the Schedule. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover, so we’ve split up this reading experience into six 2-3 week blocks, each one mapping back to one of Rachel’s books:
   • We’ll spend 2-3 weeks working through each book. Review the schedule below and feel free to pop in and out as you please. The good news is we’re not taking attendance.
   • Posts will be made weekly, highlighting where we are in the series and a detailed week-by-week chapter breakdown. We also use the posts to make space for discussion, theory exchanges, and your best literary analysis.

  

BOOK	WEEKS	DATES
🥤 Game Changer	Week 1 - 2	May 23 - Jun-5
🔥 Heated Rivalry	Week 3 - 5	Jun-6 - Jun-26
🎻Tough Guy	Week 6 - 7	Jun-27 - Jul-11
🍹 Common Goal	Week 8 - 9	Jul-12 - Jul-25
🍎 Role Model	Week 10 - 11	Jul-26 - Aug-8
🦆The Long Game	Week 12 - 14	Aug-9 - Aug-29

1. Purchase/Borrow the Books. If you still need to grab the books, feel free to review the following resources for where to purchase each book, or borrow from your local library: 
   • Bookshop
   • Harlequin
   • Hoopla
   • Libby
   • Libro.fm
   • Amazon (Includes Kindle version)
   • Audible
2. Grab a BINGO Card! Throughout the series, we’ll be providing BINGO cards for each book. This is 100% optional and an additional way to engage with the books and sub members! 
   • Save a BINGO card & mark spaces as you go.
   • Be prepared to share context for each marked space. (We want to know more about the moments that had you gagged!)
   • BINGO is achieved when you fill in 5 squares in a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal row.
   • The first to share BINGO will be awarded a unique flair and receive a post announcement under our “Trophy Room” tag.

We’re starting the series with book 1, Game Changer, starting May 23, so feel free to save the card using this link.

We’re excited for you to join us and engage with the books in a new way, and share those moments that made you see the story and the characters differently! 

🤝 BOOK CLUB ETIQUETTE:
Before we end this post, we just want to make sure we set a few ground rules: 

• Follow the sub rules. You love HR. We love HR. Follow the rules. Don’t be rude. We’ll have so much fun…together ✨.
• Literary critiques are absolutely welcome. Reading is fundamental, and so are literary critiques. It’s part of the game. We encourage you to use this time to discuss and evaluate the words in front of us, ask questions about specific literary choices, or share a theory about how certain scenes developed with others. Sharing that is normal, healthy, and very much encouraged. 
• “Agree to disagree.”  Consider this your “safe phrase.” Everyone brings a unique perspective to the reading experience, and not everyone’s analysis of a scene or character will be the same, and that’s okay. If you find yourself entering an exchange that is no longer on a path to mutual understanding and respect, say “agree to disagree.” At this point, the involved parties should stop responding to the thread. Full stop. Consider it a moment where the exchange has run its course.

 

That’s all for now, but if you have any other questions about the Game Changer universe, consider the following links: 

• r/heatedrivalry FAQs - answers to all of your most frequently asked questions
• Heated Rivalry Wiki - timelines, book and TV analyses, and more!

Cheers!
Mod Team