Jan 15, 2026 - News

Hockey romance "Heated Rivalry" is clogging Cleveland library waitlists

Two men in black tuxedos share an intimate moment on a balcony at night, city lights blurred in the background. One gently touches the other's face as they lean in. — Actors Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams in "Heated Rivalry." Photo: Sabrina Lantos/HBO Max

Borrowing a copy of "Heated Rivalry" from your local library may be harder than scoring a long distance slap shot.

Why it matters: The "gay hockey smut" book-turned-HBO-streaming-hit has exploded into a mega pop culture sensation.

Catch up quick: Rachel Reid's novel, which follows two professional male hockey players as they fall in love, came out in 2019.

But the "Heated Rivalry" fandom has gone nuts since the show dropped late last year.

By the numbers: Cuyahoga County Public Library has 30 copies of the book at its 25-plus branches, all unavailable, with 30 people on the wait list as of Wednesday.

All 86 rentals of the eBook version were also on loan with more than 430 people on the waitlist for it.

Yes, but: You can borrow the eAudibook via Libby.

The bottom line: If you prefer to read your hockey smut on loan from the library, it might be a while.

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Hockey romance "Heated Rivalry" is clogging Cleveland library waitlists

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