Becoming obsessed with two gay hockey players wasn’t exactly on my bingo card for 2026, but well, here we are. I heard early rumblings about Heated Rivalry, the new TV show on HBO about a secret romance between two professional hockey players, at the end of December. Over the holiday break, I dipped my toes into the rink, watching the first couple of episodes.
I was shocked by the graphic nature of the sex scenes, captivated by the intense looks of longing, and curious about where the storylines would go. All of this to say, I became utterly obsessed. I devoured the rest of the episodes, and Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov have quickly become the main topic of conversation everywhere I go. They’ve lived rent-free in my head for the past few weeks, with no end in sight.
I’ve listened to the show’s soundtrack (with the iconic All The Things She Said song by t.A.T.u. on loop in my brain), I watch endless memes and TikToks about hockey players now (the way they stretch!!), and I’m adding the books by Rachel Reid, that the show is based on, to my Kindle pronto (I’ve heard they’re even spicier than the show).
But of all the various areas of my life that Heated Rivalry has infiltrated, perhaps the most exciting may be the bedroom. I am a straight woman, happily married to a man, and it’s safe to say that hockey has jump-started my sex life in ways I was not expecting. Here’s what watching Heated Rivalry did for me:
Editor’s Note: For those who haven’t watched ‘Heated Rivalry,’ minor spoilers ahead.
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Brought back built-up desire and foreplay
By far my favorite scene in the whole season is in episode four, when Shane and Ilya are at the club with their own respective female partners, and they spot each other across the dance floor. They’re dancing, grinding away, trying to make the other one jealous, unable to take their eyes off each other; strobe lights flash and rave music thumps. The building tension and desire continue as they each go home. Shane followed Rose up to bed, Ilya taking to the shower. The scene, epic song, and the characters themselves reach their climax as the episode ends, both men staring into the camera.
As I watched, it felt like my heart was about to explode. It was as if I’d consumed all that passion and longing myself, and my body couldn’t take it. I was eager to watch that whole scene again… as soon as I’d caught my breath. It was damn good.
Remembered how ‘longing’ used to feel
As someone married for over 10 years, it’s safe to say that building desire and longing for each other isn’t exactly an everyday occurrence. We’re too busy packing school lunches, navigating activities, and striving for everyone to eat their dinner to make sustained, sexy eye contact all day.
But after viewing that scene, I let my mind go back to our own early days, when we were first dating, when we’d meet up at a bar. Getting myself ready, planning out the night, with high hopes for how it would end. Our own playlists in the background, the music at the bar, as we met up, friends all around us, but only having eyes for each other.
There was a time when we did have that longing, that built up passion, and Heated Rivalry reminded me of that, bringing it back to the front of my mind. Since watching all six episodes, I find myself getting a bit, dare I say, giggly thinking about post-bedtime with my husband. I allow myself to fantasize about what’s to come later on, to let my mind linger on some thoughts and ideas. I let that club scene play out in my head, and I remember the way those stares made me feel, how the tension increased until it couldn’t contain itself anymore. We all need a release, and building up desire is proving to up the ante in a very deliverable way.
Indulged in the voyeuristic element
I’ve never been a porn fan, but after watching—in detail—the acts between Shane and Ilya, well, maybe I just need to find better material.
The sex scenes in the show are extremely graphic, to the point where I flinched a bit at first. But then I found myself leaning forward, fully immersing myself in the intense sexiness of the shots. The confidence of Ilya, the vulnerability of Shane; it was addicting, in the most delicious, illicit way.
There is something voyeuristic about watching the sex scenes in Heated Rivalry, something that tickles a part of me I didn’t know was there. I’m a curious person, but my curiosity hasn’t strayed into the bedroom. And while I don’t see myself welcoming anyone else to watch myself and my husband, the idea of watching or being watched is exciting in and of itself. Seeing these two (gorgeous) men go at it, being privy to their private acts, is electrifying in a way that takes me out of my usual bedroom activity and lets my mind wander to new worlds. I can get my kicks by watching Shane and Ilya, and carry over that tantalizing and titillating energy to my own bedroom, no strange viewing eyes needed there.
Stopped all the ‘running through my head’
The longest-lasting side effect of Heated Rivalry, though, may be how the show got me out of my own head, and all the thoughts and worries that consume me as a mom of little ones. Instead of concerns about sleep schedules and sicknesses, I was fully captivated by hockey sticks (ahem) and Kip’s smoothies (IYKYK).
The number one reason I don’t want to have sex on any given night is that my brain can’t turn off in order for my body to turn on. Heated Rivalry was just the medicine I needed to push those worries away until the morning, and let myself actually relax and let my mind wander to the dirtier, darker corners that do exist, albeit hidden behind some cobwebs.
“The number one reason I don’t want to have sex on any given night is that my brain can’t turn off in order for my body to turn on.”
With relaxation fully in effect from being consumed by the storylines (and sex scenes), I found myself feeling more carefree, more open to anything, more silly and fun. And isn’t that the best kind of environment for sex? One that feels a bit open to possibility, where you feel comfortable being fully yourself, with no stress in your body or overwhelming thoughts in your head.
I’d imagine that watching this show could also reintroduce the idea of fantasy, of role play, into a relationship. While this isn’t my typical route of exploration, never say never. I didn’t think I’d ever imagine daydreaming about attending a hockey game or looking up “get pucked” stickers on Etsy, but here I am.
Remaining open to all possibilities
Heated Rivalry opened my eyes in a whole new, unexpected way. It not only entertained me profusely (I’m about to watch for a full second viewing), but also became a tool to turn me on, to relax me, that I could never have guessed. It opened up possible interests—in and out of the bedroom. I’m quite curious about other sports romance books and eager to get my hands on more (smutty) material.
So until season two premieres, I’ll be watching episodes on repeat, as I look up tickets to a hockey game. Because if a show could get me this excited, imagine what a game in real life could do.
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Source link: https://theeverymom.com/heated-rivalry/ by Kathy Sisson at theeverymom.com