Why Heated Rivalry Changed Sports Romance | Rachel Reid's First Podcast Interview (2020)

This episode originally aired September 21, 2020. Yes, this was Rachel Reid's very first podcast interview.

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What happens when you take one of the most toxic masculinity sports cultures in the world—and rewrite it with tenderness, queer joy, and emotional honesty? 🏒💖

In this retro What to Read Next author interview, I’m joined by my friend Amanda (from Escape from a Book) to chat with romance author Rachel Reid, the creator of the beloved Game Changers hockey romance series.

We talk about Rachel’s lifelong love of hockey, why she wanted to challenge toxic masculinity in sports romance, and how Heated Rivalry broke every romance “rule” and somehow became a fan favorite anyway. Rachel also opens up about writing sex scenes with purpose, representing mental health and anxiety on the page, and what’s coming next—including Common Goal, Role Model, and the long-awaited sequel to Heated Rivalry.

📚 Books Mentioned

Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid — Rivals-to-lovers | Sports Romance | Queer

Game Changer by Rachel Reid — Hockey Romance | Queer

Tough Guy by Rachel Reid — Hockey Romance | Mental Health Rep

Common Goal by Rachel Reid — Hockey Romance | Bisexual Rep

Role Model by Rachel Reid — Hockey Romance | Redemption Arc

The Long Game by Rachel Reid — Sequel to Heated Rivalry | Established Couple

Two Rogues Make a Right by Cat Sebastian — Historical Queer Romance

The Last Kiss by Sally Malcolm — WWI Historical Queer Romance | KU ✅

Spellbound by Allie Therin — Historical Fantasy Romance

⏱️ Episode Timestamps

[00:00] Welcome & intro to Rachel Reid

[02:00] From hockey fan to published romance author

[06:00] Why queer hockey romance matters

[09:00] Writing Heated Rivalry & breaking romance rules

[13:00] Mental health & toxic masculinity in sports

[15:00] Crafting unforgettable sex scenes

[17:00] Upcoming books: Common Goal & Role Model

[19:00] The Heated Rivalry sequel (The Long Game)

[24:00] Rachel’s favorite books & reading recs

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