Title: The Long Game
Series/World & Book #: Game Changers (Book 6) — sequel to Heated Rivalry (Book 2)
Couple/Pairing: Shane Hollander / Ilya Rozanov
Star Rating: ★★★★★ (5.0/5)
Links: Amazon | Audible | Bookshop
The Main Characters
Ilya Rozanov: This reread made it crystal clear—Ilya is the heartbeat of this book. He’s still sharp-tongued, funny, and maddeningly magnetic… but underneath the banter is a man running on fumes. His protectiveness of Shane is romantic in that touch-him-and-die way, yet his loneliness and internal pressure are what truly landed for me this time. Ilya doesn’t just “feel deeply”—he carries deeply, and watching him finally reach for real support hit me hard.
Shane Hollander: Shane is intense, anxious, hyper-focused, and—at times—so busy managing fear that he misses what’s happening right in front of him. On rereading, I had more patience for him and more frustration. He loves Ilya with his whole soul, but love isn’t the same as noticing. The growth here is earned, messy, and honest.
About the Author
Rachel Reid writes queer romance with emotional dignity—she doesn’t treat queer love like a temporary detour or a tragedy waiting to happen. She gives these characters room to be flawed, tender, stubborn, terrified, and still worth rooting for. The intimacy is explicit, yes—but it’s written with intention: consent, connection, and the emotional “why” always matter.
My Thoughts About the Book
I decided to write this review after I reread the book, because the second time around it didn’t just entertain me—it stayed with me. You know that feeling when you close a book, and you are like WOW…that was me… again.
A lot of queer stories get filtered through trauma as the main event—pain as the point. And while it’s true that stigma has shaped so much of real queer history, I’m tired of fiction acting like gay love must be punished to be “real.” What The Long Game does so well is let Shane and Ilya have what straight couples are handed constantly in romance: a love that’s allowed to be serious, lasting, monogamous, and hopeful.
And yes—there’s plenty of explicit intimacy. But it never reads like shock value to me. It reads like two people who are genuinely drawn to each other, who find safety in the one place they can be fully honest. The physical connection isn’t separate from the relationship—it’s part of how they communicate, repair, and stay tethered when the world keeps pulling.
I’m Wrecked
What wrecked me (in the best way) is the imbalance: Shane is coping by controlling everything. Ilya is coping by swallowing everything. And for a while, it’s brutal watching them want the same future but move at different speeds—especially because the secrecy that thrills Shane in the beginning eventually starts crushing Ilya.
This book is really about risk—what you’re willing to lose to live truthfully—and about the slow, stubborn work of building a future that isn’t just “surviving the season,” but actually living. Mental health rep, found-family energy, the pressure cooker of pro sports, the loneliness of being the “outsider,” the longing for normalcy… It’s all here, and it never feels cheap.
Also, I have to say it again—Ilya stood out. His snark? Perfect. His devotion? Stunning. But it’s his internal struggle that made this reread feel sharper.
If you’re reading in order, I strongly recommend starting with Heated Rivalry (it’s the foundation of everything you feel here), and having Role Model (Book 5) under your belt also helps with context for the world and its dynamics. Although Heated Rivalry is the second book in the series. The first book in the series is Game Changer. You can also purchase the Game Changers Collection, which lists the first three books.
If you want the full origin story before this sequel hits you in the feelings, read my Heated Rivalry post first—then come back to see how Shane and Ilya fight for their long-term, real-life happiness.
Almost Perfect… Except
- The emotional tension can feel heavy at times—especially if you’re sensitive to prolonged secrecy/pressure arcs. It’s purposeful, but it will clench your jaw in places.
- Shane’s blind spots can be frustrating. Realistic, yes. But I definitely had a few “sir, please look directly at the man you love” moments.
Favorite Quote
“I’m marrying you, Ilya. I want to have kids with you. I want to be your date when we’re inducted into the Hall of Fame. I love you so much.”
This line is significant because it’s not just romantic—it’s declarative. It’s Shane finally putting words to what the entire story has been pressurizing: a real, whole-life future that doesn’t live in the shadows.
For Ilya, it’s everything. He’s been carrying the heavier emotional load for so long—wanting to be seen, wanting stability, wanting a life and not just stolen moments between flights and locked doors. Hearing Shane say it out loud turns Ilya from “the secret” into a choice, not just for today… but for decades.
And for both of them as a couple, it marks the shift from survival-mode love (protecting what they have) to building-mode love (creating what they want). Marriage. Kids. Public pride. A future that includes celebration, not just endurance. Even the Hall of Fame piece matters—because hockey has always been the pressure point, the reason for the hiding, the fear, the compromise. Shane’s basically saying: Even at the pinnacle of the sport, even at the moment the world is watching, I’m choosing you—finally.
That’s why it lands so hard. It’s not just “I love you.” It’s “I’m choosing a life where our love gets to be visible.”
Final Thoughts
If you’re exhausted by stories that treat queer love as doomed, The Long Game feels like relief. It’s sexy, emotional, honest, and ultimately uplifting—because the happy ending isn’t a fantasy band-aid. It’s earned through hard conversations, painful honesty, and choosing each other on purpose.
And if you’re also the kind of reader who checks spoilers first because you can’t handle another queer tragedy—same. You’re safe here.
Series + TV Watch Info
This book is part of Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series (Book 6).
There’s also a TV adaptation titled Heated Rivalry, which premiered in Canada on Crave and streams in the U.S. on HBO Max.
