‘Heated Rivalry’: Do Shane & Ilya End Up Together? Their Book Fate and More
Heated Rivalry‘s romantic angst has us stressed out. Shane (Hudson Williams) and Ilya (Connor Storrie) are in a rough spot for most of Season 1. They’ve been hooking up in secret for years, and their yearning for each other is painfully obvious to us — even when they’re trying to hide it from themselves. It’s getting to that point where we need a love confession, STAT!
Despite all the turmoil, creator Jacob Tierney has repeatedly said that Heated Rivalry is joyful, assuring CBC that “it’s a love story, and that they get to be in love.” He pointed out that such a thing isn’t common in a lot of media about queer people, especially about gay men. So, at least we know the show will have a happy ending, even if Shane and Ilya are put through the emotional wringer in the buildup.
But does that also mean they’re endgame material? If you want to find out without reading the book it’s based on, we’ve got you. Swooon is breaking down the ending of author Rachel Reid’s Heated Rivalry and its sequel, The Long Game.
[Warning: The following contains MAJOR spoilers from Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid.]
Do Shane and Ilya end up together?
Don’t fret, fellow Hollanov shippers. The journey isn’t without its obstacles, but Shane and Ilya are happy together in the end. Once Scott (played by François Arnaud in the show) celebrates his playoff victory by kissing his boyfriend in front of everyone, Ilya gets the courage to take Shane up on his invitation to his cottage. There, they get to be together in their own little universe, and they make plans to be together long-term. Two love confessions later, Shane and Ilya are officially (secret) boyfriends.
In Heated Rivalry’s epilogue, which takes place in November 2018, they see the plan through: Ilya has moved teams, leaving Boston for Ottawa to be closer to Shane. At a press conference, they announce that they’re starting a charity together, putting their “rivalry” to rest and telling the world that they’re friends. That way, people won’t question it if they’re spotted together. At this point, only Shane’s parents and his best friend, Hayden, know the truth about their relationship. (Well, and Hayden’s wife, Jackie.) They don’t plan on coming out while they’re still playing hockey.
Keep in mind, there may be differences in how the show handles Shane and Ilya’s ending. It might not stop where the book does, saving the epilogue for a potential second season. The greenlit second season has been confirmed to follow Reid’s sequel, The Long Game, which continues Shane and Ilya’s story. It picks up about 10 years after Shane and Ilya hooked up for the first time (but not long after Heated Rivalry‘s epilogue).
[Warning: The following contains MAJOR spoilers from The Long Game by Rachel Reid.]
What happens to Shane and Ilya after Heated Rivalry?
Hollanov doesn’t just end up together… They get married! Of course, Shane and Ilya have to overcome several challenges before they become hockey husbands in The Long Game. Shane is just as obsessed with the game as ever, so he isn’t willing to go public with their relationship. Ilya, on the other hand, is ready to stop hiding. Struggling with all the secrets and his depression, Ilya starts to doubt Shane’s feelings for him.
Rest assured, they do work through it, but Shane and Ilya don’t come out on their own terms. Hayden takes a “FanMail” video that catches Shane and Ilya kissing in the background. Obviously, he doesn’t notice before he sends it to the person who bought it. It’s not ideal, but Shane and Ilya’s relationship doesn’t waver once the world knows about them. Shane’s team doesn’t react well, so he signs on to play for Ottawa with Ilya. So, not only are they husbands in the end, but they’re also teammates! Hollanov forever.
Heated Rivalry, Season 1, New Episodes, Fridays, HBO Max
