There’s barely any actual hockey in Heated Rivalry—the six-part streaming series that got everyone hot-and-bothered at the tail end of 2025—and we’re okay with that. Based on Canadian romance writer Rachel Reid’s spicy, enemies-to-lovers bestselling series of novels, the new show has the hunky leads showing lots of skin alongside a complicated queer love story that spans years.
The Crave/HBO Max series is helmed by out gay showrunner Jacob Tierney and centers on Shane Hollander (played by Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (played by Connor Storrie) as two massively popular, rival hockey athletes. Because the actors are charming and wonderful, they've quickly become our latest internet boyfriends. Plus, the show's depiction of gay sex is just as novel as its depiction of gay love—causing many to swoon.
But for those looking for more spicy love stories to devour, the M/M romance (or male/male romance) genre is filled with plenty of enemies-to-lovers stories and other tropes. We've collected these titles that are centered on sports and beyond for those curious and eager to explore.
