If you loved Heated Rivalry, Jacob Tierney’s TV adaptation of Rachel Reid’s Game Changer series of novels and are longing for more queer hockey romances, you’re in luck, there is a whole raft of books out there to discover; from YA, to spicy adult fiction and sapphic stories.
YA fiction
The GOAT, the original of queer hockey story, is Check Please by Ngozi Ukazu (and the sequel, Check, Please! Book 2: Sticks & Scones) the story of Eric Bittle, YouTube baker, former figure skater and now college hockey player, and the moody superstar captain of Samwell Hockey, Jack Zimmerman. Infused with hockey lore and geekery, it’s the best of both worlds: love of hockey and queer romance.
For other YA-adjacent queer hockey novels, check out:
Like Real People Do by E.L. Massey
Like Real People Do follows the youngest-ever NHL captain, Alexander Price, and college freshman, vlogger, and figure skater Elijah Rodriguez. It combines disability with the struggles of coming out and the hockey narrative.
The novel is part of the “Breakaway” series following Alexander and Elijah’s friends in the world of hockey and at college, which includes the books Like You’ve Nothing Left to Prove, All Hail the Underdogs, and Free from Falling.
Adult hockey romances
Him by Sabrina Bowen and Elle Kennedy
Him follows two teen friends who are reunited at a hockey camp at the end of college. This is a spicy romance with real emotional weight behind it.
The sequel, Us by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy, sees the pair navigate their first season together on the ice.
Gravity by Tal Baur
Tal Baur’s Gravity is sweet, moving and spicy, while its sequel, The Rest of the Story, is a delight.
Bonus suggestion: The Jock by Tal Baur, a college football romance.
The Puckboys series, starting with Egotistical Puckboy by Eden Finley and Saxon James
An expansive, fun, spicy, and character-rich series of books about a range of different queer hockey couples.
The Kennedy Rule by K.C Carmichal
A steamy rivals-to-lovers MM romance featuring high-pressure hockey games, and a “love conquers all” message under the scrutiny of the team and the world.
Save the Game, part of the SCU Hockey series by J.J. Mulder who also created the Offsides series
J.J. Mulder takes real care in crafting characters in this warm tale with found family vibes alongside all the hockey and romance .
Sapphic hockey romance
Out on the Ice and Unexpected Goals by Kelly Farmer
Farmer’s novels feature queer women’s hockey settings and relatable emotional journeys.
Delay of Game by Tracey Richardson
Sapphic romance where the protagonists play on rival national hockey teams.
Breaking Out by Lise MacTague
Sapphic hockey romance centred on teamwork, friendship, and slow-burn love.
Bonus suggestion: If Only You by Chloe Liese
If Only You is part of an excellent series, not strictly queer itself but the rest of the series about the Bergman Brothers does feature queer characters. Inclusive, diverse storytelling with rich, engaging characters. The series includes the MM soccer romance, Everything For You.
By Emily Garside
Please support your local independent & 2SLGBTQIA+ owned bookstores whenever possible.
Curious about hockey romance? Wondering where it sits in queer cultural history? Emily Garside is running an online session with The Bishopsgate Institute discussing just that.
Using the phenomenon of Heated Rivalry as a jumping-off point, this session looks at the show and book series and the broader queer sports romance phenomenon to discuss the twin threads of TV activism and the tensions around LGBTQIA+ visibility in sports like ice hockey.
January 31st, 2026 at 3 pm GMT (via Zoom). For more information and how to book click here.
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