If you’ve ever finished a romance novel with a goofy grin, a racing heart, and an immediate need to tell your group chat “READ THIS NOW,” chances are you’ve already fallen for Rachel Reid’s irresistible Game Changers series. Steamy, emotional, and packed with big-hearted hockey players who fall hard (both on the ice and in love), her books have become the gold standard in queer sports romance.
Whether you’re a longtime fan or you just stumbled across Heated Rivalry and thought “wait… enemies-to-lovers + hockey + THAT much tension? Sign me up!”, this is your complete, up-to-date Rachel Reid books-in-order guide (with recommended reading order, tropes, steam level, and zero spoilers).
Why Reading Order Matters for Rachel Reid
Rachel Reid’s books are set in the same hockey universe and feature overlapping characters, team dynamics, and cameos. While almost every book works perfectly as a standalone (she’s brilliant at that), reading in publication order gives you the full “found family” experience and makes those cameo moments hit even harder.
List Of Rachel Reid Books In Order by Year
Discover the complete list of Rachel Reid books in order, arranged by year for easy reading. Explore her popular LGBTQ+ romance novels, character arcs, and series timelines in one place. Perfect for fans who want to start her books in the right sequence and enjoy every heartfelt, emotional, and beautifully written story.
| # | Publication Year | Series | Title | Couple / Main Characters | Notes / Tropes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2018 | Game Changers | Game Changer | Scott Hunter & Kip Grady | Series starter, sunshine/grumpy |
| 2 | 2019 | Game Changers | Heated Rivalry | Ilya Rozanov & Shane Hollander | Enemies-to-lovers, secret hook-ups |
| 3 | 2020 | Game Changers | Tough Guy | Ryan Hartwell & Fabian Salah | Hurt/comfort, anxious MC |
| 4 | 2020 | Game Changers | Common Goal | Eric Bennett & Kyle Moore | Age gap, bi awakening, friends-with-benefits |
| 5 | 2021 | Game Changers | Role Model | Harris Keane & Troy Chiron | Grumpy/sunshine, scandal fake-dating |
| 6 | 2022 | Game Changers | The Long Game | Ilya & Shane (book 2) | Sequel to Heated Rivalry, established couple |
| 7 | 2022 | Game Changers (companion) | Season’s Change | Olly Järvinen & George Higgins | Best friends-to-lovers, theater + hockey |
| 8 | 2023 | Game Changers (novella) | Time to Shine | Landon Stackhouse & Casey Hicks | Holiday novella, grumpy/sunshine |
| 9 | 2024 | Game Changers | Right Back Where | Jake & Beau | Second chance, college exes |
| 10 | 2025 | Brooklyn Hockey | I’m Sorry, Coach | Max & Julien | Coach/player (former teammates), age gap |
| 11 | 2025 | Brooklyn Hockey | The Homecoming Clause | Levi & Nico | Fake dating, small-town return |
Rachel Reid Books in Order: The Ultimate Reading Guide for Hockey Romance Fans
Game Changers Series (Main Series)
- Game Changer (2018) – Scott & Kip The one that started it all. A pro hockey player and a NYC barista walk into a smoothie shop… Pure sunshine-meets-grumpy energy with medium-high heat. Perfect entry point.
- Heated Rivalry (2019) – Shane & Ilya ★ FAN FAVORITE Enemies-to-lovers masterpiece. Rival captains. Secret hookups. Seven years of delicious hate-sex that slowly becomes… something else. This is the book that launched a thousand Discord servers. High steam, high emotion.
- Tough Guy (2020) – Ryan & Fabian A quiet, anxious hockey player and the bubbly makeup-artist neighbor who sees right through his walls. Hurt/comfort + found family feels. Medium steam, maximum coziness.
- Common Goal (2020) – Eric & Kyle Age gap (41 & 25), bisexual awakening, friends-with-benefits-to-lovers. Eric’s journey of self-acceptance will make you cry happy tears.
- Role Model (2021) – Harris & Chiron Grumpy/sunshine with a side of social-media scandal. Harris is trying to rehab his reputation; Chiron just wants to help animals and maybe kiss his teammate. So sweet you’ll need a dentist.
- The Long Game (2022) – Shane & Ilya (Heated Rivalry #2) The sequel we all begged for. Nine years after Heated Rivalry, Shane and Ilya are finally trying to build a life together. Domestic, emotional, and still scorching hot.
- Right Back Where (2024) – Jake & Beau Second-chance romance. College exes who haven’t seen each other in ten years… until one signs with the other’s team. Angsty, nostalgic, and incredibly tender.
Standalones & Novellas in the Same Universe
- Season’s Change (2022) – Olly & George Technically Game Changers #5.5-ish. Best friends-to-lovers with a theater nerd and his hockey-player roommate. Low-angst, high pining.
- Time to Shine (2023) – Landon & Casey A Christmas novella that’s pure holiday magic. Grumpy goalie + sunshine forward forced to share a house over the holidays. Cozy perfection.
Recommended Reading Orders
New to Rachel Reid? Two popular paths:
Option 1 – Publication Order (Recommended for maximum cameo joy) Game Changer → Heated Rivalry → Tough Guy → Common Goal → Role Model → The Long Game → Season’s Change → Time to Shine → Right Back Where
Option 2 – “Start with the Best” (For instant addiction) Heated Rivalry → The Long Game → then go back and read the rest in any order (they’re all amazing).
Quick Reference Cheat Sheet
| Title | Year | Couple | Main Tropes | Steam Level | Tears Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game Changer | 2018 | Scott & Kip | Sunshine/grumpy, class difference | 🔥🔥🔥 | Low |
| Heated Rivalry | 2019 | Shane & Ilya | Enemies-to-lovers, secret relationship | 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 | Medium |
| Tough Guy | 2020 | Ryan & Fabian | Hurt/comfort, anxious MC | 🔥🔥🔥 | High |
| Common Goal | 2020 | Eric & Kyle | Age gap, bi awakening | 🔥🔥🔥🔥 | High |
| Role Model | 2021 | Harris & Chiron | Grumpy/sunshine, scandal | 🔥🔥🔥🔥 | Medium |
| The Long Game | 2022 | Shane & Ilya #2 | Established couple, domestic | 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 | High |
| Season’s Change | 2022 | Olly & George | Best friends-to-lovers | 🔥🔥🔥 | Low |
| Time to Shine | 2023 | Landon & Casey | Grumpy/sunshine, holiday | 🔥🔥🔥🔥 | Medium |
| Right Back Where | 2024 | Jake & Beau | Second chance, college exes | 🔥🔥🔥🔥 | Very High |
Final Verdict
Rachel Reid doesn’t just write hockey romances—she writes big, messy, beautiful love stories that just happen to feature ridiculously hot athletes. Once you start, clearing your TBR for the entire series is basically inevitable.
So grab your favorite jersey (or just imagine one), pour something cold, and dive in—preferably with Heated Rivalry first if you want to understand why the entire internet lost its mind in 2019.
Happy reading, and welcome to the crease! 🏒❤️
Which Rachel Reid book should new readers start with? Drop your hot take in the comments—I’m always here for the Heated Rivalry propaganda. 😏
