Your Love Of 'Heated Rivalry' Might Tell You Something Surprising About Yourself

If you can’t stop thinking about Shane and Ilya, experts say it could be because there are secret desires you might hold close.

When Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, professional hockey rivals and secret lovers from “Heated Rivalry,” smooched on my TV screen, I screamed with delight. And I have not been the same ever since.

I am usually stone-faced while watching TV shows, but I found myself holding my face and groaning when Shane and Ilya bumped feet under the table, and gasping when Ilya told Shane to keep his glasses on. I kicked my feet when Ilya confessed his love in Russian to Shane. My physical body may be at work, but my spirit is still thinking about the show’s cottage episode on loop.

Since the release of the HBO Max/Crave hit show based on Rachel Reid’s book series, a passionate fanbase has taken over, creating detailed edited music videos, “Gay Hockey Romance Saved My Life” merch, and tattoos of chairs and loons dedicated to the show.

And many of the show’s most passionate fans of this queer hockey romance are women.

Women loving to watch men in love with each other is not new. In fact, there’s a Japanese term called “fujoshi” specifically to describe women who delight in men-loving-men romances.