HEATED RIVALRY by Rachel Reid
Thu Feb 05 2026
What is it about this story that women love so much? Why is it so special to see secondary female characters portrayed so well? Does part of the allure of MM romance come from the closeted aspect?
Trigger/Content warnings: homophobia (on-page), death of a parent, mentions of off-page suicide, dementia, injury (on-page), alcohol consumption, grief, strained familial relationships, sexually explicit content
Tropes: sports romance, contemporary, enemies (rivals) to lovers (ig), hockey romance, angst, closeted, secret relationshipWho might feel repped? Immigrants, people afraid to come out of the closet, gay men, professional athletes, closeted professional athletes, neurodivergent people
Master Kim’s Corner:
Are Men “So Back?”: Notes on Masculinity’s Return to Gay TV - Ira Madison III
Women are Feral for Heated Rivalry. What does that say about men? - Julia Carrie Wong
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What is it about this story that women love so much? Why is it so special to see secondary female characters portrayed so well? Does part of the allure of MM romance come from the closeted aspect? Trigger/Content warnings: homophobia (on-page), death of a parent, mentions of off-page suicide, dementia, injury (on-page), alcohol consumption, grief, strained familial relationships, sexually explicit content Tropes: sports romance, contemporary, enemies (rivals) to lovers (ig), hockey romance, angst, closeted, secret relationshipWho might feel repped? Immigrants, people afraid to come out of the closet, gay men, professional athletes, closeted professional athletes, neurodivergent people Master Kim’s Corner: Are Men “So Back?”: Notes on Masculinity’s Return to Gay TV - Ira Madison III Women are Feral for Heated Rivalry. What does that say about men? - Julia Carrie Wong