This fall, Heated Rivalry will be hitting bookshelves in a whole new way. While we have become closely acquainted with Rachel Reid's novel and book series that inspired the pop culture phenomenon television series, we'll soon be turning pages for Shane and Ilya like never before. For the first time, a book will be collecting all of the details that went into making season 1 a global smash.
Heated Rivalry creator, writer, and director Jacob Tierney will publish the book I'll Believe in Anything: The Making of Heated Rivalry Season 1 (The Annotated Scripts) on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. The 368-page book collects the complete scripts for all six episodes of the first season, along with annotations from Tierney himself explaining key details about certain scenes.
Tierney and fellow executive producer Brendan Brady pull back the curtain on Heated Rivalry in an official and creative capacity, giving fans the inside scoop on how Shane and Ilya's love story was adapted from page to screen. Breaking down scene directions and the intimacy coordination and even stories about Shane's coveted fleece jacket, the book contains everything we want to know.
Check out the full synopsis for the book from publisher Hachette Book Group:
"I’ll Believe in Anything answers all the questions fans of this groundbreaking series have been asking. How did Tierney interweave Ilya and Shane’s rivalry with Scott and Kip’s love story to create the ultimate television moment? Where did the idea for that incredible Canadian Olympic fleece originate? And what does it look like for a full team, led by Tierney and Brady, to plan, choreograph, and film some of the best sex scenes in television history? Featuring annotations on scene directions, intimacy choreography, costume insights, and more, alongside Tierney’s never-before-seen scripts, this book gives fans a brand-new way to come to the cottage!"
Currently, I'll Believe in Anything hasn't revealed its official cover just yet, but the book is available to preorder wherever books are sold ahead of its release this fall. The title comes from the Wolf Parade song of the same name that soundtracks a key moment in the first season's fifth episode, when Scott kisses Kip on the ice after winning the cup, and Ilya decides to join Shane at the cottage.
We're surely going to learn even more about how the book's namesake came to be such an integral moment for the show, and hopefully Tierney will also share some stories about how the other iconic needle drops were chosen. Beyond the scripts and every behind-the-scenes secret we could ever imagine, let's hope that there will be some new exclusive photos of Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie from the set. (Is that too much to ask?)
Even though Heated Rivalry season 2 won't premiere until sometime in spring 2027, there's a lot to look forward to for fans. The official soundtrack vinyl and CD releases this summer, when filming's also set to kick off on the second season. Next year, Reid releases the new sequel novel Unrivaled, which continues Shane and Ilya's love story after The Long Game, and in fall 2026, all six current books in the Game Changers series will be re-released with deluxe editions.
Since the show's release between November and December 2025, Heated Rivalry has picked up a number of prestigious award nominations, including from the Television Academy Honors, Canadian Screen Awards, GLAAD Media Awards (which it won!), and Peabody Awards. Going into the second season with a lot of excitement, the future couldn't be more bright for the series, its cast, and crew.
Leading up to the release of I'll Believe in Anything in October, Tierney and the publisher will surely continue to tease more of what to expect, including the official cover reveal and a look inside the book at the scripts, annotations, and behind-the-scenes content. Make sure to preorder your copy and get your much-needed Heated Rivalry fix this fall!
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