It seems many Winnipeg readers have found a new way to heat up this winter.
Winnipeg Public Library is having trouble keeping up with demand for Heated Rivalry – the book behind the popular Canadian television series of the same name. The Canadian-produced show premiered on Crave November 28.
“We started to see holds pick up towards the end of November, but then they really took off in January,” said Aileen Clear, Collections Librarian with the Winnipeg Public Library. She helps select and purchase books for the library collection.
As fandom for the TV series grew across North America and beyond, so too did Winnipeg readers’ desire to get their hands on the source material.
Heated Rivalry has been checked out more than 300 times this year – and we’re only one month into 2026. By the end of January, the waitlist for the physical book alone had climbed to around 140 readers.
Before the TV show aired, we had just six copies in circulation. Now, Clear is quickly trying to bring in more to keep up with demand. She ordered 14 additional copies so far this year and will likely be buying even more soon.
The surge doesn’t stop there. Demand is even hotter for Heated Rivalry’s e-book and audio versions. There were over 270 people waiting for the e-book and more than 150 waiting for the audiobook at the end of January. Clear is also purchasing more copies for the digital library as those lists are only growing.
Interest in other titles growing
Heated Rivalry is the second book of six in the Game Changers series. It’s also the only one for which we currently have physical copies in our collection. As the waitlists for the other titles grow, so does Clear’s shopping list.
“I recently purchased the rest of the series due to demand and reader suggestions to buy them,” said Clear. “It’s very exciting to see a romance novel about gay hockey players garner so much attention, and with a Canadian author helming the series to boot.”
The series is penned by Nova Scotia author Rachel Reid.
Clear hopes readers with holds on the book will be patient. With more copies on the way, readers won’t be left on the bench for long. An insider tip: e-book and audio waitlists tend to move quicker than ones for physical copies.
How screen adaptations drive library loans
This trend extends well beyond the Game Changers series. Clear said screen adaptations tend to drive readers back to the original books.
That’s also happening right now with Hamnet. It explores the life of William Shakespeare. There are currently around 300 combined holds for that title. Clear said that’s likely because of the recently released film. It won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Drama earlier this year and was just nominated for the Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
Explore our collection
The Winnipeg Public Library collection is always growing, and not all titles have waitlists. If you are looking for something to read or listen to now, there is likely something that interests you available.
If you want to check out Heated Rivalry, or any other book, make sure you sign up for a library card. It’s free for Winnipeg residents and you can do it at any library branch.