If you’ve been following my writing journey, you know I usually spend my days lost in medieval India. My head is full of heavy crowns, ancient duties, and that slow, breathless tension of a hand-brush in a crowded royal court. But lately, I decided to take a bit of a detour into the modern world with Rachel Reid’s Game Changers.
If you’re on social media at all, you’ve probably seen the buzz about the HBO adaptation of her series, specifically Heated Rivalry. Now, I have a rule that I usually follow: I do not watch the show before I’ve read the books! So, I dove into this contemporary M/M sports romance, and I walked away with two big realizations.
First, I have to say, I really tip my hat to contemporary romance novelists. In a way, their job is much harder than mine! In my stories, the obstacles are built into the world. We have cultural taboos, royal mandates, and rigid hierarchies that do the heavy lifting of keeping my couples apart.
But in a modern setting, especially M/F stories set in America, those external walls aren’t always there. Sometimes, to keep the plot moving, an author has to make characters act a little bit irrational. If they both just realized they were deeply in love by chapter three, the book would be over! Unless it’s handled perfectly, that “forced hatred” can start to feel a little contrived.
That’s why I found the “pro sports” niche so clever. Much like the prince in Red, White & Royal Blue, these athletes have very real, high-stakes hurdles. In Game Changers, the locker room and the public eye become the “castle walls” that keep them apart, even when they know exactly how they feel.
As for the book itself? It was an easy, fun read, and I enjoyed it. That said, I’ve confirmed that I am firmly a “closed door” romance person. I’ve always been a disciple of Jane Austen; I think the most profound love happens in those quiet moments where characters fall for each other without even a kiss.
In my own books, I’m much more of a “fingertips touching” kind of writer. For me, the explicit scenes actually pulled me out of the romance a bit. I suppose my heart just belongs to that simmering, quiet tension of the historical world!
The Verdict: A wonderfully crafted modern love story. Just be aware that if you prefer the “fingertips touching” style like I do, this one is quite spicy!
Anna Bushi 