Declan and Silvan are at The Cottage in Part 10 of our Heated Rivalry book review.

We unpack one of the funniest chapters in the novel, from eight burgers and "stupid Canadian wolfbird" to the effortless comedy Rachel Reid gives Ilya throughout these scenes. Beneath the laughter lies one of the book's most important emotional turning points.

We explore Shane's hesitation about coming out, what it means for Ilya to feel like a secret and how Rachel Reid captures the complicated balance between love, fear and vulnerability. We also compare these moments with Jacob Tierney's television adaptation, discussing why certain scenes feel even more powerful on screen and how subtle changes in body language transform the emotional impact.

The conversation also dives into Ilya's lifelong role as a caretaker, the heartbreaking story of his mother, and why we found ourselves wanting even more of his perspective during these pivotal moments. Along the way, we debate whether Heated Rivalry is ultimately Shane's story or whether Ilya deserves more narrative space.

Plus, we share our thoughts after our first Belfast listener meetup and thank everyone who came along to make it such a memorable day.

The next episode of the Long Game podcast will be released on Sunday 2nd August 2026.

Join our Long Game Podcast Book Club on Fable to read along with us each week.: https://fable.co/club/long-game-pod-book-club-with-long-game-pod-349252537194?invite=fc285de0-86ea-45c4-ab3f-8dcc82b8cad8&referralID=4tVUzsxlCC

Find us on instagram: longgame.heatedrivalry.pod

Write to us: longgamepod2481@gmail.com

Find Declan:

Instagram: declan712

Tiktok: declanmccallion1

Find Silvan:

Instagram: Silvates

Tiktok: silvates1

Listen to the Podcast on:

Apple podcast:

Spotify podcast:

Amazon podcast:

Watch it on youtube:

Listen to Silvan’s ‘Silvates’ podcast here:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/silvates/id1531620495

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xMX59teVzpf6M86Cv7WG9?si=016f5477aed14697

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Cottage Chapter

02:31 Humor and Levity in the Story

05:10 Adaptation Insights: Book vs. TV Show

08:11 Creative Trust in Adaptations

09:25 Superhero Fatigue and Audience Expectations

09:44 The Need for Quality LGBTQ+ Stories

10:34 Character Dynamics: Shane and Ilya

10:46 Exploring Shane's Internal Struggles

13:44 The Impact of Micro-Rejections

16:29 Ilya's Caretaking Role and Its Consequences

24:33 The Caretaker Role of Ilya

27:13 Contrasting Upbringings: Ilya vs. Shane

30:15 Character Development: The Evolution of Shane

35:00 Emotional Intimacy vs. Physical Connection

39:18 Navigating Grief and Vulnerability

43:55 The Balance of Humor and Seriousness

47:58 The Writer's Responsibility: Depth in Storytelling

57:29 Community Connection: Reflections on the Meetup