If you’ve been impatiently waiting for Heated Rivalry season two, your prayers have been answered—sort of. Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, the breakout stars who brought hockey players Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander to life on Crave’s hit streaming series, are back together for an entirely new project that promises to deliver the same electric chemistry fans can’t get enough of.
The duo has teamed up for Ember & Ice, an audio erotica series on the Quinn platform, with the first two episodes dropping today. But this time, they’re trading hockey sticks for magic and medieval intrigue.
From Ice Rinks to Fae Kingdoms
In Ember & Ice, Storrie and Williams voice two fae princes from rival kingdoms—the legendary Solari and Lunare realms. Sound familiar? The enemies-to-lovers setup mirrors the tension that made Heated Rivalry such a phenomenon, except now the sparks flying between characters are literal (we’re talking fantasy magic here, people).
Quinn CEO Caroline Spiegel clearly knows what fans want. “Hudson and Connor have a really special chemistry, and we feel incredibly lucky to work with them,” she said in a statement. “The way they connect with audiences and show up in the cultural conversation is exciting to watch.”
That chemistry isn’t just hype—it’s what transformed Heated Rivalry from a niche queer romance series into a genuine cultural moment.
The ‘Heated Rivalry’ Phenomenon
Based on Rachel Reid’s Game Changers novels, Heated Rivalry follows two professional hockey players who’ve spent years as bitter rivals on the ice while secretly falling for each other off it. The show cleverly evokes real-world NHL rivalries—think Sidney Crosby versus Alexander Ovechkin—while giving viewers the queer romance storyline mainstream sports has been missing.
The series exploded online, with fans creating “Stranger what…?” memes as Heated Rivalry gained momentum during Netflix’s final Stranger Things season. Williams himself acknowledges the power of fan editors in catapulting the show to success.
“I heard a statistic that between week one and week two, there was, I think, a 600 percent increase in viewers,” he told Harper’s Bazaar. “And I really think the TikTok editors, especially, were on one. I don’t know how old those people are, or who taught them how to edit that well, but it’s so impressive.”
He’s not wrong—those fan-made edits became free marketing gold, introducing the series to audiences who might never have discovered it otherwise. Williams admits these clips often help him appreciate elements of the show he initially overlooked.
Audio Erotica: The Next Frontier
While visual media dominates entertainment, audio erotica platforms like Quinn are carving out their own space in the romance landscape. For fans missing Storrie and Williams’ dynamic, Ember & Ice offers an intimate listening experience that lets imagination fill in the blanks—arguably making the romance even more personal.
The timing couldn’t be better. With Heated Rivalry season two still in the works, Ember & Ice gives fans their fix while keeping the actors’ partnership alive in the public consciousness. It’s a smart move that recognizes what made the original series work: the undeniable connection between these two performers.
Whether you’re team hockey romance or team fae fantasy, one thing’s certain—Storrie and Williams know how to bring the heat, regardless of the genre.
