Rachel Reid, the author behind the beloved Heated Rivalry book series, has made a surprising confession. She initially believed the actors cast to play her iconic characters, Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, were completely wrong for the roles.
Initial Casting Reservations
In a recent interview with Variety, Reid admitted her first impressions of Hudson Williams, who plays golden boy Shane, were off the mark. "At first, not quite," she said, explaining that she had only seen his social media presence. "Hudson had a lot of pictures where he looked like a badass and he was smoking or showing off all of his tattoos. I was like, 'I’m not seeing it.'"
Her concerns for Ilya's casting were even more specific. Reid was adamant that the actor portraying the complex Russian hockey star needed to be authentically Russian to avoid distracting the audience. When showrunner Jacob Tierney suggested American actor Connor Storrie, who has no Russian heritage, she was deeply sceptical. "The whole thing falls apart if he’s not believably Russian," she recalled thinking.
A Swift and Decisive Change of Heart
However, Reid's doubts were completely dispelled the moment she visited the set. Meeting Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie in person and witnessing their on-screen chemistry transformed her opinion entirely. "But then as soon as I met them on set, I was like, 'Yep, they’re actually perfect,'" she revealed.
The author now cannot picture anyone else embodying her characters, stating emphatically: "I can’t even imagine what other actors would’ve been like." This rapid turnaround highlights the powerful dynamic the actors created, which has been a significant factor in the show's success.
The Legacy of Perfect Casting
The casting of Williams and Storrie has proven to be a masterstroke, with fans becoming as obsessed with the actors as they are with Shane and Ilya themselves. Their portrayal has been praised for capturing not just the physicality of the characters from Reid's books, but also the nuanced emotional and romantic chemistry that drives the story.
This revelation from 5 January 2026 adds a fascinating layer to the show's production history. It underscores how initial perceptions can be misleading and how the magic of performance can only truly be judged in action. The journey from doubt to wholehearted endorsement from the original creator has solidified the duo's status as the definitive Shane and Ilya for a global audience.
