"I write sexually explicit queer romance novels about hockey players. You probably know this, but I'm saying it because it's something that I don't feel comfortable telling everyone."
Rachel Reid wrote those words on her blog four months ago. Now, the adaptation of her self-described "smut" is the most talked-about show on TV: Heated Rivalry.
Its stars have appeared at the Golden Globes, on major late-night talk shows and podcasts, and in a seemingly unending stream of social media fan edits - leaving Reid nowhere to hide.
But the Canadian author tells the BBC: "There's nothing to be embarrassed about anymore."
"People are so open about loving the show," she continues. "It's embarrassing to not like it."
