I’ll Believe in Anything: The Official Heated Rivalry Script Book Explained

Fans looking for another way into the world of Heated Rivalry have a new book to explore. I’ll Believe in Anything, by series creator Jacob Tierney, was published on October 13, 2026. It brings the television adaptation to the page through annotated scripts rather than a new installment of Rachel Reid’s fiction.

For readers deciding whether to buy it, that distinction is the starting point: are you looking to continue the characters’ story, or understand how their story became television?

I’ll Believe in Anything reaches No. 2 on Publishers Weekly’s list

October 24, 2026 update: Following its October 13 publication, I’ll Believe in Anything reached No. 2 on Publishers Weekly’s hardcover nonfiction bestseller list for October 26, 2026. The publication reported the ranking in its October 23 bestseller roundup. It also reported that Rachel Reid’s six Game Changers novels sold more than 1 million print copies in 2026 to date, compared with about 91,000 in 2025. Those series figures refer to Reid’s novels, rather than sales of Tierney’s script collection.

What is I’ll Believe in Anything?

The full title is I’ll Believe in Anything: The Making of Heated Rivalry Season 1 (The Annotated Scripts). Hachette’s official listing identifies Tierney as the author, with a foreword by Rachel Reid. The project comes in partnership with Brendan Brady and Accent Aigu.

Little, Brown and Company lists a 384-page hardcover and an ebook. The U.S. hardcover ISBN is 9780316613941.

The publisher describes a complete collection of annotated Season 1 scripts, with behind-the-scenes material covering scene directions, intimacy choreography, costumes and the intertwining of Shane and Ilya’s story with Scott and Kip’s.

What does “annotated scripts” mean?

A script collection gives you the writing prepared for the screen. Annotations add commentary around that writing, helping readers examine decisions that might otherwise pass unnoticed during an episode.

That makes this format especially appealing if your favorite part of an adaptation is discussing how it works. Why does a scene begin at one moment rather than another? What does a character reveal through an action instead of a speech? How does a change in structure affect the audience’s understanding?

In his October 12 interview with Teen Vogue, Tierney explains that he centered the adaptation on the moments that mattered to Shane and Ilya’s relationship. He also discusses how editing reshaped the pilot’s opening.

Those comments offer a useful approach to reading the collection: look at how the writing directs your attention. Which encounters receive room to develop, and which stretches of time move quickly?

How is it different from Rachel Reid’s novels?

Reid’s novels and Tierney’s script collection serve different reading interests. Fiction lets you experience a story in its literary form. A script book invites you to examine the adaptation’s construction.

The practical question is what you want from your next purchase. If you want prose storytelling, choose the novels. If you want to study the television version, the annotated scripts are the relevant companion.

Readers interested in continuing Shane and Ilya’s book story can use our guide to Rachel Reid’s Unrivaled and the earlier novels. Keep that reading path separate from this making-of volume, whose focus is Season 1.

An adaptation can also give you a reason to return to a novel. Reading the two forms alongside each other encourages a more interesting discussion than simply counting missing scenes. Ask what a change accomplishes: does it clarify an emotion, connect two storylines or alter when the audience learns something?

Should you watch the show before reading it?

Watching Season 1 first is the most useful approach. A complete script collection will expose the season’s story, so treat it as spoiler-heavy reading even if you only intend to browse.

You do not need screenwriting experience to enjoy comparing a scene on the page with its finished version. Start with a moment you remember clearly. Read the script, then revisit the episode and notice what the performance adds.

A pause might make an ordinary line feel vulnerable. A glance might change the meaning of a reply. A scene that seems brief on the page might feel much longer when the actors leave space between words.

That comparison is valuable because it gives you something concrete to discuss. Instead of saying that a scene has chemistry, you can identify the choices that make the connection convincing.

Who is this book best suited for?

The collection’s premise will appeal most to viewers who want to spend time with the creative process behind the show.

It also offers an interesting reading project for book clubs that enjoy adaptations. Members could choose one scene, compare its written and filmed versions, and discuss which details carry the emotional weight.

For aspiring writers, a useful exercise is to look at what can be communicated without explaining a character’s thoughts. What can another person observe? What remains concealed? When does dialogue reveal something that behavior has already suggested?

These are ways to approach the format, rather than judgments about the finished book’s quality. This article is a release explainer, not a hands-on review.

How to get more from a script-book reading

Try reading in small sections rather than treating the collection as a novel to finish quickly:

1. Choose an episode you have already watched.
2. Read its script and annotations.
3. Write down one decision you want to examine.
4. Rewatch the relevant scene.
5. Compare your first impression with what you notice now.

The most rewarding question may be: what changed between the words on the page and the scene I remember?

For Heated Rivalry fans interested in that question, I’ll Believe in Anything is available now, following its October 13, 2026 publication.

Shopping option: Check I’ll Believe in Anything on Amazon.

If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

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