HBO
Published Feb 10, 2026, 1:00 PM EST
Liz Hersey is an Editor and Critic for ScreenRant's TV team, editing, reviewing, writing, and creating content about the iconic shows you love to watch. She began her editing career at ScreenRant in 2019, shortly after joining the site as a Writer that same year.
With a passion for all things books, Liz frequently attends Toronto literary events and conferences, and loves interacting with her book lover community. In addition to being an avid reader of the romance and thriller genres, Liz is a writer of several short stories, and is currently at work on a young adult witch novel.
When she's not working, reading, or writing, Liz can be found seeing movies at her local cinema, attending live jazz events, or curling up on the couch to binge her favorite TV shows.
You can reach her at [email protected].
Heated Rivalry made Canada the premier country for must-watch romance series, and Prime Video's upcoming Every Year After looks to continue that trend. What began as an original series for Canadian streaming service Crave grew into an international phenomenon when Heated Rivalry exploded onto HBO Max.
The show was based on the Game Changers book series by Nova Scotian author Rachel Reid, and made huge stars out of Heated Rivalry's main cast members Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie. This bodes well for Every Year After, which is also an adaptation of a beloved Canadian romance novel.
What Is Every Year After About?
Based on Every Summer After, the 2022 debut novel by bestselling author Carley Fortune, Every Year After takes place over the span of six years and one weekend. It centers around Percy (Sadie Soverall) and Sam (Matt Cornett), a pair of teenagers who become fast friends when her family buys a summer home in his charming Ontario hometown, Barry's Bay.
A major falling out ends Percy and Sam's friendship, but when Percy returns to Barry's Bay years later to attend the funeral of Sam's mother, this opens up the chance for reconciliation... and possibly something more.
The upcoming romance show also stars Michael Bradway as Sam's brother Charlie (the male main character in Fortune's 2025 novel, One Golden Summer), Aurora Perrineau and Abigail Cowen as Percy's friends, Chantal and Delilah, Joseph Chiu as Jordie, and Girl Next Door star Elisha Cuthbert as Sam and Charlie's mom, Sue.
Why Every Year After Is The Perfect Heated Rivalry Replacement
HBOBesides also having a Canadian romance novel as its source material, Every Year After has many elements in common with Heated Rivalry, and could very well be the next TV sensation. For starters, Every Year After is coming to the cottage.
Every fan knows that Heated Rivalry's tearjerking season finale features a pivotal development in Shane and Ilya's relationship that takes place at the former's cottage, also in Ontario. Not only is the cottage a beautiful, serene, and cozy setting, but its liminal space outside of the real world allows for unbridled intimacy and vulnerability. Vibes plus passion is a winning combination for romance fans.
But beyond that, like Heated Rivalry's multi-year-spanning timeline, Every Year After also takes place across several years, allowing for tension to build and, most importantly, yearning. Percy and Sam may not have the forbidden relationship that defines Shane and Ilya's romance, but they're teenagers with a close friendship at stake — yearning is part of the deal. And, like Heated Rivalry, that yearning could very well go viral.
When Is Every Year After Coming Out?
While a release date for Every Year After has yet to be announced, it's easy to take an educated guess. Filming for the series took place in Vancouver from June 24 to October 9, 2025, which means that it is very likely to premiere on Prime Video sometime this year.
Given that the romance series takes place during the summer, a summer 2026 release date is the safest bet. This follows Prime Video's recently wrapped The Summer I Turned Pretty, another summer romance series based on a hugely successful book. So, not only will Every Year After fill the void left by Heated Rivalry, but also Prime Video's most popular romance show. It's truly a great time to be a romance fan.
English (US) ·