Overview
- During a televised storm briefing on Jan. 25, Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged residents to stay home and read Heated Rivalry using their NYPL cards.
- The New York Public Library had opened instant e-book and audiobook access to Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series for cardholders through Feb. 14 via the Libby app.
- Following the remarks, the library reported a 529% single-day jump in Heated Rivalry downloads, with about 86% of Sunday checkouts occurring after the press conference.
- By Monday morning, officials counted more than 5,000 downloads of Heated Rivalry and over 13,000 across the series, after waitlists that had neared 3,000 patrons.
- The breakout TV adaptation on Crave and HBO Max has amplified interest, elevating stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, while some outlets criticized the mayor’s recommendation.