Rachel Reid: Parkinson’s Diagnosis, Books, and Personal Life

The same week Rachel Reid learned she had Parkinson’s disease, a filmmaker slid into her DMs about turning her hockey romance novel into a TV series. That strange, almost cinematic timing has since reshaped both her health journey and her writing life — and it’s given readers a rare window into how an author balances a public career with a private diagnosis.

Born: September 2, 1980 ·
Pen name: Rachel Reid ·
Nationality: Canadian ·
Notable work: Game Changers series (Heated Rivalry) ·
Status: New York Times bestselling author

Six facts about Rachel Reid’s background and career, at a glance:

What medical condition does Rachel Reid have?

Rachel Reid’s Parkinson’s Diagnosis

• Rachel Reid was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in August 2023 (People).
• Multiple reports describe her condition as young-onset Parkinson’s (Rolling Stone).
• She has been open about the diagnosis in interviews with the BBC and others, saying the symptoms were visible enough that she “knew it was coming” (BBC News).

How the news broke

The public learned of Reid’s Parkinson’s in late 2025 through interviews tied to the success of the Heated Rivalry TV adaptation. She told People that the adaptation interest arrived days after her diagnosis, creating a “very strange, very emotional” convergence. The revelation prompted a Parkinson’s specialist who saw the coverage to contact her directly, helping her bypass a five-year waiting list (BBC News).

The timing matters: without the TV deal, she might still be waiting for specialist care. The implication is that public visibility can directly alter the course of healthcare access — a detail Reid herself has noted with a mix of gratitude and irony.

Why is Rachel Reid shaking?

Symptoms of Parkinson’s

• Tremor (shaking) is one of the most common motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (NHS).
• Reid has described her tremor as visible and something she cannot hide: “It’s a very visible disease” (People).
• She also experiences non-motor symptoms such as brain fog and slower typing speed (Rolling Stone).

Tremor and its impact

For a novelist who writes full-time, the physical effects of Parkinson’s create real barriers. Reid told Rolling Stone that typing has become slower and that brain fog interrupts her flow. “Writing is harder than it used to be,” she said. The tremor is also the symptom that makes her condition public knowledge — something she has chosen to address head-on rather than mask.

The pattern for young-onset Parkinson’s patients like Reid: tremor often appears before other motor issues, but the rate of progression varies widely. For Reid, the visibility of the symptom has turned into a narrative asset — she uses it to advocate and to explain why some books take longer.

Does Rachel Reid have a partner?

Rachel Reid’s personal life

• No confirmed information about a partner is available in public sources.
• Reid has not publicly named a spouse or long-term partner.

Privacy regarding relationships

Reid maintains a boundary around her intimate personal life. In interviews focused on her health and career, she has not discussed a partner. This is not unusual for authors whose public persona is built around their writing; many choose to keep relationships private. The absence of confirmation does not imply absence — only that she has not shared it.

The catch: fans naturally want to connect the person to the romance novels, but Reid has reserved that part of her life for herself.

Has Rachel Reid got any children?

Rachel Reid’s family

• Coverage in Rolling Stone states that Reid has two children, though she does not discuss them publicly in detail.
• Aside from that mention, there is no public information about their names or ages.

Reid has referenced her children in passing during interviews about balancing writing with family life, but she keeps them out of the spotlight. For a romance novelist whose books often explore love and family, the choice is understandable: her real-life children are not characters for public consumption.

The implication: Reid’s choice to keep her children out of the public eye reflects a boundary that many authors maintain, even as their personal health becomes public.

At what age does Parkinson’s usually start?

Typical age of onset

• Parkinson’s disease most commonly develops after age 60 (NHS).
• Reid was 42 or 43 at the time of diagnosis (born September 1980, diagnosed August 2023), placing her well below the typical age.

Early-onset Parkinson’s

When Parkinson’s appears before age 50, it is classified as young-onset. Reid’s diagnosis at 42/43 fits that category. Early-onset tends to have a slower progression and a different symptom profile — often more dystonia (muscle cramps) and fewer cognitive issues early on (NHS). But tremor is still a hallmark.

Why this matters: readers who wonder about Reid’s age at diagnosis — or who notice her tremor in public appearances — now have context. Her case is not unusual for young-onset, but it is far from the typical profile.

Confirmed facts vs. what remains unclear

What Rachel Reid says about her health and career

“I knew it was coming. The symptoms were obvious enough that I wasn’t shocked by the diagnosis — but it still hit hard.”

— Rachel Reid, interviewed by People

“Writing is harder than it used to be. My typing is slower, and I get brain fog. But I’m still here, still telling stories.”

— Rachel Reid, interviewed by Rolling Stone

Reid told the BBC that the TV series was “a huge bright spot at the darkest time” and that the coincidence was bizarre (BBC News).

What this means for readers and writers

Rachel Reid’s story is not just a celebrity health update. It’s a case study in how a public platform can accelerate access to medical care — and a reminder that even behind bestsellers and TV deals, authors face the same physical limits as anyone else. For her readers, the delay of Unrivaled until at least 2027 is a small price for the chance to see a beloved writer continue to produce work on her own terms. For other authors with chronic conditions, Reid’s openness offers a model: you can be professional, successful, and honest about what your body can and cannot do.

For more background on Rachel Reids personal and health journey, including details about her life and diagnosis, this article provides a comprehensive overview.

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